Overpowered Rise of the Runelords

[Jack_Simth]

A while back, a gaming company decided to turn Pathfinder into a VR MMORPG. It became quite popular, and you were one of the best of the best. You were max level, did all the events, and won many of them; including one that had a truly unique prize. But all things must end, and this was no exception: Subscriptions lagged, and eventually the game ceased to be profitable enough for the corporate bigwigs. You received the announcement via e-mail: The servers would be shutting down after this month's billing cycle.

On the last day, determined to get as much as you could out of things, you were logged in when the servers shut down... and rather than the game simply closing, something happened. There was a gut-wrenching click, and you found yourself in a different area of the game. But things were different. The slight pixelation from your VR headset was gone: Everything looked as real as real can be. Moreover, you could actually feel the breeze on your face, the ground beneath your boots, and the pinching from that awkward (but cool-looking) armor. You could smell the horse droppings and the lack of common bathing. Pulling up the menus, you find that all of them still work, save one: Exit is grayed out. You can't leave. Checking, you also can't feel your headset anymore, and attempts to remove it manually prove fruitless: It's like it's not there anymore. Thinking about it, you can't even feel your real body. It's like you've become your character. Looking around and taking stock, you realize you're in one of the starting areas.... with all your max level gear.

Specifically, you find yourself in a graveyard, overshadowed by what appears to be a very large, brand-new cathedral. There's a gate to the north, and several doors in the cathedral that would give access to the area. It's a rather expansive cemetery, overlooking a river. Stone vaults stand near the cemetery’s edges or at its center, while dozens of humble plots, each marked with a simple gravestone, sit amid trees and shrubberies. The boneyard is very well-maintained.

It's morning, and the graveyard is empty, save for yourselves. You can hear a party going on nearby.

I'm starting you off in an empty graveyard, so that anyone who wishes to assume a disguise can, and I don't have to worry about folks immediately running from the monsters

Link to the original recruitment thread "main" post, for however log it lasts (https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25374677&postcount=36)
Link to refill recruitment thread (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?648520-Overpowered-Rise-of-the-Runelords-(20th-monstrous-modified-gestalt)&p=25541559#post25541559)

Deadline for sheets: evening of March 13th

Eh. Looks like I have a copy of Rise of the Runelords I've never cracked open.

I suppose I'll try my hand....

System: Pathfinder Play by Post, here.
Player Count: Everyone who manages to complete an application (I expect drops).
Style of Play: Mostly RP, as you'll be able to one-shot basically everything you encounter for QUITE some time.
Allowed Content: 1st party Paizo only, and I must have free access to it - if it's in a book I don't have, I can't adjudicate it. Be careful with d20pfsrd.com, as they have a lot of 3rd party content on there.

Character Creation:
Your Character: 20th level, custom gestalt. One track is a class as normal.
The other is a "racial" track. You can play a monster (Level=CR, ability mods are the -10 for evens, -11 for odds from 3.5), although hit dice and caster level are limited to the base creature's CR (so a CR 10 Monavic Diva (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/outsiders/angel/angel-movanic-deva) would be treated as only having 10 hit dice, rather than 12). Any spare spots in that track are filled with the "racial fill" PRC. Full BAB, all good saves, d12 hd, 8 skill points/level (no class skills, though), and for features has the Armor Bonus, Str/Dex Bonus, Evolution Pool, and applicable Specials that a summoner's eidolon (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/summoner/eidolons/) of that level would get; it also progresses any existing racial spellcasting or spell-like ability caster levels. To continue the example, that CR 10 Monavic Diva would grant you the armor bonus, Str/Dex bonus, evolution pool, and specials that a 10th level summoner's eidolon would have (+8 Natural Armor, +4 Str and Dex, Darkvision, Evasion, Devotion, Multiattack, two ability score increases, and 14 evolution points).
Someone found the retraining rules, and pointed out a clause. Any feat you qualify for now is available, even if it wouldn't have been at the time you picked up the feat slot.



Backstory: Do have one. After all, dedicated folks often make stories for their characters. Also have a real life backstory. Might come up in conversation.
Experience: You're not going to advance.
Wealth: Wealth by level is out the window. You've been doing this for a super-long time, and the limitations were of the game interface, not money.
Custom items (including merging existing items) are not permitted (computer games tend to be annoying that way).
You can have any normal magic item you like (within the source list) per each equipment slot (including primary hand and off hand weapon slots; a shield fills the off hand slot).
You can have a maximum of 20 slotless magical items (ioun stones, rods, portable holes, used tomes/manuals, and so on). It was a limitation of the inventory system.
You can have a maximum of 10 types of single-use items (e.g., Potions of Cure Serious Wounds, Scrolls of Heal), and a maximum of 9 of each of them.
Scrolls are limited to single spells.
You can have a maximum of 10 wands or staves
Currently non-equipped items (e.g., an alternate headband) can be stored in your slotless magical item slots, but they don't do anything while not properly worn.
You can have a maximum of 9 of each of any nonmagical item.
You have a free Handy Haversack that functions as a portable hole (it was the interface for all of the above).
Additionally, you have 999 diamonds (valued at 1,000 gp each), 999 platinum coins, 999 gold coins, 999 silver coins, and 999 copper coins on hand (it was a limitation on the interface).
No minions from wealth (so no crafted constructs or anything; class-bonded minions still work - so an animal companion, familiar, Eidolon, et cetera is OK).
Gear for minions was not implemented in game.

Event Reward:
You get one custom event reward. This takes one of a few forms:
1) A single, constant spell effect on you that can't be dispelled and is treated as nonmagical (it will continue to function just fine if you wander into a dead magic zone). Any Paizo spell you like, of up to 9th level - metamagic permitted. Shapechange? Enjoy being a protean. Empowered Spell Turning? Great! It never runs out; any targeted spell on you gets a return to sender. Empowered Maximized Fire Shield? Ah, you must be Johnny, as you're clearly the human torch. Downside: Can't be turned off.
2) A "signature" spell-like (metamagic permitted) - again, a Paizo spell of 9th or lower, although it can't be of a sort that duplicates other spells (so no Wish, Miracle, Shades, or Shapechange for this one). If it's a 9th, it has a 1-minute cool down. If it's an 8th, a 1d4+1 round cool-down. If it's a 7th, it has a 1 round cool down (you can use it at most every other round). If it's 6th or lower, it's at-will. If the spell is on multiple lists at different levels, it's treated as the highest level it's found at for this purpose (which means Heal is 7th, because Druid). Minor adaptations to make the spell function are permitted (e.g., Mage’s Lucubration can restore spent spell slots even if you're a Sorcerer, Cleric, Oracle, or so on rather than a Wizard).
3) One class feature (other than spellcasting) from a different class (at full level). So your Druid might also have an Eidolon, or your Wizard might have Sneak Attack, or your Rogue might have a familiar. Archetypes are permitted (so that eidolon might be wearable due to synthesist). Note that supporting class features don't come with (so that Eidolon does NOT have Life Link, and must be healed separately from you).

Ability Scores: 25 point buy. Yes, I know the rest of this is way, way over powered, but eh, it was the starting state. What can you do?
Hitpoints/Health: Max per level. Someone found the retraining rules, and told everyone else. Thereafter, everyone just paid the gold until they had max HP.
Alignment: Is a setting. Other than some things they put in that change it instantly, they didn't implement a morality system. It affects how you're treated by various game effects (which in turn can change how you're treated by various NPCs), but it doesn't change with your actions and has no effect on you (so your Chaotic Evil character is perfectly capable of founding a series of free hospitals while staying Chaotic Evil).



Other Notes:
Two traits, no background skills.
Leadership was never implemented.
Some of these restrictions no longer apply, as it's no longer just a game. You're going to need to find out which in character, although I'm guessing most folks will consider it pretty obvious.
I don't like pvp. If you do something hostile against another player, the other player decides how it plays out. If you have max ranks in Sleight of Hand and a dex of 30, and are pickpocketing a fellow PC who has no ranks in Perception and a Wis of 6, they can still catch you at it and stop you, even if it makes no sense. Or you might find that the pocket has a DC "nope" Sepia Snake Sigil, despite that making even less sense.
I wouldn't worry about other folks' optimization levels. You're in an adventure path intended for 1st level folks. The difference between AC 40 and AC 80 is petty when the highest attack bonus that will be coming at you is +19 (needs a 20 no matter who he targets). The difference between dealing 150 damage a round and 300 damage a round is petty when the toughest opponent in the book has 102 hp (they go straight from full to dead regardless of which PC attacks). Differences may start to matter in the later books, but at least at first you're going to slaughter every combat encounter very, very handily.


Could they have simply been playing long enough to have become what they are?
As long as the specifics are reasonably plausible to have occurred at some point for a long-running, multinational game.

Thanks for the speedy reply. So grateful.
Tossing around a few different ideas I dont want to do the same thing as others. I am liking the Anemos, Apostate Devil, Wild Hunt Monarch, or Veranallia.
If I used the three -1 Templates would that be possible to use Charnel God?
I'm going to go with "no" on that one.

Could be we knew each other in RL and played the game together? Made sort of opposite characters to take advantage of things within the game and now here we are stuck with our choices?

EDIT: I don't know what PaO and Dispel Magic is. Figured it out. So he could have done that and made it into a great sword I am assuming is what you are saying.
You can also just wield a one-handed weapon in two hands. Pathfinder explicitly allows for that. All you lose is the difference in base weapon damage. 1d8 vs. 2d6 is just 2.5 on average.


We can use templates? And to repeat since it seems I edited at the same time you posted: are we using BAB and such from our classes or do we take it from monster progression if it’s better?

Yes. The normal problem with them in Gestalt is that they quickly get overpowered. But that's hardly an issue here, you're supposed to steamroll everything.

Saves, BAB, HD size, and skill points from monster hd if they are better. But do remember racial hd are capped to cr, so you don't end up with 22 hd or anything.


I'm not sure what that's supposed to mean. Any of the three options I listed could be interpreted as being part of the progression.

Sorry, on mobile. Yes, you get the Grand Discovery and the two bonus discoveries.


Gotcha, it's mostly a flavor thing anyway and not a numbers thing.

Cheese question (I think). Since our alignment is more leaning towards what we are as players and not what we are as characters. How would taking the Damnation feats work out? I can easily see them as having been added as a mechanics only bonus (which is kind of exactly what I am looking to do) and the whole build up of evil thing kind of just withers away when it's not the character anymore but me as the player.

They don't influence your behavior, but they do influence your in game alignment.

You may also have some ... concerns ... about them when the reality of living in a world with a verifiable afterlife hits you.


How are we going to be dealing with expensive material components?

The game just deducted them from your cash if you weren't using Blood Money, False Focus, or similar. You'll need to stop and purchase or make them now (except for diamonds, of course; you have lots).

Posting from mobile, please excuse the mess....

Some starting thoughts for building backgrounds... just intended for inspiration:
How did you get into the game?
Are there any people / activities / possessions that you will miss from the real world?
Are there any conditions, states, diseases, or situations that you are happy to escape?
Did you make any build choices that were fine for a game you could leave at any time, but are undesirable as a permanent state?
Is there something you always wanted in real life, but could never get, that is possible now?


Shame about the lack of Spheres etc, but definitely interested all the same.

If we choose to select a nonhumanoid for our monstrous track, do we get the full suite of magic item slots, or only the magic item slots that our form actually possesses? (For instance if we have no legs can we have foot slot items?)

EDIT: Also, if we use the third event option and select something that grants multiple options over 20 levels (such as a rogue's rogue talents), do we get the number we would get as a 20th-level member of that class, or just one?

Nonhuman slots were not implemented in game. So a Maralith player could wear boots, but couldn't weild six weapos. This changes in the transition, however, and monster slots start applying at game start.


Thanks for gming this Jack_Smith. I definitely have interest in the premise and style. I want to try making an Iron Caster. It looks like a fun Fighter build and seems totally in line with a player gaming the system.

For the 'Race Track', do we get 20 lvls of the 'Racial Fill PRC' if we choose a standard player race? Or are monster races preferred so this isn't an issue?

Yes, but if you don't have any pre-existing racial casting, the PrC doesn't advance it.


You take the monsters stats and subtract 10 from the even numbers and 11 from the odd numbers. The differences become your racial modifiers for the 25 point buy.

Correct.

This looks like it could be some very ridiculous fun. I'm thinking Arcanist 20//Pleroma Aeon, my 'IRL' Player was a shameless minmaxer and that shall be reflected in personality and mechanics (though I doubt I'll have the strongest character here, player vs character skill disparity you know)

How is buying more spells in your spellbook handled with these wealth rules?

As long as you have carrage for them (see item limits, you only have so many slots for Blessed Books), go nuts.


Ah so basically the scores -10 or -11 are the base scores you then build off. Cool.

Also another question occurs: we have effectively unlimited WPL but what about artifact grade gear? I doubt it makes sense to give us unlimited access to that but considering the way the setting is, maybe we could each have an artifact or two?

Edit: also, I am building an undead necromancy focused sorcerer.

Artifacts are plot devices. They always vanished at the expiry of the quest (successful or not).


Right, time to figure out what magic item slots a big ol' dragon has...

Also just to repost the second question as I think it might have been missed:

Sorry. Full progression.


Regarding my angel build, can he be a medium creature instead of a large one?

There are a rather lot of medium sized angels, angels with Change Shape, or angel-adjacent creatures. Which specific one are you looking at?


Alright, no problem with that. New question! Do we qualify for all evolutions or are we still restricted by base form? If the latter, are we all assumed to be Biped(because we're all technically human)even if we pick a non humanoid race?
Be reasonable about it. A dragon qualifies as a quadruped, a merfolk qualifies as aquatic, most angels qualify as biped, and so on. Your summoner level is treated as the prc level for requirements (such as how many times you can take ability increase), but your full level for effects (such as Spell Resistance)



The cheese comes in from him being an angel I guess. He doesn't have a soul. Which begs the question of can he actually even take the feats?

Oh, yeah, missed that angle. No, you don't qualify to take them.


Ah excellent, thanks.

On the topic of blood money I guess I may as well ask now - since Pathfinder very helpfully doesn't define when in the spellcasting process components are expended, what's your ruling on that? Do they disappear as soon as you start casting a spell (in which case blood money works on basically everything) or only when you finish casting the spell (in which case it only works on spells you can finish casting the same round you cast blood money)?

Start of casting. It's not like there aren't workarounds for longer times anyway.


Nice, another Aeon, we'll actually get to use Extension of All.

On the topic of material components, how does Permanency work here? Is it taking up a slot like used tomes, coming out of starting money, free, or not implemented in the game?

Effectively free at character creation, but you'll need to pony up the diamonds for replacements.


For the purpose of the limit on how many slotless items we can have, do ioun stones set into wayfinders each take up their own space, or do they share the wayfinder's space?

Nice find. Share the Wayfinder's space. Ditto for similar pairings, such as the harmonizing bowstring and a bow.


Decided on an Anemos Oracle with the Spirit Guide archetype

I have two questions first would be without considering the ability mods or feats the saves are slightly higher than a single class would have at that cr are those taken anyway or something else?

Second I assume so but are the base feats from the original monsters a part of the gestalt?
For the first, sounds like you need an example.

Suppose someone's playing, oh, an Oracle//Great Wyrm Brass Dragon (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/dragons/dragon/metallic-brass/brass-dragon-great-wyrm/) (CR 19).

An oracle gets good Will, 3/4ths BAB, d8 hit die, 4 skill points per level.
Dragon hit dice are all good saves, full BAB, d12 HD, 6 skill points per level.
The normal great wyrm brass dragon has 26 hit dice. That's capped to CR, so 19.
The Great Wyrm fills only 19 levels, so you also get one racial fill PrC level on that side (d12 HD, full BAB, all good saves, 8 skill points/level).
For any given level, you get the best type of that level.

So BAB: Full BAB, all the way. 20/15/10/5.
Hit Die: d12, all the way. 20d12.
Saves: All good saves, all the way. So base saves of +12/+12/+12.
Skills: 19 levels of 6+Int, one level of 8+Int. 19*6+8+(20*Int) skill points.
Ability scores: You have your point buy. Subtract 11 from the odds, 10 from the evens. So that Str 37, Dex 8, Con 27, Int 22, Wis 23, Cha 22 becomes 37-11=26, 10-8=-2, 27-11=16, 22-10=12, 23-11=12, 22-10=12.
So +26 Str, -2 Dex, +16 Con, +12 Int, +12 Wis, +12 Cha. Those are your racial ability modifiers.

You'd also be Gargantuan, have DR 20/Magic, Blindsense-60, Darkvision-120, and so on and so forth (all the various racial things), including Sorcerer-20 casting (19 on the dragon, +1 from the racial fill class).


For the second: Bonus feats you get for free (they're marked with a b, and are quite rare). Others you need to actually take.


Do intelligent items need to go the same way as artifacts?
Yeah. The AI wasn't great anyway.


WIP sheet https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2600808 still have to fill out his 4 paladin skills and so up a back story.

Did I read the times thing correctly? We can have used all the times to bump stats?
Yes, although using that route leaves those associated slotless item slots filled, and you may want something more useful than +5 to your least useful stat in some instances.

Hmm. I should keep a list....

Within the context in the game when it was still a video game, how strict was the alignment system when it came to casting aligned spells? (A Good character casting an [evil] spell, for instance.)
It enforced the listed class restrictions - so a good-aligned Cleric, Druid, or Omdura couldn't cast Evil spells themselves, but a good-aligned Sorcerer, Wizard, or Oracle could. Doing so sometimes caused minor glitches with the NPC dialog, though (some portions were based on general alignment, some on recent activity flags, and the devs weren't all that consistent about which they used where).


Good to know, thanks.

Also, was using wishes to increase ability scores allowed in the game mechanics, or were tomes (and their permanent reduction to inventory size) the only way?
Those worked just fine, yes. Same as permanent spells. Or scrolls, for that matter. The Tome/Manual thing was just a weird bug.
I think keeping the game within the game in mind and looking at his stats I’ll probably forego the tomes route anyway. Already seems like his stats are a bit silly. He should be fine holding his own.

The Biggest Bad in the first book is CR 8. You won't need much, if any, optimization to beat it into the ground solo. And you're not actually supposed to encounter that one officially (although the notes do say it can pop up to scare the 1-3rd level party whenever you think it's appropriate). The Big Bad of the book (which is what you're supposed to encounter to end things) is CR 7, with just 85 HP. I fully expect to be describing an immediate, gory splatter of the enemies every time you step into combat.


I'm kinda tempted to say my character was someone who liked finding and exploiting bugs lol. Also a couple more questions I thought of, apologies:

- If we use a monster on our 'racial' side, do (or can) we count as any particular race for the purpose of prerequisites?
No, but there is a RAW way to do it for many (not all) builds. (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/human-guise/) Costs two feats, (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/racial-feats/racial-heritage/) though.

- Are traits (https://aonprd.com/Traits.aspx) or background skills (https://aonprd.com/Rules.aspx?Name=Background%20Skills&Category=Pathfinder%20Unchained) in use?
Oh. Right. Sure. Two traits, but no background skills. What would you do with all that NPC stuff anyway?

That's fair. I actually found a pretty cool monster and would like to combine him with my already made level 20 build.

My Monster's stats are: Str 26, Dex 27, Con 28, Int 25, Wis 21, Cha 24

Does that mean that my racial bonuses are: Str (+16), Dex (+16), Con (+18), Int (+14), Wis (+10), Cha (+14)
These are the ones if those are the monster base stats, yes.

That brings up another question - how long did the game exist for in real-world time? (And for that matter did in-game days/years/whatever go by faster than real-world ones?)
Language barriers and differences in local laws on permitted content resulted in a staged roll-out of the game with geolocks (usually at a national level, sometimes more granular than that) as they set up appropriate interface filters; additionally, there were several iterations of the hardware. The game was "released" several dozen times, and nobody seems to quite be able to get a lock on when or where the first version was - and for reasons nobody can fathom, the company refuses to say (individual employees do, off the record, but their accounts don't agree with each other).

I just noticed the starting wealth only allows 9 normal ammo. Is it alright if we raise that to 99 or some similar number?
The inventory item (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/equipment/weapons#martial-ammo) that you can have nine of is "Arrows, common (20)" or "Arrows/bolts, barbed (20)" or "Arrows, blunt (20)" and so on, with mods - "Masterwork", "Cold Iron", "Adamantine", et cetera. When you used the inventory item it ended up in your ammo slot, which would then let you use the listed number of them. Which means you can have 180 of each flavor in your inventory.


edit: just to make sure I understand. Does advancing racial spell casting only raise caster level or would a dragon raise their sorcerer spell slots and spells known to 20th level?
Yep. The CR 19 Great Wyrm Brass Dragon (Sorcerer-19 casting), advanced by the racial fill, would end up with the caster level, spells known, and spell slots of a 20th level Sorcerer (minus the bloodline).


edit 2: As the event reward, if I take the class feature option, can I pick cleric domains? If I do do I get 2 domains and all the abilities in them or do I get just like the Luck domain or do I need to specifically take a single ability in the luck domain such as "good fortune"?
You get the "domains" class feature. A bonus spell slot (domain spells only) of each level you can cast, the option of filling those slots from either domain, the domain powers, and so on.


Edit: if the race has spell casting, do we lose that?
You keep the casting, but it's capped at the critter's CR (along with all caster levels and hit dice). So that CR 2 Faerie Dragon doesn't get Sorcerer-3 casting, it only gets Sorcerer-2 casting (unless you add a CR +1 template before adding racial fill). Racial fill pushes it back up (so that CR 2 Faerie Dragon drops down to Sorcerer-2 casting, but 18 levels of Racial Fill on top of that pushes it all the way up to Sorcerer-20 casting).



Edit: So it seems I can take this but the Event reward would be the Final Revelation of the Enlightened Philo Oracle.
Taking 20 on a knowledge roll is nice, Cha to saves is good and immunity to conditions is good.
You'd get the Revelations class feature (which includes picking a mystery, but you only get the revelations when doing so), which includes the final revelation (similiar to Discoveries and Grand Discoveries of the alchemist, asked earlier).

Would it cost one of the one-use items to be a different alignment than what's typical for a race? Or can we be whatever alignment we choose, regardless of race. Asuras are typically LE, but I'd like Azula to be TN.

Per Pathfinder RAW, "Always" alignment entries don't mean "Always" - it means almost all. PC's are special! You can be any alignment you like.

Note, however, that alignment subtypes have their own rules. An Asura with the Lawful and Evil subtypes is still treated as Lawful and Evil by a Holy Anarchic weapon.

My plan is to play an Irii (CR 19) (https://aonprd.com/MonsterDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Irii) with the Advanced Template (CR+1) on my monster side. I will be gestalting it with a Level 20 Barbarian build. My Event Reward will be the Martial Artist Monk's "Extreme Endurance" ability. Is that acceptable?

This one (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/core-classes/monk/archetypes/paizo-monk-archetypes/martial-artist/)? Sure.

Momonga, Grim Reaper Necromancer (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2600751) (QuantumFlash)
Samael (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2600808) (Lioslaith)
Azula Beta13 (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2600778) (Armonia13)
Knosara (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2600961) (Da'Shain)
Literion (real name Hank Sander) (human form) (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2601257) ("real" form (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2602737)) (Llyarden)
Aethra (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2600968) (Dakrsidder)
Tserriednich Drake (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2601502) (Kaouse)
Name Pending (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2602037) (Redfeline)
Wilhelmina (Player: Roger Morgenstern) (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2602057) (Thokk_Smash)
Timothy "Timmy" Kitmoss (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2608791) (Thokk_Smash)
Jaagan Fuji (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2603357)(Droobles)
Boa (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2603853) (Shaggy)
Evras (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2600785) (Thunder999)
Quiet the Whisperer Witch (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2606182) (Wabbit)

Re-recruitment:


Player
Character
Race
Class(es)
Complete?


greenpotato
Aenea Eurypontidai (Gilbert) (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2678219)
Young Elysian Titan
young +1/Elysian Titan 19 // Oracle 20
Yes


Armonia13
Azula Beta13 (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2600778)
Upasunda Asura
Upasunda Asura 9/Mutant 1/Advanced 1/Simple Fighter 2/Simple Ranger 2/Simple Rogue 2/Simple Paladin 3//Drunken Master of Many Styles Quiggong Monk 20
Yes!


Frendle
Lonnie Eida (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2678862)
Unfettered Eidolon (Outsider, Extraplanar)
Fighter 20 //Unfettered Eidolon 8/advance 12
Complete


samduke
Lilliana Hesporath (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2605796)
Valkyrie
Valkyrie 12 / fill 7 / Advanced Cr+1 // paladin 2/ fighter 14/ Unchained Rogue 4
Yes


niw18
Lucifero (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2679512) & his fiendish servant Vreesar (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2679653)
Eremite kyton
Eremite kyton 20 //Tyrant (antipaladain) 20
100% complete


Momentai
Lady Shiva (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2680064)
Asura, Asurendra (Young, Advanced)
Young Advanced Asura, Asurendra 20 // Cleric 20
n/a


Da'Shain
Unagidon (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2679901)
Veiled Master (Nightmare Lord)
Mesmerist20 // Veiled Master CR 14 (Young/Nightmare Lord)/ Racial Fill 6
Complete


Alphonse "Alph" Kirschenbaum-Homura (Aleph Null)
Ashiva, Whose Wings Shelter Stars (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2680523)
Giant Advanced Fey Phoenix
Giant Advanced Fey Phoenix 20 // Druid 20
Yep!


Cassus
Harper24601 (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2680334)
Young Repeatedly-Drained Euryale
Young Repeatedly-Drained Euryale 20 // Arcanist 20
Yes


5ColouredWalker
5ColouredWalker (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2681614)
Basic: Augmented Robot Construct Detailed: Tromp L'eoli Commando Construct Robot Gladiator
Barbarian 5/Pit Fighter 10/X 5//Construct 20
Complete


Yas392
Slicky (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2678676)
Young Advanced Red Jester
CR 10/Filling 10|Bard 20
Yes


TheAlmightyKue
Pythia 'Pi' Delphi (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2682502)
Young Advanced Euryale
(Cyclopean Seer)Oracle 20//CR 20
n/a


John Mason (Taelas)
Feng Xiuhuo (凤庥火), the Son of Heaven (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2682389)
Shadow Lord Fey Phoenix
Phoenix Sorcerer 20//Phoenix 15/Shadow Creature 1/Shadow Lord 2/Fey Creature 2
Done


Mike/Mikkel (Starmage21)
Terrach, The Razor Spined (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2682449)
Crystal Dragon, Great Wyrm Lich
cr 20 // Arcanist 20
n/a


Kaouse
Tserriednich Drake, the Ioun Irii (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2601502)
Advanced Irii
Advanced (CR+1) Irii (CR 19)// Barbarian (Superstitious / Savage Technologist) 20
n/a


HereBeMonsters (G14Classified)
Mii (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2685576)
Pit-Fiend (Young, Advanced, Repeatedly Drained, Foo/Imperial Foo)
CR 20/Seducer Witch 20
Yes


AvatarVecna
Amorph (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2679645)
Advanced Cave Blight
CR 20 // Vigilante 20
Yes


MalkavTheMaven
Azrael (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2686821)
Empyrean, Angel; (Templated)
CR 20 // Gunslinger (Pistolero) 20
Yes







I found in a word document my old post on why play by post tend to die and how best to prevent it. I'll repost it, even if most of it it's in the guide, since sometimes it's useful for me to link people specifically to this bit:

Strawberries' analysis on why pbps die (and how to prevent it)

Here's a list of the most common problem play by posts have, and some advice to how address them.

----Problem: Games tend to die because players drop out
This is one of the most common problems, in my experience. A player stops posting for whatever reason, other people keep waiting for him/her, game dies.

Possible solution: As a player, warn others if you are going to drop out. Noone will judge someone who says “Guys, I’ve got too much on my plate, I have to quit”. This gives the DM and the other players an heads-up, as they know they shouldn’t wait for you.
As a GM, as addressed in other parts of the guide, it’s probably helpful to establish a “maximum inactivity time”, at least during combat, which is the maximum time a player is allowed to go without posting before the dm takes control of their character or the action skips to another player. Ideally, this time should be shorter during combat, longer outside combat (as then the other players have more chances to step in).
Also, as a GM, remember that you have the option to start recruiting again to fill the empty spots.


----Problem: Game stall because people wait for other to post.
This may in itself have various causes:

a) people don’t post because they don’t know what to do.
I’ve seen this happen quite a lot (and happened to myself, too). As a player, you think “Uhm, I’ve really no idea how to act in this situation, I’ll think about it for another while/ wait for someone else to take the lead”. Then people forgot, and the game dies.
The solution: post OOC. Say that you’re stuck. For instance, say “Hey, guys, Sir McINT should know the answer to this riddle, but I’m stumped. Anyone has any ideas?” Brainstorm plans, courses of action, whatever you like. Chances are, the barbarian’s player knew the answer, and was waiting for you because he felt that it would be out of character for Mr Smashalot to say it.

Which brings me to

b) people don’t post because they think their character wouldn’ t say/do anything
Which is fine, really. If it’s out of character for someone to act or speak, they shouldn’t. Except the other players have no way of knowing why you aren’t posting. So they’ll still wait for you, leading to the game stalling and dying.
The solution: that’s easy, but rarely applied. If your character does nothing, post saying you are doing nothing. I. e. “Julia Introverted waits by the window, uncomfortable in the presence of the large group of people and not sure of what to say to break the ice”. This way, your character still doesn’t move or speak, but people know you (the player) have read and reacted to their posts.
Moreover, both as a player and a GM, poke people. A lot. Either by posting in the OOC thread or by PM. PMS work wonders in cases like these.

----PBPs are slow, therefore people lose interest.

That’s not an astonishing piece of information. PBPs are slow because you have to wait for people from all around the world to post. There are timezone issues, as well as real life issue. Combat is going to take days.
The solution. That’s not an easy one, as pbps are by nature much, much slower than real life games, but there are some things both GM and players can do.
As a GM, beside the aforementioned time limit, you can, for instance, do some rolls yourself. For instance, rolling initiative for the players (as opposed to post “roll initiative” and wait for everyone) can save days, and free the first player to focus on the active part of combat. Same goes with spots/lsten checks. Please note than you should tell in advance to the players f you are using this system, and be sure everyone agrees.
As a player, if you aren’t sure if/what to roll, roll all the same, and ask the DM to disregard if not relevant. This saves time as you don’t have back/forths like “Can I make a knowledge check?” “Sure” “Well, then [roll=knowledge]” “You have these info:…” This may seem a trivial exchange, but in a pbp can easily mean a day of real-time. Compare with “Can I make a knowledge check? [roll=knowledge]” ”Yes you can. You have these info:… / No, you can’t, it doesn’t apply”. Half the time, same result.

General advice

My general advice, not linked to any of the problems in particular, is to talk OOC whenever possible. Share opinions, talk about unrelated subject, whatever. Because it’s a good way to get to know your players and/or your gamemaster, and it’s always funnier to game with people you know and like than with total strangers. Moreover, there is a thing I consider of great importance: this is a forum. People can’t see your face, and can’t tell if you are enjoying yourself or you’d prefer to do something else (more combat/roleplaying/intrigue/humor. They don’t know if you’re arguing IC because your character is going to be fiercely opposed to a course of action, but you think it’s a great idea, or if it’s you as a player that think the idea is stupid. The only way you have to let them know if to post OOC. Feedback (both from players to the GM and vice-versa and between players) is a fundamental aid in having successful pbps.



Human Female, blonde, reasonably attractive, late 20's. Her shoes and hairpin have faint magical auras.

[Lioslaith]

Looking around rather bewildered at everything that was happening Lio holds up his hands in front of his face. Then goes about feeling the various parts of his body, the wings, the muscles, everything felt tactile and just plain weird. On a hunch he flexed his wings and they responded quickly. He remembered his character was large in his natural state and he thought about reducing his size and shape to that of an elf. Something he commonly adventured in that game as.

Once changed he looked around the grave yard at the others then walked to the overlook and stood staring at the river. Trying to wrap his head around what was happening.

[Dakrsidder]

The sudden change of events intrigues Aethra which causes them to pinch their arm. Bits of cloudy essence come off but nothing too unpleasant although more simply takes its place. Next, Aethra manifested a thunderbolt and tossed it at a gravestone just to make sure such things still worked. Aethra moved onto items and uses a single charge from a hollow rod to maximize a thunderstorm blast against a different gravestone. The last test was magic, so they used control weather as an SLA to try making it early spring. Satisfied with the results they began looking at their surroundings before realizing that other people were standing nearby.

[QuantumFlash]

Momonga raises a skeletal hand in front of his face and inspects it, murmuring to himself, “What is this sensation, I got teleported, but.. I feel.. is this some sort of surprise update?” He starts to make the gesture to summon the menu, but is startled by the sudden burst of a spell nearby and abruptly realizes he is not in the graveyard alone. PvP reflexes kick in and he assumes a spellcasting stance while surveying the scene and taking in the other players, readying a Time Stop for if something should try to attack him. At the same time though, the situation is just so strange, and if this is a trap, it’s an odd one. He calls out, in the grating voice of the undead he realizes, “Hey, what’s going on, do any of you know? Aren’t the servers supposed to have gone down already?”

[Llyarden]

"Loud..." Literion complained, as the echoes of the thunderstorm blast died away. What had happened to the sound dampener that protected your hearing from overwhelmingly loud noises?

...for that matter, what had happened to a great many other things?

He reached down, tentatively, touching the top of a gravestone with one finger - he'd been in his human form when the servers had gone down (or at least when they were supposed to have gone down) - and recoiled when he actually felt it. "What..?"

The grating voice of an undead creature speaking to him caught his attention. He turned to face the speaker - and shivered as the fear aura washed over him. That was more than just a little popup in the status bar of a cartoony shocked face.

He took a few steps away until he was out of the aura.

"I...I don't know." He brought up the game interface, scrolling through it for a few moments. "Maybe because they were turning the servers off permanently they didn't bother with the usual process to boot everyone? And since we're still on here, maybe it won't shut down gracefully, but enough of the shutdown process worked that the main connection APIs have been turned off, which would explain why we can't disconnect either." To an external observer, that explanation might have even made sense. "But..." He looked back at the gravestone he'd touched.

He raised his hands, paused, and looked over to the Reaper again. "Uh, please don't try to kill me or anything. I'm not going to attack you. But I think this is going to suck..." He scrolled through his interface again, queuing up a couple of spells - and then let out a quiet gasp of pain as the magic of the spell cut into his hand, the blood flowing out and twining through the air like smoke before it became a shimmer of magical energy that spread out and coalesced into a small table laden with food. "Yeah, that sucked," he grimaced - although the wound closed just a few seconds later, taking the pain with it. "At least that still works."

He reached out and picked up one of the small chicken drumstick-like morsels that had been created by the spell, twisting it between his fingers for a few moments. Then he held it to his nose and sniffed at it, eyes widening slightly. All the scents he could smell really were from the game. He hesitated a moment before taking a bite of the roasted chicken.

"How...how is this possible?"

Since people almost certainly have the Spellcraft etc to identify what he's doing - Blood Money'd Limited Wish to duplicate Bountiful Banquet .

[Lioslaith]

As the other players started to speak and try to figure out what was happening Lio/Samael turned from his vantage point overlooking the river and walked back to the group. “‘I’m not really sure what is going on, it seems to me like this whole thing should be over by now. It’s past time for the game servers to be shut down.”

Stepping in close enough to speak to the others he can feel when he passes the threshold of the fear aura but it’s merely that. A thought in the back of his mind speaks quietly, Samael is immune to fear, and his own aura suppresses the effect for those within 30’ of him.

[QuantumFlash]

Momonga nods his head gravely, the red flames burning in his eye sockets dimming momentarily to give the impression of blinking. “Maybe not all the servers are shut down yet but this is far more realistic than any DMMO I’ve ever played before. Well, I won’t attack anyone here who doesn’t attack me first so how about we all agree to peace so we can figure this out?” His own first order of business, having noticed Literion’s reaction, is to attempt to figure out if he can suppress his fear aura.

[Kaouse]

"One last look," he says. "One last look, before it all shuts down."

Minutes before the closing of the servers, Tserriednich Drake transforms into an incorporeal undead and takes flight. Unbound by gravity. Unrestrained by collision. Unseen by many.

These were abilities he gained in his long line of hacking and playtesting for the game. Over his tenure, he had discovered many an exploit, and reported them to the game developers. One of them --codename: Haagenti-- was his best friend, and at his request, allowed him to keep some exploits in the game.

At any rate, with these abilities in tow, Drake wills himself forward through each playable area the game world has to offer. At each juncture he reminisces about the fun times he's had.

At the end of the levels, he sits and waits for the end of the world. "This is how it should be," he thinks. "With me, as another ghost in the shell." As the timer on the servers count down to zero, he closes his eyes, and waits to be ejected from the game's virtual reality.

But when he opens his eyes, it is not his home that he sees. Instead, he finds himself in a graveyard near a giant cathedral. For a second he wonders if he died, before looking to the horizon and noticing - he's been here before. Indeed, he had flown through here just moments before. This was still the game world, and judging by locale, one of the earliest points.

Still, he didn't remember there being a massive cathedral in this particular area...might as well check it out.

Diverse Obedience to Haagenti allows for a souped up Shapechange that can also assume forms covered by Undead Anatomy IV (among other things), which allows for incorporeal undead. Thanks to a Ring of Continuation, he generally keeps Shapechange going 24/7.

Stealth = [roll0]

[Dakrsidder]

Aethra turns towards the voices and says, "Sorry about the noise. I was experimenting to determine the nature of the situation I'm in and now I can say with nigh certainty this is no longer a VR game." They then open the interface fully expecting the exit option to be dysfunctional.

After taking another look around, Aethra realizes there's noise coming from a source away from the group. They say, "Based on the confusion I assume we're all facing the same predicament. For the time being I think there are others here, so I'll take a look around." They then dissipate into the wind flying towards the ongoing party.

[Thunder999]

The third thing James does (the first two being briefly panic that he's turned into a fictional character and cheer at the fact he's turned into his super awesome wizard in his favourite game, because who hasn't had that daydream) is start casting spells, hands moving with a muscle memory he never had even as he perfectly recites words he's never spoken before. Actually feeling blood money is certainly a downside to this strange merge.
He's still marveling at it when he hears the rumble of thunder, though when he looks to the sky he sees no sign of a storm, he does however notice that he's been floating the entire time.
He flies in the direction the sound came from.

I forgot to ask how you want to handle familiars, so I'll just be leaving Frilzrys in his satchel for now.
Extended Greater Shapechanger's Gift, set to human though he's currently remaining in his own form, he expects it to be necessary if he investigates the nearby party, but is unwilling to risk it until he knows more.
Extended Mindblank (CL 22, 48 hour duration)
Bloodstone Mirror (CL 22, 22 hour duration)
Lesser restoration, either once or twice depending on the roll
[roll0]
Heightened awareness. (CL 22, 7 hours 20 minutes duration)

[Da'Shain]

After the countdown ended, instead of the black screen or "server down" message he expected to be seeing, what greeted Knosara was instead an explosion of sensation, one that sent a spike of agony drilling into his brain for a nanosecond that seemed like an eternity before suddenly resolving itself into a world bursting with information to his suddenly expanded senses. Where before his interface had been cluttered with words and symbols, now it instead seemed there were simply new vivid colors, subsonic hums, identifying scents, and a whole host of unnameable signifiers his mind could suddenly keep track of without the game's crutches. Absently he reached out to pat Jommi's neck where the massive fey ram stood next to him, and marveled as instead of his hand simply adhering to his mount's skin, he felt Jommi's coarse fur under his fingertips, heard the soft grunt as the suddenly self-aware beast leaned lightly into the touch. Unbidden, unfamiliar laughter sprang from him, high and cold, mastered almost as soon as he noticed it happening.

Turning to take in his environment, Knosara (and isn't my name Georg? he wondered, bemused at the sudden shift in mindset but seemingly incapable of alarm) noted that he was in a human graveyard, surrounded by creatures who had the hodgepodge look of other high level players bearing mismatched magic items along with varied and sundry racial features, likely gained through exploits or quest rewards. The spell effects in place on each of them were many and alluring, and he took a moment to simply bask in his newfound recognition of the flows and forms of magic. He could see the components come together in the Anemos' aura as it shaped its innate magic and was thus unsurprised when a simple thunderbolt was tossed.

"How interesting," he breathed, a knife-like smile splitting his features. "Is this some sort of stealth update? It feels ... amazing.". Knosara continued to pat the fey creatures next to him, both his ram and the large black hound slavering at his side. Seemingly in no particular hurry, he vaulted on top of the snorting ram, and all three began ambling slowly in the direction of the party sounds. "Any of you recognize this starting area? But it seems so much more, now." he tosses back over his shoulder at the assorted players.

He auto succeeds on a free action Ride check to mount.

He's currently reveling because he possesses greensight, Blindsense, See in Darkness, greater arcane sight, and True seeing, so there's very little if anything he's not sensing right now.

[Jack_Simth]

You have an implication in your post that's problematic within PF rules. Roll kn(arcana) for details.

Edit: Actually, you'd make it on a 1.

You actually don't get as much info as you might expect. In Pathfinder, Mind Blank explicitly stops see invisibility. By extension, divination counters work on things that add extra options to sight - Arcane Sight, Aura Sight, Greensight, whatever - and some of the folks here actually have those. Anyone warded by such can't be seen if that's the only way you'd be able to see them (unless it's a non-divination version, such as that natural greensight and see in darkness of yours). But a Wizard with Invisibility, No Scent, and Mind Blank up? They could be standing right in front of you, and if their Stealth (with the invisibility bonus) beat your perception, you wouldn't know they were there. Only a couple of folks have that on their sheets, though, so you can tell who they are easily enough by them NOT having obvious magical auras fit to light up the countryside.

You have them. You get to RP them. They remember the events of the game as though they were real events. However, if pressed to examine their memories, they will notice inconsistencies, such as doing the exact same quest several times. This may lead to problems, at your discretion. Try to keep their capabilitiesin mind when rping them.

[Jack_Simth]

They then open the interface fully expecting the exit option to be dysfunctional.The menu does indeed open, and the exit option is even present - it's just grayed out. The other options seem to work as normal - you can change the skin on the interface, view your inventory, bring up your character sheet, set the trigger gestures and command words for your spells, and so on just like you always could. The background music options are also still there. Turning them on gives you a quiet tune that follows you around. It quickly becomes apparent from others' reactions that they can hear your background music when they're nearby, and that's new.

[QuantumFlash]

Momonga succeeds in turning off the fear aura, marveling at how it seems much more intuitive than he expected as if he now knows all his abilities perfectly, since it seems too much to leave it on and potentially make the other players think he's hostile. In addition, he makes use of one of his racial spell-like abilities to Polymorph into a smaller and less conspicuous form: he shrinks from a 15ft tall skeletal horror to a medium sized humanoid, still shrouded in his dark robe which casts his face into shadow. His hands too are concealed behind false flesh. The overall impression is probably still kinda creepy but more in the manner of some less than savory spellcaster rather than an incarnation of death. He knew that such a disguise wouldn't fool any decently prepared max level character, but it might be enough to not make anyone else in this odd new scenario treat him as a monster by default.

He spares a glance at the others assembled there as they also take in this situation and gives his head a slight shake as the one who had cast that lightning immediately starts to fly away and addresses the others "Well, I suppose there isn't too much reason to sit around now that we have someone running off already. May as well make sure that one doesn't get into too much trouble." He starts to follow Aethra towards the noises, though on foot.

[Jack_Simth]

Holding off on actually switching the "camera" to the festivities until after the deadline

[Da'Shain]

You have an implication in your post that's problematic within PF rules. Roll kn(arcana) for details.

Edit: Actually, you'd make it on a 1.

You actually don't get as much info as you might expect. In Pathfinder, Mind Blank explicitly stops see invisibility. By extension, divination counters work on things that add extra options to sight - Arcane Sight, Aura Sight, Greensight, whatever - and some of the folks here actually have those. Anyone warded by such can't be seen if that's the only way you'd be able to see them (unless it's a non-divination version, such as that natural greensight and see in darkness of yours). But a Wizard with Invisibility, No Scent, and Mind Blank up? They could be standing right in front of you, and if their Stealth (with the invisibility bonus) beat your perception, you wouldn't know they were there. Only a couple of folks have that on their sheets, though, so you can tell who they are easily enough by them NOT having obvious magical auras fit to light up the countryside.

Oh, I'm sure there are things Knosara can't see (although in previous games I've played, Arcane Sight was ruled to gain information about spell effects and not the creature and thus circumvented Mind Blank for that specific purpose; however, your game your rules). He also has Mistsight and Blindsense 60, btw. I was merely RPing the massive flood of information he would suddenly be feeling, where before it was likely just in the form of overlays and floating numbers/symbols on his VR UI. My statement "very little if anything he's not sensing" was not meant to imply there was nothing capable of escaping his senses, even from the various max level characters in front of him; sorry if it seemed that way.

[Shaggy]

Boa had not expected much to happen at the clock ticked down. She had gone through her inventory, surprised at all the stuff she had collected. It had been a fun trip with this character but she was excited for the next great adventure and a new game to explore. But she had poured countless obsessive hours into this game. So for it to be gone it would hurt, she would grieve. Boa to her was part of her and losing that was going to be like losing a loved one. So as the seconds ticked past she remembered all her fondest memories.

Then nothing, and it left her confused. Had the server shut down timer been off? How does that happen if it was? She pulled up her interface and the clock was still right, it was a minute past the deadline. So how was she still connected? She felt a little funny but she associated it with her real life self being so upset. But as she scrolled to the log out and found it grayed out she became more panicked. But there was something about it, some cool dark weight that lingered on her that made her calm down. She had been at the height of going into panic when it quelled it. She looked through the interface and found everything the same. So how odd was it that she couldn't leave this game?

After a few minutes she became aware of a gathering not far off and headed that way. She had been in her change shape form anyway, wanting to make it easier for her to walk through the towns as they thinned out. Monster form got people jumpy. As she neared she saw someone run off and she pipped up "Hey, so. Anyone else not able to do the thing?" she asked why did this form feel so vulnerable? "And whats with the party, was this some like really late april fools thing?"

She would at first glance appear harmless, she was in her pre-monster form after all a small girl with black hair and big green eyes, no need for the goggles while not in her gazing state.

[Kaouse]

After collecting some reconnaissance on the group of others that had gathered around the area, Drake will reveal himself, bursting from the ground in the form of a whirlwind before coalescing his form into that of a more humanoid looking air elemental.

"Greetings, friends. I gather that we are all of likewise condition - players trapped in their character avatars. None of us can leave, and it's only a matter of time before we die to starvation or random power surges. Still, isn't it awesome?" Drake says, grinning.

Drake waltzes over to the window overlooking the closest city, turning his back on all present.

"A whole new world to conqueror. A whole new world to break. This limited amount of time we have...I'm going to make the most of it. Feel free to join me, or to stop me, if you wish."

If none speak up, Drake will transform once more into a whirlwind, fly high into the sky, and then fly inconspicuously towards the nearest city. Once there, he will shapechange into a humanoid creature native to the area and begin to gather intelligence, aiming primarily for understanding the current leaders as well as an estimate of the city's military and magical might. Once he knows who the city's leaders are, he will infiltrate the cabinet and cast Geas/Quest on the head honcho.

[Jack_Simth]

After collecting some reconnaissance on the group of others that had gathered around the area, Drake will reveal himself, bursting from the ground in the form of a whirlwind before coalescing his form into that of a more humanoid looking air elemental.

"Greetings, friends. I gather that we are all of likewise condition - players trapped in their character avatars. None of us can leave, and it's only a matter of time before we die to starvation or random power surges. Still, isn't it awesome?" Drake says, grinning.

Drake waltzes over to the window overlooking the closest city, turning his back on all present.

"A whole new world to conqueror. A whole new world to break. This limited amount of time we have...I'm going to make the most of it. Feel free to join me, or to stop me, if you wish."

If none speak up, Drake will transform once more into a whirlwind, fly high into the sky, and then fly inconspicuously towards the nearest city. Once there, he will shapechange into a humanoid creature native to the area and begin to gather intelligence, aiming primarily for understanding the current leaders as well as an estimate of the city's military and magical might. Once he knows who the city's leaders are, he will infiltrate the cabinet and cast Geas/Quest on the head honcho.

I had a bad feeling something like that might happen considering how easy it'd be for someone to do so I just hope it doesn't end up doing damage
Well, Krause isn't going to find out by experience - the fantasy of being a dictator misses the actual impact - but dictators are actually very miserable folk (few admit to it, however - their pride gets in the way). Sure, they've got a lot of pleasures in their lives, but humans have a need to feel appreciated, and basically nobody appreciates a dictator. In making the most of things by taking the path of a conqueror, Drake would actually be crafting his own personal abyss (and unfortunately dragging a very large number of people along for the ride).

Unfortunately, as the DM, I'm not a player, and so don't have a character in play that can laugh in his face at the moment. Oh well.

Still, conquering the world takes quite some time, and Sandpoint is a small town, rather than a city, so I guess that Kraouse there is leaving the field of play. So long!

[Lioslaith]

Is Sandpoint the first town in the module? Or did he head off towards some other town?

[Jack_Simth]

Is Sandpoint the first town in the module? Or did he head off towards some other town?
Sandpoint is the listed starting town, who's graveyard you're in, right next to the brand-new Cathedral, the dedication of which is today (with the specific ceremony being this evening). But it's a "small town" per page 59 of the first book in the adventure path. Kaouse specified he's heading towards the nearest "city" which Sandpoint is not. Thus, Kaouse quite clearly specified that he's leaving the field of play.

Online map of Sandpoint (https://sites.google.com/site/rotrcampaign123/maps/sandpoint)

Everyone feel free to pretend Drake never existed.

[Lioslaith]

Lio pulls up a little used sub menu (in fact possibly never used) and gives his summon steed button a poke. If he was going to attempt to blend in with the normal people in the game he might as well give this a shot.

[QuantumFlash]

Momonga stops and blinks at the abrupt departure then looks back at the other players. “Right, well, that seems maybe ill advised. Since we have no idea what we’re up against and how dangerous things could be here how about we all be careful, subtle, and stick together?”

[Lioslaith]

As the warhorse manifests itself Lio moves to it and pets its head, "Welcome back girl, it has been a long time." He then turns to Momonga and nods, "I agree, if we indeed have somehow inhabited our characters bodies then the people here are also real and no longer NPC's and we need to treat them with respect."

[Thunder999]

James speaks up as he gets close "I can't exit either, no idea what's happened, but we can't leave and I don't think any form of software glitch in shutdown could manage this, I know for a fact my VR rig doesn't have the hardware to simulate half of what I'm experiencing, especially not this." With the final word he sends out the feeling of just how real it all is, from the feeling of magic as he cast the spell to the wind on his skin using his Envisaging.
"I'd say this is the Sandpoint graveyard, I remember exploring this little town for hours when the game was new, I'd never really done VR before so it was the coolest thing ever. My first Pathfinder game IRL started here too which definitely added to it, couldn't have picked a better place to get turned into a fictional character." He turns to Momonga before continuing "I'd say that's an excellent idea, besides the game was always most fun with a party. You guys can call me Evras."

When Lio brings up NPCs he'll let his familiar Frilzrys, an extra small (i.e. magically reduced to diminuitive) Faerie dragon.

Spoilered since noone else would here it and to spare the uninterested me basicallly talking to myself
Evras:"Don't suppose you know what's going on here?"
Frilzrys:"No more than you, you'd just put that Uvny the White beyond even the god's intervention with your Sphere and then suddenly we're here and I'm back in the Satchel."

Is anyone playing a character others should recognise?

[Shaggy]

Boa ignores the person who ran off for now. "Ok right, guess since we are all in the same boat." She begins "We should probably introduce ourselves, maybe even Party up?" she was used to partying with her former guild but it was long disbanded now. "I'm Boa. Nice to meet you" she adds with a smile. She considers that about NPCs and thinks to herself that this is more like Log Horizon than Sword Art Online, oh help them if its sword art online who wants to die for perms in Pathfinder?

Boa might be known for her PVP career and as a Player Killer in the open world.

[Lioslaith]

As he climbs onto his mount Lio addresses the others, "In game I never was much a guild/group person but that more due to my personal awkwardness and nothing to do with my playstyle. My characters name was and is Samael but depending on where we go that name could carry weight, good and bad. For now I'll just go by Lioslaith and Lio for all my new friends here. So... should we go see what all the rukus is about?" He nods in the direction of the supposed party or whatever it was.

[Llyarden]

"Literion." He nodded to Lio. "Or...I guess if we really are stuck here, there's not much point me using my game name. Not like I have to worry about being doxxed now. My real name is Hank. Nice to meet you all, I guess."

As Momonga spoke about the importance of being careful, he nodded and tapped an ornate ring he was wearing on his finger, bringing up an interface and scrolling through it until his elegant robes were suddenly replaced with more normal-looking attire.

"I remember Sandpoint, too. At one point the Harrow tutor was based here, before they centralised all the tutor stuff in the big cities." He gave a small chuckle, pulling a Harrow deck out of his item box and turning it over idly. "I used to know what all these meant by heart..."

Literion might be known to some of the players, but more because his player was kind of an unofficial historian of the game (both in terms of in-game story and player-driven events), and this is his main character. The character itself hasn't done anything too extraordinary.

[Dakrsidder]

Although it's nitpicking and not really important, I just got to say that solely based on our char's predicament, there's no conclusive evidence for the NPCs to be real

I also probably should've made it clear earlier but I'm in wind form to take a look at the party without being detected

As for my character being known, they've done their share of pvp and creative content in short bursts and dabbled in theorycraft enough that someone might recognize them from it alone

[QuantumFlash]

"Well, it sure looks like it could be Sandpoint, but I don't remember the temple. I agree we should check out whatever those voices are but maybe we should take a full inventory of our resources and abilities first, and maybe decide on a team structure. Who's to say that, strong as we are, we aren't essentially first level for this new world? Being more organized would help us with any threats that might surpass even us." Momonga moves back into the midst of the group, and throws open his arms in a sweeping gesture. "I am Momonga, and I am a necromancer sorcerer. I summon and control undead as well as use death magic besides more standard offensive magic."

Some may know Momonga as part of a well known PvP, sometimes PK, guild either if they saw him before he disguised himself or use True Seeing, which he currently isn't blocking. If they knew the guild better, they'd know he particularly was more of an rp-er than a really hardcore player so his build might not be truly top tier.

[Kaouse]

Well, that's unfortunate. My goal was mainly to spur on the game because I didn't want us to get stuck in an endless loop of waiting for new people to show up and go to the cathedral. I wanted to get the story started, and was under the impression that the goal of this game was to obtain a city and build it up. I had hoped that people would join me in this quest, with perhaps others leaving to join their own, separate city. But apparently seizing the initiative has gotten me removed from play. Alright then, I suppose. I won't bemoan the decision nor will I beg to be put back in. Honestly, I'm just happy to make the character.

[Lioslaith]

That yellow color is extremely difficult to read.

[Jack_Simth]

Well, that's unfortunate. My goal was mainly to spur on the game because I didn't want us to get stuck in an endless loop of waiting for new people to show up and go to the cathedral. I wanted to get the story started, and was under the impression that the goal of this game was to obtain a city and build it up. I had hoped that people would join me in this quest, with perhaps others leaving to join their own, separate city. But apparently seizing the initiative has gotten me removed from play. Alright then, I suppose. I won't bemoan the decision nor will I beg to be put back in. Honestly, I'm just happy to make the character.

We're doing an adventure path, with a twist. It's right in the thread title, even. I didn't pitch a sandbox.

Also: have you not read my earlier ooc's?


Holding off on actually switching the "camera" to the festivities until after the deadline

And from the OP here: "Deadline for sheets: evening of March 13th" (it's also in my first post in the recruitment thread, where I have the teaser).

I have a timer for moving on based on the recruitment thread.

You didn't say anything ooc about "just trying to get things moving" , and sandbox was not what I signed up for (I don't have the skillset needed to manage one), nor was PvP (conflict - even ordered conflict, like a game of chess - gets my "fight" response running in my body, and that has a tendency to hang around for hours in my case: and I hate being angry, it prevents me from getting things done and enjoying life). Your stated character actions largely necessitated both were I to accommodate them.

I thought I had been clear on why we weren't moving on yet, and when we would. It seemed to me like you had come to the conclusion that this game wasn't for you, and instead of just saying that, had your character leave (in a very challengingand aggressive manner). So I let you fly away, and moved on.

Seems I was mistaken about your intentions, and for that, I apologize.

But do you at least see where my response came from, now?

[Lioslaith]

"As for my powers and abilities, I am a paladin and an angel." Nodding at Momonga, "I would think in game our characters would have been glorious enemies given our relevant powers but I have no desire to engage anyone here, especially since the consequences may be radically different than just playing a computer game."

[Thunder999]

"Since we're all sharing I'm an Arcanist, decidedly a generalist at this point, I collected every arcanist spell in the game, also got racial cleric casting. I mainly did PVE with a party so I've got a few fun teamwork tricks too, oh and I've got the counterspell exploits. Got to say I'm glad this didn't devolve into PVP"

Hope this colour's better, I use a browser extension that gives every site a dark mode so didn't realise the yellow would be a problem.

[Shaggy]

Boa nodded her head at the others "Euryale, specializes in poison and turning people to stone. Got racial Oracle casting. Primarily I am an unchained monk its what I started out as, scaled fist because it fit." she admitted as the others admitted their natures to them. "In human form my gaze is inactive, in true form I wear a pair of goggles to keep my gaze from going off." best to explain why she wore the odd looking things. "I am glad its not a fight either, we don't know what happens if someone dies in this world or game." she gestured to the party "My real name is Dallas, but I rather like Boa so I will go with that here."

[redfeline]

Ophelia... Cierra... Ophelia.. Cierra.. Who am I? What am I? The doppelganger had been shifting forms and shapes near by. 'I am stuck in a strange body', she gazes down at Elven hands. All her preset appearances where there and changing to them was reflexive, staying in those forms effortless. She could even change into the forms of her fellow players or where they fellow victims. She had a life to get back to, people to get back to. However first she needed to remember who she was.

She concentrated on her features, her real features. Her hair blue with cheap dye, her slightly pudgy legs, her slender fingers, her green eyes, her nose that didn't seem to fit her face. Her flesh briefly moved in a wave of shifting gray scales, the way it always does when a doppelganger swaps form, but try as she might she could not summon any trace of herself. She was stuck here as Ophelia the cold hearted rouge who never spoke to any one.

She walked up to the group. They were discussing who they were, mostly in game, and what they could do. She opened her mouth and began to tell the others was a doppelganger incapable of shifting to her real world form. That was stuck in the body a of a shapeshifting rogue marksman. That she had a family and she desperately needed to return to them. However she stopped short, when she opened her mouth all the came out was a soft exhale. Her lips moved and no words or sounds came out. Understandably she realized she must be having a panic attack. She took several deep breaths and composed herself.

Beginning again all that came out was another soft wordless sound. Cierra began to panic, tears came to her eyes. Not only was she stuck in a shifting set of alien bodies but she could not speak! Why was the game doing this to her? Could reality be so cruel as to trap her here, leave her unable to return to her true shape or even hear her own voice again? No reality can't be so cruel but this is not reality is it?

She collapsed in on herself, her legs giving way she fell to her knees and from there her knees gave way she fell lower still. Her butt landed painfully on her heels, the pain was sharp but ultimately forgotten. What was a small physical pain compared to emotional turmoil that she may never see her family again.


So I decided to play mute.

However Ophelia being a doppelganger has the ability to read thoughts. The dc is low however. That said does any one object if I start passively using it on the party? My logic being we just got here, every one is confused and distracted so players may not have their defenses up. Obviously I would only have access to thoughts you expressly type out.

[Lioslaith]

Lio dismounts and walks over beside Ophelia and gently lays a hand on her shoulder, coaxing her to stand. His own aura of courage washing over everyone within 40' he smiles at her and gently offers help.

[Thunder999]

Well Evras is mind blank-ed and Momonga is undead, so no reading their thoughts, I imagine they're not the only ones it might not work on. Evras does have a telapthic familiar and weird Aeon telepathy, which includes his own thought reading (blocked by immunity to mind affecting), though I've avoided using that part of it. If anyone actually wants their thoughts read you can mention it though.

[Lioslaith]

No worries with the mind reading on my part.

[redfeline]

As Lio approaches Cierra finds a sudden calm clarity. Ophelia was an escape for me. I did not go online to make friends I went online to level up and kill animated sprites, in two senses of the words actually. I never once spoke into the microphone. I always would wait for an invite into a party. I or some one else would cast telepathic bond and I'd type out my thought bubbles. This is the repercussions of my own callous actions but it is not insurmountable.

Perhaps we are simply in one of the many games instance quests. If so reaching the end should trigger something right. So if we all are careful and focus on that we all should be able to get home, maybe. At the very least that gives me dirrection and for now that will need to be enough. Ophelia nods to the group, wipes away her tears and stands up.

[Lioslaith]

Giving her a slight sideways smile and noticing that she hasn't spoken yet, "It is okay to speak here, you are, at least I think you are, among friends."

[Llyarden]

"Arcanist here too." Literion followed up on Evras's and Boa's introductions. "Well, about a quarter arcanist and the rest a mess of other abilities. My original focus was on divination, but I have some magic items that help with summoning too. Oh, and I'm a paradise dragon, although I, uh...I don't really want to try shifting right now. I have no idea how I would manage to walk around on four legs, let alone fly. Not like we have any of the convenient control methods for that kind of thing any more."

He paused as the elvish-looking woman slumped down, kinda holding out a hand as if wanting to do something or say something, but not immediately thinking of anything. It wasn't until Lio encouraged her to speak that he thought of something.

"If it's easier...there was a sign language in the game, right? I'm not exactly sure how translation magic works with it, but we could try giving ourselves the ability to understand it."

I'm not exactly sure how voluminous vocabulary would work with sign languages, but I figure it ought to...maybe?

Also yeah Literion would be mind blank'd just kinda by default, which is a shame because it would be funny having her able to read his thoughts. Maybe once it expires he won't bother recasting it.

[Jack_Simth]

I'm not exactly sure how voluminous vocabulary would work with sign languages, but I figure it ought to...maybe?

Also yeah Literion would be mind blank'd just kinda by default, which is a shame because it would be funny having her able to read his thoughts. Maybe once it expires he won't bother recasting it.
It doesn't work on secret languages, but it doesn't have any requirement about the languages being verbal.

[Shaggy]

Boa would open up her menu at the mention of sign language and check to see if her Tongue of the Sun and Moons and she frowned at the reading of Tongues displayed on her hud. "My class ability doesn't work with creatures who do not speak. Here let me see if I added it via my intelligence bonus" She was trying to help because she could see the poor girl was overwhelmed and she was trying to not feel equally so. She used voice chat several times in the game, it had just been easier to work with her groups to call out when using her gaze or one of her other abilities.


Hideous use of meta but I realize I never did add the languages my character would learn via her intelligence score. I could write it that she has the sign language. I wouldn't think it would be the Drow version just a normal ASL due to user interface as a disabled gamer in a full VR world they would pretty much have to have something for it. Heck it might just be a setting that lets them see her words as text as she signs them out.

Boa is also Mindblanked so detect thoughts wouldn't work on her.

EDIT: Just to mention because I see I didn't post it in the recruit chat like I did. I went and did change my event ability a little. It was to remove to the reincarnate issue and because me and another oracle player had the Time mysteries and the same abilities which felt no fun. I still have time but due to the archetype I picked a lot less of the same abilities and spells.

[QuantumFlash]

Momonga nods at the others "Seems like we got a lot of magic then, but also have at least a few who can play the vanguard. Good. I have some good summons too that can support that, or stronger undead, though I don't have any created at the moment, especially any that I could really control. Seems the basics are covered at least."

[Lioslaith]

"Shall we go see what the rukus is all about?"

[redfeline]

Just a quick reminder recruiting ends the 13th. We can'treally start the module until then.

[Wabbit]

They were scared at first but then they hid and it made it easier for them to come to terms with this new existence or situation it couldn’t be their existence forever. They would appear not far from the group with their hands raised in surrender so not to scare the lot with their inhuman form. They had a spell for this but hadn’t yet cast it ’Hello, I didn’t mean to scare anyone. I’m a person.’ telepathically an androgynous voice would fill their minds for a moment. ‘My name is Cris but my handle is Quiet. Can I do anything to help?’ they did not want to let someone suffer alone.

[QuantumFlash]

Just gonna say, we’re all monstrous. My character is (in default form) a fifteen foot tall skeletal Grim Reaper, and we’ve got dragons, demons, and all sorts of beasties. Don’t think appearance alone is gonna throw anyone here without an actual fear aura or the like.

[Wabbit]

I know, I was more trying to suggest that Quiet just suddenly appeared out of no where, so was worried their sudden appearance would spook someone.

[Llyarden]

Literion shivered slightly as the telepathic voice sounded in his head. "That's a lot creepier than when it was just text bubbles and silly echo effects..." He shook his head slightly. "But welcome to the party, I guess."

He was still keeping an eye on the elf, but unless she seemed as though she was okay with it he didn't plan on casting any spells on her, if for no other reason than he hadn't bothered buffing his DCs much so she'd probably just shrug it off anyway, which would've been a waste of a slot.

"So if we're planning on being subtle and all, I guess we should probably clean this place up, huh." And unless anyone objected (or offered to help), he proceeded to start doing exactly that, first dispelling the food-laden table he'd conjured and then using more limited wishes to repair the gravestones that Aethra had detonated.

[Lioslaith]

They were scared at first but then they hid and it made it easier for them to come to terms with this new existence or situation it couldn’t be their existence forever. They would appear not far from the group with their hands raised in surrender so not to scare the lot with their inhuman form. They had a spell for this but hadn’t yet cast it ’Hello, I didn’t mean to scare anyone. I’m a person.’ telepathically an androgynous voice would fill their minds for a moment. ‘My name is Cris but my handle is Quiet. Can I do anything to help?’ they did not want to let someone suffer alone.

Lio instinctually stepped in front of the others when Cris appeared. Schit, a Whisperer, he thought. I didn't think there were any in this part of the world. But then Chris spoke and relief flooded over Lio. Well met, he thought back to it. We are all just trying to get our bearings as to what has happened.

[redfeline]

Upon hearing the voice in her head Cierra turned around and saw the shadowy figure. Some sort of undead, but a psychic undead. 'Can you here me? Can you read my thoughts? Can you speak for me?' She smiles in the way some one in who has recently found themselves separated from their family and friends, losing their self identity, and being rendered mute on the day their favorite video game shuts down would smile given even the least positive change in their predicament.

'Tell the others that I am Cierra and that I will use my skills to do anything to see my family again.'

[Lioslaith]

Turning back to Cierra as the mental plea goes out Lio smiles a comforting smile to her and answers directly back to her, ”I may not have been your intended target but I can indeed hear you. I believe we are all in a similar situation but I would be happy to relay any communication you need to relay.”

[Wabbit]

’I can hear you and relay’ the faceless being would speak mentally ’her name is Cierra and they want you all to know they will use their skills to get home again.’ they were a fey rather than undead but their mental voice carried a smile in it. ’Thank you, what shall we do? I have a spell to appear human for twenty minutes but I can go Ethereal at will so perhaps it’s best I remain out of sight. I am a witch so I can cast spells or use my hexes’

[Thunder999]

"Since it's come up I can read thoughts too, my familiar's also telepathic, funny how common that is at our level. Pretty sure Cris there is fey, not undead, though I'll try not to hold it against them. I can help with the gravestones if you want to save those wishes." Evras will then start using his stone shape SLA to help neaten up the damaged gravestones. "I can disguise myself all day if needed, though then I'd have to walk.

[Lioslaith]

Thats why I shifted into an elf and summoned the war horse so I could fit in better. A large Angel flying around might draw attention.

[redfeline]

Just going to point out at no point did Ciera broadcast to any one that she thought Cris was undead. So I am just going to ignore those corrections and keep the undead speculation going.

[Shaggy]

Boa would help with the tombstones with her own Stone Shape, which was an at-will spell-like so she could do it without needing to burn spell slots. "Ok so is that issue resolved? I don't want someone struggling in this even more than we all are." she was sympathetic to Cierra's plight. "As for our monster forms, it would be good not to come into town looking like their worst nightmares." she agreed "Any other issues we might need to work out before we head in?"

[Lioslaith]

”I would suggest we get any fear or other malicious auras under control before we mingle amongst the towns folk. Just try to be as innocuous as possible until we get a better lay of the land and what might actually be happening here.

[QuantumFlash]

“I do also know a bit of illusion magic if anyone would have trouble disguising themselves. Won’t do anything about auras though.”

[Wabbit]

They listened and understood pulling up one of their menus. The words Aura of Whispers was greyed out showing an inactivity. ’My aura is inactive, I’ve not set up the Primeval Landscape yet.’ though it would seem they needed to do something bout this fifteen foot tall monster in their midst too.

They would switch to another menu hoping it was among their daily chosen spells and found it lit up like the others ‘Greater Assume Appearance’ but they needed a likeness so began to fish into their robes pockets for something. Soon enough they had the painting they needed and the spell completed transforming the large fey into a humanoid shape. ”This should be good right?”

Greater Assumed Appearance (https://i.pinimg.com/474x/19/e4/e0/19e4e03518fdebddc0a9126e862c9196--shorter-hair-longer-hair.jpg)

[Thunder999]

Evras will assume the form of a Chellaxian man, the others might recognise it as the default human appearance from character creation. He'll then pause a moment, summon a horse, turn it into a Ghaele Azata and telepathically order it to invisibly follow him. "Probably unnecessary, but it never hurts to keep a summon around. I'm off to see what all the fuss is about"

Activating his Greater Shapechanger's gift, then using Sacred geometry to cast 9th level Heightened mount
Rolled in the dice rolls forum
((((((((((((((((((5+4) +6) -4) +2) +6) +6) /1) -1) +5) *3) +5) /2) +1) *2) -3) +6) +2) /1) +4 = 103
then Alter Summoned Monster to get a Ghaele.
Since we start tommorrow I figured heading over now works.

[Jack_Simth]

Evras will assume the form of a Chellaxian man, the others might recognise it as the default human appearance from character creation. He'll then pause a moment, summon a horse, turn it into a Ghaele Azata and telepathically order it to invisibly follow him. "Probably unnecessary, but it never hurts to keep a summon around. I'm off to see what all the fuss is about"

Activating his Greater Shapechanger's gift, then using Sacred geometry to cast 9th level Heightened mount
Rolled in the dice rolls forum
((((((((((((((((((5+4) +6) -4) +2) +6) +6) /1) -1) +5) *3) +5) /2) +1) *2) -3) +6) +2) /1) +4 = 103
then Alter Summoned Monster to get a Ghaele.
Since we start tommorrow I figured heading over now works.
I have seen that output before. You don't have your online shortcuts / phone handy once sucked into the game. Do your own math.

"You" didn't perfom the steps, so that fizzles.

[Thunder999]

Then I guess I'll just do it a second time.
and not use a site
rolls: [3][6][1][6][2][3][3][6][2][2][1][1][3][6][5][4][4][1][1][5] (let me know if you want a link)
math: [5]*[5]*[4]=100
100+[3]=103, that's what I need, so
([1]-[1])=0
0*[3]*[6]*[1]*[6]*[2]*[3]*[6]*[2]*[2]*[1]*[1]*[3]*[6]*[4]=0
103+0=0
or in total: [5]*[5]*[4]+[3]+([1]-[1])*([3]*[6]*[1]*[6]*[2]*[3]*[6]*[2]*[2]*[1]*[1]*[3]*[6]*[4])=103

[Jack_Simth]

Then I guess I'll just do it a second time.
and not use a site
rolls: [3][6][1][6][2][3][3][6][2][2][1][1][3][6][5][4][4][1][1][5] (let me know if you want a link)
math: [5]*[5]*[4]=100
100+[3]=103, that's what I need, so
([1]-[1])=0
0*[3]*[6]*[1]*[6]*[2]*[3]*[6]*[2]*[2]*[1]*[1]*[3]*[6]*[4]=0
103+0=0
or in total: [5]*[5]*[4]+[3]+([1]-[1])*([3]*[6]*[1]*[6]*[2]*[3]*[6]*[2]*[2]*[1]*[1]*[3]*[6]*[4])=103

Heh, yes, there is always a solution at 20th - provably so, even - the cost is really just a minor annoyance if you're OK with math (and if you aren’t, then Pathfinder really isn't your game). But it is one you signed up for.

[Jack_Simth]

Following the noise, you find you don't need to go very far. Stepping out of the graveyard, you find yourselves in the courtyard of the brand-new church. It's a fairly full area - you have lots of folks milling about between various tents, where different local vendors are selling their wares. There's a stage, and a woman looks like she's just closing out a speech; you easily catch the tail and of it "... and so, I welcome you, residents and guests of Sandpoint, to our new church! Enjoy the festivities, and remember: Lunch is free at noon!"

She seems to be one of four speakers; each is quite well received. You quickly gather that she's the mayor. Each delivers a short but well-received welcome to the festival. Mayor Deverin’s friendly attitude and excitement prove contagious as she welcomes visitors to town and jokes about how even Larz Rovanky, the local tanner (and notorious workaholic) managed to tear himself away from the tannery to attend, much to everyone’s but Larz’s amusement. Sheriff Hemlock brings the crowd down a bit with his dour mood, his reminder to be safe around the evening’s bonfire, and his request for a moment of silence to remember those who lost their lives in the fi re that claimed the town’s previous church five years ago. Fortunately, Cyrdak Drokkus is more than up to the challenge of bringing the crowd’s mood back up with his rousing anecdotes as he delivers a not-completely-irreverent recap of the long process the town went through to finance and construct the new cathedral. He throws in a bit of self-promotion at the end, as is his wont, inviting everyone to stop by the Sandpoint Theater the following evening to check out his new production of “The Harpy’s Curse,” revealing that the lead role of Avisera the harpy queen will be played by none other than the famous Magnimarian diva Allishanda! Finally, Father Zantus steps up give a short speech thanking everyone for coming before declaring the Swallowtail Festival underway.

[QuantumFlash]

Momonga is slightly relieved at this perfectly ordinary state of affairs going on and that it is in fact Sandpoint as they had thought, though he is fascinated to see it full of what appears to be actual people instead of NPCs. He joins the edge of the crowd, leaning on his staff of passage as if it were a common walking stick, thinking it might be a good idea to listen to the speeches and get a sense of what’s happening in the town, though he does also keep an eye out for the locals’ reaction to the sudden appearance of a group of newcomers- and out of the graveyard no less.

[Lioslaith]

Walking out of the graveyard I don’t bother to mount up and just lead my horse along with the others. As I see the crowd and catch the speeches I do a quick scan to see if anyone clicks us emerging from the graveyard.

After mentally telling my horse to stay close I start to head into the crowd to mingle amongst the others. Smiling and nodding to the people as I do.

[Jack_Simth]

People see you leave the graveyard, but don't seem to react overly much to folks walking out of the town graveyard; a bunch of folks looking normal enough seem to get little more than a raised eyebrow from the locals. The speeches make reference to "The Late Unpleasantness" and "putting it all behind us" with "the rededication of the new cathedral" closing the book on it all.
It's obvious enough why they're not worried. A lot of folks not normally in town seem to be in town for the event, so strangers aren't raising any alarms - you're just one more person they don't recognize among a great many. Additionally, there is obvious wear in the ground near the gate to the graveyard, so it gets traffic enough. Most folks are simply concluding that you're from an outlying area, or perhaps have been out of town for quite some time, and were simply taking a moment to pay respects to someone you knew - obviously, they simply didn't see you enter, which is normal enough, as there's multiple entries to the graveyard.

[Llyarden]

Literion took a slightly different route to the others, just to make sure they didn't all seem to be appearing from the graveyard at once, watching curiously as the NPCs interacted and spoke. Theoretically there was nothing to suggest that it wasn't just a very ornate scripted event, but...he couldn't help but remember what Lio had said. That the NPCs here were people now.

It wasn't as though there was really any evidence for it, but the only way to be sure whether or not the people were still just NPCs would be to do something so outside of their standard programming that they'd glitch out with a nonsensical response. But that wasn't an option, not if they really were people.

He ambled through the crowds until he found a quiet, out-of-the-way space where no-one would see him casting - not knowing for sure what the people's reaction would be to magic - and pulled one of his spellbooks from his item box, murmuring the words of another spell, sending streams of magic winding through the town to gather information about it for him. If any of the townsfolk did get curious, it wouldn't make sense for him to have arrived at the town for the festival without knowing anything about it.

Literion Quick Studies and subsequently casts ears of the city. He's only going to concentrate on it for a couple rounds, just to get some basic information, rather than targeting anything specific. Taking 10 on Diplomacy for 47, or if I have to roll: [roll0] [roll1]

[Dakrsidder]

Aethra had gotten to town before the others and gone around town for a while to gain information on what was going on. A short while later, they reformed in an alley and took on an illusionary fleshy appearance in modest attire.

They then nonchalantly make their way towards the party without saying much.

Reverting from wind form and using 1 charge from Staff of Illusion to cast Disguise Self

[Shaggy]

Boa followed after them with the others, leaving her enough space that the group didn't appear as a clump of outsiders. She was trying to rationalize how to act here, the world was different but from the speeches she understood a lot of social norms and behaviors were being abided by. Go figure the developers made a world not to dissimilar to their own. She was from a small town in the real world, she knew how they reacted to outsiders. But a festival would draw people in, from local smaller hamlets, and even other towns if there was some reason to commute.

She figured everyone was still a little off center with being in a new world. The fact they could pull up menus and displays made her wonder how much of the world still obeyed videogame rules. She lightly clapped with the others as the speeches ended and she looked over to the others "New church, fire a few years ago. Its been too long anyone remember this kind of prompt?" she couldn't say she remembered it. "We should talk to the people, figure out what might have brought us here. Seems like the starting point of something." she whispered to whomever was nearest to her.

[QuantumFlash]

Momonga replies to Boa in a low voice, “Not a bad idea, but I think it wise we present ourselves as travelers and not reveal our true nature just yet.”

[Thunder999]

James remembers a fair bit about Sandpoint, he'd spent his fair share of time there both in tabletop campaigns and the MMO, so Evras is quick to mention what he knows when Boa speaks "I remember a bit about the Late Unpleasantness, an interesting if unhappy part of Sandpoint's backstory, some demon worshipping serial killer butchered over 20 people in a single month before they caught and executed him, then the local chapel burned down with the priest." Then he'll attempt to convey a few concepts to every member of our little group he can via envisaging, not wanting to risk being overheard: He's pretty sure this is how Rise of The Runelords, Pathfinder's first AP starts, so keep an eye open for goblins, and the Chapel thing is related but he never actually found out anything about the serial killer
Unless someone stops him he'll then go chat to some of the townsfolk, browse the wares and generally act the part of a traveller here to enjoy the festivities. He'll scan the thoughts and intentions of everyone he talks to with his Envisaging, mostly just trying to get a grip on how real their minds feel.

You said we can have played through the AP, and that sounds fun since I played part way through IRL years ago

[Lioslaith]

Keeping an eye out as to the proximity of the others I decide to try and sample some of the local food. Festivals usually had really good food booths back in my own world, lets see if it's the same here. And more importantly if I can actually taste the food then it will help confirm our suspicions.

[QuantumFlash]

Momonga gives Evras a somewhat skeptical, somewhat thoughtful, look. “That almost raises more questions than it answers. These seem like regular people, how would events follow something preset like that? Regardless, you should tell the rest of us what you know when we get the chance.”

[Dakrsidder]

Aethra interjects casually "none of us have been here long enough to conclude they're regular people. Considering that this world is still greatly influenced by the game and this place has an uncanny resemblance to said campaign, it's quite possible it will. Of course it's possible it won't but no evidence says otherwise thus far."

[redfeline]

Cierra walked into the main crowd holding her rifle like a walking stick and more or less using it as one. The firearm was enchanted to appear as a walking stick and was always ready at hand. She made her way slightly apart from the cathedral to a place called the white deer and cherished the smell of roasting venison. Others may be convinced this is a game but her lack of speech and sudden availability of smell told her otherwise.

[Wabbit]

They were also of the mind that this might be both a game and real. Too much info was telling them this was the case. They had menus and prompts like augmented reality overlays. They witnessed Cierra walk off. After a moment they would step into the crowd after hearing the others explain their knowledge of the adventurer path. So goblins might be around here soon they had never played this path.

”We should be ready for anything” they spoke in a soft gentle tone that could easily be frowned out by the crowd. They would walk through the crowd listening to those people talking giving a smile and gentle nod to random people to show an attempt at being pleasant but stayed not to far from Cierra so they were not splitting the party entirely.

Quiet will be keeping a lookout for anything odd or anyone acting odd other than the party (+33 perception)

[Jack_Simth]

"Oh Shayliss, you're such a troublemaker... here's hoping your father never finds out!"
"Such a shame that Ezakien and Nualia died in that fire a few years ago... come to think of it, I know we buried Ezakien, but did anyone ever find Nualia's body?"
"Ah, it'll be nice to be able to get the services out of that cramped house and into a proper cathedral... even if we do need to share it"
"Such a pity Lonjiku was feeling ill. This festival is fun! Odd that he wasn't all that pale..."
Most folks are simply excited about the upcoming dedication - or more accurately, the party surrounding it. Some have other concerns - a child there that lost a stuffed bear, a man over there concerned he's drifting away from his wife, a merchant here thinking about sending an apprentice back to the shop for more inventory - but it's all just normal, mundane thoughts, as far as you can tell.
The food (provided free by the local taverns - advertising, clearly) is delicious, if lacking in the spices a modern palette is accustomed to. Ameiko Kaijitsu's remarkable curry-spiced salmon and early winterdrop mead easily overshadow the Hagfish’s lobster chowder and the White Deer’s peppercorn venison. But they're all quite good.
You find a small stuffed bear, clearly a child's toy that got lost.
Please let me know if I missed anyone who is expecting a response to an action

[QuantumFlash]

Momonga replies to Aethra, “The verisimilitude they present at a glance is astounding, easily far superior to anything I’ve seen in any game so far. Even if things aren’t so amazing at a closer look, for this to merely be a simulation is- well I don’t think we were even close to the technological requirements for this save somehow hiring dedicated actors for the roles. It seems far more likely that everyone here is a true intelligence one way or another than npcs.”

I do have a small request of others, I’m not terribly good with names and so I don’t have to constantly be checking the OP for who’s who would everyone please just have their character name in their posts?

[Thunder999]

Evras will approach Aethra and Momonga and speak in Sphinx, an obscure enough language he's confident only those using translation magic (which I'm pretty sure most of us have) will understand "Their minds feel are far too real to be simulated, just like everything else. As for how an AP could play out for real, it's really a simple matter of the characters and their motives being real. On the topic of motives, there's two for the upcoming attack, which should start around the finale of the festival, one is that they just plain hate Sandpoint, the other is they want to rob the old priest's grave, don't remember what for."

It feels like it would be super easy to stop that grave robbing, but I'm hesitant to mess up the AP and make more work for our GM, wouldn't have gone for recognising it at all if I hadn't seen it mentioned in the recruiting post as OK.

[Lioslaith]

Reveling in the tastes, actual tastes of the food available I wander back around to where the others are gathering and listen quietly as I watch the crowd.

[Dakrsidder]

Aethra becomes mildly displeased by the replies. "As a said back at the graveyard, this is no longer a VR game. There's a lot of realistic aspects and I'm aware of them. But if only a cat meows, it doesn't mean a creature isn't a cat when it doesn't. We need more information before coming to a conclusion on things in this world is my point, thus short observations aren't conclusive. As for the attack personally, I'd rather observe it and look for consistency to the module."

Stopping it before we know much about the world seems like a bad idea anyways considering it'd be hard to predict what's to come

[Jack_Simth]

It feels like it would be super easy to stop that grave robbing, but I'm hesitant to mess up the AP and make more work for our GM, wouldn't have gone for recognising it at all if I hadn't seen it mentioned in the recruiting post as OK.

It would be trivial for you to stop the grave robbery; within range to stop the attack entirely, preventing it from coming to anyone's attention at all. Specific results depend on some things simply not covered in the module. I can think of a few ways it might play out if you want to go for it.

[QuantumFlash]

“No, I’m agreeing with you here.” Momonga replies to Aethra. “Intel is critical and for whatever we’ve learned so far, we don’t actually know that for all our powers, we might only be as strong as your average townsman here. I said what I did to emphasize that we shouldn’t just rely on what someone remembers about a module even if it comes in handy at points.”

[Thunder999]

At this point Evras is aware that proof either way might just be more important than stopping it in advance, but the attack taking place is evidence enough either way. So he has his familiar silently relay telepathic orders to his summoned Ghaele, telling it to wait invisibly in the graveyard and stop any grave robbers.
Speaking in Sphinx once more "I think we can rule out the locals being as strong as us, noone's seen through our disguises, I'm not getting any unexpected magical auras on arcane sight, and I've read enough thoughts to say they're not simply warded against divinations. As for the rest, we'll know in time I'm sure."
Evras is then going to go find where they're serving food, particularly that provided by the Rusty Dragon, he vaguely recalls that being the best inn in town and isn't passing this chance up.

I'm assuming that if there was something obvious showing up with arcane sight it'd have been mentioned in the descriptions.

[Lioslaith]

I watch the conversation in sphinx and then realize that I am actually understanding it. Replying in the same language "So we think there might be an attack coming, assuming this follows a planned adventure path. Shouldn't we try and warn the locals that something might be coming?"

[Llyarden]

Literion shook his head slightly, stumbling as his senses returned to reality, rejoining the group in time to catch up with the conversation - he, like many of them evidently had, had more or less run out of meaningful languages to invest in (although as he had already discovered, not taking sign language had been something of an oversight), and Sphinx was among the couple of dozen Literion knew. Hank himself spoke nothing but English, so it was a very strange experience to speak fluently in another tongue as though he'd spoken it all his life. "I agree that we don't know what this world is, whether these are just incredibly advanced and scripted NPCs or real people, but even if we don't know for sure, if there's just a chance that these people are real...we can't just stand by and allow them to get hurt."

He glanced over to Evras. "You said it was goblins that attacked, right? I assume we all ran into them back when we were low levelled, so Locate Creature should find them if they're close. Can any of you cast it and hide your magic? I can cast it, but I'd rather not be seen casting spells in the middle of the town when we don't know how the townsfolk will take it."

[Thunder999]

On hearing those replies Evras will stop walking and reply "You two make a good point, I can do a silent and still spell once a day, but don't have the feats to actually conceal things, so no better than you there, best just dip out of sight."

[Wabbit]

They picked up the doll and looked through the crowd to see if they could find the child who dropped it. They returned closer to their party and lifted the doll. ”I found a doll. It could be a quest hook but nothing came up on my hud. I think things are a hybrid of real with game mechanics.” they were over that discussion already.

“Do we think we were brought here for a reason or just dropped at a starting area?” they were curious if they were not the only group of real world people trapped here.

“I can cast it but not wth still spell I never took that feat. But Goblins aren’t normally hard to find right?” they had not taken Sphinx but did have ASL if that helped at all and Goblin. “I’ll admit I spent most of mine on hex feats.” they added sheepishly

[Jack_Simth]

Confirmed, you haven't seen any active magical spells on anyone. A few folks have minor auras from magic items, but those are rare, and are only showing up on folks that are clearly fairly wealthy.

Also, side note: Still and Silent isn't enough to conceal spellcasting in Pathfinder. They dropped the note from Spellcraft (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/skills/Spellcraft/#Identify_Spell_Being_Cast) that you must see or hear the components (Relative to 3.5 (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/spellcraft.htm)), then added a different feat (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/conceal-spell/) to do it. The light shows in the artwork mechanically exist in Pathfinder.

At this point Evras is aware that proof either way might just be more important than stopping it in advance, but the attack taking place is evidence enough either way. So he has his familiar silently relay telepathic orders to his summoned Ghaele, telling it to wait invisibly in the graveyard and stop any grave robbers.
Speaking in Sphinx once more "I think we can rule out the locals being as strong as us, noone's seen through our disguises, I'm not getting any unexpected magical auras on arcane sight, and I've read enough thoughts to say they're not simply warded against divinations. As for the rest, we'll know in time I'm sure."
Evras is then going to go find where they're serving food, particularly that provided by the Rusty Dragon, he vaguely recalls that being the best inn in town and isn't passing this chance up.

I'm assuming that if there was something obvious showing up with arcane sight it'd have been mentioned in the descriptions.
The Ghaele blinks at the orders, and replies audibly, just to be chaotic "Guard duty for corpses? That seems... light. OK. Definitely a change from what I'm usually summoned for. But: As you command." It rolls it's eyes, but obeys.

The party-goers milling about seem confused, but largely shrug it off as just missing the person who's speaking amidst everyone else.

[Dakrsidder]

Coming close to the conclusion of the topic, Aethra just shrugs and says "do as you must but does the grave robbery really have to be stopped? More observation before making an interference such as that seems more logical even if there's enough evidence to assume the same things will happen. If your morality hurts too much to let the attack happen here, then it can't be helped, but taking out both triggers from the beginning when no one's in immediate danger seems unwise. Trailing the robber seems like a better alternative if it's something of interest."

[Thunder999]

This, Evras has an answer for, in Sphinx still, "The mere attempt is enough to gather information from, the grave robbery is their actual goal here, I'll admit I'm not entirely certain why, not to make undead, but it's got to be something bad. There's a few other easily checkable things I know for later, including where any events we disrupt would have led us." After a short pause he'll add "If that's not reason enough then, there's also the fact it's probably safest to test the effects of changing things while the stakes are still fairly low, than try for the first time when something big is at risk."

[redfeline]

Cierra returns to the group just behind Quiet. She has a deer rib in her mouth and is eating it thoughtfully. She was musing as a doppelganger she had no mouth. So really she was using some shape changed appendage to some how eat the venison. Perhaps it was her chin or her nose, oh wait she lacked a nose too. As she continued to eat and ponder her mind remembered something important. Dnd doppelgangers do not have mouths, pathfinder ones do. She looked on with a bit of disappointment on her face.

Looking at the others she realized she didn't understand a word they were saying. She finished the last bit of meat on the rib and spotting a dog nearby tossed it to the animal. She then returned to the group and began to sign in ASL. 'I don't understand what you are saying, and I understand most of the languages in the game.'

[Lioslaith]

I notice Cierra signing and am again pleasantly surprised that I can understand it. As the others continue to debate I 'translate' what they are saying for her so she can keep up with the conversation. Adding in that sign might also be a way to communicate without many knowing how to utilize it.

[Wabbit]

Quiet watched Cierra and smiled as they signed back replying to Samael as well.’I don’t know that tongue either. But yeah this could be a good secret language but wouldn’t work via telepathy’

[Shaggy]

Boa would understand then due to her tongue of the sun and moon class feature. So she at least could keep up with what was being said by everyone though she didn't know how to do the sign language. "Testing out a change makes sense, but following them back would also change things." she pointed out "Changing the small things for a beginner quest makes sense but honestly. How do we know a quest now? Does anyone see any quest markers?"

Can I do a perception to see if I notice any quest markers or anything game related on the overlay we are seeing (Perception +36) let me know if I need to do a proper roll.

[redfeline]

Cierra looks around but is not surprised at the lack of quest markers. She shakes her head to indicate she doesn't see a marker.

[Lioslaith]

I decide to go introduce myself to the Mayor and see if I can get to know the towns “ruling caste” a little better. Seems like we might be here for a while and may even possibly need to defend the area.

[Jack_Simth]

You do not see anything that looks like a quest marker overlaying your field of vision, no.

Mayor Kendra Deverin isn't hard to find; she's keeping up a friendly face, and is schmoozing like one would expect of a town mayor. A lot of folks are congratulating the reasonably attractive blond human woman, who seems to be in her late twenties. Her shoes and hairpin have faint magical auras.

[Lioslaith]

I position myself so the meet and greet will come around to me eventually and await my turn. When she gets to the person next to me I realize I’m not sure how to introduce myself at all. When she turns to me I extend my hand in the traditional greeting and smiling ”Greetings mayor, it is an honor to make your acquaintance my name is Samael. My friends and I are travelers and have heard good things about Sandpoint. We wanted to stop and check it out. It appears we have good timing with the temple dedication. If there is anything we can do to help please let me know.”

Way more than I intended to say but once I started it was hard to stop. Haven’t had this level of interaction with the NPC’s before. Or so I am hoping.

[Jack_Simth]

Mayor Kendra Deverin smiles warmly "Nice to meet you. I am Mayor Deverin, but you seem to have already caught that. Everything is arranged at this point, so all that's left for you is to enjoy the festivities. How long are you in town?"

[Lioslaith]

"We really haven't decided on a length of time. No where to go no time to be there sort of situation. At this point we are just sort of winging it." I give her back her warmth as we talk.

[Jack_Simth]

The Mayor briefly looks aside while she briefly considers your answer, then looks back at you with "That's a bit unusual; most folks have obligations or attachments that keep them places or cause them to travel... did something happen?" She seems a bit concerned... although you're sensitive enough to pick up that she's worried more that something might be following you to her doorstep than she is for you personally, although there is some of the latter as well.

[Lioslaith]

"Well I am always hesitant to use the word adventurers as it sometimes carries negative connotations. But my friends and I are always looking for work or something along those lines that might be of use to anyone we come across. Picking up on her concerns, "Even if that help is moving on quickly."

[Llyarden]

Since it didn't seem like any of the others could hide their magic any more than Literion himself could, while Lio schmoozed with the Mayor, Literion slipped away again and cast a Locate Creature spell to find the nearest goblin. Hopefully there weren't any friendly goblins in the town, although from what he remembered of Sandpoint (which, admittedly, was information that had been a few real-world years old; he hadn't been back to the town in-game for ages) that didn't seem too likely.

He hadn't noticed many magical auras on the townsfolk, so with any luck none of them would have magic-detection abilities of their own active, and once the spell's display faded and it was just quietly overlaid on his vision, none of the townsfolk would find anything out of the ordinary about a newcomer to the town wandering around, occasionally turning in circles - after all, he was just seeing the sights.

I don't know how big Sandpoint is, but Literion will wander around it until he's relatively confident he's covered it with his round-about-1000ft radius of locate creature (crossing bridges as needed to get around running water etc) - or until he locates a goblin. Or I guess until he ends up in a situation where he can't finish his search of the town without arousing suspicion.

[Thunder999]

The whole of that map of the town from earlier looks to be just shy of 2000ft vertically, much less horizontally, so a 1000ft radius will go a long way.

[QuantumFlash]

Momonga decides to leave the more social aspects of information gathering to those who seem to have it well in hand and instead slips away to a spot out of sight before using an at-will power to turn invisible and follow the Azata to the graveyard to keep an eye out there for anything unusual. Maybe it’s due to becoming an undead himself but for some reason he feels a bit more comfortable in the graveyard as well. He raises a hand in front of his own face to confirm it, wondering again at the true skeletal form shown to him by true sight which seems so normal and not at all frightening as a skeletal hand should be.

[Wabbit]

From the map I could pull up Sandpoint is fairly small width wise. Its about 1,800 feet if you go from Boggy Creek its about 1,500 or so if you don't search that far down.

GM - My reading of the Primeval Landscape implies Quiet can choose who is unaffected by not just the five steps but of the hazards that the ability creates too. Is that your reading?

Quiet would still be holding onto the doll and looking around to see if they could find the child who dropped it. Still they moved their hands to speak in ASL 'So are we waiting for the attack and the graverobbery? Maybe we should mingle?' their hands where slowed not sure about the last part. They where not exactly super social under normal circumstances and now they where physically there rather than just reading it through the hud read out on their headset.

'Our group is pretty big, we might draw attention all stacked up.'

[Jack_Simth]

"Well I am always hesitant to use the word adventurers as it sometimes carries negative connotations. But my friends and I are always looking for work or something along those lines that might be of use to anyone we come across. Picking up on her concerns, "Even if that help is moving on quickly."
She stifles a laugh "I'm hardly going to ask anyone to leave just for having an unusual story." Although you do pick up that she plans to have someone look into your story "It's just unusual, is all. Who knows? Maybe you'll set down some roots here." A few other folks start crowding her slightly, so she says "Regardless... I have my duties to perform, so I'll see you around."


You quickly find a small covered wagon behind some buildings south of the festival square; a little checking, and you find there's ten in there, snoozing the day away.



Since it didn't seem like any of the others could hide their magic any more than Literion himself could, while Lio schmoozed with the Mayor, Literion slipped away again and cast a Locate Creature spell to find the nearest goblin. Hopefully there weren't any friendly goblins in the town, although from what he remembered of Sandpoint (which, admittedly, was information that had been a few real-world years old; he hadn't been back to the town in-game for ages) that didn't seem too likely.

He hadn't noticed many magical auras on the townsfolk, so with any luck none of them would have magic-detection abilities of their own active, and once the spell's display faded and it was just quietly overlaid on his vision, none of the townsfolk would find anything out of the ordinary about a newcomer to the town wandering around, occasionally turning in circles - after all, he was just seeing the sights.

I don't know how big Sandpoint is, but Literion will wander around it until he's relatively confident he's covered it with his round-about-1000ft radius of locate creature (crossing bridges as needed to get around running water etc) - or until he locates a goblin. Or I guess until he ends up in a situation where he can't finish his search of the town without arousing suspicion.

The place is actually quite small. A CL 20 Locate Creature Spell (400 + 40 * 20 = 1200 feet radius; CL 15 would be exactly 1,000 foot radius) from the middle of town would hit everything except the noble manors, and you only miss those due to the running water clause (the river feeding into the bay).

Momonga decides to leave the more social aspects of information gathering to those who seem to have it well in hand and instead slips away to a spot out of sight before using an at-will power to turn invisible and follow the Azata to the graveyard to keep an eye out there for anything unusual. Maybe it’s due to becoming an undead himself but for some reason he feels a bit more comfortable in the graveyard as well. He raises a hand in front of his own face to confirm it, wondering again at the true skeletal form shown to him by true sight which seems so normal and not at all frightening as a skeletal hand should be.
For now, the graveyard is empty except for you and the Azata.

[Lioslaith]

Nodding deeply enough as to almost be a bow, "Forgive me m'lady, I have taken up far too much of your time. Root's do indeed sound appealing now that you mention them. I may consider it. I shall indeed see you around."

[Jack_Simth]

From the map I could pull up Sandpoint is fairly small width wise. Its about 1,800 feet if you go from Boggy Creek its about 1,500 or so if you don't search that far down.

GM - My reading of the Primeval Landscape implies Quiet can choose who is unaffected by not just the five steps but of the hazards that the ability creates too. Is that your reading?

Quiet would still be holding onto the doll and looking around to see if they could find the child who dropped it. Still they moved their hands to speak in ASL 'So are we waiting for the attack and the graverobbery? Maybe we should mingle?' their hands where slowed not sure about the last part. They where not exactly super social under normal circumstances and now they where physically there rather than just reading it through the hud read out on their headset.

'Our group is pretty big, we might draw attention all stacked up.'

It doesn't take much looking to find the child in question. A little boy seems to be sulking a bit while eating some cake, his mother rolling his eyes and telling him "I did tell you to leave Freddie at home..."

Let's see...
When a whisperer arrives on the Material Plane, it can spend 24 hours in a wilderness area to lay claim to a region of up to 10 miles in diameter as its territory, which then becomes its primeval landscape. While in a whisperer’s primeval landscape, the DCs of Survival checks to navigate or avoid becoming lost are increased by 20. A divination that offers guidance, such as find the path, requires a successful DC 31 caster level check as it is cast or the result is corrupted and it instead leads explorers into the whisperer’s embrace. A whisperer’s primeval landscape is always under the effects of a grand perilous demesne curse, as if the whisperer had cast supreme curse terrain. The total CR of hazards encountered simultaneously must be 18 or lower, rather than 15, and each individual hazard is CR 17 or lower, rather than 14. If any of the hazards are defeated, the whisperer automatically replaces them 24 hours later. A primeval landscape can be removed via remove curse or similar methods (against DC 30), as detailed for all cursed lands (Horror Adventures 143).

Any creature that enters a primeval landscape begins to suffer increasingly vivid and maddening hallucinations. After spending 24 hours in the region, and again every 24 hours thereafter as long as it remains in the area, a creature can attempt a DC 30 Will save to resist being increasingly affected by the primeval landscape. Upon each failed saving throw, the creature moves one step down the following track. Casting greater restoration or psychic surgery on an affected creature moves it one step up the track. Miracle or wish removes all cumulative effects. Every full 24 hours spent outside of the primeval landscape, the victim moves one step up along this track. At the GM’s discretion, the whisperer can choose to not to affect specific creatures or to stop their progression at a specific step. While the effects of a primeval landscape are not mind-affecting, mindless creatures and creatures with an Intelligence score of 2 or lower are immune to the effects. The save DC is Charisma-based.

First Failed Save: ...Referring to the Underlined portion? Contextually, I'm reading that as just the general saves - the normal hazards are still there. Also, you can only claim wilderness areas - so it might be useful for cutting off a city from supplies, but wouldn't include an actual city (or dungeon) as that's no longer wilderness (although something like an elvish tree city would still maybe count).

[Wabbit]

Thats a fair reading. I would say I thought the Wilderness Area of the first line is for the natural monster just because Whisperers tend to only exist in natural forests as per their Ecology entry. Looking up the rules on Wilderness in Pathfinder there are various terrains that count as wilderness not just forest. So if used on Sandpoint, the water would also be within that sphere of effect. But if we are ruling that anything manmade or altered from nature than the roads would also count as unaffected. So its not so much as cut off a city more like make wandering off the path a really bad idea.

[Lioslaith]

keep in mind the areas you are talking about though. The Whisperers area is going to be about 78.5 square miles. The area of Sandpoint is about .09 square miles.

[Llyarden]

So there really were goblins here.

Of course, now that posed another issue. Evras had said that the goblins were part of the attack, and if Literion had run into a situation like this in the game he'd have been more than willing to just kill them all before they woke up. But...who was to say the goblins weren't people too? The only real difference between the average goblin warrior and a villager was that the former was tagged as a hostile NPC in the game and the latter wasn't. If that was no longer the case...he couldn't just kill them, any more than he could randomly kill one of the villagers. Especially if the others were right, and the goblins were somehow being forced to act out their parts in a prewritten story.

On the other hand, he still couldn't just leave them be while he went to ask the others for advice.

He left the cover of the wagon off slightly, enough that he could move a little distance away and still see them - and then picked whichever goblin he could see best and cast a Dominate spell at it.

~Stay still, and don't make any noise,~ he commanded mentally in Goblin (without actually waiting for the popup that would tell him whether the spell had worked).

If the enchantment did work, he retrieved another of his spellbooks and cast a telepathy spell from it on the goblin. ~When I ask you questions, you will answer them telepathically.~

Yeah, Literion is CL17+1d4 to be specific (would be 19+1d4, but I forgot to have him use his Harrow deck), so somewhere between 1120ft and 1240ft; given that he was going to be wandering around a bit I figured 1000ft radius would be a reasonable approximation.

Literion casts dominate person on one of the goblins (chosen basically at random); DC31 Will to resist. His first command will simply be to do nothing and act as though it were still asleep. If the dominate works, he Quick Studies and casts telepathic bond so he can interrogate it without alerting the others.

[Jack_Simth]

You can feel the connection to the goblin. A moment of concentration reveals that Dominating him didn't wake him up.

[Llyarden]

I just reread my post and realised that I forgot to include my character's name but did mention Evras, so I'm not sure if that spoiler is directed at me or not. I've edited it now to hopefully be clearer.

[Jack_Simth]

I just reread my post and realised that I forgot to include my character's name but did mention Evras, so I'm not sure if that spoiler is directed at me or not. I've edited it now to hopefully be clearer.

Sorry. Currently posting from mobile. Edited.Yeah, it's for you.

[Llyarden]

Despite the tenseness (sort of) of the situation, Literion couldn't help but chuckle slightly as the goblin just kinda kept sleeping. Of all the things to trip him over, it would have to be forgetting that low-level NPCs had bad enough alertness ratings that they wouldn't wake up to something like that.

If they still had alertness ratings. If they weren't living people.

He pulled a length of his concealed urumi from the illusion that disguised it as a belt and drew on the same magic he'd used back in the graveyard to send a mystical breeze into the wagon, where it would wake up the goblin under his control without disturbing the others - and then once he was sure it was awake, he repeated his telepathic commands, just in case they hadn't taken effect properly while it was asleep.

Literion casts blood money + limited wish to cast reinvigorating wind, treating the dominated goblin as an ally. (And commands it to stay still and answer him telepathically when he asks questions again.)

[Jack_Simth]

The goblin awakens, and telepathically replies - in goblin: "Sure thing boss."You could have also simply given the order to awaken.

[redfeline]

Cierra takes another look around the area. The festival is nice enough honestly other than being mute and away from her family the place seemed comfortable. Gentle sea breeze, warm but not hot sun light, well built homes. It honestly isn't to bad here. I wonder what the others are preoccupied with.

[Llyarden]

Literion gave a slender grin as the goblin replied. That was the first step.

Now all he had to do was get information from it. Once upon a time he'd had a list of questions, the most optimised set he'd been able to come up with that would get all the information a dominated or charmed NPC was programmed to provide in a minimum amount of time. That, of course, was back at his house in the real world. Or...his old world, perhaps. It certainly seemed as though this world was as real as any other.

So he would just have to improvise, and try to get as much information as he could think of. He moved away from the wagon again, close enough that he could still see the wagon in case the other goblins woke up, but not close enough that anyone might have any suspicion about why he was just staring at a random wagon. If the town square was close enough he'd even go and buy something to eat, if he could find something that was portable enough he could walk around while eating it.

But first he returned his telepathic attention to the dominated goblin. ~What are you doing in Sandpoint?~

In the interests of avoiding a long back-and-forth of like one sentence per post I figured I'd summarise my questions into one post; hopefully that's okay.

The first and most important question would obviously be 'what are you doing in Sandpoint?' Assuming it answers with something along the lines of 'to attack it,' he'll ask a few more questions:
- How many goblins are in Sandpoint as part of the attack?
- (If the answer is more than 10) Where are the others located?
- How did they get into the town?
- What's the plan for the attack once it starts, and what are any specific objectives they have?
- Who's leading the attack, and who planned it?

All still via telepathy in the Goblin language.

[Jack_Simth]

Literion gave a slender grin as the goblin replied. That was the first step.

Now all he had to do was get information from it. Once upon a time he'd had a list of questions, the most optimised set he'd been able to come up with that would get all the information a dominated or charmed NPC was programmed to provide in a minimum amount of time. That, of course, was back at his house in the real world. Or...his old world, perhaps. It certainly seemed as though this world was as real as any other.

So he would just have to improvise, and try to get as much information as he could think of. He moved away from the wagon again, close enough that he could still see the wagon in case the other goblins woke up, but not close enough that anyone might have any suspicion about why he was just staring at a random wagon. If the town square was close enough he'd even go and buy something to eat, if he could find something that was portable enough he could walk around while eating it.

But first he returned his telepathic attention to the dominated goblin. ~What are you doing in Sandpoint?~

In the interests of avoiding a long back-and-forth of like one sentence per post I figured I'd summarise my questions into one post; hopefully that's okay.

The first and most important question would obviously be 'what are you doing in Sandpoint?' Assuming it answers with something along the lines of 'to attack it,' he'll ask a few more questions:
- How many goblins are in Sandpoint as part of the attack?
- (If the answer is more than 10) Where are the others located?
- How did they get into the town?
- What's the plan for the attack once it starts, and what are any specific objectives they have?
- Who's leading the attack, and who planned it?

All still via telepathy in the Goblin language.

The goblin replies along your spell's telepathic channel "Oh, yeah! There's more. There's umm.... one, three, six... err, that's not right. Hang on... One, two, four.... err... four tribes involved? Yeah, that's right. Six tribes. And each of us sent... umm... one, four, six... err... ten? Yeah, that's right. Three. Six goblins per tribe. So that means there's ... um... five times eight... carry the seven... forty two? Yeah, that seems right. Twenty four of us." He does his best to answer the other questions too, unfortunately, his best isn't what most folks would consider 'useful' or even 'coherent' "Umm... the others are coming through the ... doors? No, that's not right. The windows! There we go. The others are coming in through the windows when the signal goes off. They're just not here yet. We're all supposed to just slaughter everyone and take over the town. Totally defenseless place, no way we can lose. We're leading the attack! ... although some stupid longshank girl seems to be calling the shots for Chief, for some reason."

Sorry. The book goes out of it's way to emphasize just how stupid these particular goblins are.

[Thunder999]

Evras samples the local cuisine, particularly whatever exotic (at least by local standards) food the Rusty Dragon put out and introducing himself by name (Evras, not James, he's keeping his real life name out of this just in case, not that he's thought of a case yet) to the unfortunate individuals manning stalls rather than taking the day off. He gives them all the same story, he's a travelling scholar and adventurer who couldn't resist visiting when he heard about the festival.
With that done he'll find an out of the way location, cast invisibility on himself, revert to his Aeon form and fly around to inspect the towns gates, looking for signs of how goblins will get in.

[Jack_Simth]

Evras samples the local cuisine, particularly whatever exotic (at least by local standards) food the Rusty Dragon put out and introducing himself by name (Evras, not James, he's keeping his real life name out of this just in case, not that he's thought of a case yet) to the unfortunate individuals manning stalls rather than taking the day off. He gives them all the same story, he's a travelling scholar and adventurer who couldn't resist visiting when he heard about the festival.
With that done he'll find an out of the way location, cast invisibility on himself, revert to his Aeon form and fly around to inspect the towns gates, looking for signs of how goblins will get in.

The food is delicious, if lacking in spices for a modern palette.

Searching, you easily find that someone has left the north gate open and unattended.

[Wabbit]

Quiet notices Cierra looking around and they looked as well. The city was nice it was mostly peaceful. They had grown up in a small town but their area was more rural so the town part was only a few blocks wide so this was a bit more than what they where used to. "Its peaceful here." they said smiling just a little.

They would try and remember what they knew about Sandpoint from the game. They liked exploring and so had probably crossed over each of these streets at one point. "Do you want to look around?" they asked aloud and signing in ASL at the same time. They could link up telepathically of course but it was best to use this if they could so they where not being oddly silent.

I would like to recall what Quiet knows of the town, I can roll a d20 if you like. Local has a +22 modifier and History has a +35 just let me know.

[Llyarden]

Literion massaged his temples slightly at the nonsense responses from the goblin. "Fine, fine," he muttered aloud. He half considered sending it back to sleep and reading its dreams, but at this point he wasn't entirely sure that its memories would be any clearer, and dream-reading was cryptic at the best of times.

In the absence of any information, then, there was only one more question to ask the goblin. ~Why are you doing this? What could the people of this town have done to you to deserve being murdered en masse?~

[Thunder999]

Well that certainly would do it, Evras will close the gate, if there's some obvious means of barring it he'll use that to properly close it, if not then he'll pull out his spellbook, and use Quick Study to prepare and cast an Arcane Lock spell (he'd have to come back to dispel it later, but for now it'd certainly keep goblins out). After that he'll wait and see what happens.

[Jack_Simth]

Well that certainly would do it, Evras will close the gate, if there's some obvious means of barring it he'll use that to properly close it, if not then he'll pull out his spellbook, and use Quick Study to prepare and cast an Arcane Lock spell (he'd have to come back to dispel it later, but for now it'd certainly keep goblins out). After that he'll wait and see what happens.There's a perfectly good bar you can use to seal the gate. Nice, thick, heavy wood, along with iron brackets to hold it in place. Sealing the gate up poses no difficulties.
Literion massaged his temples slightly at the nonsense responses from the goblin. "Fine, fine," he muttered aloud. He half considered sending it back to sleep and reading its dreams, but at this point he wasn't entirely sure that its memories would be any clearer, and dream-reading was cryptic at the best of times.

In the absence of any information, then, there was only one more question to ask the goblin. ~Why are you doing this? What could the people of this town have done to you to deserve being murdered en masse?~The goblin seems confused as it replies telpathically "I don't need any reason to kill some stupid longshanks, any more than I need a reason to kill a stupid rat. That's what they're for."


Quiet notices Cierra looking around and they looked as well. The city was nice it was mostly peaceful. They had grown up in a small town but their area was more rural so the town part was only a few blocks wide so this was a bit more than what they where used to. "Its peaceful here." they said smiling just a little.

They would try and remember what they knew about Sandpoint from the game. They liked exploring and so had probably crossed over each of these streets at one point. "Do you want to look around?" they asked aloud and signing in ASL at the same time. They could link up telepathically of course but it was best to use this if they could so they where not being oddly silent.

I would like to recall what Quiet knows of the town, I can roll a d20 if you like. Local has a +22 modifier and History has a +35 just let me know.

When you deliberately focus on your knowledge of the area, you get a pop-up window that has some text:
Those who head north from Magnimar along the rocky coastline quickly find themselves in a peculiar country. Fog drapes the rolling landscape, fl oating spectrally along damp and lonely moors. Small woodlands grace the region, their tangled depths redolent of nettles and pepperwood and pine sap, while further inland, river valleys lined by majestic redwoods wind between ragged tors and limestone escarpments. This vastness and the sense of isolation have earned the region its local name. This is the Lost Coast.

Yet there are pockets of civilization along the Lost Coast. Traditional Varisian campsites can be found in nearly every gulch and hollow along the cliff -lined reaches, and lonely houses sit upon bluff s now and then—domiciles for eccentrics or the rich seeking a bit of peace far from the bustle of Magnimar’s streets. Roadside inns grace the Lost Coast road every 24 miles or so, placed by virtue of the distance most travelers can walk given a day’s travel. Low stone shrines to Desna, goddess of wanderers and patron of the Varisians, give further opportunities for shelter should one of the all-too-common rainstorms catch the traveler unaware. Given
time, any of these seeds of civilization could bloom into a full-grown town, or even a city. It’s happened once already, along the shores of a natural harbor nestled among the cliff s some 50 miles northeast of Magnimar. What was once a larger-than-normal Varisian campsite in the shadow of an ancient ruined tower has become the Lost Coast’s largest town: Sandpoint.

As one approaches the town of Sandpoint, the footprint of civilization upon the Lost Coast grows more clear. Farmlands in the outlying moors and river valleys grow more numerous, and the blue-green waters of the Varisian Gulf bear more and more fishing vessels upon its surface. Passage over creeks and rivers is more often accomplished by wooden bridge than ford, and the Lost Coast Road itself grows wider and better-kept. Sight of Sandpoint from either approach (south or east) is kept hidden by the large upthrust limestone pavements known as the Devil’s Platter or the arc of rocky outcroppings known as Whistler’s Tors, but as the final
bend in the road is rounded, Sandpoint’s smoking chimneys and bustling streets greet the traveler with open arms and the promise of warm beds, a welcome sight indeed for those who have spent the last few days alone on the Lost Coast Road. From the south, entrance to Sandpoint is governed by a wooden bridge, while from the north a low stone wall gives the town a bit of protection. Here, the Lost Coast Road passes through a stone
gatehouse that is generally watched by one or two guards—the southern bridge is typically unattended. Aside from the occasional goblin, the citizens of Sandpoint have traditionally had little worries about invasion or banditry—the region simply isn’t populated enough to make theft a lucrative business. Hanging from a bent nail at both the gatehouse and the southern bridge is a sign and a mirror—painted on each sign is the message: “Welcome to Sandpoint! Please stop to see yourself as we see you!”

S
Small Town conventional (mayor); AL NG
GP Limit 800 gp; Assets 49,600 gp
DEMOGRAPHICS
Population 1,240
Type isolated (90% human, 3% halfling, 2% dwarf, 2% elf, 1% half-elf, 1% gnome, 1% half-orc)
AUTHORITY FIGURES
Kendra Deverin mayor (NG female human aristocrat 4/expert 3);
Belor Hemlock, sheriff (CG human male fighter 4);
Abstalar Zantus, town priest (CG male human cleric 4);
Titus Scarnetti, nobleman (LN male human aristocrat 6);
Ethram Valdemar, nobleman (NG male human aristocrat 5/expert 2);
Lonjiku Kaijitsu, nobleman (LN aristocrat 3/expert 2)

It has a <more> button at the bottom.

[Llyarden]

Literion's expression turned darker as he heard (so to speak) the goblin's reply. But even hearing that...he still couldn't just kill them. If he did, how would he have been any better than they were?

~What is the signal you are expecting?~ he asked the goblin. And once he had its response, he switched spellbooks again as he went back to the wagon briefly. ~Alert me telepathically if you awaken.~ The command would probably make little sense to the goblin for a few moments - but Literion sent a powerful sleeping spell into the wagon to make sure the goblins stayed asleep, hopefully through whatever was supposed to signal the attack.

Just to be on the safe side, he left a scrying sensor to watch the goblins too (yet another popup in the corner of his HUD, to go along with the Locate Creature marker that he hadn't dismissed) in case any of the other goblins resisted the Deep Slumber spell and woke up without 'his' goblin waking up and warning him, before he went to see if he could find any of the others and report his findings.

Literion Quick Studies deep slumber and greater scrying (and I really need to replenish my arcane pool at some point lol, I'm almost out!), casts deep slumber on the goblins (DC29 Will, and if 10HD isn't enough to cover all 10 goblins - if I can even tell - I'll use another one) and greater scrying on the dominated goblin (DC33 Will). Hopefully 10ft around the dominated goblin is enough for me to see them all.

And then he'll go try to find the other PCs, because I really should've done the telepathic bond suggestion that was mentioned before we all split up lol whoops.

[Jack_Simth]

Anything else folks want to do before the invasion scene?
Literion's expression turned darker as he heard (so to speak) the goblin's reply. But even hearing that...he still couldn't just kill them. If he did, how would he have been any better than they were?

~What is the signal you are expecting?~ he asked the goblin. And once he had its response, he switched spellbooks again as he went back to the wagon briefly. ~Alert me telepathically if you awaken.~ The command would probably make little sense to the goblin for a few moments - but Literion sent a powerful sleeping spell into the wagon to make sure the goblins stayed asleep, hopefully through whatever was supposed to signal the attack.

Just to be on the safe side, he left a scrying sensor to watch the goblins too (yet another popup in the corner of his HUD, to go along with the Locate Creature marker that he hadn't dismissed) in case any of the other goblins resisted the Deep Slumber spell and woke up without 'his' goblin waking up and warning him, before he went to see if he could find any of the others and report his findings.

Literion Quick Studies deep slumber and greater scrying (and I really need to replenish my arcane pool at some point lol, I'm almost out!), casts deep slumber on the goblins (DC29 Will, and if 10HD isn't enough to cover all 10 goblins - if I can even tell - I'll use another one) and greater scrying on the dominated goblin (DC33 Will). Hopefully 10ft around the dominated goblin is enough for me to see them all.

And then he'll go try to find the other PCs, because I really should've done the telepathic bond suggestion that was mentioned before we all split up lol whoops.
The goblin telepathically replies to the question before succumbing to the spells "Oh, that's easy. There's going to be a big boom. We're all supposed to attack when it happens. And can do boss, I'll let you know if I wake up, but I'm not aslee...." your spell takes effect before he finishes that sentence. Targetted effects let you know if they worked, area spells do not. Deep Slumber inherits an area from Sleep - so you can't tell, especially as they're largely all already asleep. There's also the duration: The magical slumber isn't sticking around all that long.

[QuantumFlash]

Still invisible, Momonga shakes his head to clear it, so he’s not distracted by musings and does a brief patrol of the graveyard’s grounds to see if anyone might have been in there and might still be there, paralyzed by fright perhaps, that they had missed due to the confusion of translating so suddenly between worlds, as well as simply for any goblins which might have been sneaking in that way. Even if they were probably weak, might as well not be caught off guard.

Blindsense 60ft and +30 to perception. I’m guessing at least at this point that’s enough that I don’t really need to roll for it.

[Dakrsidder]

I haven't been doing any outside interaction as the event thus far is a bit mundane. Hence, I was hoping the invasion would happen sometime soon. However, I had forgotten to mention wandering near the gate in anticipation of it.

[Llyarden]

The deep slumber will last about quarter of an hour, I can't imagine it would take that long for Literion to find at least some of the others to let them know what he's discovered. If the invasion hasn't happened by then then Literion would have to think of something else to do (which is kinda why I was wanting to re-involve the other PCs in case any of them had particular plans / wanted to do RP stuff about it), but if it happens before that expires then I'm fine to move on to it

[Jack_Simth]

Still invisible, Momonga shakes his head to clear it, so he’s not distracted by musings and does a brief patrol of the graveyard’s grounds to see if anyone might have been in there and might still be there, paralyzed by fright perhaps, that they had missed due to the confusion of translating so suddenly between worlds, as well as simply for any goblins which might have been sneaking in that way. Even if they were probably weak, might as well not be caught off guard.

Blindsense 60ft and +30 to perception. I’m guessing at least at this point that’s enough that I don’t really need to roll for it.
You don't find anyone in the gaveyard you weren't expecting, but on a deliberate search, you do find a sturdy wooden ladder leaning against the exterior wall opposite the city, with the top of the ladder just low enough that it isn't visible from the ground inside the graveyard proper.



I haven't been doing any outside interaction as the event thus far is a bit mundane. Hence, I was hoping the invasion would happen sometime soon. However, I had forgotten to mention wandering near the gate in anticipation of it.
The gate that's now closed & barred by Evras' actions? Parking yourself inside, outside, above, under, or something else?

On combat: to be fair, the module calls for it quickly (the combat description starts in paragraph 7 from the header "The Swallowtail Festival"), but you logically have several hours to do whatever if you're going through the entire festival run (we are), and you have foreknowledge, which means lots of folks are making preparations. Additionally, most folks are here for the RP, so I was letting that happen. Yes, there will be combat, but the upcoming combat is expected to be very, very short, and will largely consist of me giving descriptions of goblins going splat when you start reacting violently (there are non-goblins later on in this book if we hit all the dungeons, and of course, there's five more books of this). I... wouldn't recommend being here primarily for the battles, as while they'll be here, they aren't going to last long: Most of all'y'all will be able to reasonably reliably one-round the biggest bad with a listed CR in the last book.


The deep slumber will last about quarter of an hour, I can't imagine it would take that long for Literion to find at least some of the others to let them know what he's discovered. If the invasion hasn't happened by then then Literion would have to think of something else to do (which is kinda why I was wanting to re-involve the other PCs in case any of them had particular plans / wanted to do RP stuff about it), but if it happens before that expires then I'm fine to move on to it
Folks here just talked about lunch and the invasion is scheduled for the evening. 15 minutes or so is plenty of time to find the others, sure, but if you wish to deal with them in a non-lethal manner, you'll need something that lasts at least a couple of hours (there's no shortage of options for that, magic or mundane).

[Lioslaith]

I will continue milling about the festival and seeing what, if anything, there is to get into or to experience. People to meet etc. Happy to casually heal anyone that looks like they need it, smooth anxieties, etc. Just generally being a paladin.

[Dakrsidder]

The gate that's now closed & barred by Evras' actions? Parking yourself inside, outside, above, under, or something else?

On combat: to be fair, the module calls for it quickly (the combat description starts in paragraph 7 from the header "The Swallowtail Festival"), but you logically have several hours to do whatever if you're going through the entire festival run (we are), and you have foreknowledge, which means lots of folks are making preparations. Additionally, most folks are here for the RP, so I was letting that happen. Yes, there will be combat, but the upcoming combat is expected to be very, very short, and will largely consist of me giving descriptions of goblins going splat when you start reacting violently (there are non-goblins later on in this book if we hit all the dungeons, and of course, there's five more books of this). I... wouldn't recommend being here primarily for the battles, as while they'll be here, they aren't going to last long: Most of all'y'all will be able to reasonably reliably one-round the biggest bad with a listed CR in the last book.

Still within the town just leaning maybe 30 ft away I could use greater windsight or a spell to extend my range of detection but I won't bother.

It's not so much that I'm here for combat rather there's not really much going on in general, so I'm waiting for combat in anticipation that it'll spring on something more interesting than the current events. The preparations are fine, but I personally don't have much interest in any considering it's the first encounter which is composed of a goblin attack and grave robbing.

[Llyarden]

I was mostly waiting to see if anyone specifically wanted to get involved in RP about what to do about the goblins, which is why I didn't do anything permanent. If no-one is then yeah I can do something else, I have a few silly ideas lol.

It didn't take long for Literion to find Lio, the paladin not exactly making much effort to hide himself. Since he didn't want to start using spells on the other players without their permission, he waited until Literion wasn't too busy before catching the other former player's eye and beckoning him (along with any of the others who were around) out of sight of the majority of the villagers before casting another Telepathic Bond so they could talk while they were apart, without arousing suspicion - at least, more than they already probably had.

~I found a small group of goblins already in the town, ten of them. They're hidden in a wagon just south of the main square. I've got a scrying sensor watching them, and they should be asleep for a little while longer, but...~ He trailed off for a moment. ~I don't know what to do. I'm sure if they were found by the townspeople, the response would be to kill them - or at least to try to - but I...I can't just kill them.~ He couldn't help but remember what the goblin had said. It reminded him too much of the way he would've viewed the goblins when they were still just virtual pixels that followed programmed actions. ~What do we do? Should we just try to get them out of the city without alerting the townsfolk?~

[Lioslaith]

If, and this is still a big if is some of our minds here, if this world is real then the goblins need to be dealt with as you would any other threat. Applying moral values from our world to this one can only lead to problems. Do you have some idea as to how to get them out of town without killing them? Once they attack they won’t hesitate to kill anyone they can and I’d not like to choose who gets to die before we can react to it.

[QuantumFlash]

Momonga settles in wait on the top of the wall where the ladder is, in such a way that he wouldn’t be visible to anyone on the ladder until they were already at the top if possible, and deactivates his own invisibility. Then he just settles in to wait for whenever this supposed goblin attack might happen.

[Wabbit]

Quiet would whisper into Samael's mind through there telepathic assuming they are within 300 ft. 'I have a way, if they fail against my hexes that is, to turn them into animal servants. They would be alive, turned to animals but retain their intelligence. They would be under dominate monster permanently. I could perhaps change them into beasts of burden or pets. They could be commanded to stand watch over the city' quiet was aware that while not classified as an evil act normally this might cause some unpleasant conversations since it was for all intents turning them into their servants till they died, or Quiet did.

[Lioslaith]

For me that sort of slavery is much less appealing than sending to meet whatever gods they worship.

[Thunder999]

James/Evras takes a look through his own character sheet while he waits, and is reminded that Envisaging doesn't actually have a range limit, as a result he's going to attempt to contact the others with it, sending them visions of him finding and barring the gate and asking Literion if he managed to find anything.

I don't see a range listed, so worth a shot. If it does works he won't be able to receive responses from anyone immune to mind affecting (which I think is just Momonga).

I'm not exactly waiting for combat, just not quite sure what to do.

[Wabbit]

They thought about that for a moment before considering what they knew of religion, goblin gods, their afterlife. Where would a goblin go when you killed them? Presuming they where not a PC and played under a good alignment that is. 'Perhaps, but we don't know what happens if we just kill them. Their gods are probably not happy go lucky. If I recall from D&D their gods were rather cruel.' but they shrugged slightly even if Samael was not there there directly to see it. 'I won't force this on the group, but it is an option. A life in the city as a pet or even beast of burden will mean food in their bellies, perhaps even caring families. Might make them see these people in a better light.'


Do I need to roll? Religion is a +35

[Lioslaith]

A life of needs met in slavery is still slavery. But we wont rule it out if it makes you feel better.

[Jack_Simth]

They thought about that for a moment before considering what they knew of religion, goblin gods, their afterlife. Where would a goblin go when you killed them? Presuming they where not a PC and played under a good alignment that is. 'Perhaps, but we don't know what happens if we just kill them. Their gods are probably not happy go lucky. If I recall from D&D their gods were rather cruel.' but they shrugged slightly even if Samael was not there there directly to see it. 'I won't force this on the group, but it is an option. A life in the city as a pet or even beast of burden will mean food in their bellies, perhaps even caring families. Might make them see these people in a better light.'


Do I need to roll? Religion is a +35
Goblins conduct their worship in simple, bloody rituals filled with howls, animal sacrifice, and ecstatic dancing. They craft fetishes from the bones of their enemies, particularly dogs and humanoids.[7] The four Goblin Hero-Gods (Hadregash, Venkelvore, Zarongel, and Zogmugot) are common objects of worship among goblins, but they revere Lamashtu above all else, because she freed the hero-gods from Asmodeus. Goblin tribes that worship one hero-god to the exclusion of others are considered heretics.

All goblin hero-gods reside in Basalfeyst in the Abyss.
Lamashtu's realm is Kurnugia, the largest layer of the Abyss.

The Abyss is NOT a nice place, being a CE plane. However, the Pathfinder afterlife is, in a weird way, heaven all around, due to the alignment sorting. You're Good? You end up in a place where everyone is. Ditto for Lawful, Chaotic, and Evil. If you worship a deity of your own alignment, you end up in a place you'll naturally fit in perfectly, the only drawback is that everyone there is just like you in terms of general behavior. You're Lawful Evil? You'll end up where everyone will do exactly what they agree to, you get to survive by your ability to make deals and follow the rules. You're Chaotic Evil? Survival of the fittest, you've got your chance to make it to the top! Hell and the Abyss are not places of punishment, they're places of purity. Just not the kind folks accustomed to modern thinking want. Will there be suffering for the goblins? Absolutely. But it is, quite literally, only going to be what they'd do to others were the positions reversed, as the folks causing the suffering are, fundamentally, exactly like the ones upon whom they're inflicting pain.

James/Evras takes a look through his own character sheet while he waits, and is reminded that Envisaging doesn't actually have a range limit, as a result he's going to attempt to contact the others with it, sending them visions of him finding and barring the gate and asking Literion if he managed to find anything.

I don't see a range listed, so worth a shot. If it does works he won't be able to receive responses from anyone immune to mind affecting (which I think is just Momonga).

I'm not exactly waiting for combat, just not quite sure what to do.

By default, everything targetted requires line of sight and line of effect. Certain things don't need either (like scrying spells), and you can place area spells even without line of sight, but by default everything does. So no, you can't Envisage someone you can't see.

The real question is "How permanent do you want the solution to be?" and "What can you stomach?" There's a rather lot of ways to deal with this.

[Thunder999]

Makes sense to me.

[Lioslaith]

Were I in this alone, paladin or not I would slaughter the goblins. Granted I would probably wait until they attacked but the end result would be the same.

[Wabbit]

This is just an idea they are coming up with. Quiet was just going off the idea of trying not to kill npcs because they might be real people now and this game likely had goblin players so sure these are mobs but its weird to actually kill something. The whole magic thing allows a disconnect also all of us spell caster can reverse the hex with a wish or similar.

Just going from the "Player" of Quiet being uneasy about killing something for the first time.

[Lioslaith]

This is just an idea they are coming up with. Quiet was just going off the idea of trying not to kill npcs because they might be real people now and this game likely had goblin players so sure these are mobs but its weird to actually kill something. The whole magic thing allows a disconnect also all of us spell caster can reverse the hex with a wish or similar.

Just going from the "Player" of Quiet being uneasy about killing something for the first time.

Oh definitely, I completely understand. It brings up a weird question of alignment. Me as a player wouldn't have any issues wiping out the goblins but that wouldn't necessarily fit with a paladins alignment.

[Thunder999]

Waiting around for the attack which probably won't happen until the end of the ceremony (James remembers it happening at a suitably dramatic moment, though not quite when) seems rather boring and there's no convenient way to communicate from here, so Evras will look through his spellbook then cast an alarm spell.
With that done he'll see if he can find the others, particularly Literion, since he's the one searching for goblins.

Quick study to swap sure casting for alarm, then putting a Mental alarm on the outside side of the gate

[redfeline]

Reasonably certain the town info was meant for Wabbit and not me but hey I can interact with the game so why not.


As Cierra closed her eyes and focused on the town the game pulled up Ophelia's history check. It was a bit disjaring to be in such a real world and place and suddenly have something so artificial pop up. Opening her eyes she realized the information was still in her mind. Had the game pop up really been there or was she simply remembering something she once saw as a player. She stood there for a minute uncertain.

She signs to Quiet, 'yes I think a walk would be wise.' She paused considering if the games functions where now being integrated directly into brain. What is happening in the real world that is causing this? Does this happen every time some one stays logged into a game that is being deleted? Is my body walking around unaware that part of me was left her in this game?

When I play a game and reset because I didn't like what happened do the bad guys win? Have I doomed countless worlds to end in destruction? After a moment she realizes she is quoting Bear from dot hack sign.

My mind is playing tricks on me. I do not like this.

[Jack_Simth]

Oh definitely, I completely understand. It brings up a weird question of alignment. Me as a player wouldn't have any issues wiping out the goblins but that wouldn't necessarily fit with a paladins alignment.
There's a hilarious number of solutions to this problem that do not involve killing the goblins yourselves, ranging from the completely mundane (I can easily think of four five) to the extravagantly magical (there's a lot of spells that will solve this). But ideas are your guys' department. Well, until you ask an non-player character for advice. Their reaction to the question is my department.

Reasonably certain the town info was meant for Wabbit and not me but hey I can interact with the game so why not.
Oh. Sorry, yes. I've been doing a lot of posting from mobile. But it's just a knowledge check result, and those are pretty ubiquitous around here.

[Wabbit]

Redfeline - Yeah I think its because I had your name in the post. Mobile wise (which I often post from) its easy to get confused.

They smiled and walked with Cierra and signed back to her 'Its a nice little town, bigger than mine.' but was it wise to get involved in irl stuff?

They would use their blindsight, even though in this appearance they could see giving them a weird radar overlay in their vision. This would allow them to keep an eye on any odd movements their eyes might normally miss but included things in the air. So like a super version of Toph, cool. "Its odd really, I never considered something till just now. Whisperers have no eyes but can see low-light, even in the darkness, and they have blindsight. Was this why I was not struck blind when we became stuck here?" trying to sign some game terms was hard but pantomime might help.

They spoke telepathically into Cierra's mind now 'I offered my hexes to deal with the goblins but Samael says its not right. I can turn them into animal servants, or even even force their reincarnation.' they paused for a moment to let that sink in 'What are your thoughts on the matter? Should we just kill them? If we are in a new world and these people are real then the goblins are also real. I have partied with Goblin players in the past.'

[redfeline]

Cierra looks taken aback for a moment. Wait what goblins? The ones that scavenge on the refuse pile they are mostly harmless. Going off my history check it seems like the occasional one causes trouble but that is it. Look you can't go around and just assume all goblins are evil. You yourself are an evil race, and I am true neutral but in real life I am a good person.

[Llyarden]

Literion sighed. ~There are goblins hiding in a wagon just to the south of the town square,~ he explained (either telepathically or using sign language as well if Cierra wasn't in the bond.) ~They're planning to attack the town, just like Evras said was the design of the plotline he remembered.~

~I controlled one of the goblins and got some answers from him telepathically. He said that their intent was to slaughter everyone in this town, even knowing it was defenceless. Because - as far as he was concerned - the townsfolk exist to be killed by goblins.~

~I don't think it would be difficult to erase their memories of their plan and move them outside the town, let them go back to their own lives, but...when that's the kind of attitude they have, who's to say that in letting them go we don't put other people in danger?~

[Lioslaith]

So who all is in this telepathic bond?

[Llyarden]

Anyone who wants to say their character was around when Literion set it up. The spell allows 1 person per 3 caster levels and Literion is at least CL18; Mononga is off in the graveyard, Quiet is using their own telepathy, and Literion himself is included without counting against the limit, so I should be able to cover everyone else with one casting. If not Literion will just cast another one and act as a relay between the two bonds.

[Lioslaith]

Anyone who wants to say their character was around when Literion set it up. The spell allows 1 person per 3 caster levels and Literion is at least CL18; Mononga is off in the graveyard, Quiet is using their own telepathy, and Literion himself is included without counting against the limit, so I should be able to cover everyone else with one casting. If not Literion will just cast another one and act as a relay between the two bonds.

Doesnt it have some sort of distance limit? You know, we could ask the DM to rule that out headset connections in the real world set up some sort of weird telepathic band between us when we were transitioned over to this world.

[Jack_Simth]

Doesnt it have some sort of distance limit? You know, we could ask the DM to rule that out headset connections in the real world set up some sort of weird telepathic band between us when we were transitioned over to this world.

Oh, the game's messaging and chat functions continue to work just fine, so you can type messages to each other on a virtual keyboard, no problem. It's just that nobody's tried them.

[Llyarden]

It has a distance limit when cast, which is why I said anyone who was around when I set it up would be in it. Once cast the range is unlimited on the same plane.

[Wabbit]

I hesitated to do this because Cierra has the thing of being harder to communicate with.
Quiet looked confused by this and then looked around 'Did no one tell you about the attack? Goblins are stationed nearby. I believe one of us is handling those goblins.' they where not even suggesting they where all evil which is why they brought up the goblin players they where used to those kinds of players. 'I am neutral good, I would rather we find a way not to kill if we don't have too. In the game I wouldn't care, but its different now.'

They looked rather perplexed and uncomfortable with the idea of killing, but it was all so new perhaps it was just the adjustment. After all Whisperers are suppose to be tricksters, killers. Witches as well, even good witches often have evil spells prepared. "I don't mean to suggest they are all evil, just that its a discussion of what to do." they signed.

Quiet would pause a moment and consider how had this communication function was. Didn't they have team speak before? Party chat, or at least party chat in the terms of sending written messages? They flipped up their menu and began to look around till they found the form a party function.

Invites to join a party would be sent to the various real people.

[Jack_Simth]

Everyone gets their pop-up invites just fine. In doing so, you all find you can see each other's menus and things, but can't interact with another's menu.

[Lioslaith]

I touch the invite to join the group discussion.

[Thunder999]

Evras joins the party and mentally kick himself for forgetting such a useful function.

He opens up the chat and types of a quick trio of messages, he's one of those people who reflexsively hits enter to send after every line.

Party chat: Anyone else feeling kind of stupid for not trying this earlier, guess we were too caught up in the whole game being real thing.
Anyone know how secure/secret this is?
So I found where the goblins are getting in, someone had left the gate open and unbarred, fixed that, not sure if any already made it in though. Anyone found any?

[Dakrsidder]

While messing around, a pop-up appears and Aethra accepts the invitation with curiosity as to what was being discussed. "What is this a philosophy debate? To be quite honest, the problem seems to be a combination of two things. The first is mentally you appear to be attached to this world as though it were real. The second stems from this in that killing something real is unbearable. Some of us have already talked about the first, but these pop-ups support my hypothesis that this world is half real and therefore, a bit of detachment is warranted. As for the second, my hypothesis is the goblins nearby aren't too different from their original design, besides maybe a bit of depth and therefore should be about as morally significant to deal with as in the game.

After typing up that storm, Aethra stretches before going back in for more. "There are a number of ways to deal with the goblins, such as enchantment, transformation, transportation, disincentives, incentives, trickery, simply killing them, and more. Based on the ones mentioned alone, enchantment and transformation are far worse than killing as it's against their will, and they're no longer really themselves. Transportation can be worse than killing, but it can also be somewhat better. Killing would be somewhere in the middle, while disincentives and trickery would generally be below killing. Either can be worse, but they can easily be morally safer while incentives would likely be morally the safest. Personally, I think trickery would be the most fun considering the potential of what could be pulled off while they're in their right mind."

[Lioslaith]

I try and just think a response rather than typing into the thin air, “It really seems like you all are overthinking this. Most of you know my “vote” or will see it in action very soon.”

[QuantumFlash]

Momonga raises an eyebrow at the invite but accepts it and reads over the messages sent by the others before giving a reply of his own over telepathy:

“I have discovered someone set up a ladder to get over the graveyard wall. That’s two ways in so far and there could be more. Considering the caliber of your average goblin, I imagine they can’t be acting alone in this. I suggest we kill most of them since they’re forfeiting their lives by this attack but take the rest prisoners to try to see if they can tell us anything about anyone they might be working with.”

I double checked, and apparently this telepathy is a divination spell so it’ll actually work for me as an undead, which is nice. Might be stopped by something like Mind Blank though, not entirely sure

[Thunder999]

Evras in Party Chat: If you have a good means to take someone alive then the graveyard is where the leader should attack, so you're in the right spot, assuming they still try without the other groups to serve as distractions.
I'm in favor of execution for goblins, for what that's worth.

He'll then head to the graveyard and give his Ghaele new orders "I need you to guard the north gate, seems that's where the attack will come from, I'm still expecting trouble here, but want to take their leader alive and I expect they'd die if they looked at you."

Probably take some time to actually reach the graveyard, but we seem to have plenty of that.

[Wabbit]

Not sure if this is confusion IC or OOC. But the way Quiet's hex works is that it does change their form to that of an animal. But they retain their intelligence and languages. They are under the effects of Dominate Monster (which is just Dominate Person with no creature restriction) so they would be themselves just be compelled to do what Quiet tells them. Otherwise any mind-effecting compulsion spell would be and should be marked as evil.

Quiet listens and reads through the replies in quick succession. Letting them all have their say on the matter. It did seem that most of them considered this to still be at least in some part a game and thus morality didn't really matter. Quiet didn't doubt this was a mix of game and reality it wasn't their assumption that this was entirely real. Just that if this was even quasi real they should treat it at least with more respect than they did when this was all 1s and 0s.

"I accept your interpretation, I didn't think we were completely in a different world. This is more Log Horizon than That Time I Was Reincarnated as a Slime. We are both in a game and in a world that the game was set. But if that is the case, I recall the People of the Land were sentient creatures. I merely wanted to advocate for us to tread carefully. But, do as you will I have no intention of stepping in. I merely offered a suggestion." they typed out swiftly with deft fingers.

They looked to Cierra to see her reaction, a slight frown on their face that this had gone this route and wondered, if these players met a goblin player in this new world. Would they kill them before finding out? What would that mean then? If this was like Log Horizon they would be revived at a church or cemetery. But that was an anime, this was real life.

[Lioslaith]

Watching the debate play out on the group chat I am reminded why I played the game solo. I will find a quiet place (as quiet as it can be at a festival) where I can sip some tea and watch the day play out.

[Jack_Simth]

Evras in Party Chat: If you have a good means to take someone alive then the graveyard is where the leader should attack, so you're in the right spot, assuming they still try without the other groups to serve as distractions.
I'm in favor of execution for goblins, for what that's worth.

He'll then head to the graveyard and give his Ghaele new orders "I need you to guard the north gate, seems that's where the attack will come from, I'm still expecting trouble here, but want to take their leader alive and I expect they'd die if they looked at you."

Probably take some time to actually reach the graveyard, but we seem to have plenty of that.
The Ghaele nods, and says "Well... guarding a gate against an expected invasion is at least a step up from guarding corpses." And moves to the indicated location.

[Llyarden]

Literion paused for a moment when the party chat came through. He'd rarely used it in the game, but if it still worked here...

He kept the party chat open on one side of his HUD, but didn't reply immediately. Instead, he went back to the wagon full of goblins and tried to add them to a separate chat.

[Jack_Simth]

Literion paused for a moment when the party chat came through. He'd rarely used it in the game, but if it still worked here...

He kept the party chat open on one side of his HUD, but didn't reply immediately. Instead, he went back to the wagon full of goblins and tried to add them to a separate chat.

You see a window pop up for the goblins, asking if they want to accept the chat invitation - and note that the window is in goblin - however, the goblins, being in a magically induced slumber, do not press accept, and the window eventually times out.

[Llyarden]

Literion kinda blinked when he saw the window pop up, waited for it to time out and then backed off again, bringing the party chat back to the forefront.

So I just tried to add the goblins in the wagon to a chat. They were asleep so they couldn't actually *accept* it - maybe they couldn't even if they tried - but the popup appeared.

If they can be added to a chat like that, it kind of makes me wonder just what the difference truly is between us and the NPCs.

If they can be called NPCs now.

A few moments went past before he sent another message.

Someone had an intelligent summon active, right? Could you try adding your summon to a chat?

[Lioslaith]

Is it safe to assume my “thinking” the chat responses are working the same as typing them would? I’ll post based on that then edit if I need too.


Thinking his response, then realizing that won’t work, typing it to the group chat once again, Has anyone actually tried to leave the game? I know we are all excited at this new level of reality. One which I believe is actual reality, but again, has anyone tried to disengage from it? My assumption is that we can’t.

[Jack_Simth]

Is it safe to assume my “thinking” the chat responses are working the same as typing them would? I’ll post based on that then edit if I need too.


Thinking his response to the group chat once again, Has anyone actually tried to leave the game? I know we are all excited at this new level of reality. One which I believe is actual reality, but again, has anyone tried to disengage from it? My assumption is that we can’t.

It's not mental. You get a virtual keyboard and screen, pulled up by a practiced hand motion (specific motion settable in preferences in the game menu) and need to type things out and read them off. Much like you'd expect of a VR implementation of a game chat.

[Dakrsidder]

Making no effort to do anything resembling a productive activity, Aethra continues staring at the screen. "If anyone thought that was torture, you've seen nothing yet. Although I'd assume logical deductions and mulling through possibilities is quite fun.

Anyways, if it popped-up for goblins it probably will with the summon but what about a Simulacrum? I'd create one but some of you have gimmicks to cover the cost I ignored to avoid being too cheesy."

[Thunder999]

Evras types up responses to everything, the chat log is a convenience he's glad to have:Exit is greyed out and unresponsive, can't feel or interact with our 'real' bodies or headsets at all, we definitely can't leave, first thing I noticed.
I'll try with my summon, it's certainly got personality now, but if you have a goblin mind controlled that might be a better test, if I remember my lore right summons are more magical copies than truly individual creatures, it's why you can just casually summon 1d4+1 identical Lillends who all have the exact same spells known and haven't expended a single resource that day.
As for a simulacrum, I could use my daily wish SLA, but I'd rather save that for an unexpected emergency, it takes 12 hours otherwise.
I still intent to treat the world as though it's entirely real, if it's not then no harm done, but I wouldn't want to act as though it's not and find out it was only after something regretable happens. Not sure what that's got to do with the morality of bloodthirsty goblins that freely admit their desire to murder innocents.


Pity Samael didn't mention he likes tea, Evras has a bunch of fancy tea leaves and a magic teapot.

[Lioslaith]

Wander over and speak with him/me We haven't had a lot of time to just talk with one another.

[Jack_Simth]

Well, as nobody's posted in a bit over 24 hours, ticking the clock. Roll initiative, goblins got a 24 (18, +2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative). Anyone who gets above a 24 can go. Folks get to control their own summons in combat.
Finally, as the sun begins to set, Father Zantus takes the central podium, uses a thunderstone to attract everyone’s attention, and clears his throat as he prepares to recite the Prayer of First Dreaming.

When it does...
Ten goblins rush out of the forested area by the north gate... and pause a bit when it's not open.
Three rush up the ladder at the side of the cemetary.
The ten in the wagon awaken, most of which start to cause trouble (one of which sends the ordered telepathic message, instead)
And ten more rush out of the glassworks into the town.

The goblins in the twon shriek and leap and race and cackle, taking great joy in the panic and fear they spread among the humans (whom most goblins insultingly call “longshanks”). Some goblins wave torches and light tents on fire, while others chase children and pets with ill intent. The entire time, goblin warchanters sing a horrifically catchy and nerve-wracking goblin song at the top of their lungs, further spurring their kin into murderous frenzy. Everywhere the PCs look, goblins tear through merchant stalls, menace locals with their dogslicers, throw rocks through windows, and otherwise make terrors of themselves.

[Lioslaith]

[roll0]

Initiative and place holder for result

[Wabbit]

I have a 30 Initiative anyway.
But I will roll to determine among the party
[roll0]

If I do end up going first. Going to use one of my 3/day Obscuring Mist from my Ioun Stone to try and stop the goblins chasing the children.

[QuantumFlash]

[roll0] Time to trash some goblins.

[Thunder999]

Evras will see the goblins on the ladder, no human leader among them. "Was really expecting the human to come here, especially when Literion confirmed there was a human somewhere."
He'll then shrug and hit the three ladder goblins with his Horrid Wilting SLA.
Frilzrys (his familiar) will fly above the wall to see if there's more coming and telepathically relay that information to both Evras and anyone else nearby (just Momonga if memory serves)

The Ghaele will zap as many of the goblins at the gate as possible with its Chain Lightning

I was waiting to see if the inviting 'NPCs' to our party chat worked.

Thanks to forewarned Evras don't need to roll initiative, so jumping right in
Initiative is 20+33=53
I think summons follow their summoner's initiative, but just in case the ghaele would get [roll0] and would take the same actions whether before or after the goblins.
Horrid Wilting is [roll1] untyped damage, DC 30 fort to halve, so those goblins are almost certainly dessicated husks.
Chain lightning is [roll2] reflex half DC 19 for the primary and 17 for the rest

[QuantumFlash]

Roll to overcome my SR then cause I guess you missed it but I’m right at the top of the ladder. And in case it’s needed, Fort: [roll0] Though also at this point a rules question: Grim Reapers are incorporeal, do I retain incorporealness while transformed?

[Thunder999]

Horrid wilting is targeted and I'm certainly not targeting you. Even if I was you're undead and therefore immune to fort saves.

[Jack_Simth]

Evras will see the goblins on the ladder, no human leader among them. "Was really expecting the human to come here, especially when Literion confirmed there was a human somewhere."
He'll then shrug and hit the three ladder goblins with his Horrid Wilting SLA.
Frilzrys (his familiar) will fly above the wall to see if there's more coming and telepathically relay that information to both Evras and anyone else nearby (just Momonga if memory serves)

The Ghaele will zap as many of the goblins at the gate as possible with its Chain Lightning

I was waiting to see if the inviting 'NPCs' to our party chat worked.

Thanks to forewarned Evras don't need to roll initiative, so jumping right in
Initiative is 20+33=53
I think summons follow their summoner's initiative, but just in case the ghaele would get [roll0] and would take the same actions whether before or after the goblins.
Horrid Wilting is [roll1] untyped damage, DC 30 fort to halve, so those goblins are almost certainly dessicated husks.
Chain lightning is [roll2] reflex half DC 19 for the primary and 17 for the rest
Folks talked about it, but nobody actually tried.

And yes, Summons act on the summoner's turn, although it's admittedly a little weird that they do when they're a few hundred feet away from each other and hours away from the summoning.

And yeah, even on a successful save, those goblins go straight from full to dead for the Horrid Wilting. The ones at the gate are... marginally better off if they're not the primary targets.
All three goblins on the ladder scream in agony as the moisture is very painfully pulled from their bodies. The scream starts loud and raw, but quickly rattles away to a dry sigh, and then silence. The dead, dry leather of their bodies falls to the ground with a soft thud, cracking open and revealing their dessicated internal organs and exposing a few bones as well.

At the gate, the Gheale's lightning isn't quite as effective - but it still gets the job done. The smell of burnt flesh fills the air as seven of the goblins die before they even have a chance to scream, the lightning ripping through them, burning their flesh and causing their innards to boil, literally detonating them, covering the area in a shower of gore. Three of the secondary targets just barely manage to avoid enough of it to survive... for the moment. These "lucky" ones have gaping burned holes in their chests, with their life's blood pumping out onto the ground. The "lucky" ones are bleeding out at -5.

I have a 30 Initiative anyway.
But I will roll to determine among the party
[roll0]

If I do end up going first. Going to use one of my 3/day Obscuring Mist from my Ioun Stone to try and stop the goblins chasing the children.

The goblins caught in the cloud pause and look around in confusion at the mist. You can hear one (in goblin) say "Isn't it usually foggy in the morning?"

However, there's a lot of goblins, and they're very spread out. The dozen or so you didn't catch continue their work. You see one poor woman get cornered, her chest sliced open by one goblin... and you see the horror in her eyes as another goblin merrily starts chewing on her flesh, relishing the taste of her raw meat, not bothering to make sure she's dead before taking a bite. She fortunately falls unconscious from the injuries at this point.

Most the others are OK with not getting their meat quite that fresh, and are largely just chasing the townsfolk around. A few of them do get distracted by the tables of food, and start stuffing their pockets for later.

Huh. Didn't think the goblins would actually get a turn. OK. Now everyone can go (including the folks who just went, as your turns will be coming back up before the goblins' do). I don't really care what order folks go in.

So there are:
Three goblins standing confused in the obscuring mist.
An unclear number of goblins running around being very scattered in the town (this includes the dominated goblin, as he has no current orders).
Three goblins bleeding out at the gate (and seven very dead goblins, although it will be tricky to count those bodies).
Three very dead goblins at the graveyard ladder.

[Wabbit]

Quiet is horrified to see the woman being attacked. They need more time these little monsters are spreading everywhere and in random directions like a bag of super balls that where poured out. In truth there is only one way for them to get the time they need to wrangle the buggers before they spread out further. Thankfully they seemed to be in clumps at the moment.

Time Stop!





Not sure if you want this here but with 5 turns I might as well ramble it off.
First Round - Rod of Voracious Hex + (Split Major Hex) - Restless Slumber (catch the three goblins within the cloud, and one extra goblin if they are within 30 ft of any of the three)
Second Round - Move Action (up to 100 ft) and use the Rod of Voracious Hex again (Restless Slumber again) to target the goblins that attacked the woman (up to 4 goblins if they are within 30 ft of each other)
Third Round - Move Action and then use the Rod again to Restless Slumber any additional Goblins I see (Un to 4 if they are all within 30 ft of one another)
Fourth Round - Move Action use Split Major Hex to Restless Slumber any other goblins I see (2 this time if they are within 30 ft)
Fifth Round - Cast Cure Moderate Wounds on the Woman [roll]2d8+10
Sorry that was weird I know. Thats 14 potential Goblins each rolling vs my DC 44 will and they take 1d10 dmg for every turn they are asleep

[QuantumFlash]

Momonga glares at Evras and flies a bit closer to the chaos while pointing into town and firing off a Chain Lightning of his own to hit whatever goblins might be in range. “That’s a bit rude, stealing these ones. You knew I was here, and I had plans for them.”

Flies 60ft and Chain Lightning is CL21 for 1240ft initial range, DC 37, [roll0] damage

[Lioslaith]

Sighing audibly and then setting my tea cup getly on the table I walk into the largest group of gobbo's and start slicing away at them.

I assume it should be one hit on kill but I could always roll 1's
[roll0]
[roll1]

[roll2]
[roll3]

[roll4]
[roll5]

[roll6]
[roll7]

[Thunder999]

Evras will reply quite cheerfully (he didn't see the woman getting eaten and is therefore of the opinion that things are going wonderfully) "You're a necromancer aren't you, if anything I just made them more useful, dessication might even help with the smell."

Evras will fly 60ft after him (I never actually reapplied my disguise after wandering around invisibly thanks to the time skip, or we can say I did in which case walking 30ft instead), and he'll horrid wilting any goblins who are somehow still left. If there's none he'll just move further.

Ghaele will stay by the gate, unless it can see other goblins to defend the town from its got no reason to move, I think it'll switch to its light form and fly 70ft up a bit to get a better view.

Probably unneeded horrid wilting rolls [roll0], still DC 30.

Oh and how exactly is Quiet affecting enemies while timestopped?

[Wabbit]

Ignore my post. Time Stop would work, but nothing from that point on would.

[Llyarden]

Ah, the joys of not being able to post for a couple days in a fast-paced game. :smalleek: Not that Literion has much in the way of initiative anyway.

Literion swore as he realised, far too late, what the loud noise the goblins were waiting for was.

And then carnage erupted all around him - where the heck had those other goblins come from?

He paused for a moment to send a simple telepathic message to the goblin he'd controlled - ~Attack the other goblins that were in the wagon with you~ - before turning his attention to his item box. He'd...kinda been hoping to stay relatively undercover, but he wasn't going to just not do anything.

A cauldron popped into existence and landed in front of him, and he tapped the edge of it it with the rod he'd been carrying as he spoke the words of a spell and tossed a random two Harrow cards into the liquid that formed as he spoke, causing it to immediately boil and bubble with celestial energies before a variety of angelic-looking figures came spiralling out of the cauldron. "Protect the townsfolk!"

And then he turned his attention to the goblins, and almost before he realised he was doing it drew on the most lethal spell he had prepared, sending horrific illusions to tear the life from their bodies.

Literion uses a move action to withdraw a cauldron of overwhelming allies from his item box and uses quickened summon monster ix via his rod and lattice to summon [roll0] bralani azatas (azatae?) and [roll1] monadic devas via Summon Good Monster.

Harrowed Summoning rolls:
[roll2] [roll3] The Cricket, +4 Dex and the devas stick around twice as long
[roll4] [roll5] The Paladin, +4 Str

Using his actual standard action, he casts weird (DC35) on whatever the biggest clump of goblins he can target with it is. If they're so spread out he can't target more than two, he'll instead cast magic missile, sending two missiles per goblin (and one at a third I guess.)
Damage to one goblin: [roll6]
Damage to another goblin: [roll7]
And damage to a third: [roll8]

The bralanis will use their fly speeds to take to the sky and start raining arrows down on the goblins. The devas will engage the goblins in melee, using holy smite (DC18) or holy word (DC21) if they can catch a number of goblins without hitting any townsfolk. I have no idea how many summons I'm actually going to have from this mess, so I'll roll for the maximum number.

Bralani 1 single shot: [roll9] for [roll10] +2 atk from Harrowed Summoning
Bralani 2 single shot: [roll11] for [roll12] +2 atk from Harrowed Summoning
Bralani 3 single shot: [roll13] for [roll14] +2 atk from Harrowed Summoning
Bralani 4 single shot: [roll15] for [roll16] +2 atk from Harrowed Summoning
Bralani 5 single shot: [roll17] for [roll18] +2 atk from Harrowed Summoning

EDIT: Turns out bralanis don't have adaptive bows, so no extra damage for them.

Deva 1 morningstar: [roll19] for [roll20] or Holy Smite damage: [roll21] +2 atk & +3 dmg on the melee attack from Harrowed Summoning
Deva 2 morningstar: [roll22] for [roll23] or Holy Smite damage: [roll24]
Deva 3 morningstar: [roll25] for [roll26] or Holy Smite damage: [roll27]

[Jack_Simth]

Momonga glares at Evras and flies a bit closer to the chaos while pointing into town and firing off a Chain Lightning of his own to hit whatever goblins might be in range. “That’s a bit rude, stealing these ones. You knew I was here, and I had plans for them.”

Flies 60ft and Chain Lightning is CL21 for 1240ft initial range, DC 37, [roll0] damage

Unfortunately, the goblins have spread out much more; you only catch three of them in your area. Your power goes through them, scorching their outsides and flash-boiling their innards, causing them to explode, showering the nearby townsfolk in blood and guts... but not their own, and for that, at least, they seem grateful.
Not bothinering to roll saves, as with 67 base damage to the initial, they're all dead even on successful saves (for which they'd need 20's).


Sighing audibly and then setting my tea cup getly on the table I walk into the largest group of gobbo's and start slicing away at them.

I assume it should be one hit on kill but I could always roll 1's
[roll0]
[roll1]

[roll2]
[roll3]

[roll4]
[roll5]

[roll6]
[roll7]

Your first slash lops the head off one goblin, triggering a shower of arterial blood all over you. Your sword continues through, and you literally cut the next one in half at the waist, it's guts spilling out on the ground as your sword passes through it almost as if it wasn't there, the force of your blow sending intestines flying. The third is caught in an upswing, and you slice upwards through it's groin, reaching it's heart, and getting your sword out of it's body just below an arm. The final one you hit with an overhand blow, dead-center on it's head, slicing through it down wards, and separating it's left from it's right. The brains seep out of it's skull. About this time, the head of the first one lands on the ground with a thud.
Yeah, they're all dead.


Evras will reply quite cheerfully (he didn't see the woman getting eaten and is therefore of the opinion that things are going wonderfully) "You're a necromancer aren't you, if anything I just made them more useful, dessication might even help with the smell."

Evras will fly 60ft after him (I never actually reapplied my disguise after wandering around invisibly thanks to the time skip, or we can say I did in which case walking 30ft instead), and he'll horrid wilting any goblins who are somehow still left. If there's none he'll just move further.

Ghaele will stay by the gate, unless it can see other goblins to defend the town from its got no reason to move, I think it'll switch to its light form and fly 70ft up a bit to get a better view.

Probably unneeded horrid wilting rolls [roll0], still DC 30.

Oh and how exactly is Quiet affecting enemies while timestopped?
Unsuccessfully. If there's no edit by the time I'm done going through folks' turns, well... panic actions happen to the best of folks.
You find a small group of goblins to kill... and this time, the towns folks get to watch as the beasts die screaming, and collapse into slightly more than powder.


Ah, the joys of not being able to post for a couple days in a fast-paced game. :smalleek: Not that Literion has much in the way of initiative anyway.

Literion swore as he realised, far too late, what the loud noise the goblins were waiting for was.

And then carnage erupted all around him - where the heck had those other goblins come from?

He paused for a moment to send a simple telepathic message to the goblin he'd controlled - ~Attack the other goblins that were in the wagon with you~ - before turning his attention to his item box. He'd...kinda been hoping to stay relatively undercover, but he wasn't going to just not do anything.

A cauldron popped into existence and landed in front of him, and he tapped the edge of it it with the rod he'd been carrying as he spoke the words of a spell and tossed a random two Harrow cards into the liquid that formed as he spoke, causing it to immediately boil and bubble with celestial energies before a variety of angelic-looking figures came spiralling out of the cauldron. "Protect the townsfolk!"

And then he turned his attention to the goblins, and almost before he realised he was doing it drew on the most lethal spell he had prepared, sending horrific illusions to tear the life from their bodies.

Literion uses a move action to withdraw a cauldron of overwhelming allies from his item box and uses quickened summon monster ix via his rod and lattice to summon [roll0] bralani azatas (azatae?) and [roll1] monadic devas via Summon Good Monster.

Harrowed Summoning rolls:
[roll2] [roll3] The Cricket, +4 Dex and the devas stick around twice as long
[roll4] [roll5] The Paladin, +4 Str

Using his actual standard action, he casts weird (DC35) on whatever the biggest clump of goblins he can target with it is. If they're so spread out he can't target more than two, he'll instead cast magic missile, sending two missiles per goblin (and one at a third I guess.)
Damage to one goblin: [roll6]
Damage to another goblin: [roll7]
And damage to a third: [roll8]

The bralanis will use their fly speeds to take to the sky and start raining arrows down on the goblins. The devas will engage the goblins in melee, using holy smite (DC18) or holy word (DC21) if they can catch a number of goblins without hitting any townsfolk. I have no idea how many summons I'm actually going to have from this mess, so I'll roll for the maximum number.

Bralani 1 single shot: [roll9] for [roll10] +2 atk from Harrowed Summoning
Bralani 2 single shot: [roll11] for [roll12] +2 atk from Harrowed Summoning
Bralani 3 single shot: [roll13] for [roll14] +2 atk from Harrowed Summoning
Bralani 4 single shot: [roll15] for [roll16] +2 atk from Harrowed Summoning
Bralani 5 single shot: [roll17] for [roll18] +2 atk from Harrowed Summoning

EDIT: Turns out bralanis don't have adaptive bows, so no extra damage for them.

Deva 1 morningstar: [roll19] for [roll20] or Holy Smite damage: [roll21] +2 atk & +3 dmg on the melee attack from Harrowed Summoning
Deva 2 morningstar: [roll22] for [roll23] or Holy Smite damage: [roll24]
Deva 3 morningstar: [roll25] for [roll26] or Holy Smite damage: [roll27]
Again, more goblins die screaming, these ones with their faces contorted in terror at visions only they can see, freezing their expressions into their faces in death. The summoned archers rain down death from above, bringing all that remain in the streets down, leaving them bleeding and dying.

Whisper briefly panics, and momentarily forgets that working on other folks during a time stop doesn't help...

The handful of goblins that are left, for their part, finally figure out that this is bad juju, then break and run. They all find cover very, very quickly, being much smaller than full-sized humans, and very willing to get themselves into dirty, stinky places. After just a few seconds, it's much like they all simply vanished.

[Lioslaith]

Since they all scattered I will move amongst the injured and begin healing them if they need it.

[Wabbit]

I would very much like our discussion to remain in PM I really do not like being made fun of especially since I actually selected spells for this day and none of my selected spells would work so telling me I should use X, Y, or Z doesn't do anything when those spells are not on my prepared spells list.

[Lioslaith]

I would very much like our discussion to remain in PM I really do not like being made fun of especially since I actually selected spells for this day and none of my selected spells would work so telling me I should use X, Y, or Z doesn't do anything when those spells are not on my prepared spells list.


For what it's worth I didn't see anything snide from anyone.

[Thunder999]

Evras will quickly speak up, deliberately not giving the locals time to properly respond to his actions or form. "We must find all the remaining goblins, if they're still in Sandpoint they're still a danger to its inhabitants." He'll then Dimension door his way to the gate, upon seeing the dead goblins he'll speak to the Ghaele "Nicely done, but they must have had a second way inside, or else snuck in earlier, there's more within the town, the fighting was as one sided as expected, but some retreated, I'd like you to help find them before they find an isolated villager or two to eat." And then he'll dimension door back with the Ghaele in toe and begin searching.

I think 1280ft should be enough for the DDoor
As for searching, 120ft blindsight and [roll0] perception.
What sort of action is typing messages to each other BTW?

[QuantumFlash]

“I dare say another locate creature would probably work well in this case, but it would have been better if some had been, I dunno, captured alive to begin with? Killing them all is fine and all but it would be helpful if we could have found out more.” Momonga comments, while keeping an eye out himself for where any stray goblins may have hidden themselves if they’re still in town.

Blindsense 60 still and perception: [roll0]

[Jack_Simth]

Since they all scattered I will move amongst the injured and begin healing them if they need it.
You lot of of minor injuries, but only a few major ones. Seems the goblins were overconfident, and were mostly just enjoying scaring everyone. Mostly. Some were treating it as business. People seem suitably grateful for the help, however.


Evras will quickly speak up, deliberately not giving the locals time to properly respond to his actions or form. "We must find all the remaining goblins, if they're still in Sandpoint they're still a danger to its inhabitants." He'll then Dimension door his way to the gate, upon seeing the dead goblins he'll speak to the Ghaele "Nicely done, but they must have had a second way inside, or else snuck in earlier, there's more within the town, the fighting was as one sided as expected, but some retreated, I'd like you to help find them before they find an isolated villager or two to eat." And then he'll dimension door back with the Ghaele in toe and begin searching.

I think 1280ft should be enough for the DDoor
As for searching, 120ft blindsight and [roll0] perception.
What sort of action is typing messages to each other BTW?
Does your blindsight have an exception to Line-of-Effect (few do, but I should ask)?

For folks with years of practical experience in typing? It's slightly slower than speech (faster - potentially much faster - for actual professional typists, but those are rather rare nowadays because everyone types a little). A move action to pull up the interface - which everyone can see - and generally a move action or so to type out a short message. And you need both hands free to type that quickly.

For folks who don't even have the concept of a typewriter, much less a computer, after you finally convince them to actually try? One finger hunt and peck takes a LONG time. Your rounds/level buffs will run out before the NPC is done typing "Hello."


“I dare say another locate creature would probably work well in this case, but it would have been better if some had been, I dunno, captured alive to begin with? Killing them all is fine and all but it would be helpful if we could have found out more.” Momonga comments, while keeping an eye out himself for where any stray goblins may have hidden themselves if they’re still in town.

Blindsense 60 still and perception: [roll0]
You find a few at the gate haven't quite finished bleeding out, yet.

[Thunder999]

"Locate creature will probably just point to any goblin that's not bled out yet, maybe if they're all dead." While he's searching Evras will finally get around to trying that invite the summon idea, he'll invite the Ghaele and say "Just touch Accept, I imagine it's a little odd, but if it works it allows for written communication."

No LoS exceptions that I'm aware of.

[QuantumFlash]

Momonga draws on what little he does know about proper medicine and combines that with a brief glimpse into possibility itself to stabilize one of the goblins and then turns to another two to attempt the same. After that, he reports it on the chat: “Found a few which managed to somehow barely survive. I’m taking them for interrogation if anyone wants to join.”

First heal check I’m activating an ability, Flash of Insight, to grant myself a 20 on the check for a total of 30, then next two: [roll0] and [roll1]

[Lioslaith]

I say to the group in general, Can no one speak with the dead?

[Jack_Simth]

"Locate creature will probably just point to any goblin that's not bled out yet, maybe if they're all dead." While he's searching Evras will finally get around to trying that invite the summon idea, he'll invite the Ghaele and say "Just touch Accept, I imagine it's a little odd, but if it works it allows for written communication."

No LoS exceptions that I'm aware of.
The Ghaele asks "What strange magic is this? I know I don't make a study of magic, but this doesn't even look slightly familiar..." However, he does hit the button as instructed... and you get get the "new party member added" confirmation.


Momonga draws on what little he does know about proper medicine and combines that with a brief glimpse into possibility itself to stabilize one of the goblins and then turns to another two to attempt the same. After that, he reports it on the chat: “Found a few which managed to somehow barely survive. I’m taking them for interrogation if anyone wants to join.”

First heal check I’m activating an ability, Flash of Insight, to grant myself a 20 on the check for a total of 30, then next two: [roll0] and [roll1]

You manage to stabilize all three quite readily. They are, however, still unconscious, being heavily injured.

[Llyarden]

With the main body of the goblin forces routed, Literion sighed and relaxed slightly, returning the cauldron he'd summoned to his item box as he glanced over at the party chat. If they're anything like the one I Dominated earlier, they're too stupid to have any useful information - but knowing where they came from would be good. There were more than just the ten I knew about in the wagon. I'll try to hunt down the goblins that fled.

And he would proceed to do just that, recasting his Locate Creature spell (if nothing else it would let him know if there were any other bleeding-out goblins for Momonga to capture) and trying to quite literally track the goblins that had fled.

Taking 10 on Survival and Perception for 42 and 32 respectively.

[QuantumFlash]

Momonga taps his chin in consideration. “That’s a fair point, but I’m sure we can get useful intel out of them somehow. You said you dominated one? Is it still alive? Maybe see what you can get out of that one and these.. maybe we can wake them up later and follow them back to their lair or even go along with them while disguised as a goblin. If they’re as dumb as you say I could easily convince them I was one of them I bet.”

[Thunder999]

Evras in Chat Looks like we can add people after all, worked with the Ghaele, I have absolutely no idea what that implies about the world. As for interrogation, pretty sure Literion already interrogated the dominated one and it was too stupid to know anything, It's why I was really hoping their leader would reveal themself in the graveyard.
I've got a few things we could look into if nothing comes up.

[Shaggy]

Boa had not been very useful in that encounter. Mostly because she had let herself move off from the group and when the little green bastards came skittering about she just took a position in front of a doorway. It might have been the local tavern or some other large building and kept the goblins from entering through sheer AC wall. Now after the attack she looked around for the others, joining the party chat as needed just remaining silent.

"So, did anyone want to try sending the dominated one home? Follow it and find their den. I mean if this is a few different groups try it with multiple I guess. I am sure one or two of us to a den is overkill." she typed into the chat.

]Apologies for my disappearance rl got hectic.

Also I have Mind Probe as a spell known.

[QuantumFlash]

"That's my plan, yup. Though I'm thinking we could disguise ourselves as goblins too and get a bit more firsthand info, maybe even meet whoever is driving them on, if there is someone else behind it as I suspect. What I'm proposing more specifically is we put these guys somewhere in the open they can easily escape from, disguise ourselves as goblins and wake them up, convince them we were part of the attack all along then follow them home."

[Jack_Simth]

With the main body of the goblin forces routed, Literion sighed and relaxed slightly, returning the cauldron he'd summoned to his item box as he glanced over at the party chat. If they're anything like the one I Dominated earlier, they're too stupid to have any useful information - but knowing where they came from would be good. There were more than just the ten I knew about in the wagon. I'll try to hunt down the goblins that fled.

And he would proceed to do just that, recasting his Locate Creature spell (if nothing else it would let him know if there were any other bleeding-out goblins for Momonga to capture) and trying to quite literally track the goblins that had fled.

Taking 10 on Survival and Perception for 42 and 32 respectively.
You quickly find the goblin tracks.... after some searching, you determine there were a total of 30 goblins involved in the raid. Most are now dead; you find tracks of a few that very clearly exit the town; one set seems to go into the Barett household. Your Locate Creature spell clearly indicates this as the closest live goblin not already accounted for, and that it's still inside the house somewhere.
I'm going to be on vacation for just over a week, and will be posting entirely from mobile during that time. Please bear with me.

[Shaggy]

Boa would think about that for a minute and she added into the group chat. "I have the spell Mind Probe, its kinda what we are looking for it gives access to the targets memory and knowledge. They have to answer one question a round and its rounds per level. If we are still our old level thats like 18 for me spellcasting wise. Is that something we can use?" she wanted to be useful, acting as a protector had been fun but it had hardly been the best use of her abilities. Really she should have stepped out and used her rod of the viper to kill off the little beasts during their rampage but that might have let some sneak past her into the tavern where people were hiding.

[Thunder999]

Evras will shrug and reply "I can't see anything being better than dominate person really"

[QuantumFlash]

“However you want to do it is fine by me, but one way or another I’m going to try to trace where these goblins came from.” Momonga dusts himself off and gets up from where he had been stabilizing their prisoners. “Now, that can wait for a bit I suppose, doubt these guys are gonna wake up too soon. Has anyone made sure the townspeople are ok and there’s no more panic? The celebrations are probably a bust at this point but we can at least make sure things are back to normal.”

[Thunder999]

We're still waiting for Literion to tell the rest of us what he found

[Lioslaith]

samael has been making his way around the crowd/town calming folks with his auras and healing people as needed.

[Thunder999]

Evras is going to try some tracking of his own, to see if he can find any goblins still in town.

taking 10 for 59 perception, 48 survival

[QuantumFlash]

Momonga looks around to see the reactions of the townspeople and particular looking for where the head people in the town are at this point and how they’ve reacted both to the goblin attack and the power the new arrivals demonstrated.

[Jack_Simth]

I'm back at home, so have my desktop. Yay!

Momonga looks around to see the reactions of the townspeople and particular looking for where the head people in the town are at this point and how they’ve reacted both to the goblin attack and the power the new arrivals demonstrated.
The folks seem terrified of those of you who actually engaged in combat... but it doesn't take long at all for you to sort out that it's mostly due to the blood & gore still covering a lot of you, as nobody's taken the time to clean up. They don't mind powerful people when they're not hostile, but folks covered in blood and guts make people nervous.
Evras is going to try some tracking of his own, to see if he can find any goblins still in town.

taking 10 for 59 perception, 48 survival

You quickly find the goblin tracks.... after some searching, you determine there were a total of 30 goblins involved in the raid. Most are now dead; you find tracks of a few that very clearly exit the town; one set seems to go into the Barett household, and you're not finding any goblin tracks leading away from the place, so best guess is that the goblin is still inside.

[Thunder999]

Evras shouts out when he spots the tracks "Looks like at least one of them went in this house and never came out, I'm going to have a look inside."
He'll then enter and search the place, weapon (currently a longsword shaped longsword) drawn, listening for any sounds that might be a goblin.

Perception [roll0]

[Lioslaith]

I will see if I can find the mayor again and offer whatever help I can.

[Jack_Simth]

Evras shouts out when he spots the tracks "Looks like at least one of them went in this house and never came out, I'm going to have a look inside."
He'll then enter and search the place, weapon (currently a longsword shaped longsword) drawn, listening for any sounds that might be a goblin.

Perception [roll0]
OK, so you're barging into a private residence, sword drawn, without asking any kind of permission from those inside, after shouting something that may or may not have been heard clearly by the inhabitants. At least you're not one of the folks covered in blood - Horrid Wilting is relatively clean: magical desiccation doesn't produce "splash" like flash-frying or chopping.

And folks wonder why adventurers get a bad reputation some places....
Upon entering, you're met with two adults, a man and a woman, as well as a little girl and a baby crawling around on the floor, along with a small dog. The woman reacts with an ear-piercing scream, and a quick run to grab the infant; Mr. Barett starts throwing things at you (completely ineffectually) and screaming at you to get out of his home; the dog starts barking and growling at you; the little girl just plain runs into another room... where you can hear the goblin moving around ... as Mr. Barett gets between you and that doorway.

I will see if I can find the mayor again and offer whatever help I can.
Mayor Kendra Deverin isn't very hard to find. She seems a little swamped by folks asking various questions, but she's largely ignoring them as she's writing down quick notes and handing them off to apparently collected folks who look at them, and immediately run off to do things. How do you approach?

[Lioslaith]

I walk up to her calmly, arranging and trying to "de-gore" myself not pushing through the crowd. If I can catch her eye I'll nod and raise my eyebrows to indicate that I am there to help.

[Thunder999]

Evras honestly hadn't thought about the fact someone might be home until he was already inside.
"Normally I'd knock, but I really didn't think anyone was home, well other than the goblin hiding in there." He points at the relevant room "Kindly let me past so I can deal with it before it eats your daughter."
If that doesn't calm the people down he'll just use his dimensional slide to teleport straight past the man, he can apologise later.

Don't think that's actually long enough for a diplomacy check.
In my head I was assuming all the locals were still on the streets for some reason, oops, at least it's keeping things 'interesting'.
Was also hoping someone else would want to take a look. Probably not too late if anyone does want to.

[Jack_Simth]

I walk up to her calmly, arranging and trying to "de-gore" myself not pushing through the crowd. If I can catch her eye I'll nod and raise my eyebrows to indicate that I am there to help.
You're mostly just covered in blood, which soaks into things. Pity you don't have one of the more convenient ways of de-goring (Prestidigitation, although even Create Water would help while the blood is fresh). Still, the mayor is made of sterner stuff than random citizens, so not too big a deal for her.
Mayor Kendra Deverin waves you over... when she does, almost everyone looks to see who's she's calling. The fresh bloodstains on your clothing make those she's not actively directing give you a wide berth, so getting to her is no trouble at all. She starts by saying "Thank you for 'taking care' of the goblins; that could have been a lot worse than it was. Seems to be just cleanup at this point; so what can I do for you?"


Evras honestly hadn't thought about the fact someone might be home until he was already inside.
"Normally I'd knock, but I really didn't think anyone was home, well other than the goblin hiding in there." He points at the relevant room "Kindly let me past so I can deal with it before it eats your daughter."
If that doesn't calm the people down he'll just use his dimensional slide to teleport straight past the man, he can apologise later.

Don't think that's actually long enough for a diplomacy check.
In my head I was assuming all the locals were still on the streets for some reason, oops, at least it's keeping things 'interesting'.
Was also hoping someone else would want to take a look. Probably not too late if anyone does want to.
Literion also did, but as he didn't declare entry, I let him know where the goblin is hiding; nothing done with the info, so you're up. And... you've got Bluff, too, which has much shorter times, and is used for similar things. And given that there was just a goblin attack, yeah, this is very believable. So yeah, that'll pass muster. And... reasonably clear your intent is to go into the room, so....
The man blinks and quickly gets out of your way. The dog, not understanding, keeps yapping at your heels, but that's a minor annoyance at most. Inside, the room is a comfortable child's bedroom with a bed, dresser, closet, and nightstand. You don't see the goblin, and the little girl seems a bit terrified of you... but at this range, you can hear the goblin... from it's breathing, you can tell it is sound asleep, under the floor of the closet.

[Lioslaith]

"The question, m'lady, is what can I do for you? What do you need help with?" I smile and look apologetically at her for all the blood.

Sadly I don't have any wizardy type spells, but since she's okay I can clean up later.

[QuantumFlash]

Momonga starts casting Prestidigitation on himself to clean up as he watches the encounter between Samael and the mayor from a bit of a distance, since he thinks it probably wouldn't go down well with the townsfolk if he left the goblin prisoners unattended. He looks around at any townsfolk close by "Do any of you fine folk have any rope I could use? I will bind these prisoners, but I do not have any on myself at present."

Diplomacy check: [roll0]

[Jack_Simth]

"The question, m'lady, is what can I do for you? What do you need help with?" I smile and look apologetically at her for all the blood.

Sadly I don't have any wizardy type spells, but since she's okay I can clean up later.

The mayor considers, and asks "Most of it's just calming folks down at this point; you and your crew already did the heavy lifting, and everyone's grateful. That said... do you think you can get yourself and the others who helped cleaned up? Lots of folks are panicky, and people walking around with blood splatters and worse don't exactly help with that. Garridan over at the White Deer should be able to help with hot water and soap."


Momonga starts casting Prestidigitation on himself to clean up as he watches the encounter between Samael and the mayor from a bit of a distance, since he thinks it probably wouldn't go down well with the townsfolk if he left the goblin prisoners unattended. He looks around at any townsfolk close by "Do any of you fine folk have any rope I could use? I will bind these prisoners, but I do not have any on myself at present."

Diplomacy check: [roll0]
Folks seem quite eager to get them bound, and you very quickly find you have an excess of rope to use, although it is just simple hemp rope.

[Lioslaith]

Smiling at the mayor I will take my leave and head over to the White Deer to get cleaned up. "I won't bother you again my dear."

[Jack_Simth]

Smiling at the mayor I will take my leave and head over to the White Deer to get cleaned up. "I won't bother you again my dear."

You find the White Deer without much trouble; a pair of wooden life-sized deer, carved with painstaking care from white birch, stand astride the entrance to this sizable tavern and inn. The White Deer commands an impressive view of the Varisian Gulf to the north. The building is a grand affair, three stories tall with a stone first floor and wooden upper floors with a dozen large rooms. The place is kept quite clean and tidy.

A somber and quiet Shoanti man sees you coming, and after one look at you, quietly gives some orders to the folks serving ... who bear a strong family resemblance to him: "Get some hot water on, and fill the tubs out back. Also... prep the laundry." He then heads over to you, and says "Ah, the heroes of the day! Greetings! I'm Garridan Viskalai, proprietor of this humble establishment. What can I do for you?"
Note: You've got a good perception check, so he's whispering from a distance, but you can still hear him well enough.

[Lioslaith]

"I believe you are making preparations as we speak good sir. A good cleansing would be in order, if you please." I will be as humble and gracious as I can.

[Thunder999]

Evras will address the girl "You just run over to your parents please, I'm pretty sure it's hiding in there." and points at the closet.
Once she's ran (or if it looks like she won't, but that feels unlikely), Evras is going to open that closet up, lift up whatever's on the floor and try to blast it into dust. If it works he'll then clean the dust up with prestidigitation, if it doesn't then he'll quicken an Icy Prison

Take 10 perception to find how you get beneath the closet is 59
Using his Prescience divination ability he'll roll [roll0] and if it's anything but a nat 1 he'll use that as the attack roll for his disintegrate SLA.
If it is a nat 1 he'll roll this attack roll instead [roll1]
He's got a +31 to hit touch and I doubt a goblin has better than 33 touch AC
DC 28 on the disintegrate, [roll2] on a failed save or [roll3] on a passed save.
If Icy Prison is needed then it's DC 35 and the goblin takes 22 cold damage either way.

[Shaggy]

Boa would be one of the cleaner of the party. As she had not splattered every goblin on sight into meaty chunks. She had just kept them from entering a building. She would follow the murmurs of the crowd toward the building the others arrived at and came inside without permission. Spotting the affair with the goblin hiding under the floor, and the girl having been in the room with the goblin. Taking a moment to consider how a goblin would find itself into that room without being seen. How did it know it was there? How did it know what room to run into to hide.

"I think we are missing something here. How did it know where that hiding spot was?" she voiced her curiosity out loud "Did you know it was there?" she asked the little girl. Wondering if Evras was just blowing up what amounted to the girls 'pet'

[QuantumFlash]

Momonga takes the rope with a word of thanks and quickly ties up the goblins securely, then types into the chat, "Goblins are secured and not likely to wake up soon." He'll then look around to see if there was anyone like town guards or law enforcement or something who might want to take custody of them for the time being, though the party did save the town it didn't hurt to curry a bit more good will if possible.

Rope escape check is DC56

[Jack_Simth]

"I believe you are making preparations as we speak good sir. A good cleansing would be in order, if you please." I will be as humble and gracious as I can.

Garridan Viskalai nods, and says "For the heroes of Sandpoint? Not a problem. We usually keep some water on the boil for tea and things anyway, so the hot baths should be ready quite..."

He's interrupted by a young woman - who bears a strong familial resemblance to the innkeeper - comes up to him and says "They're ready. Cold for the clothes, hot for the guests."

He tells the young lady a quick "Thank you," and redirects his attention back to you "As I was saying. Quite soon. If you'll come this way..." he gestures for you to follow and (if you do) leads you back to a cedar enclosed room separate from the rest of the inn, with a door that bars from the inside. In it, there's a smallish tub full of slightly-steaming water, with a bar of soap sitting on a small adjacent table and a white linen bathrobe. There's also what looks like a box built into the side of the room. The inkeeper adds "Just put your dirty clothes in the box, close the door on it, then knock. One of the kids will then open the other door, and take them to the laundry."

Evras will address the girl "You just run over to your parents please, I'm pretty sure it's hiding in there." and points at the closet.
Once she's ran (or if it looks like she won't, but that feels unlikely), Evras is going to open that closet up, lift up whatever's on the floor and try to blast it into dust. If it works he'll then clean the dust up with prestidigitation, if it doesn't then he'll quicken an Icy Prison

Take 10 perception to find how you get beneath the closet is 59
Using his Prescience divination ability he'll roll [roll0] and if it's anything but a nat 1 he'll use that as the attack roll for his disintegrate SLA.
If it is a nat 1 he'll roll this attack roll instead [roll1]
He's got a +31 to hit touch and I doubt a goblin has better than 33 touch AC
DC 28 on the disintegrate, [roll2] on a failed save or [roll3] on a passed save.
If Icy Prison is needed then it's DC 35 and the goblin takes 22 cold damage either way.

The girl does indeed run to her father.

It's not hard for you to find the goblin's means of entry - looks like he came in through a closed, but not latched, window, closed it behind him, cracked open a weak floorboard in the closet, crawled into the space beneath it, and draped the carpet back over himself when he did to make it look like everything was fine. The goblin briefly opens his eyes at the sound and sudden light when you find his hidey-hole... but not in time to prevent himself from being turned into dust.


Boa would be one of the cleaner of the party. As she had not splattered every goblin on sight into meaty chunks. She had just kept them from entering a building. She would follow the murmurs of the crowd toward the building the others arrived at and came inside without permission. Spotting the affair with the goblin hiding under the floor, and the girl having been in the room with the goblin. Taking a moment to consider how a goblin would find itself into that room without being seen. How did it know it was there? How did it know what room to run into to hide.

"I think we are missing something here. How did it know where that hiding spot was?" she voiced her curiosity out loud "Did you know it was there?" she asked the little girl. Wondering if Evras was just blowing up what amounted to the girls 'pet'

The terrified little girl just shakes her head in a very obvious "no" in response.

Momonga takes the rope with a word of thanks and quickly ties up the goblins securely, then types into the chat, "Goblins are secured and not likely to wake up soon." He'll then look around to see if there was anyone like town guards or law enforcement or something who might want to take custody of them for the time being, though the party did save the town it didn't hurt to curry a bit more good will if possible.

Rope escape check is DC56
It doesn't take long to find the town's Shoanti sheriff, Belor Hemlock, who seems to be finishing up cleaning goblin blood off of his own blade - seems he got one in the fight too, short as it was. When you point him at the captive goblins, he sighs, and says "OK, so... you're not wrong to turn them in. That said: they were caught red-handed in a mass raid with murder on their minds, and dozens of witnesses... not that most folks can tell - or care if they can - one goblin from another. If they were to go to trial, all that would be waiting them is execution after a very short 'trial.'" You find you can pretty much hear the quotes around the word trial "The goblins don't consider themselves citizens or anything, and wouldn't view the trial as valid anyway. That is of course assuming the folks over in Magnimar didn't just laugh at me for suggesting putting goblins on trial." He sighs, "Plus, they're too stupid to interrogate, even when you can find someone who understands them. And I just finished cleaning my blade..." he tails off as he draws his weapon again and heads towards the prisoners.

[Thunder999]

"I very much doubt the goblin planned this out, frankly the attack on town, unsuccessful though it was, showed far more planning than I'd expect from them. It came in the window there, looks like it wasn't latched, headed into the closet, probably the first moderately concealed spot it saw, noticed the loose floorboard and crawled in, goblins are strangely talented at hiding in cramped spaces." Evras points at the window, latch, closet and floorboard in turn as he speaks to Boa.
He'll then sheath his sword and make sure to put the floorboard back in place, using wood shape to help if needed and even use prestidigitation to leave it smelling faintly of citrus rather than goblins.
He'll speak to the family next, "The goblin's dust, and I've removed that, so should be safe now, though I'd recommend latching your windows in future, lock the doors too. Goodbye and I hope the rest of your day is less eventful."
He'll then step outside and type a message to the group:
Found a goblin hiding in a closet, might have given the owners a bit of a scare, anyone found anything interesting or need a hand?

[Lioslaith]

I will follow the instructions, taking off the clothing and doing the knock, then gently lower myself into the warm water, enjoying the soak. When the message pops up about the goblin I will respond, "Best just kill it. I doubt they will be able to do anything with it here."

[Wabbit]

Quiet was not exactly sure what to make of all of this. But was glad that things seemed to be quieting down from the fuss of the goblin attack. They where more of less clean as well so no reason for the townsfolk to find them unseemly. They typed into the party chat 'It seems like we are spending a lot of time with these goblins. Shouldn't we go and deal with their den already?' though not wanting to be rude by being too forward.

They signed while speaking to those near them "I would very much not like to deal with this kind of thing again. That blood was very realistic and made me uncomfortable." meaning the blood from the women who was attacked.

[Jack_Simth]

It doesn't take long to find the town's Shoanti sheriff, Belor Hemlock, who seems to be finishing up cleaning goblin blood off of his own blade - seems he got one in the fight too, short as it was. When you point him at the captive goblins, he sighs, and says "OK, so... you're not wrong to turn them in. That said: they were caught red-handed in a mass raid with murder on their minds, and dozens of witnesses... not that most folks can tell - or care if they can - one goblin from another. If they were to go to trial, all that would be waiting them is execution after a very short 'trial.'" You find you can pretty much hear the quotes around the word trial "The goblins don't consider themselves citizens or anything, and wouldn't view the trial as valid anyway. That is of course assuming the folks over in Magnimar didn't just laugh at me for suggesting putting goblins on trial." He sighs, "Plus, they're too stupid to interrogate, even when you can find someone who understands them. And I just finished cleaning my blade..." he tails off as he draws his weapon again and heads towards the prisoners.
With nobody stopping him, sheriff Belor Hemlock proceeds to systemically slice the throats of the captured goblins, their blood choking them to death and running out on the street, forming a puddle, which starts to dry in the evening air.

"I very much doubt the goblin planned this out, frankly the attack on town, unsuccessful though it was, showed far more planning than I'd expect from them. It came in the window there, looks like it wasn't latched, headed into the closet, probably the first moderately concealed spot it saw, noticed the loose floorboard and crawled in, goblins are strangely talented at hiding in cramped spaces." Evras points at the window, latch, closet and floorboard in turn as he speaks to Boa.
He'll then sheath his sword and make sure to put the floorboard back in place, using wood shape to help if needed and even use prestidigitation to leave it smelling faintly of citrus rather than goblins.
He'll speak to the family next, "The goblin's dust, and I've removed that, so should be safe now, though I'd recommend latching your windows in future, lock the doors too. Goodbye and I hope the rest of your day is less eventful."
He'll then step outside and type a message to the group:
Found a goblin hiding in a closet, might have given the owners a bit of a scare, anyone found anything interesting or need a hand?
The family lets you leave without any hassle.

I will follow the instructions, taking off the clothing and doing the knock, then gently lower myself into the warm water, enjoying the soak. When the message pops up about the goblin I will respond, "Best just kill it. I doubt they will be able to do anything with it here."
You hear a door on the other side of the cabinet open, your clothes pulled out, and close. If you wait long enough (about thirty minutes), you hear the door open and close again, although this time a soft rustling makes it clear the clothes are put back.

[Lioslaith]

I will definitely wait until the water looses all its heat. Then get out and get dressed before getting ready to leave.

[QuantumFlash]

Momonga watches the execution with a neutral expression on his face. "A strong sense of justice, admirable." He turns away from the messy sight and moves on, not particularly caring when there was a fair chance that someone else from the party would have stepped in to execute them anyway after the chat responses. If they couldn't get anything from goblins directly, they could probably still find the traces the goblins left behind. He begins to search the perimeter of the town for traces left by the goblins which might lead back to their dens.

Survival check to look for tracks: [roll0]

[Jack_Simth]

I will definitely wait until the water looses all its heat. Then get out and get dressed before getting ready to leave.
When you're done with the bath, you find your clothes clean, folded, and dry; no trace of blood or grime on them.

Momonga watches the execution with a neutral expression on his face. "A strong sense of justice, admirable." He turns away from the messy sight and moves on, not particularly caring when there was a fair chance that someone else from the party would have stepped in to execute them anyway after the chat responses. If they couldn't get anything from goblins directly, they could probably still find the traces the goblins left behind. He begins to search the perimeter of the town for traces left by the goblins which might lead back to their dens.

Survival check to look for tracks: [roll0]

You have no trouble finding their tracks. It seems they came from (and the handful of survivors went off in) five different directions. It looks like there were multiple tribes involved. It also appears that at least one group of goblins used the Sandpoint Glassworks as a staging area. Additionally, you find some goblin tracks leading in that are more recent than the ones leading out.

[Lioslaith]

Dressing as I was I will exit the bath and find Garridan Viskalai. Smiling I will thank him for the hospitality clasping his hand with both mine and I will put a couple of the diamonds in his hand.

I seem to be unable to find the post where you detailed how much fundage we had

[Jack_Simth]

Dressing as I was I will exit the bath and find Garridan Viskalai. Smiling I will thank him for the hospitality clasping his hand with both mine and I will put a couple of the diamonds in his hand.

I seem to be unable to find the post where you detailed how much fundage we had

His jaw drops, and he simply stands there stupified for a bit.
Copied the relevant info into into the first post. You want the from recruitment thread spoiler, big sixteen equivalent:
"Additionally, you have 999 diamonds (valued at 1,000 gp each), 999 platinum coins, 999 gold coins, 999 silver coins, and 999 copper coins on hand (it was a imitation on the interface)." - you're all loaded.

[Lioslaith]

I just smile at him and proceed outside looking for the others.

[QuantumFlash]

Momonga immediately starts following the fresh inbound tracks and tries to find the goblins, as more goblins sneaking around is probably not a good thing.

Perception: [roll0]

[Wabbit]

Quiet would go looking for goblins themselves. They had decided they should probably do something rather than just stand around. They pull their rod of Abrupt Hexes from their glove of storing and see if they can find where any goblins might be hiding.
[roll0] - Perception
[roll1] - Survival (If its suppose to be this instead)