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The Spoils of Set (Pathfinder)

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Goblin Witchlord	The Spoils of Set (Pathfinder)	Lead	[-]
Posts: 516 Jul 5 09 10:03 PM Wraith Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Tags : None NOTE: This thread will contain MASSIVE SPOILERS for... 1. NG–W0 The Wizard's Amulet 2. NG–K4 The Coils of Set: The Shadow of Set 3. NG–W1 The Crucible of Freya 4. Dungeon 96 (Jan/Feb 2003): Pandemonium in the Veins 5. NG-K4: The Coils of Set: Slippery When Dead ...and hopefully more...! --- This is a group of players that have played D&D 3.5e and Pathfinder Beta for a few months, having never played tabletop RPGs before, as part of a much larger and more experienced group. This should give them a chance to experiment with the game some more, and they're pretty enthusiastic and interested in a "Conan-esque" setting. I'm hoping that having to roll up new characters a bunch of times will get them more comfortable with the game. We're using the Pathfinder Beta for the time being. It's good fun so far: Nothing like a barbarian, thief, and chaotic priest to get some mayhem on! Session 1: July 5, 2009 The Characters: Kotys, human barbarian Ishra, elven cleric of Zagyg Curio, human rogue (playing the role of Corian; he was a ~really~ inattentive apprentice ). All first level, all good-aligned, but the barbarian is the most lawful character in the party, aha. Additionally, they are travelling with an NPC, Curio's butler Alfredo (a elderly ranger3 who stays in the back defensively unless there's real trouble). Chapter I–The Wizard's Amulet Springsaft 8 was a particularly rainily gray and miserable day, as Kotys, Ishra, and Curio trudged along the road on their journey south from Reme. Four days since they set out from that town, after meeting over pints of ale at the Starving Stirge. And still four days that Curio has refused to enlighten them on the object of their quest. But as they drew up their camp site, it appears that this day was as uneventfully dreary as the last. It's a surprisingly long journey from Reme to Majoor, at the southern end of the Hellasian Peninsula. And it's been more dangerous since the recent death of the Emperor, since the legions of the Salinian Empire have withdrawn to their forts and cities. From Majoor, though, they can book passage across the Cerulean Sea to the island town of Bon Collina (Fairhill)... although few people would want to sail too far to the south, where the dark Stygian Empire, rising in power, is absorbing the lands once ruled by ancient Khemet. Evil tales are told of that land, for sure. The next day, after several hours hiking along the road, the party came upon a strange hill near the road with an odd feature: a number of stones arranged in the shape of a grinning skull. The group poked around it briefly, but found it a somewhat inexplicable feature. Ishra reflected on the many gods of death that used symbols such as this, and pocketed a small obsidian stone as a memento. Several hours down the road, the party came upon a tree that had fallen across the path, crushing some underbrush along the way. As Kotys peered at the wreckage, she could see the mouldering leg of a horse poking from the debris. Moving forward to investigate, she surprised a quartet of small monstrous centipedes, who swarmed forward to attack the fresh meat that had stumbled upon their feast. The barbarian's company made quick work of the vermin, and they were soon on their way. That night, as the setting sun cast long, distorted shadows on the hills, Curio relented and explained the circumstances behind their journey south: Eralion's foolish hope for lichdom, his letter and amulet, and the dastardly Vortigern. The party mulled over these events for a while. But as if they were speaking of the very devil himself, they spotted a large, malevolent raven, who with a startled squawk took to wing and fly from their presence. Fearing a coming attack, the party broke camp and resettled at a clearing two or three furlongs down the road. For two nights, they traveled uneventfully down the road, wary of another attack. But on Springsaft 12, hoping to stay the night at a local farmstead, they came upon a gruesome sight: a family butchered and left for carrion. The barbarian started forward, the rogue more stealthily so, but from the corner of her sight, the cleric caught eye of a rustling in the bushes and a rusty-orange elbow protruding from cover. As she turned towards the ambushers, the goblins realized they were discovered and cried out a warning. Vortigern spun out from behind the farmhouse, chanting a spell from an blasphemous scroll that caused the corpses flesh to slough from their bodies as their skeletons rose as his arcane minions, and an imp perched on the farmhouse roof cackled maniacally. With an evil arcanist mouthing eldritch incantations, a quintet of gruesome skeletons chattering for blood, a fiend from the pits of hell, and two goblin archers flanking them, the adventurers quailed... but not for long. Last Edited By: Goblin Witchlord Jan 2 11 9:31 PM. Edited 7 times.
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Goblin Witchlord		#1	[-]
Posts: 516 Jul 6 09 6:47 AM Wraith Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The barbarian surged forward, and with a mighty blow shattered one of the skeletons. Curio advanced as well, but realizing his rapier would be ineffective, swung wildly at the creature with his walking-stick (club), only to be blasted by an acid arrow from Vortigern. The pair easily dodged the skeletons' sharp claws, and one of the skeletons tumbled to the ground after slipping in a puddle of his own sloughed-off flesh. The imp flew behind Curio, and with a dextrous thrust, pumped a dose of poison into his shoulder. Ishra lifted high her holy symbol and called upon the might of Zagyg; the skeletons, badly injured by Zagyg's holy power, turned and fled. Only one of the undead remained unfazed, who was quickly felled by the raging barbarian's greataxe. But Vortigern then cast magic missile, and with the blast from two transparent orbs and the lingering acid, Curio collapsed in a bleeding heap. The imp seized the amulet from his neck and flew upward, as the goblins sunk a pair of arrows into the cleric's back. Undaunted, Ishra again called upon Zagyg, and the flash of his power shattered the remaining skeleton to shards of bone, as Curio regained consciousness to see the tittering imp hovering several dozen feet above him. (This skeleton was the one that had fumbled, and was fleeing by crawling away on the ground). Vortigern summoned a horse with his mount spell and mounted it, preparing to leave his enemies to their fate. In frustration, the barbarian charged forward and buried her halberd in the horse's flank, nearly slaughtering the creature in one blow. The horse reared, preparing to flee, but Vortigern managed to hang on. Ishra advanced on the goblins, having suffered a third arrow-wound, and beaned the nearest one in the head. Seeing his friend topple to the ground, the other goblin cried out "Slaaroc, noooo!", turned, and fled into the underbrush. As Vortigern's charged off full tilt, the barbarian swiped at the horse again, but was unable to catch it with her halberd. In a moment, the wizard was hundreds of feet away. As the imp followed, Curio pegged him with a crossbow bolt, but the imp recovered and flew away, the heavy missile hanging from his thigh. It was a good fight. Despite all his firepower, Vortigern barely escaped with his life, and the party also very nearly managed to kill the imp and recover the amulet.
Goblin Witchlord		#2	[-]
Posts: 516 Jul 6 09 11:36 AM Wraith Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The cleric wanted to coup-de-grace the dying goblin, but stabilized him at the barbarian's urging. The group was unwilling to spend magic to heal the evil creature to question him, though, so they abandoned him on the side of the road. Before settling for the night, the barbarian built a cairn for the farmer's family. Curio found the short sword hanging over the mantel, but decided to leave it there since it was all rusty. Chapter 2–The Shadow of Set Curio was badly injured by the imp's poison, so the group decided to rest for another day at the farmhouse before resuming their journey. Thus, it was midday of Springsaft 15 when the group crested a hill to see the town of Majoor before them, with its high defensive wall, busy harbor, and white-plastered, red-tiled buildings. As the the party passed through the north gate into the bazaar, they noticed the dozens of beggars lying limply, suffering the boils and sores of a strange disease. Approaching a town guard, they inquired about the epidemic. The guard told them of the rise of the epidemic and its horrible effect. The party was surprised to learn that ships and caravans were still arriving and leaving, but the guard seemed to think that the gods would inflict the Crimson Curse as the gods willed. He gave them directions to the Frothy Mug, the Guardhouse, and the large ziggurat of the Temple of Sol Invincibile rising at the center of town. The group moved through the bazaar to head straight to the Frothy Mug, but at the south end of the bazaar, they happened upon a trio of ruffians beating a diseased beggar. Noticing that his filthy robes were in fact clerical garments, the party intervened when one of the thugs pulled out a short sword to stab the man. Kotys ran forward and downed ruffian with a blow, fending off stabs from another. The third thug stabbed the beggar in the neck, and advanced on the barbarian after the beggar collapsed. The second ruffian was quickly despatched, and the third was disabled with a blow. As the staggered ruffian attempted to amble away, the barbarian grappled him and prevented his escape. The town guard approached and was ready to arrest the party and the ruffian, but Ishra healed the unconscious beggar, who confirmed their story. The guard, recognizing Vellin, allowed the party to leave. The adventurers said they would be staying at the Frothy Mug and headed off to escort the injured Vellin to the Temple. Last Edited By: Goblin Witchlord Feb 15 10 4:22 PM. Edited 1 times.
Goblin Witchlord		#3	[-]
Posts: 516 Jul 9 09 2:11 PM Wraith Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Arriving at the temple, a white-robed acolyte recognized Vellin and ran off into the interior of the temple. Moments later, a relatively young (but prematurely stoop-shouldered), hawk-nosed man in white priest's robes approached the party and thanked them for bringing Vellin in. Karranis asked Vellin about the chalice briefly, then after discovering it was missing, asked the party to wait while he took Vellin into the hospital. Ishra considered the issue for a moment (and rolled 27 on a Knowledge(religion) check). "Perhaps he means the Chalice of Aldren?" She told the party what she knew of that artifact used by the noble saint. Returning, Karranis told the players of the Crimson Curse, which had started among the beggars of the Morass and spread throughout the city. One of the players suggested that the item's power might be being used to fuel some sort of evil magical plan. Since the temple's resources have been greatly reduced by the plague and the expedition to recover the Chalice, Karranis offered the party a significant reward if they would recover the item, and the party agreed. They wanted to speak with Vellin, but Karranis asked them to return at dusk, so that Vellin would have some time to recover from his ordeal. They also asked if the priests had any way to treat the rogue, who was still suffering from the effects of the imp's poison. Karranis led the rogue into the hospital and, treating the sting-wound with an unguent, removing most of the poison's effect. The party set out for the Frothy Mug, to acquire lodgings and check into rumors.
Goblin Witchlord		#4	[-]
Posts: 516 Jul 9 09 4:46 PM Wraith Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The acolyte Horatio was more than happy to give them directions; he was ~more~ than familiar with its location on Old Caravan Street. Hardly before they had gone a few blocks before one of the PCs turned their heads and saw a pair of thugs tailing them, hands on swords. The party cried out for the ruffians to stop, they were outnumbered, but the ruffians smirked and drew their swords. Raging Kotys charged, sending one of the ruffian's head's flying with a single blow. The other, somewhat aghast, tried to stab her as the rest of the party advanced. Another ruffian ran up through the crowd (having been mysteriously delayed), just before the second ruffian was brutally cut down by the barbarians. Another blow disabled this third enemy, who decided to calmly turn and saunter away. As one, the barbarian, rogue, and cleric struck at him (on the AoO). After the resulting hazy mist of blood settled, all they could see of him was a mangled, bloody paste. They were pleased to find some gold on the ruffians, as well as Black Leaf's letter, and were intrigued by the unique rings each of them wore: in the shape of a pair of coiled serpents. The party divided them up, one ring each. Stooping to duck into the Frothy Mug, the party sat among the gnomes and halflings there assembled, and ordered some ale, stew, and a night's lodging from the proprietress Paddy. Paddy knew there was a new gang rising (there's always a new gang), but didn't know much about it. She pointed them to a wizened old white-beard of a gnome sitting alone at a table in the corner, ale and spear in hand, with a battered kettlepot helmet askew his pate. "Belshmar, pleased ta meetcha!" he said. The party was both amused and frustrated by his pathological obsession with kobolds: there was no more urgent or sneakier threat than the kobold, and Belshmar hoped both they and the Lord Mayor understood that! ("A rakshasa...?") Hoping to get more useful information, they sat down next to a portly, businesslike hobbit eating alone, who introduced himself as Brambleburr Blobblejuice. He didn't know much about new gangs in town, just that they were an important reason to hire caravan guards whenever you could. The party asked him if he had ever seen anyone wearing serpent rings. After a moment, he thought not, except for maybe those two new caravan guards he had hired the day before... They seemed like trustworthy fellows. He had met them through a contact he had made over at the Brown Beak. The party decided to head back to the Temple after eating.
Goblin Witchlord		#5	[-]
Posts: 516 Jul 17 09 7:10 AM Wraith Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I finally finished reading "The Hour of the Dragon". A fantastic yarn, one of REH's best. Then, by chance, I watched the Stargate episode episode about Set. Not as compelling. With apologies: The Lion banner sways and falls in the horror-haunted gloom; A scarlet Serpent rustles by, borne on winds of doom. In heaps the shining horsemen lie, where the thrusting lances break, And deep in the haunted mountains, the lost, black gods awake. Dead hands grope in the shadows, the stars turn pale with fright, For this is the Serpent's Hour, the triumph of Fear and Night. Soon shall they learn of the black hand of Set!
Mister Frau Blucher		#6	[-]
Posts: 1592 Jul 18 09 5:08 AM Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Good stuff, GW. Reading with interest. Hour is definitely one of Howard's best. I first read it in the late '70's, the edited version Conan the Conquerer. Sometime in the early '90's I tracked down Karl Edward Wagner's reprint of the original text. Read it again a few years ago when the Wandering Star edition came out. He packed more into that tale than just about any other author could with a thousand pages. Not sure how much you know about the history of the story, and I won't bore you with trivia in your own thread, but he wrote that originally for a British publisher so he could tap into the more lucrative novel market. Intersting backstory on that tale. NECROMANCER - Mantle Plume School Programmed adventures for TFT/LAW: http://www.darkcitygames.com/ Free The Beggar's Street Bravos Foo foo drinker - not that there is anything wrong with that.
Goblin Witchlord		#7	[-]
Posts: 516 Jul 20 09 7:27 AM Wraith Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	O ja. I read most of the "The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian" when it was released a few years ago, but my interest shifted towards the end and I never finished the book. Those early stories are so haunting and fantastic... I love "The Scarlet Citadel" and have to reread it now, after "Hour...". I realized only a few weeks ago that it was REH who wrote my favorite non-Lovecraft Lovecraftian story, "The Black Stone". I read that a long time ago in "Tales of the Cthulhu Mythos"; it was probably my first REH story, but I didn't remember until recently that it was Howard who wrote it. Last Edited By: Goblin Witchlord Jul 20 09 7:33 AM. Edited 1 times.
Goblin Witchlord		#8	[-]
Posts: 516 Jul 20 09 2:12 PM Wraith Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Session 2: July 19, 2009 Isra, elven Clr1 (of Zagyg) Curio, human Rog1 (from Reme) Kotys, human Bb1 (from Thracia) After reviewing the events of their arrival in Majoor, Isra, Curio, and Kotys headed to the Temple of Sol Invincibile to speak with Vellin. Arriving at the temple about an hour or two before dusk, they spotted Horatio, who led them up the steps of the ziggurat into a series of rooms just below the summit. In one conference room, they met with Karranis and an elderly man in ornate priestly garb sitting, as well as Vellin lying in a makeshift pallet off to the side. Vellin explained that he had travelled to Absalom, an island metropolis to the east, in order to fetch the Chalice from a friendly temple. However, on the way back, he and his retinue were waylaid by a group of thugs. All of his party were killed, and Vellin was captured and tortured for several days. Finally, he somehow managed to escape by climbing over a wall and running off into the forest. He had just made his way back to Majoor when he was attacked in the marketplace by the ruffians and rescued by the party. Vellin knows little about his captors, except they referred to themselves as the "Ophidian Hand". He did overhear them discussing their leader, a man named Imin, who they greatly feared. Ka-Hatem volunteered some additional information. "When we wewe investigating the chawice, we spoke with Owestes, a pwiest at the temple of Thoth on Towew Stweet. He was the only one with whom we spoke about ouw effowts to find the gobwet." The priests knew little or nothing about the criminal underworld of Majoor, so the party left to pursue their own leads on the Hand. So, shortly before dusk, they traveled along Subsidence Alley, getting their first glimpse of the Morass, to the Brown Beak Pizzeria. The Brown Beak looked like it had once been a nice place, but seen better days: pots of dead flowers graced the few tables on the patio. Inside, there was a halfling running the place, a man placing flatbread topped with cheeese and meat in a brick oven with a large wooden paddle, and all manner of martial trophies decorating the walls. Among the patrons was a hardy-looking Thracian woman (in leather armor, with a dark mullet) eating pizza, and a trio of toughs wearing black turbans in a corner drinking and playing three-dragon ante. The party approached the Thracian woman, who introduced herself as Yulia. She was friendly, but didn't offer much information other than to point at the "dwarf" running the place. The party, a little puzzled, looked over at the little halfling, wondering about his beard: he had a little tuft of peach fuzz that looked like it was darkened with charcoal. They headed over to talk to Deeperdown and showed him the ring of the Ophidian Hand. He quickly hushed them and pointed them over to the Thracian woman if they wanted more information about the group. They ordered a pitcher of ale and a pizza and sat with her once again. Showing Yulia the ring startled and offended her. But, realizing that an elf would be an unlikely member of the Hand, she relented, hushed them, bade them put the ring away, and told her story. Yulia used to be a member of a gang called the Brass Knuckles. They were a relatively small-time gang getting most of their revenue from protection money. Even though it was a racket, they tried to earn the gold, keeping violence and criminals off the street and the city relatively safe. Eventually, the Ophidian Hand moved in. "At first, we thought they were just another snake cult," Yulia relates, "but then they started to take over." The Hand took over the drug business, which the Brass Knuckles had never been involved with, and with that money began to take over other sectors of the underworld economy. Eventually they crushed most of the rival gangs, including the Brass Knuckles. Most of her friends were killed in the fight, but "I've made my peace with them," Yulia says regretfully. She confirms that the "sultan" is a place, not a person, giving them directions to the Smiling Sultan just outside of town to the east. Isra, Kotys, and Curio take their leave and get a table nearer to the black-turbaned gamblers. They casually eavesdrop on them for an hour or so, but the ruffians are mostly talk about trivial topics: waiting around for shipments, rules arguments, fart jokes. Some time after nightfall, Curio ambles over and asks if he can join the game. The thugs are immediately hostile, reaching for their swords and asserting that it's a closed game. "Quiet, Ralvio. Let's take some of the stranger's money," one of them says. They deal Curio in, but immediately become serious and poker-faced in their efforts to cheat the rogue of his gold. Despite their best efforts, after an hour of play the cards favor Curio, who is several gold up on them. After one particularly bad hand, Ralvio jumps up and accuses Curio of cheating. He demands their money back, and threatens to take him out in the alley to beat the gold out of him. Curio tries to fasttalk his way out of conflict, but the wine-sodden ruffian will have none of it: with a wild swing at Curio, the fight is on. Curio tries to upend the table in the gambler's faces, but it turns out to be a lot heavier than expected: he succeeds merely in sending the gold and cards flying over the floor. Kotys rushes up, and the two duck the fists of three angry thugs and mete out some violence themselves. After a moment, the halfling rushed over to the wall with a chair, pulled the urgrosh (twice his size) off the wall, and began yelling for them to leave. With a couple more punches, the party knocked out the Ophidian Hand thugs and left before the halfling could get to them. They retired to their room at the Frothy Mug for the night.
Goblin Witchlord		#9	[-]
Posts: 516 Jul 20 09 7:50 PM Wraith Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	On the sunny morning of Springsaft 16, they headed (stoopedly) down the stairs for a nice hot bowl oatmeal. After breakfast, they headed down across town to check with Orestes at the Temple of Thoth. The temple was of Hellanistic design, with stairs and pillars separating it from the street. Strangely, it was closed, the large bronze-plated doors shut and locked. Kotys pricked her ears, hearing a faint moaning and crashing. Curio began picking the lock; after a few failed tried, it snicked open. The bright ray light from the street shone into the shadowy interior, dimly illuminating walls stacked high with shelf after shelf of papyrii, scrolls, books, statuary, and maps. Across the room, an enormous bas-relief painted sculpture of a linen-kilted man with a blue ibis head was carved into the far wall: Thoth. But behind a large, opened crate they saw the hunkered down figure. "Come here...," it whispered and beckoned. The group warily moved into the room, trying to light a lantern for additional light. The figure stood and moved toward them: it was like a man wrapped in layer after layer of linens, like a mummy, shuddering and whispering. Isra raised her rune of insanity and called upon the holy power of Zagyg, blasting the area with positive energy...to no apparent effect. "Help me...," it whimpered, and with a shaking arm stabbed at the rogue with a small awl. The priest noticed seemingly pink flesh under the wrappings and a lack of the stench of the grave. Kotys grabbed the creature to drag it outdoors into the sunlight, doing nonlethal damage in the process. The man sagged unconscious in her arms. Immediately, the mummy linens writhed unnaturally with a life all their own, and began slithering off the unconscious elderly man and around the limbs of the barbarian. Kotys tore off the unquiet bandages off, throwing them onto a wriggling mass on the stone floor. Curio slashed at the mummy wrappings with his rapier, and Isra shattered the lantern over the creature, soaking it with oil (but the flame was snuffed by the impact, failing to ignite). The mass of squirming cloth seethed over the rogue, squeezing him with an unnatural strength. Curio felt a whispering in his mind, but shook it from his mind. A moment later, though, trying to tear the linens from him, the rogue heard a Khemitian voice, and saw in his mind a cold stone sarcophagus: he had been imprisoned in the gloom and silence for centuries. In the grave he dreamed, dreamed he was in a temple in Hellas fighting a Thracian barbarian and her elven friend. Curio turned to the barbarian and stabbed her with his rapier, under the control of the musty horror. With a sweep of her greataxe, the barbarian sheared through the strands of fabric dripping from the rogue and still laying in a writhing mass on the floor. The linens shuddered for a moment in agony, and fell limp. Curio happily tore the rags from him, and Isra once again called on the healing power of Zagyg. With a moan of pain and confusion, the elderly priest awoke. Orestes thanked the party for his rescue and explained his predicament. A number of days earlier (he couldn't remember exactly), he had received the shipment of a large crate. Opening it, he had found a stone sarcophagus... and the mummy linens that had boiled out of the casket over him. He remembers a man appeared too, a man with serpents. Orestes knows his name was Khaibet, and he intended to re-open the Shadow Temple. But Orestes remembered few details of the ordeal. Several weeks earlier, Orestes had helped the priests of the Temple of the Sun research the location of the Chalice of Aldren. The priests knew of the chalice, but not where it was located. In an old papyrus, Orestes discovered it had been transferred to a temple of the sun in Absalom for safekeeping. The party urged him to go stay with at the Temple of the Sun, but Orestes decided to trust in the benevolence of Thoth. In gratitude, though, he gave the party a potion of shield of faith +3 and four scrolls of cure light wounds, scribed in his own hand.
Goblin Witchlord	The Temple of Thoth Encounter	#10	[-]
Posts: 516 Jul 20 09 8:09 PM Wraith Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The Temple of Thoth Map & Encounter Notes [+] I was reading the old-school cartography tutorial thread at the Cartographer's guild and, wanting a small project to practice with, mapped out the Temple of Thoth. Thoth's temple was relatively small when it was first built, shortly after the Hellasians seized Majoor from Khemit, and it has dwindled even further over the past centuries. The temple is now run by an elderly antiquarian, Orestes, and any orphan he may take in as an acolyte. Rather than being a popular temple, Thoth's shrine depends upon occasional generous donations from antiquarians, wizards, and scholars who need access to its remarkable library. The temple's large room has been converted to a significant library of scrolls, papyrii, books, and it contains many other items wondrous to the classicist. Orestes is the temple's only caretaker. However, Orestes is being controlled by a ragomuffyn in the form of mummy linens escaped from a Khemitian sarcophagus. Orestes, human Adp1: CR 1/2; SZ M Human; HD 1d6-3; hp 1; Init -2; Spd 30 ft.; AC 8 (-2 Dex), touch 8, flat-footed 8; Atk -3 bookbinder's awl (1d2-3); SA spells; AL LN; SV Fort -3, Ref -2, Will +4; Str 4, Dex 6, Con 5, Int 15, Wis 14, Cha 13. Skills and Feats: Craft(alchemy) +6, Heal +6, Profession(scribe) +6, Knowledge(history) +6, Knowledge(Majoor local) +6, Perception +4, Sense Motive +4; Scribe Scroll, Alertness. Spells Prepared (3/2): 0--read magic, stabilize, light; 1--cure light wounds, command. Orestes is very old and infirm, but possesses a sharp mind that has been somewhat traumatized by his recent experiences. Common Ragomuffyn (CC version): CR 1: SZ M Construct; HD 3d10; hp 16; Init +0; Spd 30 ft., fly 20 ft. (clumsy); AC 15 (+5 natural); BAB/CMB +1/+2; Atk +2 melee (1d6+1, grapple); Face/Reach 5 ft./5 ft.; SA engulf, control host, constrict; SQ constrict, weapon immunity; Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +1; AL CN; Str 12, Dex 11, Con -, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 12. Engulf (Ex): A raggamoffyn ca try to wrap a creature one size smaller than itself in its body as a standard action. The raggamoffyn attempts a grapple that does not provoke an attack of opportunity. If it gets a hold, it can constrict. Constrict (Ex): Because it seizes victims by the neck, a creature in the raggamoffyn's grasp cannot speak or cast spells with a verbal opponent. A creature caught can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to twice its Constitution score. After this period, the creature must succeed at a Constitution check (DC 10) in order to continue holding its breath. The save must be repeated each round, with the DC increasing by +1 for each previous success. When the creature fails a check, it begins to suffocate. In the first round, it falls unconscious (0 hp). In the following round, it drops to -1 hit points and is dying. In the third round, the creature suffocates. A victim can escape by making an opposed grapple roll or an Escape Artist check against the raggamoffyn's grapple roll. While engulfed, a creature can only use a Tiny weapon, and then only if it was in hand when the creature was first enveloped. Damage dealt to a raggamoffyn while it encompasses a victim causes an equal amount of damage to the victim. Blunt weapons inflict full damage upon the victim but do not harm the raggamoffyn. Control Host (Su): Once they've covered the host, raggamoffyns can force the host body to do their collective bidding. Even when captured, intelligent creatures can throw off the effects by force of will; when enwrapped by a raggamoffyn, characters can make a Will save to resist the raggamoffyn's control. Successful saves usually cause most (but not all; see belaow) raggamoffyn to fly to another host. If failed, the character is under the control of the raggamoffyn, but can make a saving throw at the start of each turn to break free. Weapon Immunity (Ex): Raggamoffyns take no damage from blunt weapons. Construct (Ex): Immune to mind-influencing effects, poison, disease, and similar effects. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, energy drain, or death from massive damage. Raggamoffyns have darkvision with a range of 60 feet. Last Edited By: Goblin Witchlord Jul 20 09 8:11 PM. Edited 1 times.
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Goblin Witchlord	Raid on the Smiling Sultan	#11	[-]
Posts: 516 Jul 20 09 8:55 PM Wraith Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Having rescued Orestes, the party made for the Smiling Sultan east of town. After walking for about 20 minutes from the town gates, they came upon the ruined monastary, abandoned by the monk devotees of Bast some time after the withdrawal of the pharaohs. Outside stood the garishly painted statue of a monk, wearing a filthy, weatherworn turban. The rogue poked his head in the door. "Hello there, what do you want?" asked the man at the entry window. The party stumbled through a story about being wayward sightseers. "Sorry, it's a private club." Curio awkwardly changed his story into one about looking for work. Ives decided this fellow might not be right for a fasttalking finesse job, but the Thracian barbarian could probably be of use in a pinch. He pencilled in an appointment for three hours later, asking for the party's names: "Maze", "Kotys", "Isra". Ives let the party wait in the common room. Since it was just before noon, there were only a half-dozen farmers and a pair of black-turbaned, snake-tattooed ruffians eating lunch. They also noted the unusual guards on the railing, before ordering a pitcher of ale from the canteen and sitting down to wait. A few moments later, one of the Ophidian Hand ruffians (a professional gambler) noted the entrance of a trio of fresh marks and came over to start a "friendly" game of three-dragon ante. They started up a game, and over the course of two hours, the ruffian steadily bilked the party of their cash. On the third hour, though, the cards turned against him, and the ruffian ducked out before he lost any more money. Shortly afterward, the guard came over to fetch the party for their interview. He escorted the party up the stairs, closed the door behind them, and returned to his post. Finally confronted by the Snakemother, the party was aghast. "Wh...where is the Chalice!?" Curio finally blurted out. "The chalisss? What chalisss...?" she replied sweetly. The party demanded more information about the chalice. "What do you know about our busssinesss?" she hissed as she slithered around to attack. Banging on the door and shouting for the guard, the Snakemother struck. Isra ran over and shut the bar on the door, taking a wicked scimitar slash from the Snakemother for her troubles. But with two mighty axe-blows from the barbarian and some rapier thrusts, the Snakemother was laid low as the rest of the Ophidian Hand began beating and hacking on the door. While the Thracian braced the door, Curio and Isra tore through her office seizing valuables willy-nilly. Isra ran in the bedroom and grabbed a gem, a sack of coin, and a vial from the wardrobe, as well as a mouldering book badly hidden. Curio rifled through the desk, lifted out the iron strongbox, threw it through the priceless stained-glass window, and climbed down. Isra tumbled out next, tripping and falling onto the roof below and then falling again onto the ground. Abandoning the door, which was about to be splintered open under a whirling falchion blade, Kotys took a running leap through the window, landing on the soft earth below. As one, the party took off running for town at a breakneck pace. Behind them they heard a shout, and some members of the Hand broke off in confused pursuit. But their pursuers abandoned the chase as the party drew within sight of the town guards. Last Edited By: Goblin Witchlord Aug 23 09 7:12 PM. Edited 1 times.
Goblin Witchlord		#12	[-]
Posts: 516 Jul 21 09 7:59 PM Wraith Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The town guards were particularly inattentive on the party's return to the city, not noticing the snakeblood on their clothes and the strongbox: perhaps one reason for Majoor's current problems. They hurried through the street, to report back to the priests. Horatio escorted them to hospital washroom so they could clean up and prepare. After superficially washing off the gore, the party got down to what was really important: counting their phat loot. They were amazed by the raw wealth they had acquired, but realized they would have to study the ledger in depth to get any useful information. Fifteen minutes later or so, Horatio came back to fetch them for the meeting. The party informed Ka-Hateem what had happened to Orestes, and advised them to check on him when possible. Then Ka-Hateem revealed the truth of the Shadow Temple, but advised the party that he was certain it had not yet been opened. He offered the party to stay in the temple's guesthouse, and they asked if Horatio could be sent to get Alfredo, who had stayed behind to attend to some market business. Somewhat shellshocked by recent events, they decided to rest and recover their strength (and level up).
Goblin Witchlord		#13	[-]
Posts: 516 Aug 7 09 8:53 PM Wraith Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Reading DNDchick's threads has managed to get me hooked on HeroMachine, so here's some NPCs. This is Curio's butler, Alfredo de Reme.
Goblin Witchlord		#14	[-]
Posts: 516 Aug 7 09 8:55 PM Wraith Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Here is one of the Ophidian Hand ruffians, which the party has been fighting for several days.
Goblin Witchlord		#15	[-]
Posts: 516 Aug 16 09 8:29 PM Wraith Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	A new player joined us today; he's played a good deal of 3.5e, but this was his first Pathfinder (Beta) game. Session 3: August 16. 2009 Isra, elven Clr2 of Zagyg Curio, human Rog1/Wiz1 Kotys, human Bbn2 Ichabod, human Clr2 of Gorum After speaking with the priests, the party returned to the guest house. While Curio worked on his ritual to summon his familiar and Isra studied the captured ledger, they heard a knock at the door. It was an acolyte from the temple, who introduced a heavily-muscled and armored man. He introduced himself as Ichabod, a priest who received a vision from Gorum instructing him to join the group and mash some heads together. While Curio finished his familiar-summoning ritual, the other three and Alfredo headed over to the dwarven blacksmith shop on Old Caravan Street. Kotys bought a chain shirt, trading her scale mail in for store credit. Meanwhile, Curio completed his ritual, summoning probably half the cats of Majoor to a yowling mob surrounding the guest house. The most common mutation among the city's cats was unusually short forelegs; Curio picked an independent-minded tortie squitten as his familiar, named Widdershins. The rest of the party returned to see a small horde of cats wandering out of the temple area. Together, the group headed into the Morass to track down the clue from the Sultan. As they began nosing around in the flooded area, they were approached by a haggard, rail-thin beggar. "I am the Baron of Beggars, and I demand a tithe for safe passage," he demanded. The beggar required a payment of 5 gp to allow the party to pass, but the characters were very skeptical of Baron Bill's ability to make good on his implied threat. Kotys offered the man some food, and tried to pump him for information, but he didn't know much. She gave him a gold piece, and he ran off. A couple other beggars collected for food handouts, and he passed out some trail rations. They didn't know much about gang activity in the area; they ran away from the thugs rather than trying to spy on them. The beggars pointed the party to the town engineer's building at the western end of Subsidence Alley. Note: [+] This Baron Bill has absolutely nothing to do with this guy The party found their way over to the town engineer's building fairly easily; it was the only intact building in the area, on a small rise above the flooding. The door was open, so the party walked in to find a short, filthy dwarf scribbling on some papers at a desk. "How can I help you?" Harls squawked. The adventurers began asking him if he had received any shipments; the dwarf-dwarf answered that he received regular shipments of scrivenery supplies from the town, but hadn't received any for several weeks. They asked about a silver chalice, but the engineer disavowed any knowledge of what they were talking about. Frustrated, the party took their leave. Outside, the group passed over some of the more diseased derelicts, but approached a young, undiseased tramp rooting through a ruined cart. Kotys flipped a silver in her palm as they questioned the man. He didn't know much about local gangs or the engineer, but knew that Harls lived upstairs. The beggar didn't seem to know much about anything except scrounging up coppers, when asked about strange things, reported that he had seen jackals wandering through the Morass. Never a pack of jackals, exactly; but an occasional jackal wandering around alone. It's unusual to see animals like that inside the city, but there are probably more animals in the Morass, less trafficked by people. They handed him the silver, and he ran off to buy some food. Across the street from the engineer's was a ruined building; the doors were swelled shut, but the windows were broken in, and the shattered walls in the back allowed ingress over a pile of rubble. The party hid themselves in this building to wait for the engineer to retire. After about an hour, as the sun's shadows began lengthening across the city, they saw the lights from Harls' lantern leave the lower floor and head upstairs to gleam through the second story shutters. Curio stole out onto the street, and in the shadow of the lintel, exhaustively searched the doorframe for traps or magic. Finding none, he worked his way around to the rear door and examined it with the same detail. Finding it safe, he went back to inform the party of his progress, and returned to the rear entrance. With a flick of his picks, Curio opened the door, which led to a small, very dim kitchen and storeroom. An unlocked door in the far wall led to the front room. The rogue rifled through the papers on the desk. While the top pages contained schematics and building plans, lower down the papers were trivial doodles, scribbles, and the short dwarf's reminisces and memoirs. The lower drawer contained only ink, quills, and supplies, but the central drawer was unlocked, and after several tries Curio was unable to get it open. He stepped to the other door in the room, but the gods of chance did not favor him. As he opened it, it creaked with a loud groan. "Who's there?" he heard a small voice cry from upstairs. The rogue quickly cast a disguise self to hide himself as an ordinary beggar and ducked behind a piece of furniture. After a moment, he heard steps coming down the stairs, and lantern light spilled into the room. "Who's that there hiding behind the coatrack?!" Harls shouted. Last Edited By: Goblin Witchlord Aug 16 09 8:33 PM. Edited 2 times.
Goblin Witchlord		#16	[-]
Posts: 516 Aug 23 09 9:45 PM Wraith Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Harls began yelling for the hobo to get out; Curio stuttered, refused to leave. Harls drew his little short sword, and the rogue rushed at him, unarmed. Curio nearly tried to grapple the little gully dwarf, but instead tried backhanding Harls with one of his new cantrips: electric slap. Ba-ZONK! House Rule: Spells [+] I gave the players access to electric slap and electric spark from Sean K. Reynolds's new energy cantrips; possibly slightly more useful than the standard attack cantrips, and I find electricity damage a little easier to believe. The wizard really seemed to enjoy it. Ichabod managed to hear the battle (30 feet away through a closed door) and the rest of the party began sprinting around to the back door while the gully dwarf and the "hobo" traded blows. Harls had difficulty stabbing the nimble rogue, while Curio found it easier to lay a hand on the little guy with his spell. After a moment, the rest of the party arrived, and with a mighty blow with the flat of her axe, Kotys knocked the little peck out. They tied him up, gagged him, and stuck him in a sack. The adventurers broke open the desk drawer and retrieved its contents, then spent an hour ransacking the building, raiding his chest and other possessions, but finding no chalice. They stuffed Harls in Kotys's backpack and headed out. Before they left, Ichabod broke the gully dwarf's lantern over his papers and memoirs on the desk; the oil-soaked paper quickly burst into flames and began consuming the desk as they departed. The party began packing their unconscious captive back to the temple, a distant conflagration lighting the darkness behind them. As they reached the eastern end of Subsidence Alley, they spotted a pair of men in leather armor and black turbans and face-scarves approaching in the gloom, swords drawn. The warriors drew sword and axe, and met the ruffians' charge. Then from behind, a poisoned bolt sunk into Curio's shoulder; wheeling around, they spotted a dark-haired woman ducking behind the eaves of a nearby wreck. Isra called upon the healing power of Zagyg, and the gully dwarf began squirming in the bag. Curio aimed a dagger at the woman with his hand of the apprentice, but by the time Ichabod and Kotys finished cutting the OH redshirts down, her pattering footsteps had disappeared into the night. They took Harls back to the temple and to present to Karranis. Dumping him out in the middle of the hospital, they cleaned up and interrogated him at knifepoint. Intimidated, the engineer finally spilled some beans, telling of his encounters with Black Leaf and Khaibet. He resigned himself to his position and drew and map to the OH base; Harls was most upset to hear about the incineration of his filthy old gully blanket. Karranis allowed them to keep Harls in their custody until this business was over; the party wanted him to interrogate the gully dwarf under the effect of a zone of truth on the following day. After talking wiht the priest, the party had Horatio fetch a crate and some nails. They took him back to the guest house to nail him inside for the night.
Goblin Witchlord	The Campaign Setting: Background Information	#17	[-]
Posts: 516 Aug 28 09 8:11 PM Wraith Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Retconning into Golarion [+] A few weeks ago, I decided to retcon the campaign into Golarion. The campaign world till then had mostly been based on some of Ryan's notes, some backstory from Gary Gygax's Necropolis, with a touch of homebrew. This post mostly points out the differences from canonical Golarion. The most important difference, aside from Osirion, is that this campaign is set 102 years before the current timeline of Golarion. Consequently, the nations of the northern Inner Sea are as described here, provinces of the decaying Chelish empire, rather than forming independent republics. Cheliax itself has not yet degenerated into civil war and diabolism. The current year is 4607 AR. Geography of Golarion Salinian Empire: The empire was founded in 4081 AR, with the secession of the province of Cheliax and the subsequent division of the ancient empire of Taldor (often known now as the Eastern Salinian Empire). The Western Salinian Empire comprises a number of provinces, including Cheliax, Andoran, Galt, Isger, and Molthune: in other words, most of the territory along the northern coast of the Cerulean Sea. The empire's capital is Westcrown on the River Adivian, in Cheliax. Reme, about 650 miles away from Westcrown in Andoran, is another significant city. Reme was known in ancient times as Augustana before the Salinian Empire took control of the province. The Salinian Empire was stricken by tragedy a year ago, when the Emperor Antonio II was assassinated with the involvement of the dread god Vulciber, and the empire's chief deity Aroden died. The empire has been plunged into fear and chaos: Imperial forces have retreated to the major cities, leaving outlying towns and villages to fend for themselves. Majoor: Southeast of Reme in Andoran stretches the Hellasian Peninsula, at the southern tip of which lies the ancient city of Majoor. The town has never been particularly large, but has been continuously inhabited as a trade and military post for thousands of years. The city's first true buildings were built in the time of the Conquering Pharaoh, An-Hepsu II, circa -2570 AR. Better known for his conquest of Thuvia and Rahadoum, the pharaoh established fortified trading posts across the Cerulean Sea, most of which disappeared in the following millenia. Majoor was briefly seized by a Stygian naval force in 4079 AR, but was retaken three years later during the establishment of the Western Salinian Empire. Across the bay from Majoor is Landgrant Isle, where the Salinian Empire has settled many of its retired solders. Ferrymen can be hired to row across the bay to the small fishing thorp of Crimmor, and a rough wagon trail leads through the forest to the village Bon Collina from there. Bon Collina [+] Bon Collina is Fairhill, of course. Thracia: Less a nation than a rough territorial neologism, Thracia is an area inhabited by a group of Hallitt-speaking barbarian clans who migrated south several decades ago to settle among other peoples and nations. It comprises several allied baronies in the River Kingdoms, as well as dispersed human settlements throughout the Five Kings Mountains. Absalom: This island city-state has been an independent commercial hub for thousands of years. One of this city's most notable features is the Street of the Gods. Khemit: This most ancient of civilizations was founded ca. -3500 AR along the the great river of northeastern Garund. It reached its territorial peak during the An Dynasty thousands of years ago, and went into a millenias-long stagnation until a Qadiri invasion in 1532 AR that deposed the pharaonate and established a client satrapy in its place. It was at this time that the worship of Sarenrae was introduced from the east and many Khemitian nobles were driven into the desert. The satrapy never managed to exert territorial control over all of the nation's former territory, and the western deserts never came entirely under its sway. Although the area was nominally under the rule of the satraps (and later, sultans), the western desert region has maintained and preserved Khemitian identity and independence for thousands of years. Khemit, today, is effectively Western Khemit. Circa 2230 AR, some 2,300 years ago, a man named Rahotep became Grand High Priest of Set, and then Vizier of Lower Khemit. However, he was accused of disloyalty to the Satrap Phraates III by the zealous Qadiran priests of Sarenrae. The Satrap moved against the entire cult of Set, but this conflict devolved into civil war as the Khemitian population rebelled against the satrapate once again trying to displace their native gods with foreign imports. When Phraates III was assassinated in 2253 AR, sunflowers growing from his mouth, the satrapate collapsed and the church of Sarenrae was discredited. In its place, an independent Kelishite sultanate was established, based in Stygia. Within decades, the priests of Set had reestablished a position at the sultan's ear, more secure and prominent than ever. Stygia: The last Qadiran satrap was assassinated in 2253 AR by the church of Sarenrae, and a line of sultans assumed the throne. In time, this sultanate came to be dominated by a group of sinister Kelishite houses based in Stygia, a region between the River Asp and the sea, famous as the center of the cult of Set. As these houses waxed in power, the whole nation came to be known as Stygia. Despite the efforts of other churches, the cult of Set has become the dominant official faith of Stygia. It is a dark, haunted desert land, plagued by evil priests and sorcerers, and growing in power across the Cerulean Sea. Plain of the Crocodile: The northwestern desert of Stygia, east of the Junira River, is known as the Glazen Sheet, a region of parched limestone flats and salt licks in dry endorheic basins. The coastline at the extreme northwest has a small mountain range formed by geologically inexplicable earthquakes. Near the coast, they enclose a small basin like a ring: water from the mountains flows into the basin, but is prevented from draining away by the coastal bluffs. In ancient times, this created a large coastal freshwater lake, but during the An Dynasty (ca. -2600 AR to ca. -1770 AR), a series of aqueducts, artificial ponds and impoundments, and extensive irrigation works drained the lake to create a fertile valley for growing rice and papyrus. The most significant aqueduct runs north from the mountains through the farming town of Shedyet to the coastal port town of Arsinoe. Shedyet is more Khemitian in character, while Arsinoe and its people have always been more closely tied to the merchant houses of Absalom, Taldor, and the Salinian Empire than Khemit or Stygia. Shedyet and Arsinoe [+] These two towns bear Greek and Egyptian names of a town the Greeks called Crocodilopolis, the center of the cult of Sebek. Here, Sebek is the patron of the local lizardfolk tribes; Arsinoe is Merchant's Bluff; and Shedyet is Drennsborough.
Goblin Witchlord	Session 4: September 13, 2009	#18	[-]
Posts: 516 Sep 14 09 9:28 AM Wraith Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	The party (Curio, Ichabod, Isra, and Kotys) decided to sleep the night in the Temple's guest house; they saw a distant light in the sky and heard the noises of a bucket brigade passing by. In the morning, Kotys was sickened to discover the gully dwarf peeking at her through a knot in the crate and inaugurating his new gully blanket. They hauled little Harls into the hospital, and Karranis met them in a side chamber. Karranis cast zone of truth, and the party interrogated Harls for a few minutes. He mostly reiterated his testimony of the previous day, disputing the party's suspicions that he voluntarily worked with the Ophidian Hand (since they paid him). He said that he encountered Khaibet in the ruined warehouse, along with Imin, and knew that Black Leaf spent a lot of time at the Smiling Sultan. The warehouse's address was 55 Subsidence Alley, while the Town Engineering Building was at 123 Subsidence Alley. The party left Harles at the Temple, watched by Alfredo, for the temple priests to turn over to the town guard later in the afternoon. Somewhat intimidated by the prospect of encountering Khaibet in the ruined warehouse, the group decided to travel back to the Smiling Sultan and attempt to track down Black Leaf. They headed out of the city and walked the mile to the old monastary along the east road. However, when they reached the establishment, they saw the front door swinging in the wind and banging open. Ichabod entered first, noting bloody footprints on the floor. The party entered the main room; there were two corpses on the floor, a farmer and ruffian, each with arrow- and stab-wounds. Rooting around in the closet, Kotys was bitten by a cobra lairing there. Ichabod led the way up to the bell tower. Clustering below the bell tower's trap door, the party heard skittering, sniffing sounds from above, and guessed it was occupied by rats. Ichabod opened the trap door and climbed up, and the rats immediately set upon him. With lucky bites, they sank tooth after tooth into his leg, mauling him badly. Unable to get up the trapdoor to fight the rats, Kotys attempted to grab one of the rats and drag him through the trapdoor, but missed. Unable to hit the nimble rodents, Ichabod bull-rushed the far one, allowing Kotys to enter the upper chamber. With a single blow, the barbarian cleaved a rat in half, and the pair made short work of the remaining rats.
Goblin Witchlord		#19	[-]
Posts: 516 Sep 18 09 11:08 AM Wraith Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	On the second floor, the party found a leopard dead via stab wounds. The Snake Mother's corpse was in the office where they left it, but it had been further dismembered: her arms and head had been chopped off and were missing. The place had been thoroughly ransacked, but they managed to find a hidden compartment with an unusual dagger. Returning to the city, the party decided to rest before they plotted their next move.
Goblin Witchlord		#20	[-]
Posts: 516 Sep 27 09 2:32 PM Wraith Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Developing a suspicion of the temple priesthood, they considered investigating the temple. They arranged another meeting with Ka-Hateem and interviewed him about the guards and wards on the secret temple. After that meeting, they decided to bed down for the night.
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