[OOC] Quickleaf's Rime of the Frostmaiden [closed but waitlist is available]

[Necropolitan]

Who wants to write the IC post getting us there?

 

[happylace]

Who wants to write the IC post getting us there?

lol I wanted to give other people a chance to jump in and steer the direction of things but if nobody's done it by the time i'm out of my game in a few hours I can do it.

 

[domminniti]

To the blond youth:
"Your clones are very impressive. You must be very proud"

 

[Necropolitan]

Zeth's going to hold off on revealing anything he gets from his knowledge roll until he's away from the locals to ensure the party's secret murder a person for money plan stays secret. No sense losing out on the reward when the murderer(s) will get executed if caught anyway.

It's not like this town's law enforcement's going to be able to take down the magic-using murder(s) themselves, so it's also keeping them safe.

 

[Steve Gorak]

Hey @Quickleaf

With my mind no longer fuzzy from the pain meds, I’m ready to get my character going. Is the door still open or is it to late?

With the stats I rolled, I’ll go with your suggestion of a moon Druid. I was also thinking of making him a goblin if ok. Why Goblin? Because I need a way to justify such a low intelligence and charisma, and I like the racial perks. I’m leaning towards an amulet of health for the magic item boon.

As a backstory, his clan was wiped out as a youngling, and survived in the wilderness alone. He got close to the animals and plants, became a local protector, and stared being blessed with primal magic. This attracted the attention of a Druid, who trained him in Druidic ways.

I’ll need to read up on your proficiency system and how it impacts my character’s super low intelligence. I’m hoping to at least get Stealth, Survival from background (modified outlander) and perception and animal handling from class. It feels weird not to take nature as a skill, but with the low int, he’d almost always fail his checks, so it seems kind of pointless. And the outlander wanderer feature compensates for this.

He can come from the area, but I’d appreciate your help with a hook to have him in the tavern. Maybe he has a reputation of helping travellers, and enjoys the occasional free drink?

Ok?

Cheers,

SG

 

[Quickleaf]

Hey @Quickleaf

With my mind no longer fuzzy from the pain meds, I’m ready to get my character going. Is the door still open or is it to late?

Hey Steve, yes I was saving a spot for you.

With the stats I rolled, I’ll go with your suggestion of a moon Druid. I was also thinking of making him a goblin if ok. Why Goblin? Because I need a way to justify such a low intelligence and charisma, and I like the racial perks. I’m leaning towards an amulet of health for the magic item boon.

As a backstory, his clan was wiped out as a youngling, and survived in the wilderness alone. He got close to the animals and plants, became a local protector, and stared being blessed with primal magic. This attracted the attention of a Druid, who trained him in Druidic ways.

I think that can work. There's a bit of tension between the town of Bryn Shander and goblins to the southwest currently, but folk can distinguish between a goblin who's a raider and a goblin who is a wiseman.

Were you imagining the goblin clan coming from the mountains or the tundra (or the Sea of Moving Ice)? If you're looking for ideas about what befell the clan, which ecology they were based in presents different ideas for threats.

For what low Intelligence means, you've got options, but one PC I played long ago with 7 INT, I portrayed him as exceptionally superstitious (even comically so). Or you could have him be old and forgetful. Hah, or young and forgetful. Lots of ways to spin it.

I'll brainstorm some ideas on the druid who trained him. Probably one of the gentler kinder variety, as opposed to the "bloody sacrifice & destroy civilization" types.

I’ll need to read up on your proficiency system and how it impacts my character’s super low intelligence. I’m hoping to at least get Stealth, Survival from background (modified outlander) and perception and animal handling from class. It feels weird not to take nature as a skill, but with the low int, he’d almost always fail his checks, so it seems kind of pointless.

Aha! I did foresee this when I wrote my house rules. Wow, credit to me for thinking ahead.


Expanded Skills Gain an extra number of additional languages or skills equal to your Intelligence modifier (a negative modifier is treated as a 0). Each class also grants an extra skill. Tools are rolled into skills. At 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th levels gain one additional language or skill of your choice.

And the outlander wanderer feature compensates for this.

With the Outlander background feature, I'm actually having this very conversation with @Kobold Stew – I'm concerned how the second line could affect the gameplay & narrative of this adventure.

Wanderer (Outlander background feature): You have an excellent memory for maps and geography, and you can always recall the general layout of terrain, settlements, and other features around you. In addition, you can find food and fresh water for yourself and up to five other people each day, provided that the land offers berries, small game, water, and so forth.

If I say "yeah the tundra has those things", then you're automatically feeding 6 people without any check which fights against some of the themes. Whereas if I say "no the tundra does not have those things", then I'm nerfing half of the background feature without providing an alternative. ...I suppose I could split the difference and say that "yes the tundra has those things until it doesn't" and turn the tables somewhere around 6th level? Not sure how that would feel.

For example, 2 PCs with the Outlander background could keep your 9 PCs fed (plus 3 animals or NPC companions) without any checks, automatically.

I guess it's a conversation we need to have as a group...

Is the group happy with removing that element of "do we have enough rations? will we get enough to eat?" from this adventure? If 3+ of you are happy with that, then Outlander is fine as is. If 3+ of you are unhappy with that (or the group is neutral), then Outlander needs an adjustment.

He can come from the area, but I’d appreciate your help with a hook to have him in the tavern. Maybe he has a reputation of helping travellers, and enjoys the occasional free drink?

He could always be hidden in animal form! There are a couple that come to mind...

1. Tie-in to PCs' current quest: Maybe he was friends with one of the serial killer's victims - the dwarf glassblower in Termalaine, the human shipbuilder in Targos, the halfling trapper in Easthaven, or the human priest (of Torm) in Bryn Dhander? Or if not friends, maybe he was trying to learn something from that person?
2. Druid side quest: Maybe he WAS trained by one of the "sacrifice & savagery" types of druids, and he fears that the rise in human sacrifice (perhaps the serial killer too) is their doing?
3. Side quest, unrelated: Maybe he heard that the town speaker Duvessa Shane needs someone for a long journey north?
4. Goblin side quest: Maybe he heard that the sheriff Markham Southwell offering a bounty on the head of the goblin chief Yarb-Gnock of the southwest tribe?
5. Personal side quest: Maybe he found some record or totem of his tribe that indicates some may have survived whatever happened, but it's currently in the hands of someone in Bryn Shander?
6. Goblin side quest: Maybe he heard of the goblin emissary from the southwest tribe being locked up in Bryn Shander's jail? And he's come to talk to them and see if they're worth freeing.

 

[Quickleaf]

Oh yeah @Kobold Stew, your PC looks good! You need to sort out your gear & we need figure out this Outlander thing, but otherwise good to go. Fieldwalker Corse is approved

 

[Steve Gorak]

Hey Steve, yes I was saving a spot for you.


I think that can work. There's a bit of tension between the town of Bryn Shander and goblins to the southwest currently, but folk can distinguish between a goblin who's a raider and a goblin who is a wiseman.

Were you imagining the goblin clan coming from the mountains or the tundra (or the Sea of Moving Ice)? If you're looking for ideas about what befell the clan, which ecology they were based in presents different ideas for threats.

For what low Intelligence means, you've got options, but one PC I played long ago with 7 INT, I portrayed him as exceptionally superstitious (even comically so). Or you could have him be old and forgetful. Hah, or young and forgetful. Lots of ways to spin it.

I'll brainstorm some ideas on the druid who trained him. Probably one of the gentler kinder variety, as opposed to the "bloody sacrifice & destroy civilization" types.


Aha! I did foresee this when I wrote my house rules. Wow, credit to me for thinking ahead.


Expanded Skills Gain an extra number of additional languages or skills equal to your Intelligence modifier (a negative modifier is treated as a 0). Each class also grants an extra skill. Tools are rolled into skills. At 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th levels gain one additional language or skill of your choice.


With the Outlander background feature, I'm actually having this very conversation with @Kobold Stew – I'm concerned how the second line could affect the gameplay & narrative of this adventure.

Wanderer (Outlander background feature): You have an excellent memory for maps and geography, and you can always recall the general layout of terrain, settlements, and other features around you. In addition, you can find food and fresh water for yourself and up to five other people each day, provided that the land offers berries, small game, water, and so forth.

If I say "yeah the tundra has those things", then you're automatically feeding 6 people without any check which fights against some of the themes. Whereas if I say "no the tundra does not have those things", then I'm nerfing half of the background feature without providing an alternative. ...I suppose I could split the difference and say that "yes the tundra has those things until it doesn't" and turn the tables somewhere around 6th level? Not sure how that would feel.

For example, 2 PCs with the Outlander background could keep your 9 PCs fed (plus 3 animals or NPC companions) without any checks, automatically.

I guess it's a conversation we need to have as a group...

Is the group happy with removing that element of "do we have enough rations? will we get enough to eat?" from this adventure? If 3+ of you are happy with that, then Outlander is fine as is. If 3+ of you are unhappy with that (or the group is neutral), then Outlander needs an adjustment.


He could always be hidden in animal form! There are a couple that come to mind...

1. Tie-in to PCs' current quest: Maybe he was friends with one of the serial killer's victims - the dwarf glassblower in Termalaine, the human shipbuilder in Targos, the halfling trapper in Easthaven, or the human priest (of Torm) in Bryn Dhander? Or if not friends, maybe he was trying to learn something from that person?
2. Druid side quest: Maybe he WAS trained by one of the "sacrifice & savagery" types of druids, and he fears that the rise in human sacrifice (perhaps the serial killer too) is their doing?
3. Side quest, unrelated: Maybe he heard that the town speaker Duvessa Shane needs someone for a long journey north?
4. Goblin side quest: Maybe he heard that the sheriff Markham Southwell offering a bounty on the head of the goblin chief Yarb-Gnock of the southwest tribe?
5. Personal side quest: Maybe he found some record or totem of his tribe that indicates some may have survived whatever happened, but it's currently in the hands of someone in Bryn Shander?
6. Goblin side quest: Maybe he heard of the goblin emissary from the southwest tribe being locked up in Bryn Shander's jail? And he's come to talk to them and see if they're worth freeing.

Awesome! I’ll post something in the RG by the end of the weekend.

For the ecology, mountain seems to make the most sense, but I’d imagine he would have been exposed to all three and would have some sense on how to survive and perhaps even thrive there.

For the outlander benefit, I don’t think it matters much, given that my character can cast goodberry. I however don’t want to nerf the feel of your adventure, so you could just add a “ressource availability” factor to that second benefit. For example, in a forest during the summer, the number of people could be 6 x 1, and in a a tundra during the summer it could be 6 /3, and on the ice (assuming winter) it could be 6 /6 (only able to sustain himself).
So maybe 6 /3 for winter, 6 /2 for spring, baseline 6 for summer and maybe 6 x1.5 for fall (harvests). And a second factor for latitude. Being very high up north could be /3. Just ideas, but I think the concept could work and address concerns.

As for the hook, being friends with the halfling trapper makes sense to me, so let’s go with that. Perhaps his mentor also asked him to look into what’s going on regarding the killings.

And yeah, he could just be shapechanged into a cat and have been listening in to the conversation. It would make for an awkward introduction, but it would be fitting given his super low charisma ;-)

Cheers,

Sg

 

[Quickleaf]

Awesome! I’ll post something in the RG by the end of the weekend.

Sounds good! Hope you're healing up well.

For the ecology, mountain seems to make the most sense, but I’d imagine he would have been exposed to all three and would have some sense on how to survive and perhaps even thrive there.

Some mountain threats from the Spine of the World (south)... avalanches, supernatural storms, yetis, goliaths (some mounted on griffons), perytons, verbeeg, frost giants, snowcloaks (like a weird two-headed wyvern).

Mount Shatterglass is between Spine of the World and Ten-Towns... gnolls are near there.

Kelvin's Cairn is a spooky small mountain overlooking Ten-Towns...all kinds of bad things have been there in the past, goblins, verbeeg, frost giants, undead, cultists, ice trolls, you name it.

For the outlander benefit, I don’t think it matters much, given that my character can cast goodberry.

Definitely look over spell changes in my House Rules doc – goodberry is one I've changed (along with create food/water) for that very reason. Basically, magically created food is "faerie food" that can only sustain someone for so long, and afterward leaves a void in the stomach that normal food won't satiate.

I however don’t want to nerf the feel of your adventure, so you could just add a “ressource availability” factor to that second benefit. For example, in a forest during the summer, the number of people could be 6 x 1, and in a a tundra during the summer it could be 6 /3, and on the ice (assuming winter) it could be 6 /6 (only able to sustain himself).
So maybe 6 /3 for winter, 6 /2 for spring, baseline 6 for summer and maybe 6 x1.5 for fall (harvests). And a second factor for latitude. Being very high up north could be /3. Just ideas, but I think the concept could work and address concerns.

I think something like that could work. Anyone else want to sound off?

As for the hook, being friends with the halfling trapper makes sense to me, so let’s go with that. Perhaps his mentor also asked him to look into what’s going on regarding the killings.

And yeah, he could just be shapechanged into a cat and have been listening in to the conversation. It would make for an awkward introduction, but it would be fitting given his super low charisma ;-)

Purrrfect. Trust me, the group is doing great at being restrained chaos goblins so far (that interaction between Alma & Logrim was really funny), but I think it's only a matter of time before the chaos comes out.

 

[Neurotic]

When the wizard leaves, halfling moves slightly and mumbles to the wall, putting minor illusion of the bloody ice dagger between the sheriffs

sorry, time to post only tomorrow

EDIT: ignore the dagger, he will listen in after the group finishes the question to what the two discuss afterwards