chapter 2 - a meal to die for

Chris wrote:






Initiative

Ghost of Talmore  30

Herger 16

Jace 14

Grimgar 11



 don't forget you get +1 to initiative thanks to Zontreaux

@Alan - thanks for the stat block
please try to include each turn, so I don't have to hunt for AC, saves, etc

added my stat block

friendly reminder to PCs... in pf2e you can take a 1 action skill use "recall knowledge" to identify a creature. if you aren't sure what knowledge skill to use, just ask.

for example, a ghost would generally be Religion. but a golem might be either Arcana or Crafting


Creature Identification

A character who successfully identifies a creature learns one of its best-known attributes—such as a troll’s regeneration (and the fact that it can be stopped by acid or fire) or a manticore’s tail spikes. On a critical success, the character also learns something subtler, like a demon’s weakness or the trigger for one of the creature’s reactions.

also worth noting, this is not a 1 and done but there are diminishing returns


After a success, further uses of Recall Knowledge can yield more information, but you should adjust the difficulty to be higher for each attempt. Once a character has attempted an incredibly hard check or failed a check, further attempts are fruitless—the character has recalled everything they know about the subject.


it might be worth getting in the habit of this for a 3rd action as resistances work differently in pf2e from 5e and it would be a good way to not get frustrated by unfamiliar mechanics, just saying....

HP: 21
AC: 18
Fort: 4
Reflex: 9
Will: 4
Move: 25’
Initiative: +0
Perception: +4

INIT =
Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +1" :

5 + 1 = 6

Chris wrote:

ROUND 1

Ghost of Talmore  30
Herger 16
Jace 14
Grimgar 11
Zontreaux 6

The Ghost of Talmore floats foward towards the party.  His voice is like a cold wind as he moans, "The Dead do not suffer the living to steal.... Lawren.... my friend....  let me rest....."  




Frightful Moan  (auditory, divine, emotion, enchantment, fear, mental) The ghost laments its fate, forcing each living creature within 30 feet to attempt a DC 19 Will save. On a failure, a creature becomes frightened 2 (or frightened 3 on a critical failure). On a success, a creature is temporarily immune to this ghost's frightful moan for 1 minute.


1 - move 25ft
2 - moan
3 - draw a sword


everyone needs to make a DC 19 Will save before your turn.


Frightened
Source Core Rulebook pg. 620 4.0
You’re gripped by fear and struggle to control your nerves. The frightened condition always includes a value. You take a status penalty equal to this value to all your checks and DCs. Unless specified otherwise, at the end of each of your turns, the value of your frightened condition decreases by 1.







Herger is up, pending his save

Grim’s save
Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +7" :

13 + 7 = 20

Herger's save:

Fri Jun 09 2023 12:32:05 GMT-0600 (Mountain Daylight Time)
Rolling line 1 : 1d20 + 4 to total : 18, + 4, TOTAL: 22

On a success, a creature is temporarily immune to this ghost's frightful moan for 1 minute.


Herger and Grimgar ain't afraid of no ghosts



Jace Will sv

Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +7" :

11 + 7 = 18





Jace is not so lucky today, frightened 2



Herger can go, you don't have to wait for Zon's SV

how does the Recall Knowledge bit work again? I want to potentially do that before making an attack

WILL save:

Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +4" :

12 + 4 = 16

Fail

"WHAT FRESH HELL IS THIS?!" cries Zontreaux, clearly spooked.

whit10 wrote:how does the Recall Knowledge bit work again?  I want to potentially do that before making an attack

you mean the rules I posted 6 posts up earlier this morning?

Chris wrote:   friendly reminder to PCs...  in pf2e you can take a 1 action skill use "recall knowledge" to identify a creature.  if you aren't sure what knowledge skill to use, just ask.

for example, a ghost would generally be Religion.  but a golem might be either Arcana or Crafting


Creature Identification

A character who successfully identifies a creature learns one of its best-known attributes—such as a troll’s regeneration (and the fact that it can be stopped by acid or fire) or a manticore’s tail spikes. On a critical success, the character also learns something subtler, like a demon’s weakness or the trigger for one of the creature’s reactions.

also worth noting, this is not a 1 and done but there are diminishing returns


After a success, further uses of Recall Knowledge can yield more information, but you should adjust the difficulty to be higher for each attempt. Once a character has attempted an incredibly hard check or failed a check, further attempts are fruitless—the character has recalled everything they know about the subject.


it might be worth getting in the habit of this for a 3rd action as resistances work differently in pf2e from 5e and it would be a good way to not get frustrated by unfamiliar mechanics, just saying....

roll knowledge Religion - costs 1 AP

sorry man, busy day and I just didn't see it

Knowledge Religion

Fri Jun 09 2023 17:00:20 GMT-0600 (Mountain Daylight Time)
Rolling line 1 : 1d20 + 1 to total : 16, + 1, TOTAL: 17

hell yeah! (maybe)

whit10 wrote:sorry man, busy day and I just didn't see it

Knowledge Religion

Fri Jun 09 2023 17:00:20 GMT-0600 (Mountain Daylight Time)
Rolling line 1 : 1d20 + 1 to total : 16, + 1, TOTAL: 17

hell yeah! (maybe)

yes sir!


Immunities death effects, disease, paralyzed, poison, precision, unconscious;

Resistances all damage 5 (except force, ghost touch, or positive; double resistance vs. non-magical)

so yes, it has 10 resistance to any non-magical damage


Sadly Jace doesn't have the Magic Weapon spell

So there's really no way for Herger to damage it?

Chris wrote:
Sadly Jace doesn't have the Magic Weapon spell

Grim is well prepared…

whit10 wrote:So there's really no way for Herger to damage it?

Still waiting on you....


You can always delay if you dont know what to do.

was just going to ask about that... going to delay until after Grimgar

Stats:
AC: 18
Fort: 7
Reflex: 7
Will: 4
HP: 18/20

Shield still raised

Jace Will save


Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +7" :

13 + 7 = 20



Jace may not have Magic Weapon, but he does have Force damage

Chris wrote:Jace
HP 16\16
AC 14
Fort +5
Ref +4
Will +7

The runes on his robes glow silver as he speaks Draconic and laces the Weave of Magic....  "Al nal nothrak"

3 actions to cast Magic Missile

Magic Missile
Spell 1
Evocation Force
Source Core Rulebook pg. 349 4.0
Traditions arcane, occult
Bloodline imperial
Deities Gravelady's Guard, Lorthact, Nethys
Cast  to  (somatic, verbal)
Range 120 feet; Targets 1 creature
You send a dart of force streaking toward a creature that you can see. It automatically hits and deals 1d4+1 force damage. For each additional action you use when Casting the Spell, increase the number of missiles you shoot by one, to a maximum of three missiles for 3 actions. You choose the target for each missile individually. If you shoot more than one missile at the same target, combine the damage before applying bonuses or penalties to damage, resistances, weaknesses, and so forth.


Result of the throw of dice "3d4 +3" :

2 + 3 + 1 + 3 = 9  force


The Ghost of Talmore moans in pain taking all 9 damage.


map is still current

Chris wrote:

ROUND 1

Ghost of Talmore  30   (-9/X)
Herger 16
Jace 14
Grimgar 11
Zontreaux 6

Grimgar is up

Grimgar
Stat Block:
HP: 19
AC: 18 (20)
Fort: 6
Reflex: 4
Will: 7
Move: 20’
Initiative/Perception: +5
Spell DC: 15

<> step to H-8
<><> Magic weapon on Herger’s sword

MAGIC WEAPON
SPELL 1
TRANSMUTATION
Traditions arcane, divine, occult
Cast [two-actions] somatic, verbal
Range touch;
Targets 1 weapon that is unattended or wielded by you or a willing ally
Duration 1 minute
The weapon glimmers with magic and energy. The target becomes a +1 striking weapon, gaining a +1 item bonus to attack rolls and increasing the number of weapon damage dice to two.

“Take my place.”

Does Herger want to jump back into initiative now?
If I read your first post correctly, Herger has 1 ap left.
1 recall knwloedge
2 raise shield (the free one from Defend ended on your turn)

Let me know if that was not your intention and/or if you want to let Zon go first. Keep Flanking in mind for a nice juicy -2 to the ghost's AC which also widens your crit range

I hope Josh was thinking that the shield was still raised from before so he can step up and use that magic weapon…

that was my mistake. He didn't use an AP. Can he still move up and attack? (I thought it was still up from before)

Sure, no problem

ok, step up and attack

Sat Jun 10 2023 21:30:05 GMT-0600 (Mountain Daylight Time)
Rolling line 1 : 1d20 + 10 to total : 13, + 10, TOTAL: 23

assume that hits?

damage if so:

Sat Jun 10 2023 21:31:12 GMT-0600 (Mountain Daylight Time)
Rolling line 1 : 2d8 + 5 to total : 5, 7, + 5, TOTAL: 17

heh, done.


Stats:
AC: 18
Fort: 7
Reflex: 7
Will: 4
HP: 18/20

Herger steps forward and connects with his newly magical sword. The ghost seems a bit surprised as he is used to blades passing through him.

If Herger had moved to H-5 he could have got Flanking w Zon but alas.....


Zon is up

Where is the backpack the ghost appeared from, and is it close to any windows? and are the windows open and bare or somehow closed?

The backpack is at H-3, the original location of the ghost. Nearest windows are j-3 and h-5. Both are open as the shutters have long since fallen off.

HP: 21
AC: 18
Fort: 4
Reflex: 9
Will: 4
Move: 25’
Initiative: +0
Perception: +4

frightened 2 / decreases 1 at end of Z's turn

---

1. Whip; attack to Trip (he may be immune to my dmg but is he immune to "trip"?)

Athletics +6, Frightened -2
Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +4" :

19 + 4 = 23

2. Stride to I-3

3. Interact = Attack the backpack with his Rapier! (lemme know if you wanna resolve that differently as an action)

Uh.... it does not appear that a ghost is immune to the prone condition, so he ends up on ectoplasmic backside!

What are you trying to accomplish with attacking the backpack? I don't think it is going to do anything but put a small hole in the leather, but I want to make sure I am not missing something here.

His thought was that the ghost may be somehow tied to the backpack, and if that was damaged or destroyed it may effect the ghost. Its OK if that fails/wasn't the case.

MAS wrote:His thought was that the ghost may be somehow tied to the backpack, and if that was damaged or destroyed it may effect the ghost. Its OK if that fails/wasn't the case.

Zontreaux is at least partially correct in that assumption

@Alan - is that a ghost generator from Gauntlet?  it is hitting me somewhere in my childhood but I can't quite place it....



Zontreaux probes the backpack with his rapier.  The blade easily pierces the old leather and he hears the distinct clink of metal hitting metal inside.



at the top of Round 2, the ghost of Talmore stands up (1) and attacks Herger twice, as that is the only melee target.  He swings his blade at the warrior....

2 - first attack

Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +13" :

19 + 13 = 32

ouch, that's a crit as its +10 over Herger's AC of 16, it still would have crit if he raised his shield so no harm there

Result of the throw of dice "2d6 +2" :

4 + 1 + 2 = 7

Herger takes 14 negative energy damage!   The blade feels like ice as it slices into his chest.

3 - second attack at -5

Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +8" :

3 + 8 = 11


Miss!


map update

Chris wrote:

ROUND 1

Ghost of Talmore  30   (-26/X)

Jace 14
Grimgar 11
Herger 11b   4/20
Zontreaux 6

Jace moves to I-8 and activates his Arcane Ward which gives everyone in a 5ft radius +1 AC.  for his 3rd AP he will cast Shield on himself






Grimgar is up

Grimgar
Stat Block:
HP: 19
AC: 18 (20)
Fort: 6
Reflex: 4
Will: 7
Move: 20’
Initiative/Perception: +5
Spell DC: 15

That is the ghost generator from Gauntlet
Herger’s AC is 18 (still a crit)

<><> Heal Herger
Result of the throw of dice "1d8 +8" :

7 + 8 = 15

<> Grim moves to I-5 to flank

“We have not come to disturb your rest, brother, we have come to fulfill the oath! To the last man!”

Does Herger get an opportunity attack when the ghost stands? Or is that only for normal movement?

navyik wrote:

Does Herger get an opportunity attack when the ghost stands? Or is that only for normal movement?

uh.... good question! I don't know the answer to that.


let's see.....


Attack of Opportunity
Source Core Rulebook pg. 142 4.0
Trigger A creature within your reach uses a manipulate action or a move action, makes a ranged attack, or leaves a square during a move action it’s using.

You lash out at a foe that leaves an opening. Make a melee Strike against the triggering creature. If your attack is a critical hit and the trigger was a manipulate action, you disrupt that action. This Strike doesn’t count toward your multiple attack penalty, and your multiple attack penalty doesn’t apply to this Strike.

ok, so anything with the "move" tag or the "manipulate" tag. and if the latter, it can be interrupted, which I didn't know

so what has the MOVE tag?

Move
Source Core Rulebook pg. 634 4.0
An action with this trait involves moving from one space to another.

Actions
Balance, Board, Burrow, Climb, Cover Tracks, Crawl, Disgusting Gallop, Drive, Drop Prone, Fly, Gallop, Gallop, Hunt and Gather, Hustle, Leap, Maneuver in Flight, Mount, Prepare Campsite, Run Over, Sand Stride, Sneak, Squeeze, Stand, Step, Stride, Swim, Track, Travel, Tumble Through


ok, so YES he does!

that covers way more things that I had thought. Good call, Alan!


Herger - swing away. you don't get flanking because it happened on the Ghost's turn



But, I will give Grimgar a Hero Point for the idea!


as a reminder:


Hero Points
Source Core Rulebook pg. 29 4.0
Your character usually begins each game session with 1 Hero Point, and you can gain additional Hero Points during sessions by performing heroic deeds or devising clever strategies. Your character can use Hero Points to gain certain benefits, such as staving off death or rerolling a d20. See page 467 for more about Hero Points.

so its not the same as ADV, but its still a reroll as needed. it refreshes per "game session" not per day. I would generally consider a forum chapter to be a "session". So this is session 2 "a meal to die for". Grimgar now has 2 HPs and everyone else has 1.

Nice call Alan!!

AoO swing from Herger:

Mon Jun 12 2023 10:32:42 GMT-0600 (Mountain Daylight Time)
Rolling line 1 : 1d20 + 10 to total : 20, + 10, TOTAL: 30

oh snap!

damage on a crit

Mon Jun 12 2023 10:33:28 GMT-0600 (Mountain Daylight Time)
Rolling line 1 : 2d8 + 5 to total : 6, 2, + 5, TOTAL: 13

whit10 wrote:Nice call Alan!!

AoO swing from Herger:

Mon Jun 12 2023 10:32:42 GMT-0600 (Mountain Daylight Time)
Rolling line 1 : 1d20 + 10 to total : 20, + 10, TOTAL: 30

oh snap!

damage on a crit

Mon Jun 12 2023 10:33:28 GMT-0600 (Mountain Daylight Time)
Rolling line 1 : 2d8 + 5 to total : 6, 2, + 5, TOTAL: 13

so that's actually 26 damage, since ALL damage gets doubled in pf2e and you already had the 2d8 from magic weapon.  so its effectively 4d8+10!!

Herger finishes off the Ghost of Talmore  


The day is going to be over, so its not worth ret-conning the damage by the ghost and the heal, etc.


The Ghost of Talmore moans and fades away into the night.  The old farmhouse warms back up again to a normal temperature.  The only thing that remains is the backpack and a ghostly sword on the ground.  The sword is currently insubstantial and cannot be picked up (yet).  Perhaps some aspect of the ghost endures.....


Anyone that would like can make a "recall knowledge" roll, Religion DC 16.  This is different from the combat roll that Josh already made to learn its resistances.

so.... the DM made a slight boo-boo with that encounter, but it worked out OK. That was supposed to be a weaker version of the ghost and I did use the correct saving throw DC for his fear. But then, I closed the window, slept, etc and when I pulled up ghost again, it was a regular ghost and not a "weak ghost" so it should have had a few less HP and lower attack #s, but you defeated it anyways.... so....

the weak ghost would be worth 120 xp
the regular ghost would be worth 160xp

since I botched it up, let's just call it 160xp. the save DC wouldn't have made a difference to be honest because Herger saved either way, Jace's magic missiles are not affected by fear, nor is Grimgar's casting of MW and Zon was failed either way.

so the party total is now 570\1000

you are over halfway to level 2

cool man. Time to rest!

Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +5" :

9 + 5 = 14

Anyone got an aid?

“The sword yet remains. Something is still amiss, I fear that Talmore still has unfinished business.”

Herger will try to Aid Grimgar:

Mon Jun 12 2023 11:45:28 GMT-0600 (Mountain Daylight Time)
Rolling line 1 : 1d20 + 1 to total : 13, + 1, TOTAL: 14

or maybe not...

with a DC of 16, it makes more sense to just try and make the roll yourself, since adding +1 to a 14 still doesn't make it.


Jace is untrained but he will try anyways

Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +4" :

3 + 4 = 7


lol, nope


Zontreaux?

Hero Point to reroll?

Hero point
Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +5" :

20 + 5 = 25

navyik wrote:Hero point
Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +5" :

20 + 5 = 25

excellent use of the extra freebie HP!


Grimgar recalls that a ghost can be bound to an item or a location.  The ghost, even if defeated, will reappear in a few days to resume its haunting.  The item must be properly buried or the location hallowed.  This is probably why the ghost of Talmore has been following and continually tormenting poor drunken Sir Lawren Kent.  

Zontreaux is reminded that his sword hit something metal in the backpack from which Talmore spawned.  Upon closer inspection, Zontreaux finds what appears to be the holy symbol of a Champion (Paladin).  The symbol is a sword inside a sun.  Grimgar recognizes it as Iomedae's heraldry.  She is a goddess of honor, justice and valor.  Many of her devotees fought in the Shining Crusade against the Whispering Tyrant.

Sir Kent followed us, right?

“Sir Kent. Talmore will be free when his resting place is restored. Where lies his body?”

Detect magic.

Sir Kent sobs in shame, "He fell at Lastwall.... his body was never buried.... I.... I... took that from his corpse....." he points to the object Zontreaux found.

“He was your friend. Was there a place that was special to him? Where we can honor our fallen brother?”

"He always loved... fishing... the river here is lovely.... Talmore would have adored it.... maybe down by the river?" Kent suggests

“Talmore will rest tonight,” Grim addresses Sir Kent. “You will see to the ceremony in the morning. I will carry this burden tonight.”

“Keep watch with us, brother. From henceforth your sins are purchased. Those are not minions you hear and see. Barzahk calls you to seek out our other wandering fallen. We are his now. Dead already, with nothing left to fear.”

“Hold your head high. Your oath is not forsaken, it is repurposed until the last of us rests.”

navyik wrote:“Talmore will rest tonight,” Grim addresses Sir Kent. “You will see to the ceremony in the morning. I will carry this burden tonight.”

“Keep watch with us, brother. From henceforth your sins are purchased. Those are not minions you hear and see. Barzahk calls you to seek out our other wandering fallen. We are his now. Dead already, with nothing left to fear.”

“Hold your head high. Your oath is not forsaken, it is repurposed until the last of us rests.”

very nice, it reminds me of the priest at the beginning of Les Mis, "I have bought your soul for God."


Ok, so the plan is to sleep the night at the Feedmill and bury the icon in the morning, also, if I recall, you wanted to follow the wagon tracks to the north side of town looking for Bort's reagent deliveries, all while keeping an eye out for the goblin chef-assistant Phinick?

"Just as Zontreaux suspected!"