| 
  • If you are citizen of an European Union member nation, you may not use this service unless you are at least 16 years old.

  • You already know Dokkio is an AI-powered assistant to organize & manage your digital files & messages. Very soon, Dokkio will support Outlook as well as One Drive. Check it out today!

View
 

PF - CoT - Session Fifteen

Page history last edited by Jon Goranson 9 years, 11 months ago

The Marrying Men

 

April 10, 2014

 

The next day, while the Judges are in the meeting room in the basement of Judged, Ricken's mother barges in to take Ricken shopping for his engagement party. She also says that Praetorius has to come along as well. When Verus jokingly asks who he's marrying, and she tells him that Praetorius isn't supposed to know about that yet.

 

She then continues to make Ricken's life miserable and Praetorius doesn't seem to help him much.

 

As they travel in the carriage, Eccobar stops the carriage and pulls Ricken out accusing him of being wanted. This, of course, sets his mother in a panic. Praetorius grabs him and a large argument ensues. Eccobar continues to insist that his terrible wanted poster points to Ricken. Eric comes up and sighs and eventually convinces Eccobar that these are the Judges and that they have nothing to do with the wanted poster. There was a bit of an argument but Eric wins and lets everyone go. 

 

Then the mother insists that Ricken and Praetorius go back to the noble sector and when they get there, she tells them that they will be meeting their prospective fiancĂ©es.

 

While they are dealing with Ricken's mother, K comes down to Verus's lab and tells him that she is to bring him back to Judged to deal with a tax collector. Being that taxes haven't been collected in this rego for a really long time, this makes him a little uneasy. 

 

Rosalia, a government official, presents Verus with a decree from the mayor that makes him a tax collector and explains that a 100gp tax is due every 30 days, starting 30 days from the signing. She seems to very deferential to Verus and seems to think he's a noble. He asks who the next person she is to approach with this offer if he were to reject the offer. She explains that it would be all the Judges, but after that the offer goes to the Children of Westcrown. With that knowledge, Verus accepts. He goes on to talk to her about what the responsibilities are imparted on him by accepting the role of tax collector. She doesn't seem to have any idea about anything further than the tax collecting itself. Verus bids her farewell and moves on to research the legal ramifications of becoming a tax collector.

 

While Verus is dealing with the government official, Gaylen heads over to Vizio's tavern to talk with Janaven. She seems to be confused as to why he's there and why he thinks she should be telling him anything. He is a bit confused that she was more than willing to take our money. She responds, "who wouldn't?" She doesn't seem to have any feeling of respect or responsibility to Gaylen. After a frustrating talk with her, he goes to talk to Arael. He gets Arael to admit that the children are falling apart; that Janaven runs the night shift and he runs the day shift. 

 

Meanwhile, Ricken has been taken to a social gathering and showing him off to the various daughters and parents. He seems convinced that all these women are really interested in everything he said. He was also introduced to Chamity, who looks at Ricken and they both smile and shake their heads. They then started chatting. Apparently the rumor is that we were all secretly sworn in as Pathfinders and that we are working on bringing back the Pathfinder's Society. She's full of information about what we supposedly encountered. After spinning these stories rather well, Ricken is presented with an interesting offer by Chamity. She suggests that the two of them could be announced together for a very long courtship.

 

While Ricken is having the time of his life, Praetorius is being presented with options by his father. He talks about rising in the ranks by marrying above his station. He talks of alliances and is brutally honest about the terrible options. 

 

Praetorius heads over to Ricken's where the party is still going on. Outside the house he meets Chamity. He looks at her and offers her marriage. He's very casual about it and she accepts. He doesn't even realize that she's the granddaughter of the highest ranked noble house. She seems to be in good humor about it. Ricken and Praetorius talk it over and Ricken, who isn't really fighting for Chamity, is concerned that Chamity is way too clever for him.

 

Ricken's mother bugs him until she gets Ricken to admit who it is that Praetorius is going to marry. He finally gives in and she begins hounding him to fight to court her as well. He is, as expected, a bit reluctant.

 

Chamity and Praetorius then go to present themselves to his father and uncle. That goes as expected. They are very happy and accepting. Chamity then takes him to present the news to her grandfather, Vassindio. They show up at the biggest mansion on the isle. She introduces them and Praetorius is justifiably cowed. Vassindio proceeds with many questions about what Praetorius's future plans are. The conversation isn't terrible, but Praetorius is surprised when the engagement is given his blessing. There is a questionable glance shared between Chamity and Vassindio when he begins asking, "Have you spoken to" but is interrupted by her saying that she hadn't. 

 

Vassindio then presents Praetorius with a platinum head band. The family wears them and this is special for the fiancĂ©. When he puts it on, he fails a will save and becomes Lawful Evil. He's then asked questions about the Judges and about the buildings they own. He also convinces Praetorius to sketch a map of the lower levels. He manages to exclude the lab portion.

 

He then goes back to visit Ricken. Ricken sees the circlet and realizes it's magic. He's immediately suspicious and messages Verus to meet them at the lab. After Verus and K get there, Verus takes the circlet, after some convincing, to cast identify and is almost taken over by the enchantment. He manages to resist and casts identify on the circlet.

 

The circlet ends up being a helm of comprehend languages and read magic overlaid with a helm of Lawful Evil. It also has a dominate person spell that makes him totally loyal to the person that put it on his head. (Chamity)

 

After messaging back and forth with Ricken, explaining what the circlet is, he then explains to Praetorius what has been done to him. He seems cooperative and eventually, he stays in the lab while Gaylen goes to get a Remove Curse scroll.

 

When he returns, we prepare to deal with the enchantments. 

 

Ricken casts a Magic Circle of Protection from Evil. Praetorius resists quite strongly, but Ricken overpowers him.

Gaylen then casts Hold Person which Praetorius resists and treats as hostile. 

Ricken summons a Vulpinal Agathion to calm emotions in the area and to cast Dispel Evil.

The Agathion assists Verus as he casts Break Enchantment perfectly as Ricken assists Gaylen as he casts Remove Curse.

 

While Verus and Gaylen cast, Praetorius experiences an illusion of being in a hell-like realm as a voice tells him that he must resist. As Verus's spell fires off, the circlet is completely destroyed (natural 20 with a +37 to spellcraft: 57). As the circlet falls to pieces, three barbed devils (Immune: fire/poison Resist: cold/acid DR10 Good) appear. A voice asks Verus why he destroyed it. Verus replies, "because he was being dominated against his will." "He was needed as a pawn. We will offer you.." Verus interrupts and its initiative.

 

Haste from Ricken

Mage Armor on Praetorius for +10 (Verus overpowered it by taking 6 hp damage)

 

Praetorius uses his chain in interesting ways to pull the enemies around the battle field. He uses this to pull them into the circle, immediately destroying the first one. However, when he does it again, he apparently corrupts the circle which allows them to come into the circle at will. They move on Ricken and Verus. Ricken then grabs Verus and teleports to safety.

 

The rest of the group focuses on doing as much brutal damage to these creatures as they can. Most of the time they also take damage as they are attacking them. 

 

K is grappled by one and pulled onto the devil's barbs, doing a tremendous amount of damage to her. Ricken then casts Enlarge Person on K, Curator, Praetorius, and Gaylen, thus helping us do more damage.

 

Gaylen takes a significant amount of damage, but manages to dispatch the second one.

 

After the battle we don't remember who used the circlet on Praetorius. We don't remember anything about the Drovinges, their plan, the fact that they had anything to do with this. Player Knowledge: the breaking of the circlet notifies them and they use a wish spell to erase all memories of this happening. The new memories is that Praetorius was ambushed on the way home from Chamity's and he woke up with the circlet on his head.

 

The pieces of the circlet are still tainted by evil, but the Agathion uses a ritual to cleanse it. Then Verus casts Make Whole to repair the circlet. Its decided that it will be more valuable as the repaired circlet than the sum of the platinum it's made of.

We decide to convert the circlet into a Headband of Vast Intellect +4 (5400gp our cost w/Verus crafting)

 

Janaven seems to have been busy spreading rumors about the taxes that are going to be charged. The amount fluctuates all over the place, but the rumors seem to be purposely inflammatory.

 

The party happens and Ricken announces his betrothal to Sascar Tilernos. This seems to be pretty much the lowest he could go in the realm of politically acceptable, but she's the party girl and least offensive choice for him. Ricken's uncle is rather upset at this news.

 

Chamity brings up to Praetorius that she has a tiefling brother. She considers this a skeleton in the closet.

 

We notice that there is a small male gnome that has been watching Judged. Gaylen realizes that he's looking to talk to one of the judges. He goes out to talk to him and the gnome says that his mistress is asking for help. He tells Gaylen that his mistress is known as the Mother of Flies. She is asking for help, but is offering information as payment.

 

Verus Knowledge check tells him that there used to be three hags (Mother, daughter, granddaughter) that lived in the swamp. 20 or 25 years ago, they were disturbed by an army from Westcrown. The story is that the three were destroyed, so the idea that the mother is still alive is interesting news.

 

She is asking for our help to break the siege her tree is under. She guarantees safe passage and is offering to tell us all about our enemies which we apparently share with her. All we have to do is defeat the forces sieging her.

 

We are apparently teleporting in to talk to her. K takes Verus, and Ricken takes everyone else. Ricken mishaps...

 

9600xp

 

John: 850xp

Bob: 1050xp

Drew: 1200xp

Brook: 1200xp

 

GM Notes

  • With Ricken's mother and Praetorius, I kept picturing the scene in Dresden Files when Lea and Susan are deciding on what Harry should wear and he eventually realizes he has no say in it and shuts up.  
  • The guys were really excited that I got a week to think about the mishap.  Well, that might be overstating it a little.  
  • When Praetorius' father and uncle are giving him his options, I picture the two elders given him crap, making things seem worse than it is and trying to to make him squirm.  
  • I messed up in describing the skills.  And I think I found the "breaking point" of Pathfinder between mechanics and role playing.  We are going to have to talk about this next time and get everyone and expectations on the same page.  
  • The reveal of the Drovenge's as the bad guys could have derailed the plot.  I think with time to think of it, we could have made it work.  Having things reset was a bit of a cop out but I was tired and it seemed the easy way.  It does give the players focus even if they characters won't know.  
  • It has taken me quite a bit of thinking of how to run the second half of the module.  I think I have a idea of how to do it.  I will see how it goes.   

 

BACK

Comments (0)

You don't have permission to comment on this page.