Monday, February 27, 2017

My Take on the Warlock

This is an adaptation of the Warlock class published for Pathfinder by Adamant Entertainment Group, itself an adaptation of the D&D v3.5 Warlock class which appeared in Complete Arcane. The intent is to revive some of the “otherworldly” feel of the original class and playing up the importance of the Warlock's extraplanar patrons, while keeping the elegance of the use of arcane school powers from the Adamant adaptation, and also exploiting mechanics that already exist in Pathfinder as much as possible.

Warlocks are seekers of the knowledge that lies hidden in the fabric of the multiverse, Through pacts made with mysterious beings of supernatural power, warlocks unlock magical effects both subtle and spectacular. Drawing on the ancient knowledge of angels, archons, devils, demons, and even stranger extraplanar beings, warlocks piece together arcane secrets to bolster their own power,

A warlock is defined by a pact with an otherworldly being, Sometimes the relationship between warlock and patron is like that of a cleric and a deity, though the beings that serve as patrons for warlocks are not gods, A warlock might lead a cult dedicated to a demon prince, an archdevil, or an utterly alien entity-beings not typically served by clerics. More often, though, the arrangement is similar to that between a master and an apprentice, The warlock learns and grows in power, at the cost of occasional services performed on the patron’s behalf.

Adventures: Warlocks are driven by an insatiable need for knowledge and power, which compels them into their pacts and shapes their lives, This thirst drives warlocks into their pacts and shapes their later careers as well. Stories of warlocks binding themselves to fiends are widely known, but many warlocks serve patrons that are not fiendish. Sometimes a traveler in the wilds comes to a strangely beautiful tower, meets its fey lord or lady, and stumbles into a pact without being fully aware of it. And sometimes, while poring over tomes of forbidden lore. a brilliant but crazed student’s mind is opened to realities beyond the material world and to the alien beings that dwell in the outer void.

Once a pact is made, a warlock’s thirst for knowledge and power can’t be slaked with mere study and research. No one makes a pact with such a mighty patron if he or she doesn’t intend to use the power thus gained. Rather, the vast majority of warlocks spend their days in active pursuit of their goals. which typically means some kind of adventuring. Furthermore, the demands of their patrons drive warlocks toward adventure.

 Characteristics: Warlocks harbor great reserves of mystical energy. The touch of their patrons and the font of magic burning in their souls fundamentally alters them, not only cosmetically, but making them resistant to many forms of attack and arming them with dangerous power. Warlocks do not cast spells, instead learning a variety of spell-like and arcane powers from their patrons. What they lack in versatility, they make up for by being more resilient than wizards, sorcerers, or witches.

Alignment: Warlocks may be of any alignment. The powers they serve run the gambit from cruel and capricious, to sublime and benevolent, and everything in between. Most warlock patrons place limitations on whom they will form a pact with, but the full range of alignments are represented.

Other Classes: Warlocks have an interesting relationship with sorcerers, in that they are the source of many a sorcerer’s power. The changes to body and spirit brought on by a Warlock’s pacts practically ensures that any of a warlock’s offspring will be born with sorcerous blood. Thus sorcerers in particular (as well as bloodragers) are often viewed with contempt by Warlocks, like children playing with power they can’t possibly understand.

Because of their unusual relationships with their extraplanar patrons, Warlocks seldom get along with clerics, paladins, inquisitors, and similar servants of the divine. Likewise, while they are two sides of the same coin, Warlocks often view witches with the same disdain that they do sorcerers, because of the witch’s lack of direct knowledge of their patrons and need for the proxy that is a familiar.

Ability Scores: Charisma is the most important ability for a Warlock, as it controls how often they can use many of their abilities, as well as their save DCs. Intelligence is also important, as it determines how often a Warlock may use his eldritch talents. Dexterity affects the accuracy of a Warlock’s eldritch blast and also aids his AC due to his reliance on light armor.

Game Rule Information:
Warlocks have the following game statistics.
Alignment: Any.
Hit Die: d8.
Base Attack Bonus: Average.
Base Fortitude Saves: Poor.
Base Reflex Saves: Poor.
Base Will Saves: Good.
Starting Wealth: 3d6 x10gp
Starting Age: Moderate.

Table 1-n: The Warlock
Level Special
1 Patron, Patron Skills, Patron Spell, Eldritch Blast (1d6), Aura, Languages
2 Contact Patron (augury), Patronic Transformation
3 Eldritch Talent, Eldritch Blast (2d6)
4 Patronic Transformation, Eldritch Essence
5 Eldritch Talent
6 Patronic Transformation, Eldritch Blast (3d6)
7 Eldritch Talent
8 Patronic Transformation, Contact Patron (divination)
9 Eldritch Talent, Eldritch Blast (4d6)
10 Patronic Transformation, Patron Ability Bonus
11 Eldritch Talent, Advanced Eldritch Talents
12 Patronic Transformation, Eldritch Blast (5d6)
13 Eldritch Talent
14 Patronic Transformation, Contact Patron (commune)
15 Eldritch Talent, Eldritch Blast (6d6)
16 Patronic Transformation
17 Eldritch Talent
18 Patronic Transformation, Eldritch Blast (7d6)
19 Eldritch Talent
20 Patronic Transformation, Patron Ability Bonus

Class Skills:
A warlock’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are: Bluff (Cha), Craft (Int), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge [arcana] (Int), Knowledge [the planes] (Int), Profession (Wis), Spellcraft (Int), Stealth (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha).
Skill Points per Level: 2 + Int modifier.

 Class Features:
The following are class features of the warlock.

 Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Warlocks are proficient with all simple weapons and one exotic weapon of their choice (in emulation of the strange weapons favored by their patrons). They are proficient with light armor, but not with shields.

 Aura: Regardless of the Warlock’s alignment, he always radiates an aura corresponding to the alignment of his Patron, as an outsider with Hit Dice equal to his Warlock level (see Detect Evil). Thus a Warlock with a Demon patron will always radiate an aura of Chaos and Evil, while a Warlock with an Aeon patron will never radiate an alignment aura.

 Languages: A warlock’s bonus language options include Celestial, Abyssal, and Infernal (the languages of good, chaotic evil, and lawful evil outsiders, respectively). These choices are in addition to the bonus languages available to the character because of her race.

 Warlock’s Patron: At 1st level, a Warlock must select a Patron. A Warlock’s patron is a always a unique, specific outsider, typically a powerful member of one of the major races of outsiders (angels, demons, garudas, rakshasa, or similar creatures). The DM should develop the Warlock’s patron as an NPC. While the Patron cannot command the Warlock or dictate the Warlock’s actions, the Patron does serve as the Warlock’s mentor, teaching the Warlock his powers and offering advice when called on to do so.

The Warlock must select his patron from the list below. The Warlock’s choice of patron grants a number of abilities. At 1st-level, the Patron grants the warlock a single spell-like ability, which the warlock can cast a number of times per day equal to his Charisma modifier (minimum 1/day). The Patron also trains the Warlock in a number of skills. The Warlock automatically gains 1 rank in the two indicated skills at each Warlock level. These do not count against the number of skill-points the Warlock gains otherwise. The two indicated skills become class skills, if they are not already. At 10th level, the Patron grants the warlock a +2 increase to a specific ability score. This increase in permanent and functions exactly like the ability score increases a character gains every 4 levels. At 20th level, the Patron grants a +2 increase to a second ability score.

The caster level for all of a Warlock’s spell-like abilities is equal to his Warlock class level. The DCs of any saving throws against a Warlock’s spell-like abilities are always equal to 10 + 1/2 the Warlock’s level + his Charisma modifier.

Because Patrons are outsiders, they are strongly aligned and only allow Warlocks of similar disposition. At 1st level, a Warlock must select a Patron who’s alignment matches his own. A Warlock who later changes his alignment to one not allowed by his patron does not lose any of the abilities he has acquired, but may not advance further in Warlock levels. At the DM’s option, a Warlock who has changed his alignment may go on a quest to acquire a new Patron, in which case all bonuses granted by his former Patron (including skills, spells, and ability increases) are replaced by those of his new Patron.

Patron Allowed Alignments Patron’s Spell Patron’s Skills 1st Ability Increase 2nd Ability Increase
Aeon LN, NG, TN, NE, CN Calm Emotions Knowledge (religion), Sense Motive Wisdom Dexterity
Agathion LG, NG, TN, CG Summon Nature’s Ally II Handle Animal, Survival Constitution Charisma
Angel LG, NG, CG Alter Self Heal, Knowledge (planes) Charisma Strength
Archon LG, LN, NG Continual Flame Intimidate, Sense Motive Wisdom Constitution
Asura LN, LE, NE Hideous Laughter Appraise, Knowledge (local) Wisdom Dexterity
Azata NG, CN, CG Glitterdust Diplomacy, Perform (any one) Charisma Dexterity
Daemons LE, NE, TN, CE Death Knell Disable Device, Sleight of Hand Dexterity Intelligence
Demodand NE, CN, CE Bear’s Endurance Intimidate, Knowledge (religion) Constitution Wisdom
Demon NE, CN, CE Shatter Disable Device, Perception Strength Charisma
Devil LN, LE, NE Pyrotechnics Diplomacy, Sense Motive Wisdom Constitution
Div LE, TN, NE, CE Misdirection Diplomacy, Linguistics Charisma Dexterity
Ei’risai CG, CN, CE Blindness/Deafness Acrobatics, Escape Artist Strength Constitution
Garuda NG, CN, CG See Invisibility Acrobatics, Fly Dexterity Wisdom
Inevitable LG, LN, LE Hold Person Diplomacy, Intimidate Charisma Constitution
Kami LG, LN, NG, TN, CG, CN Speak with Plants Knowledge (nature), Perception Dexterity Wisdom
Kyton LN, LE, NE Web Escape Artist, Intimidate Constitution Charisma
Oni LN, LE, TN, NE, CN, CE Alter Self Disguise, Intimidate Strength Wisdom
Peri LG, NG, TN, CG Pyrotechnics Knowledge (planes), Spellcraft Intelligence Charisma
Protean CG, CN, CE Shatter Bluff, Knowledge (arcana) Strength Wisdom
Psychomomp LN, NG, TN, NE, CN Speak with Dead Knowledge (religion), Spellcraft Wisdom Constitution
Qlippoth NE, CN, CE Blur Escape Artist, Survival Wisdom Strength
Rakshasa LN, LE, NE Detect Thoughts Disguise, Sense Motive Charisma Dexterity

Eldritch Blast (Sp): Starting at 1st level, the Warlock learns to unleash baleful magical energy to deal damage to his foes. An eldritch blast is a ranged touch attack that affects a single target, with a range of 100 feet, plus 10 feet per Warlock level. On a successful hit, the eldritch blast deals 1d6 points of force damage (no save). This increases to 2d6 at 3rd level, plus 1d6 for every three levels thereafter. Using eldritch blast is an attack action, and is usable at will. Any time the Warlock would be able to make a weapon attack, he may choose to use eldritch blast. A warlock able to make multiple attacks per round as part of a full-attack action may fire multiple eldritch blasts, up to the limit of his normal number of attacks.

Eldritch Blast counts as a spell of the Evocation school, with a level equal to the number of damage dice for all effects that are dependent on spell-level or the school of magic. An eldritch blast is subject to spell resistance, although Spell Penetration and other feats and abilities that improve caster level checks also apply to eldritch blast. An eldritch blast deals half damage to objects. Using eldritch blast provokes attacks of opportunity as normal for a ranged attack. Any ability that allows ranged attacks to be made without provocation applies to eldritch blasts as well.

 Contact Patron (Sp): Starting at 2nd level, the Warlock gains the ability to directly contact with his Patron in its outer-planar home for insight and advice. This acts as an Augury spell, cast at the Warlock’s level. This is a spell-like ability and does not require any material components. The Warlock may use this ability a number of times per day equal to his Charisma modifier (minimum 1).

As the Warlock advances in level, he is able to better communicate with his patron, gaining more detailed and longer term information. At 8th level, this ability acts as a Divination spell. At 14th level, it acts as a Commune spell.

 Patronic Transformation (Su): Starting at 2nd level, the Warlock’s patron begins teaching him eldritch secrets, at the cost of the Warlock’s humanity—granting him powers similar to creatures with an extraplanar bloodline while dramatically altering his form over time. The Warlock has no control over what secrets his Patron teaches him, nor what changes such knowledge may wreak upon his body.

At 2nd level and every 2 levels thereafter, the Warlock must roll 1d100 to determine what abilities he gains. Warlocks with a good-aligned Patron roll on the Variant Aasimar Abilities table. Those with an evil-aligned Patron roll on the Variant Tiefling Abilities table. Those whose Patron is neutral-aligned with respect to good and evil may choose to roll on either table, but must use the alternate table every other roll (i.e. if he rolls on the Tiefling table at 2nd level, he must roll on the Aasimar table at 4th, and so on).

The Warlock gains the ability indicated by his roll, as well as the physical feature from the respective “Alternative Physical Features” table determined by the same d100 result. Any ability granted that has a limited numbed of uses per day is usable a number of times per day equal to the Warlock’s Charisma modifier, instead of the indicated number of uses (minimum 1/day). If the same ability is rolled more than once, the benefits stack (+2 to a skill becomes +4, Damage Reduction 2/magic becomes DR 4/magic, Spell Resistance 10 + 1/2 your level becomes 10 + your level, Energy Resistance 5 becomes Resistance 10, etc.). A spell-like ability rolled more than once grants an additional number of daily uses equal to the amount indicated normally.

Eldritch Talents: In addition to the powers granted by their Patron, Warlocks are students of the arcane arts. Their unrelenting pursuit of knowledge and power leads them to learn magical talents very similar to that wielded by specialist wizards, but with none of their limitations on schools. At 3rd level, and again at every odd level thereafter, the Warlock learns one Eldritch Talent from the list below. Any ability that triggers off of casting a spell or affects spells you cast applies to your spell-like abilities (including eldritch blast if appropriate), as well as spells you cast from other classes you may have.
Eldritch Essence (Sp): Beginning at 4th level, as a standard action, the Warlock may unleash his eldritch blast and add the effect of any single spell-like abilities he has access to to the blast. On a successful hit, the target of the eldritch blast also becomes the target of the spell-like ability used, and must make any appropriate saving throws against the spell-like ability included. If the spell-like ability used deals damage of a specific energy type (such as the Acid Dart conjuration school power). all damage dealt by the eldritch blast is changed to match that type. Regardless of whether or not the eldritch blast hits, a use of that spell-like ability is expended.

Even abilities that normally have a range of “touch” or “self” can be delivered in this fashion (thus the Warlock would be able to cast Alter Self on an enemy targeted by eldritch essence). If the spell has an area of effect, the effect is centered on the target of the eldritch blast. Eldritch Talents that are supernatural abilities cannot be combined with an eldritch essence. A Warlock able to make multiple attacks with his eldritch blast may still only make a single attack when using an eldritch essence.
Special: If the Force Missile eldritch talent is used with eldritch essence, the eldritch blast also hits automatically with no attack roll required.

Advanced Eldritch Talents: Starting at 11th level, any time the Warlock would learn an eldritch talent, he may choose one of the following advanced talents instead.
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Friday, February 24, 2017

The Alice -- Pathfinder Conversion

There are painfully few LotFP + Pathfinder hacks to be found on the internet, so I figured I would share one of mine, because taking classes built for a relatively rules-light retro-clone and hacking them to work with one of the most rules-heavy modern D&D clones is fun, right?


An archetype for the Rogue class based on the Alice class from the Lamentations of the Flame Princess A Red and Pleasant Land campaign setting. The core text of this is all courtesy of Zak S., the Pathfinder-specific mechanical changes are mine.
The_Alice.jpg
Artwork by Zak S.
Alices (when male: “Alistairs” or, of any gender: “Fools”) are unlike other adventurers in that they are actively sought by adventure. Alices forever find themselves falling into cursed rabbit holes, accidentally killing witches, having their half-brothers stolen by goblin kings, being willed magic rings, finding demons inserted in their chests, or having armored knights ride through their homes at bedtime. Obscure gods, however, sympathize with them (they are often born to powerful families), and an Alice is a boon to any adventuring party. Some Alices wear striped stockings, some Alistairs wear pointed shoes. Although they begin their adventures untrained and naive, Alices are fast learners, and high level Alices are known for their sagacity and cunning.

Alices act as rogues for all purposes except where described below:

Class Skills:
The Alice’s class skills are: Acrobatics (Dex), Appraise (Int), Bluff (Cha), Diplomacy (Cha), Disable Device (Dex), Disguise (Cha), Fly (Dex), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Knowledge [All] (Int), Linguistics (Int), Perception (Wis), Perform (Cha), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Sleight of Hand (Dex), Stealth (Dex), and Use Magic Device (Cha). These replace the class skills normally gained by the Rogue class.

 Weapon and Armor Proficiencies:
The Alice is proficient with all Simple Weapons and all Light Martial Weapons. She is proficient with Light Armor, but not with shields. These replace the standard weapon and armor proficiencies gained by the Rogue class.

 Exasperation (Su):
Starting at 1st level, in times of unusual stress Alices may become Exasperated. This Exasperation causes fate to take notice of the Alice, and then to aid her. The Alice says or thinks something like “Oh I can’t conceive how I ever fell into this deplorable circumstance!” or “We are indeed doomed and now birds will gnaw our eyes.” This ability replaces all instances of the rogue’s Sneak Attack ability.

An Alice may express Exasperation once per day at 1st level, and one additional time per day at 3rd level and every 3 levels thereafter (to a maximum of 7/day at 18th level). When the Alice becomes exasperated, the DM rolls 1d4 on the Exasperations Table below. This increases to 1d6 at 5th level, a d8 at 9th level, a d10 at 13th level, and a d12 at 17th level. Becoming Exasperated is a standard action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Exasperations are supernatural effects. These can’t be disrupted in combat and generally don’t provoke attacks of opportunity. They aren’t subject to spell resistance, counterspells, or dispel magic, and don’t function in antimagic areas. Any saving throws required by an Exasperation are made against a DC equal to 10 + 1/2 the Alice’s level + the Alice’s Charisma modifier.

 Roll 		Exasperations
1 A door is revealed where none had previously been detected. This may appear in a wall, the side of a tree, on a rock, the backside of a very large monster, or anywhere else that it might be appropriate for a door to appear. This functions as a Dimension Door spell, leading to any location the DM feels appropriate so long as the destination is either: (a) relatively safe, or (b) plot-advancing.
2 The Alice realizes she has something in her pack, her hair, or otherwise secreted about her person. The object can be any non-magical and generic item (a key, not the key) that exists in the setting and that is small enough that the Alice could reasonably have it hidden it in her current condition. The Alice may choose what this is.
3 An ordinary animal of size small or smaller appears. This does not grant the Alice any ability to directly control or communicate with it, but the animal will not under any circumstances hurt the Alice.
4 A fact about the situation at hand occurs to the Alice—something she learned once in a lesson or in a kitchen or on a Sunday—a piece of local or monster lore germane to the situation.
5 One creature within the Alice’s line of sight immediately falls prone (no save). If the target creature is adjacent to a cliff, pit, body of water, or other hazard, they must succeed at a Reflex save or fall into said hazard.
6 The weather in the immediate area changes in a way decided by the Alice, as per the Control Weather spell.
7 One nearby creature is charmed by the Alice, as per the Charm Monster spell, for 1 hour per Alice level. A successful Will save negates the effect.
8 One device or object within the Alice’s line of sight immediately breaks, gaining the broken condition. Magical objects are allowed a Fortitude save to negate this effect.
9 Something not ordinarily able to talk (GM’s choice) begins to speak to the Alice. This functions similar to a Speak with Animals, Speak with Plants, or Stone Tell spell, lasting 1 minute per Alice level. The thing will be generally sympathetic and friendly towards the Alice, answering questions to the best of its ability and offering what advice it may.
10 All creatures present completely forget that the Alice is there for 1 round. They will cease all attacks against the Alice and treat the Alice as if she were invisible to them. After this time, the Alice functions as if under the effects of a Sanctuary spell for 1 round per Alice level.
11 Someone shows up to fetch the Alice out of her current predicament. If there is an obvious candidate from among the local NPCs (giant eagles, a friendly knight, etc.), that’s who it is, otherwise the GM should make up an appropriate executor. The NPC appears as close as plausible, arriving by whatever means of locomotion is available to them, and will act by whatever means are at their disposal to remove the Alice from her current situation (forcefully if necessary).
12 One creature that the Alice can see begins to shrink. Each round, the target decreases in size by 1 size category (as per the Reduce Person spell). The target continues to decrease in size at the start of the Alice’s turn, at the rate of 1 size category per round, until it has been reduced to Fine size (roughly the size of a playing card). Each round, the target is allowed a Will save to halt the size reduction. Once the shrinking halts, the creature will remain at its new size for 10 minutes per level of the Alice.

Alice Talents:
Starting at 2nd level, whenever the Alice would gain a new Rogue Talent, she must choose one of the following talents instead. This replaces the normal list of available Rogue Talents and Advanced Rogue Talents, but otherwise acts as that ability. If the Alice has a second archetype that adds additional options to the list of Rogue Talents, or requires a specific Rogue Talent to be taken, those talents are added to this list.
  • Alice was then reminded of something she’d noticed before…: The Alice gains a +1 Insight bonus on all saving throws.
  • Falling down wells really improves the hand-eye coordination.: The Alice gains double her normal Dexterity bonus on Dexterity-based skill checks.
  • She noticed the Red Knight always feinted to his left— she was a very perceptive girl.: The Alice can choose to observe a target as a standard action. For each round spent observing a single target, the Alice gains a +1d4 bonus on her next single attack roll or combat maneuver check made against the target (to a maximum of 1d4 per 2 Alice levels). If the Alice does not make an attack against the target, this bonus ends after 1 minute.
  • Alice liked pies, although sometimes people did not want her to have them.: The Alice gains a circumstance bonus equal to her Alice level on all skill checks made to locate or acquire foodstuffs of any kind (including Perception checks to locate food, Survival checks to forage, or even Sleight of Hand checks to steal food from a vendor’s cart). Note that potions and other consumables may count as “food” at the GM’s discretion.
  • She closed her eyes and said the words just as she’d been taught…: The Alice learns a single Sorcerer/Wizard spell of 1st level. This spell is usable once per day, and is cast at the Alice’s level. Any save DCs are Charisma-based. The Alice may take this Talent up to 8 times, each time learning a single spell of the next higher spell-level (to a maximum of 8th level).
  • Oh, I do so apologize…: The Alice gains the Improved Trip feat as a bonus feat. She does not need to meet the prerequisites for this feat.
  • Her sister had mentioned they were dreadful people…: The Alice gains a +2 bonus on all Knowledge (nobility) skill checks. In addition, the Alice can choose to be the cousin or niece or otherwise secondhand related to any single NPC encountered thereafter (this may not be an NPC that has been encountered previously). This Talent can be selected up to three times. This bonuses stack (to a maximum of +6) and each time the Alice can choose a new NPC to be distantly related to.
  • All that hiding in the dumbwaiter has finally paid off.: The Alice is exceptionally talented at learning secrets. Once per day, the Alice may attempt an Intelligence check (DC 10). If the check succeeds, the Alice can either identify a single magic item (as if she had succeeded at a spellcraft check) or learn a single embarrassing fact about an NPC (to be used however she decides). Player’s choice.
  • It seemed nearly everything was dangerous if handled improperly.: The Alice has become very skilled with improvised weapons. She gains Catch Off Guard as a bonus feat, and all improvised weapons she wields deal damage as if they were one size category larger.
  • It was very shiny and stuck out like a soup spoon…: The Alice gains Improved Steal as a bonus feat. She does not need to meet the prerequisites for this feat.
  • She was not such a mouse as she used to be.: The Alice gains a +1 increase to her Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution score. This operates just like the ability score increases gained every four levels. This talent may be taken up to three times, each time improving a different ability score.
  • Alice then did something quite astonishing…: The Alice is surprising. She adds her Charisma modifier to attack and damage rolls with all improvised weapons, and on all attacks made during a surprise round.
  • The blue one certainly did make the Alice taller, of that Alice was certain…: Craft (alchemy) becomes a class skill for the Alice. The Alice can use Craft (alchemy) to identify potions as if using detect magic, and gains a circumstance bonus equal to 1/2 her Alice level on such checks. She must hold the potion for 1 round to make such a check.
  • She could be very charming when she needed to be.: The Alice’s silver tongue gives her a +2 bonus on all Bluff and Diplomacy skill checks. This talent can be taken up to three times. The bonuses stack to a maximum of +6.
  • “It really was curious,” she thought— “How many times could this kind of thing happen?”: The Alice may escape a gruesome fate. Once per day, when the Alice would be reduced to 0 hit points or less by an attack, she can choose to be reduced to 1 hit point instead. The Alice immediately falls prone and is staggered for one round. The attacker must make a Sense Motive check (opposed by the Alice’s Bluff check) or assume that the Alice has been slain. This talent may selected more than once, each time granting an additional daily use of this ability.
  • She knew to curtsey at times like this, and so she did.: Despite the low company the Alice keeps, she’s been working on her manners. Members of the upper classes instinctively recognize the Alice as one of their own (even if she isn’t), and treat her as such. The Alice gains a +2 bonus on all Charisma-based skill checks when dealing with the nobility. In addition, this may grant her access to exclusive events or venues, increased access to centers of political power, etc.
  • It was so lovely, and—according to the book—it was right there.: The dress made of manticore-flesh, the house full of lilacs, the magical fish-gutting knife—whatever the thing that the Alice always wanted is, it’s there. Tell the GM what you want. He will immediately place it somewhere 4 adventuring sessions away or less. The Alice must have a fair shot at it (i.e. it will not be guarded by a monster of a CR twice your level or more), but there’s no guarantee the Alice will get it. This Talent may only be taken once and works only once. Think big.
  • She had not known her mother’s cousin very well, and decided that it was a bad thing that she had died…: The Alice has been willed 5,000 shillings worth of random mundane (nonmagical) objects. The player must immediately spend this cash on whatever items he desires, then inform the GM of what she bought. The items in question will be waiting for the PC at the next town she visits. This Talent may be taken more than once, but each such windfall is a one-time thing. With the GM’s permission, the windfall may take the form of deeds and titles to lands, ships, or buildings in the place of equipment.
  • They kept talking as though Alice was a rhododendron in a pot.: The Alice gains Advantage (roll twice and take the better result) on all Stealth skill checks.
  • She knew from school what the word meant, but did not know if it was rude or not.: The Alice gains a +2 bonus on all Linguistics skill checks, and learns 1 new language of her choice. This talent may be taken up to three times. The bonus to Linguistics stacks, to a maximum of +6.
  • Alice quite liked drawing, and had an impressive box of crayons at home.: The Alice gains Advantage (roll twice and take the better result) on all Linguistics skill checks made to create (but not detect) forgeries. In addition, Craft (painting) becomes a class skill for the Alice, and she gains Advantage on all Craft (painting) skill checks made to create artistic forgeries.
  • She thought it might be a saltcellar, or at least that seemed like a good word.: The Alice gains a circumstance bonus on Appraise skill checks equal to 1/2 her Alice level. On a successful Appraise check, not only does she learn the objects apparent value, but she is also immediately aware if the item is somehow not what it seems (such as a forgery, disguised, hollow, booby-trapped, etc.), though this will not reveal specifics about what may be different about the item.
  • She did seem to offend people (and animals) wherever she went.: The Alice has become adept at dueling. She gains weapon proficiency with the Rapier, Sword Cane, and Dueling Sword and gains Weapon Finesse as a bonus feat.
  • They all listened attentively as Alice told her tale.: The Alice gains a +1 increase to her Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma score. This operates just like the ability score increases gained every four levels. This talent may be taken up to three times, each time improving a different ability score.
  • They began to throw stones, and Alice began to avoid them.: The Alice gains a +2 dodge bonus to AC against ranged attacks (including ranged touch attacks), and a +2 dodge bonus on Reflex saving throws.
  • She began to feel somewhat neglected.: If the Alice takes the total defense action in a round and an opponent misses her with an attack roll, the Alice may make an immediate Disarm, Dirty Trick, Trip, or Steal combat maneuver against that opponent as an immediate action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.
  • She tried to remember what she knew about stoats.: The Alice gains a bonus on Handle Animal skill checks equal to 1/2 her Alice level. She gains a similar bonus on Diplomacy skill checks made against animals and magical beasts of Intelligence 3 or greater with whom she shares a language.
  • Alice had seen so many unusual things lately, it had become usual.: Nothing phases the Alice any more. Even mind-altering cosmic horrors from the far edge of the cosmos are like whatever. She gains immunity to confusion and insanity effects.
Alice’s Edge:
At 7th level, the Alice masters a single skill beyond that skill’s normal boundaries. She gains the skill unlock powers for one skill of her choice as appropriate for her number of ranks in that skill. At 11th level, 15th, and 19th levels, she chooses an additional skill and gains skill unlock powers for that skill as well.
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Thursday, February 23, 2017

Legacy of the Golden Horseshoe: Session 5

August 10, 1720

 The party awoke the next morning to the rich smell of roasting bear meat — or was it turkey? Despite having slain and skinned an owlbear the night before, it took an unusually long time for their minds to equate the horrible monstrosity they’d fought so recently with the smell of breakfast. After they had eaten and packed, Líadan suggested that they should attempt to find the Owlbear’s lair, siting the rather high market value of owlbear young, eggs, and pelts. Despite some dithering, and against pretty much everyone’s better instincts, the party agreed.

Lacking any real tracking skill, Líadan asked the local fauna for directions. Starting in the obvious place — where the owlbear had been caught in their trap — they followed the creature’s massive claw-prints backwards. Despite the thing’s bulk, they found no signs of its passage other than the prints — not a single broken twig or misplaced leaf. Whenever they started to lose the trail, a helpful fat, fluffy chickadee would flutter down and tweet shrilly beside the next nearest paw-print.

For over an hour they tracked the thing thusly. The trail lead them up into the nearby hills, through many a briary thicket or thorny hedgerow which seemed somehow completely undisturbed by the owlbear’s passage, and yet proved quite the barrier for the party. Finally after nearly two miles of pushing their way through the tangled undergrowth, they came to a steep ravine which cut towards the foot of Gaar Mountain. A half-mile up the ravine, they found a large cave-entrance in the hillside, with a small spring-fed pond in front of it.

With the enclosed walls of the ravine, the rank wet-fur/wet-feather smell of owlbear coming from the cave was nearly overwhelming. With much cajoling, Rhodri convinced Vicious that she should go down to the pond to get a drink and to get a look inside the cave. Grumbling as she went, Vicious reported that she saw something moving in the darkness of the cave, something big she thought. Líadan then asked the nearby birds for verification, a chickadee reported that there were “many, far too many” owlbears living in the cave and that they were “terrifically huge”.

Deciding that they were quite under-prepared for dealing with multiple adult owlbears, Tess, Líadan, and Zibbler decided to head back to camp and return with the musket squad and the bear traps, leaving Rhodri and Vicious to keep watch on the cave. The small, wrinkled faerie hid himself as best he could in the undergrowth and dug in to wait. And wait he did. Sitting there trying to keep still for solid three hours, he, unsurprisingly, dozed a bit.

After rounding up the boys with their muskets and the mothers with some sleep spells prepared, the crew made their way back towards the owlbear cave. As they neared the ravine, Tess caught a whiff of owlbear stench, not coming from the ravine, but from behind them. Going on the alert, everyone circled up and peered out into the dense tickets around them, but saw nothing.

They waited.

The silence was punctuated by the squawk of a small bird and the sound of crunching bones. Then silence again.

After several minutes with no visual sign of an owlbear, they resumed their trek, but this time heard the distinct sounds of something rustling in the underbrush, keeping pace with them. Stop. Sound stops. Go. They kept it up for some time, but still saw no sign of whatever creature was stalking them. Only the smell of owlbear and the sounds of rustling leaves gave any indication that their stalker was still there.

Finally after a tense hour of this stop and go walking chase through the woods, they came to the cave. Rhodri took the bear traps and snuck up to the cave mouth to lay them out, while the others fanned out around the pool to keep watch. Tess, near the back, caught sight of rapid movement out of the corner of her eye, she spun just in time to see a flash of fur disappearing back into a ticket of raspberry bushes, accompanied by a panicked flight of small birds bursting out of those same bushes.

“There!” she cried.

Zibbler responded quickly unleashing a gout of magical fire at the bushes. The dried underbrush went up in a roaring column of flames, and something furry went rushing out of the bush and back towards the entrance of the ravine. Sadly, with the nearby flora quickly catching fire, they were unable to pursue, but instead went to work trying to contain the blaze.

Rhodri, meanwhile, so close to the cave, peered in and saw nothing. He moved closer. Nothing. Finally screwing up his courage, he marched into the cave and found it empty. Five small alcoves branched off from the entrance. There was a pile of broken and gnawed bones and bits of fur, and some bloody stains on the floor, but no sign of owlbears other than the lingering stench. He took the time to sift through the bones, but found nothing of any value.

Once the fire was under control, the party fanned out to look around, but found no signs of owlbears in the area. Disheartened by their failure, but somewhat relieved to not have to fight another owlbear, they packed up and headed back to camp.

As they left the ravine and descended the hill back towards their camp, Tess found several fresh owlbear tracks, heading the same way. Afraid that the owlbears might be heading for their camp, they sped up and ran the last mile. They arrived, breathless, to find nothing at all amiss.

With the sun now high in the sky, they ate a quick lunch and broke camp, determined to make some progress at least. Turning south by south-west, they followed the Whiteoak Run upstream. The mostly dry riverbed of the Whiteoak run served as a fine road, and they made good time. Near nightfall, they cut through the gap between Tippet’s Mountain and Carter Ridge, then pressed on, downhill, another two miles to the confluence of Whetstone Run and the Rapidan River, and camped on the shore.

As camp was being set, Rhodri rode out on Vicious, making a circuit of the camp, looking for “signs of bandits or wolves or bears or whatnot”. While he found none of such, he did stumble upon a large field of wild radishes. Making mental note of the location, he gathered up what he could and rode back to camp. Soon several parties of the emancipated people were coming and going, laden with large armfulls of the roots and greens to add their mostly carnivorous diet of the last few days.
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That night, everyone was plagued by nightmares. Everyone except Rhodri that is. While standing first watch, he found a small wooden doll on the edge of the camp, looking like a vaguely feminine fox, painted in bright reds and yellows. He pocketed it with the intent of giving it to one of the young girls in their train.
August 11, 1720

The next morning, everyone woke bleary-eyed and grumpy, having suffered a night of much fitful turnings and cold sweats. As they packed up camp, Líadan pointed out that they had regained the Rapidan, having cut out nearly fourty miles of its southern dip from when they’d left it back at Raccoon Ford, and were now on track to follow it strait north to the gap at its headwaters if they chose, but also pointed out that the next ridge to the west marked the edge of their maps. Vicious countered that he smelled owlbear from the north, and that they should instead follow the Rapidan south by south-east and look for another path west, since the way due west looked “much too rocky”.
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Exasperated, Tess pointed to the west, “There’s a pass right there!”



As they argued about which route to take, Zibbler spotted a tiny fox lurking on the edge of their camp. The little creature trotted into the camp like it owned the place, and began telling them, in plain English, what idiots they were and how it was a miracle that they’d survived this long. A moment later, a horse followed the fox out of the woods, bearing a native woman with an elaborate feathered headdress.


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She explained that she had been watching them since the owlbear cave, and that the owlbears they seemed so afraid of were still on their trail. She pressed them as to whether they had thanked the spirits for their good luck so far, and for the food which had so fortuitously come to them, then lead them in a brief ceremony before urging them to move.

With the native woman’s aid, they took the western route, back up into the hills, then down into the Conway River valley, then around the northern edge of Teel Mountain and Lydia Mountain. By late afternoon, they reached the Swift Run and started finally making their way through the gap and up into the Blue Ridge Mountains.

As they started up the steep trail, climbing thousands of feet, the wind changed and they caught the now familiar scent of owlbears. They scrambled, trying to move the ox-cart and the long train of women and children up the mountain as fast as possible before the predators could catch them.

owlbears-tiny.pngAs they moved up another switchback, Zibbler, walking at the trailing end of the group, once again heard the sound of a small bird being eaten whole. He spun around to see a rounded, furry haunch disappearing behind a large boulder. At his signal, Rhodri turned and kicked Vicious into a full gallop up the hillside. They rounded the boulder to come face to face with three razor-sharp beaks. Albeit much smaller than he expected…


The babies, it seemed had been following the scent of their mother all the way from the den. Líadan stepped up and tried to coax them out from behind the rock with a series of gentle “hoot hoot hoot” noises (presumably something in owl-language). Within moments the three wee beasties disappeared around the other side of the rock, then rushed Líadan, scrambling up her back and clinging to her protectively. They made a small ruckus of grunts, and growls, and whistles, and hoots, but Líadan wasn’t able to understand a word of the owlbear speech.

As night was falling, and it was already quite dark on the eastern face of the ridge, Rhodri suggested that they camp where they were. The native woman, who had by now introduced herself as Siclare, pointed out that there were numerous human tracks along the path they were taking, and Tess argued that the Trading Post was supposed to be right at the top of the ridge. So they pressed on.

It was full night, and an overcast one at that, when they crested the mountain. There, nestled in the gap, was a small fort, surrounded by a tall wooden palisade with a pair of square watchtowers at the corners. Worried that the force at the trading post was likely to give them away to the colonials, the escaped slaves hid in the woods while Rhodri rode up to inquire at the trading post about food and supplies.
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Circling the palisade, he saw no sign of guards or soldiers — no lights, no men dozing in the watchtowers, nothing. He approached the gate and banged loudly to be let in. Several minutes later, a lonely eye peered out through a chink in the huge wooden gate. “Go avay! Eetz ze middle of ze fucking night!” said a voice, accompanied by the sound of the hammer being cocked on a rifle.

Rhodri argued with the very rude gatekeeper for several minutes, asking to be let in. Tess, Líadan, and Siclare slipped up to help with the extended negotiations. Finally the promise of money, and two shillings tossed over the wall, led the man to open the gates. They were lead inside, where Rhodri explained that he was “twenty or thirty people worth of hungry”, and Líadan offered the man the owlbear pelt in exchange for a place to sleep for the night and “a very large meal”.

The gatekeeper, nodded. “I veel ask my vife to cook somezing for you”, he said, as he casually shoved the twenty-foot high, solid wood gates closed with one hand and lifted a log that was easily twelve-feet long and bigger-around than a man to bar the gates behind them.

To be continued…
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