War for the Crown PF1 OOC Thread

[paradox26]

Here is the OOC thread. Due to Christmas, I will take a couple of days before I kick the game into gear. But please take the opportunity to pick a colour and get to know each other.

Recruitment Thread: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...Adventure-Path

IC Thread: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...-PF1-IC-thread

[n0ble]

Hey all-choosing firebrick

[DrK]

Hey all, thanks @Paradox for including Rikkard. If its okay with folk he'll speak in "bold" as its easier to post from a phone!

[DarkOne-Rob]

Reserving Bold Golden Rod for Lillian's text.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

[Farmerbink]

Shotgun plum!

In all fairness, there's a solid 70% chance I'll do it by habit if I don't pick it first anyway O_o. It's become borderline mania for me.

But hey! I'm pleasantly surprised! I didn't really think we were gonna make it. Thanks for the invite, and I promise to do my best to give you something interesting to read,

[Stelio Kontos]

Sup all! Eathan will be speaking in good old boring blue. Looking forward to playing with you all.

Eathan Zespire

[Farmerbink]

At Paradox26's request, here's a link to discord, where we'll probably talk faster, if not necessarily more often.

https://discord.gg/vVa7QhPF

Let me know your character when you arrive, please.

[Frosty]

Matanya Harino (aka Rebecca Romos) will go green!

Race and class: Human Bard [Lotus Geisha]
Age: 21
Who she is: A firm believer in "freedom and democracy" and bringer of social change
Specialties: Infiltration, lockpicking, charm, magical support.
Deity: Milani
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Position: Backline with a bow and bardic performance.

Spoiler: Picture

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Spoiler: Background

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Matanya Harino is a young woman who grew up in Andoran and has relatives living in Andoran and in Taldor. She grew up on stories of freedom and egality and how the people of Andoran won their independence from the evil slaver nobles of Cheliax. She heard how all the other governments in the world (except for Galt, which…has its own issues) do not represent their people like the Andoran government does. The wide-eyed, idealistic Matanya joined the Eagle Knights in order to “spread freedom” to the world.

In the Eagle Knights, Matanya developed some basic bardic skills and magics, but her limited martial prowess made it clear she wasn’t going to be a star in the Golden Legion or the Steel Falcons. However, her silver tongue, soft movements, and skill with disguises marked her as a prime recruit for the Twilight Talons. Matanya was recruited into Andoran’s secret espionage organization, and her first real mission would not send her far from home. She was to assume the role of an exotic dancer and lady of the night, and look for opportunities to gather intel and blackmail on various nobles and politicians in Taldor. These intel would aid in future machinations to engineer a political change in Taldor.

Having relatives in Taldor, Matanya actually cares about Taldor enough to want to improve the lot of Taldor’s citizens. As such, she firmly believes in her mission beyond just her zeal to spread freedom. She has been in Taldor for the better part of a year now, and has had some success. Matanya, whose undercover name is <Rebecca Romos>, has built quite the reputation as a brazen and beautiful escort, with skill in song, dance, and conversation. When Lady Martella Lotheed’s invitation to the Exaltation Gala arrived at the brothel, Matanya was quite surprised. Surprised, but not unprepared. This even would be a goldmine for her. Armed with a working knowledge of the various nobles and political faction, a scandalously revealing and distracting dress, and the willingness to do anything to succeed, Matanya will change Taldor, one way or another.

Spoiler: Personality

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Matanya's true personality is hard to determine because when she is playing a role, she tends to play it to the hilt. In her current role, she often plays up her sophistication and her worldliness. When she does let her true self shine through, Matanya exudes playful energy combined with an abundance of confidence that only youth can bring. She perks up whenever the topic of societal change and liberation is brought up and is willing to talk someone's ears off on the subject.

Everyone don't forget to DM Farmerblink on discord after joining, so he caa add you to the War for the crown sub-channel on his server.

[Paddywagon Man]

Fire Brick for Ostsi I suppose! Looking forward to the game!

[Paddywagon Man]

It's a super minor and unimportant nitpick, but it doesn't seem like what's being voted on here is ending primogeniture - that just means rule by the eldest child, no gender preference inherent in the term - what most European kingdoms had and Taldor is voting on is specifically 'male primogeniture' or 'agnatic primogeniture'.

Or is there more to the proposed change than just letting a woman into the line of succession? I could be making a fool of myself

[paradox26]

You are correct. I thought I wrote male primogeniture. Sorry, that is what I meant.

EDIT: I just had a look, and the bit about simple primogeniture was what was written in the book, which I copied word for word. I think I mentioned male primogeniture somewhar, but it might have been in a PM with a player.

[DarkOne-Rob]

The Tasks

Each task also is listed with the background trait most likely suited to it, but it isn't essential to pick the same as the trait you have.

Spoiler: Aide (Athletic Champion)

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In addition to spies, Martella
legitimately needs a senatorial aide as both a cover
for her other false aides and to run communications
between allied politicians. This is by far the easiest job
available, but also the most time-consuming, requiring
the PC to run messages between various politicians.
Navigating the crowded senate floor to deliver
messages quickly requires a successful DC 12 Escape
Artist or combat maneuver check. Martella first tasks this
agent with delivering a sealed letter to Count Orlundo
Zespire in the archives, who asks the PC to wait 1 round
and then deliver a follow-up message to Junior Senator
Duo in the gallery. During Martella’s first meeting with
the PCs, she asks her aide to
deliver a similar message to Lady Glorianna Morilla
in the courtyard, who asks the agent to run messages
to both Martella at her table in the gallery and Duke
Centimus in the archives. Duke Centimus is content
with the information he receives, but Martella then asks
her aide to run a file folder she “borrowed” back to the
archives as well. If this agent successfully delivers all this
paperwork, he succeeds at his mission.

Spoiler: Discovery (Taldan Patriot)

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Martella is confident
Eutropia has gathered the votes necessary for her cause,
but she hates loose ends. She tasks this agent with
uncovering the true dedication of two senators: Duke
Centimus and Countess Abrielle Pace. It is unknown
if either supports Eutropia’s bid to end primogeniture,
and while their votes will be apparent after the senate
convenes, Martella wants the PC to discover their
positions in advance, as well as the reasons each noble
holds that position.
Divining each noble’s motivations requires a
successful DC 15 Sense Motive or Perception check after
at least one member of the party has put the noble at
ease with one or more successful Influence checks.

Spoiler: Fraud (Disgraced Noble)

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Martella needs to discredit a
few prominent senators backing primogeniture—not
necessarily to sway their votes, but to undercut their
influence after the vote.
This agent must create a scandal surrounding one of
the major opponents to the repeal of primogeniture.
Doing so requires first identifying an opponent, either
with a successful DC 15 Sense Motive check or by
coordinating with another PC (such as one taking the
Discovery mission), and then by spreading rumors with
a successful DC 15 Bluff check and manufacturing or
coopting damning evidence on the fly with a successful DC
12 Linguistics check.

Spoiler: Politicking (Senatorial Hopeful)

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The orchestrations of
Eutropia, Glorianna Morilla, and Martella Lotheed have
swayed a great number of reluctant senators, and Lady
Lotheed requires a vast web of influence to maintain that.
To that end, she would like this agent to make a strong
impression on Baron Nicolaus Okerra and remind him of
certain debts he owes her. While Baron Nicolaus Okerra
isn’t a senator, his war record and general popularity
make him an influential figure—one whose reputation
helped sway a number of otherwise neutral votes.

Spoiler: Sabotage (Young Reformer)

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Some senators are too
powerful or stubborn for the PCs to influence their
votes, but that doesn’t mean they’re beyond some petty
revenge. Martella would like to exact some retribution
against her more powerful half-brothers, who have
contributed a large bottle of rare, 150-year-old red wine
from family holdings in the Opparos province, now
held in the senate’s kitchens. Martella provides a single
syringe filled with a putrefying agent to render the wine
embarrassingly undrinkable but warns her agent not to
steal the bottle and to conceal any signs of tampering;
it must be drunk at dinner and appear to be of terrible
quality or—even more scandalously—a forgery.
Recognizing the correct bottle in the crowded
kitchen requires a successful DC 11 Appraise check or
DC 15 Knowledge (nobility) check, while injecting the
putrefying agent without leaving any trace of tampering
requires a successful DC 14 Disable Device check.

Spoiler: Spy (Rising Star)

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Martella needs someone to keep tabs
on political rivals and update her if they change their
tactics, most notably High Strategos Maxillar Pythareus.
This agent must stay close to the military commander,
watching for unusual behavior or listening for snippets
of conversation, and warn her if he takes any unusual
actions, all while remaining unobtrusive.
Spying requires a total of three successful DC 14
Perception or Sense Motive checks, but to approach close
enough to attempt one of these checks while remaining
unnoticed requires the agent to first succeed a DC 15
Disguise or Stealth check (this check is not considered
part of the PC’s social action).

Spoiler: Theft (none)

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To further undermine the influence of the
recently disgraced Earl Calhadion Vernisant, Martella
would like to see some of the historical artifacts that
the earl donated to the senate vanish from the Arcade
of Triumphs before it is unveiled prior to the evening’s
vote. Martella indicates that her agent is free to keep the
item; she wishes only for its disappearance to further
embarrass Earl Vernisant and his allies. The artifacts
aren’t secured; the senate assumes anyone sophisticated
enough to attended this crowded gala would never
dream of stealing anything on public display.
Stealing any single curio from Martella’s list requires a
successful DC 17 Sleight of Hand skill check. Martella’s list
mention five items—a buckler, a dagger, a fan, a journal,
and a spyglass—but she needs only three of them to go
missing to disgrace the earl.

Lillian would be very effective at accomplishing Discovery and Sabotage, I think with +10 Appraise, +7 Disable Device, +9 Perception and Sense Motive.

She'd be less likely to be successful at Spy, but could still succeed: +5 Disguise, +6 Stealth, and the aforementioned +9 Perception and Sense Motive.

Lillian would be willing to help with Aide, Politicking, or Theft. Her Sleight of Hand is +6, so not enough to succeed 50% of the time without assistance. She'd be able to aid another on the skill, though, with good odds of success.

---

Given all that, I plan to have Lillian volunteer to first do the Sabotage task. Then, once complete, she can attempt Discovery. If anyone wants to help, they might speak up in-character after my post.

On the other tasks Lillian will help after someone else volunteers.

[DrK]

Rikkard's Character Sheet as a placeholder

Of the challenges he's probably best suited for the Discovery / Fraud or Politicking ones

[Farmerbink]

Weird question: Seresey has 34 of the 45 mentioned gold to afford noble's clothing. However, she also has a disguise kit. Could I use one to supplement the other, or is someone willing to loan me 11? XD

[DrK]

Weird question: Seresey has 34 of the 45 mentioned gold to afford noble's clothing. However, she also has a disguise kit. Could I use one to supplement the other, or is someone willing to loan me 11? XD

Rikkard can give you the 11gp

[Farmerbink]

Rikkard can give you the 11gp

I'll post a suitably unpleasant exchange after putting the kids to bed XD

[Stelio Kontos]

I would but I have, um, 3.9 gp to my name!

[Farmerbink]

It'll be even more fun when Rikkard steps in, I think XD

[Frosty]

I have like 2 gold or something. Rebecca is flat broke!

[paradox26]

Sorry I have been slow to get a response up. I have been both busy and put off by the current unreliability of the forums.

ALso, a courtier's outfit should be sufficient for most purposes. Not sure anyone will need to be dressed as a noble, but it can be arranged if you feel it necessary.

[paradox26]

Sorry for being absent for so long, everyone. I had a lot of RL things going on, and have barely been online. I was able to access the forum through my mobile, but I wasn't at my computer where I could access the modules, so I couldn't post. Things should return to normal now.

[paradox26]

I must apologise yet again, though this time I was absent due to the forums instability. I will update the IC now. WHo do we still have with us?

[Stelio Kontos]

I'm definitely still around!

[DrK]

I'm still here

[DarkOne-Rob]

Here and excited to get playing!

It is worth noting that until my schedule improves (the week of 19 FEB) I will be very hot-cold. On days I work I go from very early until very late (12+ hours at work) for 3 days in a row. I then have three days off, during which I can post plenty. Life gets better mid-month and should stay that way for some time.

[Farmerbink]

I must apologise yet again, though this time I was absent due to the forums instability. I will update the IC now. WHo do we still have with us?

If catching up 3 days later counts, I'm still around!

[Palanan]

Hey, folks, I’m posting on behalf of paradox26. Between forum problems and RL issues, he is putting all of his games on hold for now.

He intends to pick up again when he’s in a better place, but no timeframe yet. Please send some good thoughts his way.

[Stelio Kontos]

Best of luck paradox -- I'll be around when/if you're able to resume, but of course life comes first.