I don't think the curse triggers unless we are asking for something? This kind of thing came up on Mel's ship.
I don't generally like twisting the rules to make use of a character's skill where another clearly fits more. How did it go? "I stab the book...no WAIT! I backstab the book!" "It's a BOOK! It doesn't HAVE any discernable anatomy!" "It has a SPINE!"
That is true, if all you want out of this is more information the second part of the quest will not trigger since you will get the information from the interaction itself not from Leontas, but it would mean you could not use this interaction to draw him closer to your orbit for the betrayal.
I don't generally like twisting the rules to make use of a character's skill where another clearly fits more. How did it go? "I stab the book...no WAIT! I backstab the book!" "It's a BOOK! It doesn't HAVE any discernable anatomy!" "It has a SPINE!"
You can totally stab a book in a place where it will do more damage than just hitting it frontal.
You can usually make some pretty simple cuts to separate spine and cover from the block, for example.
Spirits, on the other hand, can be good, bad, or indifferent. Better to just make him out to be a friendly spirit, which is technically true, rather than claim he is something that is easily disproved.
Spirits, on the other hand, can be good, bad, or indifferent. Better to just make him out to be a friendly spirit, which is technically true, rather than claim he is something that is easily disproved.
Oh, no, the idea is to hide the fact that behind something easily disproven. They get to focus on the possible blackmail material ("They go around with an undead cat!"), instead of the actual problem, that is that Sirim is a non-familiar independent person.
If someone ever points out that the cat is not undead, well, yes, we never told them that it was undead. Just that it died and it keeps coming back! Go check yourself.
EDIT: alternatively, and I am afraid to say this, but Pepper might simply be... a Sylvanshee
Adhoc vote count started by DragonParadox on Jul 17, 2024 at 3:45 AM, finished with 37 posts and 4 votes.
[X] "It actually came as something of a surprise to me that other cats didn't talk, since Pepper was the first of his kind I ever met," Kori jokes. -[X] "He made his first appearance shortly after I helped free Mina and Cob from Duergar slavers. I'm not sure what sort of spirit Pepper is, but he's proven quite helpful in our travels. I suspect someone from the monastery where Mina grew up sent him to watch over her when she decided to venture out into the wider world. He won't elaborate, but seems quite attached to her."
At 7th level, if Mina learns the Improved Familiar feat, Pepper is gonna Pokevolve into one. He'll be even more helpful then, and it will give him a chance to redeem his species.
Unable to cast any spell to tilt the odds in your favor with both of them watching, you decide to just brazen it out with a smile: "It actually came as something of a surprise to me that other cats didn't talk, since Pepper was the first of his kind I ever met."
"Never seen a cat before?" Leontas's looks you over for any sign of a jest then he snorts. "Come on now, I know you have to have kept the pests out of your stores somehow."
"Traps and trickery," you shrug, knowing now not to add the part about adding them to the stew.
"What do you mean? A talking cat's just been following you around and you never asked it what it was about?" Moira presses, undeterred.
"He's as short on answers as he is long on advice when he does show up. It's good advice mind." After a dozen beats pause, as though in thought, you offer: "At a guess, someone at the monastery where Mina grew up at might have sent him to keep an eye on her. He first showed up after I freed her and Cob from duergar slavers and he was, as I said, first cat I ever saw."
"And she knew he'd pop up as soon as she fell asleep?" the sellsword presses.
"Hard to imagine a time when one would need more protection than on a demon haunted night after a hard fight with Gorok already off his feet," you answer smoothly, causing both of them to just stare in silence for a moment.
"There's more guesswork to sorcery than most sorcerers admit," you add and that they believe. It earns you a slap on the back from an armored gauntlet that almost sends you stumbling into the wall of the smithy.
"Well, can't argue with success... well you can, but it makes you look like an ass, a major, or a major ass," Leontas jokes, drawing the smallest of sighs from his companion, who had obviously heard that turn of phrase plenty of times before. Turning more serious he adds: "It's good to have a diviner on hand going up the river with all those rumors of dragons. Trying to kill a dragon with a lance sits better on an old Taldan mural than it does as a thing of flesh and blood."
Akorian Bluff: 1d20+16 = 34 vs
Leontas Sense Motive: 1d20+5+5 (Unlikely Lie) = 24
"I cannot claim my sight is always clear, but should we fail and we come face to face with wyrm-kin unbidden, I've a spell or two that might help."
"Think you got good odds against a dragon?" Moira's gaze lingers on your armor. "Don't think that fancy shirt's fire-proof."
"Try to talk to it first, try to kill it second, and try to run away from it last, the odds add up," you count off the ways on your fingers.
For a moment Leontas seems almost lost before shaking himself out of whatever dark thought had come over him. "Right you are master Akorian, it's easy for forget you can talk even to those you might end up crossing blades with when all you've spilled is demons' guts for the last ten bloody years."
As good a time as any to test the waters, you reason. "If you don't mind me asking, how does one come under the banners of this 'Crusade'? It is a worthy thing, no doubt about it, but hard as cutting through granite with naught but sand and copper."
"Born into it," he answers, leaning on the wall. "My father was a paladin of Iomadae, a holy warrior sworn to end the plague of demons. He died trying, as all of them do. My mother was a clanswoman of Sarkoris, or at least so she called herself to her dying day. In truth she was a cook, a camp follower in the armies of the Crusade. Finding myself skilled ahorse and strong enough to carry a sword there was only one path before me in Kenabres. I was one of the lucky ones." There's more left unspoken than was said there you'd judge, but that's all you're getting out of him today. From the look on Moira's face, she's surprised you got that much.
"And now? What are you plans after you leave Gavhaul's service?" you ask instead after the moment passes.
"What sellswords have done since back before there were swords of iron, count our coin and judge our employer. If both come up good, take another job with him or his lot. If not, its off to greener pastures. "
Akorian Sense Motive: 1d20+14 = 17
vs
Leontas Bluff: 1d20+14 = 19
Is it worth it starting to sow doubts? You wonder, while the pair of them go in the smithy you should have time to call on magic to sharpen your tongue. On the other side of things you've learned quite a bit and he's even offered you information about which way Gavhaul plans to take you. A misstep could be costly.
What do you do?
[] Start trying to sway Leontas and company
-[] What you know about the Aspis Cosortium from the Pathfinders and its propensity for cheating and treachery
-[] The Breolia situation, hints of infighting and the true undead horror of her being that meant you only just got out of Augustana without the Eagle Knights after you
-[] Write in Social Buffs (Optional)
Oh, that failed sense motive roll burns bitter on the tounge.
I think Leontas knows about the Aspis - you don't survive as a merc without knowing a bit of background, but it might be worth creating a bit of a fracture by mentioning that his contact Breolia was a demon summoning vampire - if we frame it right we can hilight that Gavhaul was annoyed that we killed his contact and apparently unconcerned that she was a demon summoning vampire - and that his lack of concern is... concerning.
----
Is there any reason we should keep this a secret from them? Apart from 'Gavhaul would want it secret'?
'cuz we can just say "Gavhaul would be angry if anyone were told".
Paranoia moment: what if Leontas and/or Moira are demonically aligned?
I'm going to consider that a success, even if we don't push further right now. We've learned a lot more about Leontas' character as well as that of his subordinate, and vice versa.
I think we can keep working on him, if we're careful about how we do it. Focusing on the Apsis Consortium angle probably isn't the way to do it, though. Leontas' company of mercs probably knows the Consortium isn't all sunshine and puppies, to say the least. Better to try to sour their opinion of Gavhaul rather than the entire organization.
[X] Start trying to sway Leontas and company
-[X] The Breolia situation, hints of infighting and the true undead horror of her being that meant you only just got out of Augustana without the Eagle Knights after you
--[X] Only do this if Kori can work it into the conversation by trying to convince Leontas to share a story of one of his victories as a Crusader. If he does so, Kori will reciprocate with the story of Breolia and how we ended her reign of terror. If Leontas does not wish to share, Kori will let the matter drop.
---[X] "In the short time since I left the caves that sheltered my people, my companions and I have fought and slain all manners of evil, from simple bandits to Demon, Devils, and the Undead. The worst of the bunch, however, would probably be the monster we encountered just a few days ago in Augustana..."
-[X] Kori will use Shadow Enchantment to cast Bestow Insight on himself to increase his Bluff skill.
@Goldfish I have a suggestion, but it makes it obvious what we're trying to do; though that might even be OK/downright good, given the context. Provided these two aren't demonically inclined.
What if you add in a line at the end of your vote (if all has gone well to this point) to the effect of:
"Gavhaul was very annoyed that we killed his contact, and her being a demon summoning vampire didn't seem to matter much. Which I find concerning.
[Lies, for Bluff purposes: also he said that the two of you were ugly and smelly]
Also, because of "holy fuck Nat 1s suck" please add in any spells we expended on that Bluff reroll earlier? And maybe guidance?
Also, I kinda get the vibes we're being watched. Pity we don't have see invisibility.
@Goldfish I have a suggestion, but it makes it obvious what we're trying to do; though that might even be OK/downright good, given the context. Provided these two aren't demonically inclined.
What if you add in a line at the end of your vote (if all has gone well to this point) to the effect of:
"Gavhaul was very annoyed that we killed his contact, and her being a demon summoning vampire didn't seem to matter much. Which I find concerning.
[Lies, for Bluff purposes: also he said that the two of you were ugly and smelly]
Also, because of "holy fuck Nat 1s suck" please add in any spells we expended on that Bluff reroll earlier? And maybe guidance?
Also, I kinda get the vibes we're being watched. Pity we don't have see invisibility.
I don't want to be too obvious about what we're trying to do. If we are being observed, that is even more important. I think we can let our actions, and Gavhaul's attitude around that time when he learned of Breolia's death, speak for themselves. He was obviously unhappy, and Leontas probably picked up on that. We could give him context to understand why.
Unfortunately, there are not a lot of spells with a duration long enough to be relevant in this situation. Guidance only lasts one minute and Channel Vigor only lasts 36 seconds right now. Both are good for immediate uses, but we need a bit more leeway time-wise, since we can't just jump right into Bluffing them as soon as they step foot out of the blacksmith shop.
Also, Kori has already used two 3rd level spell slots to optimize his conversation with Leontas. If we use another Shadow Enchantment to mimic Bestow Insight, that will give him a +3 Bluff bonus and one reroll, but it only lasts 6 minutes. I'll add it to my plan in hopes of the timing working out for us.
Unfortunately, there are not a lot of spells with a duration long enough to be relevant in this situation. Guidance only lasts one minute and Channel Vigor only lasts 36 seconds right now. Both are good for immediate uses, but we need a bit more leeway time-wise, since we can't just jump right into Bluffing them as soon as they step foot out of the blacksmith shop.
Also, Kori has already used two 3rd level spell slots to optimize his conversation with Leontas. If we use another Shadow Enchantment to mimic Bestow Insight, that will give him a +3 Bluff bonus and one reroll, but it only lasts 5 minutes. I'll add it to my plan in hopes of the timing working out for us.
another Shadow Enchantment to mimic Bestow Insight, that will give him a +3 Bluff bonus and one reroll, but it only lasts 5 minutes. I'll add it to my plan in hopes of the timing working out for us.
Good points - and this is the spell I was thinking of, that reroll was what I was hoping for; thanks.
I do think that we'll make our check/attempt in 5 min - especially since Kori knows the duration of the spell.
Good points - and this is the spell I was thinking of, that reroll was what I was hoping for; thanks.
I do think that we'll make our check/attempt in 5 min - especially since Kori knows the duration of the spell.
"Did they now, Moira? Or did they just find the poor bastard who'd been taken over while the real rot festered?" Leontas asked, shaking her off. "Remember how close we were from being 'found' by some of the good prelate's inquisitors?"
You know I never finished Wrath for the righteous. Was the queen actually evil or something? Or was she just... well lost 3 to 4 crusades in a row. The foibles of not being a mythic hero.
You know I never finished Wrath for the righteous. Was the queen actually evil or something? Or was she just... well lost 3 to 4 crusades in a row. The foibles of not being a mythic hero.
She wasn't evil, but she was not in a good mental state either.
Prelate Hulrun though, is and remains an asshole through and through and I'll never understand why Iomede doesn't drop him like a hot potato.
He has conviction for sure, but no sense or temperance in his search for cultists and traitors.
It feels like once you burn an innocent and you don't even regret it anymore, any good goddess should withdraw her powers from you.
