Chapter 1 - Windward

[archimage_a]

I do have far more stone than I could ever nominally use... (Around 5,000 Tonnes, or 2 million cubic meters of it, according to notes)

Although we could just ship the stone/wood in from various places, rather than quarrying it ourselves...It should help build trade relations and give us an incentive to use labourers rather than undead. Also they can build their own houses and we get instant settlement.

 

Also according to my notes from conversations with Retech the Monolith should be over 80 meters tall, so moving it would be troublesome.

 

Fighting the Fey would be self-destructive now they are protecting the lake, and gathering Iron is largely unneccessary, given the cheapness of weapons and armour.

 

Ergo the most sensible course of action would be to hire labourers, on the promise of being given a piece of land at the end of it, to build a wall around part of the lake...Say the two Hex's north of the gap and across the bottom of the current Hex.

The southern side of the 'city' belongs to us, along with Garmund's underwater lands, while the North is built into a thriving, normal, city, which makes us gold.

 

All of which can be set in motion before we leave for the Ruins, and when we return we can set more in motion with the loot we collect.

 

We can then plan the overthrow of the Fey, Drow, Whispering Way, and build our giant undead hidden army.

[archimage_a]

Ok then, because my internet died 8 hours ago and after a hour of diagnostics, at which time I was forced to conclude that the router needed resetting, which is about 4 meters away, in the Landlord's room, I decided to do a little work on the Monolith.

 

The Monolith is composed of 13 Floors, 12 above ground and one below ground. The twelve floors above ground are 12 feet tall each, for a total of 144 feet (or 43.9 meters), plus a roof.

 

The outer wall of the Monolith is a honeycomb structure ala

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12603519/Islands/Base01.png

(Internal drawings exist but are messy)

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12603519/Islands/Ground%20Floor.png

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12603519/Islands/Second%20Floor.png

 

The ground floor contains a Kitchen, Refectory, two Lecture Halls, a Laboratory, two Spiral Staircases and a few supply closets.

This floor is mainly for eating, entertainment (Theatre, etc), lectures/cross-discipline lectures, etc. (There are 2 Halls, there are 7 days in a week and there are 10 Disciplines. Historical Studies obviously requires more lecture time than Alchemical studies, which can use the Lab, etc.

 

The 2nd-6th floor contains a Common Area, Two Dormitories (Suitable for 6 students each), Staff Quarters (Suitable for 3 Staff members), a Study Hall (See Library/Herbarium/Gallery/varies per floor) and a wash area (For Clothes....We have a lake they can wash themselves in there).

The floors are:

2- Alchemical Studiesb (headed by Dr Breakspear)

3- Historical Studies (headed by Dr Muir)

4- Medical Studies (Absent)

5- Engineering Studies (headed by Dr Nicola)

6- Planar Studies (Headed by Moi)

7- Local Studies (Headed by Dr Prokofiev)

 

The 8th Floor is as above, but designated as 'Dungeoneering Studies' (For Tena)

 

The 9th Floor is as above, but designated as 'Religious Studies' (For Siwmae)

 

The 10th Floor is as above, but designated as 'Arcana Studies' (For Trazin)

 

The 11th Floor is as above, but designated as 'Nature Studies' (For ShadowWing)

 

The 12th Floor is part Attic, part crypt. (For Garmund)

 

(You do not have to do anything, but if you want to get experts in/rename the floors/etc, then feel free)

 

The Basement is primarily used as a forge, dungeon, etc. The main purpose of the area is to produce heat, which is then sent up through the HoneyComb walls, providing warmth to the whole area without requiring a dozen fireplaces everywhere.

 

The front Octagon in the outerwall is the entrance, the right and left Octagons are service elevators, the rear most Octagon is a flue, as are all the Hexagons. Obviously not all the flues are for heating, the four inner Hexagons are reserved for feeding the furnaces.

 

Professor Character Sheets:

(Stats have been increased slightly to reflect the over the odds prices, level and Racial bonuses given as modifers)

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Dr Breakspear

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Dr Breakspear

First name: Adrian

Race: Dhampir (Dayborn)

Class: Expert 8

 

Strength: 10

Dexterity: 12 +2

Constitution: 11 -2

Intelligence: 15 +2

Wisdom: 8

Charisma: 10 +2

 

Fortitude: 2 -1 (1)

Reflex: 2 +2 (4)

Will: 6 -1 +2 (7)

 

Skills:

Craft (Alchemy) 8+3+3+3 (17)

Craft (Glass) 5+3+3 (11)

Craft (Blacksmith) 2+3+3 (8)

Craft (Books) 5+3+3 (11)

Profession (Herbalist) 5+3+3 (11)

Profession (Tanner) 5+3+3 (11)

Profession (Brewer) 5+3+3 (11)

Knowledge (Nature) 8+3+3 (14)

Spellcraft 4+3 (7)

Disable Device 2+3 (5)

Diplomacy 1+3+3 (7)

Bluff 1+3 (4)

Survival -1+3 (2)

Perception 7+-1+3 (9)

Acrobatics 2+3 (5)

 

Feats:

Skill Focus (Craft Alchemy)

Toughness

Iron Will

Equipment Trick (Eraser)

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Dr Muir

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Dr Muir

First name: Ramsey

Race: Elf

Class: Expert 8

 

Strength: 10

Dexterity: 12 +2

Constitution: 11 -2

Intelligence: 15 +4

Wisdom: 8

Charisma: 10

 

Fortitude: 2 -1 (1)

Reflex: 2 +2 (4)

Will: 6 -1 +2 (7)

 

Skills:

Craft (Books) 8+3+4 (15)

Knowledge (History) 8+3+3+4 (18)

Knowledge (Nobility) 8+3+4 (15)

Profession (Librarian) 8+3+4 (15)

Profession (Gardener) 8+3+4 (15)

Profession (Scribe) 8+3+4 (15)

Profession (Barrister) 8+3+4 (15)

Perception 8+3-1 (10)

Diplomacy 8+3-1 (10)

Linguistics 8+3+4 (15)

 

Languages: Common +16

 

Feats:

Skill Focus (Knowledge (History))

Guileful Polyglot

Iron Will

Equipment Trick (Eraser)

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Dr Nicola

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Dr Nicola

First name: Ferrous

Race: Dwarf (Craftsman)

Class: Expert 8

 

Strength: 10

Dexterity: 12

Constitution: 11 +2

Intelligence: 15 +2

Wisdom: 8 +2

Charisma: 10 -2

 

Fortitude: 2 +1 (3)

Reflex: 2 +1 (3)

Will: 6 +2 (8)

 

Skills:

Profession (Architect) 8+3+3 (14)

Profession (Engineer) 8+3+3 (14)

Profession (Merchant ) 5+3+3 (11)

Peception 5+3 (8)

Knowledge (Engineering) 8+3+3+3 (17)

Craft (Carpentry) 5+3+3 (11)

Craft (Gemcutter) 5+3+3 (11)

Craft (Stonecutter) 8+3+3 (14)

Craft (Sculpture) 5+3+3 (11)

Craft (Glass) 5+3+3 (11)

Craft (Ships) 5+3 (8)

Craft (Paintings) 5+3 (8)

 

 

Feats:

Skill Focus (Knowledge (Engineering))

Toxic Recovery

Iron Will

Equipment Trick (Eraser)

 

[/hide]

Dr Prokofiev

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Dr Prokofiev

First name: Peter

Race: Catfolk

Class: Expert 8

 

Strength: 10

Dexterity: 12 +2

Constitution: 11

Intelligence: 15 +2

Wisdom: 8 -2

Charisma: 10

 

Fortitude: 2 (2)

Reflex: 2 +2 (4)

Will: 6 -2 +2 (6)

 

Skills:

Perform (Clarinet) 1 (1)

Knowledge (Local) 8+3+3+3 (17)

Knowledge (Geography) 5+3+3 (11)

Knowledge (Nobility) 3+3+3 (9)

Linguistics 8+3+3 (14)

Disguise 3+2+3 (8)

Sense Motive 3-2+3 (4)

Perception 6-2+3 (7)

Stealth 5+2+3 (10)

Diplomacy 5+3 (8)

Intimidate 5 (5)

Appraise 5+3 (8)

Escape Artist 5+2 (7)

 

 

Feats:

Skill Focus (Knowledge (Local))

Blackcat

Iron Will

Equipment Trick (Eraser)

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[The_Mather1]

What are the rules when it comes to filling spellbooks? Or alternatively custom classes?

[Retech]

For spellbooks, you take the number of spells that you get free (on the class description)

Then each spell you want to scribe (assuming you have a spellcraft check to make it trivial) costs the same as a scroll of that spell. If you make the spellcraft check half the time, assume it costs double, a quarter of the time, quadruple, and so on.

 

And 99% of the time, I don't do custom classes.

[archimage_a]

Monolith Redux

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Cost Breakdown

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New Breakdown

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36 Household Slaves 1,800 (Students)

4 University Educated Slaves 2,000

1 Level 5 Doctor/Alchemist 3,650 (1 Year wages Down Payment)

6 Floor's Budget 330*

1 Level 3 Doctor 365 (1 Year wages Down Payment)

2 Valets 730 (1 Year wages Down Payment)

2 Cooks 730 (1 Year wages Down Payment)

1 Scribe 365 (1 Year wages Down Payment)

Expert Pantograph and Printing Press 50+250+500 (800)

Pathfinder Chronicles Set 500

Footprints book 50

Portrait Book 10

11,330

 

*55

5 Stationary 5

250 Parchment 50

+NPC gear

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Old Breakdown:

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4 University Slaves 4,000

20 Scholar Slaves 2,000

6,000 GP

12,000

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Graphics

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Front Entrance

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Ground Floor

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Second Floor

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Professors of the Monolith

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Dr Breakspear (Planar Studies)

[hide]

Dr Breakspear

First name: Adrian

Race: Aasimar (Heavenborn)

Class: Expert 1

 

Strength: 9

Dexterity: 12

Constitution: 8

Intelligence: 14

Wisdom: 10 +2

Charisma: 11 +2

 

Fortitude: 2 -1 (-1)

Reflex: +2 (2)

Will: 2 +1 (3)

 

Skills:

11 Knowledge (Planes)

6 Knowledge (Arcana)

6 Knowledge (Religion)

5 Perception

6 Profession (Scribe)

6 Profession (Librarian)

5 Diplomacy

5 Heal

6 Craft (Book)

 

Feats:

Skill Focus (Knowledge (Planes))

[/hide]

 

Dr Muir (Historical Studies)

[hide]

Dr Muir

First name: Ramsey

Race: Elf

Class: Expert 1

 

Strength: 9

Dexterity: 12 +2

Constitution: 8 -2

Intelligence: 14 +2

Wisdom: 10

Charisma: 11

 

Fortitude: -2 (-2)

Reflex: +2 (2)

Will: 2 (2)

 

Skills:

Craft (Books) 1+3+3 (7)

Knowledge (History) 1+3+3+3 (10)

Knowledge (Nobility) 1+3+3 (7)

Profession (Librarian) 1+3+3 (7)

Profession (Scribe) 1+3+3 (7)

Profession (Barrister) 1+3+3 (7)

Craft (Paintings) 1+3+3 (7)

Perception 1+3 (4)

Diplomacy 1+3 (4)

 

Feats:

Skill Focus (Knowledge (History))

[/hide]

 

Dr Nicola (Engineering Studies)

[hide]

Dr Nicola

First name: Ferrous

Race: Dwarf (Craftsman)

Class: Expert 1

 

Strength: 9

Dexterity: 12

Constitution: 8 +2

Intelligence: 14

Wisdom: 10 +2

Charisma: 11 -2

 

Fortitude: 0 (0)

Reflex: +1 (1)

Will: 2 +1 (3)

 

Skills:

Profession (Architect) 1+3+3+2 (9)

Profession (Engineer) 1+3+3+2 (9)

Profession (Merchant ) 1+3+3+2 (9)

Peception 1+3 (4)

Knowledge (Engineering) 1+3+3+3+2 (12)

Craft (Carpentry) 1+3+3 (7)

Craft (Gemcutter) 1+3+3+2 (9)

Craft (Stonecutter) 1+3+3+2 (9)

Craft (Sculpture) 1+3+3+2 (9)

 

Feats:

Skill Focus (Knowledge (Engineering))

[/hide]

 

Dr Prokofiev (Local Studies)

[hide]

Dr Prokofiev

First name: Peter

Race: Catfolk (Curious, Scent)

Class: Expert 1

 

Strength: 9

Dexterity: 12 +2

Constitution: 8

Intelligence: 14

Wisdom: 10 -2

Charisma: 11 +2

 

Fortitude: -1 (-1)

Reflex: +2 (2)

Will: 2 -1 (1)

 

Skills:

Knowledge (Local) 1+3+2+3+2 (11)

Knowledge (Geography) 1+3+2 (6)

Knowledge (History) 1+3+2+2 (8)

Disguise 1+2+3 (6)

Sense Motive 1-1+3 (3)

Perception 1-1+3 (3)

Diplomacy 1+1+3 (5)

Escape Artist 1+2+3 (6)

 

 

Feats:

Skill Focus (Knowledge (Local))

[/hide]

Dr Crusher (Medical)

[hide]

Dr Crusher

First name: Leonard

Race: Samsaran (Heal + Handle Animals)

Class: Expert 3

 

Strength: 9

Dexterity: 12

Constitution: 8 -2

Intelligence: 14 +2

Wisdom: 10 +2

Charisma: 11

 

Fortitude: 1 -1 (0)

Reflex: 1 +2 (3)

Will: 3 -1 (2)

 

Skills:

Craft (Book) 3+3+3 (9)

Diplomacy 1+3 (4)

Knowledge (Nature) 3+3+3 (9)

Heal 3+3+1+3+2 (13)

Ride 3+3+1+2 (9)

Profession (Butcher) 3+1 (4)

Profession (Herbalist) 3+3+1 (7)

Profession (Midwife) 3+3+1 (7)

Profession (Stable Master) 3+3+1 (7)

Handle Animal 3+3+1+2+2 (11)

 

Feats:

Skill Focus (Heal))

Animal Affinity

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Professor Finchly (Alchemical Studies)

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Professor Finchly

First name: Pritchard

Race: Ratfolk

Class: Expert 5

 

Strength: 9 -2

Dexterity: 12 +2

Constitution: 8

Intelligence: 14 +2

Wisdom: 10

Charisma: 11

 

Fortitude: 1-1 (0)

Reflex: 1+2 (2)

Will: 4 (4)

 

Skills:

Heal 5+3+3 (11)

Craft (Alchemy) 5+2+3+3+3+2 (19)

Craft (Books) 5+3+3 (11)

Knowledge (Dungeoneering) 1+3+3 (7)

Profession (Herbalist) 5+3 (8)

Profession (Tanner) 5+3+2 (10)

Use Magical Device 5+3+2 (10)

Spellcraft 5+3+3 (11)

Profession (Gardener) 4+3 (7)

 

Feats:

Skill Focus (Heal))

Skill Focus (Craft (Alchemy))

Master Craftsman

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[Retech]

Starting at the regular time (in like 4 hours or so)

[Grim_]

Ross you should look into animating the fly trap (if it can be animated) as a fast zombie, as it would then have a movement speed of 20'.

Also, which ruins are we exploring again?

[archimage_a]

Mbaiki

[Seraphin]

Ross you should look into animating the fly trap (if it can be animated) as a fast zombie, as it would then have a movement speed of 20'.

Also, which ruins are we exploring again?

Thought it could only be animated if it had some kind of skeletal or nervous system?

 

Else we would be running around with Gelatinous Cube Wights and other equally silly (and terrifying) creatures.

[Nexaduro]

Ross you should look into animating the fly trap (if it can be animated) as a fast zombie, as it would then have a movement speed of 20'.

Also, which ruins are we exploring again?

Thought it could only be animated if it had some kind of skeletal or nervous system?

 

Else we would be running around with Gelatinous Cube Wights and other equally silly (and terrifying) creatures.

I want my Vampiric Sunflowers

[Grim_]

Ross you should look into animating the fly trap (if it can be animated) as a fast zombie, as it would then have a movement speed of 20'.

Also, which ruins are we exploring again?

Thought it could only be animated if it had some kind of skeletal or nervous system?

 

Else we would be running around with Gelatinous Cube Wights and other equally silly (and terrifying) creatures.

Skeletons need a skeleton iirc. There's no restriction in the spell description about a nervous system, so you could animate it as a sort of zombie (preferably a fast zombie, as it would gain a slam attack and 10' movement speed, while losing its DR and a couple of other perks).

[Leiana]

Can the days pretty please be moved back to Sunday? I don't care how late the game starts, but yesterday was the last day I could play on Saturdays... I can't quit my job....

[archimage_a]

Ross you should look into animating the fly trap (if it can be animated) as a fast zombie, as it would then have a movement speed of 20'.

Also, which ruins are we exploring again?

Thought it could only be animated if it had some kind of skeletal or nervous system?

 

Else we would be running around with Gelatinous Cube Wights and other equally silly (and terrifying) creatures.

Skeletons need a skeleton iirc. There's no restriction in the spell description about a nervous system, so you could animate it as a sort of zombie (preferably a fast zombie, as it would gain a slam attack and 10' movement speed, while losing its DR and a couple of other perks).

Zombies: A zombie can be created only from a mostly intact corpse. The corpse must be that of a creature with a physical anatomy.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_anatomy

 

Solved.

 

And yes, Sundays are better.

[Retech]

Given that Leiana can only play on Sundays, Archi prefers Sundays (and in my self interest, Nimbus), and the fact that we are already moving back to 3pm anyways, the sessions are moving back to Sunday at 3pm EST. My prior commitment ends at 2:30, so I won't be able to post an hour before like I usually like to do, but I'll post that morning.

[Leiana]

Thankyou. I had so much fun last session, even though I may have not done much.

 

Can't wait to play again!

[Grim_]

Well, the casters in the main party should probably pick up Summon monster V, because we could really (really) use the extra tanks. Also, as a question for retech; will you let us use the alternative monsters for summon monster #, like say the tiger for summon monster IV?

[Nexaduro]

I'll be finishing up my character for Sunday, I don't think we can grab level 5 spells yet, but if we can I'll probably nab Summon Monster V.

[Retech]

The Celestial/Fiendish Tiger is fine. I need to look at the monsters individually though, and if you can pick up existing monsters, even better, just so I can quickly look at balance. But it shouldn't be a big deal either way. The main thing is that summon nature's ally should still be a viable option as well, since summon monster already has a big variety.

 

You guys are level 9, so prepared casters (cleric, wizard, druid) get level 5 spells but spontaneous casters are still a level behind on that.

[The_Mather1]

Me and Lei will level up once we get out of our situation, right? Since doing so is a feat, after all leaving people in similar situations is notorious for being a method used by pirates to execute prisoners or those on the losing end of a mutiny.

[archimage_a]

You aren't exactly abandoned on an Island made entirely of sand and 2 palm trees....

[The_Mather1]

No, there are a few more trees than that, perhaps as many as 200 or so, haven't counted.

But there's neither sulfur or nitre, so it looks like making gunpowder/rocket fuel is going to be hard.

[archimage_a]

Exactly, easily enough to build a trading outpost and wait for a passing ship to rescue you.

[The_Mather1]

You know ships usually navigate by maps, right? They don't look for trading outposts on random islands.

 

Though it looks like we should be able to find some nitre, since it looks like it can be extracted from most forms of... animal waste... with bat guano being the easiest source to use.

And it looks like we'll only need gypsum, pyrite or some other sulfite materials to get our hands on the sulfur. If we find pyrite, which we should since it's a pretty common mineral, then we won't even need to extract the sulfur since if we can get the temperature high enough, as the iron will start combusting as well, making the mixture a thermite, with an insanely high heat output.

[archimage_a]

Navigating by maps tends to rely on navigation by landmarks, such as Islands. (You can also use stars or dead reckoning but landmarks are the best)

Sooner or later a ship will sail by.

 

And if a ship happens to be sailing passed, and sees a trading outpost, then they are liable to dock with it to see what wares exist. You can then get aboard.

[The_Mather1]

They would dock if there was a dock, but since there isn't, it would require the ship to either bank or use rowboats to land, something trading ships aren't made to do.

And you really can't expect two girls to construct both a trading outpost and a dock on their own. If there were some elephants or humanoid monkeys like chimpanzees, orangutans or gorillas, I might be able to charm them into helping, but since the trees are those found in subtropical climates, I dubt there are any of those around