Session 4: A Division of the Spoils, and Where Do We Go From Here?
This entry is strictly for the other people playing in the Pathfinder game I've been blogging about; I mean to use the comment thread for game-related discussion. If you're not one of my fellow players, this will not interest you.
I'm creating this thread to divide up the treasure we acquired in the game last Saturday, and discuss our next plan of action, so as to save time (and impatience, and frustration with the slow pace of things) at the beginning of our next session. In our raid on the Catacombs of Wrath, we acquired:
• a non-magical holy book of Lamashtu (gp value?)
• a non-magical holy symbol of Lamashtu (gp value?)
• a Silver Dagger +1. Worth 2,022 gp (assuming that the base price for the +1 enhancement includes the masterwork cost, since all magic weapons are also masterwork). The alchemical silver plating enables the dagger to overcome the damage reduction of devils and were-creatures, just as cold iron overcomes it for demons and fey creatures. Aeraliss or Thoromir might want to hang onto this weapon.
• a Tiny Returning Dagger +1. Unfortunately, none of us can actually wield a tiny dagger. In theory, it should be worth 8,000 gp, but good luck finding a tiny creature who can afford to buy it for that.
• a Scroll of Shocking Grasp. Usable by Kavren automatically, or by Aeraliss on a successful Use Magic Device check. Worth 25 gp, assuming minimum caster level, but Kavren would like to add it to his spellbook.
• a Scroll of Flaming Sphere. Usable by Kavren with a successful caster level check now, or automatically once he can cast second-level spells, or by Aeraliss on a successful Use Magic Device check. 75 gp, assuming minimum caster level, but again, Kavren would prefer to hold onto it and add it to his spellbook when he reaches wizard level 3 (probably sometime in the next week or two of in-game time, the way things are going -- and assuming he doesn't get himself killed, of course).
• a Wand of Animate Dead. Kavren might have difficulty using this, because Necromancy is one of his prohibited schools, and would have a strong ethical objection to using it in any case. Aeraliss could use it with a successful Use Magic Device check, but probably shouldn't. Using it or even possessing it would likely be regarded as a serious sin by most good-aligned churches, and might even be a crime in a non-evil community like Sandpoint or Magnimar. However, it's possible a temple of Sarenrae or Pharasma, or perhaps Iomedae, might purchase it in order to take it permanently out of circulation.
Assuming minimum caster level, the wand would be worth 475 gp per charge remaining if created by a cleric or thaumaturge (most likely, I think that's what the quasit's master was), 770 gp per charge if created by a wizard, or 880 per charge if created by a sorcerer. The variation is due to the spell being either a 3rd-level divine spell, castable by a 5th-level cleric or thaumaturge, or a 4th-level arcane spell, castable by a 7th-level wizard or an 8th-level sorcerer; the formula for the value of a wand is Spell Level x Caster Level x 15 gp + material component cost per charge. The material component for Animate Dead is an onyx gem worth 25 gp per HD of undead to be created, and I'm assuming that each charge in a wand would be designed to create the maximum of 2 HD per caster level. Note that we're probably unlikely to get more than a small fraction of the wand's theoretical value unless we make a trip to somewhere like Absalom or Katapesh to sell it -- which would take months, and be very dangerous, and there might be no Sandpoint to come back to by the time we were done.
Karry, we need to know the gp values of the non-magical items, and the caster level, and the caster class in the wand's case, of the magic items before we can assess their value properly.
We also took a few items off of Tsuto after capturing him in the glassworks:
• Kavren got his Ring of Protection +1, worth 2,000 gp.
• Kaldak got his Shoanti-made, masterwork composite (Str. +1) shortbow, worth 450 gp. I suggest that, once we get just a bit more gold, Kaldak might want to trade it in as a down payment on a masterwork composite longbow with a +2 Str. bonus (which would go for 600 gp).
• Aeraliss got his masterwork thieves' tools, worth 100 gp.
• Erek got his Potion of Cure Light Wounds, worth 50 gp.
We spent some of the money we took from Tsuto on upgraded equipment:
• Studded leather armor for Kaldak (25 gp)
• A breastplate for Thoromir (200 gp)
• A masterwork longsword for Erek (315 gp), which he gave to Thoromir after acquiring a Longsword +1 (worth 2,015 gp) for himself when we killed the three-armed goblin-thing Koruvus.
If I have the numbers correct, we also have 212 gp left over from Tsuto's treasure; I believe Jason has that recorded on Thoromir's character sheet. Given that she's picked up the least wealth so far, I think Aeraliss might be due to buy herself an armor upgrade using some of that. As a rogue, she could actually benefit quite a bit from the reduced check penalty for having masterwork armor.
As to what to do next, I propose we look up the elven ranger Shalelu Andosana, who briefed us on the local goblin tribes and their leaders or heroes, and ask for her help in approaching the lair of the Birdcrunchers (which is only about a mile or so out of town) and laying an ambush for Bruthazmus the bugbear, in hopes of taking him down before we march on Thistletop. Ideally, we can play out our discussion with Shalelu, as well as the division of treasure, on this thread, and get started with the actual adventuring as soon as our next session begins.
Our other problem is what we do about the well down in the Catacombs; ideally, we should find a way to drain it or shut it down, since we don't know how it functions, and its conceivable that it could spontaneously generate sinspawn even without the quasit there to trigger it. This will likely require some research, and perhaps consultation with NPCs more knowledgeable than we are, such as Ilsoari Gandethus, Chask Haladan, Veznutt Parooh, and/or Broddert Quink.
I'm creating this thread to divide up the treasure we acquired in the game last Saturday, and discuss our next plan of action, so as to save time (and impatience, and frustration with the slow pace of things) at the beginning of our next session. In our raid on the Catacombs of Wrath, we acquired:
• a non-magical holy book of Lamashtu (gp value?)
• a non-magical holy symbol of Lamashtu (gp value?)
• a Silver Dagger +1. Worth 2,022 gp (assuming that the base price for the +1 enhancement includes the masterwork cost, since all magic weapons are also masterwork). The alchemical silver plating enables the dagger to overcome the damage reduction of devils and were-creatures, just as cold iron overcomes it for demons and fey creatures. Aeraliss or Thoromir might want to hang onto this weapon.
• a Tiny Returning Dagger +1. Unfortunately, none of us can actually wield a tiny dagger. In theory, it should be worth 8,000 gp, but good luck finding a tiny creature who can afford to buy it for that.
• a Scroll of Shocking Grasp. Usable by Kavren automatically, or by Aeraliss on a successful Use Magic Device check. Worth 25 gp, assuming minimum caster level, but Kavren would like to add it to his spellbook.
• a Scroll of Flaming Sphere. Usable by Kavren with a successful caster level check now, or automatically once he can cast second-level spells, or by Aeraliss on a successful Use Magic Device check. 75 gp, assuming minimum caster level, but again, Kavren would prefer to hold onto it and add it to his spellbook when he reaches wizard level 3 (probably sometime in the next week or two of in-game time, the way things are going -- and assuming he doesn't get himself killed, of course).
• a Wand of Animate Dead. Kavren might have difficulty using this, because Necromancy is one of his prohibited schools, and would have a strong ethical objection to using it in any case. Aeraliss could use it with a successful Use Magic Device check, but probably shouldn't. Using it or even possessing it would likely be regarded as a serious sin by most good-aligned churches, and might even be a crime in a non-evil community like Sandpoint or Magnimar. However, it's possible a temple of Sarenrae or Pharasma, or perhaps Iomedae, might purchase it in order to take it permanently out of circulation.
Assuming minimum caster level, the wand would be worth 475 gp per charge remaining if created by a cleric or thaumaturge (most likely, I think that's what the quasit's master was), 770 gp per charge if created by a wizard, or 880 per charge if created by a sorcerer. The variation is due to the spell being either a 3rd-level divine spell, castable by a 5th-level cleric or thaumaturge, or a 4th-level arcane spell, castable by a 7th-level wizard or an 8th-level sorcerer; the formula for the value of a wand is Spell Level x Caster Level x 15 gp + material component cost per charge. The material component for Animate Dead is an onyx gem worth 25 gp per HD of undead to be created, and I'm assuming that each charge in a wand would be designed to create the maximum of 2 HD per caster level. Note that we're probably unlikely to get more than a small fraction of the wand's theoretical value unless we make a trip to somewhere like Absalom or Katapesh to sell it -- which would take months, and be very dangerous, and there might be no Sandpoint to come back to by the time we were done.
Karry, we need to know the gp values of the non-magical items, and the caster level, and the caster class in the wand's case, of the magic items before we can assess their value properly.
We also took a few items off of Tsuto after capturing him in the glassworks:
• Kavren got his Ring of Protection +1, worth 2,000 gp.
• Kaldak got his Shoanti-made, masterwork composite (Str. +1) shortbow, worth 450 gp. I suggest that, once we get just a bit more gold, Kaldak might want to trade it in as a down payment on a masterwork composite longbow with a +2 Str. bonus (which would go for 600 gp).
• Aeraliss got his masterwork thieves' tools, worth 100 gp.
• Erek got his Potion of Cure Light Wounds, worth 50 gp.
We spent some of the money we took from Tsuto on upgraded equipment:
• Studded leather armor for Kaldak (25 gp)
• A breastplate for Thoromir (200 gp)
• A masterwork longsword for Erek (315 gp), which he gave to Thoromir after acquiring a Longsword +1 (worth 2,015 gp) for himself when we killed the three-armed goblin-thing Koruvus.
If I have the numbers correct, we also have 212 gp left over from Tsuto's treasure; I believe Jason has that recorded on Thoromir's character sheet. Given that she's picked up the least wealth so far, I think Aeraliss might be due to buy herself an armor upgrade using some of that. As a rogue, she could actually benefit quite a bit from the reduced check penalty for having masterwork armor.
As to what to do next, I propose we look up the elven ranger Shalelu Andosana, who briefed us on the local goblin tribes and their leaders or heroes, and ask for her help in approaching the lair of the Birdcrunchers (which is only about a mile or so out of town) and laying an ambush for Bruthazmus the bugbear, in hopes of taking him down before we march on Thistletop. Ideally, we can play out our discussion with Shalelu, as well as the division of treasure, on this thread, and get started with the actual adventuring as soon as our next session begins.
Our other problem is what we do about the well down in the Catacombs; ideally, we should find a way to drain it or shut it down, since we don't know how it functions, and its conceivable that it could spontaneously generate sinspawn even without the quasit there to trigger it. This will likely require some research, and perhaps consultation with NPCs more knowledgeable than we are, such as Ilsoari Gandethus, Chask Haladan, Veznutt Parooh, and/or Broddert Quink.