Blaeringr

"Not on the farm, no." he answers Flick. "They're all gone. Taken from their home. I don't know where."

Don't let that stop you. I scan or take pictures of my hand made/drawn setups all the time for PbP on this site. I'm personally all about finding ways to insert hand drawn stuff into this digital medium. It adds a great touch, I think. here's a dungeon map the entrance to a dungeon take pictures of home tabletop too I think the idea of play by mail sounds great too, and regret missing out on trying that when I was younger. You could even do it without the mail. Like if you have local friends who want to play but don't have the time or schedules for it, just hand them the paper and go for it.

"It's b-bandits!" he says, voice shaken. "They've attacked my neighbors on the Paddens' farm just down the next dirt road here. Good folk who've worked the land for years. I think they were targeted because they're elfs! Been happening more and more lately. They took them and set their barn on fire." He points ahead, and to the right, east away from the main road, and there is indeed a plume of smoke coming from that direction. "Hippana Herself sent you, surely! I was heading to town to call for help when I saw you! You can save the Paddens from them bandits if you're quick. I'll show you the way to their farm. Come on!" He's turning, looking back, trying to lead the adventurers toward the smoke and the farm that way.

14th of Renewal, year 20 Morning, Carisport The mornings are still a bit chilly this time of year around Prosper Bay, but not chilly enough to slow down business. The shouts of sailors coordinating the loading and unloading of vessels can be heard from below, echoing of the cliffs. Saws and hammers in the shipyard compete with their cries for volume. Pulleys and cranks creak and groan as loads are carried up the cliff face to warehouse landing platforms that sit under large colorful banners bearing crests of various merchant companies. Tradesmen are at work on sites all around town, renovating existing buildings or building new ones. Carisport is a growing town. The newly finished Temple of the Divine - a building where people can find disciples of any path to guide them to the divine - has a large crowd out front as usual. It is common for people to have debates about politics or morality in this square, although Carisport isn't exactly known for philosophers of towering reputation. But it is still a place that often attracts curious crowds, activists, and upstarts. A weathered sea captain with a grizzled beard and a gleam in his eye strides confidently through the town's main street headed to the harbor, his crew bustling about in his wake. A mysterious fortune teller with piercing blue eyes and a voice like velvet, Madame Isolde sits in her tent at the edge of the marketplace, beckoning passersby to have their fortunes told. A scrappy young boy with a mop of unruly hair and a mischievous grin darts through the streets of the town square, his pockets bulging and jingling with concealed trinkets. A noblewoman of grace and beauty strides through the town square with elegance and poise, her finely tailored gown trailing behind her as she attends to matters of importance in the town council. Outside Quimby Quill's bookstore, in a chair against the wall next to the entrance to the shop, a middle aged chubby man with thinning russet colored hair and ink stained finger tips - presumably the owner - slumbers away peacefully. Soon the adventurers are back on the road, travelling once again. They are taking the northeast road in the direction of Newvale. Might as well stick to civilization while it lasts. They make good time on the northeast road, expecting to reach Newvale by evening (~30ish miles), and as expected pass by the occasional group of traveling merchants, farmers, and patrols. Early Afternoon, on the northeast road A man standing by the side of the road waves to the adventurers from a distance, hoping to get their attention. As they approach, he smiles a kind of weak and pathetic looking smile. "Hail, travelers!" the man, dressed like a farmer, calls out, his voice tinged with a note of desperation. "Thank the gods you've come along when you have. I'm in dire need of assistance, and you seem like the kind-hearted sort who might be willing to lend a hand."

Ya. Aside from common recipes though, give me a wishlist for uncommon, and especially for rares. With an alchemist's lab (5 gp, no need for the expanded lab) you'll be able to craft in the wagon on the road. If Kek and Maybell ride the wagon, no need for horses just for those two. In such a setup, either maybell or Kek would have to steer the horses pulling it (the two you guys bought back in Merrow) while the other rides (and crafts?) or a third person would have to steer for them.

To Maybell's question: "There are two groups of locals. Our own agents initially made contact with one of them when following up on rumors of stone ruins in the area, and only spotted hints of the other group." "The first is a tribe of bipedal sentient lizard people. They seem a fairly isolationist, but peaceful enough group. In their notes that we have, the Belltown's said they call themselves the Suuheshbi. They have a few scattered settlements in the hills in the area, in cave systems there." Marissa picks a small leatherbound notebook off a shelf and quickly flips through its pages. "The other group, we're not so sure about. Our own agents, when scouting the area a year ago, said they found occasional signs of another people, freshly discarded food, pottery, tools, and weapons unlike the Suuheshbi's, wood carvings and other markings that seemed to mark territory, but that's all. When asked about it, the Suuheshbi call them 'Leafwalkers', and usually just shrug and say the Leafwalkers keep to themselves." Lastly she points at a map on the wall in her office, "Our agents weren't the first into that area. People have wandered and explored ever outward from our little colonized region on this huge landmass, curious about what's out there. Our first maps from that region come from Newvale's own little community of alchemists. Most people think of farms and food and cozy country living when they think of Newvale, but they have quite the little community of alchemists ever looking for new and interesting reagents." Flick's knowledge Flick still has little experience outside of the Whiteclaw tribe and their territory, despite their grand aspirations for him. In his own travels, and based off of knowledge from the past 20 years of Whiteclaw scouts, they don't know a lot about the "locals" Marissa speaks of. In fact for most of the past 20 years, that area was empty. A group of lizardfolk has recently moved in from the swamps to the west of Glass Creek, although Flick hasn't met them personally. His own road to the colonies (and then up to the Deep Blood Goblins' tower) avoided their territory. And Flick hasn't heard of these "Leafwalkers" Marissa mentioned.

I don't know, but it is an item bonus. The rule I cited above says the ABP system "removes the item bonus to rolls and DCs usually provided by magic items" so it doesn't only remove the item bonuses provided by magic items, but non-magical as well.

Map with Glass Creek site location added

Campaign Map as of 14th of Renewal, year 20

Glass Creek (Campaign Map: 14th of Renewal, year 20)

Marissa seems pleased enough with those responses. She removes a folder from a cabinet and places it on the corner of her desk. "That will work just fine. The reason I ask is, well, it will help with the paperwork with the insurance. Randall and Mona Belltown, as is custom with our agents, took out an insurance policy. The policy can cover a variety of circumstances, but in this case you'll be interested in the fact that the policy can be used as them effectively putting a reward on their own heads." Opening the folder and briefly glancing inside to confirm something, she looks back up and says, "Well, it looks like they weren't being awfully stingy with their policy. In the event that you are able to bring them back alive, the payout would be a fine little sum of 1200 crowns (gold pieces), payable directly to your account here in the colonies. If the worst should come to pass and they are found and returned...not alive, then the payout would be 800 crowns. Still a reasonable reward. The payout would void their insurance policy from future payouts, but that would be the Belltowns' problem, not yours." She hands the folder to Maybell, who seems so far to be the most talkative of the group, as well as being the one offering to go over the adventurers' registration. With the weight of the situation hanging in the air, Marissa looks on at the adventures, with a somber expression. "Thank you for taking this on. I put that offer up as a really last hope effort. You'd think with all the folks that showed up on New Year's ready for adventure and exploration that we'd get more fish biting, so to speak, but I think perhaps some people like myself underestimated how much this sudden push for 'adventure' has all really been more about serving the interests of powerful families." She looks around at the interior with its fine furniture, finished wood interior, display cases, and maps and scrolls decorating the walls and cringes for a moment. "It's not that the wealthy and powerful don't see any benefit in our organization, as you can see looking around here, we serve them plenty of benefit as well. But, to put it plainly, we're expendable. If one of our organization goes missing, the lords and ladies who share an interest in our work are happy to stand back and wait for the next group of eager young scholars and explorers to step up into their place." If the adventurers have no further questions to discuss with Blue Lantern Captain Marissa Fairweather, do they need anything else before departing town?

"with the exception of armor’s item bonus" refers to the non-magical bonus to AC on armor. See example:

"This variant removes the item bonus to rolls and DCs usually provided by magic items (with the exception of armor’s item bonus) and replaces it with a new kind of bonus—potency—to reflect a character’s innate ability. In this variant, magic items, if they exist at all, can provide unique special abilities rather than numerical increases" -GM Core pg 83 If you're using potency bonuses, it replaces item bonuses for that situation. So they don't stack because the advanced healer's kit's bonus doesn't exist under the ABP system.

Item bonuses won't stack with the automatic progression bonus, no. So if you take your ABP bonus at level 3 to medicine, then there's no point in buying the more advanced healer's kits because you're getting that bonus already for free. If you're using pathbuilder to make your character, it calls the bonus type a potency bonus, which is technically an item bonus. Three types of bonuses you can add: circumstance, item, and status. They stack with each other but not with themselves.

It's an item bonus, so it should stack with anything not also giving an item bonus.

"Well then, it sounds like you have an idea how to make your way there, and some knowhow in the wilds," Marissa says, sounding a little more confident about your meeting. "Sounds like not all of you are locals then. That raises the question: does your company have a local office or headquarters? Are you registered as a company locally?" Short answer - yes you are Longer answer: some of your group have done caravan escorts which would have been preceded by registering with one of the town halls in one of the three main towns. This personal registration could be used in place of what she is asking for regarding company credentials. Alternatively, if you want, we can retroactively imagine this group of adventurers having registered as a group. Either way, th reaon she's asking is it makes is smoother in some cases to arrange recompense, especially for better paying work.

Ok. Thanks for the heads up. Make sure to have a good time.

Map of Glass Creek site location posted in Maps:

"Oh, you're here for the job?" Marissa exclaims, seeming surprised. "Oh! That's so good. I was worried we were going to have to wait for some of our agents to return, and who knows when that will be." She looks around at the group, looking a bit overwhelmed. But she takes a moment to stand up from her seat, runs her hands down her outfit to straighten things out, and composes herself. "Yes, of course it's still available. With luck, your timely arrival just might be enough to save some lives. That would be much more pleasant than a bodyrecovery mission, I should say." "Details? Yes, well the expedition set up camp just near Glass Creek. It's a little spot out just before the pass between the Blue and Prosper mountain ranges." She gets out a map and points out the destination (I will add a map with this marked later) "Well, that's their last known location, and we believe them to now be in distress. Their last message, by courier received two days ago indicated they were fearful of locals who had turned from friendly to hostile. They activated their emergency beacon, connected to one in this office, also two days ago, mere hours before we received their letter expressing their fears." "So our best guess is that the locals duped them into a false sense of security, then kidnapped them, and now expect some kind of ransom in return, as long as the savages don't get bored of holding them captive and decide to do worse to them." "What say you, adventurers...? I'm sorry, I forgot introductions. My name is Marissa Fairweather, local captain of the society."

14 of Renewal, year 20 Morning, Carisport Continued from: The local branch of the Blue Lantern Society in Carisport is a modest yet inviting building nestled among the stone cliffs of the colonial town accessed via a small branching alley off of Harbor Road's final switchback near the top of the cliffs. The building's facade is adorned with a simple yet elegant sign bearing the society's emblem: a blue lantern set against a backdrop of swirling stars. The exterior walls are constructed of weathered stone, giving the building a sense of solidity and permanence amidst the rugged landscape. As our adventurers enter the Blue Lantern Society's office, they are greeted by the warm glow of lantern light illuminating the interior. The main room is cozy and inviting, with wooden floors and beams adding a touch of rustic charm to the space. Bookshelves line the walls, filled with volumes on exploration, archaeology, and natural history, while maps and artifacts adorn the tables and display cases scattered throughout the room. Behind a sturdy oak desk sits the local chapter's administrator. She welcomes the adventurers with a warm smile as they approach, her eyes bright with curiosity and excitement at these new faces. "Welcome to the Blue Lantern Society," Marissa says, her voice carrying a hint of enthusiasm. "How can I assist you today?"

Story continued in: Chapter 3 - journey to Glass Creek

I see shopping lists for Chalia and Khaine at this point. I would like everyone else to indicate at least whether they intend to make any purchases before leaving town.