Crimson Sands of Time

We were toying with mechanics of crafting.  I gave her an example armor I rolled from a table and then we tried to reverse engineering it into the craft engine.  This is relating AC to rarity and expense and time to craft etc.

I want to stress that adding AC is specifically the opposite of what I hope to achieve.  Situational, creative, bespoke.  These are things a static modifier is not.

To sum up,

• Angus do not get a magically enchanted armor and a kite shield.
• Gravity spends two working hours to forge a spear and a dagger for Samogri. (Did Sam add Wand of Missiles to his inventory?)
• Chadderlay and Tetrevess are unable to enchant non-magical items since they do not have particular tool proficiency.

Quote from Wile_E_Coyote >>

We were toying with mechanics of crafting.  I gave her an example armor I rolled from a table and then we tried to reverse engineering it into the craft engine.  This is relating AC to rarity and expense and time to craft etc.

I want to stress that adding AC is specifically the opposite of what I hope to achieve.  Situational, creative, bespoke.  These are things a static modifier is not.

 (OK, it's your world.  Personally, I would think that artisan-crafted, customized armor would offer more protection due to the higher quality compared to off-the-shelf mass-produced armor.  I realize that AC is a soulless stat, but at the end of the day, a knight has to stay alive.  Pretty armor doesn't do much good if one is bleeding out on the ground.  Role-play wise, a more-than-a-little crazy teammate offers to modify Angus' chainmail armor by ripping off the metal rings and making it less protective? And the only advantage it grants is if he abandons his longsword for a different weapon? Clearly, the armor would be nice for a rogue or a bard. But for a paladin, I don't see how that is an attractive offer by any means.)

(@rob88scps2, Gravity certainly knows how to craft/enchant the 'Cathedral Knight Armor' and she doesn't need a plate or any other armor as a base, because she has something 'marvelous' in her backpack. She's just teasing Angus, even the payment she demanded was moot. Perhaps, Angus could've rolled for insight to know all of these, he might have persuaded her. But, time's up.)

(Sorry, I missed the post 19 hours ago. Catching up now.)

The Temple of Tymora is a jovial gambling hall.  The lush interior is filled with statues if an ever smiling goddess and rhe floors are lined with thick fur carpets. A wheel of fate, tables for Dragon Dice and card games are soread throughout the temple.  Most of the crowd are from parts removed from the city, judging by their fashion, accents and general company.  A few locals of limited means place small bets and have none of the good cheer of the visitors.

A door in the back leads to another area.

As Angus moves about the dour faces filling the Gate of Good Fortune (Temple of Tymora) he sees well-dressed men and women with stern expressions mingling with a few priests.  Some speak seriously of politics and it gradually becomes clear, some are placing bets.  Fixed odds bets about the politics of the city.  Which noble family's daughter will next marry, the fate of a certain blade and even a bet that High Blade Selfaril won't live another moon.  

Others, though, seem to be betting on some sort of sporting event.  It quickly occurs to Angus that they are betting on events thst will be held at the Meatgrinder.

"That's him, the cur who set loose thst scsly devil at the Grinder.  He changed his clothes, but I'd recognize him anywhere." Shouts an enraged nobleman "I'm out forty-eight platinum glories by that knave's hand!"

"Seize him and inform Lord Priest Burral.  All hands, stop that man! Four hundred glories, alive. Four hundred tarenth, whole!" calls a priest, loudly, pointing a finger toward Angus.

 <Angus: what do you do?>

Quote from InkedBee >>

To sum up,

• Angus do not get a magically enchanted armor and a kite shield.
• Gravity spends two working hours to forge a spear and a dagger for Samogri. (Did Sam add Wand of Missiles to his inventory?)
• Chadderlay and Tetrevess are unable to enchant non-magical items since they do not have particular tool proficiency.

 Actually, Sam's lizardfolk racial feature (before WotC removed it) made a big deal of them crafting things like weapons and armor from natural materials.  I think he was planning to do this himself.  If he doesn't explicitly have proficiency with the tools thanks to the updates, he should add them.  I'd say the non-traditional nature of the work, from a humanoid-centric perspective, (I realize lizardfolk are now humanoid, but they weren't when this lore was developed) a general set of tools and skills encompassing the making of simple weapons and natural armor would make sense.  Martial weapons, probably not. I think maybe a bow (not sure which category off the top of my head). "Natural" armor including his own black dragon scale armor or any other leather or hide or bone armor, etc. 

Tetrevess and Chadderlay can enchant.  If they use an arcane source, they can add their proficiency bonus for Arcana.  Angus could use a divine source and religion skill.  For natural enchantments, Sam could add his nature skill proficiency bonus, but it usually involves sacrificing something - this is actually something you've seen in Kwalish's lab and in the chapel to Vecna (this was befkre Stranger things, BTW) in Tomb of Annihilation. (I'm not looking at character sheets, I just assume the PCs have these proficiencies). Blood magic. For what it's worth, I could go any way, natural, divine or arcane.  Ask three mulman, get three different answers, but the crafter should decide it once and stick with it.

If no proficiency applies, enchantments, but not crafting or alchemy can be attempted without the proficiency bonus.  Crafting and alchemy require tools by definition. It's like making a riding check without a mount. OK bad example, but like if you've never been on a horse, disadvantage isn't strong enough, it's a total fluke if you accidentally make something with the delicate attribute.  I suppose minor imperfection items could still be crafted, just with disadvantage and extra time.  (In case it wasn't COMPLETELY obvious, I am smoothing these corners as they come up.

I also re-read my comment from earlier.  I'm not against raising your stats.  PCs should feel stronger as they level up, so monsters will have a harder time hitting them and will fall faster.  But jte.s thst do those things should just be off-the-shelf things you either buy or acquire.  There's no crafting game to adding 1 2 or 3 magic.  If you want to find something truly magic in mulmaster, shop at a specialty (pawn) shop, for Marvelous (magic adjacent) stuff, just find the best quality (and let me know you're looking to boost a base stat).

(@DM, Gravity made the 'Wand of Missiles' as a part of artificer infusion, originally meant for Tetrevess but later delivered to Sam. You've approved the homebrewed infusion/magic item a few weeks ago. So, it's automatic acquisition for Sam, but as long as Gravity remains alive.)

I'm also fond of exotic materials.  Often the lore makes them very hard to come by but they tend to play nicely with the nonmagical item damage, so you're less likely to lose your fancy toy than a normal item if it's made of, say, Hizagkuur or Zardazik. (See Volo's Guide to all things Magical, 1996 Greenwood & Boyd).

Quote from InkedBee >>

(@DM, Gravity made the 'Wand of Missiles' as a part of artificer infusion, originally meant for Tetrevess but later delivered to Sam. You've approved the homebrewed infusion/magic item a few weeks ago. So, it's automatic acquisition for Sam, but as long as Gravity remains alive.)

 Yup.  I made no comment on this because I agreed in principle.

Edit: I was saying he could craft the weapons mentioned 

Quote from InkedBee >>

.... But, time's up.

 There is a time and place for crafting. And that's wherever and whenever you decide! I personally would not decide to try my hand at crafting among the most complex things on the rare occasion when an Occult artifact is being removed from interception tomorrow.

<Incidentally, if someone were to sell their amor (maybe not a Knight of a lost city) and buy 'worse' armor in Mulmaster, depending on their selling ability, they could potentially buy similar armor to what they had befire elsewhere at a profit.  Not saying you should, it's just a thing that you could do.>

Anyhow, what's everyone doing?  I got Sam scoping the Embassy. He's not getting much good intel, beyond what you had already.  Maybe if he tried another location? Each roll is 8 hours, so you can still watch in the night, get a long rest and a late start in the morning of the last day the artifact is in town, including some time for crafting.

Tetrevess: I don't know. He's with the Cloaks, so unless I hear otherwise, doing Cloak things.  Out and about in the city.

Chadderly offered to help with crafting, which we've established he can.  But there's not much crafting happening.

I'd like to advance time to nightfall.  Intel says the object is here all night (and I wouldn't screw everything up by just deciding it was bad intel and really it leaves tonight,  though if I were the Thayan ambassador (or Gary Gygax), that's exactly what I would do).

So: Last call for actions before nightfall!

(I am still planning to resolve what happens to Angus, but we can do that simultaneously.  If there are no actions, you'll notice if he's not back, or he will be and he can tell you himself what happened at the Gate)

Angus will beat a hasty retreat out the door if possible.  (Should I roll something?)

Angus: roll an acrobatics check to try and avoid the grabbing hands of a dozen shadow breeze (and a few belligerent betters) as yoi flee. DC 18.

Angus Acrobatics 7

Cryptic Gravity

Gravity will snuff out the makeshift campfire. Since Sam has been with Gravity and Angus when both of them have been gathering intelligence from the shady thief-guy, she will provide him with necessary advice about reconnaissance system.

"Sam, try to search for a weak point in the embassy wall. Then you might want to look for the carriage that's supposed to carry the Thayan knights. You pay special attention to the design of the carriage and see if there's enough hollow area at the bottom of the vehicle. You might notice me wandering around the place, but pretend that you don't know me."

After ending the conversation, she will start following Angus to the Temple of Tymora and observe the general situation.

Gravity sees Angus enter the sanctified gambling hall.  Another pair if men walk jn a few minutes later, one sullen drunk stumbles out.  Next the muffled shouts of Tymoran priests and Velvet hands are drown in a did of screaming and yelling as tables topple and crash to the floor.  Angus Vaulting over the dragin dice table sends it toppling back behind him, impeding his pursuers. Knocking over the wheel of fate as he zips past, shoving Velvet hands to find his way to the entrance, he bursts forth onto the street and starts running for cover, with several Velvet Hand agents in pursuit.

It would appear Gravity has a fortunate diversion to work with.

Cryptic Gravity

Gravity will take advantage of the commotion to cast Reduce on herself to assume the stature of a halfling. She will stop wielding any weapons and put these shrunken items inside her backpack, and cover her armor with the woolen sweater. Rubbing the palms of her hands on her face, she tries to remove excess sweat or grease (Prestidigitation). During her quick transformation, she remains cautious about the possibility of being noticed by someone else.

Stealth (24, 9)(Rolled with advantage from Angus's distraction)

After that she will try to pass through the gate of the temple and attempt to search for someone who's wearing clothes that are available for priests only.

Investigation 21

She easily finds several priests.  None followed Angus.  They are returning to the business of taking bets and dealing payouts, setting right the overturned tsbkes and games of chance.  They all look quite overwhelmed by the double hit of a shirt term labor shortage with most or all of the Velvet Hand normally aiding matters now chasing Angus and the added urgency bordering on distress of the patrons in light of the commotion.

<Is Gravity trying the back room? Looking for something in particular?>

(She's trying to extract information about the history of Thayan Embassy)

Cryptic Gravity

"Honorable priests of Tymora, it's my great pleasure to meet you"- Gravity attempts to mimic the mannerism of a noble yet young scholar, holding a stack of parchments in one hand. "I'm trying to record the history of the locality, my special interest is in the history of Temple of Tymora. I hope that my research will draw more devoted souls here who'll be glad to donate resources. Now, I want to talk to someone who's most knowledgeable about the Temple and the adjacent historical places like the Thayan Embassy."

Deception 14

The busy priestess Gravity finds seems to light up at the prospect of an inquiring mind, but loses a bit of her eagerness when she hears its about the Ilmateri.  "Ahh. Certainly young lady.  I'll be with you in just a moment."

<assuming Gravity is willing to wait as rhe priestess deals with some of the commotion caused by Angus' brief presence, she returns to speak with Gravity.>

"So sorry for the delay. Now, where were we? Ah, yes! The Ilmateri Monastery.  As you no doubt know from your research, it's been nearly a century since the Thayans took the temple from the monks.  Their departure left a void in the city, certainly. Always regarded as a friendly presence and a boon to the city, they were sorely missed when the Thayans took their monastery for their embassy. It was once a ce ter of learning and of service. The embassy likely still holds the majority of thier vast collection of books, and they always helped the poorest Mulmen. Those that once went there for healing found no comfort, turning to the casters in desperation.  They are scarcely treated today, but st the time, asking an arcanist for aid of any sort was quite shocking.  Ever the martyrs, the monks roamed the city in their coarse-furred shirts.  

Now the legacy of the Ilmateri monks is best preserved in the local brewing tradition, which even today attracts a fair share of visitors to the city.  In harsh times they distributed watered down ale and crusts of bread.  The ale itself was a testament to their craft.  The mo KS were some of the most skilled brewers in Faerûn, and a large portion of thier subsistence was built on the revenue earned from the sale of this ale to local inns and taverns."