PDA

View Full Version : TYM Soundstage A (Trial I: theterran vs. Tidesinger)



Pages : [1] 2

afroakuma
2009-06-20, 11:42 AM
Test Your Might: Trial I
Bracket: ECL 15-16
theterran vs. Tidesinger

Choose your buff time or lack thereof.

Doc Roc
2009-06-20, 11:52 AM
The Hook

You have been hired by the church of Pelor to investigate the recent disappearance of one of their clerics, and the disturbing reports of a similar figure's involvement in a steadily rising crime syndicate. The only leads you have are a set of tattered maps gifted to the church about a month ago, and the legends and rumors passed around the undercity. This combined with the missing cleric's last known heading is all that informs your quest thus far. Do you wish to investigate more into the nature of the church's benefactor or would you like to proceed directly to the adventure?

As before, you are explicitly permitted a single usage of contact other plane.

theterran
2009-06-20, 02:54 PM
I do not want to use the contact other plane, but I will investigate the benefactor...


Is that a Gather Information Check?

Doc Roc
2009-06-21, 01:38 AM
((Yes, it certainly is. Are you certain, regarding COP? I understand your trepidation.
I will try to make a modicum of information available for you to find ))

theterran
2009-06-21, 06:53 AM
Yes, I'm sure about COP...

Gather INfo
[roll0]
[roll1]

Those two are really the only ones even worth it...:/

Doc Roc
2009-06-21, 12:08 PM
Your brief investigation indicates that these maps used to belong to a curious character named Shift McShady, but appear to be reasonably legitimate. A little bit more searching gets you some additional sets of old spelunker's maps that corroborate the majority of what you've learned. There are some spots with a reasonable amount of conflict to them, however, so it seems reasonable to proceed with extreme caution.

theterran
2009-06-21, 03:08 PM
Your brief investigation indicates that these maps used to belong to a curious character named Shift McShady, but appear to be reasonably legitimate. A little bit more searching gets you some additional sets of old spelunker's maps that corroborate the majority of what you've learned. There are some spots with a reasonable amount of conflict to them, however, so it seems reasonable to proceed with extreme caution.

Really? Bah...:smallmad:

Now I've gotta rename my guys! :smalltongue:

theterran
2009-06-22, 06:27 AM
Let me figure out my buff time and then we'll get going :smallwink:

theterran
2009-06-22, 08:46 AM
Looks like its 8 rounds of Buffing :smallconfused:


Non-DM (I'm Buffing :P)

Divine Caster
Round 1 - Energy Immunity (Fire) on SkillMonkey
Round 2 - Magic Vestment
Round 3 - Divine Power out an Extended Mass Shield of Faith (2 Turns Burned)
[roll0]
Round 4 - Divine Power out an Extended Mass Death Ward (2 Turns Burned) [roll1]
Round 5 - Extended Sheltered Vitality on Divine. (1 Turn Burned)
Round 6 - Extended Sheltered Vitality on Arcane. (1 Turn Burned)
Round 7 - Extended Sheltered Vitality on SkillMonkey. (1 Turn Burned)
Round 8 - Extended Sheltered Vitality on Tank. (1 Turn Burned)

Arcane Caster
Round 1 - Greater Arcane Fusion (Superior Resistance, Greater Magic Weapon(Armor Spikes) - both on Divine)
Round 2 - Energy Immunity (acid) on SkillMonkey
Round 3 - Greater Mighty Wallop on SkillMonkey Flail
Round 4 - Greater Mighty Wallop on Tank Warhammer
Round 5 - Superior Resistance on Arcane
Round 6 - Greater Magic Weapon on Arcane's Dagger
Round 7 - Greater Magic Weapon on Divine's Shield Spikes
Round 8 - Arcane Fusion (Greater Mage Armor / Shield - both on Arcane)

SkillMonkey
Round 1 - Wildshape into Troll, Draw Heavy Flail, size it to large.
Round 2-8 Pick nose

Tank
Round 1 - Greater Magic Weapon on own Weapon
Round 2 - Greater Magic Weapon on SkillMonkey Flail
Round 3-6 Stand
Round 7 - Activate Divine Vigor (1 Turn Burned)
Round 8 - Favor of the Martyr on SkillMonkey



Breakdown of Buffs
Tank
G. Magic Weapon (16 Hours)
G. Might Wallop (16 Hours)
Death Ward (48 Minutes)
Sheltered Vitality (32 Minutes)
Shield of Faith (40 Minutes)
Divine Vigor (8 Minutes)
10 Turns Left
SkillMonkey
G. Mighty Wallop (16 Hours)
Energy Immunity (Acid and Fire) (24 Hours)
Wildshape (5 Hours)
Sheltered Vitality (32 Minutes)
Death Ward (48 Minutes)
Shield of Faith (40 Minutes)
Favor of the Martyr (16 Minutes)

Divine
G.Magic Weapon (16 Hours)
G.Magic Weapon (16 Hours)
Sheltered Vitality (32 Minutes)
Death Ward (48 Minutes)
Shield of Faith (40 Minutes)
Superior Resistance (24 Hours)
Magic Vestment (16 Hours)
6 Turns Remaining
Arcane
G. Magic Weapon (16 Hours)
Sheltered Vitality (32 Minutes)
Death Ward (48 Minutes)
Shield of Faith (40 Minutes)
Superior Resistance (24 Hours)
Greater Mage Armor (16 Hours)
Shield (16 Minutes)

Note:
Both spikes of the Divine and the Dagger of the Arcane will always apply Defending to the AC bonus, every round (just incase I forget)

theterran
2009-06-22, 02:14 PM
You are up Mr. DM :smallwink:

(edit)

Wow...4 posts in a row :smalleek:

Doc Roc
2009-06-22, 02:18 PM
Really? Bah...:smallmad:

Now I've gotta rename my guys! :smalltongue:

Goodness, I can't imagine how that happened.... :)

Doc Roc
2009-06-22, 02:21 PM
Gonna need a little while to think about my moves.

theterran
2009-06-22, 02:40 PM
The "New" Names!
Tank = Tanks A Lot
SkillMonkey = DumbleDwarf (Guess what race he is :P)
Arcane = Rollin' Over
Divine = Hael Brot

Enjoy :smallamused:

theterran
2009-06-22, 03:04 PM
Gonna need a little while to think about my moves.

Great, I've given him "time" to think...I'm doomed :smalleek:

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 12:24 PM
Not Roland Ovar? I'm disappointed.

Gimme a spellcraft check.

Gimme another knowledge check, then a know arcana, and let me know if you can currently see invisible things.

Gimme a spot check as well, followed by a spellcraft.

Also a will save.

Observers only

I'm going to open by tailing him out of town at a good distance, using Spider Hand from a scroll to for a expendable scout and outrider. If I can get a good look at him, I'll use a scroll of teleport to head home and try for a scry, or I may cast arcane eye while I'm in town. The goal is to watch him as he's buffing.

theterran
2009-06-23, 12:39 PM
Not Roland Ovar? I'm disappointed.
Yea well :smalltongue:


Gimme another knowledge check,

Which would you like?


...then a know arcana,
[roll0]
[roll1]


...and let me know if you can currently see invisible things.

No...:smalleek:...can't believe I missed that buff...:smalleek:



Gimme a spot check as well
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]


,followed by a spellcraft.
[roll6]
[roll7]


Also a will save.
Not sure who this is targeting...so I'll roll them all...and if this is from an identifiable spell, I might have an action in regards to it...
[roll8]
NO DM
SkillMonkey using Moment of Perfect Mind
[roll9]
[roll10]
[roll11]

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 12:47 PM
Okay, you identify an alarm spell on Shifty Mcshady's map, as it goes off.
Who's carrying the map?

You can't pass the spot checks because you can't see invisible.

theterran
2009-06-23, 12:49 PM
Okay, you identify an alarm spell on Shifty Mcshady's map, as it goes off.
Who's carrying the map?

You can't pass the spot checks because you can't see invisible.

Dumbledwarf...the Skills guy of course...:smalltongue:

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 12:50 PM
Observers

She protected the spider from spider hand with invisibility, and sent it scurrying along to trail them, in an attempt to avoid penalties to her scrying's will save, by getting a feel for them and also an idea of their appearance. The map they carry is in fact shifty mcshady's map, but she snagged a piece of it before letting a set of adventurers carry it back

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 12:51 PM
Which will save is his, then?

theterran
2009-06-23, 12:53 PM
The 2nd [37] is his.

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 01:10 PM
Succeeded. Spell just does nothing, so you don't get a chance to ID it.

I presume you head to the cave at pretty much full speed and start buffing there near the entrance?


Aware that her scrying has failed, even with a -6 to the will save of the intended recipient, she falls back on plan B and heads to the cave entrance, where she waits until her estimation of their travel speed should put them fairly near the cave entrance. She then casts Arcane Eye three times over the course of the next hour, giving her about 50% coverage across that time span, or until one of them encounters the party. When or if one encounters the party, she casts the remaining ones and uses them to scout from multiple directions and watch the party as they prepare. This exhausts her current supply of scrolls for it, and leaves her in deep frustration, particularly if the tactic fails entirely.

theterran
2009-06-23, 01:13 PM
That's a safe assumption...

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 01:14 PM
Probable time delayed...
[roll0]

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 01:16 PM
Okay, do you have any effects up when you arrive that would allow you to see a magical sensor, as per arcane eye?

theterran
2009-06-23, 01:17 PM
Nope :smallannoyed:

(edit)

Why do I get the feeling the Mountain is about to come down on me......again....:eek:

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 01:19 PM
I believe the phrase is...


Show me your moves!
::Captain Falcon Voice::

By that I mean how many spellcraft checks am I gonna need to ID your buffs?

((Because I'm a bad man........
Sorry, I really don't enjoy this, but I harassed AA enough that I felt like I owed him the favor of running it.))
Observers

As soon as she makes contact with the second arcane eye, she casts her only instance of sonorous hum from a scroll, and heads back a ways into the cave to settle into her lair and buff up appropriately and lay out her dark skulls.

afroakuma
2009-06-23, 01:25 PM
((Because I'm a bastard... Sorry, I really don't enjoy this, but I harassed AA enough that I felt like I owed him the favor of running it.))

I hope you mean "I don't enjoy forcing countless rolls," not "I don't enjoy DMing this match." You're under no obligation to me, you know. I'm pretty sure I've harassed you back by now. :smallamused:

theterran
2009-06-23, 01:26 PM
Lol...20 checks...><

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 01:29 PM
I mean I don't enjoy basically murdering his hard work with what amounts to chicanery. I just felt it would be interesting to play the villains to the hilt.

theterran
2009-06-23, 01:30 PM
I mean I don't enjoy basically murdering his hard work with what amounts to chicanery. I just felt it would be interesting to play the villains to the hilt.

I don't mind, it's what I signed up for after all :smalltongue:

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 01:36 PM
But you've watched the other trials, right? I'm basically giving you three scoops of pain with a tasty toxic fudge topping when all you wanted was some pistachio gelato in an rofl-cone.

Edit:
Man, I need to go buy some lactaid so I can snag an ice cream sometime in the future.

theterran
2009-06-23, 01:39 PM
Actually, no, I haven't watched any of the others :smalltongue:

afroakuma
2009-06-23, 01:54 PM
Probably for the best... that ECL 20 was positively abortive. :smallfrown:

theterran
2009-06-23, 02:04 PM
Well, I haven't watched any so I can keep them open should I wish to participate :smalltongue:

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 02:12 PM
Trying to figure out the boss's spellcraft, sorry. Apparently the original version had none, but .... that makes no sense, so...

Also gonna make a grocery run in a little bit, and think about where it's headed from here. Ugh, just switching it from escape artist?! to spellcraft.

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 02:14 PM
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]
[roll6]
[roll7]
[roll8]
[roll9]
[roll10]
[roll11]
[roll12]
[roll13]
[roll14]
[roll15]
[roll16]
[roll17]
[roll18]
[roll19]

Tell me what I passes, plz? :)

theterran
2009-06-23, 02:20 PM
Yeah, they all pass...just look at my buffing post...I'm not retyping that crap :smalltongue:

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 04:50 PM
Knowledge local covers humanoids...
:)



In many cases, you can use this skill to identify monsters and their special powers or vulnerabilities. In general, the DC of such a check equals 10 + the monster’s HD. A successful check allows you to remember a bit of useful information about that monster.

For every 5 points by which your check result exceeds the DC, you recall another piece of useful information.


Hummm

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

What do I remember or learn, AA?
Do I pass the knowledge DCs for any of your prestige classes, Terran?

theterran
2009-06-23, 05:24 PM
I have no idea...I'll leave this one to AA, as I'm not really sure...:smallconfused:

afroakuma
2009-06-23, 06:15 PM
...wait, what?

Did you... did you just Knowledge the PCs???

:smallconfused:

*sigh*... Calculate as roll - HD, for every 5 points you can pick out what class they are and its most blatant class feature. Every five points after that can grab you one additional class off of them. I'll hand you their base classes, because really. :smalltongue:

Fair?

:smallsigh: Whatever happened to good old-fashioned spot-engage-murder?

Anyways, that gets you up to two prestige classes from the first, a prestige class from the second, a prestige class from the third and two prestige classes from the fourth. Alternately, you can grab an important class feature (psionics, soulmelds, animal companions, familiars) or knowledge of a particular visible magic item.

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 06:23 PM
Why wouldn't I knowledge the PCs? They're the monsters, not me! ;)
Ancient dragons don't rush, don't go in blind, and never surrender a possible advantage.

I'll take PrCs, for 500.

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 06:39 PM
:: You hear a strong feminine voice singing clearly and melodically in a language you don't recognize from deep inside the cave::

observers only

Naxei has snagged a slave and forced her to sing in an attempt to push the PCs to hurry. She casts alter self to disguise herself as a half giant, and hides in the slave pens, after arranging it so that the singing slave looks like the villainess. The slave is coerced using charm person, which she literally cannot pass the save for. If possible she will stage herself being dragged in by two of her illithid minions, who have orders to flee if possible. All in all, she has arranged it so that it will almost certainly appear that she is an innocent slave in need of rescue, and has simultaneously set up the players to brutally murder an innocent woman posed as Naxei.

theterran
2009-06-23, 06:40 PM
1st (two PrCs) - Holy Liberator
2nd (one PrC) - MMF
3rd (one PrC) - Church Inquisitor
4th (two PrC) - IotSV

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 06:41 PM
And their base classes?

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 06:42 PM
Fixed the singing's description. Give me a sense motive and a know(planes).

The language is Abyssal, and the poor woman has a script scrawled quickly on her arms for the syllables. It's a chant of war and blood, basically the precise thing you would expect a malevolent demoness to sing.

Any check will automatically reveal this, as it is in fact a common war chant among maraliths.

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 06:49 PM
Observers

Naxei, in great frustration, conceals her gear carefully under a thick burlap shirt and equally shoddy but heavy pants, casting invisibility on the most obvious piece, likely the gem in her forehead!

She tucks her one scroll of Greater Dispel Magic (cl 20, 3k gp) into her... she tucks it away, okay?

theterran
2009-06-23, 06:56 PM
And their base classes?

Ah

Paladin of freedom
WildShaping Ranger / Rogue
Cleric
Sorcerer

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 06:57 PM
Hah! I thought I smelled a paladin. My DM-Sense is strong... :)

theterran
2009-06-23, 07:01 PM
:smallconfused:

Apparently Know: Planes isn't in my arsenal...

Sense Motive

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 07:07 PM
She is chanting, with great fervor, a war chant of the mariliths.
It sounds like she's no more than about 150 feet away, and her voice is thick with what sounds like fury.

theterran
2009-06-23, 07:07 PM
Actions:
My guys will head toward the voice in the order of:
SKillMonkey
Divine
Arcane
Tank

Skill Monkey will be searching for traps w/ his 10ft pole and his mage hand...
Search skill has a +35 Modifier, let me know if I need to roll anything.

Half speed will put me at 20ft a move...and he has Stonecunning, so if there's a trap in stone or made of stone, it's a 37 mod...

While they march, there are a couple of other spells I would like to cast...I just need the thumbs up that they are actually moving toward the voice...

Oh, and according to the map, how long is the corridor that the voice is coming from?

(edit)

Even after your description, I'm still going to search, I'm not getting "trapped" to death again!

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 07:08 PM
The corridor runs about forty feet then bends. It's quite large, large enough for a huge and a large creature to move almost abreast, by your estimation.

theterran
2009-06-23, 07:11 PM
alright, assuming I'm moving toward them at a searching pace...

No DM
My Cleric will Cast True Seeing on the SkillMonkey
My Sorcerer will cast See Invisibility on Himself...

I can see Invisible things now...if it makes a difference :smalltongue:

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 07:18 PM
Spellcraft:
[roll0]
[roll1]

Do I pass? If so, please, care to share? :: genteel grin ::

theterran
2009-06-23, 07:25 PM
True Seeing
See Invisibility

afroakuma
2009-06-23, 07:27 PM
Tidesinger
This is Nax'ethernas, the wraith dragon, correct?

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 07:35 PM
Okay, you see before you a magical sensor as per Arcane Eye.

Observers

Seeing him cast, she moved one arcane eye forward, the one closer to expiring, so that it would be in his field of vision. The other is trailing as best it can, out of line of sight, in an attempt to stay out of view. She orders one of her illithid minions to flank the exit of the corridor, around the bend and forty feet ahead from there, via trap doors and ready an action to toss an activated greater glyph seal, set in a small bouncy ball ;) down the corridor bearing dispelling screen, greater affected by invisible spell. Seal trigger is humanoid. Trigger for readied action is "Footsteps."


The field will go off inside the square of the leader, effectively, which should kill the true-seeing. Beyond that, it will unfortunately not travel with the ball.

If only.

I'm going to GM-hell. :|
I really hope it destroys both arcane eyes.

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 07:37 PM
AA

Yes, I've just renamed him and made him a her so that I could pull off the marilith\drow schtick, and opted to convert a chunk of the gold she should have gotten from killing his last party, or from her horde, into some scrolls. Figure she should have something to use her ridiculous UMD checks on. ;)

theterran
2009-06-23, 08:50 PM
"Hrmm...so our prescense has not gone unnoticed..."

The Arcane Caster Moves up beside SkillMonkey at the lead...on the opposite side of the turn (ie, if the passage way turns left up ahead, Arcane will be on the right of SkillMonkey).
Tank in a like manner moves up behind SKillMonkey and beside Divine...

(Basically attempting to shield my squishies from anything that might be around this turn coming up.)

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 08:51 PM
The arcane eye buzzes you intently, trying to get in close to take a careful look at your magical equipment, as far as you can tell. Beyond that, nothing happens except that the singing continues. It sounds fairly close, like perhaps it is just about 70 feet away around the corner.

Observers only

There's nothing in this spoiler. It's just here as part of my schtick.

theterran
2009-06-23, 08:59 PM
As we continue moving...Divine Casts another spell...

The Spell
Conviction, Mass

Arcane also takes this time to pull out a scroll...

Assuming my skillmonkey doesn't find any traps, we'll just keep heading toward the corner...

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 09:00 PM
You find no traps. Do you turn the corner?

theterran
2009-06-23, 09:07 PM
You find no traps. Do you turn the corner?

Sure, I'll continue around the corner...

theterran
2009-06-23, 09:11 PM
My laptop is going to die, so we'll have to continue this tomorrow...

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 09:18 PM
Someone ducks out, throws what appears to be a rock past you, and it bounces past your leads and then away. They dive away immediately thereafter.

Obs

Have swapped silent spell for invisible spell on Naxei, as it is more thematic, and it is applied to the dispelling screen loaded into the seal in place of the originally applied silent spell which did nothing because I am an idiot. This suppresses the seal after it triggers, leaving it non-magical and thus really hard to find or figure out the nature of.

There is now an invisible screen in front of the lead part of the party.

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 09:43 PM
Observer

Am I over-doing it?

afroakuma
2009-06-23, 10:24 PM
Tidesinger
Yeah, I think you may have taken excessive liberties with the staging here. There's a difference between playing intelligently and playing the encounter. You're piloting a dragon, a creature of surpassing arrogance. This particular one is noted for being sadistic, superior and liking to play with its food. So far you've been doing little other than analyzing your foes and staging a decoy, the latter of which was not the original villain's style.

I can appreciate if you've changed that, and I prefer leaving you latitude to play the villain in your way, but I remember the fiascos with Jkoshe's setup and Olo's ECL 14. Ultimately, you are DMing one encounter, and the villain shouldn't get a lot of lead time to stretch the meaning of that.

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 10:29 PM
AA

I actually have done away with all minions, and am using only the dragon as a combat piece. After they hit the decoy, they meet the dragon almost immediately. I'm not overly concerned about whether or not I'm playing like a dragon, I'm concerned as to if playing like a dragon is what you really wanted from me, from my perspective.

I've chosen to emphasize calculation over immediate cruelty. I'm using two traps and then the dragon immediately there-after. As it stands, they could certainly dispel the arcane eyes, pull out, and take different precautions.

I'm worried, basically, that he's done nothing about the ongoing scrying, and that as a result I'm being unfair. This is still eminently winnable, since the dragon isn't the power-house it was for the last ECL 16.

I'm just worried that I'm being overly cruel. Do you think so? I can moderate very easily, but I think it is in the nature of a wraith dragon to try and get a paladin to kill an innocent slave for the laughs and for tactical advantage.

They are less than 120 feet from the heart of the lair, and less than 50 feet from the decoy at this point. I think this counts as one encounter, but if you feel differently, I can move things up considerably.

If you would like, we can, alternatively, just call it or have someone else step in to DM the rest. I'm not attached to this.

afroakuma
2009-06-23, 11:48 PM
Tidesinger
As I said, I'm not overly concerned; I just want to make sure it doesn't escalate to ridiculous levels. The decoy plan should be fine, and leaving out minions will be more fair.

You seem... reluctant to actually play this through. I have no qualms about your DMing this, and theterran would appear to agree, but if you're not enjoying yourself (or going to) then, as I said, don't feel obligated to me.

Doc Roc
2009-06-23, 11:58 PM
AA

My concern, fundamentally, is to ensure that Terran has a chance. He's come in with his guns laid out careful like. He screwed a couple of checks, and made some bad calls. I'm trying to give him some time to straighten those. The dispelling screen costs me both my Arcane Eyes, a decision that is intentional and I feel in line with the careless but cunning malevolence of the dragon.

But that's not what matters to me.

I don't want to be That Guy who made terran play Guess What The DM Is Thinking. On the other hand, he went out of his way to make sure he was lined up for a dungeon, so I need to make sure the encounter plays at least a little to this emphasis.

I guess my question is, do you feel like I've struck a meaningful balance?

afroakuma
2009-06-23, 11:59 PM
Tidesinger
Yes I do. I think it will pan out fine. The dragon is a tough cookie (most dragons are) but I think you've found the zone where it can be smart and proactive but still possible to have a decent combat with.

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 12:04 AM
AA

I will be using invisible spell on all my casting, which will likely make things very muddled for a round or two. I'm hoping this won't be a game-cracker, but the incorporeal + invisible spell may be the real problem. I'm leaning towards not using incorporeal unless I have to.......

Maybe she hates doing that? I'll suppose she does. Makes her scales itch or something.

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 01:39 AM
I have taken the Liberty of providing a soundtrack:

Entrance (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEp6iVTNwss&feature=related)
First fight (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgS252XT_Ts)
The Run (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZ_kkbXjrek&feature=related)
Transition (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LLAN29W-4w)
Ruins (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFq2YJKYa-k)


This is a snEAKInG misSIon SNaaakKKKkeeee....

theterran
2009-06-24, 05:27 AM
:smallannoyed:

Ok, assuming this works...
When skillmonkey sees a guy duck out and throw something he screams "Incoming"...Arcane quickly throws up an area warding, from the outside, all that is seen is the color orange, but needless to say, the "rock" disintegrates (and I put quotes around it because I'm guessing it's not just a rock...I read OOTS and I've seen what a ball with a spell on it can do :smalltongue:)

The warding goes up 5ft in front of Skillmonkey.

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 08:13 AM
That may work, just give me a spot check as the rock is very small. Also, Orange disintegrates magical ranged attacks, right? Does that mean spell-effects or the more classical +1 arrows? Because the rock is a ball of clay with a glyphseal wedged in, so I'm not sure where it falls on this spectrum. DC is 30 for the spot on the rock.

:: checking the height of the Wall-type warding ::
Sometimes a man must crib tricks from the best. :)

"Orange Veil: At 2nd level, an initiate learns the secret of
the orange veil. A warding with this veil halts magical ranged
attacks, including spells that conjure missiles (such as Melf’s
acid arrow) or create rays (such as disintegrate or a beholder’s
eye rays) but not spells that do not require a ranged attack
(such as magic missile)."

Do you want to switch that veil to red?

Saph
2009-06-24, 08:33 AM
Orange blocks +1 arrows and ranged spell attacks, too, at least ones that involve ranged attack rolls. Anything magic with an attack roll, basically.

- Saph

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 08:34 AM
That's actually not clear from the text. This is why I find Io7V weird, because the one time we could have really benefited from a line-by-line explanation of what gets stopped, it's not there. What effect does it have on a thrown magic item? Just destroys it automatically? Can I destroy artifacts this way? :: frustrated with WotC::


In any case, the glyph seal is set up to go off in the same freaking place he dropped the ward, so I have double plus no idea what happens now. :: laughing ::

Man, I'm really hoping it blows up the glyphseal.

Saph
2009-06-24, 08:37 AM
I thought "anything magic that requires an ranged attack roll" was a decent summary of the above paragraph, but up to you. :P

I'm not really sure whether a rock with a glyphseal on it counts as a magic ranged attack or not. Probably not.

Yeah, IotSV is confusing that way. And yes, by the text it does indeed destroy anything that meets the criteria, including artifacts. Artifacts in turn state that they can't be destroyed by anything except special means, so . . . okay, I'll back out at this point and stop interrupting your match. :P

- Saph

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 08:40 AM
Heheh, I just hate decent summaries where some actual rules would have been a gift from heaven. :)
I'm fine with it blocking magical missiles of all flavors, but I'm also ambivalent re: blocking glyphseals. I'm okay with letting it....
Does the glyphseal get destroyed or just drop to the ground?

Saph
2009-06-24, 08:45 AM
Heheh, I just hate decent summaries where some actual rules would have been a gift from heaven. :)
I'm fine with it blocking magical missiles of all flavors, but I'm also ambivalent re: blocking glyphseals. I'm okay with letting it....
Does the glyphseal get destroyed or just drop to the ground?

Check the rules on glyphseals/glyph of warding, I guess. What happens when the item a glyph is on gets disintegrated?

- Saph

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 08:50 AM
Oddly, I believe it goes inactive rather than is simply destroyed.... So... in the spirit of maximum lulz:

If you pass your spot: there's a meaty THOCK as the rock hits and disintegrates then what sounds like a chip of granite bouncing away down the hall off of the veil. This is followed by a confused shriek of "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" in Quallish, and the sound of a creature diving away with a Thunk.

Else: there's a momentary hum then the rock flies past you with no effect whatsoever, as the veil goes up a moment too late.

theterran
2009-06-24, 09:09 AM
Alright, in response to the debate waging, I said "The color you see is orange". It's a dual ward, so you don't see what's on the inside...:smalltongue: (The inside ward is the violet veil, which disintegrates Everything...if it makes it that far...I didn't want to take any chances...)

And since I said skillmonkey saw it and yelled...I'll only roll his spot check...

[roll0]

afroakuma
2009-06-24, 09:12 AM
Tidesinger
He's playing with Initiate of the Seven Veils?

I withdraw all concerns. No mercy.

Kill him. Kill him hard.

:smallannoyed:

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 12:04 PM
Zounds, Violet!
You see it on the way in, yell a warning, which leaves the mage in non-flatfooted position and able to burn his immediate for a reactive warding.

What's the DC on that disintegrate effect?
Apparently it's 18+your primary casting attribute.


AA

Io7V isn't too bad, really. He's down to three wardings, which I can make him use up no problem.

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 12:10 PM
Save against disintegrate.
[roll0]
Nat 20, saves successfully.

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 12:11 PM
[roll0]
Damage against the item. I believe it gets set off if it is damaged, as per glyph of warding.
Apparently it takes damage as per a non-magical item of its type. What. the. heck. What type of non-magical item is a glyph seal? I'll go with sphere of rock. Let me go see how large it is. I'm getting a distinct sense it was destroyed.... :S

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 12:18 PM
Actually, it is a thumb-sized opal.
So either a stone or a piece of mundane crystal, 1 inch thick, in either case it survives, as far as I can tell. So it's hard to say if it makes it through or bounces away. I'm inclined towards bounces away, but I'm not sure. Let's go with bounces away, for maximum amusement value. :)

theterran
2009-06-24, 12:42 PM
Well ok then...:smallconfused:

Since I'm now around the corner, is it just more corridor?

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 12:43 PM
Are you taking the veil down to look?

theterran
2009-06-24, 12:46 PM
Are you taking the veil down to look?

I can see out of the veil just fine, you just can't see in the veil :smalltongue:

(edit)

Source: CArc Pg.45

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 12:58 PM
Sorry, I presumed you were using the Wall-type warding. Then you you see basically to the end of the corridor, up about 50-60 feet ahead where it takes a steep upward turn and appears to widen out. It looks like there's a sheer rock wall about 20 feet past the widening point of the corridor. Illumination here is basically non-existent.

observers

The area ahead is effectively a large cavern, where the heart of the match will occur, containing the slave pens, and a hidden door to the dragon's lair proper. it is about 300 widex300 longx450 Tall, and has 40 foot high walls cordoning off a circular area with a radius of about 100 feet, that is chorded by the edge of the room about 30 feet in. In other words, it is only 70 feet from the edge of the room to the center of the circle. This area contains the first slave pit and the decoy, with the dragon tucked in among the slaves.

Before all of this, however, there is a small 20x20 ante chamber where the corridor meets the large central cavern, with the floor curving upward into a sheer cliff, at the top of which is the floor level for the main chamber. The ground level of the antechamber is, in other words about 20 feet lower than the ground level of the main cavern. The dispelling screen now spans the mouth of the corridor as it meets the antechamber. To the left, there is a trapdoor which leads into an extensive set of caverns and crawl spaces which I hope to heaven will not become relevant.

The ascent to the main cavern should be basically no challenge and there is in fact a set of cross cut stairs. The players may not realize that it's all one large room, functionally speaking, however. As soon as they get to the top, the decoy will charge them, screaming in abyssal (which she does not know) "We meet in blood! In Glory!" She has been told, under the influence of charm person, that these people are her rescuers and that she should embrace them as tightly as possible. Naturally, I think we all know how this will look to the players.

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 01:01 PM
Gimme a search check as you move towards the corridor's mouth.

theterran
2009-06-24, 01:07 PM
Alright, the whole party begins moving toward the corridor's mouth..

The warding is still up...5ft in front of Skillz...and moves with us...as area warding dictates...

Search
[roll0]


And real quick...back to the whole rock thing...I'm not sure it gets a saving throw...here's the text from the Violet Veil...


This barrier destroys all objects and effects that cross it, as if they were disintegrated.
So its not like the spell disintegrate, it just destroys them out right...

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 01:08 PM
As if they were disintegrated means as if affected by the spell. You note that disintegrated is italicized in the original text, denoting a keyword or spell. The only definition of the effect I know of comes from the spell's effect. ::shrug::

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 01:10 PM
You find a small, badly burnt opal covered in runes about three quarters of the way to the tunnel mouth. What do you do?

observers

This is the glyph seal, where it rolled back down the corridor thanks to the upward slant. It's currently non-magical, having been automatically suppressed by rolling back through the dispelling screen unattended. It does still carry a strong abjuration effect.

The dispelling screen is CL 14, via a few boosts, with a +2 bonus from a dispelling cord. So it rolls 1d20+16 against a dc 11+ spell level check. The chances of it knocking off buffs is pretty darn low. We'll see. I'm _not_ optimistic, but it's a fun first line of defense.

theterran
2009-06-24, 01:11 PM
As if they were disintegrated means as if affected by the spell.

:smallconfused:

alright...seems dumb that they put all that stuff in there then...it should have just said "all objects are subject to the spell disintegrate"...would have been more straightforward...:smallsigh:

Anyways...onward!

theterran
2009-06-24, 01:17 PM
You find a small, badly burnt opal covered in runes about three quarters of the way to the tunnel mouth.

Skillmonkey has everyone stop far back...then he uses his mage hand at max range to pick up the oval and place it in plain sight, where Arcane then casts detect Magic on the thing...

After 3 rounds of concentration, he'll attempt a spellcraft check to see what school of magic is involved

Check:
[roll0]

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 01:18 PM
The stone itself is a glyph-seal, greater, and it carries a moderate abjuration aura from the discharged spell.

Obs

In a little while, he'll see the violet screen of the dispelling screen, though only skillmonkey and sorcerer will see it as it is affected by invisible spell.

Pretty sure I'm screwed, thanks to the fact that I can't get the true-seeing down in any reasonable fashion. I knew I should have dropped a fog on top of the entrance way... :|

theterran
2009-06-24, 01:28 PM
Lovely...abjuration...


SkillMonkey uses the mage hand to throw the glyph-seal through the corridor's mouth into the room beyond...Tank moves around skillmonkey to take the lead, followed by Divine / Skillmonkey, and Arcane bringing up the rear...

And on we move...


I'm assuming that I'm getting close to something that will attack me, as someone had to throw that stupid thing...hence moving the tank to the front...

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 01:31 PM
Up ahead, skillmonkey and sorcerer see a violet screen of energy blocking the corridor's mouth. The rest of your team sees nothing.

The singing still sounds somewhat distant, but it's clearly from up ahead.

theterran
2009-06-24, 01:35 PM
SkillMonkey stops everyone...again...as Arcane Casts Greater Dispel Magic on the screen...

Dispel Check
[roll0]

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 01:39 PM
And down it goes.

theterran
2009-06-24, 01:43 PM
And down it goes.

Tidesinger

Sweet...what was it :smallconfused:

And they continue moving, no longer checking for traps into the mouth of the corridor...

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 01:47 PM
Dispelling screen, greater. It was supposed to go off _on_top_ of your skill monkey.

Mouth of the corridor opens into a 20x20 room with no roof, the ceiling far out of view above. It looks like the facing wall is a cliff about 30-40 feet tall. There's a small staircase cut into it. The room is otherwise feature-less.

theterran
2009-06-24, 01:49 PM
Dispelling screen, greater. It was supposed to go off _on_top_ of your skill monkey.

Ah...I figured it was some random spell I've never heard of that basically "copied" my violet veil :smalleek:

So the fact that it was only a dispeling screen makes me feel alittle better :smallsigh:

theterran
2009-06-24, 01:55 PM
Anyway, moving on.

Will ascend the stairs...

Order: tank, skillmonkey, arcane, divine.

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 02:10 PM
Ah...I figured it was some random spell I've never heard of that basically "copied" my violet veil :smalleek:

So the fact that it was only a dispeling screen makes me feel alittle better :smallsigh:

Normally we use a really uncommon spell called prismatic wall to copy the veils. :: gently sardonic grin ::

As you ascend the stairs, with the tank in front, you hear a CLICK! as you get to the first landing. Nothing at all happens except for a sinking feeling in your gut. A ticking noise is now audible, but just barely over the singing.



Observers

There is no trap here, just a plate that goes CLICK! and starts ticking.
Naxei has a really sick sense of humor. Just past the doorway from the circular section to the other section, however, is very heavily trapped as Naxei can fly and thus never uses it. In a little bit, I'll move the doomskullz into place.

In fact, they have begun to move into position to deploy immediately after the decoy "goes off."

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 02:11 PM
Oh, also...
Tick tick tick tick tick.
From behind you.
:)

theterran
2009-06-24, 02:15 PM
:eek:

Skillmonkey starts searching frantically for the source of the ticking!

[roll0] +2 if Stonecunning is involved...

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 02:15 PM
He can't find anything he can lay his hands on, except the pressure plate up front that set it off. The ticking is coming from just behind the Io7V.

This is one of my all-time faves. :)

theterran
2009-06-24, 02:18 PM
Fine, the IotSV moves out of the way so he can search for the ticking...

[roll0] :smalleek:

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 02:20 PM
Whatever it is, it's getting faster and seems to be embedded well below the surface of the stone stairs, with no viable point of access. The stairs are narrow enough that moving around like that is difficult. The ticking is some sort of mechanism moving hard enough to send a vibration through solid stone.

theterran
2009-06-24, 02:23 PM
Well, we'll turn and get up the stair as fast as carefully possible...:smallconfused:

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 02:26 PM
At the top of the stairs you are greeted by the imposing visage of the singer, a stunningly beautiful woman of unusual height with violet eyes and the small horns of a tiefling. Covered in blood red paint and half-plate, swaying faintly in time to her own chanting, she seems inordinately pleased to see the wavering orange wall come up the stairs. She shouts in highly accented abyssal:

"Let us be joined in blood and glory!

And charges you with reckless abandon, a lunatic grin on her face.


-I recommend starting up the First Fight song now, Model, by Kraftwerk.
Observers

Naxei watches with twisted delight, as she loves little more than to see the righteous destroy the beautiful. Their terrified flight from the ticking plays deeply into her superiority complex, and calms her momentarily, leaving her less frustrated and more coldly cunning. She moves to the edge of the slave pit, still watching with an arcane eye, and uses the cliff face that serves as the slave pit's wall to block LoE\LoS for true seeing.

The skulls are hovering just inside the edge of the pits, one deeper darkness to each of the two pits in the circular room. The pit she is in also has the Bane skull floating in it, while the other two are in the far pit.

theterran
2009-06-24, 02:35 PM
Alright...I'm assuming that this would not be her normal form...if an illusion or disguise is being used...my divine guy gets an auto-will save for seeing it...otherwise we play on as normal...


Should we roll up initiative?

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 02:40 PM
True seeing goes right through illusions or shape-shifts. This appears to be her actual form. She got a surprise round on you guys, since you were scrambling away from the Terrible Ticking. So, in other words, here she comes!

Init follows, spoilered.

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 02:42 PM
Obs only

Init, she uses her surprise round to run at them, basically.
[roll0]
Subtract one from that, since Jake can't do maff.

Naxei picked a particularly Dexterous and Aggressive slave to destroy on their bulwarks. I feel this is reasonable, given the sheer number of her slaves and the fact that she's supposed to have something of a criminal empire.

theterran
2009-06-24, 02:48 PM
:smallsigh:

My Inits

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

If my rolls keep up like this...I'll never last...:smallfrown:

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 02:51 PM
Okay, she moves into a clear position with her surprise round, then goes first and, crying out plaintively in lilting common "Why won't you come out?" runs at you to start her charge. Do you do anything to interrupt her?

Give me two sets of intelligence checks, dc 20.

Huge waves of darkness creep up out from the pits holding the slaves on either side, and start rolling towards you.

Obs

After this round, the skulls will be in position.
I require adjudication on the effects of an innocent slave getting MDK'd by the veils while the paladin does nothing.

theterran
2009-06-24, 02:52 PM
Who's she coming at?

The Paladin, the troll, the Cleric, or the Sorcerer?

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 02:55 PM
Looks like the paladin by dead reckoning.
Hard to tell since you aren't sure if she can see through the veil. I've added more description, you may want to go check it.

Observers

Do you think there's anyway she can survive the veils? Should I make her tougher so she has a chance or leave her a level two commoner like she is right now?

theterran
2009-06-24, 02:56 PM
Looks like the paladin by dead reckoning.
Hard to tell since you aren't sure if she can see through the veil. I've added more description, you may want to go check it.

there is no veil...I took it down at the corridor's mouth :smalltongue:

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 02:57 PM
Oohhhh goodness. She's charging straight at the paladin.

theterran
2009-06-24, 02:58 PM
Int Checks (this won't end well)


Pally
[roll0]
[roll1]
Skillz
[roll2]
[roll3]
Divine
[roll4]
[roll5]
Arcane
[roll6]
[roll7]

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 02:58 PM
Didn't see where you took it down. As far as I can tell, you forgot to mention it. Would you like it to still be up?

The scrying eyes are still up on you, at least one of them, one you didn't notice before. Only Arcanist knows this.

theterran
2009-06-24, 03:00 PM
Didn't see where you took it down. As far as I can tell, you forgot to mention it. Would you like it to still be up?

The scrying eyes are still up on you, at least one of them, one you didn't notice before. Only Arcanist knows this.

Nah...I took it down right before the whole ordeal with the glyph...or I should have, because none of that magic would have worked outside of the veil otherwise...so it's down...

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 03:01 PM
Okay, then what are you doing? Any contingencies up or anything?

theterran
2009-06-24, 03:06 PM
:smallannoyed:

I'm not liking that darkness...not one bit...

Is she charging w/ any kind of weapon? :smallconfused:

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 03:07 PM
Her hands are out stretched, and she's within 30 feet. Give me a sense motive on JUST the paladin.

theterran
2009-06-24, 03:13 PM
Sense Motive
[roll0]


Conjecture (viewable by all)
This whole thing is a bit odd...stepping away from the characters for a second...Tidesinger...you seem to be a calculating, somewhat cruel DM, and I commend you for that, I hope to be just as evil as you should I take up DMing in this thing...but having the BBEG charge me in such a fashion, after putting forth all that effort to get those eyes on me (I'm assuming they've been trailing me for a while...I probably tripped an alarm or something...), is very much out of character...for you and the BBEG...

That being said, I see one of a few possibilities, either you're tired of DMing this and are just wanting to get it over with (highly unlikely given the effort put into it thus far), the BBEG has something up her sleave (quite possible), or this isn't the BBEG (another possibility)...

theterran
2009-06-24, 03:17 PM
with a sense motive check like that, I doubt I'll get much...:smallsigh:

Alright, time to test my theories...I'll let her get first hits...he's a tough paladin, he can take it...:smallwink:

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 03:29 PM
Not a thing, other than a slight unease. Sorry.

She initiates a grapple, and provokes an attack of opportunity.

For later, when you can read this. Don't read this now, Terran.

I'm more calculating than anything. It's hard for me to play such an evil and intelligent creature, with such a wide base of knowledge and experience, so I lean a little on my knowledge of the system.

I've tried to give away as much as I can with the descriptions, and such. I hope that with the now available clarity of hind-sight, I don't look like an ass.

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 04:10 PM
Waiting on you.

theterran
2009-06-24, 04:14 PM
Divine will hold until after the Tank, to see what he does...

I've gtg for now, I'll post up the Paladin's actions later...:smallannoyed:

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 04:15 PM
Obs

Naxei's init
[roll0]


Do you resist the grapple?

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 04:20 PM
If so:

External Adjudicator for Grapple

[roll0]
Melee touch attack

[roll1]
Grapple attempt

She basically can't win this unless she nat's and he fails.

Haha, yeah, that's not gonna pass. I hope. :S

theterran
2009-06-24, 04:29 PM
Assuming you hit my Touch AC...which is entirely possible (16)

Opposing Grapple Check
[roll0]

I'll wait to see what happens before continuing...

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 04:33 PM
She hits and fails the opposed grapple check, getting tossed to the ground in fury and confusion.

theterran
2009-06-24, 04:40 PM
Hrm...not only failed...but thrown down as well? :smallconfused:

As a standard action, the paladin will attempt to Break Enchantment on his assailant...(this should test theory #3...depending on the roll)

[roll0]

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 04:43 PM
She pretty much starts screaming in terror immediately. It's clear some sort of spell was dismissed by break enchantment.

theterran
2009-06-24, 04:44 PM
The Paladin sighs..."Come on...this stuff is 'How to Make a Paladin Fall 101'...you'll have to do better than that!"


~And they actually teach it at Paladin college~

:smallwink:

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 04:48 PM
Is that the completion of your initiative cycle?

Observer

Naxei has a readied action against the start of her own turn.

theterran
2009-06-24, 04:53 PM
While I'm at it, I'll go ahead and finish Initiative...

You can check spoilers if you can make the spellcraft checks...and I know you can...:smalltongue:

Cleric Casts a spell:
Daylight Target His own Mace

Arcane casts a spell:
Indomitability Targeting himself


SkillMonkey moves to the front of the party...
This finishes the initiative cycle.

theterran
2009-06-24, 04:54 PM
How much time do you reckon has passed? Just wondering about some of my buffs...:smallconfused:

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 04:56 PM
Naxei dismisses alter self as a standard action in response to the start of her turn, revealing for just the skillmonkey to see within the pit on the right side a dragon of tremendous scale and obvious malevolence. She uses a swift action to get a standard from her belt of battle, and hits him with a targeted dispel from a scroll, which as per rules compendium takes her a standard action to activate. CL 20, thanks to the scroll.

What's his current load out so that I'll know just how many rolls to make?

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 04:57 PM
You can go back and do the numbers, since you know your move speed and I actually gave you lengths for the corridors instead of just dimensions of pain by hurt by ceiling. I was trying to earlier, but I'm juggling too much state. I think on the order of 15-20 rounds.

theterran
2009-06-24, 04:59 PM
8 Buffs (Counting Wildshape)

and if it's 15 - 20 rounds, I should be good...

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 05:00 PM
Does that count true seeing and conviction?

theterran
2009-06-24, 05:00 PM
Does that count true seeing and conviction?

ah right, 9 then (I got conviction, forgot true seeing)

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 05:02 PM
goes in order of application, I believe.....


[roll0] conviction
[roll1] true-seeing
[roll2] fail :( Sheltered Vitality
[roll3]? Death Ward
[roll4]? Mighty Wallop
[roll5] fail :( Shield of Faith
[roll6]? Magic Weapon
[roll7]? Energy Immunity (Acid)
[roll8]? Wildshape (can this be affected?)
[roll9] fail :( Energy Immunity (Fire)
[roll10]?





Rolled 11 for good measure.
(dispelling cord)

Wants to hit dc 11 + CL.

theterran
2009-06-24, 05:08 PM
Order of application from first to last, or last to first?

First to last is listed below:
Energy Immunity (Fire)
Wildshape
Energy Immunity (Acid)
Magic Weapon
Shield of Faith
Mighty Wallop
Death Ward
Sheltered Vitality
True Seeing
Conviction

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 05:08 PM
The roiling blackness rolls over the party, now, as Naxei fades from sight
The world goes black and silent, and you begin to feel weak as the poor tiefling's screams go entirely silent. The daylight from your cleric's mace struggles for a moment and then winks out.

I'll need will saves across the board.


She has a move and standard action remaining...

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 05:09 PM
Last to first. Also, I don't think wildshape can be dispelled this way, though I have this odd suspicion\recollection that I am wrong.

Before the world goes black, a deep contralto voice, clearly feminine rolls over you. It is thick with languor and petulance.

"Well, I thought it was clever, my lovely little liberator...."


Hmm, I was assuming I could use the scroll via UMD rather than with a CL check, but this may not be the case. It would be odd if a non-caster would have had a better go of it than a caster with this scroll :S

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 05:17 PM
Will saves, please, unless you are all immune to fear effects, which is totally plausible. I can't remember if FoM covers that.

Obs

I'm going to lose this one...
But that dwarf is coming WITH ME.

theterran
2009-06-24, 08:35 PM
Crap, I neglected Favor of the Martyr...:smallsigh:

so that whole thing about what is dispelled is wrong...FotM would be 3rd to last...so everything but the top two need to shift down 1...:smallconfused:

or would it be simpler to just add it to the bottom...:smallconfused:

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 08:40 PM
Up to you, since I also forgot it. I did leave a spare roll floating around cause I felt like I was forgetting something.

post the ordering you choose.

theterran
2009-06-24, 08:46 PM
What does the Daylight spell on Divine's Mace do to the darkness? anything?


Will Saves

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
No-DM
Skillz Using Moment of Perfect Mind the one time in this encounter

I'll need to scour my characters more finely to see if there is any bonuses to fear on any of the spells I'm buffed w/...

theterran
2009-06-24, 08:48 PM
Up to you, since I also forgot it. I did leave a spare roll floating around cause I felt like I was forgetting something.

post the ordering you choose.

Just slap it on the end...I don't feel like figuring it out...and it doesn't matter anyway...I'm gonna have to figure out how to rebuff that guy...quickly...:smallannoyed:

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 08:49 PM
Does nothing.
Arcane is shaken for [roll0] rounds. That doesn't look good :S

Jake can't read.

Apparently your arcanist is terrified of dragons who sound like malevolent jazz singers.

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 08:50 PM
Naxei performs a flyby attack, opting to bite and try to snatch your divine caster, before winging away.

[roll0]
Does the bite hit?

Note: I have full concealment.
:smalleek:

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 08:57 PM
If so, damage is:
[roll0]

theterran
2009-06-24, 09:10 PM
yes, bite hits...

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 09:12 PM
[roll0]
Initiate grapple...

and...
Opposed grapple check.
[roll1]


No veils?

theterran
2009-06-24, 09:13 PM
Does nothing.
Jake can't read.


Who's Jake?

And is it to my initiative yet?:smalleek:

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 09:14 PM
You're not flat-footed, this is still the same fight. You may take immediate actions.

I'm Jake.

theterran
2009-06-24, 09:14 PM
No veils?

Didn't realize that was an option, since I can't actually see this guy...

theterran
2009-06-24, 09:15 PM
You're not flat-footed, this is still the same fight. You may take immediate actions.

I'm Jake.

Oh...I was under the assumption that this was a new fight...:confused:

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 09:15 PM
Well, someone blew away your buffs and started threatening you. I'd prolly toss up an AoE veil immediately, if I was in your arcanist's shoes.

theterran
2009-06-24, 09:17 PM
Well...chalk that up to a mistake by me I guess...

:sigh:

I'm not going to ask for a rewind...we'll just go forward with this...

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 09:18 PM
Nope, she was in the earlier initiative ordering, and blew her surprise round by arrogantly taunting you.

You still have time, but if that's the way you want... She flies off with the divine caster in her mouth.

theterran
2009-06-24, 09:18 PM
opposed grapple check...

[roll0]

How does freedom of movement tie into grapples?

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 09:20 PM
I seem to remember it's a big-fat-no button for them. If he's wearing a ring of freedom, he doesn't get grappled, as ridiculous as that sounds, I think.

Just slides right out of her mouth. :(

theterran
2009-06-24, 09:22 PM
I seem to remember it's a big-fat-no button for them. If he's wearing a ring of freedom, he doesn't get grappled, as ridiculous as that sounds, I think.

Just slides right out of her mouth. :(

He's wearing a Ring of Freedom...Thank God!:smallbiggrin:

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 09:25 PM
God I hate those things as a GM. She flies off.

theterran
2009-06-24, 09:27 PM
Alright, so all Skillz has left is Sheltered Vitality, Shield of Faith, and Energy Immunity (Fire)...time to get to work...:smallsigh:

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 09:28 PM
:: waits patiently ::

Be aware that you probably can't see skillz at all.

Nor does skills know what hit him, since she was using invisible spell under the cover of deeper darkness, I'm not sure that arcane got a chance to do spellcruft.

theterran
2009-06-24, 09:41 PM
Oh, I was under the assumption they were all still close by...:smallconfused:

Alright...and after looking again at my equipment...that attack actually didn't hit Divine...(I forgot to add my Nat Armor to the AC :smallredface:)...

Alright, so the daylight spell doesn't keep the darkness at bay?

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 09:41 PM
Nope, it doesn't.

theterran
2009-06-24, 09:43 PM
Tank's Turn

No DM
Burn a Turn attempt to activate Divine Shield

If you can see him...
He just seems to stand there, concentrating on his shield

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 09:49 PM
No visible rejoinder is offered.

theterran
2009-06-24, 09:53 PM
Divine's Turn
If you can Spellcraft...
Cast True Seeing on Arcane.


No DM in Here:
Swift Action:Activate Boots of Temporal Acceleration.

Turn 1.
Cast Indomitability on myself.

Turn 2.
Cast Globe of Invulnerability on myself.

theterran
2009-06-24, 09:55 PM
No visible rejoinder is offered.

What's that mean :smallconfused:

Can any of my character see each other?

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 09:57 PM
She did nothing, in other words. :)

theterran
2009-06-24, 09:58 PM
Alright, assuming Divine's spell landed...Arcane now has true seeing...care to give me an idea about what he sees?

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 09:59 PM
5 ebony floating skulls and no dragon.
obs

Naxei is behind the partition in the second area.

theterran
2009-06-24, 10:01 PM
5 floating skulls :eek:

Are they doing anything besides floating?

Arcane check to see if I know what they are:
[roll0]

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 10:04 PM
Nothing. They're greater darkskulls:

"Greater Darkskull

This skull, carved from ebony, is wholly evil. Levitating softly above the ground, it can move to a fixed position via telepathic command from its owner, moving at 20 ft. per round. The owner must be within 200 ft. of the skull to send a mental command. Wherever the skull goes, the area around it is treated as though a Widened unhallow spell had been cast with the skull as the touched point of origin. The skull maintains a fixed effect through unhallow permanently. Additionally, a gemstone in the skull's mouth bears a spell from the following list: animate objects, antilife shell, banishment, flame strike, insect plague, mass inflict serious wounds, repulsion, symbol of fear, symbol of pain, symbol of sleep, symbol of stunning, symbol of weakness. This spell may be activated by telepathic command twice per day."




How are you casting in the silence, by the way?

theterran
2009-06-24, 10:06 PM
You never told me I was under a silence spell...:smalleek:

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 10:07 PM
"The world goes black and silent, and you begin to feel weak as the poor tiefling's screams go entirely silent. The daylight from your cleric's mace struggles for a moment and then winks out."

Sorry if that wasn't clear, but you don't automatically know. I feel like a dunce for not making it more obvious :S

theterran
2009-06-24, 10:09 PM
I must have missed that...sorry...:smallredface:

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 10:10 PM
Sokay, I'm more verbose than a deconstructionist philosopher, so I definitely understand.

So it seems like that there are two deeper darknesses in effect, and a silence. The others you don't know yet. I'll give you the skulls, since you actually probably saw them prior to me nuking down your true-seeing.

theterran
2009-06-24, 10:21 PM
Well...I think I would know the first time I tried to say anything...

So since I actually can't cast at this point...the sorc doesn't have true seeing...and apparently I'm just standing around like an idiot...waiting to die...:smallsigh:

As an act of despiration I'm going to throw up a dual Ward Green outside / Indigo Inside, which should stop the passage of spells and spell-like effects...

Now, there are two questions
1. Does warding use any vocal components (I couldn't find anything that said one way or the other...
2. Does this stop the effect inside the ward?

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 10:24 PM
Warding does not.

Unhallow is an emanation. If-and-only-if the prismatic wardings still block LoE, then they block emanations.

theterran
2009-06-24, 10:26 PM
Warding does not.

Unhallow is an emanation. If-and-only-if the prismatic wardings still block LoE, then they block emanations.

They should block LoE, as they grant concealment...but I can't be positive...:smallannoyed:

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 10:28 PM
Oddly, things can block LoS without blocking LoE, and vice-a-versa. I believe they are in fact intended to block LoE, though I frown on this myself. Consider yourself unsilenced.

theterran
2009-06-24, 10:30 PM
Oddly, things can block LoS without blocking LoE, and vice-a-versa. I believe they are in fact intended to block LoE, though I frown on this myself. Consider yourself unsilenced.

Perhaps we should get an outside adjudication...just to make sure...

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 10:31 PM
No, it's a huge point of argument, but the class gets completely eviscerated if they don't block LoE. Consider them to do so. Do those veils have any effect on people passing through them?

theterran
2009-06-24, 10:33 PM
Only into them...it's another area warding...

and I'm going to bed...

Doc Roc
2009-06-24, 10:34 PM
Before you go, is that the end of your turn?

theterran
2009-06-25, 05:22 AM
Negative...Assuming that everyone is still within 15 ft of Arcane, they should all be inside the warding at this point...even if just part of them are inside, I believe the are considered "inside"...

So, once I figure out who all is within range, Arcane still has his turn, and then skillmonkey his as well...

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 09:35 AM
All in range as you can discern. The darkness effect also needs LoE, apparently.

A tip for future reference.... Immediate actions can interrupt anything, such as the start of a comrade's turn, or more relevantly the start of a comrade's casting, as soon as you realize he's silenced. This is where the raw power of Io7V comes in to play.

-----
((Was I the one who told you to get rings of freedom of movement?))

theterran
2009-06-25, 09:53 AM
Alright..

Arcane casts:
Energy Immunity (Acid) on Skill Monkey

SkillMonkey
Drops his weapon...Wildshapes back into a Troll...picks his weapon back up...

And it's back to you...

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 09:57 AM
Okay, the dragon moves the skulls back so that the veil is only 90% covered. You, naturally, don't know this. She then full attacks the slaves in the pits, carefully not killing them and snatching up one for each of her attacks. She then uses a swift to get a move action from her belt of battle, and flies to hover about 95 feet above the veils.....

She then starts politely informing you that for every second the veil stays up, she's going to drop a halfling into it, which will certainly kill the halfling. In other words, as long as it stays up, you are killing innocents directly which will cause your paladin to fall from inaction.

As punctuation, she drops a halfling.

You hear the poor creature scream all the way down, followed by silence and a terrible sizzling sound. A pile of bones lands on top of the poor sobbing teifling, freshly smoldering with the effects of the veils.

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 10:01 AM
Make a set of sense motive checks.

AA

Is THIS evil enough for you?

afroakuma
2009-06-25, 10:04 AM
*thunderous applause*

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 10:14 AM
"Your approval fills me with shame"
~Roy, Order of the Stick by Rich Burlew

theterran
2009-06-25, 10:15 AM
So would that put it back around to my initiative again? :smallsigh:

theterran
2009-06-25, 10:17 AM
Oh, forgot Sense Motive...

[roll0] - Tank
[roll1] - Skillz
[roll2] - Divine
[roll3] - Arcane


and it's funny...of all the characters...the Arcane one will be the least likely to bring down the veil...:smallannoyed:

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 10:21 AM
Well, as far as you can tell, it seems like she's telling the truth.
She'll stop dropping halflings if you'll drop the veil. Her implications of willingness to negotiate also ring true. She hasn't ended her turn yet, and is in fact going to drop another two halflings as additional punctuation if the veils don't go down. Leaving her with one more halfling, I believe.

Wraith are teh new black.
Halfling are teh new ellipsis.

It's pretty likely, given your sense motive rolls, that failing to drop the veil will be..... at the very least rough on your paladin.

Obs

She actually is perfectly willing to negotiate, as it puts her in close enough to use her turning breath if she feels negotiations aren't going well. Or she's frustrated. Or she decides she'd like the Paladin to lie still for a while. Or she decides that you know what, sometimes a high charisma score is a bad thing. She'll stop dropping halflings because she views this as a waste of perfectly good halflings.

theterran
2009-06-25, 10:37 AM
:sigh:

What do you mean she's willing to negotiate? :smallconfused:

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 10:40 AM
She means she's willing to come down and talk things over.
Here you are, in her lair, unprovoked from her perspective. It's very unusual for a dragon to offer any succor in a situation like this.
From her warped perspective, such an offer is a gesture of deep benevolence.

You have no idea what kind of terms she's talking about, but she's at least offering a peaceable solution. Unfortunately, I don't think the paladin (or really any lawful good or even good aligned character) can negotiate with her after what she just did, nor can he let her keep doing it.

:: malevolent grin ::

theterran
2009-06-25, 12:07 PM
Here's the issue I've run into...

Mechanically my paladin's screwed...

Dismissing the Veil is a standard action on the part of the sorcerer...and cannot be done during the dragon's turn...

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 12:12 PM
:: hums intently ::
Oh, gee, hadn't really noticed that. Look, oh, how odd, she's still holding a halfling!

;)

She'll stop if you'll commit to dropping the veil under oath to your respective deities.

theterran
2009-06-25, 12:35 PM
Ok, we all agree to this, we'll drop the veil if you quit dropping halflings...

(I really should have made an evil party!)

Let me know if this will bring up my initiative...

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 12:39 PM
She agrees to this, asks if you desire to negotiate, and notes down that if the veil stays up, more halflings come down. She then makes a hide check as well as a move silently.

[roll0] Hide.
[roll1] Move silently, though you could barely hear her before.

It is now your initiative.

If you were evil, I'd get you other ways. :)

theterran
2009-06-25, 02:03 PM
Arcane makes a quick spellcraft Check...You know what for :P

[roll0]

Does he glean the information I want?

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 02:08 PM
Yerp.

Go take a look at unhallow and such.
I'm not sure you know that the skulls give it a widen effect though, and more than half of the area warding isn't covered. It seems like a lot of it would kinda depend on where you stood.

theterran
2009-06-25, 02:25 PM
Sweet...alright...here we go...

alright, By Initiative Order...

Tank
Casts Favor of the Martyr on SkillMonkey

Cleric
Cast True Seeing on Arcane.
Non-DM
Swift Action activates Temporal Boots of Acceleration.
Round 1
Cast Holy Aura.
Round 2
Cast Stormrage

Move 5ft off the ground, straight up.


Arcane
You know what I'm doing here, kinda so you can go ahead and look...
Swift Action to Activate Boots of Acceleration

Round 1
Standard Action - Drop the Veil
Immediate Action - Raise a Green Veil
Round 2
Standard Action - Cast MDJ from scroll in hand targetting 65ft toward the skulls (max range of spell for me)...with the 40ft radius burst, it should hit them...
[roll0] (+4 if anything is an abjuration effect) DC18
hope this works...:smallsigh:

Items are allowed a will save though...:smallfrown: DC 28 (I think...I hate figuring DCs off of scrolls)


Standard Action - lower the green veil, as negotiated, and hopefully the skulls will be no more...hopefully


Skill Monkey still has to go, but I'll wait until I see what happens with this...

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 02:38 PM
You can catch any 3 of the skulls, I think... I really should do up a map for this, I feel horrible having not done so.

They are basically arranged in a long curving row across the further part of the circular room you are in. All are 75 feet from you, but they are set apart a ways, and you now realize they must have emerged from the slave pits.

obs

the skulls from left to right.
Silence, deeper darkness, dimensional anchor, deeper darkness, bane.

theterran
2009-06-25, 02:45 PM
:sigh:

I haven't really moved from the top of the stairs a whole lot, so are they all equal distance from me?

Your edit answered it.

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 02:46 PM
Basically, yes.
You can see where some were moved to allow the silence to move enough so that you could talk, but you don't know with any certainty which are carrying what effects.

theterran
2009-06-25, 02:47 PM
Don't worry about the map...:smallwink:

Which pit were the halflings grabbed from? (or do I know that?)

(edit)

and which were moved?

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 02:47 PM
I have a bad habit of using an iterative posting style for most things, which is great for normal stuff and terrible as a GM for PbP.

theterran
2009-06-25, 02:48 PM
I have a bad habit of using an iterative posting style for most things, which is great for normal stuff and terrible as a GM for PbP.

It's fine by me, I'm usually pretty good at distinguishing between OOC and IC...

(edit)

So which skull appear to have been moved?

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 02:50 PM
Hard to tell, as four of them have been moved so you can't really say which was supposed to be where when the line was originally laid out.

You can see, actually, that the far wall of this circular room is only about 60 feet high, while the ceiling of the cavern stretches well beyond your vision. The far wall has a single inset door, straight between the two curving sets of slave pits.

Anything I wouldn't tell you as a player, I'll be using (( style bracketing for ))

theterran
2009-06-25, 02:53 PM
Lovely...assuming left to right 1-5...

I'll aim at...


....


crud....

....


2?

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 02:57 PM
Good choice. Let me see about their saves.

Nice trick with the MDJ scroll... Seems oddly familiar to me. :: gentle grin ::
As a note, before we go further, the high value of those and their destruction probably terminates her offer to negotiate.
Could you double check the DC for me, please? I'll go ahead and roll it.

theterran
2009-06-25, 03:00 PM
Good choice. Let me see about their saves.

Nice trick with the MDJ scroll... Seems oddly familiar to me. :: gentle grin ::
As a note, before we go further, the high value of those and their destruction probably terminates her offer to negotiate.

Like that was an option for a Cleric of Bahmut and a Paladin anyway :smalltongue:

theterran
2009-06-25, 03:02 PM
Ok, DC from scrolls has been a questionable matter...do I get to apply my caster stat modifier to it? I've heard it argued both ways...

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 03:02 PM
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
Presuming that unattended magic items have a save of 2+ Floor(1/2*CL)

theterran
2009-06-25, 03:03 PM
Ok...it's a moot point...as those would fail either way...but I would still like the question answered :smallwink:

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 03:03 PM
Doesn't matter. None of them made it.
You should go re-read timestop, so that you'll grok why this wasn't really how things should work, but I'm presuming your action ordering is a little different so that you can actually do this.

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 03:05 PM
Why are you raising then lowering a veil?

theterran
2009-06-25, 03:06 PM
Doesn't matter. None of them made it.
You should go re-read timestop, so that you'll grok why this wasn't really how things should work, but I'm presuming your action ordering is a little different so that you can actually do this.


alright, still not picking up on what you mean...what am I missing? what did I do wrong?

theterran
2009-06-25, 03:07 PM
Why are you raising then lowering a veil?

Cause the indigo veil won't let any magical effect in or out...

and when the veil comes down...I'm silenced...so veil goes down, so I can get magic out, then one comes back up that block LoE but will still let magic out...

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 03:08 PM
Just checked the wording, you're fine, I was wrong.

"You cannot move or harm items held, carried, or worn by a creature stuck in normal time, but you can affect any item that is not in another creature’s possession."

You were correct earlier, possession != ownership, so I believe you may in freely affect the skulllllzzz

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 03:10 PM
I see! Lovely trick, well handled. Ate up a bunch of resources on both sides. :)

theterran
2009-06-25, 03:11 PM
SkillMonkey...

Attempts a scream...

Anything?

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 03:12 PM
Silence, one darkness, and an effect you are unsure of all go down.
The daylight from the cleric's weapon is now enough to light up the darkness but has no further effect whatsoever, as they cancel each other out.

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 03:13 PM
That same silky voice rolls out in a heavy wave:

"Mmmmmm, fancy. Well if you still want to negotiate, you owe me about 270,000 in local legal tender..... So I sincerely hope you are either rich or absolutely delicious."

Despite her cultured speech, her rage is obvious.

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 03:17 PM
One use of your warding veil left for the day, correct me if I'm not wrong.

theterran
2009-06-25, 03:18 PM
You are correct sir :smallannoyed:

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 03:20 PM
So finish off your turn.

theterran
2009-06-25, 03:22 PM
Skill Monkey
Ready an Action to Attack should the dragon come into melee range

Skill Monkey spot
[roll0]

Arcane smirks at the dragon's speach
"We'll, get your money, Dragon hide is fairly valuable, if it's alright, we'll help ourselves to yours..."

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 03:29 PM
Fails his spot by a wide margin. :) Might make that readied action awful hard to use... :)
My go?

theterran
2009-06-25, 03:56 PM
Yep...go ahead...

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 03:58 PM
Forgive me, I didn't mean to upset you. I'm afraid I'm just prickly. Are you okay with the shape and progress of the match so far?

theterran
2009-06-25, 04:00 PM
How'd you upset me? To my knowledge, I'm not upset...:smallwink:

Then, you might know something I don't, being the DM and all :thog:

it's been fine so far, no worries.

Doc Roc
2009-06-25, 04:02 PM
These are just the things that a good person worries over.

So let's see.... :: hums intently ::