[4e] Adventures in the Planes - OOC

[Hzurr]

Hm... any hints as to what the trials might involve beyond the purposefully-vague verse (like legends of The Mortal That Did It or something)?

Sure. I'll roll randomly to determine which of the three paths you get info on (1 - blue, 2 - yellow, 3 - pink) [roll0]

-edit- Cool. IC post coming through soon with what Aramil recalls

[Nai_Calus]

Unfortunately, no. :smallsmile: I don't know what Bytopia or the Petitioner are, the door idea came from the Doctor Who episode "The Doctor's Wife", and the room was inspired from The Magician's Nephew by C.S.Lewis.

Ah, I'll explain then: Portals in Sigil need keys and work on exactly that kind of principle where it may well be a non-physical thing as the key.

Bytopia is one of the more boring planes on the Great Wheel(Although The Beastlands is more boring outside of DiTerlizzi's illustration of the Cat Lord being hot), other than being a plane where the two layers are above each other and visible from each other. You can actually climb between them in a couple of spots where mirrored mountains reach high enough to hit into each other. Obviously from one the other appears upside down. (OK, so the scenery is actually pretty cool, it's just that being the plane between Mount Celestia and Elysium and thus Lawful Neutral Good, it's... Not really that exciting.)

Petitioners are people who've been put in the dead-book and had their souls pass on to the realm of the Power they worshiped/the Plane that matches their alignment if they didn't worship one. In Planescape terms they have a body of sorts that takes a form reflective of the preferences of the Power they belong to or the plane they go to. So if you're in Arvandor, for example, most petitioners you encounter are going to look like elves, because Corellon. According to Planescape lore, when their souls pass through the Astral Plane they lose their memories(Although the Powers can prevent this or retrieve the memories if they feel like it), so if you run into someone you knew when they were alive, they most likely won't remember you. Even if they do, Petitioners are pretty single-minded - Their goal is almost universally to achieve perfect understanding of their Power/Plane and thus be able to merge with them/it. (Which isn't quite as potentially horrible as it sounds - According to the lore they do still retain some independence from the mind of their power. Also by the lore, Petitioners who don't manage to merge with their Power/Plane eventually fade away and cease to exist. So your god isn't just ultimately absorbing you to increase his/her power, s/he's also saving you from nonexistence. Planescape can be as much a Crapsack Cosmology as 4E's can, oh yeah.)

[dariathalon]

I can't say I like the sound of any of these options too much. The first one relies heavily on luck. Let's face it, we generally suck at luck. The second looks like we'd be in trouble. While a few people might be okay, but I don't like the notion of going it alone. Pool 3 is just as bad, if friends may not be what they seem, we once again can't reliably support each other.

I think it's time to pull one of our famous unexpected tricks. Anybody have an idea? If not then I'd (very reluctantly) say pool one.

[Nai_Calus]

I can't say I like the sound of any of these options too much. The first one relies heavily on luck. Let's face it, we generally suck at luck. The second looks like we'd be in trouble. While a few people might be okay, but I don't like the notion of going it alone. Pool 3 is just as bad, if friends may not be what they seem, we once again can't reliably support each other.

I think it's time to pull one of our famous unexpected tricks. Anybody have an idea? If not then I'd (very reluctantly) say pool one.

Yeah, luck is usually not with us. Plus, while most of the party has good INT, a couple don't.

For the yellow one, some of us can semi-solo, but some classes are better at that than others, yeah.

For the blue, that sounds like it would be WIS, which most of us don't have much of.

Also, I fear that Hzurr might have used one or more of *my* suggestions, which were all pretty bastard-y. (And here I'm the one usually warning against giving the DM ideas.)

I have no fully-formed unexpected tricks, but I'm working on it.

[Mando Knight]

All the options rely on luck, by default.

Plus, the thing was made up by Queen Mab, who is pretty much the Fey Queen of Being a Bitch.

[Hzurr]

"The first one relies heavily on luck. Let's face it, we generally suck at luck." Er...didn't I just say that it was a mixture of both luck and of intelligence? The smarter y'all are, the less you'll depend on chance.


Pool 3 is just as bad, if friends may not be what they seem, we once again can't reliably support each other. This may be accurate.


Yeah, luck is usually not with us. Plus, while most of the party has good INT, a couple don't. It would be more player intelligence than simply having y'all sit around rolling int checks. That'd be boring as hell.



For the yellow one, some of us can semi-solo, but some classes are better at that than others I'm aware of how classes work on their own, and am prepared for it. Probably not as straightforward as you're thinking.


For the blue, that sounds like it would be WIS, which most of us don't have much of. Again, if I wanted y'all to sit around and just roll ability checks, I'd play yahtzee.



Also, I fear that Hzurr might have used one or more of *my* suggestions, which were all pretty bastard-y.

I don't use people's suggestions. I take suggestions, say "well what if instead of X, it was actually Y?" Any time I poll for suggestions, I simply use it for inspiration.

[dariathalon]

It seems like there has to be a way to Kobayashi Maru this thing. Maybe something as simple as moving the rocks away from one pool and then hopping in.

[Hzurr]

It seems like there has to be a way to Kobayashi Maru this thing. Maybe something as simple as moving the rocks away from one pool and then hopping in.

Hahaha. And once again, we're at the all to familiar situation of the party having options a, b, or c; when someone suggests option q, which no one even knew was an option.

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m848ix4BTn1r76lino1_250.gif

[Mando Knight]

There is also the fact that when dealing with something set forth by someone who went Unseelie, you should never assume that what was set before you was the truth, the whole truth, and/or nothing but the truth.

[dariathalon]

Yeah. Like I said... Much sucking at the luck thing. A 3 and a 4 seriously?

[DSCrankshaw]

And just when you think it's over, everything goes crazy again. I'm home today since my work, and much of Boston, is shut down. I'm hoping they catch the guy soon.

As for what the party should do, I say go for the blue pool. Lucan has the worst intelligence of the bunch, but mind isn't just intelligence.

[Orsik Vondal]

Like I said before: blue is fine, and I like logic puzzles, which is what it sounds like it would be akin to. I like Ash as a character, and I know how he works mechanically, so I would be down for solo fighting as well. The third pool sounds fun if this is a one off adventure, kind of like a Tomb of Horrors type thing. But since I tend to shoot first ask questions later, I think we should avoid the third one, though it might be the most entertaining.:smallamused:

[Mando Knight]

The clockwork dragon had nothing to do with the challenge. It's like saying "after fleeing from the Balrog, the Fellowship made their way to Lothlorien."

[Orsik Vondal]

The clockwork dragon had nothing to do with the challenge. It's like saying "after fleeing from the Balrog, the Fellowship made their way to Lothlorien."

I was more thinking along the vein of "if we have to hightail it outta here, it's good to know that there may still be a clockwork dragon guarding the lower levels of the tree, so we don't blindly run into its gaping maw on the way down."

[Nai_Calus]

Wait, Aramil's ED is Shiradi Champion, right? Maybe he can try to leverage that here.

Not with that Diplomacy roll, but then, I don't actually expect this to work or Asheroth's crazy roll would have done something, so we can pretty much dismiss that as a possibility anyway. However, Eltain would try.

[Hzurr]

I wish I would have thought to look over my too-long ritual list. My last post would have been a perfect opportunity to use Tune of Merriment.

...Geez. I had forgotten how many ridiculous rituals Pavick had. That's an impressive (and slightly frightening) list.

[dariathalon]

There's a reason he's often able to pull out a good tool for the job. Only problem is its long enough I keep forgetting everything that's there.

Edit: And now that I look more closely, I also realize I sometimes forget exactly how they work. I really like the ritual casting system in 4e. The fact that they are not appropriate for combat time is fine, but an hour ritual for only 30 seconds of scrying seems pretty ridiculous. They should have put most of them at like 5-15 minute casting times.

[Orsik Vondal]

Now that they have been explained, I would love to go through the third one just to see what could have happened to Ash. But I suspect that some of the others may not want to brave the depths of their unrealized potential.

Also the pool no one has come back from sounds interesting. If only to see what is there.

Honestly, the first or third don't sound terribly difficult. One of them is my choice.

[Mando Knight]

Now that they have been explained, I would love to go through the third one just to see what could have happened to Ash. But I suspect that some of the others may not want to brave the depths of their unrealized potential.

Ash and Zyrr are two of the ones that I'd be worried most about in there.

Also Eltain. He gets depressed enough already, he doesn't need to see himself as some kind of apostate Blackguard.

[Nai_Calus]

I really want to do that third one because it sounds awesome.

Eltain might actually be ok with what he sees, he's come mostly to terms with the life he has. If it's better? Well, that would have been nice, but what he's got is just fine. If it's worse? Well praise Corellon it didn't turn out that way.

[Hzurr]

Hmm...I'm interested in how this debate would play out IC.

[dariathalon]

Consider your hint taken. To add an OOC perspective, I agree with Nai and Orsik, the third one sounds cool.

[Hzurr]

And after a week of downtime, the forum is finally back up. That wasn't annoying at all. I'm going to start seriously looking at other forums now, because these forums have simply become unavailable too many times.


As far as things go IC, it seems that the general group thought is that the third one because it sounds the most interesting, but there is some hesitation over whether or not it's worth the risk. So its either that or the first one

In the end, someone is simply going to have to make a choice. I would be interested in seeing how Aramil and/or Lucian feel about it

[Nai_Calus]

Don't everyone post at once. :smalltongue:

[Orsik Vondal]

Sorry, DS and Mando, and everybody else for that matter, if the purple pool was not to your liking. But I couldn't pass up an opportunity like this. :smallfrown: If we die, you can blame it on me. :smallbiggrin:

[Hzurr]

While I normally don't mind a bit of taking the initiative & deciding, I'm not certain everyone is aware that the forums are back up. I'll shoot out some PMs momentarily.

[dariathalon]

I'm here. I was mostly just waiting on others. Pavick had already made his opinion known, so I was giving others a chance to weigh in.

[DSCrankshaw]

I'm here too. Lucan's all for facing our dark sides.

[Nai_Calus]

Eltain will respond to Pavick once I get home.

Eltain Sharma, God of Monologuing.

[Hzurr]

Anyone doing anything else in magical Pavick-the-baker land?

[Nai_Calus]

Oh h(z)urr. Was going to post, forgot to. I'll just wibbly-wobbly it later, it wasn't that important.

[Hzurr]

Well, you haven't actually gone through the portal yet, so there's still time if you want.

[DSCrankshaw]

I can't think of anything else we want to do here, but we're waiting on Pavick to make the final call.

[dariathalon]

Oops. I thought I'd said Pavick was going through, but I guess I neglected to actually do it. Fixed now.

[Mando Knight]

Oh, by the way, if it comes down to a fight, I'm conflicted. Do we avoid the risk of killing our alternates, or should I continue to abide by my standing rule of sic semper evello mortem tyrannis?

[DSCrankshaw]

I'm okay with killing them if necessary. Although I'd sort of like to see if we could possess our duplicates first.

[Hzurr]

I'm okay with killing them if necessary. Although I'd sort of like to see if we could possess our duplicates first.

As in, could real Eltain possess elseworld-Eltain, or could Lucan go and find the Lucan that exists in this reality and take him over?

[Mando Knight]

By the way... Vegeta, what's the scouter say about his power level?
[roll0]

[Hzurr]

I've come up with a simple formula to calculate this for you:


declare Int PowerLvl = rand(9000);

While (PowerLvl <= 9000)
{
PowerLvl +=1;
};

print PowerLvl;


Alternate answer: Low-to-mid epic. On par with where your Eltain is.

[DSCrankshaw]

As in, could real Eltain possess elseworld-Eltain, or could Lucan go and find the Lucan that exists in this reality and take him over?

I'm more interested in whether our Eltain could possess alt-Eltain.

[Hzurr]

I'm more interested in whether our Eltain could possess alt-Eltain.

You could definitely experiment with that if you wanted to.

[Nai_Calus]

Although Eltain has no desire to do so, though he does have a morbid curiosity as to exactly what the hells happened here and what the tributes being asked for are.

Someday we'll see a sympathetic Winter Court NPC. ;p Eltain is totally Drizzt at this point, I swear. ;p

[Hzurr]

I'm assuming that Eltain is walking through the portal now. I'll give it til late tonight if anyone still wants to do something while you're in this reality.

[Orsik Vondal]

Ash is just following Eltain and the others. There's no need for him to do anything just yet.

[Mando Knight]

Eltain is totally Drizzt at this point, I swear. ;p
Don't worry. That just means that everyone else is going to have to deal with "conflicted pretty-boy Winter-Eladrin Paladin of Corellon" copycats. Which means you'll have your not-evil Winter fey soon enough. :smalltongue:

[DSCrankshaw]

I sort of want to have some fun with this. Hopefully, that won't result in a TPK.

[Orsik Vondal]

I sort of want to have some fun with this. Hopefully, that won't result in a TPK.

Anything can result in a TPK. It's how you get to that TPK that makes it all worthwhile.:smallwink: I have never really looked intensely at your character sheet, DS, so I don't even know if Lena and Yuri are real or not! :smalleek: I have no clue whether Ash has ever seen them if they are. I can't remember a specific time when they have been "out" and Ash has been paying attention. Oooooh, this will be fun!:smallbiggrin:

[Hzurr]

I don't even know if Lena and Yuri are real or not! :smalleek: I have no clue whether Ash has ever seen them if they are. I can't remember a specific time when they have been "out" and Ash has been paying attention.

...

Actually, now that I think about it, I'm trying to remember a time offhand that anyone other than Lucan has ever acknowledged the presence of Yuri/Lena in character.

[Mando Knight]

I think, when Lena was first introduced, it was commonly accepted that she was a real character, but spoke in familiar-speak and thus only Lucan could understand her, Tinkerbell-style.

[DSCrankshaw]

Considering that they are real parts of my character sheet (my theme and a couple of feats, respectively) I can confirm that they're supposed to be real. That said, so was Shep's dog at one point.

[Hzurr]

I think, when Lena was first introduced, it was commonly accepted that she was a real character, but spoke in familiar-speak and thus only Lucan could understand her, Tinkerbell-style.

Yep. Just went back and double checked. Zyrr has actually interacted with Lena. Which is good, because if Lucan actually had been talking to himself the entire time, y'all probably should have had him locked up a while ago...


Considering that they are real parts of my character sheet (my theme and a couple of feats, respectively) I can confirm that they're supposed to be real. That said, so was Shep's dog at one point.

It's funny you mention Shep's dog, as he's going to be coming up very soon.


I sort of want to have some fun with this. Hopefully, that won't result in a TPK.

I am simultaneously worried and giddy.

[Nai_Calus]

I thought this was supposed to be possible alternate presents, not likely futures? ;) (...OK, so I could actually see the last one with Eltain happening in the case of the PoF winning with Eltain pulling some quick last-minute BS to 'defect' and trying to protect his friends in the only way left to him while secretly plotting to overthrow the PoF.)

Eltain's acknowledged Lena at least once, don't remember when, but he has.

Frank has talked to Yuri, and Frank at least is decidedly non-imaginary. (And completely unimpressed with Yuri, because Frank is a real revolutionary who has fought bravely at the side of the revolution's fearless leader. ...And now the Snowflower Order totally has a pair of operatives called Bo'riz and Na'tasia. They're incompetent, but genuinely devoted to the cause.)

I still want to know if we'll see alternate presents for Frank, Lena and Yuri.

Frank going to the glue factory after never becoming Eltain's friend, Frank alone and sad in the fields of Arvandor after Eltain never regained his Paladin powers, Frank carrying on bravely by himself despite being a mule that can't talk after Eltain is killed during a battle in the war...

[DSCrankshaw]

As this is a recent branch off reality, I think it's reasonable to conclude that the events that caused it could still happen. This could be the result of Yuri and Lena dying in the escape from the devils for example. While that didn't happen then, it still could, and I suspect Lucan could follow a similar path in that situation.

[Hzurr]

quick note: Just made an edit to the IC post to include a part at the end I forgot to put in earlier.

[DSCrankshaw]

I missed the tug part earlier, but I was intending to see what physical contact did anyway. I'll edit the tug part in.

And now comes the part where things go crazy.

[Nai_Calus]

I don't think Eltain had a pull, but then I also tried to resolve him in one post to keep the focus off of him since nobody but me would care what the differences were.

[DSCrankshaw]

Yeah, I hope I'm not drawing this out too much.

[Nai_Calus]

No, no, take whatever time you want, I find all of these really interesting and want to know more, I just didn't want to bore anyone with having to put up with yet more Eltain. He's not the most interesting character and has had too much attention already.

[Hzurr]

K, IC post is updated

[DSCrankshaw]

Hmm, that was not as helpful as I would have liked. I'll have to think about what to try next.

[Hzurr]

He frowns. Both Pavick and Lucan seemed to have felt some sort of pull towards their alternates, one he hadn't experienced. Even going right up to his and sketching Corellon's symbol on his face had produced no reaction in either himself or the illusion. Was it because he was so different from that version as to be completely someone else? Or was it because he was so much the same that he was already


Just to clarify, I missed adding in the tugging bit on the initial post for Eltain, and when Eltain reacted he was able to process and reject the alternate version of himself. So...don't look too deeply into the lack of a pull, because it has more to do with a minor error on my part & the slightly wibbly-wobbly nature of posting action/reaction than it does anything else. Had I had one more normal reaction post to Eltain debating it, he would had felt it as well.

[Nai_Calus]

Yes, but Eltain doesn't know this, he just knows nothing at all happened with him and his alternate, and can only speculate from the information he has, which leads to his current worry. And since he's turned into the campaign's Drizzt(Near-sole good-aligned member of an almost uniformly evil race of irredeemable jerks), he naturally worries about this and assumes the worst of himself due to being genre-savvy enough to realize his status, and he still isn't entirely convinced the party trusts him because derp winter fey. Eltain's faith in Corellon and in his beliefs is near unshakeable, his faith in himself is almost non-existent.

[DSCrankshaw]

Now seems like a good time to run.

[dariathalon]

I don't think it is that winter fey are generally evil. Mostly it is there leadership, I think. Though Hzurr can correct me if I'm wrong there. There are a lot of good people there toiling under evil bosses.

Also, I hope you don't mind me hijacking your NPC DS. I figured Pavick would want to get out of there ASAP, and Yuri might be the fastest way to do so. Plus this gives evidence of one of the other PCs interacting with Yuri as well, ending any more speculation about his existence (or lack thereof).

[DSCrankshaw]

Nah, I'm all in favor of gnomes riding unicorns.

[Hzurr]

I don't think it is that winter fey are generally evil. Mostly it is there leadership, I think. Though Hzurr can correct me if I'm wrong there. There are a lot of good people there toiling under evil bosses.


This is correct. And part of why they're showing up as "bad" even in the alternate timelines is because the plans for conquest started long before y'all were born, and have been in motion for a while. So it wasn't a "even in these alternate histories the winter fey are still bad because they're evil, muahahaha!" as it is a "The corruption and evil leadership has had their hand on the til for a while, and going back 17 years and making a minor change most likely isn't going to change that."

Another minor point that shouldn't be overlooked: The fey who designed this is now labeled "The Queen of Nightmares." You expected this to be a happy jaunt through the park?

[Orsik Vondal]

I'm all for seeing the ugly ugly possibilities of what Ash could be.

[Hzurr]

Hmm...can't decide if I want to do Aramil or Asheroth next, so I'm going to roll for it: [roll0]

[DSCrankshaw]

Heads up. I'm in Canada right now. I have Internet access, but not as much as usual, so I may be a little bit slow to update.

[Hzurr]

Sorry for the delayed post. I wrote one up yesterday, decided I hated it, and deleted it.

[Orsik Vondal]

I'll post later today. But you don't have to wait for me.

[Mando Knight]

What Aramil wants to know:

Is this the real life, is this just fantasy?

He plans to do so by seeing if the "hurt" on his sword "took," since that's something that he can fix easily with no resources other than time.

[Orsik Vondal]

If the blade is still warped when we reach a new reality, I would assume the damage is real, though the cause may not be. Although, if we merge with our alters, I also assume these would become our realities.

[Hzurr]

"no more bearing on my life than does a feather on the back of a tarrasque"

Huh. I really like that phrasing.

[Orsik Vondal]

Huh. I really like that phrasing.

Thanks! :smallbiggrin:

[Mando Knight]

So, we're caught in a landslide, no escape from reality. Got it.

Also, because Asmodeus said so. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hHDxlm66dE)

[Hzurr]

I cannot express how upset I am that I missed the initial Bohemian Rhapsody reference you made.

I shall set a penance for myself.

[Orsik Vondal]

I just added to my IC post. Forgive me if my post upsets anybody.

[Hzurr]

K, I'll give everyone a bit to post in case they want to do anything before going through the portal, and update late tonight or tomorrow morning.

[Hzurr]

Taking a deep breath, he mutters "Well played, milady... well played."

Aramil is talking to Mab here, yes?

[Toric]

As the IC post last night may have indicated, things have (relatively) calmed down. A little more than two months to go on the wedding, but the lion's share of decisions have been made, so.... I actually am capable of a prolonged period of creative thinking that does not pertain to color swatches or font styles.

I'll do my best to stick with the action here. Sorry about the leave of absence.

[Hzurr]

I actually am capable of a prolonged period of creative thinking that does not pertain to color swatches or font styles.

*Looks at the color swatches puzzle I've been working on*

Well that was a waste...


Glad to have you back around. :smallsmile:

[Mando Knight]

Aramil is talking to Mab here, yes?

Yes, yes he is.

[DSCrankshaw]

Fowlspawn?

You mean like this (https://www.google.com/search?q=baby+ducks&client=safari&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=gaiZUd7YLs2L0QGm0YGoDw&ved=0CCsQsAQ&biw=320&bih=416).

[Hzurr]

...yes. That is what I meant.


http://heirofthedog.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/evilduck.jpg


(changing the IC post now...)

[Toric]

Ouch. I'll make an IC post tomorrow along those lines but for now... ouch. Poor Aramil. One of the few things worse than wondering whether things would have turned out better if you'd done one thing different is knowing for a fact how much good you could have done if you took the other road.

[Hzurr]

Ouch. I'll make an IC post tomorrow along those lines but for now... ouch. Poor Aramil. One of the few things worse than wondering whether things would have turned out better if you'd done one thing different is knowing for a fact how much good you could have done if you took the other road.

Yep. In a way, seeing this is significantly worse than seeing the horrible ways some of y'all could have turned out. In a way, the other versions of reality are kind of a relief. Take Eltain for example. He can see that had he been raised by Certhiel instead of abandoned at the temple, he could have turned into someone who would have supported the Winter Court's tyranny. So seeing this version re-affirms his current life path. Or Asheroth can see that had he given himself more fully to the deal with the devils, it would have resulted in him executing the Shepherd. Even Pavick got to see that although his life turned out well, that world was one where there was snow in the middle of summer, which implied that the rest of the world may not have done so well...

So yeah, compared to those, seeing how you could have done everything right is pretty rough. Mab is slightly pissed at y'all, so she's pulling out all the stops. The Zyrr one also has the potential to be very interesting.

[Orsik Vondal]

Poke the dog! POKE THE DOOOOOG!!!!

[Mando Knight]

Poke the dog! POKE THE DOOOOOG!!!!

When the dog is of the dire half-dragon variety and you're sitting in its kennel, this is not wise.

[Orsik Vondal]

When the dog is of the dire half-dragon variety and you're sitting in its kennel, this is not wise.

It's all for Aramil's benefit. If he can see that this is only a "dream" and not real, if Ash can snap him out of his reverie by getting him to concentrate on how Mab just wants to keep us here, then Ash will take one for the team. :smallwink:

Besides, Ash likes to poke the dire half-dragon dog. Perhaps if Aramil joins in, he can come to grips with the falsity of this reality quicker. I dunno. Just trying different things. Like Hzurr said, this one is probably harder to decide against, because in this reality, everything seems to be all good.

[Mando Knight]

If you taunt the one in charge, don't expect to simply get let out.

[Orsik Vondal]

I know. :smallfrown: And Ash knows too. It's just that Ash can see this situation from the outside. He knows it's not real, and he understands a bit how hard it might be for Aramil to let this go. He's thinking if Aramil understands the dangers for his friends, his protective instincts might kick in to blow this Popsicle stand.

[Hzurr]

When the dog is of the dire half-dragon variety and you're sitting in its kennel, this is not wise.

A dire half-dragon dog? Honestly, this probably exists in a 3.X splatbook.

Also, congratulations Orsik. Asheroth has now managed to convince two different versions of Aramil that he's an idiot. :smalltongue:

[Orsik Vondal]

DM Post

The alternate Aramil arches an eyebrow first at Asheroth's rather ignorant question, and again as Asheroth seems to be speaking to no one.

Asheroth wasn't speaking to ghost Aramil, per say. Only loud enough for Aramil to hear him over on his bench.

What? No glowering eyes above my head? :smallbiggrin:

[Mando Knight]

A dire half-dragon dog? Honestly, this probably exists in a 3.X splatbook.
Half-Dragon's a template, and Dire Wolf exists (and a dog is just a subspecies of Canis lupus...).

[Nai_Calus]

I was honestly amazed that Deities and Demigods in 3E didn't have a half-god template given how often that happens in myth. (How many illegitimate kids did Zeus have with how many women?)

Although I was more busy trying to get over how unbelievably bad the illustration of Corellon is in that book.

[Mando Knight]

Although I was more busy trying to get over how unbelievably bad the illustration of Corellon is in that book.
Probably the same artist as the one who designed Mialee.

[Hzurr]

Probably the same artist as the one who designed Mialee.

I didn't mind Mialee in the original PHB, but she got progressively weirder looking with every book...

Also, holding off my IC post until after Aramil reacts to Asheroth/Eltain

[Mando Knight]

Working on it...

[Nai_Calus]

Probably the same artist as the one who designed Mialee.

As I recall, Todd Lockwood designed Mialee as part of designing everything else for 3E.

The 3E D&DG illustration of Corellon was done by Matt Cavotta, along with much of the rest of the default pantheon in that book.

The problem with Mialee ended up being the problem with most of the elven depictions in 3E. Todd Lockwood designed the look of elves and half-elves very specifically with a specific bone structure that most other artists seem not to have followed, making them look freaking weird.

[Nai_Calus]

The DM posting IC for a PC, Zyrr being that energetic and caring that much, and Mab missing a chance to screw with us after half of us insulted her?

Yeeeah, I don't think so, and neither does Eltain's INT score.

This is so fishy we need a net.

[Toric]

I realize there's a good chance everyone will read this after they read the IC post, but I want to stress something here.


Don't read the spoilered text.

I repeat.

Don't read the spoilered text. For my sake. And if you have, please act as though you didn't. And even if you as a player are pretty sure you know what's going on, please try to separate OOC and IC knowledge and play along with the scenario. Again, for me.

Thank you.

[Hzurr]

I realize there's a good chance everyone will read this after they read the IC post, but I want to stress something here.


Don't read the spoilered text.

I repeat.

Don't read the spoilered text. For my sake. And if you have, please act as though you didn't. And even if you as a player are pretty sure you know what's going on, please try to separate OOC and IC knowledge and play along with the scenario. Again, for me.

Thank you.


OH GOD I ALREADY READ IT!!!

[Mando Knight]

OH GOD I ALREADY READ IT!!!

LOL. need 10 char

[Toric]

OH GOD I ALREADY READ IT!!!

I'll let it slide. This time. And only because you hold the fate of our PC's in your hands.

[Nai_Calus]

*hands idiot ball to Eltain* Run with this.

[Hzurr]

*hands idiot ball to Eltain* Run with this.

Fun Factoid: Idiot Balls are shaped like partially budding potatoes with a weird spring dangling off one end.

http://112west.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/the_more_you_know2.jpg

[Orsik Vondal]

I'm guessing that after this situation is over I can go back and read all the spoilers. I have a feeling this is going to be AWESOME!

[Nai_Calus]

Fun Factoid: Idiot Balls are shaped like partially budding potatoes with a weird spring dangling off one end.

Well now I want one of those to display in real life.

[Toric]

I'm guessing that after this situation is over I can go back and read all the spoilers. I have a feeling this is going to be AWESOME!

That's the plan as I understand it, otherwise hzurr and I would probably be doing this through PM's. Thanks for facilitating this.

[Hzurr]

That's the plan as I understand it, otherwise hzurr and I would probably be doing this through PM's. Thanks for facilitating this.

There are also a handful of people who aren't playing the game, but are still following it (I receive PMs from random people every few months asking me questions about it, or commenting about it), so it's also included in spoilers for those people.

I also trust that y'all will separate IC & OOC knowledge.

And lastly, There is a kickstarter for flying assault butts (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1960086844/miniature-wargaming-flying-assault-butts). This means there's a distinct chance that you may run into this enemy at some point in the future:

http://imageshack.us/a/img96/8793/fabg.png

Normally I would follow this up with an apology for subjecting you to flying butts, but Sir Reginald Buttleston, Esq (https://s3.amazonaws.com/ksr/projects/554262/posts/488087/image-261439-full.jpg) has taught me never to apologize.

...


Butts.

[Nai_Calus]

Although I've had to turn off email notifications for the time being since you people don't put enough dead space before your spoilers to have the beginnings not show in my email.

Hzurr likes big butts and he cannot lie.

[Orsik Vondal]

If we don't need a map, do we just call out our actions? Do you want us to use standard combat actions or just tell you what we do, Hzurr?

[Hzurr]

If we don't need a map, do we just call out our actions? Do you want us to use standard combat actions or just tell you what we do, Hzurr?

Depends on what you want to do. If you want to do something that requires a map, I'll provide you with a map. Since I wasn't certain what y'all would be doing, I didn't want to throw down a map if one isn't needed. but if you want to attack or something that you'd like to have a grid for, I can create one without too much difficulty.

[Orsik Vondal]

Depends on what you want to do. If you want to do something that requires a map, I'll provide you with a map. Since I wasn't certain what y'all would be doing, I didn't want to throw down a map if one isn't needed. but if you want to attack or something that you'd like to have a grid for, I can create one without too much difficulty.

Zyrr asked us to attack from here...so Ash was going to attack from here. I'm just wondering if you need a map. I guess you would plop a map down if you need to. I'll just tell you what Ash does, and wait for your response.

Also, does Ash know anything about the kopesh? Don't know which it would be, so I rolled them all!

Arcana - [roll0]
History - [roll1]
Religion - [roll2]

[Mando Knight]

Also, half of us probably should have considered the consequences of openly insulting an Archfey while held captive by her magic before doing so...

[Orsik Vondal]

Also, half of us probably should have considered the consequences of openly insulting an Archfey while held captive by her magic before doing so...

Meh. :smallsigh:

If you can't mess around when you're epic level, when can you? :smallamused:

[Hzurr]

Hi all, sorry, I got called into work all day, and haven't been able to post. I'll hopefully be done in time to get something up late tonight, if not then I'll post tomorrow.

Sorry for the delay.

[Hzurr]

Ok, cool. That took longer to get up than I had hoped. Got called into work again today for 12 hours or so.

For the record, if any of y'all are DBAs, punch yourself in the face right now on behalf of my feelings towards all of your ilk.

[Mando Knight]

That's Insight or Perception, not Insight and Perception, right?

Either way, here's a roll that's working off a relatively low modifier:
[roll0]

[Nai_Calus]

Being uninsightful, go: [roll0]

Damn it. And there's no one who can aid me on that to hit the 35 I need for Hard difficulty, which I assume was needed. Well, whatever it was, I guess we don't notice it. :smallsigh:

[Orsik Vondal]

Okay. So the dice roller didn't like my first iteration of my attack roll.

[roll0] vs. AC

+1 for charge, +2 for CA (included)

[DSCrankshaw]

Being uninsightful, go: [roll0]

Damn it. And there's no one who can aid me on that to hit the 35 I need for Hard difficulty, which I assume was needed. Well, whatever it was, I guess we don't notice it. :smallsigh:

Well, if you give Lucan an in character reason, he's pretty insightful.

[Mando Knight]

Well, if you give Lucan an in character reason, he's pretty insightful.

Well, the two of us aren't quite sure what we're looking for, other than that Mab is probably up to something.

[Nai_Calus]

Well, if you give Lucan an in character reason, he's pretty insightful.

Indeed, I'm just not sure what IC reason he'd have. Lucan isn't the suspicious type, and it's unlikely he'd listen to Eltain.


Well, the two of us aren't quite sure what we're looking for, other than that Mab is probably up to something.

"I should think it obvious, Aramil. You see, but you do not observe. The dirt on that priestess's boots is a certain type of clay that only occurs in caves two thousand miles away that are inhabited solely by illithids. The holy symbols they're wielding are all exactly five millimeters too wide to be in the correct proportions, and any novice even of other faiths knows that it's unforgivable to create or use such sloppy workmanship, nor would any drow artisan permit themselves to be that careless. The likeness of Tiandra is excellent, however the lace pattern on her dress was a design of daisies, not sunflowers. Furthermore, the ice encasing her is clearly not of actual winter fey origin, nor of elemental origin. Also, Zyrr's hair is exactly a quarter inch too long and he always walks starting out with his left foot, not his right. Clearly all of this is an illusion and we can trust none of it."

:smalltongue:

[Hzurr]

The likeness of Tiandra is excellent, however the lace pattern on her dress was a design of daisies, not sunflowers. [/COLOR]"


You fool! It was a design of posies!

*sigh* you people are such pathetic excuses for eladrin...

[Nai_Calus]

Yes, well, Eltain half-asses being an Eladrin as much as Frank half-asses being a horse, except instead of donkey it's human.

[Orsik Vondal]

Yes, well, Eltain half-asses being an Eladrin as much as Frank half-asses being a horse

Bah-dum-chuh! :smalltongue:

And Ash hasn't been with Zyrr long enough to notice the little things that he is doing that aren't quite right. That smile, for instance. Kind of sinister, don't you think? :smallwink:

[Orsik Vondal]

What race is Tiandra if she has one?

::edit:: And Mab for that matter? :smallannoyed:

[Mando Knight]

What race is Tiandra if she has one?

::edit:: And Mab for that matter? :smallannoyed:

They are Fey... what race is Pelor, or Melora?

Whether Tiandra or Mab were formed out of the Feywild by Corellon's own hand, or are hyper-advanced Eladrin instead, has been lost to time and legend.

[Hzurr]

They are Fey... what race is Pelor, or Melora?

Whether Tiandra or Mab were formed out of the Feywild by Corellon's own hand, or are hyper-advanced Eladrin instead, has been lost to time and legend.

Yep. Pretty much this.

[Orsik Vondal]

I'm just thinking: kopesh of extinction, sounds like it could wipe out an entire race.

[Nai_Calus]

Yes, it's a fourthcore thing that does exactly that. Which should tell you something about this. Namely, in the real world, someone would have used that already on one of the many available drugged Eladrin.

Which reminds me that I should post, although given what I've observed, as usual, no one will listen to Eltain when he points the grip thing out. :p

[DSCrankshaw]

Which reminds me that I should post, although given what I've observed, as usual, no one will listen to Eltain when he points the grip thing out. :p

I'm trying to figure out how to say this gently: perhaps if Eltain were a little more succinct, he'd have an easier time getting his point across. Those walls of blue text are a little intimidating. I don't always read them as carefully as I should.

[Orsik Vondal]

Namely, in the real world, someone would have used that already on one of the many available drugged Eladrin.

Then the drow would not have as many slaves. I think they might be using it to out right kill Tiandra forever or possibly empower it with her death to be able to kill...a god, let's say?


I'm trying to figure out how to say this gently: perhaps if Eltain were a little more succinct, he'd have an easier time getting his point across. Those walls of blue text are a little intimidating. I don't always read them as carefully as I should.

Ditto. Sorry, Nai. :smallfrown:

[DSCrankshaw]

I tried to roll insight too, in case it helped, but the forum ate it. (Or I mistyped it.)

Here it is again:

[roll0]

[Hzurr]

Holding off for a little bit to give Pavick a chance to react, then I'll update the IC thread

[dariathalon]

Sorry, work's been hitting me pretty hard this week. It probably won't get much better until at least the end of next week. I'll try to get a post in tonight, but feel free to go on without me if you need to. Pavick's pretty much too shocked/confused to do anything very effective right now anyway.

[dariathalon]

Well, that's a good insight. Much better than I was expecting honestly. Hopefully there's one of the Zyrr's that the priestesses don't notice arriving or something that can point us in the right direction because right now I'm pretty clueless. I mean I have my OOC suspicions, but its hard to make them stick IC.

[Toric]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFbK0mE06FY

[Nai_Calus]

I have no clue what's even going on at this point.

[Hzurr]

Sorry, I wrote things a bit quickly. I'll update the IC post momentarily to try and make it a bit clearer.

Here's the rundown.

Solid Zyrr (SZ) - was trying to use the Khopesh to hold the Drow Priestesses hostage

Transparent Zyrr (TZ1) - Says that SZ is going to kill you all

TZ2 - Says the Priestesses are trying to trick you

TZ3 - Says that TZ1 is secretly Mab in disguise

TZ4 - Says he's the real Zyrr, and you have to kill him to end all this.

At this point, TZ1 tears off the amulet around his neck, mashes it with wax, & throws it into the middle of the party. SZ drops the Khopesh and dives for it, mumbling something about "Vendis"

So currently you've got 4 transparent identical Zyrrs (TZ1 without an amulet), one Solid Zyrr (who dove for TZ1's thrown amulet), and 8 drop priestesses staring at the dropped dagger.

Does that clarify things at all?

[dariathalon]

Sorry I had Pavick cast his wall of text spell there, but I figured it was important to get my thinking down for everyone to see. I figured someone has to make a move and this is the sort of instance that we tend to freeze up in, so I just went for it. I left an out in there, so if you're not convinced just have your character grab the weapon out of the air and we can deal with the repercussions of that ic.

[Nai_Calus]

I'm confused as to why we'd think it would be a good idea to give it to any of them. Granted it's an illusion, but we established back in Lucanland that the illusions can hurt us, so... I'm really not getting Pavick's line of thinking here. There's a chance none of them are real, and even if one is, why would it matter which and why would we run the risk of giving weapons to any of them?

I also don't think we really have enough information to pick any of them, although if I had to I'd probably go with the same one as you. But then, it really doesn't matter what we think here, since it's Zyrr who has to figure out what he's doing, so we're really just waiting on him and stalling.

Granted, Toric can't post right now because of bad internet/tornado sirens, so we may be stalling a while.

[Orsik Vondal]

Having not read the spoilers yet (I'm trying to be a good PC :smallbiggrin:), I am also super confused. Pav's assessment seems pretty accurate, though. As accurate as we can be at this point.

[dariathalon]

I'm just figuring that with the amount of importance that's being given to the weapon, that the real Zyrr needs it for some reason. To kill the fake Zyrrs perhaps? Based on the way Hzurr has been posting about it, the weapon just screams Chekhov's gun to me. If the real Zyrr needs to "fire" it, as I suspect then the rest of us playing keep away with the blade would just get in the way of that.

Given that Hzurr left his post with the NPCs staring at the dropped blade, I figured he wants us to do something with it. This is the best I could come up with.

[Hzurr]

Given that Hzurr left his post with the NPCs staring at the dropped blade, I figured he wants us to do something with it. This is the best I could come up with.

Well...it was more a "let's take a pause and let the PCs act before I let the Drow priestesses start a murderous rampage" but however you wish to interpret it is fine.

I'd hoped to give Toric a bit to respond, but seeing as Oklahoma has apparently angered the storm gods, there's no telling when that will be. I'm typing this from my phone, as I'm in the midst of packing right now, but if he hasn't posted by around this time tomorrow when I have my desktop back up, I'll go ahead and post.

Also, side thought: Y'all are depending a lot on how you're interpreting the actions of the various Zyrrs (which you may or may not be interpreting correctly, I won't spoil that for you), however you haven't done much to try and test to figure out which Zyrr (if any of them) is real.

[Orsik Vondal]

Ash might be dealing with that in his post.

[Nai_Calus]

I haven't done anything to investigate because we have no reason to investigate. All we can do is stay alive until Zyrr comes to terms with whatever he comes to terms with, so it matters not at all which Zyrr is which because honestly, we have no reason to care at all. We can't do anything of value or use here so I kind of don't care at this point, I'm just waiting on Toric to escape from Oz and resolve this.

All Eltain would be doing is making another long speech no one wants to read to try to encourage Zyrr, so eh.

[DSCrankshaw]

I haven't done anything to investigate because we have no reason to investigate. All we can do is stay alive until Zyrr comes to terms with whatever he comes to terms with, so it matters not at all which Zyrr is which because honestly, we have no reason to care at all. We can't do anything of value or use here so I kind of don't care at this point, I'm just waiting on Toric to escape from Oz and resolve this.

I'm not so sure that's true. The rules seem to have changed.

[Mando Knight]

I'm not so sure that's true. The rules seem to have changed.

Mab has altered the deal. Pray she doesn't alter it any further. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpE_xMRiCLE)

[DSCrankshaw]

So if I were to use a spell that affects allies and enemies differently, how would that affect the Zyrrs?

[Orsik Vondal]

The way I understand ally vs. enemy is based on your character's view of the creature. If Lucan thinks he's an ally, the spell will affect him one way, and visa versa. So if you don't know, the spell might falter. Does anyone other than Toric know the answer to Ash's question, who would be able to verify the correct response?

[Hzurr]

I believe it's whoever you consider as an ally is included.

Also, I'm.traveling for business right now, and the hotel Wi-Fi is no good. Hopefully I'll have some free time on my work PC tomorrow where I can get up a post. Sorry for the delay. But if anyone lives in Manhattan and wants to come give me internets, I'll post sooner.

[Nai_Calus]

Well that was expected. :smalltongue:

I've got no interrupts and have no idea where I am(And defender aura punishment is laughably bad anyway), so. Anyone having something for this can feel free.

Eltain can teleport with someone if anyone needs a lift.

Now to hope we haven't spent so long here we're screwed on what we actually came for.

[Orsik Vondal]

Well that was expected. :smalltongue:

I've got no interrupts and have no idea where I am(And defender aura punishment is laughably bad anyway), so. Anyone having something for this can feel free.

Eltain can teleport with someone if anyone needs a lift.

Now to hope we haven't spent so long here we're screwed on what we actually came for.

I think we'll be just fine. :smallbiggrin: (pats Nai on the head)

[Hzurr]

(pats Nai on the head)

http://www.reactiongifs.us/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/no_touching_arrested_development.gif


-edit: Also, what exactly did Asheroth just do IC? Were those actual powers?

[Orsik Vondal]

-edit: Also, what exactly did Asheroth just do IC? Were those actual powers?

I forgot to put them in there. Just edited it. Reflexive Judgment and Heavenly (diabolic) Escape.

[Mando Knight]

I hope all of you have caught on by now that it seems there is only one person who needs to touch the portal. And it's not Asheroth right now.

[DSCrankshaw]

Hopefully my interrupt won't mess up Ash's actions too much, but I figured that, all things considered, it's better not to be hit than to be hit.

[Orsik Vondal]

That will make fake-Zyrr miss. Question, Hzurr, I don't remember, but can we physically touch the transparent us-es? The answer might change my actions now that Bad Zyrr No. 1 has missed me.

[Toric]

I would like to make an [roll0] roll to steal Queen Mab's metaphorical heart. :P

[Orsik Vondal]

Soooooooo...Can we go back and read the spoilers now that Zyrr has stepped through the portal?

[Mando Knight]

I did. :smallwink:

[Hzurr]

Soooooooo...Can we go back and read the spoilers now that Zyrr has stepped through the portal?

Well...I can't do anything to stop you from doing it, but if you were wanting my official blessing to do so YOU'LL NEVER HAVE IT!

YOU SHALL WASTE AWAY THE REST OF YOUR DAYS, FOREVER WONDERING WHAT WAS BEHIND THE SPOILERED TEXT!

AHAHAHAHAHA!!!

http://i.imgur.com/RRnhhqW.gif


---edit--


I'll have the full stat write up for Aramil's sword later tonight, once I'm no longer on my work PC & can access my notes.

[Mando Knight]

Of course it goes in and out freely. That's one of the perks of having a magical self-reshaping scabbard that can fit any Heavy or Light Blade.

[Hzurr]

Of course it goes in and out freely. That's one of the perks of having a magical self-reshaping scabbard that can fit any Heavy or Light Blade.

...I feel like there's a sex joke in here somewhere, but I'm too lazy to make it.

[Mando Knight]

...I feel like there's a sex joke in here somewhere, but I'm too lazy to make it.

It's a sword and a scabbard. The sex jokes write themselves.

[Nai_Calus]

Is Pavick light enough to be carried by Eltain on Frank if someone with a higher strength score carries some of our gear? Failing that, can Eltain teleport his way to the audience chamber while someone else rides Frank?

Also, have we reached a milestone yet since stuff is presumably about to get real?

[dariathalon]

Pavick keeps most of his equipment in a bag of holding. So there's his 58 pound body, plus probably less than 10 pounds of gear that isn't in the bag. It shouldn't be too strenuous. He also has plenty of spare room in his bag so I could probably even handle carrying some of Eltain's gear if needed too.

[Nai_Calus]

I can lose 50 pounds by turning my armor to clothing, which equals most of a Pavick.

Edit: All weight in this game will now be measured in Pavicks.

[Mando Knight]

Aramil can carry 3.45 Pavicks, but is limited by his equipment to only having about 2.63 Pavicks spare carrying capacity.

[Nai_Calus]

Hah, indeed.

Mostly, I just think it would be hilarious to pull a Yoda with Pavick. That way Eltain would be riding Frank, and Pavick would be riding Eltain.

[dariathalon]

Throughout history several units of measurement have officially been declared as things like "the length of the king's index finger." Pavick would very much enjoy having his own unit of measurement.

You know, that's an amusing idea. Pavick's epic destiny says he's on his way to creating his own plane. It should be entirely possible for Pavick to declare variable gravity on his plane so that all things would weigh in a proportion to his own weight. As he gains or loses weight so does everything else. *cackles madly*

[Nai_Calus]

So whilst discussing what one would call a group of Zyrrs on Y!IM, the following terms were invented:

Toric:
A Mayhem of Zyrrs
A Cinder of Asheroths

Me:
A Snowdrift of Eltains
A Giggle of Pavicks
A Madness of Lucans
A Blossoming of Aramils
A Flock of Shep
A Predicament of Hzurrs.

So should we ever run into multiples of ourselves again, we have terms for the groups.

[Mando Knight]

Me:
A Snowdrift of Eltains

And when it's impossible to see anything other than Eltains, it's a blizzard.

[Nai_Calus]

And when it's impossible to see anything other than Eltains, it's a blizzard.

Nah, it's a Whiteout.

Actually, that's the Big Collapse, where the multiverse implodes on itself under the sheer weight of the angst and self-doubt.

[DSCrankshaw]

I like a Madness of Lucans. I need to figure out some way to use it.

[Orsik Vondal]

And I like a Cinder of Asheroths. No matter how those groupings came about, they sounds good! :smallwink:

[Hzurr]

Throughout history several units of measurement have officially been declared as things like "the length of the king's index finger." Pavick would very much enjoy having his own unit of measurement.

Yep. Originally, an inch was defined as the distance between the king's second and third knuckle on his index finger. Of course, this meant that every time the king died, they had to get a new ruler.

*bah-dum-chhh*

(have I mentioned I've got a weakness for bad puns?)

Also, not certain if this was the source of inspiration for the conversation between Toric & Nai, but on twitter yesterday I was having a conversation with people about what the proper grouping term should be for a group of chromatic tarrasques (it's for a different adventure I'm writing for GenCon, not for this game. YET!). We decided on "An apocalypse of Tarrasques."

[Orsik Vondal]

Lucan you have words of friendship, don't you? Ash/we might need it. And we might be able to stay Thrumbolg's hand. :smallamused:

[Hzurr]

Lucan you have words of friendship, don't you? Ash/we might need it. And we might be able to stay Thrumbolg's hand. :smallamused:

One natural 20 later...

"And that, kids, is the story of how we convinced the Formorian King to stab himself with the Kopesh of Extinction..."

[Orsik Vondal]

One natural 20 later...

"And that, kids, is the story of how we convinced the Formorian King to stab himself with the Kopesh of Extinction..."

Not far from what I was thinking, but Ash is gonna try to avoid any death whatsoever. We'll see what happens. :smallbiggrin:

[Mando Knight]

Not far from what I was thinking, but Ash is gonna try to avoid any death whatsoever. We'll see what happens. :smallbiggrin:

It is more-or-less exactly what I was thinking, though.

Now I really wish there was a way a Swordmage could steal someone else's blade...

[Orsik Vondal]

If he stabs himself, ALL fomorians on this plane, at least, will die. Do we want that? :smallconfused: I don't know. You guys have more vested interest in the Feywild than Ash does. I, personally, would think that any race thus devastated would be bad for us on the whole.

[Orsik Vondal]

I'm about to post and I ask Lucan to play a song (Words of Friendship), so assume that Ash begins speaking after Lucan plays.

::edit:: And because the forum doesn't like to let people post in quick succession...:smallmad:

[Orsik Vondal]

Diplomacy - [roll0]
Reroll - [roll1]

+5 for Words of Friendship

[Nai_Calus]

No, inspired by there being 5 Zyrrs running around.

First: Seriously?
Second: So assuming he's not full of crap(Since otherwise why hasn't something like this been used already), if he stabs the Eladrin does Eltain half die? :p

[Hzurr]

First: Seriously?
Second: So assuming he's not full of crap(Since otherwise why hasn't something like this been used already), if he stabs the Eladrin does Eltain half die? :p

First: Maybe. You're dealing with a lot of duplicitous creatures here. No telling how much is real, and how much is bull.
Second: Why hasn't it been used? That's an excellent question. You should find that out. Half-Eltain - Yes, just your right side (or you'll get a +5 bonus to the saving throw).

[Mando Knight]

If he stabs himself, ALL fomorians on this plane, at least, will die. Do we want that? :smallconfused: I don't know. You guys have more vested interest in the Feywild than Ash does. I, personally, would think that any race thus devastated would be bad for us on the whole.

You don't quite understand what Fomorians are, perhaps? Hideous, deformed fey giants. Cruel masters of the Feydark, they are as arrogant, evil, and self-important as any Eye Tyrant or elder dragon. Rumor has it their Evil Eye was given to them as a blessing from Gruumsh to torment the elven races.

[Orsik Vondal]

With all "our" talk of saving the drow, I thought the same would be true of other fey races. I guess not. :smallbiggrin: I know Ash isn't wanting to kill a bunch of creatures be they evil or not. But if you guys are leaning more that way, Ash can probably convince him to do it. Though, that would not be very "healthy" for his soul.:smalleek:

And no, I did not know very much about fomorians. If they are straight up evil, it might be better to off them all. But what then about the drow? :smallconfused:

[Mando Knight]

Drow are different. They've been possibly-redeemable and had renegades from their cursed existence in the Underdark since 1988.

[Orsik Vondal]

And since R.A. Salvatore didn't choose his main character to be a fomorian, they are considered 100%, all-evil, no redemption possible. :smallfrown:

I'm just saying, that if we can turn this guy, your redemption revolution might have a formidable (or is that FOMORdable :smallwink:) ally. Hells, we might be able to change the entire direction of the Feywild!

[DSCrankshaw]

Words of Friendship doesn't apply to other people's rolls. I could try the Lullaby ritual, but I have to play for 10 minutes.

Maybe Hzurr will make my music function as diplomacy aid another.

[roll0]
[roll1]

[Orsik Vondal]

I got a 48 on my Diplomacy check, so I hope that's high enough to influence Thrumbolg. But an extra +2 can always help! :smallbiggrin:

[Hzurr]

That was a good check, which is why nothing went bad for y'all, but everything that Asheroth appealed to is completely without consequence to this guy. The threat of Eladrin hating him, gods wanting to kill him, etc, carry no weight at all.

[Nai_Calus]

*facepalm* I hate the forum roller.

[Orsik Vondal]

What skill did you roll, Nai?

And, darn! :smallannoyed: It was a risk. I guess Intimidation and Bluff might work better to make him do what we want. A question for everyone: Since he seems just like Mando said he would be, do we want to get him to kill himself? Or just get him to do nothing/stop him from doing anything?

Hzurr, does Ash know that he is immortal now? That will most likely change his next skill.

Yes=Intimidate. "You're immortal? So am I. And I won't stop hunting you until you are brought to eternal justice."

No=Bluff. Though, it's still true.

[dariathalon]

Pavick will probably try to assist Eltain depending on the results of this [roll0]. I think he's probably got the right idea for now, just try to get more info. While Pavick would have absolutely no problem with the formorian's being wiped from the feywild, getting the king to kill himself and all his people seems unlikely to work no matter how much Hzurr joked about it earlier.

[Nai_Calus]

Oh, right, forgot to mark it. It's Diplomacy.

And yeah, Eltain is currently angling to get more information/stall for the steal-y people to do steal-y things.

[Hzurr]

does Ash know that he is immortal now? That will most likely change his next skill.

Well...he said he was. Which may or may not be true. If only there was some skill that let you know the history of a famous king.

@Nai - Could I get an insight check from Eltain?

[Mando Knight]

Being immortal in D&D means that you still die when you're killed. You just continue existing until then.

Also, for the record, Formorians are the arch-enemy of Pavrick. :smallwink:

[Orsik Vondal]

Being immortal in D&D means that you still die when you're killed. You just continue existing until then.

Also, for the record, Formorians are the arch-enemy of Pavrick. :smallwink:

In a sense, immortal is ceases to age.

I have a pretty good History check. Let's see how this goes. History - [roll0]

[Orsik Vondal]

I am not sure you understood my question, Hzurr. Does Ash know that Ash is immortal now?

[Nai_Calus]

Insight: [roll0]

Also rolling history on what I can think of regarding the weapon: [roll1]

Eltain Sherlocks the place. But he's forgotten his history.

[dariathalon]

Being immortal in D&D means that you still die when you're killed. You just continue existing until then.

Also, for the record, Formorians are the arch-enemy of Pavrick. :smallwink:

Ack. I always make that mistake. I guess I keep mixing them together with formians (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/formian.htm) from 3.5. Not that the two are at all similar beyond names.

[Hzurr]

I am not sure you understood my question, Hzurr. Does Ash know that Ash is immortal now?

I didn't know that Ash was immortal. Just double checked and realized it was part of the ED. Like Mando said, having your type change to immortal doesn't mean you can't die, it just means that you won't die until someone/thing kills you. (I think the actual term is emortality, but that may just be some random sci-fi book I'm thinking of)


Ack. I always make that mistake. I guess I keep mixing them together with formians (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/formian.htm) from 3.5. Not that the two are at all similar beyond names.

I do the exact same thing. I've messed it up several times.


At any rate, I'm back home from business travel now, and will be posting IC shortly (and by shortly, I mean it'll take me at least 30-90 minutes to write a post, since I've gotten incredibly slow lately)

[Orsik Vondal]

I guess at some point when Ash is around 70 years old, if he stays alive that long, he will think to himself, Hmmm...I'm around 70 years old and I don't seem to have lost a step at all. By Pelor, I'm immortal! :smallbiggrin:

[Mando Knight]

So, Thrumbolg won't die even if we kill him? Cheater. Only Epic heroes and gods are supposed to do that. :smalltongue:

[Orsik Vondal]

Portal problems, you say? :smallamused: Good thing we know someone that is excellent at portals...

Anybody remember why we went to the Astral Sea in the first place? :smallamused:

Alluvius Ruskin, Ash's like-a-mother. Best portal-er in Sigil. Currently being used by Asmodeus to thwart a horde of demons from attacking him on their turf. :smallamused:

Now let's see if I can weave a tale to buy us more time.:smalleek:

[Mando Knight]

Portal problems, you say? :smallamused: Good thing we know someone that is excellent at portals...

Anybody remember why we went to the Astral Sea in the first place? :smallamused:

Alluvius Ruskin, Ash's like-a-mother. Best portal-er in Sigil. Currently being used by Asmodeus to thwart a horde of demons from attacking him on their turf. :smallamused:

Now let's see if I can weave a tale to buy us more time.:smalleek:

You haven't asked for the information yet. And Aramil isn't keen on letting Thrumbolg know that we know without knowing how to use the information against him.

Also, one of the best at portals is right here with us.

[Orsik Vondal]

I am writing asking for the info into my IC post, if that is okay, Hzurr. I'm sure Aramil can give us the highlights pretty quick.

[Mando Knight]

I wish you'd hold your horses sometimes.

[roll0]
[roll1]
Purpose: Is Fragarach the Khopesh of Extinction?

[Hzurr]

I wish you'd hold your horses sometimes.


Yeah, I'll echo this. Orsik, you may want to hold off for a bit and let other people react & discuss, especially when the DM post contains a lot of detailed & character specific information, or information that could be critical to both surviving and avoiding a genocide. Especially when you're dealing with someone who is be immortal.

Just reading through the post quickly (haven't dug down in detail yet), you might want to consider pulling it before I respond.

[Orsik Vondal]

I didn't think of that, sorry. :smalleek:

[Mando Knight]

Also, when will we get the information on the changes to Aramil's sword?

[Hzurr]

Also, when will we get the information on the changes to Aramil's sword?

Ah, right.

Nightmare Blade +5

This blade is imbued with the stuff of nightmares, but also contains the dream essence of every sword in existence. With just a thought, your blade can take on that dream essence

Critical: +1d8 per plus

Properties:

Dreamwalker: Gain +2 distance to all your teleport powers

Blade of nightmares: As a minor action, choose a target within line of sight. If that target has any vulnerabilities, your weapon now deals that type of damage

Powers:

Encounter - free action - Cut through dream space - Treat your next at-will melee attack as if it had a range of 20

Daily- move action - Bane Weapon - Choose a creature type. You have combat advantage against all creatures of that type, and deal an additional 3d8 damage to creatures of that type until the end of the encounter.

Power (Teleportation) Daily (Free Action)Use this power when you hit with the weapon. You teleport the target 2 squares.

[Mando Knight]

Should be line of sight, not site.

Would that ability mean that the sword can exploit Thrumbolg's vulnerability to Fragarach, or not since it's not a typed vulnerability?

Also, the loss of the +1 teleport distance in turn for a teleport speed is interesting.

[Hzurr]

Should be line of sight, not site.
Ah, that's what I get for trying to type on a phone. I'll fix it now.
(and I'll improve the formatting once I get my desktop up this evening)



Would that ability mean that the sword can exploit Thrumbolg's vulnerability to Fragarach, or not since it's not a typed vulnerability?
[/quote]
Hmm...an interesting question. Not part of the weapon's given abilities, but definitely something that makes sense. It'd be an arcana check to make the weapon function that way.



Also, the loss of the +1 teleport distance in turn for a teleport speed is interesting.
Interesting good, or interesting bad? We can move things around if need be.

[Mando Knight]

Interesting good, or interesting bad? We can move things around if need be.
I haven't decided which. Due to the wording of the Cloak of Translocation, Aramil's going to still mostly use teleport powers anyway, and trading 1 square of movement for +2 AC/Reflex and other effects is bound to come up eventually... and a teleport speed is very powerful.

[Nai_Calus]

It's too bad that 1. it wouldn't work and 2. Eltain doesn't use a sling even if it would, I'd so like to pull a Lugh vs Balor here and put his eye out for fun. :smalltongue: (Also, Lugh is totally the real world inspiration for Corellon. Skilled at nearly everything including magic and the arts? Killed Balor of the Fomorians by shooting his eye out with a sling?)

[Hzurr]

Made a few edits to the weapon upon reflection. Clarified that the range 20 thing was for at-wills only, and changed back the teleport bonus to distance. Airmail already has so many teleport powers it didn't seem to do much, and recently the problems he's faced have been more distance related than movement related.

[DSCrankshaw]

Made a few edits to the weapon upon reflection. Clarified that the range 20 thing was for at-wills only, and changed back the teleport bonus to distance. Airmail already has so many teleport powers it didn't seem to do much, and recently the problems he's faced have been more distance related than movement related.

I can't decide whether Airmail is intentional, or due to phone autocorrect.

[Nai_Calus]

I'm going with phone autocorrect, obviously Airmail would be if Eltain started working as a postal courier.

[Orsik Vondal]

That sword is awesome!

[DSCrankshaw]

Would it help if we healed Tiandra? He seems to be drawing his power from her blood, and that might cut off the source.

[Orsik Vondal]

Or plugged the hole. Her blood is flowing into a ritual circle. If we stop it by any means, that might dry up the reservoir of power.

Eltain got any ice powers that can refreeze the hole?

[DSCrankshaw]

You mean besides that fancy cloak of Eltain's? I bet that could do it.

Although if someone (the drow or the Formorian king?) knows how to drill through the ice, maybe they know enough to remove the ice entirely. Maybe we should find out.

[Orsik Vondal]

Bingo! That might do it. Can Eltain confine it to the area around Tiandra and Thrumbolg. Perhaps you can freeze him or at least slow his movement. Although, that action would most likely result in a battle.

As Ash looks around does he see any tool that loks like it could have made the hole in Tiandra's icicle?

[Hzurr]

As Ash looks around does he see any tool that loks like it could have made the hole in Tiandra's icicle?

Ash sees a lot of very powerful, but dead drow priestesses. They might be a good place to start.

[Nai_Calus]

Or plugged the hole. Her blood is flowing into a ritual circle. If we stop it by any means, that might dry up the reservoir of power.

Eltain got any ice powers that can refreeze the hole?

Nope.


You mean besides that fancy cloak of Eltain's? I bet that could do it.

Although if someone (the drow or the Formorian king?) knows how to drill through the ice, maybe they know enough to remove the ice entirely. Maybe we should find out.

I can create a blizzard once a week, and once a day I can make the ground I walk on freeze over and give y'all cold resist and ice walk, but only if you stay within 9 squares of me. Neither of these is of any use here. (Or ever, really, since we don't fight winter fey, and the difficult terrain generation isn't much use either since it requires Eltain to walk, which he pretty much never does since he either teleports or rides Frank, derp. I'm actually thinking of switching to just stuffing it in a bag and using a Badge of the Berserker or Cloak of Translocation next level-up, heh. 99% of the time it's a slightly worse Amulet of Protection.)


Bingo! That might do it. Can Eltain confine it to the area around Tiandra and Thrumbolg. Perhaps you can freeze him or at least slow his movement. Although, that action would most likely result in a battle.

As Ash looks around does he see any tool that loks like it could have made the hole in Tiandra's icicle?

Yeah the only thing I could do to 'confine' him is walk in a circle around him and leave difficult terrain behind, which would one: start a fight; two: not do anything to stop him in said fight.

Eltain doesn't actually have anything he can do that's winter-y that's useful or cool out of combat here. This is the show of anyone but Eltain since there's literally nothing he can do here.

[DSCrankshaw]

Given that it's an artifact level magic item, it might be worth asking the DM if it can be stretched to cover the hole with an Arcana check.

[Nai_Calus]

Hzurr suggested a really tiny blizzard. I proposed knocking her prone and walking on her. There's also attacking her with Lash of the Long Night to push her 8 squares away from the ritual circle, but most of these are ridiculous, hard to explain, or potentially disastrous. (One Nat20 later, "And that, kids, is how your uncle killed Tiandra.")

[Orsik Vondal]

Hzurr suggested a really tiny blizzard. I proposed knocking her prone and walking on her. There's also attacking her with Lash of the Long Night to push her 8 squares away from the ritual circle, but most of these are ridiculous, hard to explain, or potentially disastrous. (One Nat20 later, "And that, kids, is how your uncle killed Tiandra.")

The local blizzard seems like the best idea. Your item does not specify how large or small the weather you create has to be. So if it doesn't say you can't, and the DM says you can, then I would do that. :smallwink: I'm sure if you ask one of us, we could give you ideas as to how Eltain does it.

And just like Aramil attempted to use one of his attack powers in an unconventional way, I am sure if you rolled a Nat 20 on your attack and explained to Hzurr what you were trying to do, he would not screw you over. You told the DM what you were trying to do. You succeeded. Yay! :smallbiggrin:

[Mando Knight]

It's too bad Thievery explicitly rules out stealing from someone's hand...

[Orsik Vondal]

What is Zyrr's Epic Destiny?

[Hzurr]

What is Zyrr's Epic Destiny?

He's a thief of legend. That being said, I'm definitely not going to open up the potential can of worms that is "you can disarm someone with a thievery check."

I am going to hold off for just a bit, to give Zyrr a chance to react since the Formorian's attention/questions are focused on him

[Toric]

He's a thief of legend. That being said, I'm definitely not going to open up the potential can of worms that is "you can disarm someone with a thievery check."

Just so you know, I did briefly debate having Zyrr remember the illusory khopesh he held when he left the dream world, grasp the imaginary blade, and swap it with the real blade. I don't have a clue how it would work but screw the rules I have an archfey heart!

[Orsik Vondal]

Just so you know, I did briefly debate having Zyrr remember the illusory khopesh he held when he left the dream world, grasp the imaginary blade, and swap it with the real blade. I don't have a clue how it would work but screw the rules I have an archfey heart!

I love the Thief of Legend ED! Being able to steal anything is an awesome ability! And is Mab's Heart just a huge gem? It had a gnat in it? No wonder she was twisted!

Nice coordination on the mini blizzard! I feel like I'm at Dairy Queen! Eltain and Zyrr for the win!

[Hzurr]

those of you who rely just on email updates, I made a small edit at the end of that last post that I'd forgotten about for Pavick/Asheroth/Aramil

[Orsik Vondal]

Apparently, ventriloquism interferes with Arcana. I guess it has to do with that limited residual brain capacity caused by multi-tasking.

Also is the smell familiar, as in, does it smell like the smoke belching from the siege engines or the adamantine spiders?

[Nai_Calus]

Eltain and his +28 Arcana modifier have you covered there, even with a roll of 7.

Yes, Eltain is aware of his own hypocrisy with Zorella, and he even has the decency to feel bad about it. :smallwink:

[Orsik Vondal]

Eltain and his +28 Arcana modifier have you covered there, even with a roll of 7.

Yes, Eltain is aware of his own hypocrisy with Zorella, and he even has the decency to feel bad about it. :smallwink:

I knew Ash would be aiding someone else at the very most. And there may be a way to make right things we may have done wrong. I still have Zorella's ashes.

[Nai_Calus]

Yeah, this party doesn't lack for Arcana checks. 5/6 of the party is at least partially Arcane power source, two are INT primary and one is INT secondary with a crazy amount of focus thrown on his Arcana modifier. XD That doesn't mean the dice don't hate us sometimes though.

Heh, my 'that would be cool' head canon that insists on having in-game explanations for things thinks Eltain's Incisive Dagger got its teleport-y properties from absorbing some of Zorella's essence when he killed her with it. Never mind that succubi apparently can't teleport in 4e. It's kind of like how I fluff his Frost longsword as still being his Blade of Winter's Mourning from when he was a fey pact hexblade briefly.

[Orsik Vondal]

Heh, my 'that would be cool' head canon that insists on having in-game explanations for things thinks Eltain's Incisive Dagger got its teleport-y properties from absorbing some of Zorella's essence when he killed her with it. Never mind that succubi apparently can't teleport in 4e. It's kind of like how I fluff his Frost longsword as still being his Blade of Winter's Mourning from when he was a fey pact hexblade briefly.

Ash doesn't have any stories like that, yet. Unless you count his, as of now, unexplained and slightly ambiguous acquisition of angelic wings. Hells! The finer details of that whole situation are still fuzzy to Ash. He'll deal with that later, though. He'll probably need the help of his companions to sift through all the disparate information he received during his "death". I'm looking forward to that. :smallwink:

But there's no time like the present, and he's got more immediately pressing concerns to worry about. Those thoughts are rumbling around the back of Ash's mind, though.

[Hzurr]

Oh, random point: I received a message earlier about the difficulties about rituals and their ridiculously long casting time. If you want to try and cast a ritual in a shorter time, it's totally do-able. It'll require some rolls and may suck away some healing surges, but we can make it work.

[Mando Knight]

Doesn't Pavick have an instant-portal power?

[Hzurr]

Doesn't Pavick have an instant-portal power?

Who knows, maybe. At this point, I have no idea what y'all can or cannot do. Keeps things entertaining. Whenever I see something that catches me off guard, I go back and check the character sheet. You have no idea how many times I've muttered to myself "Huh...well I guess he can do that."

[Nai_Calus]

I can assure you that Eltain is utterly free of surprises and has absolutely nothing ridiculous/cool he can do.

Eltain alas can't cast rituals. What he gets for gaining arcane power the lazy way by being a Warlock.

[Orsik Vondal]

I can assure you that Eltain is utterly free of surprises and has absolutely nothing ridiculous/cool he can do.


P-shaawwww! Eltain's got surprises. You just don't know what they are yet! :smallwink: