Nibbens
2014-07-23, 10:42 AM
For those of you just tuning in – get acquainted with the game here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?330770-City-of-Progress-Campaign-Journal).
For those of you who missed the last session – click here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?362134-City-of-Progress-Campaign-Journal-Chapter-3-1-(Irate-Tree-Tantrum)).
Joining us at the table were the usuals:
Beable Bamford - Halfling siege mage and Golem Lord for Rab's Progress, and his trusty Golem "mouse" (carrying a ginormous cannon inside of it).
Galarend - Human Shining Knight Paladin and General of Rab's Progress' standing army. He is never far away from hits trusty steed "Bolba."
Bolba: A huge flying Triceratops decked out in spiked full-plate armor. (yes, it flies. I approved a permanency of a Fly spell in his case due to particular circumstances.)) By the way, he is totally sentient, has a sense of humor and can speak in a very low and slow voice.
Their tag-along NPC and follower of Galarend; Dungle, a Dwarf Fighter.
Lady Wisteria - Human verdant Sorcerer who is the Rab's Progress' herbalist and "tea-master." (In the front yard of her home stands the only tree in all of the city - a huge oak tree)
However, this week we got some fresh blood.
An Elf Bard named Vaielen who is a very new player. So he was very low optimized. He specializes in being a skill monkey, much like Bards often are.
We also had a Half-Orc Barbarian named Alinys Spelloyal who was a little less new than the Bard – so her optimization wasn’t that severe either. She has a few tricks with her rage powers and focuses on Great Cleave to great effect.
Introductions and Tests
Nevertheless, the game started with an introduction of sorts. Since the two new players were added in, I told them that they were a part of the original excavation crew as hired muscle. So, Rogar (the leader of the excavation) relieved them of their duties, as they were no longer needed.
Looking for a fresh start, they turned to the other PC’s and introductions began – more or less. Galarend made a habit of introducing everyone, things became interesting quickly:
Galarend, holding up a potted plant: “And this is Lady Wisteria.”
Vaielen and Alinys laugh loudly at this, thinking he’s just being funny.
Beable: “No, he’s being serious.”
Lady Wisteria to the DM: “Can I nod?”
DM: “You two see the plant actually nod – however that is even possible.”
After introductions were done, more shenanigans continued. Galarend, wanting to see if they were able to ride on the Bolba, asked them to climb onto his back. The old players laugh as they know what’s about to happen. Sure enough after a 75MPH climb into the atmosphere – they made their saves and didn’t vomit. Surprisingly the following terminal velocity fall had no effect on them either.
When they landed Galarend introduced them into the party and mentioned that the very initiation they just went through is exactly how Dungle Puke-Beard got his name.
Ideas Arguments and Ramifications
After all this, the game was under way – the next few minutes were spent focusing on how to get the thirty dwarves of the excavation crew through the Twisted Forrest efficiently. Lady Wisteria offered to burn 6 castings of Transport Via Plants and did so.
They also discussed how to get the golems over the Forest so they don’t incur the wrath of the forest dwellers. They decided on having the mining golems latch onto each other and onto Bolba. Some quick math was thrown around analyzing the excavation golems weight and comparing it to Bolbla’s max load.
It was determined that he could get them all across in three trips. Several round trips on the UFT and quite a few fly checks later they all landed safely at the Prism Forge.
They decided to set up camp and start in the morning, and did. However during the night Galarend and Vaielen heard the equivalent of a giant footstep in the forest. Those two were the only two to wake up. Galarend woke up Beable and they mounted Bolba. Looking around for a vantage point, Galarend looks to see if the roof of the Forge is stable enough to support him. With a roll of a 1, of course he believed it was.
When he landed on it, sure enough the ceiling fell in – waking up every dwarf in the camp. Rogar is notably upset and accuses Galarend of all manners of stupidity before he tells him that there was something in the forest beyond them, and they weren’t alone.
This scares everyone into action. Rogar asks Galarend what he thinks they should do – he suggests getting all of the excavation golems to line up in the direction of the noise, to provide a small barrier and wait until morning.
Morning comes and nothing happens. Galarend suggests baking fortifications from all the fallen trees – Rogar tells him with all the workers it would take most of the day of solid work. They agree it should be done. While Galarend and Lady Wisteria go scouting to see what happened.
Talking to Plants: Everyone’s Favorite Pastime.
Galarend and Bolba got Lady Wisteria to the nearest and oldest tree. Lady Wisteria asks it a few questions about what happened last night and it response that he didn’t see it, but whatever it was it was big and not native to the forest.
They scout into the forest and after a successful survival check they find a paw print four feet long by four feet wide – akin to a very large cat. Everyone immediately is thinking Bandersnatch and they decide to work as quickly as possible.
The excavation was a minigame where they had to complete several areas efficiently and quickly – if they did it well, they would find valuables in the sites they excavated, if they did so quickly the more experience they would get. It should have taken a week to do everything, two at worst – they took 15 days, just into 3 weeks, but they did find a ton of loot. Including a cashe of Viridium weapons which gave Vaielen leprosy, several lumps of smelted frost forged steel, and Demon Armor which the Paladin promptly cast Dispel Magic and crushed it beneath Bolba’s large feet. They decided, after reading about the Viridium weapons to leave them in the vault.
Excavation Interruptions:
Sure enough, right as they finished they heard a large sound outside of timber crashing to the ground – something had broken through the fortifications they made as was in the camp.
Running out the forge they encounter an enlarged Viper Vine (http://paizo.com/PRD/additionalMonsters/viperVine.html)
and ten Enhanced Homebrewed Vegepygmies (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/monsters/vegepygmy.html#_vegepygmy).
The situation was dire as six of the dwarves who were in the camp were walking trancelike towards the Viper Vine – caught up in its Captivating Cloud ability. Which I give a gruesome example of a dwarf walking towards it, getting snatched up by the tentacles on the Viper Vine and being eaten by the mouth – which I used to describe it’s strange beauty.
The viper vine has a single enormous bloom arising from a thick, leafy tangle of snake-like vines. When the plant senses the approach of suitable prey through its sensitive, shallowly buried root system, it rises up like an agitated snake and unfurls its brightly colored bloom. [and] Large tendrils ending in tiny claws unfurl from the central stalk of this plant, which rises like a serpent ready to strike.
Immediately all the PC’s are hit by the Captivating Cloud – everyone succeeds except Lady Wisteria and Alinys. They begin walking steadily towards it. The Vegepygmies surge forward with Spears covered in Russet Mold,
Russet Mold (CR 6)
This hazardous fungus can be found in dark, wet areas, and often grows in great abundance at the heart of a vegepygmy lair. When a creature approaches within 5 feet of a patch of russet mold, the fungus releases a cloud of spores in a 5-foot radius burst. Everyone in the area must make a DC 15 Fortitude save or the spores quickly take root in their victims, inflicting 2 points of Constitution damage per round. A new Fortitude save can be attempted each round to halt the growth. Although immunity to disease won't protect against russet mold spores, the growth can be halted by remove disease and similar effects. Plants are immune to russet mold spores.
After 24 hours, a fully grown vegepygmy bursts from the body of any creature slain by russet mold, provided the creature was Small or larger. For each size category larger than Small, the body produces one additional vegepygmy.
A patch of russet mold is unharmed by all effects save for acid, alcohol, or remove disease (or a similar magical effect, such as heal), all of which can kill a single patch of russet mold on contact.
stabbing at the PC’s who weren’t enthralled.
Bolba and Galarend hop into action and charge the Viper Vine, flying over the tops of the Vegepygmies and charging into it. The attack slams into the writhing tendrils and does a moderate amount of damage. Beable fires a cannon shot from mouse, point blank at the Vegepygmy who attacked him, killing him instantly. But these were Homebrew Vegepygmies who’s death releases a cloud burst of Russet Mold Spores (With an enhanced DC), infecting anyone within a 5 foot reach. Sure enough Beable starts taking constitution damage. Vaielen succeeds in blinding the Viper Vine with Deafness/Blindness – making a little difference in its effectiveness.
The two under the effect of the cloud get saves as they are walking through the din of battle, and they both make it this time. The Vegepygmies surge forward again, stabbing at Vaielen and missing, but hitting Alinys, infecting her with the mold. The Viper Vine bites Bolba, and 4 tentacles lash at Galarend – two striking and grappling/constricting him and dismounting him.
Lady Wisteria starts by firing a disintegrate and missing her attack roll, Beable fires a disintegrate but the Viper Vine makes it’s save. Alinys rages and rushes into two Vegepygmies and cleaves through both killing them in a burst of Russet Mold Spores. Vaielen casts song of discord as he’s left with two surrounding him. One attack of opportunity misses – and it affects both of them. Bolba flies back over the PC’s in a line and he asks them to grab on – picking up Vaelien, Alinys, and Lady Wisteria. Galarend increases his size with Righteous Might and continues to wail on the Viper Vine.
The Viper vine continues to attack and constrict Galarend and the Vegepygmies hurl their spears at a flying Bolba – missing him. The two that were near Vaielen attack each other and kill one another.
Galarend casts a spell that makes the Viper Vine approach and attack him for one round (not sure of the name of it – pesky pally spells) effectively ensnaring the Viper Vine. Vaielen casts good hope – giving a +2 bonus to rolls to everyone except Galarend. Mouse, under the command of Beable ‘barks’ another cannonball at the Viper Vine, slamming it for a ton of damage. Bolba rushes forward – depositing his riders near the Viper Vine and finishing his charge at it – dealing damage. Beable disintegrates the Viper Vine, finally – killing it and dropping Galarend to the ground. Lady Wisteria casts command plants on the remaining Vegepygimies and the battle quickly ends as she has them approach her and sit.
She asks them why they attacked and they respond with that they were in their territory. She asks them to leave and leave them in peace. They agree (due to a opposed charisma check) and quietly leave the camp.
Treasure was gained and looted, leprosy was healed by Galarend, and fun was had by all. We decided that we would pick up here next time we played.
See you guys then!
Click here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?368979-City-of-Progress-Campaign-Journal-Chapter-5-(Time-warps-and-entrepreneurship))for the next chapter!
For those of you who missed the last session – click here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?362134-City-of-Progress-Campaign-Journal-Chapter-3-1-(Irate-Tree-Tantrum)).
Joining us at the table were the usuals:
Beable Bamford - Halfling siege mage and Golem Lord for Rab's Progress, and his trusty Golem "mouse" (carrying a ginormous cannon inside of it).
Galarend - Human Shining Knight Paladin and General of Rab's Progress' standing army. He is never far away from hits trusty steed "Bolba."
Bolba: A huge flying Triceratops decked out in spiked full-plate armor. (yes, it flies. I approved a permanency of a Fly spell in his case due to particular circumstances.)) By the way, he is totally sentient, has a sense of humor and can speak in a very low and slow voice.
Their tag-along NPC and follower of Galarend; Dungle, a Dwarf Fighter.
Lady Wisteria - Human verdant Sorcerer who is the Rab's Progress' herbalist and "tea-master." (In the front yard of her home stands the only tree in all of the city - a huge oak tree)
However, this week we got some fresh blood.
An Elf Bard named Vaielen who is a very new player. So he was very low optimized. He specializes in being a skill monkey, much like Bards often are.
We also had a Half-Orc Barbarian named Alinys Spelloyal who was a little less new than the Bard – so her optimization wasn’t that severe either. She has a few tricks with her rage powers and focuses on Great Cleave to great effect.
Introductions and Tests
Nevertheless, the game started with an introduction of sorts. Since the two new players were added in, I told them that they were a part of the original excavation crew as hired muscle. So, Rogar (the leader of the excavation) relieved them of their duties, as they were no longer needed.
Looking for a fresh start, they turned to the other PC’s and introductions began – more or less. Galarend made a habit of introducing everyone, things became interesting quickly:
Galarend, holding up a potted plant: “And this is Lady Wisteria.”
Vaielen and Alinys laugh loudly at this, thinking he’s just being funny.
Beable: “No, he’s being serious.”
Lady Wisteria to the DM: “Can I nod?”
DM: “You two see the plant actually nod – however that is even possible.”
After introductions were done, more shenanigans continued. Galarend, wanting to see if they were able to ride on the Bolba, asked them to climb onto his back. The old players laugh as they know what’s about to happen. Sure enough after a 75MPH climb into the atmosphere – they made their saves and didn’t vomit. Surprisingly the following terminal velocity fall had no effect on them either.
When they landed Galarend introduced them into the party and mentioned that the very initiation they just went through is exactly how Dungle Puke-Beard got his name.
Ideas Arguments and Ramifications
After all this, the game was under way – the next few minutes were spent focusing on how to get the thirty dwarves of the excavation crew through the Twisted Forrest efficiently. Lady Wisteria offered to burn 6 castings of Transport Via Plants and did so.
They also discussed how to get the golems over the Forest so they don’t incur the wrath of the forest dwellers. They decided on having the mining golems latch onto each other and onto Bolba. Some quick math was thrown around analyzing the excavation golems weight and comparing it to Bolbla’s max load.
It was determined that he could get them all across in three trips. Several round trips on the UFT and quite a few fly checks later they all landed safely at the Prism Forge.
They decided to set up camp and start in the morning, and did. However during the night Galarend and Vaielen heard the equivalent of a giant footstep in the forest. Those two were the only two to wake up. Galarend woke up Beable and they mounted Bolba. Looking around for a vantage point, Galarend looks to see if the roof of the Forge is stable enough to support him. With a roll of a 1, of course he believed it was.
When he landed on it, sure enough the ceiling fell in – waking up every dwarf in the camp. Rogar is notably upset and accuses Galarend of all manners of stupidity before he tells him that there was something in the forest beyond them, and they weren’t alone.
This scares everyone into action. Rogar asks Galarend what he thinks they should do – he suggests getting all of the excavation golems to line up in the direction of the noise, to provide a small barrier and wait until morning.
Morning comes and nothing happens. Galarend suggests baking fortifications from all the fallen trees – Rogar tells him with all the workers it would take most of the day of solid work. They agree it should be done. While Galarend and Lady Wisteria go scouting to see what happened.
Talking to Plants: Everyone’s Favorite Pastime.
Galarend and Bolba got Lady Wisteria to the nearest and oldest tree. Lady Wisteria asks it a few questions about what happened last night and it response that he didn’t see it, but whatever it was it was big and not native to the forest.
They scout into the forest and after a successful survival check they find a paw print four feet long by four feet wide – akin to a very large cat. Everyone immediately is thinking Bandersnatch and they decide to work as quickly as possible.
The excavation was a minigame where they had to complete several areas efficiently and quickly – if they did it well, they would find valuables in the sites they excavated, if they did so quickly the more experience they would get. It should have taken a week to do everything, two at worst – they took 15 days, just into 3 weeks, but they did find a ton of loot. Including a cashe of Viridium weapons which gave Vaielen leprosy, several lumps of smelted frost forged steel, and Demon Armor which the Paladin promptly cast Dispel Magic and crushed it beneath Bolba’s large feet. They decided, after reading about the Viridium weapons to leave them in the vault.
Excavation Interruptions:
Sure enough, right as they finished they heard a large sound outside of timber crashing to the ground – something had broken through the fortifications they made as was in the camp.
Running out the forge they encounter an enlarged Viper Vine (http://paizo.com/PRD/additionalMonsters/viperVine.html)
and ten Enhanced Homebrewed Vegepygmies (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/monsters/vegepygmy.html#_vegepygmy).
The situation was dire as six of the dwarves who were in the camp were walking trancelike towards the Viper Vine – caught up in its Captivating Cloud ability. Which I give a gruesome example of a dwarf walking towards it, getting snatched up by the tentacles on the Viper Vine and being eaten by the mouth – which I used to describe it’s strange beauty.
The viper vine has a single enormous bloom arising from a thick, leafy tangle of snake-like vines. When the plant senses the approach of suitable prey through its sensitive, shallowly buried root system, it rises up like an agitated snake and unfurls its brightly colored bloom. [and] Large tendrils ending in tiny claws unfurl from the central stalk of this plant, which rises like a serpent ready to strike.
Immediately all the PC’s are hit by the Captivating Cloud – everyone succeeds except Lady Wisteria and Alinys. They begin walking steadily towards it. The Vegepygmies surge forward with Spears covered in Russet Mold,
Russet Mold (CR 6)
This hazardous fungus can be found in dark, wet areas, and often grows in great abundance at the heart of a vegepygmy lair. When a creature approaches within 5 feet of a patch of russet mold, the fungus releases a cloud of spores in a 5-foot radius burst. Everyone in the area must make a DC 15 Fortitude save or the spores quickly take root in their victims, inflicting 2 points of Constitution damage per round. A new Fortitude save can be attempted each round to halt the growth. Although immunity to disease won't protect against russet mold spores, the growth can be halted by remove disease and similar effects. Plants are immune to russet mold spores.
After 24 hours, a fully grown vegepygmy bursts from the body of any creature slain by russet mold, provided the creature was Small or larger. For each size category larger than Small, the body produces one additional vegepygmy.
A patch of russet mold is unharmed by all effects save for acid, alcohol, or remove disease (or a similar magical effect, such as heal), all of which can kill a single patch of russet mold on contact.
stabbing at the PC’s who weren’t enthralled.
Bolba and Galarend hop into action and charge the Viper Vine, flying over the tops of the Vegepygmies and charging into it. The attack slams into the writhing tendrils and does a moderate amount of damage. Beable fires a cannon shot from mouse, point blank at the Vegepygmy who attacked him, killing him instantly. But these were Homebrew Vegepygmies who’s death releases a cloud burst of Russet Mold Spores (With an enhanced DC), infecting anyone within a 5 foot reach. Sure enough Beable starts taking constitution damage. Vaielen succeeds in blinding the Viper Vine with Deafness/Blindness – making a little difference in its effectiveness.
The two under the effect of the cloud get saves as they are walking through the din of battle, and they both make it this time. The Vegepygmies surge forward again, stabbing at Vaielen and missing, but hitting Alinys, infecting her with the mold. The Viper Vine bites Bolba, and 4 tentacles lash at Galarend – two striking and grappling/constricting him and dismounting him.
Lady Wisteria starts by firing a disintegrate and missing her attack roll, Beable fires a disintegrate but the Viper Vine makes it’s save. Alinys rages and rushes into two Vegepygmies and cleaves through both killing them in a burst of Russet Mold Spores. Vaielen casts song of discord as he’s left with two surrounding him. One attack of opportunity misses – and it affects both of them. Bolba flies back over the PC’s in a line and he asks them to grab on – picking up Vaelien, Alinys, and Lady Wisteria. Galarend increases his size with Righteous Might and continues to wail on the Viper Vine.
The Viper vine continues to attack and constrict Galarend and the Vegepygmies hurl their spears at a flying Bolba – missing him. The two that were near Vaielen attack each other and kill one another.
Galarend casts a spell that makes the Viper Vine approach and attack him for one round (not sure of the name of it – pesky pally spells) effectively ensnaring the Viper Vine. Vaielen casts good hope – giving a +2 bonus to rolls to everyone except Galarend. Mouse, under the command of Beable ‘barks’ another cannonball at the Viper Vine, slamming it for a ton of damage. Bolba rushes forward – depositing his riders near the Viper Vine and finishing his charge at it – dealing damage. Beable disintegrates the Viper Vine, finally – killing it and dropping Galarend to the ground. Lady Wisteria casts command plants on the remaining Vegepygimies and the battle quickly ends as she has them approach her and sit.
She asks them why they attacked and they respond with that they were in their territory. She asks them to leave and leave them in peace. They agree (due to a opposed charisma check) and quietly leave the camp.
Treasure was gained and looted, leprosy was healed by Galarend, and fun was had by all. We decided that we would pick up here next time we played.
See you guys then!
Click here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?368979-City-of-Progress-Campaign-Journal-Chapter-5-(Time-warps-and-entrepreneurship))for the next chapter!