Planescape: Center-of-All OOC2

[kinem]

This is the continuation for the OOC thread for the game. I’ll edit this post later to include useful information.

Recruitment thread
https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?630639-3-5-Planescape-Center-of-All-closed-to-new-interest

OOC 1
https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?631206-Planescape-Center-of-All-OOC

IC 1
https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?631306-Planescape-Center-of-All-IC

IC 2
https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?656798-Planescape-Center-of-All-IC-Part-2

[Archmage1]

Player
Character
Concept
Class
Alignment


Archmage1
Eilyra Dlardrageth (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/?id=2445871)
Seeking Restoration
Wizard/Ruathar/Swiftblade/Abjurant Champion
NE(Grandfathered)


Cavir
Avakuss (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/?id=2700611)

Guardian

Monk / Psychic Warrior

NG



RCgothic
Vanya (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/?id=2702960)
Hero out of Time
Rainbow Servant(And other things)
NG







I created a new OOC thread to continue:

https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?654771-Planescape-Center-of-All-OOC2

Sorry for my lack of posting recently. It’s been a crazy week and that may continue for the next few days.

AM: I deleted some messages from my Inbox.

No worries! We all have had weeks like that. They happen. :smallsmile:

[RCgothic]

Subscribed to new thread. :smallsmile:

[kinem]

Sorry it's taking so long. I have a lot going on in my life. I will probably post IC on Thursday but may be able to do it tomorrow.

[RCgothic]

Meanwhile, the Wooden Avatar targets a Greater Dispel magic on Vanya ...

OOC: I'll have to figure out what goes where. For now a bunch of rolls!

(20d20)
1[14]
2[8]
3[16]
4[9]
5[4]
6[8]
7[13]
8[1]
9[13]
10[2]
11[7]
12[20]
13[6]
14[1]
15[11]
16[1]
17[18]
18[3]
19[17]
20[6]; +20 on dispel checks
Vanya's CL is 23, so the DC is 34. 1, 3, 12, 17 and 19 would be successful.

These are the spells affecting Vanya in order as they were recorded on her sheet:
1 Magic Vestment
2 Magic Vestment
3 Greater Magic Weapon
4 Heroes' Feast
5 Superior Resistance
6 Divine Power
7 Quickened Freedom of Movement
8 Greater Heroism
9 Quickened Divine Favor
10 Quickened Mass Conviction
11 Giant Size
12 Quickened Fly
13 Righteous Might

Nothing critical, fortunately!

[kinem]

RC: Thanks for checking that.

[RCgothic]

Those both hit, so ignited with blightfire for 7 rounds, inc this round: DC37 [roll0]
(Need to save 6 more times over subsequent rounds)

[Archmage1]

Well... the good news is that the creature is in the prismatic sphere.

The bad news is that the rest of us don't know about it.

The even worse news is that Blightfire seems to be quite nasty.

Edit: Maybe they'll surrender? Of course, probably not, but hey, we haven't killed anyone important yet, so maybe.

[RCgothic]

It's beginning to look like a prescient casting of Prismatic Sphere!

Vanya will probably survive this Blightfire, but I'm looking through my sheet and wondering how the hell I didn't pick Restoration or Greater Restoration as spells known.:smalleek:

[Archmage1]

Miracle? :smallbiggrin:

It is a very good thing that Vanya was the one hit, I think. Or, maybe, a good thing that Eilyra wasn't.

For some reason, I don't think her fort save of +17 would have helped a whole lot against a DC37 effect or take 6 con damage. :smallbiggrin:

[Archmage1]

The caster knows when a single target passes succeeds or fails on the saving throw. Dominate also provides some feedback. "You know what the subject is experiencing, but you do not receive direct sensory input from it, nor can it communicate with you telepathically."

Feedback on any response to a surrender might be helpful as well. Especially seeing as there were enemies acting between each of us.

[kinem]

That’s true for a spell or SLA, but not so clear for a Supernatural ability. However, the feedback part of Dominate would apply. In any case only Eilyra would know unless she tells the others.

Both giants resisted it.

[RCgothic]

The 4th attack was a critical threat (natural 19): Confirmation [roll0] total damage (x3) [roll1]

[Archmage1]

Hopefully, that makes sense? Confirm the surrender of the giants, try to deal with the super-shadow, and then, with a bit of luck, get the base commander? to surrender as well. Or, you know, he probably just dies on Eilyra's next turn, and she's probably the only one who can get him out before he dies.

[kinem]

AM: Glass Strike will not work on an Incorporeal creature.

I’d say Eilyra would know that, so you can choose another action.

[Archmage1]

I mean... by RAW, it does. Which is maybe a bit silly, but it is also a spell that transforms things.

How do you feel about PaO being used instead? It can turn people into ghosts, or a rock into a ghost...
Edit: For that matter, if Eilyra shapechanges into an incorporeal, would that change things?
(Yes, as you can guess, I am looking for a fort save based way to take it out quickly, because otherwise this is going to go very poorly for us.)

(The undead thing:
Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects or is harmless)
Which is answered by...
Target: One creature or 4 cubic ft. of material

"An incorporeal creature has no physical body. It can be harmed only by other incorporeal creatures, magic weapons or creatures that strike as magic weapons, and spells, spell-like abilities, or supernatural abilities. It is immune to all nonmagical attack forms. Even when hit by spells or magic weapons, it has a 50% chance to ignore any damage from a corporeal source (except for positive energy, negative energy, force effects such as magic missile, or attacks made with ghost touch weapons). Although it is not a magical attack, holy water can affect incorporeal undead, but a hit with holy water has a 50% chance of not affecting an incorporeal creature. "

[kinem]

Unlike for example Disintegrate which straightforwardly works on both creatures and objects, Glass Strike is really two spells in one. The first effect is “like Flesh to Stone” and thus only affects creatures made of Flesh. The second version affects objects only, and also has a volume limit much smaller than the monster. Neither version would work under any stretch of the imagination.

PAO doesn’t have the same limitations.

[Cavir]

Yes, as you can guess, I am looking for a fort save based way to take it out quickly, because otherwise this is going to go very poorly for us.
With Avakuss tanking it, we can do it. Ghost touch would be handy for me otherwise as long as it still has a finite number of hp we can deal with it. Be good to deal with the soldiers so Avakuss can keep the Shadow busy.

[Archmage1]

That is fair. I will say that the undead immunity doesn't mention that it has the same effect on objects and creatures, merely that it can affect them, but it is also reasonable for glass strike(Disintegrate gets trickier, since it just vaporizes objects, whereas creatures get saves, so...)

I've edited it to be using PaO, rather than glass strike. Major change? DC increase, and duration increase. :smallsmile:

Eilyra will need to stay in a non-living form to not die to this thing, as otherwise, she can't make the saves.

[Archmage1]

Alas, Eilyra seems cursed to continue to fail to roll ok. A 2, and then a 5 on the SR checks does not make for a good day. Maybe a 40 will succeed? Considering base CL for our level is 22, a 40 is basically magical immunity anyway, I guess if that fails, Eilyra just isn't going to be able to hit it with anything, as it is probably magic immune, not just resistant.

I really, really need to be less salty when things don't go my way. Yes, SR isn't exactly AC. At the same time, I'm really, really annoyed by how consistently poorly Eilyra manages to roll on those SR checks.

kinem, thank you for putting up with my occasional bouts of sadness?

[Archmage1]

As a side note, is the bubbled shooter trying to surrender?

[kinem]

AM: You are fine. Thanks for thinking of the poor DM though :smallbiggrin:

I don’t think you can see bubble boy from your location, but if you can, sure, he doesn’t seem too happy with his current situation but is somehow still alive.

[Archmage1]

I maybe should have highlighted her move in the OOC spoiler, rather than just putting it in the text.

Swift: Assay SR
Standard: PaO
Standard: Disintegrate
Move: North, to look past the illusion at bubble boy.

The thing is, well... if he is actually trying to signal to surrender, she was going to shapeshift to beholder, and antimagic cone the stuff, so he doesn't die at the start of her next turn.

[kinem]

Sure, he’s raising his hands in the air.

[Archmage1]

Ok, I'll go ahead and post the free action side of things. It might be slightly exciting(Seeing as, well, another free disintegrate, even if the shadow is going to make the save)

Edit: And also, really, really hope this works, because otherwise that Blightfire is going to be a serious problem. A solvable one(I think), but it would probably take most of her high level spell slots to not die(She'll need to spam moment of prescience to pass, if I can't manage to refresh Mind over Body quickly enough.)

[Archmage1]

... derp, sorry. I failed to take into consideration that I needed to actually hit with the slow ray. AC 48 is fairly nice. If only Beholder Eilyra didn't have reduced dexterity. :smallbiggrin: (Ok, yes, her dex is a 25 vs her normal 30, which is only a 3 point difference, but still, it is the principal of the thing.)

[Archmage1]

And double post, because I did miscalculate the attack bonus:

It should be
17(BAB) + 7(Dex(BHM 14, +5 inherent, +6 item)) + 1(Hasted) + 2(Swift Surge, Swiftblade ability) + 1 Epic attack + 5 Knowledge Devotion = 33.

So, um... the slow hits, but has no effect.(I didn't include the haste, swift surge, and epic attack modifiers)

[Archmage1]

For the quadrapost! It might not be a bad idea to at least stabilize the unconscious giant. Trolls are cheap. Giants are probably not.

[RCgothic]

What do we reckon for biggest priority? The shadow? Don't think turn undead/greater turn undead with only 11 cleric levels will do anything, so I think I'm down to just swinging at it from a distance and hoping one of the magic hammer attacks connects.

I don't really have anything else that I'd be confident to get past spell resistance.

[Archmage1]

Yeah... SR in the 38-40 range isn't going to be defeated without an Assay SR. Or literally every other possible bonus to SP.(Greater spell penetration(4), Epic spell penetration(2), third eye penetrate(2), vest of the archmagi(2), orange ioun stone(1), ring of arcane might(1), beads of karma(4)...)

As I see it, we have three potential priorities:

Shut down the gate
Kill the shadow(It has 35 hd, from the know: religion provided DC)
Encourage the other groups to surrender(Stabilizing the fallen giant might help there.)


It has AC 49, but it probably doesn't have all that many hp, really(With 35 hd, it should have 270 hpish. So 100 or so left. Unless more than just the fort save has been buffed.). It shouldn't take all that many hits to bring it down, and it is the largest remaining threat on the field.

[Cavir]

I think the priority is the shadow. Vanya and Avakuss are mostly safe from the fire and can give each other flanking. Avakuss has a fail safe in case of a Nat1 on the save.
Saving the unconscious giant is good, but us staying alive is priority.
The trolls will probably get back up. Maybe the giants can help with that- either keeping them down or getting them to see that their boss is down so the fight isn't worth it.

[Archmage1]

Taking down the shadow is a really, really good idea.

If it stays focused on Vanya/Avakuss, we're probably ok, either way, since both of you have a pretty solid fortitude saves. If it doesn't, though, if it goes after other enemies? There was that line in the ability, where those that die to Blightfire become Winterwights.

Winterwights are not friendly, and are also an epic opponent.

[Cavir]

Winterwights are not friendly, and are also an epic opponent.
More XP! Who volunteers to get hit? :smallbiggrin:


if it goes after other enemies?
We'll have to deal with that then. Hopefully it will stay focused on the ones more likely to hurt it.

[RCgothic]

2nd attack was a natural 20 critical threat:
[roll0] damage [roll1]

[RCgothic]

I think I probably killed it guys :smallcool:

[RCgothic]

Ah, and DC37 FORT [roll0] 4 saves remaining

Edit: nat1 is a fail, so Vanya is drained 6 CON.:smalleek:

[Archmage1]

Those are some very nice rolls, and one very bad roll.

Alas, undead are immune to crits. :smalltongue:

See? Eilyra isn't really all that OP. She struggles to do 200 damage a round, and here Vanya and Avakuss are, casually doing 400. :smallbiggrin:

[RCgothic]

Alas, undead are immune to crits. :smalltongue:


Damn. Somehow I always forget that. :smallsigh:

Eilyra basically prepared the battlefield so that Avakus and Vanya can do their things uninterrupted. I've also never used Giant Size before. It was pretty effective! Wasn't expecting to be a primary damage dealer when I made her, but absence of Rush means needs must.

[Archmage1]

Turns out? Cleric with all the buffs is pretty amazing. :smallbiggrin:

I would have had Eilyra congratulate Vanya, but... that's not really a thing she does.

[RCgothic]

Remaining saves, anything but a 1: [roll0]

[Archmage1]

Other questions we might be interested in knowing the answer to include...

Who are the lich and the avatarist?
Why were they in that library?
Why is your wardstone not blocking the portal?
Have you had any demonic encounters lately?
Where is your armory/treasury?
Are you secretly cultists taking advantage of our inability to tell truth from lies?
Are you stalling while reinforcements arrive?

[Cavir]

Also... You were working with that avatarist who was working for a lich. Why should we trust you?

[Archmage1]

A good question. Also, since we are poor, and governments are rich... do you think we can find the equivalent of the local treasury? :smallbiggrin:

[Archmage1]

Er...
The lich did threaten us, but we did agree to depart, and then we came back and murderized them. The original interaction starts here(Ish): https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?631306-Planescape-Center-of-All-IC/page5

However, seeing as they failed to identify themselves and were not in Bavian territory... that's on them. What we did was perfectly legal in pandemonium. Along with literally everything else, since the place is kind of built on NOT having laws. :smallbiggrin:

Also, getting into the argument of who did what wrong to who is a trap: Who cares? We have bigger things to worry about, and they surrendered to us, not the other way around. :smalltongue:

[Cavir]

Ah, I misremembered. Then again- pandemonium.
The point was more to see their reaction about the lich.

Just noticed I posted in IC just after you did. IC post edited.

[Archmage1]

True. Amusingly, if this series of events were to happen in the US, I don't think the country could even bring charges against our party: There were no signs posted, indicating that the property was owned. No signs noting that trespassing was not permitted, they fired first(On an unarmed civilian at that!), they did not identify themselves... The list goes on.

Of course, this is Bavia, which I keep imagining as a reskin of WW2 Germany, so...

[Archmage1]

Well, on a scale of "Not cultists" to "Cultists" I think Bavia just volunteered to be in the list as "Unaware Cultists".

Because MAD applies on earth. Except releasing Thrazzy wouldn't affect just Bavia. And they've just demonstrated that yes, they are perfectly happy unleashing duplicating undead on their own troops.

My current thoughts: Reflect what he just said back: Point out that to bluff, you don't actually need to be able to follow through. That his leadership has already demonstrated their willingness to unleash self replicating monsters on their own troops when they think they might have lost. And that opening the gate will result in the total destruction of Bavia, unlike a negotiated settlement or surrender.
He might not think he is a cultist.
How about his leadership, who, it seems, are either planning on breaking the seal, resulting in said destruction, or are planning on attempting to hold all the planes hostage... which is not going to work out well for them.

[Archmage1]

If a diplomacy check of some sort would be appropriate here, I can roll one?

[kinem]

Sure. Remember we are using Rich Burlew’s rules for Diplomacy.

https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=9606632&postcount=2

[Archmage1]

Ah. In that case, luckily, persuading someone in the military that their leadership maybe doesn't have their best interests in mind usually isn't too hard, as that's the default state.

More seriously, there are a lot of red flags here. Hopefully, they wanted someone who could actually think in charge of their operation, but...

[roll0] Diplomacy(Burning Moment of Prescience)

[Archmage1]

Side note: Seeing as he seemingly missed her point entirely, [roll0] Sense Motive(Is he actually missing the point, or is his free will compromised?)(Ok, yes, this is almost certain to fail. Silly wizards not getting any proficiency in sense motive)

[Archmage1]

Which leaves the major question: Where do we want the game to go? Because right now, I'm thinking that the Bavian leadership is the group behind the theft, and this cult(Hence the question about timelines). So, we murder everyone here, collapse the portal(OK, or seal it, which might take some doing, and a lot of miracles.). Demonstrate that yes, a group of high level assassins with essentially unlimited mobility are quite capable of destroying a government, compelling a Bavian surrender in their war, and leave it up to their enemies to handle that.

We, however, destroy all evidence of this operation.

Of course, this could be a totally different direction than what kinem was thinking.

(For sealing the portal, I'm really, really sad about dimensional lock not being a candidate for permanency.)
But we can(Via miracle, and the power of gold instead of XP(We will probably need to sell a lot of acquired Bavian equipment), create a full sphere for us to put a permanent prismatic sphere in, and back it with a permanent set of walls of force.
I would love to stick a dimensional anchor on it, but... we can't make one of those permanent.

[RCgothic]

Vanya wouldn't be ok with murdering everyone who'd surrendered.

Could we move the gate, Redcloak style? I was a little annoyed to find out my prismatic sphere had a gap. If we clear out the stone (stone to mud / move earth) it should complete a sphere, but that would take Vanya a few more miracles than she has remaining high level spell slots (2).

I could be on board with toppling a nation if they have the key and won't surrender it.

[Archmage1]

Clearing out the stone around the portal is simple enough: Behold! The power of eye lasers of disintegrate! :smallbiggrin:

As for killing those who have surrendered... if they're refusing to talk, and proclaiming loyalty, they haven't really surrendered.

I was rather hoping that Center wouldn't mention the key, and, well... the portals are clearly not useless without it. It seems entirely possible that dedicated effort over time can break the seal, via the power draw rituals Eilyra has already learned. Now we really do need to murder everyone, to make sure that piece of information doesn't spread.

[kinem]

It seems entirely possible that dedicated effort over time can break the seal, via the power draw rituals Eilyra has already learned.

That’s true but Eilyra would also know that it would take a long time, centuries at least.

[Archmage1]

Is that centuries from now, or centuries from when the portals were first created, or centuries from when the seal was created?

[kinem]

Based on her understanding of the magic, Eilyra is sure that the gates would be much less stable than they are if the seal were close to being broken.

[Archmage1]

So... OOC, anyone object to letting the soldiers go, assuming the captain is telling the truth? The information is mostly out there. The only problem is Center's revelation of the existence of a key, which the Bavians may not have known about.

[roll0] Sense Motive(Is the captain telling the truth?)

For reference, I'm thinking it is mirror time.

[kinem]

The captain appears to be telling the truth as far as you can tell.

I will be on a trip from 4/9-15. I'll have my cell phone but my posting will be limited if at all during that time.

[Archmage1]

Enjoy your trip! :smallsmile: Searching the place is definitely something we'll be doing. It is complicated by our inability to actually enforce the surrender once we leave, but definitely a thing to do.

[Archmage1]

Question: What does it mean to find a lich who's physical form has been destroyed? I would imagine that it would mean finding the phylactery?

[kinem]

In a way. Note that Discern Location was already tried on the lich and gave no result.

[Archmage1]

True.

But the Wardstone is now down. :smallbiggrin:

Of course, it might not be as well, but there aren't that many anti-divination objects that can stop discern location. Mind Blank isn't an option(The lich is currently in a non-existent state, and is thus probably not a valid target for mind blank.). Direct divine intervention, while possible, is also unlikely.

[Archmage1]

On a side note, spells I wish Eilyra knew: Locate Object. Because this would be the perfect time to cast it.

[Archmage1]

I have the strangest feeling that the Captain is attempting to lead us on, and distract us. Does Eilyra have a similar feeling?
[roll0] Sense Motive

[kinem]

Alas, Eilyra is unable to get much of a read on the Captain.

[RCgothic]

Vanya's much better at reading people. Sense Motive 1d20+32

[RCgothic]

That is, much better at reading people than I am at using the forum roller apparently! Sense Motive [roll0]

[RCgothic]

Sorry, I know I'm being absent at the moment. I'm so busy at work right now I've barely had any breaks for about 2 weeks. Hopefully the worst of it will ease up a bit from tomorrow, but my ultimate deadlines are late May so it may not. I'll try and reply later today, but if I don't assume Vanya pointed out to the guy that If we don't find the artefact we're looking for his homeland could be destroyed so it's in his interest to tell us whatever it is he's not telling us so we can stop that from happening.

[kinem]

RC: OK. I hope your work situation isn't too bad. Real life always comes first.

[Archmage1]

Proof, an interesting question.

Did any of the books Eilyra read mention the key, and it's importance?(Without containing enough information to derive the power drain effect)?

[kinem]

Did any of the books Eilyra read mention the key, and it's importance?(Without containing enough information to derive the power drain effect)?

Unfortunately, I don't think there's a good one for this, though a couple did mention the Key. Culled from the IC, though I might have missed something:

One book is called "Cutter". It tells a story of a great warrior named Hart, but also describes what Center called the Key, which Hart once wielded. It says that the Key can cut nearly anything, and that it was used to seal away Tharizdun. It looks like there had been a section that described the method in detail, but it has been torn out. Such information might help someone determined to reverse the process. Yet perhaps it was placed as misinformation, as most of the book appears to be fictional, placing Hart at the center of major events on various worlds, and describing his love life. At the end, Hart grows old and writes his autobiography, supposedly this book.

Among the books you found in the Grey Waste is one that contains detailed musings on how to use the Key and a Gate to release Tharizdun. According to it, one must first draw a certain kind of power from a Gate into a chosen creature, although there are many ways to do so and most are not going to work. "Then the Chosen one can only die by the Key. It must behead him. This will break the Seal." There is no author claimed for the book, and the handwriting is not one you've seen before.

[Archmage1]

I apologize if I'm moving things too quickly, or in a non-approved direction, but we don't seem to be getting anywhere at all by talking with Kozak.

[kinem]

It’s no problem at all. Captain Kozen is just an NPC, nothing more.

[Archmage1]

[roll0] Sense Motive: Does Eilyra believe Kozen here? Or is he trying some sort of trick?

[kinem]

Eilyra doesn’t sense any deception on his part.

[Archmage1]

How ready is everyone for another major encounter today? We have another portal site, and confirmation that Duke Vayyel is involved.

Eilyra's at ~80% capacity, although most of her crowd control options have been expended. She's got another timestop, another shape change, and a mix of SoD's and some self buffs.

I don't suppose that encounter was ridiculous enough to qualify us for another level? :smalltongue:

(Alas, I won't be posting IC for another 18ish hours from now.)

[Archmage1]

Well, once again, time to demonstrate that maybe Eilyra should have studied people a little more, and random creatures a little less. Or, you know, been more optimal, and read the book of int +5 at level 1, as any good min-maxer would. :smallbiggrin:

[roll0] Sense Motive: Is Kozen lying?

[kinem]

Eilyra doesn’t get any feeling that the Captain is lying.

[Archmage1]

On another note, what does Eilyra herself know about Duke Vayyel? I know Eidgeria rolled here: https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25055312&postcount=45
And you gave information here: https://forums.giantitp.com/showsinglepost.php?p=25056599&postcount=71, but I don't think Eidgeria shared, so...

[roll0] know: Planes
[roll1] Know: History
[roll2] know: religion
Not sure if any other knowledges would be helpful.

Edit: I'm sorry if I have asked this one before. A quick search couldn't find it, and it wasn't in my secret stash of acquired lore.

[kinem]

Vayyel: A former Duke among the baatezu who served under Geryon, the powerful two-headed cornugon became an outcast when his lord was cast down. He is said to have magical powers beyond the usual for his kind.

[Archmage1]

I've been waiting to see if Avakuss or Vanya had anything to add.

Sadly, I don't think we're going to be able to convince Captain Kozen to abandon Bavia's rather insane plan. He seems to want proof that is along the lines of a literal document signed by the ruler of Bavia that they are a cultist and intend to release Tharizdun. As that is unlikely to be something in the base, he's not going to do anything. I don't think revealing the books we have to him is a good idea: If Bavia finds that the portal can be used to empower soldiers, they won't hesitate to use it. Such usage weakens the seal, and probably also drives the wielder insane. I have a sneaking suspicion that kinem is a little sad that Eilyra never tried it.

Which leads us to the big question: What do we do next?
We could...
Loot the base: Scout it out, empty the armory, treasury, and anything else. This, frankly, is something that I'd rather handle off-screen, as it will take a while to do IC.
Go to the referenced portal area. That it is apparently guarded by undead points to the Lich being based in that area. The portals there may connect to other locations of use. Such as back to Pandemonium. We might also find the portal to Pandemonium.
Go back to Rule of Three, and see if he has other information.
Something else?

[Archmage1]

RCGothic, cavir? Did we lose you?

[kinem]

RCGothic, cavir? Did we lose you?

I am concerned about it. How are things going, all? I know that interrogating an NPC can slow a game and is not as much of a group activity.

I know that I haven't been posting as much lately as I don't have as much time for it as I used to. That trend is set to continue.

Most of the planned plot has been accomplished already. What should we do now? Some options ...

1. Continue as normal and make plans for further adventures!

2. Time to explore the next area.

3. Skip to the Boss Fight for one last combat!

4. It's been a good run but the time has come to call it done.

[Archmage1]

I've found it to be a bit frustrating: We've spent a lot of time, and learned basically nothing, nor were we able to persuade him of anything. Time-wise, I can continue to find time to post at least once most days, as 10-15 minutes isn't all that much, really.

My thoughts were that we basically offscreen loot the base, then skip to the next area, as the combats have been fairly fun.

But we also seem to have lost 2/3rds of the player base. :(

[kinem]

I've found it to be a bit frustrating: We've spent a lot of time, and learned basically nothing, nor were we able to persuade him of anything.

I should probably have planned better for this. I expected him to go down fighting.

[Cavir]

Sorry, I'm back.


I should probably have planned better for this. I expected him to go down fighting.

In both active games I'm in, my char has gotten some of the other side to at least go neutral (here) or totally convert (the other one). I'm not looking for more combats to go like that but still feel pretty good about how things went.

The hard part for me is we don't seem to have any clue for finding the Gloom with the key. I don't know if it's a clue we're glossing over or would find the Gloom as we keep going. Maybe an OOC hint might help.

[kinem]

You don’t find the Gloom.

The Gloom finds you :smallbiggrin:

As for the Key, it might be true that Vayyel is somehow involved, and the necromancer was apparently dealing with him.

I feel like RCGothic tried a good attempt at diplomacy but I said “no”. There was a reason for that though: the Captain knew that it was probably Bavia, not cultists, behind the theft of the artifact. Hence he was not worried about cultists.

[RCgothic]

Ah, yes that stumped me. Sorry I've been a bit absent recently, I'll try and catch up.

[kinem]

Good to see that everyone is back!

When we resume IC, the party will be at the next area. First, how do you want to loot the base? There are numerous guns of course, if you want that. What about items on the person of various NPCs? What about private rooms?

[Archmage1]

I'm thinking that we be "nice". That is, we don't take personal equipment(Unless we killed the owner), and leave enough guns for them to defend the portal. Anything else, however, is forfeit.

[kinem]

Other than the trolls you slew at the entrance, only the Eldritch Giant is dead, I think. But the Captain will tell you that the Bavians will resurrect her. Will you loot her body?

That doesn’t leave much in the way of loot.

As for the guns, remember that they don’t work on most other planes.

[Archmage1]

No local treasury or armory with things of actual use, instead of that silly paper stuff?

[kinem]

Afraid not. It’s a military base, not a private fortress, and Bavia runs mostly on paper currency and checks from bank accounts.

Magic items are all personally owned.

[Archmage1]

In that case, probably time to move on to the undead portal.

All their equipment is probably like +2 while in bavia anyway. Or only makes sour wine... :smalltongue:
(Alas, the cheesy way of reducing the cost of magical items by putting meaningless restrictions on them would be appealing to a government.)

[Cavir]

Yeah, don't want to leave them powerless to defend from other when that is what we want them to do.
Same day fight or do we get to rest?

[Archmage1]

Probably same day? It doesn't seem unreasonable to expect a party to manage 2 fights per day. :smallbiggrin:

Sadly, Eilyra has spent most of her more reliable crowd control spells.

[Archmage1]

Is there anything in the room, any signs of passage, any doors, anything? Or is it perfectly uniform?

[Cavir]

We hit page 51 of the IC. Time for another.

[kinem]

Thanks.

https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?656798-Planescape-Center-of-All-IC-Part-2

[Archmage1]

:smallsmile:

How long has it been since our fight with the Bavians?

(Has shapechange, and the orb of lockpicking that goes with it worn off?)

[kinem]

It’’s been about 90 minutes. Shapechange lasts an impressive 10 min / level, so is still active.

[Archmage1]

And... lockpick applied! And also spell durations modified. Eilyra's AC is now quite a bit lower(Or it would be, if not for NA from hive mother.)

[kinem]

Sorry for the delay. I’m moving and don’t have access to my computer until another day or two probably.

[Archmage1]

No worries! It gives Avakuss and Vanya a chance to comment on the illusory door! Also, the fun of the wardstone that blocks teleportation, all divination, and all non-approved illusions.

[Archmage1]

Well...

Time to ask some important questions!

[roll0] Initiative(Alas, hive mothers have a much lower initiative than she does.)

What does Eilyra know about these enemies?
[roll1] Know: Religion(Winterwights)
[roll2] Know: Religion(Spectral Minions)
[roll3] Know: Religion(Steel Wire Minion?)(Eilyra's Arcana and Religion are identical, so if it is a golem, and not undead, just treat this roll as arcana.)

[kinem]

With those rolls, you can just see the monster writeups :smallcool:

https://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/monsters/winterwight.htm

https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?650490-Spectral-Minion-PEACH

https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?634978-Stick-Minions-revised-PEACH

[Archmage1]

Now, if she only got to act first, and cast haste. And turn into something a little more dangerous than a floating ball...

And also really, really hope that the blightfire doesn't hit, because that will be limiting(AKA shapechange into undead to lolnope it)
Or that Soulfire (https://dndtools.org/items/book-of-exalted-deeds--52/soulfire--40/)(https://dndtools.org/items/book-of-exalted-deeds--52/soulfire--40/) says nope.)

[kinem]

Initiative: Avakuss [roll0], Vanya [roll1]

Soulfire doesn’t protect against Blightfire.

[Archmage1]

Does Greater Mirror Image work?

(8 images would be created)

[roll0] (Attack 1, hits on a 9 if the spell works)
[roll1] (Attack 2, hits on a 8 if the spell works)
[roll2] (Attack 2, hits on a 9 if the spell works and the first attack was aimed at Eilyra)

[kinem]

Unfortunately Mirror Image, like Invisibility, is suppressed in the area. BTW, when was that cast?

[Archmage1]

As an immediate action in response to being attacked. Which, admittedly, was definitely a subpar option, in comparison to other choices available to her(Manticore parry, Mind over Body). Would Eilyra, with her previous roll to identify(And the failed greater invisibility), have known that the spell would fail?

Edit: Is anyone else not getting email alerts for posts?

[kinem]

Eilyra is flat-footed, so she can’t use an Immediate action (unless you have Foresight up or the like).

She wouldn’t have known for sure that the spell would fail, but it would be a reasonable guess.

I didn’t know email alerts for posts were a thing.

[Archmage1]

That answers that! In that case, she is hit, and is almost certainly going too be taking con drain.

[roll0] Save initial
[roll1] Save 1

[Archmage1]

If you set your notifications to instant notification by email, it will send you an email alert. Or, it did, until about three days ago.

[Archmage1]

... And I need to stop thinking of things.

Would Iron Body (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/ironBody.htm) protect against the blightfire? Specifically, the immunity bit that goes "and all spells or attacks that affect your physiology"

[kinem]

Edit: Having taken another look I am leaning towards No on Iron Body vs Blightfire.

[Archmage1]

Ok, no makes a big difference as far as actions go, so that will require some changes to my post(A lot of them.).

Basically, instead of titan, Or... something else(Prismatic Golem?). Which changes numbers quite a bit. Also, casting a different spell.

[kinem]

Also, the ceiling is 20’ high.

[Archmage1]

Ok, going with the Prismatic Golem.
Which grants incorporeal, but her equipment sticks with her, so fun times? Her attacks ignore armor, shield, and natural armor bonuses for fun. And she is hard to hit.

Anything that touches her gets to feel the rainbow, as defined by a d8 roll.

Also, everyone gets haste. Except the enemies.

Finally, she is casting combust on the leftmost winterwight,
[roll0] Touch
[roll1] Spell Penetration
[roll2](+5 for Knowledge Devotion) Fire damage(No save)
Reflex save DC 15 or catch on fire.

Ok, hopefully, done! It only took a couple of hours. Seriously. Shapechange. Sucks. So many options.

[Archmage1]

I also have the strange suspicion that I am not the only one not getting emails.

[kinem]

Ok, hopefully, done! It only took a couple of hours. Seriously. Shapechange. Sucks. So many options.

Shapechange is a great illustration of what makes high level D&D so problematic, yet so interesting. It's way too complicated and that's probably why player attrition is so high. There's too wide of a range of power levels. Yet, lots of cool options!

Sorry that it's taking me so long to reply IC. I haven't had much time on my computer lately. I just hope we haven't lost Cavir and RCGothic.

[kinem]

Winterwight
Size/Type: Medium Undead (Cold)
Hit Dice: 32d12+64 (272 hp) --- Current hp: dead, 122+blind, gone
Initiative: +12 (+8 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative)
Speed: 60 ft.
Armor Class: 46 (+8 Dex, +28 natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +16/+37
Attack: Claw +42 melee (3d8+23/19-20 (+1d6 on critical hit) plus blight-fire)
Full Attack: 2 claws +42 melee (3d8+23/19-20 (+1d6 on critical hit) plus blight-fire), skull butt +34 melee (2d6+11 plus blightfire)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Rend 6d8+34, blightfire, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Undead traits, cold subtype, cold aura, SR 34, DR 10/-
Saves: Fort +14, Ref +18, Will +24
Abilities: Str 52(56), Dex 27, Con Ø, Int 10, Wis 22, Cha 28
Skills: Jump +23, Intimidate +44, Knowledge (religion) +35, Listen +43, Spot +43
Feats: Cleave, Improved Critical (claw), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (claw)
Epic Feats: Overwhelming Critical (claw), Blinding Speed, Epic Fortitude, Epic Weapon Focus (claw)
Challenge Rating: 23
Treasure: Standard

Winterwights appear as humanoid skeletons sheathed in a thick skin of ice. The ice serves a winterwight as frigid “flesh” and does not hamper its movement in any way. Huge shards of jagged ice depend from each finger, serving as claws. Only the skull of a winterwight is free of ice; a corona of ebony flame burns there like a crown.

Winterwights speak Common and Infernal.

A winterwight’s natural weapons are treated as epic for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Combat
Rend (Ex)
If the winterwight hits with both of its claws, it latches onto the opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals an additional 6d8+31 points of damage.

Blightfire (Su)
When a winterwight deals damage to a living opponent, a night-black flame begins to burn on the opponent’s body. If the opponent fails a Fortitude save (DC 35), it takes 4 points of permanent Constitution drain. The opponent must continue to save every round for the next 4 rounds (5 rounds total) to avoid being permanently drained of an additional 4 points of Constitution per round. The creature regains 10 lost hit points whenever it drains 4 points of Constitution, gaining any excess hit points as temporary hit points. These temporary hit points last a maximum of 1 hour. If the opponent is slain by blightfire, only icy fragments of the victim remain. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Spell-Like Abilities
At will—cone of cold, control weather, dimension door, spell immunity (fireball), sleet storm (a winterwight is immune to the effects of a sleet storm spell), wall of ice. Caster level 23rd; save DC 19 + spell level. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Undead Traits
Immune to poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, necromantic effects, mind-affecting effects, and any effect requiring a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects. Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, or energy drain. Negative energy heals. Not at risk of death from massive damage, but destroyed at 0 hit points or less. Darkvision 60 ft. Cannot be raised; resurrection works only if creature is willing.

Cold Subtype
Immunity to cold. Vulnerability to fire (takes half again as much (+50%) damage as normal from fire, regardless of whether a saving throw is allowed, or if the save is a success or failure).

Cold Aura (Su)
A 10-foot-radius spread cold aura surrounds a winterwight. All creatures of the cold sub-type in the field (including the winterwight) are treated as if having turn resistance +6 (if undead) and fast healing 10. Creatures subject to cold damage take 2d10 points of cold damage each round they remain within the cold aura.


--------------------------------------------

Desecrate
Evocation [Evil]
Level: Clr 2, Evil 2
Components: V, S, M, DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area: 20-ft.-radius emanation
Duration: 2 hours/level
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: Yes
This spell imbues an area with negative energy. Each Charisma check made to turn undead within this area takes a -3 profane penalty, and every undead creature entering a desecrated area gains a +1 profane bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws. An undead creature created within or summoned into such an area gains +1 hit points per HD.

If the desecrated area contains an altar, shrine, or other permanent fixture dedicated to your deity or aligned higher power, the modifiers given above are doubled (-6 profane penalty on turning checks, +2 profane bonus and +2 hit points per HD for undead in the area).

Furthermore, anyone who casts animate dead within this area may create as many as double the normal amount of undead (that is, 4 HD per caster level rather than 2 HD per caster level).

If the area contains an altar, shrine, or other permanent fixture of a deity, pantheon, or higher power other than your patron, the desecrate spell instead curses the area, cutting off its connection with the associated deity or power. This secondary function, if used, does not also grant the bonuses and penalties relating to undead, as given above.

Desecrate counters and dispels consecrate.

Material Component
A vial of unholy water and 25 gp worth (5 pounds) of silver dust, all of which must be sprinkled around the area.

F [roll0], W [roll1], R [roll2]

[Archmage1]

And I think the email alert issue has been fixed, which means that hopefully Cavir and RCGothic will be reachable once more. :)

[RCgothic]

Sorry, I realise I'm being unacceptably slow. My game backlog is huge, but I promise this one is top of my list and I have a slow workday ahead of me tomorrow so I'll get a post up.

[RCgothic]

Sorry in advance if I catch some of the party in that, I mildly miscounted on the map before posting. But I think the sleet is probably dispelled with that roll, so all of Eilyra's attacks should have hit.

[Archmage1]

No worries! Counterspelling the sleet storm will really help out Center/Avakuss/Vanya(Eilyra picked Prismatic because it has blindsight and is not alive), and if the sunburst gets us, well, that's what reflexes are for.

Also, if it gets us, we only take 6d6 damage, not the full 23d6. Sunburst: Friendly fire is OK.

[Archmage1]

Has anyone tried sending a PM to cavir?

[kinem]

I just did. I suspect though that he just hasn't had much time to post in the past few days.

[Cavir]

I'm here. Any/all forms of curses tossed my way are deserved and accepted. Sorry. Will post tomorrow the latest.

[Archmage1]

Shouldn't the constructs be blinded by the Sleet Storm they are standing in before they can attack Avakuss?
If not, they should be Blinded within 20 feet of Eilyra, if they have fewer than 8 hd(No save.)

[Archmage1]

I also encountered a fairly significant question:
Prismatic golems have an ability that triggers when they are touched, which does 5d6 damage in an appropriately rainbow fashion. Now, per raw, assuming that this is a thing, it does require a touch attack if the things being moved through want to resist.

(From Rules Compendium, page 65)
"An incorporeal creature can occupy the same space as a corporeal creature, unless the corporeal creature is entirely surrounded by a force effect. An incorporeal creature entering a corporeal creature’s space (or vice versa) provokes attacks of opportunity as normal for moving into another creature’s space. The entering creature must then succeed on a touch attack against the target to share the same physical space. If the target is helpless or doesn’t resist, no attack is necessary. If the attack succeeds, the entering creature moves into the target’s space. This attack deals no damage, even if the entering creature’s touch attack normally deals damage. If the attack fails, the entering creature returns to the space it occupied before entering the target’s space."

Is that touch attack a part of movement? Or does it take a standard action?
As the minions are non-intelligent, would they take an attack of opportunity, if offered one?

[Cavir]

Shouldn't the constructs be blinded by the Sleet Storm they are standing in before they can attack Avakuss?
If not, they should be Blinded within 20 feet of Eilyra, if they have fewer than 8 hd(No save.)
The steel minion did roll for miss chance. Granted there's still the chance for the Spectral minions but they all miss anyway.


AC: 10 Base, +13 Monk, Inertial Armor +13, +4 Dex, +1 Haste = 40AC
I believe that all applies to Touch AC
20% miss chance from cloak, which I'll roll for. Miss on a 1 of 1d5



Claw Attack (1d20+44)[63], damage (3d8+23)[41] + Blightfire (Fort neg DC 35)
Claw Attack (1d20+44)[49], damage (3d8+23)[39] + Blightfire (Fort neg DC 35)
Claw Attack (1d20+44)[47], damage (3d8+23)[36] + Blightfire (Fort neg DC 35)
Skull Butt (1d20+36)[47], damage (2d6+11)[19] + Blightfire (Fort neg DC 35)

Avakuss and Eilyra are within range of the freezing cold emanating from these undead.

OOC: (2d10)[11] + (2d10)[11] cold damage

OOC: Steel wire Attack (1d20+6)[21], damage (1d8+1)[5], miss on 1 (1d2)[2]

Spectral minions (translucent skulls):
Incorporeal Touch (1d20+10)[29], damage (1d6)[5] + Weakness (Fort neg DC 15) + Fear (Will partial DC 15)
Incorporeal Touch (1d20+10)[17], damage (1d6)[6] + Weakness (Fort neg DC 15) + Fear (Will partial DC 15)
Incorporeal Touch (1d20+10)[24], damage (1d6)[2] + Weakness (Fort neg DC 15) + Fear (Will partial DC 15)
Incorporeal Touch (1d20+10)[19], damage (1d6)[5] + Weakness (Fort neg DC 15) + Fear (Will partial DC 15)
Incorporeal Touch (1d20+10)[29], damage (1d6)[2] + Weakness (Fort neg DC 15) + Fear (Will partial DC 15)


Claw Attack1: Miss [roll0] Blight [roll1]
Claw Attack2: Miss [roll2] Blight [roll3] MISS
Claw Attack3: Miss [roll4] Blight [roll5]
Skull Attack: Miss [roll6] Blight [roll7]

Cold damage: Unless it is unnatural cold, this is covered by Energy Adaptation 30.

Steel wire minion misses.
Spectral minions: All miss. (Go go dancing monk!)

EDIT: 96 damage taken. At 169/311hp

[kinem]

Cavir: It looks like you forgot to roll Fort saves vs the Blightfire DC 35.
[roll0] [roll1] [roll2]

AM: I think that touch attack is part of movement; however it deals no damage.

Minions would take AOO.

[Archmage1]

Ah, so it wouldn't trigger the "If a creature touches you" ability?

"Any creature that touches a prismatic golem is treated as though the golem had hit it with its prismatic touch attack"

Prismatic Touch Attack
"A prismatic golem attacks with luminous tendrils that extend from its body. A tendril's color is determined randomly, since the golem lacks the intelligence to choose colors on its own. The effect of the touch attack is based on the tendril's color, as shown on the following table. The save DCs are Charisma-based. "
(A table with a d8 roll for which flavor of 5d6 to take)

[Cavir]

Cavir: It looks like you forgot to roll Fort saves vs the Blightfire DC 35.
Hmm? They are the second roll in each line.


Claw Attack1: Miss (1d5)[4] Blight (1d20+34)[52]
Claw Attack2: Miss (1d5)[1] Blight (1d20+34)[37] MISS
Claw Attack3: Miss (1d5)[3] Blight (1d20+34)[51]
Skull Attack: Miss (1d5)[5] Blight (1d20+34)[38]

[kinem]

AM: Right. That only happens if the golem is touched by the other creature's action. If you want to use it offensively you have to use attack actions.

[kinem]

Hmm? They are the second roll in each line.

Ah, for some reason I missed that. Thanks.

[Archmage1]

Alas, all that, and I don't manage to beat their energy resistance with any roll. :smallfrown:

[RCgothic]

This game is next on my priority list, I'll try and post today or tomorrow. Hit me with something if I don't. :vaarsuvius:

[Archmage1]

Eilyra, luckily, is currently immune to sunburst, being a prismatic golem and all. :smallsmile:

Less luckily, the swarm of minions was lucky: We need to hit them with 21 damage of AoE to destroy them. They're designed to really, really soak up attacks for something with 1 hp.

[RCgothic]

Oh well, it was a coin toss whether it would do at least 21 damage and it didn't work this time.

[Cavir]

(6d6)[19] for everyone else, Ref DC29 for not blinded and half damage.
Ref DC 29 [roll0]

We're still in the midst of the Sleet Storm right? Oops

[kinem]

Vs SR 34 [roll0], Reflex [roll1], [roll2] vs DC 29

[Archmage1]

When you say the more wounded one vanished... is that indicating that it has been destroyed? Or that it cast an invisibility or teleportation spell?

[kinem]

When you say the more wounded one vanished... is that indicating that it has been destroyed? Or that it cast an invisibility or teleportation spell?

The sleet storm still blocks vision. However, it was not destroyed; it vanished as if it teleported.

[Archmage1]

Eilyra currently has blindsight(60 feet): Was it an action on it's part, or something else? Or did it simply vanish?

Edit: Reason for concern is that we are currently in the area shielded by the wardstone. Those are not one sided.

On the bright side... I think that probably dealt with the minions? Some nice damage rolls!

[kinem]

Oddly enough it is one sided:

Weirdstone
These innocuous-looking, fist-sized pieces of faceted glass are among the most highly sought-after items in all of Faerûn. Mages who like their privacy and evil beings who prefer to keep their plans secret are particularly fond of these items, and they often dispatch minions or adventurers to retrieve them.
When placed upon a flat surface and activated by mental command, a weirdstone floats about 3 feet into the air, glowing and chiming softly. While active, it blocks out all of the following within a 6-mile radius (including into the air above and the ground below).
All astral and ethereal travel.
All divination (scrying) spells.
All conjuration (teleportation) spells.
Any spell-like, supernatural, or extraordinary abilities, psionic powers, or the like that mimic these effects.
The weirdstone hampers only effects that manifest within its area. Spells or abilities activated within the weirdstone's area that target an area outside its 6-mile radius are unaffected. For example, a wizard standing right next to a weirdstone could cast a scrying spell to spy on a creature more than 6 miles away, but she could not teleport across the room because the weirdstone blocks teleportation magic within its radius.
Strong abjuration; CL 20th; Craft Wondrous Item, dimensional lock, nondetection, creator must be at least 20th level; Price 230,000 gp.
Source: Player's Guide to Faerûn

[Archmage1]

Right. By one sided, I mean that the enemies are affected as well. And this one is clearly modified in some way, as it is also blocking illusions and a broader selection of divinations in addition to the other effects.

In this case, yes, the winterwight could have teleported out of the area, but it didn't take an action, which suggests that something else is going on for that. Contingency is out, so another individual? Something? Either way, a major potential problem if our opposition can simply teleport their easily produced foot soldiers out. Because things like Blightfire? They tend to create more undead. That winterwight's don't? Strongly suggests that there is another, higher level undead(Like, say, the other source of Blightfire we encountered) that creates them.

[kinem]

There was definitely something unusual going on there.

[kinem]

How is everyone doing?

[Archmage1]

Well... it turns out that sleep is nice. Also, so is not being b12 deficient.

[Cavir]

The WW Skull Butt and steel minion miss, the cold is resisted, but the two claw attacks hit.
Down to 98/311hp
Blightfire (Fort neg DC 35) [roll0]
Blightfire (Fort neg DC 35) [roll1]

[kinem]

Well... it turns out that sleep is nice.

That is good to know 🙀

[Archmage1]

So... regarding blightfire: It lasts for 5 rounds.

How does stacking it work? If you are already on fire, can more instances of it burn? Or do you just need to make one save per round?

[kinem]

I’m not sure of the official word on that but for this game it doesn’t stack. The duration overlaps in case of multiple instances, so catching it again could still make you burn longer.

[kinem]

RC, care to finish the monster off?

[kinem]

BTW, we are getting close to the end of the game. I'm hoping it won't fizzle out before then. Possibly a bit more exploration and one more little encounter, then the final fight with the BBEG, is what should be ahead.

[Archmage1]

The big question in my mind: Will we be able to rest before the final encounter? Spells are nice, after all. :smallbiggrin:

[kinem]

That is indeed the question that is supposed to keep these secondary fights interesting.

[RCgothic]

Critical threat: [roll0] [roll1]

[Archmage1]

Do Avakuss or Vanya have anything they'd like to say/do before we move on?

[Archmage1]

Should I have Eilyra continue to move us ahead, and assume that Avakuss/Vanya take some steps to recover in the background?

[kinem]

AM: You might as well.

[RCgothic]

How much healing is needed by Eilyra and Avakuss? I can cure drain, but it's a bit of a lightweight use of a miracle.

On a separate note I quit twitter yesterday for my mental health, so I'm hoping to be more present.

[Archmage1]

Leaving twitter is probably a good idea: It has gone downhill, fast. I hope you can make a swift recovery from the stress!

Eilyra's at 20/24 constitution, and is slightly injured on top of that(at 180/198, once Con drain is taken into account.). So not critically drained.

I think the bigger problem is Avakuss's health, as I think he took quite a lot of damage. And possibly the need to make a few more saves vs blightfire, since it persists for five rounds.

[RCgothic]

Vanya can cure 275pts of damage per Empowered Heal and she has a lot of spells at lvl 6 remaining. Would 1 of those sort Avakuss out?

Sounds like an empowered maximised CLW would probably heal Eilyra's normal wounds (AVG 19hp cured)

[Archmage1]

275 would fully heal Avakuss, I think(He is at 98/311).
And 18 hp of healing would fully heal Eilyra.(Her self healing is really, really inefficient. Yes, she can burn spells for 5 points of healing per spell level. But that's not much healing.)

[kinem]

https://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#empowerSpell


Empower Spell [Metamagic]
Benefit
All variable, numeric effects of an empowered spell are increased by one-half.

Saving throws and opposed rolls are not affected, nor are spells without random variables. An empowered spell uses up a spell slot two levels higher than the spell’s actual level.

[RCgothic]

Sorry, no idea how I managed to check Empower Spell and still get it that badly wrong.

Consider it a ME cure moderate wounds for Eilyra (min 26hp enough to full) and an additional ME cure critical wounds for Avakuss to make up the difference (52 plus half of [roll0] = 60 plus 150 from the Heal)

[Archmage1]

Does Eilyra recognize the mirror, or the magic involved?

[roll0] Spot

[roll1] Arcana(Or Local, Planes, or religion, or nature)

[RCgothic]

If you think this mirror generates a copy of anyone it sees, a warning not to step into its line of sight might be a good idea.

Vanya init: [roll0]

[Archmage1]

That was my thought as well. OOC, my initial thought was a mirror that creates a copy of the person in question, but if so, that initiative is really quite low for Eilyra's copy. So it probably isn't that.

[roll0] Init(As it turns out, Elf Eilyra has a much higher dex than hive mother Eilyra.)

Alternatively, well... hive mother, cone of antimagic to suppress the mirror, then blanket time.

[kinem]

Eilyra: it appears to be a Mirror of Opposition … although, possibly, a Mirror of Opposing Minions (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?650313-Mirror-Minion-PEACH) (OOC: Which, totally coincidentally, happens to be another of this DM’s minion-related homebrews) can’t be ruled out.

[Archmage1]

So... how does the minion/mirror react to an antimagic cone?

(My plan is for Eilyra to move up, stab the construct a few times, then shift to beholder form and amf the thing.)

Of course, she doesn't have the movement to stab the construct.

[kinem]

AM: In the usual way. It won’t vanish but magical abilities would be suppressed.

[Archmage1]

While we wait to see what Vanya and Avakuss do here...

Does the construct survive the anti-magic cone?

[Archmage1]

Well... the rod of restless death could be handy? You never know when disposable minions will come in handy.

Can we disintegrate the mirror from the wall, and bag it too?(Ok, portable hole).

As far as pushing on goes...

This seems to be kinem saying "Well, this is your last chance for a rest".

Eilyra is a bit injured, but mostly Con drained.
She's good for another 3 battles, 2 of which can be comparable to the one with the Bavians. Note, however, that her supply of BFC spells has been burned. She does, however, have a bevy of situational high level spells ready to go. More than three battles gets seriously dicy, as she'll be out of haste, and haste is kind of the cornerstone to basically everything she can do.

We could also go through the portal, rather than resting here: Assuming that the other side doesn't have a wardstone, Eilyra does have Magnificent Mansion prepared, which should be safe, even in Baator.

[RCgothic]

Vanya's borderline for needing a rest. She's only got two 9th/10th level spell slots and has used 11/19 spell slots 7th level and above. She can't fight another battle at the same intensity as our earlier one today.

Plus if we rest I can miracle away some con damage.

[Archmage1]

Which shifts the question to: Rest here, or in Baator.

[roll0] Know: Planes. How feasible would it be travel through the gate, and set up a mansion on the other side?

I am making the assumption that the wardstone would block the mansion.

The risk: The necromancer purchased the location of the portal from Vayyel, so he definitely knows about the other side, and is certainly watching it.

Eilyra would say to go for it, but that's mostly because she doesn't want to set up a camping site here.

[kinem]

The mansion spell should normally work in Baator and the Weirdstone on this side would not block it there. However, Eilyra knows that the necromancer used this portal to visit Vayyel, so it’s quite possible that there would be someone on the other side, perhaps the fiend himself, who might not be inclined to cooperate with the plan.

[Archmage1]

That is the risk. I think going for it is reasonable: Bavia is incredibly likely to cause issues for us. Also the slight matter of the vanishing winterwights.

I'd bet on there being a moderate fight on the other side, but with a little luck on our side, we ought to be able to mansion up.

If not? Wish.

[Archmage1]

So, um... with that blissful assertion said, would the "I wish we had all of our spell slots and charged items restored, as though we had completed a full rest" work for restoring expended spell slots?

[RCgothic]

Wishing for more wishes? :smalltongue:

[Archmage1]

Only the first one is "free", and it would be reasonable for it to not restore the wish slot. :P

But absent that, do you think going to Baator, so we can set up a mansion before resting makes sense? Or is the risk of starting the finale too high?

[RCgothic]

If Mass Effect2 taught me anything, it's not to launch the suicide mission before we've fully prepared.:smalleek:

[Archmage1]

Pending kinem's input on wish, Eilyra could use PaO to restore the disintegrated door(Ish), which would give us some degree of security against Bavia(Assuming she doesn't restore the unlock button.)

[kinem]

I’m not sure the Wish thing should normally work, but at this point in the game, I’ll allow it. The Wish itself will still be expended.

[Archmage1]

Ok, in that case, do we go with wish as plan A, or do we go through, and find out, then wish?

[RCgothic]

Wish first then go. But assume Vanya miracles away the CON damage first with restorations for Eilyra and Avakuss as required. :smallsmile:

[Archmage1]

I'm working on a post now: It does occur to me that we'll probably want to dump whatever buffs we have before doing the wish.

Side note: Will we be able to change what spells we have prepared? An amazingly high percentage of Eilyra's high level slots have been totally useless thus far, and I'm optimistic that changing them might help there.

[kinem]

I’ll allow it.

Avakuss’ power points and Center’s SLAs will also be restored (assuming you word the Wish that way).

[Archmage1]

It's going to be "Restore us as though we had completed a long rest." I realize that there are quite a few games that the DM can play with wish, but, well... there will always be a way for them to do so, in the absence of a neutral arbiter. I'm planning to give a chance for Vanya and Avakuss to cast any buffs they might desire before doing the wish.

It does, however, look like we lost Cavir. I presume you have sent him a PM, right?

[kinem]

I just did.

[Archmage1]

I'll post the wish, and moving on tonight, absent objections.

[kinem]

If Cavir doesn’t reappear, will you run Avakuss?

[Archmage1]

I can, although I'm not exactly great with psionics.

Working on the move on post now.

[kinem]

Thanks. Unfortunately it may be a while before I can run the final battle. I don’t have as much time to spend on the computer these days as I used to. However, it’s time to roll initiative.

[Archmage1]

[roll0] Avakuss init.

[roll1] Eilyra's init

I think I'll also be dropping some buffs on Avakuss as well, as he has some PP left, before the wish. But I'm afraid I don't have the time right now to review his options there.

[kinem]

Initiative: Center [roll0]; [roll1]; [roll2], [roll3]

[Archmage1]

Ok, I think Avakuss already has his buffs active, so I'm going to assume that he renews them(With the exception of expansion) before the wish.

[RCgothic]

Sorry, sorry, deadline at work. But I'm on holiday now, I'll get a post up soon.

[Archmage1]

Thank you for the post!

Alas, I'm here to nitpick: You might want to not do foresight and moment of prescience, as we are in the presence of a wardstone that is blocking all divination, illusion, and teleportation magic.

[Archmage1]

Things I should probably do: Find a form that is not alive AND can cast spells. And isn't trivial to hit(Prismatic golems are kind of op when you add Eilyra's inherent bonuses and the like.)

[RCgothic]

Thanks for the correction. I don't have anything else I can reasonably do with those spell slots though.:smallredface:

[Archmage1]

Alas, that's a common problem. :smallfrown:
There were quite a few illusions and divinations that Eilyra would have loved to precast.

[Archmage1]

Is Eilyra able to see anything with her newly acquired blindsight?(60 feet)

[kinem]

She will be able to on Friday when I have time to post.

I don’t think initiative has been rolled for Vanya yet: [roll0]

[Archmage1]

[roll0] Religion(Winterwight Knowledge devotion)

[roll1] Planes(The Devil knowledge devotion and general knowledge)

Also, not being able to communicate is kind of a problem. But anywho.

Edit: On the bright side, the devil may be unaware of our arrival, since the area was apparently in a sleet storm, and true sight won't help. And with 203 damage(In theory)(243-40 for the DR, with the fire vulnerability included), she probably did not bring down the winterwight, unless it was already injured.

[RCgothic]

Just making sure it's not on me to go next...

[kinem]

It’s on me. Sorry for the slow game. Most likely I can post something on Friday and in general it will probably be about once a week for now.

[RCgothic]

No worries, just checking :smallsmile:

[kinem]

Eilyra can guess that the two headed fiend is probably none other than the notorious Duke Vayyel himself.

He's up and his first action is to cast Chain Dispel on the party. Let's see how that goes:

Vs Eilyra [roll0] +25 on the check
Vs Avakuss [roll1] +25 on the check
Vs Vanya [roll2] +25 on the check
Vs Center [roll3] +25 on the check

Concealment does not block this, so you can guess he has Blindsight.

He's not done ...

[RCgothic]

That's gonna hurt. Takes out everything on Vanya except Fly, Greater Magic Weapon and Mass Death Ward.

[Archmage1]

Eilyra
Eilyra is incorporeal at the moment, which may or may not render her undetectable(And thus untargetable) to Vayyel, depending on what form of blindsight he is using.
[roll0](2 is a failure) Evasive Celerity(This seems to be individually targeted, not an area spells)
DC 34(8 or lower is a failure)

17(9)4796 rounds of Shapechange(Dispel)
15(2)3688 rounds of Resist Energy(Cold)(Dispel)
3(3)4795 rounds of Dragonskin(Black)(Fail)
7(3)4597 rounds of Magic circle against Evil(Fail)
16(5)478 rounds of Lord of the Sky(Dispel)
9(1)459 rounds of shield(Dispel)
16(8)48 rounds of ironguard(Dispel)
18(3)24 rounds of haste(Dispel)(Cannot be dispelled)
1(8)Extended Elemental Body(Air)(48 hours)(Fail)
14(8)Extended Mind Blank(48 hours)(Dispel)
1(6)Extended Contingency(If health between 0 and 30, Pop Resilient Sphere around Eilyra, 5 foot area.)(42.3710 days)(Fail)
(3)Extended Greater Magic Weapon(On her sword)(+5)(48 hours)(Not targeted.)
10(2)Extended Heart of Air, (Dispel)
12(4)Earth, (Dispel)
11(3)Water, (Dispel)
4(5)Fire: 32 hours(Fail)
14(6)Heroes Feast(DC 51, fail)

Assuming she is detectable by blindsight, and that her miss chance fails her, Eilyra is left with...
Dragonskin(Black)
Magic Circle against Evil
Haste
Extended Elemental Body(Air)
Extended Contingency
Extended Greater Magic Weapon
Heart of Fire
Heroes Feast

Avakuss
DC 31
3Extended Energy Adaptation(Fail)
19Steadfast Perception Extended(Dispel)
6Precognition, Defensive(Fail)
13Haste(DC 34)(Dispel)
Heroes Feast(DC 51, fail)

Avakuss is left with...
Extended Energy Adaption
Defensive Precognition
Heroes Feast

[Archmage1]

Well... it looks like the dispel probably misses Eilyra, which is handy? Go Swiftblade, for being handy.

Side note: Does anyone remember that spell that prevents 1 dispel? I think it was 3.0, in one of the faerun books, and was called Azuth's something, but I've never been able to find it again.

(For reference, I didn't edit this into the previous post so the edit tag doesn't appear there)

[kinem]

Evasive Celerity doesn't work against Blindsight, but against Incorporeal, Blindsight is only "partially effective" which I guess equates to the same 50% miss chance.

More NPC actions to follow.

[Archmage1]

Eilyra is immune to Lions Roar currently, so no need to make a save

[roll0] Avakuss Save vs Lion's Roar

Edit: Hopefully, Avakuss doesn't get ganked, but does get some idea of our opposition.

[Archmage1]

This does seem to be an interesting encounter thus far. And an excellent first time use of dispel by the DM. Also, sleet storm is incredibly effective at ruining the day for the PC while not being a problem for the enemies at all.

[kinem]

Thanks.

It’s Vanya’s turn …

[RCgothic]

Ok, I'll try and get a post up later.

[RCgothic]

I strongly suspect this isn't going to go well for Vanya.

Glowing sphere [roll0] FORT DC34

Lion's Roar [roll1] FORT DC30

Blightfire [roll2] FORT DC35
Blightfire [roll3] FORT DC35
Blightfire [roll4] FORT DC35

[RCgothic]

234 damage, stunned, 12 constitution damage (132hp reduction).

She's at -162hp and dead.

[Archmage1]

That's not good. Not good at all. I think I failed to realize how much of Vanya's fortitude came from her buffs.

Which means we've just moved into the "Well, this isn't going to work out for us, so it is time for plan B."

Plan B, in this case, is disarm(Hopefully). We're not here to kill Vayyel, just to acquire the key. Hopefully, Center is able to not be suicidal, and can either raise Vanya, or pull her back through the portal.

I think Vayyel is Large, so hopefully his attack bonus isn't beyond what Eilyra can beat after the application of sufficient cheese?(I think she can get her unarmed disarm bonus up to a 74, as I suspect the answer to whether she can pick up a weapon her opponent dropped in her square as her item interaction free action for the round is a no.)

16(Titan Strength)
-2(Titan Size)
-4(Using a light weapon)
+17(BAB)
+1(Technically Epic)
+2(Swiftblade)
+1(Haste)
+10(Arcane Strike)(Really, who needs 10th level spells?)
+10(Arcane Boost)(Really, who needs 10th level spells?)
+20(True Strike)

The big problem is whether he can hit her with the opportunity attack disarm provokes.(65 AC)
10(Base)
8(Armor)
9(Shield)
2(Expeditious Dodge)
2(Swiftblade)
5(Deflect)
5(Natural Enhancement)
6(Dex)
19(Titan Natural)
1(Haste)
-2(Size)

She can add a 23(Hopefully) to either one via Moment of Prescience, if needed.

Side note: Does the Key count as a metal weapon?

[Archmage1]

Also...

[roll0] Know: Planes(What does Eilyra know about Vayyel, here, in this place(As a creature, rather than as a political entity)
[roll1] Arcana(The sword): Is the sword Vayyel is holding the Key Center spoke of and described?

[kinem]

I’ll answer later. Center is up so I’ll see what he can do with his Limited Wish. Blightfire doesn’t stack, though the duration can be extended by catching it again in a later round.

[RCgothic]

Ok, in that case she's only at -74 stunned and 4 CON drain then assuming the minor inconvenience of death can be dealt with.

[Archmage1]

If only we were PF Mythic characters, who don't die until they reach -Max HP.

Also, if only Vanya didn't get dispelled, thus losing her fort saves.
Because, well... while the blightfire should have ended(Thus no need to continue to make saves), even if Center resurrects her with limited wish(Reincarnate is the only option I can think of right now)(Barring the "Produce any other effect whose power level is in line with the above effects, such as a single creature automatically hitting on its next attack or taking a -7 penalty on its next saving throw." line allowing for a raise), she would be back with 1 hp, and promptly die to the winterwight's frost aura.

[Archmage1]

Edit: I found an option that might maybe work? Revenance: Lasts for 1 min/level, is level 4, and raises someone with half their hp total. Also, you die again when it ends, but such is life.

Assuming it works, and she isn't insta-killed by the winterwight again(Stupid necromancy bonuses. Eilyra would have almost killed it, if every undead didn't have the laundry list of free necro buffs), she could step back through the portal to cast some spells, before returning? (Such as Pact of Return, with a condition of "When Revenance ends")

[kinem]

You can guess that the portal probably would be blocked by the ward in Bavia.

From your discussions with Center, the Key seems something like a +6 Vorpal Large Adamantine greatsword / artifact. There’s no way to tell right now if it’s the sword the fiend is holding.

Revenance might work but could easily be dispelled.

Create Undead (Bone Creature) might be an option …

[Archmage1]

Is it night?
Also, more critically, Create Undead doesn't give the creature the abilities of the corpse.

And well, I suppose there's really only one way to find out whether it is the sword or not.
Arcane sight! Maybe.

I'm actually hopeful that the sword is the Key, because that would give us the chance to grab the item, run, and regroup for another go, as this one is going poorly.

[RCgothic]

Vanya can defend herself against dispels usually, but no immediate actions when you can't see the attack coming and are still flat footed. :⁠-⁠\

[Archmage1]

That Sleet Storm really, really did a number on us.

Sort of sad, considering it is a 3rd level spell, and we are a level 22(21 for Eilyra) party.

With regard to limited wish
I derped: Revivify is an option, if we can find a way to not have her die. So if the Winterwight is mostly dead, and Avakuss can kill it, maybe?
If we can use PF spells, Breath of Life, but it doesn't restore enough hp to make up for the -73 hp.

Eilyra would normally count on the 50% miss chance to handle dispels(It is not concealment, so blindsight shouldn't instantly bypass it). But in this game, blindsight says no.

Edit: I think Revenance is probably our best bet, especially if Avakuss can take down the Winterwight, and we don't eat more AoE spells.

[Archmage1]

I'll aim to post a response within the next day.

My rough plan:
Shapechange to a Titan, cast time stop.

Hope to have enough time to do the following:
Go to Vayyel.
Cast Arcane Sight, confirm or deny the sword.
Cast Moment of Prescience
If there is extra time...
Reverse Gravity(Get rid of the Winterwight)
Maw of Chaos(Something?) Wall of stone? Acid Sheathe(For the lols)? Prying Eyes(To abuse Manticore Parry)?
Cast True Strike
Time stop end.
Provoke AoO(And really, really hope it misses, or ironguard prevents it)(Adamantine should be affected)
Disarm, snag the sword with her free hand. Stick it in the glove. Make attack with her other hand, then move into cover somewhere, hopefully, from the next dispel)(Sadly, no chance to swap back to incorporeal, because the shapechange for the round has already been expended, unless the shapechange resets it.)


If things go wrong along the way... where should I put breaks in the plan, to let things happen? My current thoughts are the examination, and the disarm AoO attempts.

[RCgothic]

Couple of questions - how does time stop interact with revenance? Either cast by Vanya or anyone else.

Secondly, I believe being somewhat dead is something a miracle should be able to cure?

[kinem]

Revenance has a minute/level duration, so I don’t think it should be an issue, but I would say that Revenance affects personal time if cast within a TS (which I guess would require a Contigency or the like and dying during the TS) and outside time if cast outside of it.

Miracle would be able to do so.

[Archmage1]

Would this invisibility happen to lose to see invisibility? (She does have scent, which is enough to pinpoint anyway, but she also has a few rounds.)

Edit: Ok, I really, really hope that Vayyel either misses, or finds that the ironguard nopes his attack. If there was ever a time to roll a nat 20...

[kinem]

It seems to me that there’s a problem with this plan. Ironguard is a double-edged sword.

[Archmage1]

How so? Hilts of weapons are typically made od a different material, to allow the wielder to grip, and this is why Eilyra is aiming to store the sword, rather than use it.

[kinem]

Typically perhaps, but the Key is many thousands of years old and built to last. It’s a single piece of adamantine. If any soft material may have once covered the grip, it’s long gone.

[Archmage1]

Luckily, she doesn't need to use it, just store it in her glove..

[Archmage1]

Alternatively, I believe eyes of the oracle would let Eilyra prepare a readied action, like dismissing iron guard.
(I'm not able to access books at the moment, so this might not work. Worst case scenario, she can use a time stop action to dismiss.)

[Archmage1]

Ok, so, order of actions:

Cast spells.
Use Eyes of the Oracle to ready a GDM.
Provoke AoO.
Assuming it misses, disarm.
Try to store the sword in the glove of storing(You can hold a thing while it falls).
If that is impossible, use the readied action from Eyes to dispel Ironguard, and then store the sword.

[kinem]

You need to dispel Ironguard before grabbing for the sword.

[Archmage1]

No problem, I'll edit that in after the AoO is provoked.

[kinem]

It seems a bit much to take a readied standard action between the AOO and the Disarm roll, but ... I'll allow it.

Maw of Chaos allows SR. [roll0]

For the AOO: [roll1]

[Archmage1]

RAW gets pretty silly, sometimes. And I agree: Being able to use time stop, and then still have actions afterwards allows for some insane things. Like readying an action to use on your own turn. Because you can skip the "Until the beginning of your next turn" part.

I really should have rolled the Spell penetration, but, alas.

On a side note, we're now left with a challenging decision: With the key in hand, do we stay and fight, or do we just leave, objective acquired?

[Archmage1]

You know, if we had decided to bring OOC knowledge IC, maybe we could have found out whether Bavia had nuclear weapons or not.

It would have been pretty fun to teleport away from this fight, and leave behind a nuclear going away present.

[kinem]

Interesting :smallcool: The threat of unleashing Tharizdun was basically the Bavians' "nuclear option". If they had another, they would have used that instead. Also, Bavian weapons don't typically work on other planes :smallredface:

[RCgothic]

FYI I'm travelling today so may not get around to posting until tomorrow. I think Vanya is going to time stop and then miracle herself better and get some buffs back up.

Think a miracle could punch a teleport out of here, or do we think even if that worked it would weaken the prison?