Connor of McIntyre |
While Connor flirts with death, we shall see what the next room holds.
I'm still waiting to hear if everyone wants to leave the dungeon or forge ahead. We still have not found "the big bad evil guy" making the portal to the Negative Energy Plane and using the Negative Energy balls of light (an evil version of Lantern Archons) to keep this Halfling city "clean". That last battle was nearly our death, if only because of the lost hit points.
The cat-person (if it is Snowcoat) looks like he/she was caught admiring a watchpiece when they were frozen into a statue.
What we know so far:
- this Halfling city was abandoned
- about a century ago, something came and started setting up shop here, opening the portal, letting balls of light roam around
- Room 6 has a "somber feel"
- this room (22 on the map) has a broken-in area, something uncommon to the crafted stone walls we've seen here
- the BBEG evidently doesn't move around much
- the BBEG is high enough level to make a Permanent portal, petrify intruders, and lives for a long time, but isn't harmed by creatures from the Negative Energy Plane
- something didn't want life-sucking Negative Energy creatures into the broken-wall room to the south of Room 22
- the catperson was looking East when they were petrified
Conclusions: Undead? possible. Necromancer? possible. High-level caster? Oh yeah. Evil? Without a doubt.
So what's to the south, through the broken wall? Maybe a permanent portal to wherever the BBEG comes from? A living survivor, using a magic item to block the wall? Level 2 of the dungeon? Entrance to the Underdark?
I'm just asking if it's time to cut-and-run. If we have found Snowcoat, and can't get the jeweled pocket watch off of him, it might be time to pack up and leave. I don't want to run into any 11th-Level creatures at Level 3. If this statue isn't Snowcoat, but a companion, maybe Snowcoat is still around.
So if ANYTHING comes at Connor from the South or the East, he's doing a scaredy-cat and running. Given our anti-magical nature, Connor wants to return these magical lockpicks to Tenfa's room, but only if we have enough time.
I'm just asking for input from other players.
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Also, I just bought "Ultimate Psionics" the PDF version, and I am now reading through it. I'm making a few changes to my crafting goals. Psicrystal Crowns, for instance, which are not found on the web version.
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Hope you made it through the hurricane(s), Selvan/Tenro.
Sammark Bellefont |
We are operating on a time-line here. I feel that bears mentioning again. Sam seems to like this continent enough to get stranded on for a time but I doubt our pirate-y transportation will stick around for us.
I am in favor of continuing. Sam has a level of investment in figuring this out and getting a goddess on our side, especially a local one is not a bad idea.
Connor of McIntyre |
I don't like this. Connor should be able to talk to Hero up to a mile away. Constructs should have an almost unlimited range for mental commands. And they have instructions to get back ASAP. Even beyond range, that white shimmer could be anything - a curtain, a portal, a tear in the fabric of reality. Sure, we have a report of gold bars on the other side. Nothing has come back to this side, either.
Connor of McIntyre |
I wonder if we can pick up Snowcoat-the-statue and take him back to the trading post with us. That way his daughter will never have to worry about where he is again. :)
Connor of McIntyre |
I think Hero and the two constructs went "kablooey". Something in the rules about the Positive Energy Plane healing you of twice your hit points, and then you explode.
So we have seen two permanent portals, one to the Negative Energy Plane, another to the Positive Energy Plane. Permanency and Gate are some pretty high-level spells. So is Flesh to Stone.
Maybe we can find the wizard/lich/ithlid doing this and talk to them, but I kind of doubt it.
Moving on to the next doors! As soon as mdt tells me if Snowcoat can be safely removed.
Connor of McIntyre |
Well, I'm confused. If this Positive Energy Plane influence is just a "curtain" across the hole in the wall, Hero and the constructs wouldn't be affected beyond some temp hit points. If the PEP affects the entirely of the next room(s), then Hero and the two constructs would have succumbed to the effects, since psicrystals and constructs have hit points. But I thought maybe the constructs should have returned, since ectoplasm wouldn't be "alive", unlike the psicrystal.
If instead the "curtain" means the hole in the wall is actually a portal to another location far, far away, beyond the psicrystal's 1-mile telepathic link, then Connor cannot communicate with Hero. But the 2nd construct had orders of "enter, get Hero, and return", so it should have done that, at least. Unless there is some effect stopping the construct(s) from returning.
Connor of McIntyre |
Ok, who wants to take a dive? mdt is indicating the Positive Energy "shunt" is a curtain, not an entire room effect, so those of us who have fewer than 1/2 hit points might survive the PE curtain.
Alys=22/23
Connor=8/15
Reaghar=21/21
Sammark=28/28, says he has 13 temp hp now, has touched the curtain once
Selvan=21/21
So Connor is quite literally the only one who can enter the PE curtain and not go "boom". But I still do not like losing contact with Hero and the constructs. I don't like the way Hero was cut off in mid-mindspeak. I don't know if Connor would survive going into the next room.
I think the best course of action would be to continue exploring first, and leave this room for last.
mdt |
West is a corridor, not a door
Walking west with his construct, Connor finds a small chamber with a statue of a halfling, a woman, but not Tenfa. She's dressed in chain armor, which is damaged. The woman looks injured, but inordinantly pleased with herself. She wields two wickedly curved daggers. Under neath her the inscription reads in very hard to follow Halfavian.
Kalistha Shadowblades - Ogrebane and Founder of Ogre Glenn Clan
Beyond the chamber, the hallway curves like a snake and finally ends up at a door.
Connor of McIntyre |
The southwest quadrant has turned out to be a very long corridor. We've got one statue along the way. If nobody moves their icons on the map by tomorrow morning, I'll move everybody a little closer. Reaghar and Selvan are still in the downstairs hallway! And then I'll get the door in front of me.
That "hole in the wall" still annoys me. I hate losing contact like that. But moving on!
Connor of McIntyre |
Ironically, we've been waiting on mdt to do the elementals' turn all weekend.
mdt |
Sorry, weekend was kind of busy, had a game yesterday and spent saturday shopping for clothes. I hate shopping.
Secondly, it wasn't the entire weekend, it was only half of saturday and all day sunday, since you didn't post until 10AM Saturday (by which time I was tied up shopping).
Thirdly, this is what happens when you give the GM grief, the dice gods dictate double 20's against your minion.
Connor of McIntyre |
Which is why Connor fights by proxy. :)
Not ragging on you mdt, not at all.
Now if I could just figure out that room in the hole-in-the-wall. If it's just a curtain, Connor could survive plunging into it. Maybe with some ectoplasm slathered all over himself. If it's the entire room, then no. Plus there's whatever kept the psicrystal and the constructs from talking back.
Connor of McIntyre |
I think we're waiting on Sammark. He's engaged in some front-line fighting, so I'm inclined to want his action.
Connor of McIntyre |
Wow. A plus 12 to concentration. Go, Sam!
TarkXT |
So. I lost my temper. The result is a broken lcd screen on my laptop. Incidentally this is where a great deal of important things are held.
So now I have to scramble to get the money together to get a replacement screen. So, obviously things are going to slow down as the only way I can post is at the beneficence of my girlfriend.
Connor of McIntyre |
Expensive lesson, Selvan/TarkXT! Hope you get it fixed soon (and without costing an arm and a leg).
mdt |
Ok, so we'll bot Selvan for now. Connor, you're the most active and have a good grasp of his abilities, please bot him for me until he can get back on.
Going ahead again since everyone seems to be done.
Connor of McIntyre |
Ok, so we'll bot Selvan for now. Connor, you're the most active and have a good grasp of his abilities, please bot him for me until he can get back on.
Going ahead again since everyone seems to be done.
I hope Selvan doesn't mind.
Going to be out of touch this weekend. Should be back by Monday at the latest.
Ha! Just when we bot one, another needs help! :)
Connor of McIntyre |
Could be another boring, no-post weekend. Oh well. If Alys replies to the plan for the next room, I may bot Selvan and Sammark to the next action. And move their characters on the map.
Connor of McIntyre |
We have options:
1.) Go back to Room 22 and leave.
2.) Go back to Room 22, where some of the most damaged players (Connor, Alys) try to jump through the "positive energy curtain" and see where Hero the psicrystal went. That is, if the positive energy doesn't extend to the entirety of the room, so we all blow up in 2 rounds or less. mdt says Hero's still alive, so it may only be a curtain, not a room-filled effect. But for some reason none of the constructs have returned, and Hero cannot communicate with Connor. I'm not sure if it is a portal, or a shielded effect, or a time dilation effect. Hero also expressed surprise before he got cut off.
3.) Go back to Room 22, pry Snowcoat Senior-the-statue off the floor, and have 6-8 constructs carry him back to town.
4.) Keep exploring the southeast side of the city/dungeon. Of course, Snowcoat was looking East when he got turned into a statue...
Apart from getting Hero back, I'm up for anything. mdt says Hero's not destroyed, but neither is he communicating, and I'd hate to wait until Level 9 for Correspond, Psychoport, and Planar Travel to retrieve him. Tenfa-the-halfing-goddess has been helpful, but we still don't know what's happening in this city/dungeon yet, and I don't want to get in over my head and get people killed or turned into statues.
Either way, it's Day 4/5 for our "side trip", and I'm down to 40% psionic power points, we've got some players wanting to wrap things up, so I'm inclined to A.) get Hero, B.) get Snowcoat-the-statue, and C.) leave before the day is done.
Connor of McIntyre |
Ok, option 2. :) I'll trust mdt isn't a "Hackmaster GM" and actively trying to kill us. :) So I'll try the positive energy curtain room.
Connor of McIntyre |
The Sound of Silence! Tension so thick you can cut it with a knife! :)
Connor of McIntyre |
As Alys and Sammark come out, they see (what to them looks like) the mother of all silver dragons lounging on a shelf of stone above the opening they just exited. DC 24 will saves vs being as gibbering and terrified as Connor is
What are you talking about deary? There's no... WOAH! Oh my, she's lovely! What a lovely dragon! So shiny and silver! CONNOR! What did you do to insult that lovely creature?!
Alys, assuming she doesn't fly into a panic, notes that there's a small red stone with spidery legs inside the sphere, hopping up and down in an agitated way. As Alys walks up to Connor, her voice cuts off about 20 ft from him, all sound vanishing from her ears.
Yeah, sure. EVERYTHING'S Connor's fault. :)
The only hope I've had as a player is that silver dragons are Lawful Good by the book. But apparently as territorial and arrogant as any other dragons.
Connor of McIntyre |
Note to the psions in the game: if you fail a will save, you can always retry using Autohynosis: Resist Fear. Of course, even a reroll won't help a poor roll, but it does give a reroll.
Connor of McIntyre |
In the "party dynamics" discussion:
Connor will focus on Craft:Sculpting, Craft: Jewelery, and Psicraft
and Sammark can focus on unbelievable Will saves. :)
Connor of McIntyre |
Hey, I once rolled up a Human with an 18 CON who drank antitoxin potions morning, noon, and night, just to get past a GM's AD&D 2nd Ed. poison traps he put everywhere in the dungeon. Expensive at 1st Level, but the GM eventually had to switch trap types.