Doug M's Way of the Wicked (Inactive)

Game Master Douglas Muir 406

Ranged touch attack for Scorching Ray 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26 to hit

I just scrolled up and noticed that was a possible double damage on the magister from an earlier post, DM if they want Hold Person that's fine if we go with Scorching Ray please roll to confirm the critical +6 to hit touch and then roll 4 d6 if it confirms the roll. Otherwise it would Hold Person DC 19

Going back to work, Dash Berlin is spinning

We act in this order - Dren casts Hold Person, Edmin strikes, Cуровую will cast Hold Person if the magister is not held. Other wise Scorching Ray at the magister if he has corn OR Magic Missile split between the magister and Bref's head if we go with Bref's head.
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It seems the consensus is to use Bref's head, so we'll go with that.

We act in this order - Dren casts Hold Person, Edmin strikes, Cуровую will cast Hold Person if the magister is not held. Other wise Scorching Ray at the magister if he has corn OR Magic Missile split between the magister and Bref's head if we go with Bref's head.

Okay. You quietly slip off the blindfold, then open the haversack. You take Sir Edmin's axe out and hand it to the "confessor". Then you pull out Bref's skull and carefully, gingerly, hand it over to the Magister. He immediately begins touching it, turning it over in his hands.

"Lady, it feels to me like --"

Dren casts Hold Person. Does the Magister save? 1d20 ⇒ 19

He saves with ease. Okay, Sir Edmin steps forward and lashes out with his axe! Magister Tacitus takes 20 points of damage.

Now it's Zimu's turn. She throws a Hold Person. Does it work? Will the Magister save? 1d20 ⇒ 18

The Magister may be naive and poorly socialized, but his mind is a well-oiled machine. Not easily will it be bent or broken by another's magic.

Okay, that was the surprise round. Now begins round 1. Zimu rolled a 19 on initiative. To speed things up, I'll roll for everyone else.

Lady Dragville-North 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4
Kindly Father Axe Murderer 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 4 = 14
Magister Targetus 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

Okay, so it's Zimu, Edmin, the Magister, Dren. Zimu, you rolled for a Scorching Ray and also a magic missile (to detonate the head). Which one do you want to do? -- Note that if you detonate the head, you might want to wait until after Sir Edmin has had a chance to step out of range.

I believe she used the ray if it was corn and the missile if brefs head. it also makes sense that she would wait until his attack finished to strike since she is smart enough to know that beefs head only becomes magisters head if it is a killing blow.

The head's eyes sparkle and you can almost hear tee hee tee hee hee hee

I'm inclined to agree. Okay, Sir Edmin will Power Attack again with the axe and then step back.

Sir Edmin swings his axe! 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27

That's a hit.

-- However. Looking at Edmin's character sheet, I'm not sure he's calculating the attacks right. I don't think you guys ever got around to fixing the Headman's Axe -- if you did, please show me where. So, he would still be swinging Captain Odenkirk's axe Breaker, which is masterwork and adamantite but not magic. I see +5 BAB +4 Str +1 Weapon Focus +1 masterwork = +11, but then -2 to hit for Power Attacking, so total +9. Damage would be d12 + 6 Str + 6 Power Attack or d12+12.

You hit him twice anyway... just, note for future reference. Damage this time is 1d12 + 12 ⇒ (1) + 12 = 13.

So, 33 points of damage. He's still standing.

One of my minor grumbles with PF is the abandonment of the d4 hit die for arcane casters and commoners. If you're a caster, you should be a little fragile. (And if you hate being fragile, you can use Con bonuses, Toughness and favored class points. It's not like the game doesn't give you options.)

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Cуровую will delay and cast Scorching Ray +6 to hit or Magic Missile after Edmin attacks the magister.

or

If Edmin misses to strike, Cуровую will definitely send two missiles to break Bref's skull and the last Magic Missile one to the magister.

If you're going to keep two alternatives open, I would prefer you *not* roll attack and damage on them. That opens the possibility of clever players saying "I will either do X (rolls crap damage) or Y (rolls a crit)... oh, hey, I'll do Y." Not an issue here, but going forward.

In this case, since Edmin hit, I think that means Scorching Ray. You threatened a crit with it, so see if you confirm.

And roll the 8d6 damage if you confirm or 4d6 if you don't.
That went about as expected.
So far my luck has been that Doug has never failed a save vs. any of my characters abilities or spells. Command did work against Bref one time though so at least I know I can probably kill a few of you...woe is me...

I am pretty sure we discussed fixing the axe DMDM, and since we have the spell mending I think we assumed it was hand waived. It is not magic any more as I am not sure we ever got a make whole spell, I will see if I can find that.

Here Is where I asked for the axe to do mending, and from there I assumed it had just been done as it is not exciting RP [/ooc]

It is not magic any more as I am not sure we ever got a make whole spell, I will see if I can find that.

Cуровую has Make Whole in her spell book, on my notebook I have this note, Make Whole from Edmin (North Fell), I don't know if I took money out, I don't think I did because I have notes on all money I take out and nothing listed with that spell and assume it came from Edmin's purchase.

If you're going to keep two alternatives open, I would prefer you *not* roll attack and damage on them.

Fair enough! I did ask DM to roll to confirm if I did double damage because I did not know which plan we were using. So there's that. I just assumed I would miss a lot of posting like when you all jumped the captain and I was traveling, I had a long shift for work.

I thought we were using 'corn' that's why DM said the one who used the trigger phrase was safe. Didn't Edmin say we would use 'corn' as our item?

I have a question DM, is it possible NOT to roll to do double damage if you say we use Bref's head instead of 'corn'? I ask because if we are trying not to overkill the magister he slumps down and Bref's head lays on him. If we over kill him Bref's head may remain in his hands, or roll on the table as he slumps down or it may crash on the floor. Part of the reason why I wanted to use 'corn'.

If we have to roll to confirm

-I have to work an early event in twenty minutes am may not get to post until 4 am, let me post some possible rolls

dmg 4d6 + 4 ⇒ (5, 6, 6, 1) + 4 = 22

Range to hit 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

If that roll confirms add this to above

dmg 4d6 + 4 ⇒ (3, 1, 2, 4) + 4 = 14

edit so either it 22 dmg or 36 dmg

It's ranged touch so that should be a hit unless he is hiding a +5 ring of protection under his vest...nice job on the 36 damage. That might just do it. 69 points on the Magister...
Edit: Of course this assumes he doesn't have fire protection via spell/ring/or innately. We will see.

In Albania, so posting may be light this weekend.

Well, there is a complex mix of good and bad news here.

First: the damage is enough to drop the Magister! He never has a chance to act. That's surely good.

Second: as he falls, he drops Bref's head. Maybe that's less good?

FWOOOOMPH!

Blaaaaaargh!!! As advertised, the skull bomb vomits forth a nauseating, foul smelling, flaming liquid. You all have stepped back out of range, but it makes a flaming puddle on the floor.

Good news: the Magister wasn't quite dead when the bomb went off! So within a few moments, bis body shrivels and crumbles, leaving behind only a charred skull -- a new skull bomb!

Maybe less good news: that's was sort of loud. (And smelly.). There's a knocking at the door, from the guard outside. "Magister? Sir, is everything all right in there?"

I apologize DM, I keep mentioning this but didn't Edmin say we were going to use 'corn' for the magister? We were concerned about the noise and we did not want to lose the magister's items.

Who wants to pose as the magister?

Cуровую can Disgusie if you guys want unless Dren wants to try.

Cуровую will move to the door, but keep an eye out for either the ice guardian or a Familiar. She casts Detect Magic as she moves to the door.

Perception 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

Do you guys want me to Bluff the guard that we are all fine or do we want him to come in right now?

Cуровую tries to mimic the magister's voice, not sounding excited but somewhat annoyed with the guard's interruption , through the door.

'Yes, yes we are fine! We are conducting an arcane evocation experiment with an esoteric item.'

The 'magister' tries to sound put off with the interruption. He does not fully rebuke the guard who is doing his duty but makes sure he sounds busy.

'Where were we ... Yes! That is fascinating Lady Sackville how did you come by this item?'

Bluff 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30

Slowly Dren morphs into a close copy of the magister. What about his items? They should still be there since they are not un-attended items.

He moves over and looks at what remains of his items, specifically looking for the armband. He looks over in an annoyed manner at the others.

Can you for once listen to my request? I stated don't use that item. Now his items may have been damaged. Put that thing away until we find a common soldier to use it on.

We will sweep his lab for magic and gather anything we find. He also looks in his closet for an extra set of clothes and then puts them on to help with the disguise. He then practices his Magister voice a few times. Do we find any spellbooks?

We did what we came to do, we should get the others and enact the second part of our plan. Look at the plans, what is the best way to get back to the basement and encounter as few people as possible? Can I levitate somehow back to their?

Let's wait for the results with the guard, then bring him in here after we are sure its safe. No alarms! Who is better at Disguise and Bluff?

From DM's Spoiler

Spoiler:

two people were coming out of the choir hall (the one at ground level, where Morsum was accosted -- area 26 on the map). One of them was one of the acolytes. The other was a young woman in blue robes with a gold sunburst. You've never seen her before.

Thanks for pointing out the Nat 20 DM, I saw the one for Diplomacy but did not even realize the Perception roll, just saw the 30, can I roll for a Knowledge Religion or Planes to see what the woman could symbolize or be? Possibly Celestial?

DM I was waiting for an answer to this, may I roll for Knowledge Religion or Planes to see what that woman could symbolize or be?

For DM

Skull, not corn. More later today.

Still in Albania, so limited posting for one more day.

roll roll

The guard: "Er... Okay, sir... Just, you remember what the Commander said..."

Oh, did I not say? That was the other piece of less good news. The armband caught fire and was destroyed.

Well that was a total waste of 3 skill point in UMD when I went up in level just because of that armband.

Just a brief point here if I can be allowed as to our reasoning.

DM just to be clear, if you read both the gameplay and discussion threads Dren and I were saying repeatedly that we thought it would be better to use 'corn.'

For the main reason of noise would be an issue but when I asked you would if the items of the magister be affected by it and you said possibly that made it a clear choice. And Edmin said he had it. A lot of PMs were exchanged regarding 'corn' just for this purpose. Just as an object to the magister to tinker with. We are intelligent enough to recognize the danger in using the Bref head but when you said it may affect his items didn't we specify we would use 'corn'?

DM you had a very descriptive introduction of the magister when we first saw him, down to his azure robes. He seemed to have several magical items including as you mentioned his beloved wand of Fireballs and armband. Why would we jeopardize losing those when we already had several setbacks with regards to items, the combats at sea, Nimpy taking away treasure or the captians dueling for example.

1). I can't read PMs between players.

2) Yes, I said there was risk to his items. Precisely. You guys referrred the decision to Edmin. Edmin said the skull. And that was a reasonable, if risky, decision -- "may harm his items, but does lots of damage and we may get it back" vs. "single use, not even sure what it will do".

You just took out a powerful enemy NPC with a total of three spells spent. If the Magister had survived the statuette, fireballed you all and yelled for help, things would be looking a bit different now.

3). The call on Bref's skull was made two days ago.

As you turn to respond to the guard, you hear a faint sound from across the room -- a creaking, as of ice on a river in winter.

A moment later, the drapery that divides the room is drawn aside. The Magister's ice golem stands there. Its featureless face seems to take in the scene before it -- the still sizzling remains of the Magister's body, the three of you.

For a long moment, it stands motionless.

Who wants to pose as the magister?

Cуровую can Disgusie if you guys want unless Dren wants to try.

Slowly Dren morphs into a close copy of the magister. What about his items? They should still be there since they are not un-attended items.

Sigh. I should have taken Catch a Break, Now and Then as a Feat.

Magister Tacitus (Dren) may want to call the guard to help us with the guardian. Dren do you want me to stand behind your magister and throw my voice? We can say 'it ok ice guardian, nothing to see here. Move along.'

Tell me what you're doing, and I'll tell you what happens. Search the body, call for help, attack the golem? -- Dren, I assume you're using the Hat here?

How far away is the Golem?

The Magister looks down at the pile of goo, in his best impression, It appears the experiment failed. Cellia, will you be a dear and clean this up?

He then apparently notices the golem.
Knowledge Arcana 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21 that should get me a CR 11 creature, as long as it is some type of golem in one of the bestiaries.

If I know something about it, it may dictate my reaction.

It's a Large Advanced Ice Golem.

Of course, that doesn't tell you anything about what it's going to do.

Since the thing that was controlling it is destroyed I have no idea how it is going to act, I think this is really however the GM wants to handle it since the Magister wasn't really it's creator in the first place.

Through message, Get ready to run, I have no idea how this thing will react.

Dren, On second thought, let's be on our way. Dren motions for them to go to the door and casts Sanctuary on himself, wiggling his finger at the skull and blob of as if casting the spell at the skull.

He looks back up at the golem, seeing if it starts moving towards them.

How far away is it?
I am not sure this was ever answered, do we see any objects on the floor where the magister's body was or does it appear that all of this items were consumed in the flames as well?

How far away is it?

It's 10' away from you.

I am not sure this was ever answered, do we see any objects on the floor where the magister's body was or does it appear that all of this items were consumed in the flames as well?

Yes, there are objects in the ashes. You'd need to spend a round sifting through the ashes to recover them, and then another round or two examining them to have some idea what (if anything) survived.

Get the loot! GET THE LOOT