Well, if there's one thing I'm good at, it's getting information. o wo
That's cool, with diplomacy out the window some of us are more at home.
How tall is the ceiling where Jennifer is standing?
*Peeks in* I should note that a Magic Skill Check isn't the same thing as a Concentration check, namely in that you don't apply your ability score modifier to it. I think she needs to roll 1d20 + Caster level versus 16 to keep that summon going...?
I believe the concentration check was to maintain the spell while taking damage (or something like that). I don't think she's made a Magic Skill Check yet because this is a non-standard kind of summoning.
Well, she'll have to at some point, and stopping that from working at all is probably the best thing I can do right now. XD
I sympathize Tark, I posted before going out for the afternoon... I was a bit surprised when I got back with multiple games exploding in my absence.
Not as surprised as Nurai is right now though, she's very in the "that escalated quickly" mindset at the moment... and still trying to figure out how "I'm a doctor" answers "What are you doing in my house?" question.
I'm guessing the Magic Skill Check and other rolls will happen after our surprise round.
Well I didn't have a lot of good options.
"I saw a frightened woman and levitated myself onto your second story balcony to investigate."
"I'm just looking for the bathroom."
I don't know. I figured "I'm a doctor" might pass for "I'm here to help" and arrest any outrage.
-Posted with Wayfinder
And yeah, the situation isn't quite what I was expecting, but this is pretty much where we were most likely to end up. There were a couple of other options I can think of, and a few variations on what's happening in this fight, but all told you guys haven't managed to completely derail me yet.
Go Jon, go!
Miyu - Yeah, the Magic Skill Check hasn't been rolled yet. For reasons. The Concentration check was to make sure the spell went off as it was intended after getting hit by the spear. As I mentioned above, the ability hasn't gone to waste, but rather hasn't exactly kicked in yet. But I haven't forgotten about it! This time...
Jennifer - About 20 feet...or big enough for you to go all tall and scary, if that's your plan.
Solomon - I must admit, my mental image of the scene was him trying to very calmly come up with a rationale for being there and that squeaking out, but you're right, it was probably the most sensible thing you could say.
---
On a side note, I do realise I've been making a lot of small errors - over looking details in posts is a key offender, but forgetting to make things clear or adding them back in has also been an issue. I'll be honest, I'm quite frustrated by how many issues I've had. I won't lie and say these aren't things that happen when I GM - Miyu and Nurai, who play in my other games, would be forced to set my pants on fire for that lie - but to the degree we've had has been...irritating.
I apologise for the problems. I've had a rough few months, and this game was my way of relaxing back into normality. Well, as normal as a template using modern themed Pathfinder game with giant robots can be, but it seems like some of the further setbacks have hit home harder than I'd like. My back exploding a couple of weeks ago is the biggest culprit, if I'm honest - it isn't healing quickly.
I'm not going to promise it'll get better, because frankly I don't know for sure why it's happening, but I do promise I'm going to try and be better about this.
And when I do screw up, do what you've all been doing - point it out, ask questions, get clarification.
Is fiiiiine. XD As a GM myself, I know that it happens.
Oh gosh yes. But there's 'it happens' and there's 'it happens a lot and Jon is dumb'. I'm trying to avoid slipping into the latter.
Yes, I don't mind coming here for clarification at all. I understand it's a lot to keep track of.
Im not worried about it. Thomas has a lot of moving parts and I'm trying to convey them as best and cleverly as I can to make them clear.
POCKET LIGHTNING!!!
I'd like to see Jared's save against my suggestion before we travel further down the road of him being shot and such. He might've already left by now.
Very likely not, as DC 17 is not very hard for a vampire, but still. We could be spared a lot of trouble.
I'll change my action if he decided not to rip me or Jen to shreds.
Jennifer - About 20 feet...or big enough for you to go all tall and scary, if that's your plan.
You better believe that's my plan.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
...yeah, it's pretty much my answer to everything, or so my kids think when I'm grumpy.
Don't you worry, mistakes are common, especially when managing such a convoluted campaign, we're all humans here :)
We are? I mean yes, we definitely all are. Humans. Yup. Definitely human.
Yeah, sure, humans.
By the way, it's lovely how half of us are spreading blood and gore, while the other half is quietly observing the situation and debating the finest points of guest traditions.
Well, the next round or two should clarify the situation a little, but everyone is playing their character well - I'm especially enjoying your use of the Berserk Sphere, and Jennifer's Big Red Slash moment - it's simply a case of different characters with different skills and different moralities.
On the downside, it means you haven't meshed well yet, since you don't know each other and haven't had a chance to build a rapport. So most of you probably didn't see this situation coming (I kinda did, but then, it's my job - and having an undead who hasn't actually done anything wrong with another monsters who is doing wrong was always intended to be a moral quandry) but this will, hopefully, bring you together.
And as a plus I can see a lot of potential for character interaction between players (Nurai's player is enjoying her slightly antagonistic relationship with Aurora, it's been fun seeing the relationship between Jennifer and Solomon, etc), a lot of potential teamwork which scares me a little, and I can't think of a situation where the party will be rendered helpless, even if inidivudals are less helpful.
It's also being really helpful to help me calibrate just how much awful I can throw at you guys without a TPK, which is something I struggle with a little - my games tend to be whackly enough that CR is largely meaningless. I'm sure as long as I don't repeat the Golem Swarm we'll all be fine.
Miyu has a reputation she wants to maintain. XD That is, she's a good guest, and therefore can get invited to places that might be hard to reach otherwise. (Although as far as drawing a group together is concerned, she's kind of miffed at those who let this happen, but is willing to hear their explanation afterwards before she's genuinely ticked at them.)
Also, she was heavily inspired by the Dresden Files, and hospitality is a big thing there. XD
It was more enjoying Nurai and Aurora repeatedly being foils for each other than antagonism. I enjoy seeing what other characters and situations bring out in my character.
Nurai was designed to be chaotic and fun and a person who hasn't had responsibilities and obligations and expectations from the get-go in contrast to Aibek who is all under obligations and pledges and expectations...and Nurai is currently rambling rules of ethics and hospitality which was a big part of her backstory and stuff though I've only read snippets of Dresden Files, but not what I ever really expected her to do and yet it fits. Now she needs to figure out what's her next step with her butterfly knife, her revealed enchanted shadow eidolon and their pointy claws, and possibly the phone in her pocket.
Not sure on drawing the group together. Nurai's just confused, she doesn't understand why everything escalated so quickly. Really, other than possibly Tom, Nurai has talked to Jared more than anyone which isn't helping her issue of not seeing the vamp having done anything wrong... other than continue talking so much when Jennifer is beating him up [the joys of speech as a free action]. Nurai may need to try harder on talking to others and getting others to talk.
This did all escalate very quickly, and Solomon is certainly not accustomed to so many supernatural individuals of such a wide variety in such a first-world location. He's going to have words for Simmons, and probably take some impromptu vacation time back to Massachusetts.
I wouldn't worry too much about us not working in accord, after all we've only met a few hours ago.
As for Aurora and Nurai, it all started with the absolutely weird conversation about wines. And after all, Aurora is far from chaotic. Or at least, her Valkyrie part is.
I forgot about shaken penalties.
My attack (and save) should be at -2 I suppose.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Drat, the save, I forgot it applied, I failed it. Therefore I can't 5-foot step, so I can't Decapitate, which is full-round... Good thing I was in time to edit, thanks, Doc.
Ha! Well, that was not my intention. But glad I could... help?
-Posted with Wayfinder
Look on the bright side, it speeds things up when we don't have to go and retcon things.
Sorry, but how is Solomon talking with Jennifer? Did you mean to say telekinesis?
Telepathy!
Sorry, typo.
-Posted with Wayfinder
I don't think telepathy actually allows me to hear others, but I'm not sure.
Also, do any of these failed trip attempts result in the other person being tripped? I thought there were rules about that.
Only if you fail by ten or more.
It'll depend on exactly which ability you're using. Some allow two way communication, some don't.
I'd say it goes both ways, since it uses the terms communicate and conversation. That doesn't sound like simply reading or projecting thoughts, but a conversation that's all in your head.
Hm, I think you're right.
Sounds good.
EDIT: To Nurai's point, can I dismiss this summon? And do I know anything about duration/dangers?
-Posted with Wayfinder
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Allow me to answer...in the form of song!
Do you want to roll Arcana,
To see if you can send it back?
Without such roles you have knowledge that you laaaack.
Can you roll me such a knowledge?
If you do I'll tell you things!
About banishing such a creature back to the beyond.
With such a roll I can tell you duration.
And even speak about the risks,
'Cos without you could call up a Basilisk!
Do you want to roll Arcana?
It doesn't have to be Arcana.
It could be Planes.
...yes, I am on my second bottle of cough syrup, why do you ask?
yay, singing GM to entertain us and make us laugh...and worry.
Nurai is being a rather snobby opinionated summoner at the moment.
Sorry life's been brutal.
And truth be told kind of confused on who needs shooting at this point.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Shoot the shadow. That thing is creepy.
Well, the confusion is intentional. It wouldn't do to make this too simple.
And don't shoot the shadow. It'll make it irritable.
I completely understand about life being hectic and brutal, Tark. Just try and keep me in the loop if you can.
And truth be told kind of confused on who needs shooting at this point.
The only one actively being attacked at this point is Carm, the fey at the top of the stairs.
Calling the shadow 'it' could also make them irritable, though nowhere near as much as shooting them. Pretty much opposite ends of the irritation scale there.
Nurai is going to text Valda. I'm debating between a sensible update and asking what evidence Valda thinks they fey guy wants vs "WTF dudette, what did you get me into...I have a sad smitten vampire and lying summoning scottish biter bleeding out here..." with lots of emojis.
...yeah, pretty much.
I was looking earlier for Scottish bad omens thinking if there were any Nurai could summon that would be a fun way to poke Carm further. Then I found out that shadow people are a common Scottish omen of death / tragedy / misfortune depending on the story and I just had to run with it thinking that Nurai will likely know most shadow omen tales from her background. Oddly the English variants are usually people in white or more typical doppelgangers.
I think Nurai will think that Aurora with her previous shown knowledge of European myths at least may have an idea of what she and her shadow are trying to pull (in such stories only the one(s) in trouble usually see it) but generally it's the idea that after rolling around the name and ideas in her head long enough and hearing the latest death threat, the idea would have clicked in an overly excited way which is why she just had to tell at least someone so Tom gets the phone. They're remaining on the stairs so the way the Nurai's feet and the shadow go together will be hidden.
So yeah, the shadow is playing a Scottish boogeyman when it is just playing and Nurai is playing innocent and sweet when she, well, she's still sweet but quite ticked off and a bit schemey. Like Aurora has the issue with the undead, Nurai has an issue with the unfeeling which she currently suspects Carm may be - or at least she was an unfeeling ass to Jared who to Nurai was obviously smitten with her until the party trick summoning.
Maybe I'm misunderstanding something, but why does Jennifer need to make climb checks to look out the window(s) from inside the house?
Steep stairs?
-Posted with Wayfinder
Because painkillers, probably. :)
No, I simply assumed she was heading outside to look in. As for why...your guess is as good as mine.
But yes, there are plenty of windows for you to look out of, to see if anyone is coming.