Your always welcome in the group Rob. I understand that your sked had picked up and I don't blame you. Best of luck and let me know if you want to keep Driss in the game. I can move things around to make it happen.
Busy with my wife's birthday, Easter and running second part of "Rasputin must die" this weekend, posting may be spotty. Should be back to normal Tuesday.
Cheers
I'll work on an update. It will be interesting if/how you guys choose to interact with the artifact.
A word on the DOMT generally. It can completely blow up or derail a campaign by killing, ruining or transforming PCs. (So why even make it available? Let's say I have my reasons.) One thing that can happen is the draw-stampede, where one or two people draw and then, somehow, everyone has to.
Let's be clear: everyone can draw! (Okay, everyone who is in the room. Ahem.) But take a moment to consider: in-game, is this something my character would do? Would he jump into the gears of a powerful, ancient magic item, hoping that pure randomness will bring a positive outcome? Based on what we've seen of your characters so far, I think for some the answer will be "yes". But some others might find this less attractive.
I'll just say this: whether you draw or you don't, role-play it up a bit. Since fleeing Branderscar, you haven't had a lot of truly free choices. Now you do. (And why is the Cardinal allowing this to happen? He has his reasons, too.) So, speak up. If you're going to draw, let's hear why. (Keeping in mind that this may be your character's last speech...) If you're not going to draw, same-same. Are you disgusted? Timid? Coldly calculating? Or just determined to control your own fate? Either way, play it out a little.
After this either way we are moving onto the final room then level 3 and you start your first "real" mission.
My first ever adventure, back in 1981, I drew a bad card for my first level mage. No great loss. And ogre strength gauntlets for my dwarf fighter, Grum, which were a blast.
The problem is that characters that succeed can end up way ahead of the rest. Or so I've since read.
But your comments are duly noted. Kergh probably wouldn't do this no matter how much I'd like another go. He is a bit too fearful of it going wrong.
Mikhail is an interesting case. He is convinced of his own destiny, so he might not truly consider the risk. On the other hand, he is fairly cautious and doesn't like to leave anything to chance. I think he would do it if anyone else in the group did - as a show of power and pride - but not if none did.
Ha! A deck of many things! Realistically, Barnabas would be all over that. Irin gave the perfect sell for him. An instant return to the nobility or a chance to change the past? Come on!
My only hesitation is from a player perspective. The bad are basically character permadeaths and the best are super game breaking.
Let's roll the dice, then.
I've seen a man weep with joy as he gained the power to change the worst mistake he ever made in his life, long years ago. Time bent backwards, and the universe rewove itself, just a little.
Now that sounds like an offer that Oswald would be unable to resist. The possibility of bringing his family back to life, no matter how remote?
Barnabas, please roll a 1d6 and a 1d9. You can do it in the discussion thread. I'll write up the results.
This could be going on a completely random system and if it is that is fine, but for fun, it looks like I rolled for the Lawful Good card in the Charisma suite of the Harrow deck, The Empty Throne. A noble title and 15,000 gp. All ashes in the wind for Oswald as those don't bring back a dead family!
I'll write it up in a full blown post, but here are the results.
Mikhail: The Publican 9 of Diamonds CG The GM chooses one of the character's enemies. This enemy has a complete change of heart and now favors the character.
Barnabas: The Midwife 3 of Hearts NG The character gains exactly enough experience to advance to the next level.
**NOTE** You can go ahead and advance to level 3 now. The XP will eventually balance itself out, but for several levels you will have a lead on the others in the group.
Oswald: The Brass Dwarf 5 of Clubs LN The character becomes immune to one energy type of his choice, but gains vulnerability to another energy type of the GM's choice.
**NOTE** Oswald, go ahead and announce in the discussion thread what type of energy you are going to be immune to. Your vulnerability will remain secret for now and will be revealed at an appropriate time.
Anyone else? I'm writing up the post tomorrow describing the card effects and then moving us along.
Thumbs up!
I was kinda hoping for poison hands, but all things considered, I can't really complain with that outcome.
Oswald: The Brass Dwarf 5 of Clubs LN The character becomes immune to one energy type of his choice, but gains vulnerability to another energy type of the GM's choice.
**NOTE** Oswald, go ahead and announce in the discussion thread what type of energy you are going to be immune to. Your vulnerability will remain secret for now and will be revealed at an appropriate time.
Cool. I think I'll have to go with fire for immunity since Oswald hates Mitra and his religion so much and most of Mitra's forms are fire-aspected (i.e. the Shining Lord, the Beneficent Sun and the Fire Undying.)
"Burn me at the stake! I dare you! Mwhahaha."
I was out at a con this weekend, but now back and as always, Kaynen is happy to play with fire at the risk of being severely burnt.
Do you have to sign up for a reading to get a go at the cards? This is a roleplay op I'm struggling to resist. May have a way for Kherg to change his mind.
Cheers
I do not think so. Neither Oswald nor Kaynen got a reading, yet they drew cards all the same.
Good point.
I have used this as a roleplay tool. If its a bad card then the impish voice in his head wins. If the card is good then that sets up a future where Kherg doesn't always do exactly what his imp desires.
Either way its fun to see what happens. I mean Kherg ahs always been a bad luck story so I'm half expecting everyone else to get a good card but not him.
Cheers
Kaynen: The Hidden Truth 10 of Hearts LG This card grants the character the one-time ability to call upon an omniscient spirit to fully answer any question or solve any single puzzle. Whether the information revealed can be effectively acted upon is another question entirely. The character may use this card's effect whenever he wishes, but only once.
Ethan: The Courtesan 2 of Diamonds CN The character's favorite item—preferably a magic weapon—becomes intelligent. Use the rules for intelligent items to randomly generate the item's abilities. If the character has no items, an intelligent item soon falls into the character's possession.
***NOTE*** Thematically your sword fits best and it's rather appropriate that this card was drawn for you. Thad said, I think it's pretty crappy that the card would give your sword intelligence, only to naturally gain it at level 3. So here is what I am going to do. On the intelligent item's table. I want you to pick a specific purpose the sword was made for. From now on your sword can detect any special purpose foes within 60 feet. Lets say that it starts to stream off wisps of red light when they are near. In addition since you gained your sword at level 2 your magus black blade progression will advance one level faster than normal. I think that's a good blend of the card and your own archetype mechanics.
Kergh: The Hidden Truth 10 of Hearts LG This card grants the character the one-time ability to call upon an omniscient spirit to fully answer any question or solve any single puzzle. Whether the information revealed can be effectively acted upon is another question entirely. The character may use this card's effect whenever he wishes, but only once.
***NOTE*** Kergh you and Kaynen pulled the same card due to the way that I am running the DOMT. I choose to multiple the results as this gives the group a slightly more favorable chance of not getting a terrible draw. While it can still happen, generally the spread of the best and worst cards tend to be at the top and bottom. Congratulations on your luck.
***NOTE #2*** I'll be doing a summery post, Irin's geas and moving us onto the final room in my next post. I'm glad the odds were ever in your favor.
Truth be told, I find the fact that he drew this particular card pretty fun. Even the Deck of Many Things, an artifact, acknowledges and responds to his bond with the sword. Even if you did not think to grant the boons, I would still have liked it. :-)
As for the special purpose, I will see what would fit. Is it something the sword might have always had, or is it something that the artifact created?
Also, how cool is it that this particular Knot beat the odds, what with all of its members basically drawing beneficial cards (yes, even Oswald's)?
If ever a character may need help with a puzzle, its Kherg. I like what you did with Ethan's sword too. How many "voices" are there in this party?
Another question: Does that mean Crimson Eclipse awakens as a black blade following the drawing of the card? Or does the faster progression begin after normally getting the black blade at 3rd level?
Also, as far as the special purpose is concerned: Considering the sword's creation and history, it would seem that "slay all" might actually be an appropriate purpose, what with the themes of curse and bloodlust in its story. I am a little curious though if the "slay all" thing would also mean those the wielder perceives as like-minded allies...
@Castor: Castor, I agree based on the description I wrote of the sword that it's purpose is "slay all". Crimson Eclipse awakens as a black blade following the drawing of the card. So your "faster progression" will start one level ahead of normal. I.E. Level 2. As far as the slay all purpose, I think that the swords general intent is to cause havoc and bloodshed, that the person it has attached itself is in a group that will eventually reach those goals, should pacify it. While you look at the group as allies, I think the sword would identify them more as a means to an end.
@Kergh: Two voices, your imp and Castor's sword. You will gain a full blown imp at level 3 from your archetype.
Just a heads up folks, I've decided that Barnabas is going to be going the sap adept/unarmed strike route.
Since we're declaring builds... I have to figure out how to turn Oswald into a lich. A witch-lich. Yesssh. :P
Witchy lichy.
DM you forgot Oswald's doll. That speaks too. Thankfully only to him.
The poppet has a great number of voices in it but they all pretend to be that of his daughter.
Oh, if only there were an archetype or prestige class that beautifully combined alchemist with bard... after rolling and playing Kaynen these months, they seem such a natural fit now. :)
I agree Kaynen, I like your character's style. It seems to work together quite well.
I will be leaving later today for a few days, meaning I will have no computer access until about Monday. I will give posting from my phone a try if I can connect to the internet, but even so, posts will be a bit on the brief side. Please DMPC Ethaniel as needed so as not to hold up the game.
We have extensive Liberation Day celebrations this weekend starting tomorrow so posting may go down.
Sounds good, thanks for the heads up F. Castor. I can DM-PC you for the last fight of this arc.
Aaand... I am back. :-)
Welcome back.. Still here.. Just super busy.
So it's been two months with no activity... the game just on hiatus or officially dead?
I was reminded of the good times and the crazy cast we were all tonight from another conversation...
Popped in for a hello and a stroll down memory lane!
Hello there! It was a fun ride indeed, I second that. :-)