Hmmm... from a metagame point of view, Markiv could summon his eidolon, give the enjoiner fragment to it, then dismiss it (and the fragment safely disappears with it)... although I'm not sure that'd work with a Synthesist, and I'm pretty sure Garidan doesn't know that much about Summoners... ;)
Equipment on the eidolon doesn't go with it when it's dismissed. I know there's no official confirmation on that or consensus in the community, but it's too easy to exploit otherwise.
That seems like a sensible ruling... and also means the bad guy isn't going to be pulling the same trick himself! :)
And now the show if officially on the road!
Confirming placements...
Auriel: downstairs, disguised as server
Calatin, Awgin, Garidan, Heward: Library guarding enjoiner
Markiv: Around the grounds outside
Laya: In the sculpture gallery
My apologies for my recent absence. I've been moving and it's been far crazier than anticipated. I should be back up and running normally in a few days.
travelling for a few days. I'll post if able. If I'm holding things up, feel free to DMPC me.
I hope I did the right thing with the server on the landing. Heward is very nervous about what the summoner can do. He doesn't want to be the guard who waves through the villain because he thought he was an innocent delivery boy.
Just realized Heward should get a Haversack.
Nazard, not to push, but I just noticed that Awgin and Calatin haven't had reason to post since last month. (One of the RL hazards of splitting the party in PbP. )
Heward will check on them as soon as Laya checks the maids.
Nazard, not to push, but I just noticed that Awgin and Calatin haven't had reason to post since last month. (One of the RL hazards of splitting the party in PbP. )
Heward will check on them as soon as Laya checks the maids.
I know, I know. I hate it too, but I'm torn between advancing things so they don't feel left out, and introducing NPCs which may or may not impact future events (for example, unless you somehow manage to shank him "accidentally" during this party, Lord Stafford will return in future cases as a recurring NPC, so I want him to have enough face time for you as players to care about him one way or the other). Of course, he's rich enough, so even if you do shank him, he'll probably still come back, just even more pissed off than he already is!:)
I am about finished with this little bit of exposition, however, and things will move on. (Hint, hint, things will hit the fan at precisely 20h02).
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Personally I'm still waiting for a DM response to Garidan's actions posted back on the 30th September. I'm guessing that there's nothing to detect with his detect magic but not being the DM I have no way of knowing that. So far Garidan's tried to detect magic in three different locations, and so far I have no idea if he detected something, detected nothing, failed to cast the spell, or his head detonated from the strain of it all... I also got no response when I had Garidan try to gauge the reactions of the shopkeeper to his words - again I guess it was a 'no reaction' response, but I have no way of knowing. I find not getting responses to stuff like this makes it especially difficult to keep going when it's an investigation-heavy game, and generally difficult in a PbP - do I just keep posting as if nothing happened, or do I wait silently for a DM response and do nothing in the mean time? What happens if (for example) it turns out later on that there was a long-term magical effect at one of the locations Garidan tried to detect magic, but go not DM response at? If the DM is our eyes and ears in the game world, then Garidan seems a little on the shortsighted and deaf side right now... ;)
... If I ever find out what happens with those spells then Garidan may well attempt to strike up conversation with Calatin to pass the time, but at the moment I guess he's in limbo awaiting that response...
Personally I'm still waiting for a DM response to Garidan's actions posted back on the 30th September. I'm guessing that there's nothing to detect with his detect magic but not being the DM I have no way of knowing that. So far Garidan's tried to detect magic in three different locations, and so far I have no idea if he detected something, detected nothing, failed to cast the spell, or his head detonated from the strain of it all... I also got no response when I had Garidan try to gauge the reactions of the shopkeeper to his words - again I guess it was a 'no reaction' response, but I have no way of knowing. I find not getting responses to stuff like this makes it especially difficult to keep going when it's an investigation-heavy game, and generally difficult in a PbP - do I just keep posting as if nothing happened, or do I wait silently for a DM response and do nothing in the mean time? What happens if (for example) it turns out later on that there was a long-term magical effect at one of the locations Garidan tried to detect magic, but go not DM response at? If the DM is our eyes and ears in the game world, then Garidan seems a little on the shortsighted and deaf side right now... ;)
... If I ever find out what happens with those spells then Garidan may well attempt to strike up conversation with Calatin to pass the time, but at the moment I guess he's in limbo awaiting that response...
Apologies. Yes, Garidan detects plenty of magic...all coming from the enjoiner fragment. I interpreted the actions to mean that he was using detect magic on a continuing basis to scan for invisibility auras, scrying sensors, etc. At the moment, the only magic is the enjoiner and whatever else you have on you.
Edit: check that, you do find one further aura. Stuffed inside a book about hunting on one of the shelfs is a scrap of parchement, obviously used as a place marker, which radiates magic. Arcane runes cover the page.
Personally I'm still waiting for a DM response ... do I just keep posting as if nothing happened, or do I wait silently for a DM response and do nothing in the mean time? ...
I generally try pinging the DM again. When I DM I find I sometimes miss posts like that, especially (but not always) if I knew there was nothing to find.
Personally I'm still waiting for a DM response ... do I just keep posting as if nothing happened, or do I wait silently for a DM response and do nothing in the mean time? ...I generally try pinging the DM again. When I DM I find I sometimes miss posts like that, especially (but not always) if I knew there was nothing to find.
Yeah, this was pretty much it for me. Usually all I need is a gentle reminder that there was in inquiry, or request if there was any reaction, something like that. It's especially true of posts with multiple actions, sometimes I miss one (not sure if that was the case with Garidan looking for a shop keeper's reaction or not - will go have a look in a bit).
+1. Should have put the enjoiner in that room. What kind of nobleman wouldn't trust a magical construct to guard his treasure more than a bunch of bumbling 1st-level characters?
Doh! That's good thinking.
What, with her +0 to hit sap with its d6 of nonlethal damage? :P
Couldn't resist the chance to try to foil his invisibility while she knew where he was; hope it's not the death of her. With luck, she'll be able to get away and hide somewhere, maybe follow the floury footprints later on.
What did Auriel do with the little "gift" from Mrs. Brigglespan?
Well, she had it with her (on character sheet) but it didn't seem like it would be something a caterer would be carrying so she would have had to leave it somewhere. I actually thought about it when she was getting disguised but didn't bring it up, so we'll roll to see whether she hid it in/around the kitchen for quick access or left it upstairs with the others so as not to be accidentally found by the staff. 1 is downstairs; 2 is upstairs.
Well, looks like she will be leading him right to the rest of you, assuming she survives that long.
Perfect. That's the plan, get him to where we can all gang up on him.
My question is what stopped slithering Jake?
Distance from the Summoner?
Technically, I don't believe anyone can see the summoner at this point, just the floating table and protruding earth elemental limbs. The table is getting closer all the time as it comes up the stairs, I presume. We're not in rounds yet; just let the DM know you want to do something when such-and-such gets in whatever range.
Distance from the Summoner?
Does an eidolon have a max separation from the summoner? I haven't read the summoner rules so I have no clue. Back at 'nuffin's jewelry I figured Mikobar was long gone when we confronted the snake. It kills me that we might have had a chance at catching him if we'd just followed Awgin's lead. Of course the store would have landed on the good people of lowcleft....
Distance from the Summoner?Does an eidolon have a max separation from the summoner? I haven't read the summoner rules so I have no clue. Back at 'nuffin's jewelry I figured Mikobar was long gone when we confronted the snake. It kills me that we might have had a chance at catching him if we'd just followed Awgin's lead. Of course the store would have landed on the good people of lowcleft....
Yes, but it's a good distance, as I recall. Won't look it up at the moment to avoid metagaming, but Calatin or Markiv could probably tell you.
Welcom back , Prof!
Nazard, in your combat stats, you've still got Heward at -2, from the last encounter with the elementals, I presume.
I thought Nazard was counting down. Heward was healed to 10/12 after the first elemental fight. I should have checked him and topped him off before this fracas.
Joana, I took the liberty of cruising your character sheet to see if I came up with anything. If we can find Mikobar, hideous laughter could tie him up for a round or two. Probably not worth casting on the snake.
I thought Nazard was counting down. Heward was healed to 10/12 after the first elemental fight. I should have checked him and topped him off before this fracas.
Did you get back your 1 HP for resting overnight?
Joana, I took the liberty of cruising your character sheet to see if I came up with anything. If we can find Mikobar, hideous laughter could tie him up for a round or two. Probably not worth casting on the snake.
Yeah, that's pretty much all I've got, but I need a visible target to cast. Even then, even if he fails his save, all it does is shut him down for one round; without anyone else on this side of the door to help her, it's pretty useless, especially since the snake can kill her in one blow even while the summoner is laughing.
Based on nothing other than seeing them in play, summoners seem insanely overpowered to me at low levels. I've never seen a PC summoner/eidolon that couldn't solo 1st or 2nd level encounters, and this guy is consistenly eating our lunch.
How is he having the elementals and the eidolon summoned at once, though? I thought summoners couldn't summon monster at the same time they have their eidolon out, unless it's some sort of wand or scroll.
How is he having the elementals and the eidolon summoned at once, though? I thought summoners couldn't summon monster at the same time they have their eidolon out, unless it's some sort of wand or scroll.
If I remember correctly, they can't use their special ability version of summon monster at the same time they have their eidolon out. However, they can still cast the spell from their daily spell allotment as normal.
How is he having the elementals and the eidolon summoned at once, though? I thought summoners couldn't summon monster at the same time they have their eidolon out, unless it's some sort of wand or scroll.If I remember correctly, they can't use their special ability version of summon monster at the same time they have their eidolon out. However, they can still cast the spell from their daily spell allotment as normal.
But there's no summoning spells on the summoner spell list (except summon eidolon), which seems odd in itself, unless they're meant to rely on the SLA. Or do they get access to arcane spells apart from their spell list? I've really never looked at the summoner mechanics.
EDIT: Ah, yes, they do. I was just looking at the summoner spell list in the APG, not the summoner class description. Thought it didn't look like very many spells for a full caster class. I just remembered all the hue and cry during the playtest over not being able to have an eidolon and summoning SLAs out at once.
I've committed myself by now, so even if I'm wrong, we're stuck with it, but my understanding is that the summoner can have both if he gets the eidolon with the summon eidolon spell. Of course, it only lasts one minute per level then. I think I remember reading a post at some point which suggested this reasoning.
Of course, had UC come out before I'd introduced the villain, I would have made him a master summoner, but then the snake wouldn't have been as scary.
Oh, and Heward should be at full strength and full hit points.
You'll need every hit point in this fight.
I won't turn the HP down. Thanks..
Joana, I know. We've got to piss him off enough to get him to reveal himself.
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Based on nothing other than seeing them in play, summoners seem insanely overpowered to me at low levels. I've never seen a PC summoner/eidolon that couldn't solo 1st or 2nd level encounters, and this guy is consistenly eating our lunch.
To be fair, this Summoner is at least 5th level, so I imagine he'd be taking us to the proverbial woodshed no matter what class he happened to be. Imagine if he were a Wizard instead: one fireball and it's new characters all round...
That said, yes, Summoners are probably the most powerful class in the game, IMHO (although the full casters may overtake them at very high level when they get the 'play with reality' spells).
But as far as this game goes, I think we need to assume that taking the guy in straight combat was never the base goal of the adventure - considering the level difference, the fact that the PCs aren't really combat-focused, and the additional limitations placed on the team by external events (for example, I'm assuming carpet-bombing rooms in the mansion with alchemist's fire is probably right out as an option...) I'd say that simply surviving the combat is our best hope, so we can continue the investigation (then coup-de-grace the guy when we catch him sleeping... ;) ).
Now, if our own Summoner would just call up something with the Scent ability so we could find the sneaky bad guy, then that'd help even the odds a bit (even though, technically, the bad guy will be a better melee fighter than even our front-line melee guys).
So much for our summoner doing anything.
I'm beginning to think sending the enjoiner fragment off with Calatin's familiar is our best play. Then we can set up a proper ambush later.
So much for our summoner doing anything.
I'm beginning to think sending the enjoiner fragment off with Calatin's familiar is our best play. Then we can set up a proper ambush later.
You mean the survivors can. Garidan's down, and Markiv's as good as. I don't think telling him the fragment's not there any longer is going to make him call off his summonees and go away without killing us.
Protection from arrows? Guess it doesn't matter that she can't get to the crossbow, then.
Protection from arrows? Guess it doesn't matter that she can't get to the crossbow, then.
Yeah, if only protection from arrows was negated by magical weapons...
Protection from arrows? Guess it doesn't matter that she can't get to the crossbow, then.Yeah, if only protection from arrows was negated by magical weapons...
Ah: DR 10/magic. Moot point anyway, since she has to get past an electric snake, a floating orange barbarian, and two rock monsters to get to the crossbow.
It just goes to show that, no matter how carefully you set up a dramatic story line (picking the one PC who would likely have the least else to do, giving her the best reason to be craving revenge on the BBEG, knowing the situation that would likely arise when it came time to engage the enemy, making sure that PC had the only means by which to hurt the BBEG in any appreciable way so that in the end she can have the satisfaction of putting crossbow bolts in his miserable hide), you can always trust a player to screw it up for you, or in this case, leave their crossbow upstairs.
Hey, blame the d2. :)
Well, it just means somebody else close to the crossbow can use it instead. Where exactly did she leave it?
I'm still annoyed that I forgot to rearrange Laya's prepared spells for the day, as I probably would have prepared magic weapon. Sigh. :)
Well, it just means somebody else close to the crossbow can use it instead. Where exactly did she leave it?
In the library with the others. Past the earth elementals. :)
Well, it just means somebody else close to the crossbow can use it instead. Where exactly did she leave it?In the library with the others. Past the earth elementals. :)
Exactly!
Of course, it would be even better if somebody big (like Awgin) were to come out and just lay the smack down on him. :)