Solniss Darkholme's page

1d20 ⇒ 19

1d6 ⇒ 3

I could use some healing, especially if we're losing another player. I'll take mid-watch, because my eight hours of sleep can be interrupted with no major issues as long as I get a total of 8. So how many watches do we need, assuming we can take a 10 hour rest (I think that would provide enough time for everyone to recover whatever daily resources they need)?

And another week rolls by...

Agreed.

A successful conclusion to this venture is looking highly unlikely at this juncture. Since I'd rather not risk travelling back to the Wovirl encampment at night, pitching camp across from the smithy sounds reasonable. As long as the spirit stays inside the smithy, we only have to worry about the planes-walking beasties, which while difficult to harm (with their DR) at least CAN be harmed by all of us. But Solniss is in favor of a successful venture, so she will support any ideas that seem to have a reasonable chance of success here.

Taking 13 damage for walking through a door is no kind of fun, though. Next time, I keep waiting for last. :D

Gotcha. I noticed I hadn't missed much during my time away, and wanted to make sure that I wasn't the one holding up the game.

So....hiatus, then?

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (7) + 13 = 20

Solniss recovers from the force of the blow, checking herself over to confirm that no flames cover her body as she draws her wakizashis and focuses on the smithy's entrance, preparing for battle. "These spirits seem to delight in mockery. As we seem to have no way to help the primary spirit that dwells here - assuming that it even wishes our help, which is a great assumption at this point - I see no point in remaining and facing an enemy against which we have little to no defense."

Best wishes, Laele. Hope to have you in a game again some time.

I am heading out of town for the rest of the week tomorrow morning. I should have internet access, which means that posting should not be interrupted, but if something happens in-story and I don't respond within twenty-four hours or so, please feel free to DMPC Solniss.

Solniss follows the cleric and the inquisitor into the forge, studying the entire area around them.

Perception to examine the area: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (11) + 13 = 24

I was thinking that if the DM allowed it, I would pick up ranks in Craft (Weapons) at level 8, or possibly even reallocate a couple of points here at level 7 into the skill to reflect any education the spirit was willing to provide. Otherwise, I'll be glad to offer a hand to whoever actually does the crafting.

Solniss studies the interior of the smithy from the doorway while assessing the situation. "I do not possess the skills needed to craft weaponry," she says slowly, considering her words carefully. "But in the absence of any others in our group with the skill, if the spirit is willing to teach, I am willing to learn. A warrior should know her weapons, and what better way to know them than to craft them herself?"

Solniss looks at the cleric, considering her statement. "Fighting is ALWAYS an option, even when the odds are high," she replies, but she sheathes her wakizashi any way. "But, this is far beyond my own experience, so I will assume that you know what you are doing and follow you accordingly. At least, unless and until circumstances prove otherwise."

"Sure. 'Hey, sorry we barged in like this and knocked down your door, but can we be friends?'" Solniss can't resist a worried chuckle as she responds with sarcasm. "Though I have no better ideas at the moment, and after our trip through the forest, NOT having to fight a spirit that we know little about sounds much more appealing than trying to dispatch something we're not even sure can be dispatched." Solniss grips her weapons more tightly, but leaves them lowered in what she hopes is a non-threatening posture.

I'm going in once those with knowledge about such things (pretty much any of the magic users) say the door is clear and they open it to prove it. :)

Camping AND excitement, what a weekend! :)

Glad you guys made it back safely.

"We've come all this way already, and I understand the Wovirl are not fond of agents who waste their time. I say we head in." With that, Solniss draws her wakizashi and steps toward the entrance, keeping out of direct line of sight of the massive doors.

Not I, unfortunately. Wasn't much call for it in my line of work.

How tall is the building, and are there any alternate routes in, such as windows? I'd prefer to go in by an alternate route (ANY alternate route) if at all possible. Sure, it might not make a difference to a spirit, but if there is anything ELSE here, not using the front door might provide us with an advantage. I have a grappling hook (and grappling arrows) and a rope to scale the wall and to provide assistance for anyone else that wishes to use an alternate route in. I'd like to use my original Perception check result as it essentially encompassed studying the entire area around us. In case I can't use it:

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (1) + 13 = 14

Ah, such an auspicious beginning...*disparaging sarcasm*

Not having any idea what's inside, I think camping where we are is our best choice. But I'll go with the majority opinion.

Can we get a more elaborate description of the area? Are there any trees or piles of rubble here, or is the building in the middle of a clearing? Basically, is there anything I can climb to try to get a better look at the building before we actually approach it?

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30

Considering the trouble we've had in the forest, I highly doubt the forge is going to be any safer. However, since I figure we have as much chance of running into more bad things on our way back, and would prefer to avoid going through all of this again, I say we head on to the spirit forge.

Solniss will remain within about 20 feet of the next-to-last person in line, again taking up the rear.

Perception, taking 10: 23
Stealth, taking 10: 31
Survival, taking 10: 11

Resheathing her wakizashis and once more drawing and nocking her bow, Solniss remains close to the group as they prepare to move out again. "Considering how 'reasonable' our encounters have been so far, I would not hold out too much hope," she remarks grimly. "But hope springs eternal, or so I have been told, so it may yet prove negotiable."

Since charging is a full-round action, Solniss will draw her wakizashis as she double-moves to within 10 feet of the last person in line, setting up for an attack next turn. Does this put her within 30 feet of a wasp?

Perception roll, if needed: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (2) + 13 = 15

Sadly, I know exactly how that feels. :(

At the first shouts of pain and surprise, Solniss moves toward the group. Spotting the insects attacking the others, she looses one arrow before slinging her bow across her back and drawing her wakizashis.

This leaves her within 70 feet of the last person in line, just within the bow's range. Hopefully, she'll be able to move and charge into one of the insects on her next turn.

Move action - move up 30 feet.
Standard action - fire at the closest insect.
Swift action - sling the bow across her back. Her wakizashis will be drawn as part of her next move action.

Attack w/o precise shot
Compound Shortbow +2 1d20 + 12 - 4 ⇒ (1) + 12 - 4 = 9
Damage 1d6 + 2 + 4d6 ⇒ (4) + 2 + (6, 5, 6, 3) = 26

So much for sneak attack damage.

From the description, it sounds like we're facing 11 wasps that zoomed up on us from a significant distance with little or no warning. Solniss is about a hundred feet behind the next person in line, and since she wasn't attacked, I assume that the creatures didn't detect her due to her stealthy movement and separation from the group, is that correct?

Did they attack from above, or swarm us from a specific direction? What is the terrain like in our immediate area, is there a lot of cover that we need to worry about if we attempt to attack at range?

It has been added to my alias.

Solniss nods to Yasaen, Monty and Brang'el as the group sets off. "It's a pleasure to meet you all," she says, nocking the arrow in her shortbow and studying the trail behind the group as they set off. "Let us hope that we all prove more survivable than our unfortunate teammate."

While the Wovirl does not require you to send back loot, you wont be able to carry it all. Selling loot to anyone else will be risky at best and deadly at worst. The nearest settlement is a all elf village, so is the second one, and the third one is at least a week's travel if you know where your going. Now when it comes to party member's and loot my advice would be to ask yourself if the "juice is worth the squeeze", that and who are you to claim all the loot when we all killed it. ;)

The reason for the ring gate is to allow you to send back daily reports as well as have access to the quartermaster. This way you dont have to keep returning to the base, get overloaded, or miss out on loot due to lack of room. In case anyone is unclear on that.

P.S. All merchants will normally buy loot at 50%, its a rule.

That part I understand, and appreciate. But Brixana mentioned "If anyone wants something for themselves permanently, they could buy it at 50% market from the party or something like that.", which confused me. Why would someone need to pay anything for an item that was looted?

Just to clarify, I have no problem with shipping stuff back through the ring gate and dividing everything up at the conclusion, or at least at a suitable lull, in our mission. I'm just trying to confirm all the particulars. I do apologize if I'm derailing things.

I definitely think it's a good idea to keep the haversack, especially if not everyone has one. I don't recall the Wovirl mentioning anything about requiring us to send any loot we find back to them unless we wanted them to buy it from us, so I don't understand why we would need to pay half or request a loan for a looted item that we want to keep. Especially since the Wovirl is a drow organization, and "sharing" is not exactly a common practice among them. Did I miss something somewhere?

I apologize if my ignorance is on display here, I'm just trying to get a feel for the whole situation.

Why not have the Wovirl hold anything we send back in a basic trust for us? Then we can split up the gold after we return, and after we've gelled as a combat unit/adventuring group? Even if we don't yet trust each other, we pretty much have to trust the Wovirl.

After all, unless Brixana can perform an on-the-spot resurrection, we'd have to go back to them any way for the supplies, wouldn't we?

Probably ought to add the masterwork katana and 49 shuriken (47 + 1 w/ drow poison + 1 w/ deathblade poison) that Solniss took as well, unless you want to consider them too low-cost to worry about.

It certainly sounds logical to me. Any "remainders" from equal distribution of gold (such as dividing 705 gold among eight "party members" will leave some remainders) should probably also go into that fund.

Solniss nods agreement before answering. "We have seen how brutal the opposition out here is. I have every intention of surviving this mission, and little interest in adding to my enemies list. Your tactics are sound, and your argument is logical." Solniss watches the others gather their gear and prepares to follow in trail with them.

After Brang'el speaks, Solniss nods and removes her haversack, then removes the cloak and hands it over. "Of course," she says, shrugging back into the straps of the haversack and checking the distribution of its weight. "Might I have your name, friend?"

"I believe Brixana mentioned an interest in his belt," Solniss replies, affixing the cloak about her neck.

Gathering the remaining recovered equipment and gold, she puts the majority of the shuriken into her handy haversack and straps the katana across it, leaving it accessible if necessary but out of the way. Drawing her compound shortbow and an arrow from the quiver on her waist, she turns to the others. "I will maintain a rearguard. These are obviously dangerous lands, and I do not wish to be surprised. We have seen what happens when due diligence is not paid," she adds, looking meaningfully at the pile of bones that was formerly a traveling companion.

Solniss will leave about 100 feet between herself and the next person in line, and will maintain a stealthy rearguard.

Perception Check, taking 10: 23
Stealth Check, taking 10: 31

Solniss examines the weapons closely. "A katana and shuriken? Interesting choices, unusual for our people. If no one has objections, I shall take those. And the cloak could prove useful, though I will defer to those of his fellows who were with him when he died and would therefore have prior claim."

Examining the area for a suitable burial plot, she adds, "We should ensure the Wovirl insignia is returned at our mission's conclusion. Allowing one of those to fall into the hands of the elves for study could prove disastrous."

I'd like to get a look at the area, just to see what all is there.

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (18) + 13 = 31

Solniss sheaths her twin wakizashi, taking a moment to study the area around the group, checking for nearby enemies or curious onlookers before looking dispassionately at the fallen elf. "I'm Solniss," she states in Common, with a business-like tone. "Apologies for our tardiness, the directions we were given were accurate, but incomplete." She looks more closely at the corpse on the ground. "Was he a companion? If so, we should probably return him to the camp. If we cannot raise him, then we can at least prevent the elves from discovering him and his amulet.

Can I get some clarification on whether the amulet continues to work once we're dead? Or does the corpse revert back to a drow? Also, how long does the transformation last? I see it can be cast once a day, so presumably it requires time to recharge. Thanks!

Okay, no worries. I had forgotten about it any way, so I'll add it to the next attack. :)

I also forgot the 1 STR damage that my Pressure Points ninja trick caused for each hit that dealt Sneak Attack damage, so the creature should be down 2 STR as well from my attack.

Watching the creature mutilate multiple copies of the magus, Solniss strikes quickly while the creature's back is turned.

First attack, invisible + flanking: 1d20 + 11 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 11 + 2 + 2 = 21
Second attack, flanking: 1d20 + 11 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 11 + 2 = 25

First attack damage: 1d6 + 2 + 4d6 ⇒ (1) + 2 + (1, 2, 6, 5) = 17
Second attack damage: 1d6 + 1 + 4d6 ⇒ (2) + 1 + (6, 6, 2, 3) = 20

My understanding is that Solniss is now flanking across from Brang'el, and has just struck from invisibility allowing her to flank for him. I do not believe that Brixana's Bless would affect her since she was invisible, but if it does, then she gains +1 to both attacks.

Much obliged, thank you. Will work harder on my reading comprehension from now on.

I guess I missed the fact that it was daylight. If I can't go ahead and use the amulet now, I will do it at the conclusion of the encounter, assuming I survive. If I can still use it, since I haven't attacked yet, I'd like to go ahead and use it.

Solniss watches the area around them as they approach the location their guide provided, each hand gripping a wakizashi confidently. The sounds of battle prompt her to slow, focus her ki and disappear as they come within sight of the battle. As Laele slows and fires upon the beast, Solniss moves to put the beast immediately between herself and the drider-like being that just burst from the webbing.

Initiative: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
Stealth (with Vanishing Trick): 1d20 + 21 + 20 ⇒ (3) + 21 + 20 = 44

Solniss is going to take this round to study the fight and move into flanking position for Brang'el, revealing herself on her first strike next turn. Her weapons would have been drawn at the first sound of battle, and she will attempt to move up to the creature with her move action, swapping her standard for another move if necessary.

Also, she has not yet used the Worvil amulet's ability.

Sent the new PC's a PM. Solniss please get your sheet up on your alias as soon as you can.

Welcome to the game ;)

Edit-Solniss I just noticed you worship a LG goddess of the sun, honor, and swordplay. All I can say is whaaat!?

Yeah, I just noticed that too. Sorry, another holdover from the build I used as inspiration. I think Fenmarel Mestarine, Chaotic Neutral elven god of outcasts and isolation - which looks to be from Forgotten Realms - makes a bit more sense. Would he be acceptable?