It doesn't look like anyone's still badly injured, so probably just recover the rest of 19 Gozran. Spellcasters will regain their spells overnight so we can go out the next morning.
Agreeing with what Rutter said.
Apparently, I'll just see all the questions after they've been answered and then nod. ;)
*nods*
Please note I'll be away from Friday to Wednesday, with little chances for posting. Bot me if needed.
Regarding Felgar's questions: From what I remember, there was no other way to get in. No windows, too high to climb, and probably nothing on the roof anyway. There might have been a large carriage/garage door, but it seems like that would be a conspicuous way to sneak in. Apparently, they never received any shipments of food or supplies besides the doctors and Grey Maidens bringing in the sick. It all felt a bit railroady, which is why I think we all get pretty quiet when the subject comes up.
So, frontal assault it is? Can we use the eversmoking bottle or any silence spells to help us get past the first two (or more) Grey Maidens without alerting the whole hospital?
Neva will replace lesser restoration with silence. Good idea, I should have thought of that.
Yes, it is a weird type of Railroad. It reads and is presented as fairly sandbox, but all through it there are things like, "they should be x level before dealing with this" Sadly, every time you guys were like, "the Hospice is fishy", I had to lead you off to find a clue, that would help you suspect the hospice you already suspected, because you weren't ready for the hospice yet. Same thing happened with the sunken ship. You guys jumped right on that clue, and I had to redirect you.
Just rechecked to be certain. No alternate ingress/egress routes except for the front door, and the three shipping/warehouse doors around back. Not a single window, even on the upper stories.
EDIT: Regardless of plan, you guys will be executing it on the 21st, having spent the 20th at Rolth's and in the sewers?
Sounds right, Aard.
And Rutter, I'm hurt you think I'm Felgar. =(
All dwarves look the same. :=)
Yes, the 21st.
Lol. Sorry, Raliscar.
Waitasec. Did Rutter become a wererat?! That didn't even occur to me when it happened. I'll have to read up tomorrow if this'll make Rutter more useful or useless.
Could be useful if Rutter can ever make his Will save to know he has it.
Maybe next month...the Blossom Moon of Desnus.
I was hoping the full moon would last a couple days.
Incidentally, Neva, take 400gp from Rutter as a downpayment for the boots. I'll keep track of installments in Rutter's profile.
As for the Hospice assault, nobody's voiced any preference for the day/night assault. I would guess we'd go for a night assault, unless someone wants to infiltrate during the day.
If there is another full moon tonight, it would be interesting if Rutter went in, thinking to hit the guards from behind while the rest of you came in the front. Things would work out quite differently, though. Considering Rutter's a bit suspicious of the party right now, it wouldn't be out of character if he volunteered to go in solo.
Didn't think of two nights of full moon. That could be interesting.
If Rutter did check himself in tonight, there'd need to be a reason the party doesn't kill the dire rat in the Hospice when they find him. Unless it'll just make sense for the rat to run off after he draws the attention of the Maidens from the waiting room.
Sadly, he might infect a number of folk as he does it.
He wouldn't infect them with lycanthropy, only a natural one can pass it on.
I think technically, a full moon is a three day event. Considering what lycanthropy can do to a PC, I just went with the one night. It doesn't change the fact that he may go through stress transformations by not being able to control it. A side effect of being an infected lycanthrope.
Okay Nik'olo, sorry for the long delay, but you are present in the story now.
Damn. I guess Rutter will stay useless for another month in game. Hope we remember he has it when it's time to roll again (next year or so in real time).
Should I go ahead and apply the "+2 Wis, –2 Cha in all forms"?
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Yes, Rutter, go ahead and apply the "all forms" change.
Whether Rutter is aware of it or not, he still gets all the listed abilities, except for the knowledge that he can use them, per se. So, you can't choose to change form, until you know you can, but you do still gain scent and low-light and the Wis/Chr changes. You are aware that "There's something happening here, what it is ain't exactly clear".
Aardvark, are you sure Rutter gets scent and low-light in humanoid form? I read that as just in hybrid and animal forms.
Players, as for our plans:
I pretty much dismissed the carriage door, thinking the size might make entry much more noticeable or noisy. But we can listen at that door and see if we hear anything on the other side, since we know there's likely guards in the waiting room.
We'll listen to both doors, though. Maybe the guards in the waiting room was only that one night.
If there are guards, can the Eversmoking Bottle help us in any way?
Otherwise, it doesn't sound like there are any ideas besides a full frontal (or carriage door) attack, so... characters go to the Hospice this night in game-time?
I agree that our approach looks like it's pretty much gotta be some kind of kick-in-the-door escapade. Honestly though, I'm a little surprised that's the only really viable approach. If there's another alternative to just strolling in all obvious like, I feel like a dummy for not seeing it this whole time.
There is a map up in the map link. It isn't a carriage door per se. There are three larger doors, like warehouse doors, big double barn style.
Rutter, here's how I read it:
Special Attacks: A lycanthrope retains all the special attacks, qualities, and abilities of the base creature. In hybrid or animal form it gains the special attacks, qualities, and abilities of the base animal. A lycanthrope also gains low-light vision, scent, and the following:
First line establishes the base. Then adds what is gained while in other forms. Then establishes what else is gained overall. By the special abilities that follow, they mention whether it is possessed in either animal or hybrid, natural or afflicted. As does most of the rest of the abilities. Low-light and scent do not make that distinction.
For what it's worth, I parsed it the same way, Aard.
I wasn't here for the original contact, so Vyshael's working on the second-hand information.
Still, from all I've heard, it very much sounds like we're needing to raid -- though I do think we can probably take out the external guards relatively quietly using some concealment magic -- the issue is what happens once we step inside.
I can't help but wonder if there'd be a way to get their attention turned toward one door and sneak in the other. Incite a small riot outside, maybe?
I'll make the changes to Rutter this evening or so.
Either during Rutter's initial scouting of the Hospice, or he can do this before nightfall, can you verify whether the big doors were loud to open?
Please note that I'll be away starting tomorrow and returning Wednesday. I will likely be unable to post regularly. Please bot me as needed.
Rutter is unable to tell whether the doors are noisy or not, as they were not opened at all during his scouting.
1) I'm traveling this week, so may be slow to post until Saturday.
2) It looks like we'll have to use some silence, smoke and hold person to rush the front. Shall we press ahead?
Hi guys,
I’ve decided to retire from PbP gaming and will move away from the boards over the next few days. I started PbP in 2008. Over those years, I’ve met and played with amazing GMs and players. I’m grateful for all the things I’ve learned playing with them.
I’m sorry for the disruptions my sudden leaving causes.
Happy gaming,
DW
(This message is posted in all my current games.)
Well, that was shortlived. ;)
Sorry to see you go, Warforged.
Do we smell bad? Oh, right, we do. Or at least Rutter does.
Thanks for the notice, DW. Sorry we didn't get to kill anything together.
Sorry to see you go, DW, but I thank you for letting me know.
Best wishes, Dreaming Warforged. Thanks for letting us know.
Rutter lycanthrope mods:
Wis +2
Cha -2
Low-light vision
Scent
Needs to pass DC 20 Wis check to gain control of change shape ability and awareness.
Change Shape (Su) An afflicted lycanthrope can assume animal or hybrid form as a full-round action by making a DC 15 Constitution check, or humanoid form as a full-round action by making a DC 20 Constitution check. On nights when the full moon is visible, an afflicted lycanthrope gains a +5 morale bonus to Constitution checks made to assume animal or hybrid form, but a –5 penalty to Constitution checks made to assume humanoid form. An afflicted lycanthrope reverts to its humanoid form automatically with the next sunrise, or after 8 hours of rest, whichever comes first.
Lycanthropic Empathy (Ex) In animal or hybrid form, afflicted lycanthropes can communicate and empathize with animals related to their animal form. They can use Diplomacy to alter such an animal's attitude, and when so doing gain a +4 racial bonus on the check.
In hybrid or dire rat form:
+2 Str
+2 Con
Natural armor +2
DR 5/silver
Bite attack 1d4
In dire rat form:
Speed 40
Have you guys settled on a plan?
1) Buff nearby
2) Cast Silence on a pebble,
3) Rush the front door and subdue the entry under cover of silence.
I'll post this action tomorrow unless someone stops me. I will. Don't think that I won't! :-)
Let Rutter listen at both sets of doors, first. If either is silent, then we'll try that entryway.
I think Neva's plan is about as good as we've come up with -- though I was wondering if we were holding to replace Warforged?
Ok, Rutter. I like your idea. Why don't you post IC and we'll follow from that. I'll start looking at everyone's profiles to figure out which buffs go where.
Rutter's replenishing his 1 alchemist's fire from the party stash. I think we got a bunch from those wererats. Who's carrying the eversmoking bottle?
I don't have it - I don't even recall it. =P Was that something you guys came across before I came along?
We picked it up somewhere. Not sure how we'll use it, so I wasn't sure who'd be in the best position to employ (deploy?) it.
I don't recall it either, so I'm thinking so.
Sorry I've been out of the loop. Incredibly busy with other stuff going on as well.
I'm ready to go. I'm going to be on vacation starting next week, so can post properly.
On a mostly, completely unrelated note, I went looking back for any houserules I discussed when I first took over/started 2nd book. I had introduced the +/- 10 rule HERE and had gotten the okay.
That said, I have houserules that I use for my other two campaigns, and would like to introduce them (mainly for my own consistency). Some may give your characters more (like free Weapon Finesse or an extra skill point each level). Others may not be well recieved.
I will post them here (and already know that both Neva and Raliscar mostly accept and play under them in both my other campaigns).
1) A nat 1 on a skill check gives an additional -10 to the roll.
2) A nat 20 on a skill check gives an additional +10 to the roll.
3) The take 10/20 mechanic has been removed.
4) Weapon Finesse is a free feat for all (treat it as a quality of a finesse weapon).
5) Leadership is a free feat at level 9, but cohorts will be recruited out of the NPC's met within the game, based on character interactions. They will be controlled in combat by the player, but they will be RP'd by the GM.
6) All PC's get an extra skill point each level in either a craft, perform, or profession.
7) Group stealth, when sneaking as a group, the stealth total is the average of all those sneaking.
8) Aiding the best, when aiding another on skills or ability checks the highest roll is the base, all others are aiding.
9) Crafting Magic Items is only a single feat, and what you can craft is based only being the appropriate level to attain the feat of the item type being crafted
10) All magic items have a chance of being either Cursed or Intelligent
Weapons:
1-5% means it's Intelligent
6-25% means it sheds light
96-00% means it is cursed
Armor, Shields, Rings, Rods, and (non-consumable) Wondrous Items:
01% means it's Intelligent
96-00% means it is cursed
All others (including consumables):
96-00% means it is cursed (consumables cannot get a result over 60 on the curse results chart)
When crafting, a Nat 1, will make a cursed item (as well as if you fail making an item by 5 or more). Every item can be cursed.
For Intelligence, first is a Nat 20 on the Skill check when crafting:
if it's a weapon, rolling 17-20 on a second d20 means it's Intelligent
if it's an Armor, Shield, Ring, Rod, or (non-consumable) Wondrous Item, rolling a 20 on a second d20 means it's Intelligent.
No items other than weapons, armor, shields, rings, rods, or (non-consumable) wondrous items can be intelligent.
Intelligent items will be within one alignment step of their crafter.
- Common monsters (base DC 5) include things like PC races, low-level/frequent problem humanoids (gobs, orcs, ogres, etc..), and widely discussed popular mythos monsters (werewolves, vampires, dragons, giants, etc..).
- The few monsters that are rare (base DC 15) are the very unusual off-the-wall oddities.
The results of the checks (in order of known based on base DC and each 5 pts over the DC) will usually be:
Base DC - Name, type, subtype, and what that means (knowing even the lowest devil means you know the traits that all devils share)
+5 - Usually the most common attack/defense/power they use (which would be easier to find in tomes of lore).
+10 - Common special defenses (DR/type, SR, Immunities/Vulnerabilities, etc..)
+15 - Special powers/abilities they use/have less often, or special case effects.
+20 - Pretty much just read the monster entry, you great big know-it-all, just take the book and read it smarty-pants. (that is, only after I've declared it as passing the DC by 20).
Please let me know what you think, and if any of them are definite deal-breakers. I've been meaning to update the campaign tab for some time now.
Oh, also, Rutter or Vyshael, would either of you like to join either my Hell's Rebels or Mummy's Mask game (just realized Neva isn't in my Mummy's Mask meaning you are also invited).
I basically have a 5th slot I would like occupied in each game (due to a player leaving the Mummy's Mask and an inactive player in the Hell's Rebels).
Bear in mind, my posting rate is pretty much the same in each of my games, so if that's a sticking point for you I understand.
I'd be interested in Hell's Rebels.