Aubrey's Eberron campaign. (Inactive)

Game Master Aubrey the Malformed

"I notice you used the word surgery there. Does this proposed cure involve cutting into his head with your giant claw machine?"

Unlikely.

"Another thing. Gelb has been rousing the rabble. This has to stop." Janosz` voice is low and tight. His monologue has a absurdist quality to it, as he is addressing the mind flayer by talking to Gelb about Gelb, but he doesn`t seem to care. "Nothing would make me happier than showing him the error of his ways myself, but an argument can probably be made for following the chain of command. This time."

"Rolund! Control yourself! You only lend credence to its claims with this..." he vaguely gestures the surging arcane energy coalescing around Rolund's arm. "Discharge it on Gelb if you have to. It is far less than he deserves."

Gil continues to concentrate.

"Aye; Gelb is out of control."

Well, that is my offer. Do you wish to avail yourself of my services?

Rolund gets a Will save.

Will save: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (13) + 13 = 26.

"I'll need to see this for myself before we agree to anything." The mage chants through a short formula and his eyes transition from dark to bright blue, to radiating an ice-blue light.

Someone make a Sense Motive check vs his claim that he is likely the only one able to remove it. Gil can cast break enchantment herself after all.
A few spellcraft checks to examine various auras:
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (13) + 21 = 34 Rolund's compulsion
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (17) + 21 = 38 Squidly's power level (I don't know if that will work at all, but AS can determine the strength of the most powerful spell or spell like ability a creatures has currently available to use. Psionics have a spell level equivalency so I thought it might work. (the category of "power" is vague like detect magic.)
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (6) + 21 = 27 Any other random things that might pop up.
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (3) + 21 = 24
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (2) + 21 = 23

Ezreal:

Rod:

Ezreal examines Rolund's aura in depth for some time then grunts and shakes his head. He turns back to face the illithid and something passes between them before the mage says, "On the condition that you only examine the shards, we accept your offer. Any entities within those shards may be observed only and are not potential meals for you." He pauses for a second, "The Khyber shard... we might be willing to consider but the deal is one curse breaking in exchange for examination of the shards recovered."

Squidoo

Of course. That is all I ask.

Anything else?

Gil:

"So, shards first, then. Lose the hex, Rolund, and let`s get going."

.
.
.

"Any more s!~$ from you, Gelb, and you`re a dead man. Woman. Whatever."

"I...I...I won't," Rolund snarls in frustration. "You'll have to kill me first before I submit."

You submitted to the process which gave you this compulsion. It seems somewhat foolish to refuse to submit to the cure. But I'm getting the impression that such contrariness is part of your nature. Most interesting - I never cease to be fascinated with how much behaviour by supposedly sentient beings is driven by self-destructive urges. I was created in the flesh vats of Xoriat yet the Daelkyr are almost sensible compared to a typical human.

Talking of Gelb -I'd like him to accompany you on your trip to see Gath.

"B@@&!@!@. All we have to do is knock you unconscious. Now don`t be a total a&+*~@$ and get with the program."

"Then try it."

Gil lets the concentration drop and rubs her temples. "Rolund is truly contrariness wrapped in formidable armor. He derives strength from it."

"This is the curse talking, Rolund." Janosz adopts a more conciliatory tone. "Consider this - you are so obviously f#~@ed up that I`m actually arguing with you on behalf of a brain-eating abomination of Xoriat. For once, be a bit reasonable and accept some help."

Nevharath remains silent on the issue, knowing the Karrn might prove even more contrary to the words of the Kalashtar newcomer.

"I...cannot...let...you," Rolund struggles with each word before resignation sets it. Suddenly, his blade cuts through the air to strike at the Shadow Marcher while his other hand, balefully glowing from the mark, attempts to strike Farlowe.

Full round action: Two-weapon attack against Frogshanks and Farlowe.
Attack #1 (-4 two-weapon fighting, -4 nonlethal): 1d20 + 14 - 8 ⇒ (19) + 14 - 8 = 25. Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12 nonlethal plus 1 bleed damage(?).
Attack #2 (-4 two-weapon fighting, -4 nonlethal): 1d20 + 9 - 8 ⇒ (6) + 9 - 8 = 7. Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 nonlethal plus 1 bleed damage(?).
Attack #3 (-4 two-weapon fighting, touch): 1d20 + 14 - 8 ⇒ (18) + 14 - 8 = 24. Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5 penalty to Int, Wis, and Cha.

"Rolund!"

Gil jumps back from the crazed knight and starts casting a spell, focusing on Ezreal.

Runzyl seems to snap out of his casual disdain for the discussion at hand the instant Rolund lashes out against the other party members. Falla Caesenri pulses with crimson energy as the Valenar raises it to a combat position.

"If by force it must be, then so be it," the elf snarls. "It is time we learned which force is more powerful: your curse or your will to survive."

I um... I'm fully intending on going all-out blender on Rolund until he stops moving and letting Rodergo pick up the pieces when I'm done. We might want to do an initiative roll or something.

Init: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6.

Init: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6. Now that's just sad.

Someone will need a Sense Motive as this is probably a surprise situation.

Sense Motive 11+10=21. The first attack hits me if I'm flat-footed, the second is a miss. Initiative 9+7=16.

Janosz jumps between Rolund and Ezreal before trying to wrench Rolund's sword away from him.

Disarm attempt 13+13=26.

Sense motive:
1d20 + 18 ⇒ (13) + 18 = 31

heh heh.....
realizing that this is going south quickly,
Rod would like to cast
righteous might on Runzyl.

"This might help some!"

Initiative
1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

Ezreal's face twist up in anger when he sees Rolund reaching for him, but he isn't quick enough to get out of the way. The mage gasps and then vanishes with w few words.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (9) + 0 = 9
Init: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Cast invisibility

Well hell. I was about to magic jar you, but I always forget that you can't tell who is who when you are trying to possess someone. I'm going to have to stop prepping that spell.
Int 21, Wis 5, Cha 5

init: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
sense motive: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23

Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

Rolund goes for his weapon but Janosz quickly tries to snatch it away.

Rolund would get an AoO as I don't think Janosz has the Improved Disarm feat, but on the other hand he is technically flatfooted since Janosz goes before him in the surprise round so he doesn't. Also, how is Janosz trying to disarm Rolund?

I'm holding the hammer, so I thought I would hook the hammerhead into the crossguard of Rolund's sword and just yank it away from him. "Try" is probably the key word here, as I doubt I beat his CMD.

Actually, you have.

Janosz knocks the sword from Rolund's grasp (to his relief as well as everyone else's - now it's just the touch attack with the aberrant mark and then we can all go home!).

Who's next?

Seeing Rolund disarmed, and not being near enough to be hit with the touch attack, Nevharath backs up a bit for some space.

I thought I already got hit with the touch attack, no? He said he was going after me and rolled nearly double my touch AC.
I assumed because I rolled poorly on the sense motive that he got a surprise round on me. So I couldn't go invisible beforehand and he also targets my touch/flatfooted AC.

Rolund goes last in the initiative. Runzyl needs to roll a Sense motive to work out he's going to attack. As this is a surprise round he doesn't get to more than make a single attack.

Gil:

Rolund goes last in the initiative. Runzyl needs to roll a Sense motive to work out he's going to attack. As this is a surprise round he doesn't get to more than make a single attack.

Runzyl wasn't really aiming to preempt the attack, his challenge was in response to Rolund's attack. Here's a Sense Motive anyway just in case it matters for something: 1d20 ⇒ 19

OK, Rolund's been disarmed so I guess he needs to make his touch attack as his action, which hits Ezreal. New round, full actions, Janosz.

Rolund lashes out, the power of his aberrant mark unleashed on Ezreal.

"This is gonna hurt a bit, Rolund. I`m actually sorry, if you give a s!$#." Janosz then slugs Rolund right in the mouth.

As a move action, I activate my Hunter`s Bond, which gives everybody a +2 bonus to hit and damage versus the bone knight. I then spend my remaining standard action making a single attack. 13+14+4(favoured enemy)+4(nonlethal damage)=AC 27, damage 1d8+3+4(favoured enemy)=13 subdual damage.

Ezreal will vanish as per the previous post.

I believe Nevharath's initiative beat Gil's - was he going to take an action?

"I'm sorry too, Master Frogshanks." Rolund smiles wanly but unhurt. "Please..."

FYI, Rolund's bone armor makes him immune to nonlethal damage and stunning. Also, with the improved bonecraft armor, Rolund can act and fight normal even while disabled or dying. He's not dropping until he's dead at -12 hps.

Just a suggestion if you're trying to avoid killing him but your best bets are grapple and pin or using some enchantment magic to order him to stand down.

"Rolund,......we all know you're sorry."

Nevharath will expend his psionic focus to call a masterwork heavy flail, and then take a moment to refocus himself for the task at hand: beating down a member of the party he is trying to work with.