Blood Under Absalom (Inactive)

Game Master Granta

I'm DMing In Your Closet - hope you get feeling better soon.

Granta - Thanks so much for stepping in

@Sarnoc - If you're going to Summon Monster, remember that a monster will being doing lethal damage and that will be an auto-fail.

@GM Granta - For some reason Ara, my animal companion, was not put on the map, so I put her on there

The rules of the opera don't forbid animal companions, but keep in mind the nonlethal requirement. Also, the defend trick is always on. Ara is probably more of a liability than help.

I was hoping to get away with just using Scratchings as a mount, but it doesn't look like there is a way to stop the 'defend' trick even with a command.

Just to make life easier Isonda will leave her mount behind off stage. I wouldn't want to risk accidental lethal damage.

No worries I'm just enlarging Vrald

Not sure what you mean by defend is always on?

If you're attacked, your companion will automatically go after the attacker.

Not familiar with that rule, Couldn't find that in the rules. Do you have a link?

Even so, Ara knows "Down" so i can stop her from attacking.

It is in the description of the trick: "The animal defends you (or is ready to defend you if no threat is present), even without any command being given." And keep in mind, you can only issue a command on your turn, PLUS animals don't know how to deal nonlethal damage.

Curious. I was under the impression that "without any command being given" means that once you command the animal to defend, it will attack anyone from that point on, i.e. you don't have to issue another command.

As an FYI, the PFS venture officers ruled that a 3+ INT animal can be pushed to do NonLethal. Ara has a 3 INT and understands Common

Since Ara's attack will occur after mine (I'm delaying) I don't foresee it being a problem. But in the interest of avoiding future confusion, I plan on having Ara Aid Another with Shel. I'll tell her not to hurt anyone which translates to her not taking any AoOs. Is this something you'll allow?

I would actually allow a push to deal nonlethal to a particular target even on a 1-2 INT animal. It took about a month of smacking my cat each time he broke the skin, but one of my cats eventually learned to bite softly when playing. Let me spell this out for you though:

The Aspis agents are intelligent opponents with few scruples. If you bring an animal into combat, they are going to exploit it. You can only command Ara on your turn, which means not on her turn or theirs.

If you're in agreement that if not given the Attack command and told not to hurt anyone, she will not take AoO's, then I'm not sure what you mean by "exploit."

Ara only takes actions on her turn, so if Ajax's turn is right before hers, it's not possible for her to act without first being given a command by Ajax.

@Group -

Let's assume we had a discussion about bringing Ara on stage during the 10 minutes before the Act (which wasn't really possible OOC as we are finding out info on the mechanics even now.)

Do you guys want me to bring her on to help out or not? As stated, I am going to use her to mainly provide flanking bonuses for Shel, by going Aid Another, so no danger of doing lethal and no Push required by Ajax. Apart from mind control, I'm not sure what the Aspis could to make her do lethal. But there might be some unforeseen tactic, so I let the group decide if the benefit outweighs whatever risk might exist.

I'd rather not bring any animal companions.

I never agreed Ara wouldn't take AoOs, and quite frankly, I am tired of arguing about this. Play your character as you think best, and I will play the NPCs the same.

Edit: I have no issues with a retconned discussion of tactics regarding Ara, as this is an instance where character knowledge exceeds player knowledge in my mind.

Is Ajax able to command Ara not to take AoOs?

I would treat as a push, and specific to one target just like the attack command.

Sounds like Ara is going to be a headache for both GM and player so I'll just say she stays off stage.

Apologies Shel, I was hoping for some glorious SA's.

Other than haste, what buffs are up on the party? I'll list them on the map and in my posts, but I need you guys to be accurate with your numbers. There are simply too many things going on for me to search through 40 posts trying to connect the dots.

Ajax has Enemy Insight on Isonda and Varld. That's +2 vs humans, half-orcs, and Half Elves.

Party also has the +1 Moral bonus for finding the coin so another +1 to attack and damage.

So Isonda and Vrald should bet getting +3 att/dmg

Ajax has +4 vs FE humans, so that's a +6 with Haste and coin bonus total.

Also, per Vrald's post, he did not add the morale bonus, so his attacks should have been 19's and his damage +1 on each attack.

Kallyan has mirror image up (3 images).

Sarnoc has Mage Armor and now Blur up

Isonda cast Barkskin on herself and Vrald before the 'performance'.

I really need to adjust her AC though as I've not changed it for the costume armour she's wearing.

For AC buffs, or anything else that is already in your stat bars, please update your stat bars.

Oh, since we retconned Ara not going out, then Ajax will have casted Cat's Grace on himself.

Shel has Haste, favored enemy human, and the +1 morale bonus from the Apsis coin.

Ok Isonda is update under 'Current Conditions'. The Barkskin and armour change just change her flat footed and touch a bit but not much else.

@Ajax: Free action to drop it in your square, move action to drop is in a specific, different square.

Drop an Item

Dropping an item in your space or into an adjacent square is a free action.

PRD wrote:

Drop an Item

Dropping an item in your space or into an adjacent square is a free action.

Works for me then!

The opera location is unspecified, but I know that there is an opera house in the Ivy District in another scenario, so we'll assume that location. Since you are supposed to be on the down low, and the Grand Lodge is not on the way to the Petal District, I'm going to say that prestige points cannot be spent mid-scenario.

Additionally, the time between encounters is not specified. I'm going to rule that you can create free time by hiring a carriage, and that given your rush that will end up costing 5 gp per person.

As to spells, let's say that the time between encounters is Minutes: 20d4 ⇒ (2, 1, 4, 1, 1, 4, 1, 3, 4, 4, 3, 1, 1, 4, 3, 3, 1, 2, 3, 2) = 48.

Any good or neutral aligned temple will do..I don't mind paying for the spell casting or alternatively if you say it is easier a Potion shop. Just let me know, if either is possible.

Hiring the carriage will be enough to get you to a temple and to the next encounter in time.

Any good or neutral aligned temple will do..I don't mind paying for the spell casting or alternatively if you say it is easier a Potion shop. Just let me know, if either is possible.

If I'm not mistaken, Isonda has Remove Blindness as an an Oracle spell. She should be able to cure you immediately.

You are mistaken.

Oh, that's right, Oracles are like Sorcs. Didn't even check her spell list.

It's one that seems to crop up from time to time so i may well pick up Remove Blindness at some point in the future.

I'm going to pick up a potion, that really sucked :)

@GM - so without knowing the underlying mechanics for this part of the contest, if Ara "touches" the rob, will that count?

The goal is to physically touch the robe.

Does it count if a familiar or animal companion touches the robe? Or what about a summoned creature?

PCs only.

Don't know if you saw my OOC edit, but Ajax, as an archery ranger with Improved Precise Shot, would never be in front or lead position of this group with Vrald, Isonda, and Shel as frontliners.

That's fine, move yourselves around as you wish, as long as you start in the first two rows.

Done. However, I had to put Ara in the hall trailing the PCs, if that's okay. Didn't know if Isonda would be considered riding her mount, so I put it behind Ara.

The oni nods and without warning, all eight entrances erupt into impassible whirlwinds of lashing sword shards and colored smoke. Calmly, he continues.

Is it reasonable for us to have drawn our own weapons at this point?

Yes. There was some talking before the combat started, when it would have been reasonable to assume there's going to be a fight.

Attackers do not gain any bonuses against a prone target. If anybody has taken such a bonus, please post your corrected numbers.

Are you saying that Ara is not able to trip the oni on a 38, or are you saying that a prone target does not suffer a -4 to AC from melee? Or, do you simply not want someone to add it as a bonus to attack, since it technically lowers AC?

Everybody is up.

I'm confused. Are we resolving this in the order posted or are you forcing everyone to act strictly on their init order, regardless of when someone posts?

I think the GM means that we can all post our actions if we want to, as we will each act before the Judge does next.