DM Bigrin's Shattered Star (Group B) (Inactive)

Game Master bigrin42

Harbug casts again and looks around the room. "I bet there's nothing good to eat in here... at least the tower girls had some real food..." he mumbles. "Shabbezz--do you know what this bracer is? We should at least identify it before we decide whether to give it back to the half-pint 'king'."
Detecting magic, looking around the room, including in the ovens' chimneys.
perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15

The room appears to be empty, and devoid of magic items or triggers. In fact, it appears as nothing more than a kitchen that has been abandoned for centuries, if not millenia. Of course, every kitchen has a problem with vermin, and this was no exception. As Harbug stuck his head into the southern over to look up its chimney, he heard a rustling sound. Looking down, the orc found the ground and walls of the oven writhing with thousands of pale yellow centipedes. And the mass was getting larger by the second!

"We best run!!", Krass shouts.

We seem to have zero AoE damage in our arsenal .. :)

"Oil, oil, oil! We need oil!" Harbug calls out as he runs past the rest of the group out into the hallway.
Harbug RUNS (LINK) away as a full round action to BD-46 (which is about the longest straight-line Harbug can manage). We definitely need to pick up some alchemist fires when we go back into town. In the meantime, oil (LINK) can act as a poor man's solution--" can also use a flask of oil as a splash weapon. Use the rules for alchemist's fire (see Special Substances and Items on Table: Goods and Services), except that it takes a full-round action to prepare a flask with a fuse. Once it is thrown, there is a 50% chance of the flask igniting successfully. You can pour a pint of oil on the ground to cover an area 5 feet square, provided that the surface is smooth. If lit, the oil burns for 2 rounds and deals 1d3 points of fire damage to each creature in the area." I checked; Harbug's oil all got used on the slept bat swarm... so I hope someone else bought some!

The hobgoblin hauls his ass out of the room. He does throw a look over his shoulder to make sure no one is left behind.

Seeing the two big guys made a mad dash, Angelica follows suit, deciding to head straight up through the room with the spider webs. It may slow her down, but there's no way all those little centipedes can unstick themselves from any of that webbing. Hopefully it will hold them all in place.

Move as far and as fast as she can straight up through the spiderweb room.

The Catfolk Druid stood there a moment before deciding that it'd be best to follow suit. As fast as possible, she followed the Rogue.

You all make a dash for the spider room, with the hungry centipede swarm close behind. The webbing slows the swarm down initially, with its leading elements getting caught in the sticky traceries on the floor that your larger mass simply tears through or ignores. Still, the swarm came on, traversing the captured forms of the leading elements, thousands of pale yellow wriggling forms in pursuit. What finally stopped them was the ready access to fresh meat in the form of the spiders you killed here earlier. Your former foes turn into your saviors as the centipedes fall on their corpses. A single centipede feasting doesn't make enough noise to be heard by most humanoids. A thousand thousand, however, sounds like a near-continuous crackle of static electricity. It is a sound that strikes disgust into your very core.

You ran straight through the spider room to the staircase leading upwards

While huffing and puffing near the top of the stairs, Harbug looks a little sickened. He glances back and says "Why do I get the feeling that the shard we're looking for is past that mess?" A few more huffs pass and he stands up and removes the bracer from his head. In a quieter tone he says "Let's deal with this thing then? Figure out what it is and then decide what we're going to do with or about it?"

"Or .. we go up, hand those blue bastards back their crown, get our reward and head back to town to sell everything we've found."

"Please, let's do what Krass has suggested," Shabbezz pants, leaning her hands on her knees for support. "I hate to complain, but this gear we have to sell is weighing me down, I'm out of useful spells until I rest, and we still need to return that crown to the mite king anyway before we can go."

While they're waiting, Shabbezz takes the opportunity to examine the beaver that Harbug asked about before.

Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
Knowledge (Dungeoneering): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Knowledge (Geography): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27
Knowledge (History): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20
Knowledge (Nature): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
Knowledge (Planes): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
Knowledge (Religion): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

"I agree, we're in pretty ragged shape. Let's head back, I doubt the shard is going anywhere soon." Tialara piped in.

While they're waiting, Shabbezz takes the opportunity to examine the beaver that Harbug asked about before.

It's a shaved beaver

Shabbezz Whorlpad wrote:

While they're waiting, Shabbezz takes the opportunity to examine the beaver that Harbug asked about before.

It's a shaved beaver

I deserved that.

Let it be known that I am forever swearing off posting from a mobile device because apparently my reading comprehension + autocorrect = utter crap. I'll just wait until I get back to the desktop to post, even if it means I'm forced to do it at 3:00 am.

Any chance I could get the results of that roll for the BRACER as opposed to Canada's favorite water rodent?

It is a bracer of armor +2. Remember that bracers and gloves only give their benefits if both items in the pair are worn (unless otherwise specified).

Thank you.

Shabbezz holds out the "crown" for the others to see.

"This is curious. The trinket is just one half of a set of magical protective bracers. It won't function without its twin, however. As it is, it's basically useless."

FYI, I am going on travel today through Thursday. I may or may not be able to regularly post

No worries! We can always have a discussion about whether to try and get the other bracer instead of trading this one for a diamond. =)

Understandable. We'll be here when you get back.

"Well, useless now, but that sounds like a pretty nifty pair... Problem would be how to get the other one from the 'king.' Do you guys think it'd be worth trying to negotiate or something? Maybe we could get him something in the town?" Harbug asks the others after he finally catches his breath.

So, are you guys heading straight back to the mite King?

I imagine so. I think we are looking at cashing out with him, and then heading to town to gear up a little (get a few cans of 'Swarm-b-gon" and such).

Angelica smirks at the notion of 'negotiating' with the little blue runt. "Tell you what. give me an idea of what those things are worth, and when we see the diamond I can compare what's in our best interests. If it's nowhere close, we can try to bargain for more. Maybe we can get the little buggers to go feed all those centipedes to their spiders or something."

Yeah, I also vote to get back to the king and then hit the town to stock up.

Figuring that Angelica's proposition has merit, Shabbezz attempts to approximate the value of the set just by examining the one bracer.

Appraise: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

"We best add a lie to it all as well .. that there are more spiders deep down in this complex and that we're planning on going there on our return. Something like that."

Krass really didn't feel like being jumped by a horde of tiny little blue men.

"I dunno what the things are worth, but magic is power..." Harbug looks at the bracer for a while with a somewhat entranced look.
appraise: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
"Meh, they're probably not as good as the diamond." He tosses the bracer to Angelica.

Angelica looks both amused and sympathetic, "Oh, sweethearts, you are all so cute. I don't need you to tell me the money value of the thing as jewelry or armor, I'm sure I'm the best of us to determine that. I was wondering what the applied or magic value would be. Like how much would these cost on the whole magic object market. If the pair is worth more than the diamond, even more since they only work in pairs, he NEEDS the other for it to even work."

As for Krass' suggestion, she looks confused "So, we're offering them the spiders, or offering to kill them? They like the crawlies, remember. They had a few in their common spaces."

"Didn't we just kill something that resembled a spider in many ways for them? Well, we can always say Clicky-Legs has family deeper down if we must." Krass looked a little confused. Nature wasn't his forte - what mattered to him was whether you could eat it or not.

"I think he just means we should offer some reason for us to leave their 'kingdom' and then come back through it again later. It sounds like a good idea, but I haven't a clue as to what to say... What would be convincing to mites anyway? Harbug responds. "As for the value of the bracers as a completed magic item, it would let Shabbezz or myself have the equivalent of your leather armor without interfering with our spellcasting. That's... well, not really that big a deal. I guess enchanting this orange thing is about the same value." Harbug says pointing at his belly warmer. "Probably runs about 1000 gold to have the enchantment done; and if you didn't find the warmer [smaller]onsomesuckerwhohadbetterordersthanyou[smaller] then you'd have to pay a few gold for it too." Harbug mumbles something quickly in the middle of his explanation, possibly too quickly to understand well.

"I realize it may be unorthodox," Shabbezz interjects, "but what if we simply deliver the crown, take the diamond, and simply request safe passage on the return trip? They are fey, but surely they wouldn't find such a sensible suggestion unreasonable if we held up our end of the agreement to the letter?"

"Oh, Shabs, Shelyn bless your positive outlook. We are just bouncing around ideas, but I have found in my line of work, it's always easier to be prepared to be double-crossed than not. If the deal is sound, all is well. If we're getting cheated for our hard work, and we did ALL the hard work not them, then it doesn't hurt to know what the next step is." She smiles her crooked smile and winks at the grippli.

The Hobgoblin stares and blinks at the Grippli. A moment later he pulls up his shoulders and shrugs. "Sure, why not. Let's get going?"

"That's okay with me." Harbug answers.

The trip up the spiral stairs and back to the mite king's throne room was a short one, and as you approached the mite king on his ogre skull throne, he looked up sharply. In that bird-like voice of his he screeched in a strange language. What followed was a tumble of words and hisses, only one of which you can make out. "Assassins!" The king practically fell over the back of the throne trying to get away from you, and small forms poured into the room.

The hobgoblin yells as he draws his weapon. "Rovagug eat all of you!! "

"Whoa! HOLD ON!" Harbug yells, holding up the bracer. "You sent us for this crown!"

When the little buggers started pouring into the room, Tialara positioned herself at the best angle to blast the first one that comes close.

Angelica turns and winks to Shabbezz, "Looks like a classic double-cross. They get us to do the hard work and find what they want, then they turn on us while our chips are down from doing so." She stands ready.

The small blue creatures poured into the room around you, screeching in their bird-like voices and attacking with everything from broken furniture to rusty blades. However, for all their zeal, the two-foot high creatures weren't exactly a major threat. A few minutes later and it was all over. You stood around a room filled with the corpses of mites, shaking your heads in disgust and chagrin. The only sounds, other than your heavy breathing, are the sobs coming from the king mite cowering behind his throne.

Unless his companions take action, Krass will step forward and put the rotten blue bastard to the sword. Gorum tolerates no such shenanigans.

After the carnage subsides, the grippli stands around looking dumbfounded at the unprovoked attack. All the while she quietly mouths the words Angelica had said to her before the battle had begun:

"'...Classic double-cross...'"

Shabbezz looks pensive for a moment, then her eyebrows (or rather, the area where her eyebrows would functionally be) shoot upward in a moment of sudden realization.

"Ah! That's right! Now I remember why mites are so special amongst other fey. They are all irrevocably insane, every last one!"

She tugs on Krass' chainmail to get his attention.

"Taking that fact into account, perhaps we should confirm the king's reason for attacking us on sight before you skewer him. Maybe he has a better explanation, at least in his mind."

Krass flexes his fingers, stretching them outwards and then inwards, cracking his knucles as he does so. A thoughtful gaze at the Mite king seems to be considering whether or not cutting him to pieces is the way to go. In the end he budges and gives in to Shabbezz' demand. "Fine, so be it."

Shabbezz nods at the hobgoblins agreement, then turns to the changeling.

"Angelica, you tend to have a way with words. Can I ask you to interrogate the king on our behalf?"

Translation: you have the best Diplomacy score. If that doesn't work, Krass or Harbug can try Intimidation.

"Dibs on 'bad' guard for good-guard, bad-guard." Harbug says with a very toothy smile as he brandishes his blade.

Angelica smirks, and raises her eyebrows in mischief, "Oh Shabs, dear, I do have a way with words it seems," she crosses her hands in front of her with prpoer lady-like poise, "but I find my words hold more sway when I can give them a little more allure." she then pushes her shoulders forward to accentuate her 'womanly charms' by letting them squeeze together a bit. "Wouldn't you say?" she runs a finger along Krass' jaw, before turning to the little blue runt, suddenly all business.

"Alright, look here, little guy. It's just you and us now, and we can talk nice and calm-like. We're just curious what you have planned, now that you tried to trick us into finding your other 'crown' before you turned on us? We had an agreement, so why did you try to go back on it?"

Diplomacy 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18

"Assassins go away! Leave Zuuga be! Kill all mites, no!"

Angelica looks shocked and confused, before her anger takes over, "Assassins? You have got to be kidding me? You hired us, you little freak. We got your other crown, now where's our diamond?"

"Maybe we should just go with it. We are great and mighty assassins! Give us your crown and your gems or we will carry out our mission!" Harbug yells at the king while pointing his sword towards the blue creature. His face betrays his intentions though, and he barely stifles a laugh at the end of it. Diceroller hates me!

intimidate: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

OK, ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard.

Please take this time to create your character profiles (if you haven't done so already) and make sure everything is accurate.

The next step is some ground rules.

1) I'd like to keep this campaign moving. I expect each of you to check the campaign at least once per day (as needed, excepting weekends). If you cannot post for more than 48 hours, please let me know in this thread so I can NPC your character or hold the story as necessary. On a related note, keep your sheets up to date at all times...especially immediately following a combat update. If I need to DMPC you for any reason, I want to make sure I have all available info.

2) Please stay in character. I know we have a variety of alignments in the mix. You don't have to play lawful stupid, but I do expect some confrontations. That's okay, but remember that your survival and success depends on each other and perhaps some compromise (however distasteful) may be in order.

4) Please Do not read spoilers directed at other people. They contain in-game knowledge that is specific to that person. If they choose to share that, it is up to them, but I'd rather not have to fire around 40 PMs every time someone notices something that the others have missed. I'll just let you RP out the info as you choose. Occasionally I may indeed PM you info that I do not want others to know unless your character specifically chooses to tell them.

5) I'll roll all initiatives and passive checks for you guys to keep things moving. We'll do combat as: group before monsters, monsters, group after monsters. After the first round, the after and before groups will post as one chunk. I'll merge everything together for combat update purposes. If you need to wait on another character's actions before you post, please say so in this thread so no one is waiting for you and wondering what's going on.

My ultimate rules:

1) Thou shalt not engage in PVP: The goal is for everyone to have a good time, and PvP only sours everyone’s experience.

2) Thou shalt not bully other players: Again, everyone is supoosed to be having a good time. Just because you CAN bully others in game doesn’t mean you SHOULD. Extreme forms of character harassment will not be tolerated. By their nature, Pathfinders take in characters with various backgrounds and alignments. You still have to cooperate with each other, regardless.

3) Thou shalt keep thy character sheet updated: All the time. Period. HP, conditions, AC, modifiers, gold, XP. If I need to DMPC your character for a fight because you haven’t posted and we need to move on, i need to know what your capabilities are. If your sheet says you have 3 hp left and you get nailed by a crossbow bolt, don’t come crying to me the next day that you really got healed to full before the combat. Keep it on your sheet. I'll keep loot on a Google doc so no one else has to keep track of what you've found.

4) Thou shalt post regularly: Taken from above, you should be posting (or at least checking to see if you need to post) at least once per day, minimum. I give leeway on weekends, since that is my family time, but still I don’t think that is too unreasonable. Short delays lead to longer delays which lead to dead threads. If you need to be gone for more than a day, let me know in advance so I can DMPC your character.

5) Thou shalt have fun: Isn't that the point?

I think that is everything from my end right now. I'll get the IC thread up in a bit.

everyone should already be pathfinders, and new ones at that. The initial event is one for ... expendable... pathfinders.

Please feel free to ask any questions.

Once we get everything settled, we can get started, hopefully today or tomorrow.

I checking in here as a memebr of the Misfit Pathfinders, (thanks for picking me).

We have an Orc, Changling (myself), Grippli, Hobgoblin, and Catfolk. At least we won't stand out in a crowd ;) Oh boy Angelica's going to have a blast with all the smartalec comments, and derogative nicknames for everyone. Yeah, she's a charmer.

I thought you might enjoy the mix ;-)

Glad to be on board the oddball group. The diplomacy challenges are going to be interesting, to say the least. :)

" 'ere froogy, froggy!"

Yeah, that would go over well.

"Sir, I'll have you know that is offensive. How would you like it if I called you an ape?" ಠ_ಠ

Hmmm? Yes, yes. Quite right

Looking over everyone, this will be an interesting game.

First, I'm the moral compass at CG, then we have a CN Orc, and 3 Neutrals (Druid, Enchanter, Fighter).

Second, as Shab said, socializing may not be our strong suit. I have Bluff, Krass and Harbug have Intimidate. The best Diplomacy we have is the Druid with the natural +2 just for having a decent Chr.

DM Bigrin, we get to touch up a little before we start right? If so, do you mind if I move my favored class bonus from HP to the skill point in Diplomacy?

Checking in.

Looking forward to running with this group. This will give me a chance to play something I don't normally. Got to love Randomization!

Touching up is fine, including gear (3 grappling hooks might be a bit much, for example). Make sure your sheets are complete (with gear) and ready to go. I wasn't kidding about keeping the sheets current. In my last game, I nearly "killed" a PC because they forgot to update their sheet after a combat. He took 9 points of damage, and his sheet said he only had 2 HP left, so down he went. He's lucky he didn't bleed out before the cleric got to him.

The left over money I have will have to be updated when I get home (in about 4 hours). Everything else should be good though, as long as I'm not spending money.

Added Diplomacy, dropped fav class HP.

Considering her background, a grappling hook is a large part of her shtick. Even if the group had more than enough, she would be unlikely to be caught without hers. She will gladly take the cost/weight penalty.

She is complete.

As a wizard I gain two spells per level, but as a specialist one of those two spells has to be from my chosen school, so I'm swapping an enchantment spell out now to make room for another spell later. I took summon monster I in place of bungle.

I've also swapped out Knowlege (planes) for Knowledge (history) and bought a traveling spellbook for emergencies. Ready to go otherwise.

Checking in, and looking at Angelica's & Shabbezz' character sheets to update mine--theirs are very easy to read with the spoilers, and with the AC/Saves/HP/etc. in their name.
Harbug checking in for duty. Your scribe appears to have made an error on the orders, but I think I made it here on time!

Just waiting on the hobgoblin to check in while everyone tends to their sheets.

FYI - I intend to start as soon as everyone has their characters ready, but I'll probably be quiet this weekend. My RL group is pulling another noon-to-midnight session on Saturday.

NP. I have Fri night TT, Sat 6 hrs of class, and Sat night family time. So my Fri nights-Sat nights tend to be busy.

Updated Money. By the way, what XP Advancement are we using, fast, medium, slow?

Fast track

Sorry, I had friends over all day for a game of D&D :)

I'll update my gear ASAP. I'll add such simple things as a tent, sleeping gear, basic survival gear and if appropriate, a mule/sturdy goat. My character is not the 'I don't care' kind of neutral, but he is able to let the end justify the means.

He's a trained soldier of the Society so he'll be your shield until he can't stand no more. If anything, he's neutral with good tendencies. It is up to the other players to show him the light :)

Okay, I updated my gear. I went with a yak as a pack animal, but I can't find stats for such a beast. Hopefully that ain't a problem, he's nothing more than a beast of burden.

Character sheet revamped; only 1 actual change outside of organizing information: I bought a Haramaki (from Ultimate Equipment: 3 gp, +1 AC, Max Dex: —, Check Penalty: 0, Arcane Spell Failure: 0%, 1 lb.)
Harbug mumbles This belly warmer Harburg sold me is pretty comfy, but what fool wears orange.

IC thread is posted and...we're off!

Bigrin: Quick question: What are your feelings regarding taking 10 (generally, and after a failure like my spellcraft roll)?

As per the SRD.

Most skill checks have a Try Again section telling you if and when another try can be made. For Knowledge checks, the answer is No.

Here's a link to the Loot and XP list

Now that it has begun, there is something we should cover, loot distribution.

There is the N+1, N, or One Big Happy

I like the 1 big happy, despite it being unrealistic, it is the easiest to maintain the bookkeeping on. We all have one big pool, the gear goes to who needs it, we sell what we don't want, and we use the money to get gear for who hasn't gotten anything yet. Like a family we share everything, and make sure everyone gets what they need. Like I said, unrealistic, but easier.

The others tend to lead to the math for who has what value, rejecting useful items because they don't want them counted against their totals. People having to borrow anyways for that little extra item they want but can't afford from their share, etc.

This is just my take on it.

I know I'm the Dm (and not a player), but I've found that One Big Happy plus N+1 tends to work well.

My 2c.

That's fine by me. I don't need anything specific from this particular haul, but cash as needed is always welcome.

Not sure I get One Big Happy working with N+1. So we cut a 6th share to set aside, and then pool all the rest to get what we need when we need it?

If we pool all of it together, why the 6th share? I can see maybe since we will be using the pool to have all the stuff we need at the time, and keeping the 6th gives us an emergency fund just in case? (raise dead, or buying strongholds type of emergency funds)

I'm fine with One Big Happy, or the One Big Happy with N+1. The N+1 can be used for (as you suggested) raise dead/emergency funds/strongholds, but further can be used for group expenses like (and this may come up soon in game) bribes to NPCs that the whole group wants to deal with.

I don't particularly have on opinion on loot distribution. If there is anything specifically I want, I'll speak up.

OBH and N+1 works like this: If you need it and will use it, take it. Everything else gets sold and the coinage gets split N+!. That way you have a party fund to buy things, but people still have the chance to save up for that special item.

I'm down with both. Keeping some money on the side is always a good thing (you never know when you need to pay someone a royal fee to cast a spell/hand out some information).

Nothing too groundbreaking, but when you press 'preview post' you actually see the result of your roll. I then posted and kept that result - is that normal, that you keep it? Or did I get a freak accident where I got the same result twice.

If so I'll keep myself from pressing preview .. but I've been botching up so many damned tags that I had to check it out, and thus, found out about that dice thingie.

No, It assigns a unique id to your rolls. You will get that same roll even if you exit your browser and come back. Preview away. It will help your RP if you know ahead of time what your roll is.

Technically, you can game the system, but I know none of my players would try and do that.

Okay, check. I'll simply avoid using the preview! :)

The preview is not cheating. He said to go ahead and preview. I use it to edit text mistakes, or if I forgot a tag bracket on the end of something, or forgot to bold my IC text. Also to get a look at how the post comes across. You can see whether it looks like wall of text, or too many short sentences.

I also use it to story my rolls. When I GM, I can add specific flavor text, like if they hit and for how much, I can describe the where and give detail to the hit.

For skills, if on my Diplomacy roll I just made, I rolled a 1, I could describe it to include the social faux pas she made. Preview is fine, and you can't change the roll at all, it helps add spice to your results.

I know what he's talking about on the gaming the system, but you have to work it just right, it doesn't come accidently. Knowing how it works, I as a GM know how to spot it.

Okay, check. I'll simply avoid using the preview! :)

Apparently, either my idiom was unclear or it is opposite day and I wasn't paying attention. "Preview away" means "please use the preview, as it will help you RP your posts better. ALWAYS preview. It also helps you spot errors

@Angelica - ;)

Another benefit to the preview is when you are typing something, then hit preview. Only to find that someone has posted something before you that makes yours useless. Its happened to me several times.

Check. I've always enjoyed the idea that whatever you do the results remain unknown till you do it ;) I'll simply adapt and move along with the program.

I got a wedding tomorrow so I won't be able to post till very late CET (which means 6-7pm+ New York time). Just in case.

I was VERY tempted to do a sense motive roll when Angelica bluffed with the gem, and (depending on the result in preview) say something like "Harbug's eyes go wide outside the tent for a moment before he remembers that she is bluffing). I can beat her 21 if I roll a 20... =p (but then I went and read her trait ability and decided it wouldn't make sense).

I was VERY tempted to do a sense motive roll when Angelica bluffed with the gem, and (depending on the result in preview) say something like "Harbug's eyes go wide outside the tent for a moment before he remembers that she is bluffing). I can beat her 21 if I roll a 20... =p (but then I went and read her trait ability and decided it wouldn't make sense).

The above was me posting with the wrong alias. That's what I get for NOT using preview. =p

Congratulations! You successfully managed to get all the information out of him without pissing him off enough to lie to you, or have him call in the carnie guards. That last would likely have gotten you all stripped of your possessions and dumped in the water to sink or swim as you could.

120 XP apiece for the challenge and for the great RP-in, both during and after the meeting!

I got a vicious cold so if spelling errors and other mistakes slip into my post you can be sure it is the cotton in my head that's the cause!

Question, as I have not dealt with familiars overmuch: do they die at 0 hp like undead and constructs, or at -CON like most living things? I ask because I assumed -CON and (in this battle at least) my familiar taking the missiles and being at -1 (or even with a max damage hit -4) is better than me at -1 since I can heal the familiar with my hex, but I can't heal anything if I'm bleeding out/unconscious (which I am).

If it dies at 0, I'll definitely play it differently than I was =)

The way I do battles, all PCs (and related) die at -CON, and all enemies at 0. Part of the reason for this is the first PbP I ever ran, I had a Paladin and LG Cleric who basically deadlocked the game by "saving" enemies that were dying, but no longer a threat. So, if you want to keep someone around for questioning, better do some nonlethal damage.

Familiars are a -CON kill, as are PCs and NPCs, so I can see your point. Just not used to having PCs make that kind of cold-hearted calculations with their furries.

Still, Tialara and Shabbezz can take him (or heal you to help)...maybe.

In case you haven't figured it out yet, this AP is rough.

Oh, I don't expect kid gloves =) And usually familiars are little glass figurines, but Harbug is a Beast-Bonded Witch (TM) so at least theoretically Fang is a little powerful =p (He's got Toughness!)

Honestly the enemy caster was better off ignoring the cat (who does, at most 1 nonlethal damage... for now) and taking me out--'cause that stabilization roll would have been an attack roll with my falchion if he had hit the cat instead, which means 1) I'd almost certainly have hit, 2) 2d4+6 damage TO HIS FACE, and 3) CRIT RANGE 18-20! POTENTIAL CRIT! =)

Yeah....healing. I don't have any prepared and since I'm not a Cleric, I can't Spontaneously Heal. Oops.

Oh, I know you were the bigger threat, and so did the baddie. at least until the familiar ries to deliver a touch spell. Then things might get crazy.