DM Brainiac's War for the Crown: Table 1 (Inactive)

Game Master Brainiac

::quietly adds 3 enemies to every encounter...:: ;)

Heroism, Demonstrate Strength, DC 23: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Rank 8 Heroism
Heroism, Organize Protest, DC 33: 1d20 + 30 ⇒ (13) + 30 = 43
Rank 9 Heroism
Subterfuge, Sabotage Opponent, DC 21: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28
Rank 3 Subterfuge

Hell yes, I got unfriendly Heroic admirers and a patron who believes in my cause also the floaty skill bonus

Also this week she has time to train her birds

DM, could I teach the combat capable ones how to do a swooping charge?

Yes, that's fine, Sara.

Genius, Give Lecture, DC25, Profession PI: 1d20 + 1d6 + 12 ⇒ (12) + (1) + 12 = 25
Genius Rank 5
Charm, Organise Party, DC27, Diplomacy: 1d20 + 1d6 + 16 ⇒ (14) + (5) + 16 = 35
Charm Rank 6
Charm, Organise Party, DC29, Diplomacy: 1d20 + 1d6 + 16 ⇒ (18) + (1) + 16 = 35
Charm Rank 7

... I should probably start actually doing some Operations soon. :P

Sorry for the long blah blah blah. Normally psychotherapy for issues like Zhi’s would be years of sessions with lots of probing questions, but that doesn’t fit well into bite-sized adventure drama, and formal psychotherapy probably isn’t a thing yet anyway.

No worries. I enjoyed reading it and it's always interesting to see analysis given a Calistrian spin. :)

We can hand-wave that every Moonday night Melodie, Zhi, and Zileska spend an hour off-camera discussing their various issues.

Does Zil take insurance? :)

Also I hope I’m not misreading anything terribly.

Counseling is free. It’s the sex for which I charge.

Oh, you read that right; Zhi's got lots of guilt regarding Papa Sweets. Obviously, she's also got serious abandonment and self-esteem issues which complicate it.

And, curiosity aside, Zhi has the sex part wrapped up. ;)

Here's a question, Brainiac:

What kind of alignment push (if any) would following the Calistrian view of 'No Revenge Is Over The Top' give to Zhi? :)

Yeah. Normally counseling would take a long time to make sure that the counselor has figured out the correct root of the issues and the best way to treat it, but I'm trying to move things along for the sake of dramatic storytelling.

Calistria is typically CN but it's not incompatible with CG in a "people who abuse rules and authority must be fought and it's not wrong for victims to use violence to save themselves" sort of way.

I can see Zhi latching on to the philosphy as a means to assuage her feelings of guilt and inadequacy. However, she would most likely take it to the extreme.

The other question is what would Melodie think of her if she began heading down that path? I wouldn't want to her to head that way if it would create undue strife in their relationship - there's already enough sources of friction without adding to it. :)

Given that Mel is beginning to have second thoughts about how vengeful the pair of them have been before now, especially if they're going to try for a child... could be a problem... She'd understand for people like Sweets, where there's a clear reason, but if Zhi starts going 'You spilled my drink - you must pay, with your life!' then we could have (more) issues!

I smell a separation around the end of book 4 and reconciliation somewhere late in book 5, just in time for book 6 and adventure climax! A perfect soap opera!

[And my $0.02, since Zhi's already CG I imagine excessive revenge would shove her towards CN...]

I smell a separation around the end of book 4 and reconciliation somewhere late in book 5, just in time for book 6 and adventure climax! A perfect soap opera!

*raises an eyebrow*

Oh really? Ok, you can't just drop that without any more details.

We've already gone over the fact that there's probably nothing Mel could do that would cause Zhi to leave her (barring infidelity). So that means that Mel will do the leaving? Oh gods! I don't even want to think what that will do to this poor girl. And she'll most likely be pregnant by then. Mel really is a monster. :) :) :)

Unless Mel does plan on being unfaithful? Yeah, given some kind of remorse, Zhi would eventually forgive her.

Wow, thinking about that, who would she turn to for comfort?

Sara - Open relationships FTW!
Maria - Ditto.
Zileska - Someone betrayed you? REVENGE!!! (yeah, that wouldn't end well)

Hmmm... it would have to be an NPC ...

So what's the plan? ;)

"These things must be done deeelicately." - Wicked Witch of the West

Here's the projected stat block for Safina. I haven't made stats for her mount yet, but she probably won't be on her horse for a while.

I'm seeing more of a

"Zhi, I love you, but you have to stop! You can't go on like this."

"No Mel, I need this. I love, but if you love me you wont make me choose."

"I can't, I'm sorry. For *insert name here*'s sake, either you stop or we stop."

"I can't, revenge is too important, my precious"

so it's only if Zhi does go completely revenge nut at the same time that Mel is trying to act more sensible and restrained. It would have to be pretty bad revenge nut though! :)

Ah. So this is based on 'Spiraling Down the Revenge Hole.'

Hmmm ... I still haven't decided if she's going down that path. I'll have to think about it.

From an outside perspective? I mean like, imo, Zhi's and Mel's relationship is rife with unaddressed issues (Zhi makes large decisions without discussing it with Melodie; Melodie being pressured into being a parent; them both being incredibly possessive/petty/vengeful; and more) and it makes for good and relatable drama because also they're both young and dumb, like Shakespeare lovers, but frankly, I see any one of these issues exploding. For the parent thing, specifically, I feel like Melodie took the wrong moral from Zileska's advice and it's really going to hit her really hard later on.

And technically, Sara doesn't have open relationships, she has nonmonogamous ones. It's an important distinction to me (as also her relationships being not polyamorous)

One thing I haven't gotten to yet with the therapy is that while victims don't owe their abusers and have the right to figure out how to defend themselves, they also are responsible if they turn into abusers themselves; being a victim doesn't give you carte blanche to become some kind of torturing Terminator. So Zhi will have to figure out how to work that balance of "I was abused and I took extraordinary steps to survive and overcome it" vs. "I was abused and now I go around venting my psychological damage on people even though I am no longer living in a position of weakness." It's part of the reason that Zileska wants to rope Zhi into running slaves out of bondage, because it gives her a productive outlet for her anger that doesn't rely solely on the gratification of inflicting pain.

Zileska would absolutely not step into an affair with Melodie. I've explained her take on revenge now so it should be clear that her standards about desire and fulfillment are similarly nuanced and more than just "I want that in the moment so I'm going to have it now."

And technically, Sara doesn't have open relationships, she has nonmonogamous ones. It's an important distinction to me (as also her relationships being not polyamorous)

Ah. Sorry. Noted.

Good drama is so much more fun to write.

Part of me wonders what kind of person I am to submit an - admittedly fictional - character to trials like these. I console myself with the idea that at the end of the day (end of the adventure) I do want her to be happy and that's my end goal. And to have fun, of course. :)

For the parent thing, specifically, I feel like Melodie took the wrong moral from Zileska's advice and it's really going to hit her really hard later on.

What message did Mel take and what was the right one? I made the decision that felt right for Mel so I'm curious about the outside perspective.

And yes Zhi, if you fall to the dark side then we absolutely will have an Anakin/Padme situation (except that this Padme will literally be able to mind control Anakin if need be...))

Again, it's hard to encapsulate a lot of nuance without writing pages and pages and pages of dialog. :/

It's true that there are always reasons that you can find to not have kids. But by the same token you have to be ready to have kids. It plays into the notion of Zhi pushing big decisions on Melodie: Having kids means you are no longer the center of the narrative of your own life. Also it's kinda... emotional blackmail to say "we must have kids RIGHT NOW or else."

But a lot of what Zileska's been counseling has been damage control while trying to find a way to get to root issues. Also, I am not actually a psychologist in real life. I'm just doing the best I can.

But a lot of what Zileska's been counseling has been damage control while trying to find a way to get to root issues. Also, I am not actually a psychologist in real life. I'm just doing the best I can.

Well, faking it comes across great. :)

But that's where we can benefit from assuming once-a-week off-camera sessions. That's where the heavy lifting, down-and-dirty therapy takes place. :)

But 'down and dirty is fun! ;)

Honestly Zhi has pushed almost every big decision onto Mel, but Mel's been kept in such a sheltered life I think it's good to get her out there. She's come a long long way since the gala even!

Kids... well she wants to make Zhi happy. Is that a good reason? Maybe not but hey...

I just think that there's a wide gulf between "I want kids but do we have money/space/time" and "I want kids but not yet because I'm 19," like you're allowed to wait. Zileska's right, that when you're ready you're ready and putting it off doesn't help, but also like, is she ready? She didn't seem so when she was talking to her mother about it, and the only character development I've seen in re that since is her reacting poorly to Zhi's tattoo and like a half acceptance during counseling. It's been less than a month since that tattoo, it's still healing, this issue is recent, and y'all have moved at the speed of light in general.

Like, to me it feels like Zhi's pushing the decision on Melodie, like she's tryna trap her in the relationship, and I just worry for her.

Like, to me it feels like Zhi's pushing the decision on Melodie, like she's tryna trap her in the relationship, and I just worry for her.

There's an element of that I think - mostly because Zhi is really afraid that Mel's mum is going to come back one day and Mel will drop everything and leave Zhi. It's what she (subconsciously) expects so having a child is a way of hanging on to Melodie when she, (in Zhi's head inevitably), leaves.

It may be that with some counselling Zhi manages to get to a place where she doesn't need a child as validation of their relationship - but who can say? :)

Mel isn't 100% on board with the idea, she's doing it for Zhi and not saying anything about it because now is definitely NOT the time for that discussion... and she's so good at lying that I don't think anyone in the party is going to be able to tell if she isn't telling the truth.

Which reminds me - between Part 3 and 4; maybe we should look into getting the team together to set a trap for Mel's hag mum. I may be stealing an idea from an episode of Critical Role, but my vote is "pitfall trap filled with gunpowder". :P

Now that sounds like fun! :D

Oh, and almost forgot - that statblock for Safina looks good. Wasn't familiar with those archetypes (then again, never really looked at the Cavalier in ages; gave it a read over when the APG came out, then never looked at it again). I was kind of imagining more some variety of Ranger or Hunter, but then I didn't know about that Manoeuvrable Mount ability the Hussar gives (even if Safina won't have that for another couple of levels).

And, since I can't think of another feat for Maria to take, I think I will be taking Coalition Leader after all. Barring the reputation-based modifiers, that puts Maria's Leadership Score at 16 (character level 9 plus her Charm Facet Rank of 7). Not that Coalition Leader seems to use it for anything other than determining the cohort's level.

Mentioning Mel's mum before reminds me; kinda surprised Safina didn't react to Maria talking about her parents' relationship in the past tense. Or is she also familiar with a certain statistic related to tiefling births?

She didn't want to pry.

Now that sounds like fun! :D

I may also be thinking of how many Mega Barrel Bombs I've seen used in Monster Hunter World on Kulve Taroth. Those caves she lives in must reek of gunpowder by now. :P

She didn't want to pry.

To be fair; I was already thinking of what Maria's tactic would've been if she wasn't as open to the idea so already started thinking of what she'd say if Safina asked.

Incidentally; I am now really looking forward to Maria's mum turning up alive and well. Although maybe save that for when drama elsewhere in the party's died down a touch. Don't want to go stealing the Zhiodie spotlight (yes; I just gave them a shipper name, deal with it :P).

EDIT: Or would "MeloZhi" work better? Rolls a bit smoother off the tongue.

I've always called it "MeloZhi." ;)

Goes along with "SaraPhene" for Sara and Malphene. Now I suppose I'll have to add "MariaSafina."

Damn, yeah; doesn't work for Maria and Safina - their names are too similar on the back end.

Mind you; if I'd made Maria an Undine rather than a Tiefling, then "Marina" could've worked out quite well. :P

Or 'Safia/Safria'. :)

I like MeloZhi :D a good shipping name.

What about ZilAny? :D :D :D (I know, she's more discerning than that!)

what's the ship name for Sara and 'Girls'?

SarGirls?

That's what I ship

I have a staycation planned next week from Monday through Wednesday. My posts will be less frequent until I go back to work on Thursday.

I love those. :)

I forgot to apply the distance modifier for the dwarves' Perception check. Since they rolled a 1, Zhi would have made it up to the balcony with Sara.

The fog doesn't reach the balcony, so Sara and Zhi don't have to save against it.

I'll give the rest of you more time to react to what's going on. I will post again later this afternoon or evening.

So it seems like the two proposed courses of action are either heading back to the theater immediately and breaking in, or waiting until the next night's ceremony and hiding on the balcony until it's over. Which plan do you want to enact?

imo, we should case the joint at the very least

I don't have locate object prepared right now, so I can't search for the prince's corpse if we go immediately, and locate creature isn't on my spell list. (Zileska simply has enough Spellcraft to know about the existence of the spell.)

Wait for the ceremony tomorrow and go after that. We need to prep!

Could we get some of our agents to do a nice noisy demonstration outside the Bower after the service? Try and draw a few of the guards?

You can all take one more Persona Phase now. You can use the Competing Cult operation to draw guards away. It doesn't necessarily have to be a cult you create though, you could reskin it to just be a distraction. The DC is 20, and remember you can only succceed a total of two times.

Persona, Competing Cult: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

Will do a fluff post shortly.

Incidentally; when I'm not jetlagged and not having to do it on a laptop I'm still getting used to the keyboard on, I'll transfer Safina's stats onto the Companion page of Maria's character sheet. Just got the statblock copy-pasted into a Google Doc for now so I don't lose it somewhere in this thread.

Also; 13+ hours on a plane sucks.

Damn, should’ve checked this earlier in the morning. I’ll be out most of the day (my ticket for Mech_Con included a visit to PGI’s studio the day before the convention) and I’m down at the hotel restaurant for breakfast now. I’ll post when I can but feel free to bot Maria as necessary.

I’ll add her unmodified attack and damage rolls here to save you having to load up the google sheet.

Attack +12/+7
Damage 1d6+5
8 inspiration points available

No worries, post when you can