DMDM's Way of the Wicked, Part II: The Dark Tower

Game Master Douglas Muir 406

I think the points being made by the judge have merit regarding stealth.
One could imagine him flying very quietly up behind a creature flying to catch them by surprise. Of course you can give the creature a circumstance bonus to a check vs. the opposed stelath. From the PRD:
1 Favorable and unfavorable conditions depend upon the sense being used to make the check. For example, bright light might decrease the DC of checks involving sight, while torchlight or moonlight might increase the DC. Background noise might increase a DC involving hearing, while competing odors might increase the DC of a check involving scent.
With no cover and daylight conditions you might give someone/thing a bonus to their check to spot him modified by distance.

Except there is no rule for facing in Pathfinder, so if you do not have cover or concealment, you cannot make a stealth check. Even at night, if the enemy has darkvision, you do not count as having any form of concealment. Unfortunately.

Well unless he has Hide in Plain Sight right?

One thing cool about pbp I'm learning rules! At an easy to digest rate.

Anyways: what are you doing? There seems to be no obvious threat here.

Except there is no rule for facing in Pathfinder, so if you do not have cover or concealment, you cannot make a stealth check. Even at night, if the enemy has darkvision, you do not count as having any form of concealment. Unfortunately.

You only have to have cover or concealment if you are trying to use stealth on someone who can already see you. If your enemy is unaware of you you can use stealth. I can't find anything that specifies not being able to use stealth in a scenario like this unless you have already been detected. I would agree you would gain a bonus to see someone though without any cover possibly making it difficult to sneak up on someone in the open. Anyways we should probably take discussions like these to the discussion thread.

Dren looks pointedly at the judge and waits for him to order Morsum down and up the trail so we can follow...

If there is no threat, the Judge will have Morsum lower a rope down so that the party can climb up. If everyone wants to go up the steps, he will lay the rope up the steps so that there is something to hold onto.

Jax will go up the steps after urging Edmin to go up first. He'll have one hand on Brink.

If there is no threat, the Judge will have Morsum lower a rope down so that the party can climb up. If everyone wants to go up the steps, he will lay the rope up the steps so that there is something to hold onto.

I assume Morsum is flying up to the top of the stairs?

fine ignore Ulp..

Once the rope is set and the others begin to climb or if something attacks Morsum Ulp flies him self on up.

A little jumpy aren't we.

If we need survival 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24

Looking for things that could be useful for the blue alchemist or Jax, Knowledge Nature 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

DM nothing significant from Survival or Knowledge Nature?

Morsum flies up and alights at the top of the stairs beside the tilted banyan tree. He notices that the top part of the stairs, above the second landing, is quite overgrown with vegetation. It's passable, but would definitely slow down anyone coming up the stairs. It definitely doesn't look like there's been much traffic through here lately.

As Morsum begins unwinding rope to lay down the stairs, the banyan abruptly unfolds itself and opens large green eyes. "Halt... stranger," it says in a deep, resonant voice.

DM nothing significant from Survival or Knowledge Nature?

Spotting what's unusual about the upper banyan was Perception, not Knowledge. (And yes, I rolled it.)

The banyan stands up to its full height. It's huge. It's either a humanoid tree, or... well, a humanoid that looks a lot like a tree. It has arms and legs and a face, but also bark and branches and leaves. It has huge green eyes, which look down at you with a distinct lack of enthusiasm. Its voice is deep and slow and sonorous, with creaking undertones, like a tree swaying in wind.

"This... is the Way... of the Catademnon. The path... to the Dark... Tower. I... guard... the Way." It raises one huge fist, massive and wooden, in a gesture of unmistakable menace. "The Way... is closed. Turn... back... now."

Bizarrely, there's a squirrel in its upper branches, or perched on its shoulder, or something. The squirrel chatters at you. The tree-creature makes a small "shushing" gesture at it.

Is the squirrel black?

Is the squirrel black?

It is not. It is, however, the squirrel that chattered at you and then ran ahead a while back.

"Why my good fellow! Look, my friends, a genuine treant!"

Jax smiles and steps back, holding both hands up, palms toward the tree. "We had heard tales of walking trees, but paid them little mind. Strange things wander this world, and I strive to see them all! Although I hadn't expected one such as you. How fare you, good fellow? I am Warren. We are adventurers who had heard a dark tower rests in these woods and seek to explore it, bringing lore of its existence to our beloved kingdom."

Bluff +14

Cуровую puts her hand upon her friend and gives the tiefling a look of. 'I got this'.

Rapidly in Celestial, Fey and Common

'Be at Peace Ancient One! We have come here on a great purpose!'

'We have been charged by the descendants Victor to check on the Divine Seal of the Tower you guard. There is grave concern that it may have been breached and we have all intent on making sure none that have been sealed within can return to the our world!'

1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30

edit SUPER NINJA'ED BY JAX. Jax downplay the adventures part!

edited because Jax posted at the same time.

Cуровую is brandishing her symbol of Mitra and tries to meet the eyes of the guardian.

When you post this close together, I'll allow de-ninjaing. But you have to tell me which it is -- adventurers, or "charged by the descendants of the Victor"?

Note that in addition to Morsum the huge creepy black bat-winged thing, you also have a female zombie (still dressed in the blue robes of Mitra) traveling with you. Just noting, so you can adjust your story accordingly.

(Of course you have the zombie with you. Zimu didn't go to all that trouble just to leave her behind.)

I'm thinking adventures would not be taken kindly by the guardian, but Jax was still first, but if he's ok with it, I wanted to be there on an 'official' capacity and not just some 'nosy kids.' He can aid Cуровую's Bluff if he wants or we go with his story if he wants to.

Note that in addition to Morsum the huge creepy black bat-winged thing, you also have a female zombie (still dressed in the blue robes of Mitra) traveling with you. Just noting, so you can adjust your story accordingly.

Cуровую will NOT bring it up but if she is asked,

If asked, 'She was a traitor to her otherwise just order, part of her penance and charge is to right the wrongs she did in life, may her eternal pained soul raise to the heavens one day.'

Bluff 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (18) + 13 = 31

'I am the Lady Cellia, (distant but) of the blood of one Our goodly Suzerain King Markadian IV, Protector of the Realm, and Upholder of the Faith.'

She points to Edmin, 'This is Sir Havelyn, son of the famous Lord Havelyn of Balentyne, our champion and Paladin.'

Cуровую then points to the Judge, 'This is Baronet Mathas Richter, Vice Chancellor and Secretary to Chancellor Morton, great grandson of Lord Warden Mathias Richter of Braderscar.'

Cуровую introduces each and every member of the group, with enough titles to bewilder and trip up a court herald, in hope the treant remembers how the retinue of the Victor was.

'What may we call you Ancient One? We come in Peace, and in truth need your guidance and aid in matter of unparalleled imortance.'

Ulp slings his bow across his back and watches while keeping his mouth shut.

Edmin continues to move forward as the others talk. "Have you seen another group of travelers? A sister of Mitra in their ranks perhaps?"

Ulp reaches into his bag and pulls out an unstable accelerant and then his waterskin. He drinks some water, and puts it back, then puts a second one in his other hand.

He crosses his arms and looks bored. Because he is bored

I don't really think claiming to be on a holy mission while having an obvious undead with us is going to work..its a pretty out-there lie. Claiming to be adventurers is a lot more plausible..they're known to have less morality. No matter what, we are not getting past this guy without some kind of fight likely. Jax is lying to gain time, gauge its allies and possibly "make friends" with it. Not to convince it to let us past.

Also, it requires a lot less lying, its somewhat true. Lies are best when they border as close to the actual truth as possible rather than leaping to the least plausible explanation. If you start giving identities to the others, the treant gets to make a whole lot of sense motive checks vs all of our non-diplomatic/lying party members. That said, we should vote. If outvoted on this opinion, we'll go with Cymu's idea instead. Is this an alright compromise?

The Judge really does not care. I think that our airborne bomber is a fine choice.

Edmin is just trying to buy time to get close enough to strike, if we can talk our way past it all the better.

If this treant is a guardian, then it may have concern in keeping the evil within the tower just as it is keeping the evil from getting to it. It is a plausible story. I am all for 'make friends' approach. We do not know what is in this forest, why not we use it for information. AND it may have allies (Druid, Dryad, Black Squirrels) watching. I don't think it will take kindly to adventurers. And who is to say that some of you are adventurers who are shielding the rest of us? Shall we try it for now? Fair?

Regarding the zombie, the treant may not even know what an undead is. And I gave a plausible reason why we have one if it does. I mean it is not an all knowing being, for all it knows, in our culture this is the equivalent of a capital punishment, just the same way DM is throwing Detect Evil like 'good mornings'.

Edmin is just trying to buy time to get close enough to strike, if we can talk our way past it all the better.

I don't want to just walk past the creature, in effect, I want to use it as a knowledge and information resource. Also, if it is friends of the local trees and animals, then we will have its entire 'spy network' as our disposal. Elise and her cronies will never be able to sneak past all of them to get to us.

'We seek aid Most Ancient Verdant Guardian. We have reason to believe the seal guarding the tower may ... be compromised. We need your assistance and guidance.'

Can you guys please make some aid roles to Bluff just in case.

Ulp fights to conceal a yawn.

ulp...

I wonder if the wood of living tree burns hotter...could make better potions.

Okay, let me break this down for you. Zimu rolled a 30 on her Bluff. Normally I'd roll that, but I'll let the roll stand. Nobody has rolled aids yet. You've had most of a day now to do that, so I'll just take the 30 as your Bluff roll. I'll give Zimu an additional +1 for speaking fey, brandishing the holy symbol, and coming up with some elaborate stories for you. So, the guardian has to hit a DC of 31.

Now, the guardian has a +12 Sense Motive. I'm giving it +2 because you're kind of a sketchy looking group and +4 because its suspicions have already been aroused, for a total of +18. So, it needs to roll a 13 or higher. If it fails, it believes you. It will still be unfriendly and disinclined to let you pass, but it will accept your story about being agents of the crown. If it succeeds, it does not believe you (and you only get one shot at this, so further attempts at bluffing will be pointless -- it absolutely, permanently doesn't believe you), and it will not let you pass. If it succeeds by 5 or more, it sees through your bluff entirely and attacks on the spot.

I'm about to get in the car for the court, so will be offline for the next few hours. I'll roll first. Everybody ready?

1d20 + 18 ⇒ (17) + 18 = 35

The tree thing's frown turns to a dangerous glare. "No! Leave... this... place! Now!"

Welp, worth a try.

If you want to attack it now, go ahead and roll for initiative. Note that it's standing at the top of the cliff, 40' above you and about 40' away -- so, range to your party is about 65'. The exception is Morsum, who flew up to the top of the cliff and so is just 15' away from it. Edmin edged a little closer, so he's just 30' from the base of the cliff, near the edge of the pool. To reach the base of the cliff you have to go around the pool, which adds another 20' of movement. Clear?

Pity.

'We will abide as you wish. But you have put the land in danger.'

May I suggest we leave, and prepare and strike with surprise and with readied defenses later on. Or would we get surprise now?

Knowledge Nature on the treant 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22

1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

So 50' of movement away and, judging from how you described it? 20' around the pool, 30' up the stairs? Is going up the stairs difficult terrain?

May I suggest we leave, and prepare and strike with surprise and with readied defenses later on.

However if the group attacks hoping for surprise

Due to the nature of PbP, falling back and preparing could mean that the combat takes an extra 3-6 days.

If we are attacking, flying + fire is the way to go, after all, trees burn. I do not have any fire spells, but Morsum can carry someone if I enlarge him, maybe 2 someones. Also, Ulp has lots of blasting ability. The real question is what, if anything, the treant has for ranged attacks.

Or, I can dismiss Morsum and summon 1d3 fire elementals. I can keep summoning them for a while.

One last option is to move back and go around. With Morsum enlarged and flying, we should be able to transport the whole party up another part of the cliff away from here so as to take away the treant's tactical advantage of higher ground.

1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20 init

[ooc] so it is 63.63 feet away( according to pythagreous) from ulp since he flies at a speed of 60 I should be able to fly to 20 feet away and 10 feet above it)

1d20+4 init

so it is 63.63 feet away( according to pythagreous) from ulp since he flies at a speed of 60 I should be able to fly to 20 feet away and 10 feet above it)

This is a huge monster, it most likely will have reach of at least 15', possibly more.

I figured 15 feet, based off its size so I figure 20 feet away should be safeish...I just meant I am 10 feet higher that ground level where it is, but 20 feet away...but I don't want to be in 5 ft range, so DMDM let me Edit that to say I will fly up to 10 feet above ground level but 50 feet away

Whispers to the others, I agree with Zimu, we should leave.

I am EST USA so sometimes I can't get to posting until around lunch time here.

Looks like we have two players (Zimu and Dren) for "retreat and regroup", and two other players (Jax and Ulp) for attacking now. That leaves the Judge and Sir Edmin as the swing votes. Gentlemen?

I am for retreat and circumvent the treant, Or attack from another angle.

If someone casts Invisibility on me, I can stand 35' from the tree and keep summoning small fire elementals. They may not do a lot of damage, but summoning will not kill my invisibility. Once the elementals, hopefully, have weakened it. Then Ulp can start fire bombing it while Cy Scorching Ray's it. Then, and not until then, we mount a frontal assault. No reason to give it extra attacks on Edmin and Jax and Grumbles if we can hurt it from a distance.

Yeah it has us at a pretty distinctly bad position. No point in rushing things just to take a crapton of damage or worse because we are impatient.

I can bomb him from a distance, even at 2 range increments I would be hard pressed to miss