But dwarves stubbornly making things harder for themselves is very much in character. :)
But dwarves stubbornly making things harder for themselves is very much in character. :)
That's our role in life!
I believe that blind sense still allows sneak attack but blind sight does not. With blind sense you know where a creature is but not what they are doing or who exactly they are to protect yourself. Blindsight you get to ‘see’ everything just like normal vision.
I love the idea of re-lighting the forge here and now, but before we get too far into this, I don't remember anyone taking any of the sacred clay from the Shrine of Fandarra (See March 11 post above).
Also, there is still this part of the ritual:
"The second was Aduromi, the Priestess of Crystals, whose veins ran hot with molten metal and who could temper steel to a hardness that would cut diamonds. She brought with her the secrets of the fire geodes, which once ignited would burn for a century."
For a hint about this, re-read the completed activities in the same March 11 post - carefully...
This Saturday I will be visiting family for two weeks. I hope to keep up with posting, but it will probably be sporadic.
I'll be honest. I'm confused. Can't we just backtrack to get those materials for the ritual, as we've already been through those rooms? If not, is there something we need to do? Seeing as how there haven't been any posts, I'll be the one to take the hit to just ask what we need to do.
My laptop is on the fritz and shuts off30s after loading so havent been on much sorry. As fort the materials those are days away through out the entire valley. I suppose we could back track but we don't know when the giants will be moving on. I feel we need to deal with any threat now here before we go collect the clay and water.
Yes, you all gathered the materials while you journeyed through the valley. The AP needed you to get XP after all before you take on the BBEG.
The only things you don't have is the clay and the fire geodes.
02/20/2022 Post Me: Just for clarification, Are you examining the altar? And there is a little bit more to the temple than just the altar room. I have updated the tactical map.
02/20/2022 Post: Kurag: Kurag follows Sven’s lead as it seems he has the best grasp on the situation. Should Sven indicate to finish the destruction of the shrine that nature started, Kurag will gladly join in. Until directed he waits patiently off to the side.
02/20/2022 Post: Sven: ”Torag, the forge belongs to ye. May the day come that giants turn away from their false Gods and realize that the world was made on your anvil!” With that he went about destroying the altar, trusting his kinsmen to finish with the room. Then they could move on.
That sounds like us!
Greetings adventurers! Just a quick note to let you know the family and I are taking some Summer vacation starting this evening.
I'll be back and ready to save the world on 12 June!
Returned from overseas! Was welcomed back warmly by work, with lots to do, and some unexpected family medical issues and the sad reality that my computer is fully dead (only posting via phone until I buy a new one). Will catch up with the game as soon as possible.
Alrighty then, so bright and early tomorrow morning, I'm taking 14 Boy Scouts to Summer Camp at Camp Tuckahoe, PA.
Immediately following that will be my family reunion for a week.
I expect to be back online on the 21st of July.
Feel free to make decisions for me while I'm gone!
I will be leaving this Saturday to spend the holidays with family. This week has been extremely busy with work, finals and packing. I hope to keep up with the games, but you know how that goes!
Sven's HP, is it 34 or 77? I think that it is higher, given that he has AC28 vs giants, but I could be mistaken.
So I am at a loss now. I was rereading the thread and it seemed that at one point we weren't going to do the ritual then we decided to do the ritual but couldn't. We need the other 2 components to the ritual (fire geodes and clay)
We have the dragon horn that when blown will have all dragons nearby that can hear it respond but no way of controlling said dragons or know how many may arrive.
We killed the tyrant giant and cleansed his cathedral but even so we don't know how to disperse the army and we can't take on a full giant army just ourselves.
Do we lock the front doors, leave the captives here to maintain a ruse of it still being occupied, and go get the other 2 components? Do we hand wave that since we have cleared out all the areas already? Do we just make a bunch of skill checks to move things along? I feel that we have floundered lately and need to pick it up again somehow.
Alright! I took Scouts to Ohio this weekend (we're in Virginia), to watch the eclipse. I'm back, and ready to save the world!
It seems like needing these 2 components has ground us to a halt. Personally, I don't know where the components are or how we are to get them (or if the group was supposed to have them earlier and missed them). If we don't do something, this campaign is going to die. So let's just move ahead with a plan. Any plan. And I vote for Kurag's plan.
We lock the front doors, leave the captives here, and get the other 2 components. Let's make any skill checks we need, or move on to the next location to RP/Fight whatever is needed for those components.
Huzzah!
How about this:
Kurag goes invisible and places the head giant's head where some trolls are. Giants blame trolls. Trolls blame giants. Ogres join in the fun. After a night of furious battle, the survivors leave. You take the captives back to their village and go after the components.
Concerning the drake...
1. You can fight the drake now and probably kill it. As a DM I promise you that when blow the horn a young, gold dragon answers the call.
2. You can get the drake to breathe/fight it after you get the components.
Let me know which it will be 1 or 2?
As a side note, I have two weeks left of grad school before I get my MBA so I should be more attentive to my games after that.
Congrats on getting so close to the MBA! That's exciting.
And let's go with #2. I see no reason for these dwarfs to fight a dragon before we have the other components, as they'd have no way of knowing if the fire would stay 'fresh' long enough for them to get the other components.
2 weeks! Dang nice job.
Option 2 works for me as well as it makes the most sense based on the information that we as characters have
I'm with you fellas!
So it sounds like the option is #2. I'll hand-wave you gathering the components, and we will start with the drake fight.
Unfortunately...
This week is the final week for Grad school and then I will be off visiting family for two weeks.
The good news is that once I return, I will have more time at night to post since I won't be doing homework!
Get that school work done!
Good luck and enjoy the time off. We will be here gathering resources and components till you get back
Wife and family got into a car accident and just getting back to normal life. Will be posting here this weekend
I heard from Rask and he unfortunately has to drop from the game. Does someone want to play him for this encounter and then we can recruit after (plus you will be a level at that point)?
I could do it if need be. Let’s get this show on the road :)
I mean, what could go wrong, right?
@DM RichD, perhaps Tronar or Ziranu would be interested in dwarfing up and joining us?
Btw...with Rask stepping down, after his character leaves would anyone mind if Sven took Agrimmosh? It seems like it would be a good choice with his upcoming vital strikes, and thematically suits a cleric of Torag to wield it. Unless someone else would want to make use of it?
Not me, I'm the newb here, and intended to be an archer bard, if I ever get a bow!
All good here. I just wish I had a back up bow for you Brother. Something to consider in case mine ever gets sundered.
Heroes, I’m hopping on a family cruise for just over a week. I should be back online on 22 June.
Bot me as needed.
Minderhal’s Forge
The focal point of the great Cathedral of Minderhal in the Mindspin Mountains, Minderhal’s Forge is currently inactive. When relit, however, it becomes a powerful artifact. Minderhal’s Forge is permanently fixed in place within the Cathedral of Minderhal, and cannot be moved or uprooted without divine intervention.
Minderhal’s Forge appears to be a giant stone blacksmithing forge and huge iron anvil set atop a basalt platform that rises from a pit of slag. First and foremost, Minderhal’s Forge functions as an altar of Minderhal (see page 246 of Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Inner Sea Gods for rules on altars). Any creature (not just a worshiper of Minderhal) can pray at the altar, though accepting the altar’s blessing is both an evil and lawful act. Praying at the altar grants a +2 circumstance bonus on Craft and Sense Motive checks, or one of the following weapon special abilities (creature’s choice) to one magic weapon carried or wielded by the creature: axiomatic or unholy. This effect is suppressed if the weapon leaves the creature’s grasp, but resumes if the weapon is returned to the creature.
Minderhal’s Forge is also a fully working forge. Any creature using the forge can create magic weapons, armor, or shields as if it possessed the Craft Magic Arms and Armor feat. If the creature already has that feat, the forge grants a +5 circumstance bonus on the Craft check needed to create a magic weapon, armor, or shields. Crafting any sort of item, whether magical or otherwise, using Minderhal’s Forge takes half the normal amount of time.
In addition, Minderhal’s Forge has 10 charges, which renew at the beginning of each day. A creature using Minderhal’s Forge can expend the listed number of charges to activate one of the following spell-like abilities as a full-round action, which can affect targets within 10 feet of the forge.
• Bull’s strength (1 charge)
• Magic weapon (1 charge)
• Make whole (1 charge)
• Fabricate (3 charges)
• Major creation (3 charges)
• Stone shape (3 charges)
• Stoneskin (3 charges)
• Iron body (5 charges)
• Stone to flesh (5 charges)
Lastly, Minderhal’s Forge can be used in conjunction with Agrimmosh, the Hammer of Unmaking to resize armor and weapons. When a weapon, suit of armor, or shield is placed in Minderhal’s Forge and struck with Agrimmosh, the equipment permanently resizes to match the size of Agrimmosh’s wielder. This power is so strong that magic or even intelligent items are always affected; only artifacts receive a saving throw (Will DC 25 negates) to resist this effect.
Agrimmosh, the Hammer of Unmaking
The stone giants of the Mindspin Mountains believe that the giant god Minderhal used his hammer Agrimmosh to forge the first giant. This creation was imperfect, however, so he crafted another and granted it life, creating the first stone giant. Pleased with what he had now wrought, Minderhal pulverized his first creation with a final blow of the Hammer of Unmaking, and its pieces became all of the other races of giants that came to populate the world.
Agrimmosh appears to be a simple stone blacksmith’s hammer engraved with Minderhal’s holy symbol. It functions as a +2 impact warhammer that automatically resizes itself to match the size of its wielder. Once per day as a full-round action, the wielder of Agrimmosh can use the hammer to cast heightened enlarge person (Fortitude DC 23 negates). This effect lasts for 20 minutes. Whenever the wielder of Agrimmosh confirms a critical hit against a creature of the humanoid type, the target creature must succeed at a DC 23 Fortitude save or shrink by one size category, as by heightened reduce person. This effect lasts for 20 minutes.
In addition, Agrimmosh has other powers that are currently dormant. When the Hammer of Unmaking is struck against Minderhal’s Forge in the Cathedral of Minderhal, these powers are reawakened, and Agrimmosh gains the following abilities.
Whenever the wielder of Agrimmosh successfully strikes a creature with the hammer, as an immediate action he can attempt a targeted dispel check against the struck creature, as dispel magic, to end a single ongoing transmutation effect that alters the target’s size. Other ongoing spells and effects are unaffected. The wielder uses the hammer’s caster level as his own when attempting such a dispel check.
Whenever the wielder of Agrimmosh successfully strikes a creature with the hammer, as an immediate action he can attempt a targeted dispel check against the struck creature, as dispel magic, to end a single ongoing transmutation effect that alters the target’s size. Other ongoing spells and effects are unaffected. The wielder uses the hammer’s caster level as his own when attempting such a dispel check.
• Heightened enlarge person (1 charge, DC 23; this replaces
Agrimmosh’s 1/day enlarge person ability)
• Heightened mass enlarge person (2 charges, DC 23)
Lastly, Agrimmosh can be used in conjunction with Minderhal’s Forge at the Cathedral of Minderhal to resize magic armor and weapons.
Woot! Do we have a bunch of stuff in large and small sizes that can be resized to fit a poor dwarf bard who is largely equipment-less?
Most likely. Also…level 10! I’ll get it worked up soon. :)
As for another player, whatever they want. It always works best when people build what interests them the most. Less likely to drop out.
Question for the group. Right now Sven is a cleric and our GM allowed him to be a spontaneous caster, as I prefer them in PbP. But it is clunky. I ran the idea by him of having Sven switch to oracle. As he was the one who corrupted/purified an artifact, he’d be blessed by Torag (mystery) and cursed by Minderhal (curse).
But dwarves and Charisma don’t go well together. I floated the idea of spending a feat on spell finesse. Does anyone object to that?
Also, if the group okays this change, any advice on a good curse that fits the story?
For the curse, with it being Giant Themed (curse from Minderhal)
(1) Powerless Prophecy
Source PZO9283
You are forewarned of danger but can’t act to prevent it. You gain uncanny dodge, as the rogue class feature. However, you can’t take any actions in a surprise round, including free actions, except for flash of insight (see Revelations below). In the absence of a surprise round, you are staggered for the entire first round of combat.
EFFECT
At 5th level, you gain a +4 insight bonus on initiative checks.
At 10th level, you gain improved uncanny dodge as the rogue ability, using your oracle level as your rogue level.
Giants are know for their prophecies, right? This represents defiling/purging Minderhal’s artifact imparting some of that ability, but due to the ire of the God, it comes too late to act on. Hence what would have been a blessing for a Giant becomes a curse for him.
2: God-Meddled: This curse is available to oracles who have a tumultuous relationship with the gods.
The gods’ interference in your life has left you with strange, unpredictable powers dependent on divine whim. Bizarre side effects occur whenever you are affected by a spell from a divine caster—for better or for worse. Once per round, when a creature casts a divine spell including you as a target, roll 1d20 and consult the table below. The effect resulting from this roll begins at the end of that enemy’s turn. This effect targets only you, even if other creatures were included as targets of the triggering spell.
At 5th level, you gain a +2 competence bonus on saving throws to resist divine spells.
At 10th level, you become immune to the confused condition.
Very thematic. Blessed by Torag, cursed by Minderhal. Divine spells thus have a 50/50 chance of being better or worse than normal. The rules aren’t very clear if this is only for spells from others (ie: enemy’s turn) or for everyone including himself (ie: creatures). My reading is that his own spells make him roll on the table. A fairly significant curse, as the downsides are much worse than the upsides.
3: Haunted: Malevolent spirits follow you wherever you go, causing minor mishaps and strange occurrences (such as unexpected breezes, small objects moving on their own, and faint noises). Retrieving any stored item from your gear requires a standard action, unless it would normally take longer. Any item you drop lands 10 feet away from you in a random direction. Add mage hand and ghost sound to your list of spells known.
At 5th level, add levitate and minor image to your list of spells known.
At 10th level, add telekinesis to your list of spells known
Good old haunted. Piss off a God and suffer from his pettiness. Just a long string of things going wrong.
4: Tongues
In combat he can only speak Terran and Celestial. Cursed by Minderhal in time of stress to be mute, with the curse partly alleviated by Torag.
5: Curse of Black Blood (Su)
All black-blooded oracles effectively share the same curse—the curse of black blood. The material affects these oracles physically and mentally, altering both physiology and mystic powers. The blood of a black-blooded oracle actually runs black, and wounds she suffers are infected by her own power and are difficult to heal. She is immune to the effects (both beneficial and destructive) of black blood. Positive and negative energy affect a black-blooded oracle as if she were undead—positive energy harms her, while negative energy heals her (this aspect of the curse has no effect if the oracle is undead). The curse also dulls the oracle’s coordination somewhat, imparting a –4 penalty on all Dexterity-based skill checks. At 5th level, she gains cold resistance 5. This increases to cold resistance 10 at 10th level, and immunity to cold at 15th level. This ability replaces the oracle’s curse.
This would represent Minderhal attempting to kill Sven during the ritual by turning his blood into Black Blood and his life being saved by Torag. It just seems neat.
6: Elementalist Oracle with elemental imbalance curse (fire spells, can’t take cold and gets cold vulnerability)
Link yourself to a holy forge? Gain fire based abilities but become vulnerable to the cold.
Anyways, these seem to be the most on point to me. Any feedback would be gladly accepted.
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Sven, looking at all of the options you have listed I would go for God-meddled but not sure if that would get clunky in a play by post with the random generator.
Also nice job transforming the forge Sven!!!
Taking 8th level of ranger!
+1 BAB
+10 hp
+1 fort and reflex saves
Favored terrain: Mountain +4; ?cold/underground/urban? +2
+1 2nd level spell
8 skills: stealth, survival, ride, perception, disable device, acrobatics, know geog, know nature
If any one has a suggested terrain to take I will listen. I have no idea where the campaign is going from here. I am increasing the mountain terrain to +4.
Lucky:
+1 HD (+14 hp)
+1 skill: perception
+1 feat: dodge
Whatever people want to play is good by me.
I am assuming that with all the giants slaughtered we at least found a bow and armor to resize for Brother Hawthorne
Of course, as a Bard, I can't use all armors. A bow would be great! Especially a magic one!
Taking another level of Bard. A couple new spells, skills, oh, and a new Versatile Performance.
Right, Oracle it is. Thank you to everyone for bearing with me. The rework isn’t complicated but it is being made. I agree that god-meddled is thematically the best…it just feels clunky for PbP. And sadly that means I likely won’t take it….
…I’ll get a gameplay post up soon. With Sven’s hammer and new black smithing skills, he’ll work equipment up on the anvil. For himself, he will be resizing Giant equipment to turn his breastplate into plate armor.
He looks fun to use. Aggrimosh will make for a fun vital strike build.
Sooooo, if we purchase small (or even smaller) mithral or adamantine items, and resize them to large, can we resell them for their metal weight at the new size?
Curse
Right. Finally settled on a curse. Reclusive! It's not something I've ever seen anyone take before. I was going to go with God-Meddled, but it is just too clunky for PbP. Don't want to have all of those extra rolls happening all the time, even though the flavor is there.
But for reclusive? I like the idea that in combat, Minderhal is there, actively working against Sven. Turning beneficial spells aside, having attempts to aid him not work when he needs them the most? It just sounds like something a spiteful God, known for avoiding direct confrontation would do as a way of vengeance. He wouldn't be able to effect divine spells coming from Torag through Sven, but everything else? Yeah, that would be fair game. I'm sure that there will come a time when this comes back to bite me. Such as a spell being needed to save his life or the like. That just strikes me as flavorful, with Minderhal getting his revenge.
But, on the plus side? It is only in combat, so spells before combat (buffs, and movement spells like dimension door) will work just fine. And Sven is a buffer, so having his own spells last twice as long is really nice. That, and immunity to charm? Immunities are always good.
-----------
The anvil and our weapons
I'd also recommend that everyone pray at the newly consecrate forge. Getting axiomatic for free is great. And if we have the gold? We can enchant your weapon first. So, for example. Brother Hawthorne wants a bow. Take a bow, spend 1000 gold to make it a +1 weapon. Then pray to make it axiomatic. Because axiomatic is a +2 enchantment, we should do any upgrading before said prayers. Sven has 697 gold and he will gladly donate it to anyone who needs it to add an enchantment.
------
Rask?
Given that he is dropping out of the campaign and is a paladin, I think it would make sense for him to stay behind as the guardian of this forge. As it is now consecrated in Torag's name, it makes sense for him to guard it against Minderhal's followers taking it back.
Ok, several things.
1) I am BROKE! As you will recall, I was rescued as a prisoner. I have 0 gold to my name!
2) "Any evil and unholy affects are now good and holy!" Can holy be applied to a weapon?
3) I'd prefer to take a bow, to +2 (or +3) and adaptive before putting holy on it. Much less expensive to put the extra plusses on it before adding the holy.
4) I've looked, is there a loot list somewhere that I'm missing?
I would think with the forge being consecrated to a Torag the boon to the weapon would be lawful rather than axiomatic. Still nice but not overly broke like holy can be.
Never seen reclusive before. Will have to look into it. I don’t do a lot of research into anything that isn’t in the core book or the advanced books
Don’t have loot list that I know of
Almost forgot he dragon's treasure:
Like most dragons, Jahlvoraz’s greed has driven him to accumulate a sizable hoard of treasure, which he has displayed in the northeast corner of this level’s sole surviving room. The pile contains a suit of dwarven plate, a Large spined shield, a +1 light pick, a +2 shortbow, a potion of delay poison, a potion of displacement, a potion of haste, a scroll of blade barrier, a scroll of charm monster, a scroll of hold monster, a scroll of summon monster V, a scroll of wall of force, a noble’s outfit, a copper amulet with garnet setting (worth 80 gp), a brightly painted clay ceremonial mask with bronze feathers and glittering blue sapphire eyes (worth 545 gp), a set of three lapis lazuli carvings of leucrottas (worth 50 gp each), a black pearl (worth 500 gp), 180 pp, 1,240 gp, 4,490 sp, and 13,800 cp.
@Brother Hawthorne: If the +2 Shortbow above works better for you as a +2 Longbow, then make it so...