Defense of Brookside

Game Master caster4life

Hej.
Sorry for my absence/silence.
I was not in a very good place, mentally. Some developments in my life were dragging me back into a hole I figured I had left behind me for good more than 10 years ago.
It's both good and at the same time worse that there is nothing 'tragic' - the kids are fine and all that. But regardless, events conspired to upend basically all life plans we may have made for the next couple years.
I may have to change jobs for economic reasons, among other things.
Basically, I was just functioning - barely able to sleep at nights, and just making it through the days. What energy I had left, I spent on the kids in hopes that everything remained "normal" for them.

I won't go into details, it's not my place to rant, nor your responsibility to care.
Let me just say that despite my absence, I very much appreciate being part of the game. I apologize that it happened with such unfortunate timing, but I assure you - not by choice. I would like to remain and commit myself again(as per GM PM) - alas, I just managed to come to the boards and will go through all my games over the weekend doing the rounds saying sorry.
I may need a few more days to catch up and all that - if you'll still have me.

I'm sorry to hear that, Turion. I hope that you can be ok as a person. We'll always understand that real life comes before games.

In terms of what commitment/re-commitment makes sense to be most compatible with your life, I'm thinking that we keep Turion on but not as a plot-driving character for a while. That's a lot more pressure on your time/energy and can leave the game stalled if/when real life gets too real. So Turion will be like a normal PC except that I will immediately bot/skip/etc with the assumption that you are handling real life stuff. And we will avoid plotlines for a while in which Turion is the one making things happen/leading the action.

I understand the sentiment.
I definitely understand that you don't want me in the 'lead' for any subplots at least in the near future.

I mean, it all makes sense - of course, it feels like a "downgrade" into second-class - but a.: it's my own fault for the way I handled things, and b.: it makes perfect sense to avoid issues in the future.

That said, the timing was very unfortunate on that, so please let me apologize again.

It's not ideal but it is intended to be temporary. I'm hoping things will go well and we can get everything back to normal in a while.

As said. I understand. Especially since it was not an isolated incident. (well, it was, but overall my track record in recent months was spotty.)
It's still not something that sparks joy reading, but as said, it makes sense.

Traveling for 2 weeks on vacation starting tomorrow. Literally just booked. Really looking forward to this as I've been feeling like I've been falling apart with the stresses of life. I'll post as much as I can. And I know that I'm up so I'm going to try and get a post in today before we go. My apologizes for holding things up.

I hope your vacation gives you a good rest and recharges those batteries!

Wow. I suppose the dice wanted to welcome me back. 2 natural 20s, no attack roll below 17, and the damage dice also way above average. I believe 83 fire damage is the most I did with an scorching ray, ever.

Here's a breakdown of Mel's current AC:

• 10 base
  
• 5 Dexterity
  
• 6 armor (+2 shadow mithral chain shirt)
  
• 2 deflection (Ring of Protection +2)
  
• 1 natural (Amulet of Natural Armor)
  
• 1 dodge (from Haste)
  
• 3 dodge (from fighting defensively)
  

For a total of 28 normal, 21 touch and 19 flat-footed.

It's worth noting that unlike most bonus types, dodge bonuses to AC stack with themselves, per the descriptions in the Armor Class section of the Combat chapter.

Also, fighting defensively usually only grants +2 to AC, but if you have 3 or more ranks in acrobatics (which Mel does) then you get an additional +1 for fighting defensively.

EDIT: and since it is now relevant, it's worth noting that Mel just went from fighting defensively to total defense, which ups her AC by another 3. The acrobatics thing helps with that, too -- typically it's +2/+4 for fighting defensively/total defense, but having 3+ ranks in Acrobatics increases that to +3/+6.

It's also worth noting that some bonuses to AC also apply to CMD. After taking that Total Defense action, Mel's CMD totals up as:

• 10 base
  
• 5 Dexterity
  
• 2 Strength
  
• 7 BAB
  
• 2 deflection (Ring of Protection +2)
  
• 1 dodge (from Haste)
  
• 6 dodge (from total defense)
  

For a total of 33.

Ah I forgot fighting defensively. Nice.

I considered my options and I figure I'll wait to see if Fyrtor does anything with that Aqueaus Orb...it is kinda in the way. I guess I could dive in and attempt to cast something. But preferably it would not be blocking the way as it does now.(Even if it moves one step to the left I should be able to head to the corridor and see the pugilist.

I realise Bluff isn't Suggestion - Even on a successful bluff roll the guy might do something else. I couldn't work out how to get LOS for suggestion, or I'd have used it to get the guy to run.

I don't think we want the guy to run, at this point. I was hoping we could grab Alabaster quietly, so he'd just go in and vanish and his guards would have no idea what happened.

But that didn't work out, so now his guards know he's being abducted (or killed, they probably don't know which). I think we need to incapacitate them and abduct them as well. If the guards get away, they may alert people we don't want alerted, namely Count Harcourt, their boss's boss. Plus they know what our current aliases look like, which is information that would be better kept under wraps.

I'm really hoping Kazador can get in a post and take out the monk, either lethally or non-lethally, which I think he could plausibly do in one good full attack. Once he's down, we just need to teleport the whole batch of them to Turick and maybe help the Madame tidy up a bit.

I don't think there's much we can do about high level magical investigation, but we can definitely deal with mundane investigation. This is a discreet establishment, so it's plausible that no one saw (or was able to identify) them as they came in. That's the whole point of the "discreet" bit -- the clients don't want anyone to know they've visited a brothel.

If we zap them out with teleport, no one will see them leave. If anyone comes asking, the Madame can plausibly claim that Alabaster never arrived. As long as we tidy things up carefully, there'll be no sign he was ever here. As far as his allies know, he will have just vanished.

I'm liking this idea of tricking him into going to defend his boss. That could well get him into melee range of Kazador, who can then go to town.

So should have been a suggestion to save his boss, not run away?
Hal would prefer he get away than we lose Mel - or anyone really. Frankly I doubt he has too much loyalty, so we may not be able to stop him running if he thinks his employer is dead anyway.
I did consider just teleporting Alabaster out, but I think an additional 'fighter' might still be useful.
Hal mostly has splash weapons, unfortunately. It was part of his concept though (he doesn't come across as a good fighter, just a guy with tricks) so I am reluctant to change it.

If he does come in the room two spellcasters get LOS!
That said, if Túrion does get a shot before hand it'd be better!

Aye, but I had same dilemma as you - no LOS to the target due to the raging waters. I figured Fyrtor may decide to move them "on" the target, which incidentally would clear the door - so I elected to wait on him. In that case, it won't matter what the guard does, I'd still get an option to spell him.

Funny enough, I also considered a ruse, but was convinced it would take an action to get him to do something(which would then eliminate the purpose of luring him towards me since I couldn't cast in the same turn).

I don't think Mel's in any danger of dying any time soon. I mean, he seems to need to roll reasonably high to hit her at the moment. Though, of course, if I'm doing total defense then I'm not doing anything to take him out of the fight, I'm just blocking his way.

And even if he hits her a bunch, Mel can get more than half her hit points back thanks to Healer's Hands and the heal skill unlock. As a swift action, even, thanks to those fancy gloves the GM gave me. I've got eight more of those today, which is quite a lot of hit points for him to get through.

The main risk is failing a fort save on a stunning fist. At that point he could just slip past me.

Good point. I originally intended to try and hit HIM with an Antithetical Restraint - assuming he does not diametrically oppose your alignment.
But that may well cause him to try and flee. I'll need to reconsider my options on that. No space for a Pit, either.
I suppose it's time for some good old Toppling Magic Missiles with a Laughing Fit attached.

Hopefully Fyrtor will go soon.

I'm considering how to use hero points in future games. What do you guys think of our hero points system (see campaign info if you forget)? Specifically, I'm wondering whether it makes hero points more interesting that they're a double-edged sword with damage or if that's just a minor, unimportant thing to remember. Further, I'm wondering if the limit of one hero point at a time just reduces the incentive for earning hero points since you'll so often already have one.

I thought you already raised the limit on hero points to three? Specifically because you kept trying to give them to me when I already had one.

I sure hope so, because Mel had three at the beginning of this fight and spent all of them.

The damage doesn't add much, honestly. In fact, it's kind of a disincentive to use them.

Ah I do remember raising it to 3. I didn't change that in campaign info. Fixing it now.

Good to know. Yeah I thought the damage would add an interesting risk/reward element but I don't think it's even worth the extra book-keeping.

As for taking my turn - as said, I am holding due to the Aquaeus Orb blocking the exit from the room. Right now that thing is "chilling" next to the enemy combatant.
So there's a chance Fyrtor might direct it - but he could also need to move and then spent his standard on a new spell, not leaving him with actions to direct the sphere.
And I don't think I can get LOS on the pugilist without entering the Orb. If Fyrtor does not post and you bot him, I can post following that.

Regarding the Hero Points: I tend to "Hoard" any, only using them in dire situations. With no 'steady' income of them, they are 'luxury' things, not to be spent as long as the situation is in control.
If the situation does need to be brought back under control, any drawback added is minor and neglectable. Unless that penalty is so detrimental that it makes using the Hero Point ill-advised even under such dire circumstances...but then that would go completely against the intent).

(Alas, you are not the only one who used such a mechanic. We experimented with one game where you could freely use a hero point whenever you wanted...but that meant pushing beyond your limits and gave you (unavoidable) level drain(1 level per point spent) - which never resulted in permanent level loss, but meant you operated at diminished capacity afterwards. You could get rid of one drained level per day with a check, or automatically when resting(and only by either of those). Had an interesting dynamic, because they were 'always there' when needed, and the penalty was worth accepting on rolls that mattered, since it could get rid of without too much hassle - but at the same time you really didn't want to overuse it and fall into a slippery slope rabbit hole. All in all, it worked surprisingly well. And during our battle with the BBEG, 2 people basically burned themselves out, accrueing 10+ drained levels over 3 rounds, but managed to stay in the fight.)

So I've been trying to figure the interactions of my two "spheres" on the field. I think the pugilist would have to make a reflex save again against the cloud at the start of his turn to avoid getting damaged since he still shares his square with it, but I'm not sure? Also I thought about trying to catch him with the aqueous orb, but itçs technically too big for the hall. I'm not sure I can move it into a smaller space. Also what happens when you try to move the effects on top of each other? Can you? Do they stack? Do they cancel each other out?

As far as moving it into the room Fyrtor is in the hall and I don't think he'd reasonably know what happened inside the room from his viewpoint keeping the orb in the hall is a great way to keep anyone from escaping the room.

I'll make my move if we can get some GM input on what I can and can't do.

The spheres do stack since the rules don't give any indication they'd cancel out. Yes he should save at the beginning of his turn but I think I forgot one. Will sort that now. The aqueous orb can basically squeeze in the hall but will spill through doors and other openings as it can to approximate its normal space.

Cool, in that case he's gonna have a tough time staying there. Aqueous orb moved now, so if Turion or others wanted an opening they'll have one.

If Kazador doesn't find a moment to post while on vacation, I suspect he would forgive us for using his PC to take down the monk. Melee combat is Kazador's thing, after all.

I'm fine with anyone who wants to botting Kazador's turn. Bonus points if they make a faux Kazador alias. XD

Aye, interesting position, he got. Because he can't really go diagonally across the corner, so he had to go through my square. Not that I'd threaten or anything :P
But I did not anticipate that option.
Since we are hoping for Kaz, I'll take a bit to consider my options :) again :)

I have returned from Vacation! And...so many posts to catch up on. Thanks for botting me while I was gone.

Welcome back, Kaz. Go get him, tiger!

@Harold: Not sure if you want to remain lurking, but in case you plan to act against the pugilist: What would be the most effective disable you have at your disposal?

I'm asking because Fennith has a SLA-use of Ill Omen - her caster level is high enough to force a double-roll on 2 d20 rolls.

So if it makes sense, she would apply that before you act so we both get a shot at dealing with him-

@Brookside GM: I had Hal moving out of cover and readying an action to throw saidd Cytillesh vial. Happy if the skill shennanigan messed with that though.

@Turion: Nah - everything he's got is AoE, except Suggestion. I deliberately steered clear of normal combat spells in general, and used the high level slots for a boquet of teleports for this job.

DC 22 Cytillesh vial isn't bad, but my guess is we're the ones who will fail the save!

Unfortunate. Hitting a Monk of all things with a Will Save? Here's hoping he is unchained at least - :D
And even then, I expect there's a 50:50 chance he'll still be able to beat me up.

I mean, I figure someone like Alabaster doesn't want to stand out too much, so would prefer "neutral" guards that keep a low profile. But there also lots of evil people keeping a low profile, so....(I'm going on a limp here and say a lawful good person would not hold the position for long...)

I just assumed we knock him out and deliver the guards as well.
They may open up additional venues of interrogation or context, if he even brought them to the brothel with him, there was a good chance they have some other info on his dealings(when was he where? etc...)

I think I'm going to declare that Ostara and Szuriel are avowed enemies. They're pretty much diametrically opposed in every way.

Can I check OOC how hard this is likely to be to cover up? If dozens of people heard shouting (pre-silence powder) then saw lighting, and there is massive water and scorch marks everywhere covering this up might not be possible.

We were expecting there might be a fight though, so some work might b possible?

Is it possible to Make Whole (or Greater Make Whole) a coridoor? I don't think it is and I don't think there is an equivalent for buildings?

Make whole and greater make whole could fix the lightning damage on parts of the wall, that's fine. The water damage is another issue. Thankfully, it's not as bad as dumping the thousands of gallons equivalent to the whole sphere but having the sphere rubbing against the walls, floor, etc isn't great for them...

We can arrange for repairs of the local damage, I'm certain.

What is more interesting to me right now: Was there anything 'heard" or noticed in the main room/other rooms? I suspect we got one as far from the other patrons as possible, but is there need to act on that front?

I was considering going out and reporting to the Madam that the assailants have been dealt with, and both the patron and his chosen girl were save - basically acting as if we're local security and dealt with the attack from outside...so that the people would feel save in her etsablishment.

But of course I won't go and talk about an attack if nobody really noticed in the first place, or assumed some muffled screaming to be part of some kind of roleplay or something.

As in, if I approach towards the main room, how does the atmosphere seem to be? Such that we can make a silent exit or is there damage control left to be done?
(I posted something to that effect, but wanted to make more clear what it is about)

I did get that Silence Dust off right at the very start, which probably helped with assorted other people noticing.

Few things.

1. Hal is the t-porter. He wants loot (see #2) and would quite like to Skin Tag anyone who is both alive and being taken away.
2. I went to check if Hal had gold and realised I had somehow forgotten to actually record how much money he had. I'm going to assume he spent every bent copper, and possibly went slightly into debt getting the silence dust.
3. Not sure if the Hallucinatory Decor is actually going to help much - I've got nothing that'll make it look the same and the spell gives very little control. Given Hal's issues, anyone looking to hard at the intricate carving might be in for a surprise, and I think the pillars are of young Harold and his wife.
4. Hal is actually pretty keen not to screw the Madame over for various reasons.
5. Was Turion laying a false trail?
6. Can someone please put the cover story for the Madame in discussion in simplified form? I'm a little worried I missed something
7. Do you want Hal to t-port back here, or is everyone meeting up at some other place?
8. Hal is pretty done in - what is the next step in our cunning plan?

1.: I can DD somewhere, outside. Maybe save Hal from needing multiple trips.

2.: We should definitely un-equip them after we have them in proper custody. Including but not just for financial reasons.

5.: Hum, I remember talking about the option - to take Alabasters place and then head elsewhere so that he is seen leaving the brothel, and to possibly throw his guards off the trail.
Alas, it seems he entered through a backdoor, and his guards are "missing", too, so not sure if that will be very efficient. I think we are better of staying together at this point.

6.: Túrion came to her, approaching her as an ambitious young noble trying to garner favor with the King by exposing some plot going on. He paid her for information, as there's traditionally pillow talk in such establishments. As a pretext for visiting to collect info, Túrion also befriended a young girl working service(not of the physical kind) and had been teaching her to read and write. (As well as visiting an Opera with her after Mel declined...after Túrion already bought the tickets).
That should be the gist of it. I'm fine if Madame is pissed, but I still want to get Isabella "out" of there as she has few prospects in life if she stays. Maybe overpay the Madame, take her on as a hireling and drop her off at the old Count with a request to take her on as a maid-in-training.

7.: see 1 - I can DD out some others and we can meet up from there.

8.: I vote: undress everybody we took prisoner, then see if he is willing to tell us something, then hand him over to the Viscount.
I don't think he has any illusions about his fate, but we CAN offer to try and do something minor for him - like trying to keep his name out of the public so his family is not shamed, or making sure someone he cares about is not in trouble after his permanent disappearance. Even someone facing death may have requests that make them willing to cooperate.

Did we find any money on Alabaster? I mean, unless he meant to run up a tab or something?
Specifically wondering if we can already hand over a bit of money to the madame now out of politeness.

(Also, this was my contact, my plan, and my fck-up by going missing halfway through, so I'll take care of that out of my share/pocket. Unless we get paid for something or find something sellable on our prisoner, I'll go through my inventory and see what I can part with - a wand of acid arrow jumped at me that I think SHOULD cover the expenses.)

It would be very nice if Alabaster had enough on him to cover the expense of his own abduction.

GM, I'm still wondering what the condition of the two guards are. Dead? In negatives?

According to the notes it looks like we're doing the Baron Cust investigations next?

Sounds right to me.

You find a small purse of 20 pp on Alabaster. In addition, he is wearing fine clothes and jewelry.

Ah thanks for the re-ask Mel. The woman is burnt to death and the man is unconscious.

I think the plan is for Hal to cast Teleport to take Alabaster, the monk and the dead cleric straight to Turick's place without passing through the city streets.

At CL 11 he can take himself, Kazador, Alabaster and the monk. The dead cleric is now effectively an object, and either Kazador can sling her over his shoulder or else we stick her in a bag of holding temporarily. Alabaster and the monk are unconscious, and thus count as willing for purposes of teleportation. If Hal has some clever way to boost his CL by one, he can take one more PC along.

The rest of us can clean up a bit and then leave quietly by an inconspicuous back door, or possibly Janus can Dimension Door us out if we really don't want to risk being seen leaving.

I'd like to wrap this scene up. We've accomplished our goals, and the opportunities for RP here are running dry.

He can use Focussed Spell to get +4 CL

Well, technically we could stick all of them into a bag of holding featuring sufficient dimensions temporarily. We'll be at the destination before the air in the bag would run out.

That said, I'd definitely DD us out if needed, I've got several Level 4 slots available and would rather prefer if we are not seen in the immediate area.

I concur that we can wrap things up here, I'd just like to leave on good terms for the time being. Or as close to those as is reasonably possible.

That would get it to CL 14. We've got: Mel, Hal, Fyrtor, Túrion, Kazador, Alabaster and the monk, which is 7 targets. At CL 14 he could move himself plus 4 others (so total five). No matter how we cut it, at least two people get left behind.

Hal has to go because he's casting. Alabaster and the monk have to go because we have to get them out of here. If you ask me, Kazador should go along because he's good at bludgeoning people who might wake up and decidedly not sneaky.

That leaves one slot between Mel, Fyrtor and Túrion.

Mel will stay behind on the grounds that she's extra sneaky and stands a good chance of getting out unobserved.

I'd like to suggest Túrion go with the teleport group because the Madame seems vexed with him. Which leaves Fyrtor to sneak out with Mel.

Any objections? It's time to move on.

As previously suggested: What exactly speaks against stuffing unconscious people in a bag of holding? (Any table-specific rulings?)
AFAIK the air inside is limited, as it would be in any sealed space, but if it's simply for a transfer meaning they would be inside less than a minute, that should be doable.
Just saying because with those two inside, we could all teleport together.

And no matter if the Madame is vexed, I'd prefer all of us to exit via magic, not by sneak - if the bag won't do that would mean DD'ing. (That, and I'd like to pick up Nelly if reasonably possible.)