Defense of Brookside

Game Master caster4life

I can go either way - I made an icon for the ally, but was amazed how many times I had to change the name to get one!
On the other hand, if it is better for the game to Hal just accompany people I'm cool with that too - though he is all but out of spells.

There might be traps, though. I don't think any of the rest of us can handle those. I mean, Mel now has one rank in Disable Device and the appropriate tools, but at this level that means she's more likely to set one off while messing with it than successfully disable it.

Hrm. I am skeptical of our secretary's account. For one thing, I've watched enough videos from the lockpicking lawyer to know that anyone who claims a lock is "unpickable" is selling you a bridge.

For another, I'm not convinced Teleport Trap would be able to deliver someone into an antimagic field. Teleport Trap "redirect[s] all teleportation into or out of the area to a specific point within the area determined by you at the time of casting." The phrase "the area" here refers to the spell's area of effect: you can't designate a spot outside the space covered by the the Teleport Trap.

And, of course, an antimagic field suppresses all magic within its own area of effect. If the AMF is cast before the Teleport Trap, then you can't designate that spot as the destination. And if you cast the Teleport Trap first and then the AMF over the designated arrival point, well, that spot stops being part of the Teleport Trap. The Teleport Trap then has no valid destination to deposit an interloper. I could see that going several ways:

Option A) The Teleport Trap no longer has a valid place to deposit someone, so the entire spell fizzles and is no longer in effect.

Option B) the teleportation spell transports its caster to the Astral Plane (which is how it always works), but they never emerge back on the material plane because the Teleport Trap does not have a valid location to send them. In this case, Cust and anyone who went with him are now floating in a void somewhere in the Astral Sea, and are technically still under the effects of an unresolved teleportation spell. No one ages or needs to eat on the Astral Plane, so they may have just achieved effective immortality.

Option C) It gets treated the same as when you try to teleport into a solid object via Dimension Door. The teleporting parties take a little damage and get shunted to the nearest open space. This would be very unfortunate, since the nearest open space is part of the Teleport Trap. The Teleport Trap won't let anyone materialize within its area, so it shoves them straight back in, where they take a little damage and get shunted back out, only to be shoved back in, over and over until you have what amounts to teleporter puree.

Option D), as C, minus the damage because there isn't actually a solid object there. In this case they're just stuck in a loop indefinitely, thus achieving a roundabout form of temporal stasis, much like Scotty in that ST:TNG episode Relics.

At any rate, I don't see any way you could have an ongoing AMF interact sanely with a Teleport Trap. Now, if you arranged a magical trap to turn an AMF on when somebody landed on a pressure plate inside the designated area, that would work. Once, anyway. A second group teleporting in after the first would run into one of the problems described above.

Also I don't think Mel is going down there. The AMF would kill the Disguise Self effect from her Hat of Disguise, and I suspect Turick is sharp-eyed enough to see past the mundane disguise underneath. He doesn't like elves. It would cause problems.

There are some details down there that the secretary has not yet elaborated.

Also I don't think Mel is going down there. The AMF would kill the Disguise Self effect from her Hat of Disguise, and I suspect Turick is sharp-eyed enough to see past the mundane disguise underneath. He doesn't like elves. It would cause problems.

Hum? Wasn't Turick the one advocating for an alliance with Avinoax?

Regarding the teleport-trap:

As you mentioned before, it can be solid ground but possibly with a pressure plate.
So you could have a Antimagic-filled Pit with a "balcony" of sorts overlooking it, which is also the target area for the teleport-trap. Up there is a pressure plate that activates the wall moving forward and pushing you into the pit, then resets. Sure you can climb back up there, only to reactivate the push trap. You could possible disable it, but you are still in an teleport-warded area, and the door covered by an anti-magic field on the opposite end of the room.

(Also, I believe most teleport magic, if it fails to shunt you, has a inbuilt break that deals damage then returns you to initial position, not attempts to puree you. What would be interesting, though, is how two overlapping Teleport traps act...maybe simply a CL check or something, otherwise they could feed you in a back-and-forth loop that keeps you permanently "locked" in a dual existance(Warp 10-like)...)

As for unpickable lock: I'd have to say while I do appreciate the lockpicking lawyers input, pathfinder also has vastly superior clockwork creatures over what we manage to do.
What I am hinting towards is that with a skilled enough craftsman, you could probably make a lock that is actively resisting being picked in Pathfinder.
That aside, it's easy enough to make an unpickable lock, if it's only meant to be opened from ONE side. (Hence the reason why many higher-security prison cells only have the opening mechanism on the outside, with smooth surface on the inside).
Sure there's ways to get IN, but if there's simply no means to interact with the mechanism on the other side(and covered in adamantine to boot - we are definitely taking that door with us as spoils...), then getting OUT gets a lot more complicated all of a sudden.

That said, I concur that no noble would be as stupid as to have the only key to such a door with him but alas, it's a cage - so he could hand they key to someone outside. But I also doubt he'd build a secret escape into the room, as others may find or activate that, given that they have little else to do in there.
So the door may be shut and unopenable from inside, but it'd be easy enough to knock them all out with nonlethal damage from a ton of blunt arrows, then throw a rope, fish for our target, and search him for the key through the cage bars. Not like he'd have a lot of options at this point - unless one of his minions got to him first and released him.

A knowledge or gather info check a LONG time ago IRL, not so long IC, revealed that Turick is known to dislike elves but is seeking an Avinoax alliance. The party has not asked about or looked into that, which is fair. Not every possible wrinkle is worth investigating.

I mean, Mel did ask Turick about that, shortly after meeting him, in post number 5,327. I just didn't poke him further after that.

Yep. That's sufficient unless the party is really interested in getting to know Turick beter.

Thank you :)
I believe he is currently getting +4 from bestow insight, and +2 from a luckstone. His dex is boosted by +2 from an item and +1 from a spell. All this will die in the field I think.

I believe an anti magic aura can be dispelled temporarily with a dispel magic roll, right? CLL between 11 and 16. There is a chance the duke has set something up that will kill whoever is in the cage if that happens, like a fireball trap suppressed by the magic, but I'm not sure the Don much cares. He does want to be able to honestly swear he looked for a trap and did not see one. On the other hand this'd be cheap enough that it is more about the dueks intent than cost - and if you want this to be a 'rely on your stats not a shopping list of magic' roll :)
I'm not supest about this, Hal has enough everyday magic layered on him that describing how he falls to pieces might be fun.

If dispelled Hal has a skill of +25 to open a lock with concealable thieves tools (+33 to disarm a trap). Without he is at (if above is correct) +17.

Assuming there are no traps...

He'll start by examining the lock as much as he can with all his magical benefits.

Warn everyone to back off but be ready in case he missed a trap.

cast dispel and hope for a high roll.

close and pick the lock. If magic works He can burn bestow insight to get a free re-roll.

Hum. Not entirely sure you can supress the Antimagic Field with Dispel - as AMF does state that Dispel does not remove it - as in, it trumps Dispel Magic, which makes sense with being 3 levels higher.

I think the suppressing works for magical traps, preventing them from going off for a bit.

That said, maybe we don't even need to go there - did someone ask the secretary for a key? I mean, he did check here before - and I don't want him down here, but maybe he could help resolve this swiftly?

So it does - ah well, makes this easier :)

So, uh, is someone going to grab him? Or sunder that scroll? Or reposition him back into the AMF so the scroll won't work? Or something? Mel's not down there ...

Well, I would hope he doesn't carry multiple teleportation-scrolls, I'd assume he may have invisibility or something. If he DOES get it off despite suggestion and scorching ray, definitely do block the way up.

But thats the best I could think of, on short notice. Unfortunately I don't have dispel among the currently active spells.

I'm still upstairs, and I suspect Hal is pretty tapped. Plus it's highly unclear to me where the extent of the antimagic field is and whether or not he's in it.

Kazador! We need you! Get rid of that scroll, or push him back in the AMF, or something.

Agreed! Are you around, Kazador?

In the meantime, Turion may try to blast the scroll.

I will, in a few hours.

Be advised that I'm on vacation June 9-20. I can probably keep up fine most of that time, but I'll be driving all day on June 9-10 and June 18-19, during which time I probably won't be checking the game.

Currently in China at in-laws place. Internet is so slow it brings me to tears. It’s beyond frustrating. But checking in!

GM, how much wood do I get? I was thinking enough raw materials for 3 mwk composite longbows. How's that?

I don't think there's anything else I want to accomplish in this scene. I propose that we retrieve the jewels, divvy up the loot -- which looks like primarily caster stuff to me -- and rest up a bit. Then we can begin seriously investigating Beaumont. Maybe attend one of these nationalist plays he's been sponsoring?

Mel's also hoping for an update on the fate of the Harcourts. She's feeling guilty about deceiving young Arthur Harcourt the way she did.

Mel there's certainly enough wood for that.

Mel can gather info, ask Turick, or something else for Harcourt info.

So - weird question. Does Mel's house have a bath? Not sure if we need to be looking for a bathhouse. If so - is that a service the brothel offers?

I figure Hal really wants to thoroughly wash all the madness-inducing-poison off his dermis before he starts eating. Cooking might be okay.

Mel's house has a bathtub, sure!

Are public bath houses a thing in Bannerhold? The Romans were all about those, but I'm pretty sure they fell out of favor during the middle ages. Then again, this world appears to be late medieval or early Renaissance, roughly. Plus it's a fantasy world so it's not necessarily constrained by historical precedent.

Aktchually...it was still a thing in european middle ages- - but the english article for it kind of talks about other stuff which is why I linked the german one regardless, maybe get this page translated if you'd want to read up.

Basically public bath houses were a medical AND social location. Diminished after 30-years war(many were closed and became mobile barber surgeons - which is what the english article focuses on) but existant into the 19th century.

It was not AS central and important as it was with the romans, but they were not gone, either :) so even with historic precedent we should be able to find a place.

Mel's place has a bathtub and there are a few communal bathhouses, mostly for the wealthy because of the spa-like treatments you would receive there.

Hey, does Hal still have Wisdom damage from that tribal paint? Mel can help clear that up if so -- I've got four uses of Healer's Hands left today, and we're about to sleep.

Also, is anyone hurt? I don't think so, but if your PC is wounded please speak up.

I'm not sure. He did try to clean it off, but it is supposed to be basically a point a minute.
I sort of assume he's taken at least some damage to his sanity-slash-wisdom though.

Looking over the item description, it looks like you're supposed to be able to remove the stuff after you're done using it. I doubt you took more than a couple points at most, which Mel can easily clear up with a single application of Healer's Hands.

Hey, been having close to 40 degrees fever for the most of last week, possibly Scarlet Fever from Kindergarten but not sure because Antibiotics took their sweet time to help(if they did).
I am a bit better now(to the point that I can use phone of computer in short bursts without my brain melting) and hope to fully check back in within the next days.

Yikes! Sorry to hear that, Turion. I hope you get better soon.

In one of my other games, a fellow player dropped off the face of the map a couple of weeks ago. Out of nowhere, a friend of theirs posted that they had been hit by a car and died of infection. Absolutely shocking and so sad. I'm trying to remember not to take my friends, virtual and otherwise, for granted!

Take care of yourself Turion - that sounds terrible.

I always worry when someone just vanishes from Paizo that something terrible has happened to them. I find myself checking back every few years, just hoping they'll post something so I know they are okay. So yes, good lesson to learn Brookside GM!

It was bad, indeed. I did post a more elaborate version where I GM.
Stupidity, Sleepless nights, and sinister Symptoms.
Not that I'd consider it a very interesting read, but still -

As for player disappearing...I admit that I make a distinction between "old" players and new ones.

I think I have been in 5 games now where a "new GM" ran a game on the boards, with one of their RL friends as fixed starter. Then, about 3-4 months in, GM disappears and the RL friend informs of their sudden but unexpected demise.
Half of the time, someone felt compelled to take over or someone was motivated enough to look for a replacement GM.

I totally believe there's genuine cases out there but that one - too often for comfort.

That said, it's still a good lesson to learn.
We take too many things, other people most of all, for granted, when in fact they are not.

I have returned from overseas. Came back to a family member's health crisis (resolved) and a broken computer (replaced). My apologies for my extended absence.

Welcome back, Kaz, glad to have you again.

@GM: I will be gone until sunday, maybe monday.
Just saying, I think I won't be able to post until then.
(That said, did Madame have any info on our final target? I did ask in one of the spoilers)

Thanks for the head ups. I'll add the Madame's response in gameplay.

Does the rest of the party want to do anything? Hal or Kazador? Mel often carries the action there but feel free to propose something, run an errand, etc.

I've got stuff to do but I was holding off to let other people have a chance to drive the action. Also, I'm unexpectedly running a one-shot set in the stone age tomorrow and have been up to my ears in prep for that. Expect a post sometime tomorrow evening most likely.

Hal's exhausted, out of spells, healed from poisoned, and just had a hot bath. I can't reasonably see him proactively doing anything but sleeping for the next 8 hours except possibly another longer, hotter bath.

That said, tomorrow I definitely have plans to have him start tracking this information down.

Le sigh...
yeah, yeah, I'm never going anywhere alone again.

Never split the party. I just didn't expect it to happen twice.

This will be interesting. If you recall from our arrival in Bannerhold, we actually rented two places. Mel and Kazador are staying at the townhouse. Meanwhile, Túrion and Fyrtor rented a separate apartment a ways off. So there's no reason we would expect him back at the townhouse the same evening.

Well, in practical terms, ever since Fyrtor called it quits, Túrion has been hanging around mostly at Mel's place.

Two questions please; how long has it been (has had 8 hours, has he had time to start studying - okay if not) and how long would Nelly need to be changed or hidden for?

I think Hal Ninja'd me this morning -- we were posting at the same time.

I'm kind of assuming we've had a full night's sleep and sufficient time to prep spells. At any rate Mel has already cast Ears of the City, which she didn't have pre-sleep. GM can correct me if I'm wrong.

Yes full night sleep. It's morning time. I don't know about time to prep spells unless you have a habit of getting up a little earlier than most to prep spells. Once everyone is up, it's clear that Turion is unaccounted and that seems urgent. Then it's up to you how to spend your time.

Hmm!

I think Mel might be on a shorter time line for spell prep than others. I didn't change any of her cantrips today, and she's only cast one first level spell (out of a possible two). I think it's reasonable to declare that she spent fifteen minutes preparing that one spell slot, and the other one is left open, meaning she's got her three cantrips and nothing else. The really important thing for her is Healer's Hands, which isn't a spell and just refreshes automatically after sleeping.

Kazador, of course, doesn't use spells in the ordinary sense of the word. So he's probably good to go.

Hal might be harder up. He used up a whole lot of spells yesterday, and he definitely needs prep time. We can maybe finesse some of that as the time Mel spends going and getting the concoction from Fyrtor, but I don't know how long that took. Definitely not a full hour.

That, and Hal fell asleep quite early, yesterday, by his own record.

Being an old man, he might well have woken at sunrise(or before), and decided to run his spell prep so not to wake Mel+Kaz by running around in the house while they still sleep.

Just saying :)

That said, since I have no idea how long it was between "I left the brothel" and "Now", it does seem urgent, but you may come too late to change the outcome, anyway.
(I do think if there was a chance for you to be early, GM would have checked for that/ruled that out before continuing my scene).
(Aye, that's pure Meta, but the context being "Don't overthink exact time aspects" as the exact timing of your arrival is GM Fiat anyway)

Risk of being a wizard. Hal's actually in a worse position that most as he uses Meditative spells & preconstructed spellbooks.
How long was Mel getting the potions? 5 minutes?
How far away is the brothel? I think Hal can hit 1000 ft with some spells, and I'm assuming that's not far enough, but some old cities were really compact. Also, are we talking a 5 minute walk or a 2 hour trek?

I understand if people just take off, and go for it, but at a minimum I'm keen to set up something so Hal can find them later and t-port in.

@Nelly - no mental bond. But with my old headband and her stat increase, a respectable 5 Intelligence, so she is not purely working on instinct and does understand Sylvan(on an animalistic interpretation level, but one more Int and she's in Ogre territory).

@Scrying Protections - none in place. Too many ways to bypass, just some Greater Magic Auras to not shine like a beacon to someone casually scanning.

@Fennith(my "twin sister") - afraid no luck on outside contacting her(plus she only works the way she does through the special bond we share)

---

So long story short, as long as she feels you are representing her interests(find Túrion) Nelly will be a good girl and listen to Mel.
If you want to scry, there's no obstacle/barrier from Túrion.
Fennith is a non-option.

I'd assume your characters do know all of that between you, so just sharing that.

I have no idea how far it is from Mel's place to the bordello. GM?

Mel is worried, but she doesn't know for a fact that Túrion is in trouble. It could be that he lost track of time and decided to stay the night at the bordello rather than travel through the city alone late at night.

So if Hal wants to prep spells before we go, Mel's okay with that. Bear in mind that you don't need to prep every slot -- 30 minutes would let you prep about half your spells, if I recall correctly.

Kazador? Any thoughts?

You don't know it, of course, but chances are he would have asked someone to take care of feeding and going to some park with Nelly if there was a chance he'd not come back.
Until now, he had a pretty good record of NOT neglecting his companion, or making sure someone else was able to...he could have dropped her off with Fyrtor or something.
The fact he did NOT take her with him AND asked nobody to look after Nelly in combination indeed implicate that at the very least, something did not go according to plan(or, in other words: that his absence is unplanned, at the very least. (which incidentally is also why I had Nelly nervous at the door. He usually tells her how long(roughly, in wolf time) he will be gone, or who is looking after her. He was gone longer than he should have.)).

It's about a mile to the Bordello from Mel's place. You guys know, indeed, that Turion's absence is suspicious. It's up to you whether you'd like to rush off with say, half of Hal's spells prepped, or wait another half hour and have them all prepped. Given that it's been overnight, you think there's a small (but certainly non-zero) chance that waiting another half hour or more to be fully prepared could cost you.