After Mara raises her from the dead, Kat will have two negative levels and 10 hp. Getting her up to fighting strength will exhaust most of the remaining charges in Mara's CLW wand. We might want to adopt the 15 minute (or less) workday.
Theophilus has wands also.
And both of you can heal her from spell slots (CMW at 2d8+10 is about 4 wand charges), as well as hexes.
I know it will take 2 of Mara's top slots to get Kat up again. Looks like we have 6,000 in diamond dust so that covers the Raise Dead plus one Restoration.
That gets her to 10 HP out of a reduced maximum of 78. So 68 needed. About 3 CMW spells and a wand charge. I am not sure what happens to Kat's extract slots when she is raised.
We can also prepare specifically for the Inevitables room. For example, when there are back-rank casters that Dervak cannot reach, that is a good situation for Black Tentacles. Maybe a weak summons to open the door, and Semore to dish out some Chaotic damage. Or, Bralani Azatas can deal Chaotic damage and have CSW 2/day. Lantern Archons are immune to both Order's Wrath and Lightning Bolt.
I'd rather get as much done as we can the next day. Knowing what we face can be a very significant advantage.
Gloves would be helpful too...lol.
Gloves of Reconnaissance or First Aid Gloves?
What if we had 3 sets of the former and one of the latter?
Exquisitely tailored by Theo in either case.
@GM, would you have any concerns about us making greater use of divinations? Such as Gloves of Reconnaissance, Scrying, Arcane Eye, Clairvoyance, etc.? Would that detract from your enjoyment of the game, or would you see it as us finding an appropriate response to the challenges we face?
Despite Dervak being who he is, I do know that the "Kick in the door style" is not all that effective.
Do we need to return to the Inevitable room? So far all we've got for our efforts is a dead PC. We're using up our one and only chance at Raise Dead, so we have no more room for error.
I'm actually surprised you haven't been scrying already.
If its any indication you did not see the statue you need to progress to the next level.
Theophilus needs to up his game! The White Rabbit agrees!
Gloves of Reconnaissance. Or Divination spells could work too...
Do we need to return to the Inevitable room? So far all we've got for our efforts is a dead PC. We're using up our one and only chance at Raise Dead, so we have no more room for error.
Yeah, I guess we could skip that room.
Oh yes, we will need Mara to prep some Inflict Wounds spells for Theo... yeah, we might not get much done the next day.
Just to confirm, it sounds like Remove Disease won't work to cure the infestation?
Should we try to get out of the Mysterium first, before trying to cure Theo? It could take several tries for him to make the DC 23 Fort save. It sounds like we need to hit him down to almost zero, and then cast an inflict wounds spell on him. Then when he's cured, heal him up again.
Mara has the method you know that will cure him. You don't in character know if remove disease will do anything.
I guess she'll try Remove Disease first, and take it from there.
If Remove Disease won't work, then what Mara suggests sounds best. We could use Mara's Fortune Hex plus Heroism (+3) to give Theophilus a pretty good chance of making his save.
Dervak is not volunteering for hitting Theo down to near zero. The White Rabbit can do that.
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Converted one 1000 gp diamond to dust, and subtracted 6100 gp of diamond dust.
Kat, I know you might be still deciding whether or not to stick with the game. It is my hope that you stay with us.
Let me know what I can do to make this a great game for you.
I have enjoyed having Kat in the game, and her story, and I think your style meshes well with ours.
When there was a recruitment last year I put Kat as my first choice. Still think that was the right call.
As Dervak indicated, I have been thinking about whether I want to continue with this game, and I have spoken both with Delmoth and him on the subject via PM. I appreciate you stating your feeling of support publicly, Dervak, and the sentiment behind them. This is the second time that my character has died (the first outside the Dreamlands) in circumstances I am not really happy with, and I know that there will likely be many more as the game goes on. Along with some other issues with the game that have been nagging at me, I have come to the decision that it would be best to bow out now. There are no hard feelings now, but I know from experience that there would be if I kept trying to make something work that just isn’t for me. My decision is final.
I wish you all the best and do not want any of you to feel that you have done something wrong. I just would rather focus more on games that suit me better.
Farewell and happy gaming!
Definitely sorry to see you go. It has been a pleasure gaming with you.
So long; and thanks for all the fish!
I'm sorry to see you go, Kat. I've enjoyed playing with you.
It has been a pleasure. And I will be sorry to see you go.
I will see you in other games on the boards.
I'm sorry this wasn't the game for you, I'm glad for the time we had together even if we did butt head every now and then. Happy gaming!
The adventure is way too difficult to continue with three people.
So some ways forward if we want to finish, in no particular order.
1. Everyone gets leadership. I'd probably give this as a bonus feat, if we go this rout. There are some already existing NPCs that would be willing to join you in your quest to stop Count Lowls. Winter Klazcka is at the top of the list, she's even recommended as a PC if someone died in the asylum. The King in Yellow from your Dreamland excursions is another possibility for a cohort. That's not to say you couldn't design your own cohorts. The downside is that everyone now is effectively controlling two PCs.
2. Re-recruitment. Ugh I hate recruitment.
3. We see if anyone from the prior re-recruitment is still interested.
4. My other SA game recently had a player disappear and its looking like another is going to disappear as well. If that happens I'm going to drop that game. I could take two of the three remaining players and invite them here.
I think #1 has potential and like the idea.
#2 I agree is not a great choice.
#3, I liked Raltus's submission but he has left the boards (he was in another campaign with me). Natloz had a Swashtigator but I don't think an Evil PC would mesh, so maybe he could redo the personality. YoricksRequiem had that archetype that bashes people with a book, which sounds a little slapstick but could work. I am not in any campaigns with either of those two so don't know what they are like as players.
#4 could work. Would they be open to suggestions on classes/levels as they increase level to match us, depending on which ones come to join? We are once again without a skillmonkey/trap expert.
Should we figure this out first before proceeding in the game? If we went with #1, the King in Yellow could appear from the Dreamlands as a cohort to help us finish the dungeon. Otherwise, we have to figure out how we get out of here, get new PCs, and get back in.
I am not interested in a cohort. The White Rabbit is enough...lol.
Easiest would be to meld tables; although it really depends how close in story we are?
Personal recruitment invites?
Aww... I was really hoping for the Theophilus/King in Yellow buddy comedy!
Giving me control of TWO insane characters would be brutal...for those remaining...lol.
Thank you for the kind words everyone. I’ll see you around!
Easiest would be to meld tables; although it really depends how close in story we are?
Personal recruitment invites?
You're not close at all. They are in the middle of book 2 and you are in the middle of book 4. I wouldn't ask them to bring their characters over unless they wanted to. They will need to redo backstories anyway.
As far as filling the trapper role that is perhaps the easiest roll to cover if you're clever about it. A lot of what you need to do it is already in the party. Detect magic for magic traps, a high perception for non-magical. Once you know the trap is there then just get a plan to deal with it.
Theophilus can volunteer his Summons. Probably make more/better use of them now also.
I am not opposed to either Dervak and/or Mara taking Leadership to fill the vacancy.
I would suggest that we start with the King in Yellow as a cohort to help us get through this place. His sudden appearance would be quite explicable. (Although I guess anyone could have been sent in with the Elder.)
Then if your other group wants to merge, the King can fade away.
But we give your other group some time to get their game back on track, or find another GM, or decide what they want to do.
I would also ask you to look at the level recommendations. This book is supposed to start at 10th, correct? Should we be 11th by this point? I guess if we were to go back up to 5 PCs that might affect things.
I just realized that Mara can't cast Raise Dead yet (it's a 6th lvl Shaman spell). So there was no chance to bring Kat back right away in any case (she could preserve the body with Gentle Repose).
@Dervak, PM sent.
@Mara, you may have missed some treasure that you could have used for this. It's still accessible.
Give me a couple days to figure out what's going on with my other group. I've sent the player who's ghosting the game a message via Discord. I know they've received it because I've seen them active on Discord. I'll give them another day to respond.
They are all on board for joining here rather than seeking a new GM. I also felt really bad about excluding one of them so it would be three joining. The players joining from the other group are "Vermillion Vixen" as a new character, Cerise "Ci Ci" Barchetta just leveled up, and Allegra Gavrospex also leveled up, if you wanted to vet them beforehand.
Allegra has played/is playing with me and Theo in other games.
Hi, all!
For ease of vetting, here is Vix…
A LN Hellknight who seeks to stamp out Chaos? Hmmm...
Then a NG blaster sorcerer would would seem to fit fine.
Will Vixen be a new PC or the same?
I'm happy to help them continue this AP, a little sad for them missing out on the Dream Quests, and a little anxious about all the player and character personalities meshing well. I will do my best.
I'm not at all worried about Allegra. She had the same issue with the other group and it ultimately amounted to her rubbing her temples to tamp down her headache.
We would just need to make sure that the Hellknight could get along with a chaotic party!
…but I want to play Saph. I’m thinking redemption arc for getting mixed up with pirates, since I’ve got documented memories of that life in the game she’s in now. Feel free to read up again for vetting.
@Mara, you may have missed some treasure that you could have used for this. It's still accessible.
I'm having trouble seeing what that would be.
@Mara, you may have missed some treasure that you could have used for this. It's still accessible.I'm having trouble seeing what that would be.
You missed a room with a scroll of raise dead and two restoration scrolls. I'm debating on having the newbies barricaded in that room so it won't be missed.
…but I want to play Saph. I’m thinking redemption arc for getting mixed up with pirates, since I’ve got documented memories of that life in the game she’s in now. Feel free to read up again for vetting.
Hmmm... I guess I would just ignore Saph's background and hope you never bring it up. I would rather have Strange Aeons without fetish-wrestling sex slavery.
Uh.. yeah can you dial that back a bit? Please assume the triggers we discussed at the start of the other game apply. With everything going on I haven't had a chance to look at you background yet, sorry my bad.
Vix was getting Allegra to come around. Her Detect Chaos on Vix and a conversation that followed was hilarious. I think lawful and chaotic intermixing is far more realistic than good and evil mixing.
Saph will, if the GM is okay with this, be played either LG or LN-working-toward-LG, with the L being more about following Irori seeking self-improvement as an athlete. Her trying to protect the world is intended as atonement. She fists well with a chaotic party, but not a party that would knowingly murder innocent people.
…but I want to play Saph. I’m thinking redemption arc for getting mixed up with pirates, since I’ve got documented memories of that life in the game she’s in now. Feel free to read up again for vetting.Hmmm... I guess I would just ignore Saph's background and hope you never bring it up. I would rather have Strange Aeons without fetish-wrestling sex slavery.
As it happens, I was actually planning to only focus on the piracy past, since I have all those in-game memories to work with. On her pit-fighting past, she doesn’t talk about it except to say “I never killed.”
I'm not at all worried about Allegra. She had the same issue with the other group and it ultimately amounted to her rubbing her temples to tamp down her headache.
Okay, cool. I trust you to make this work.
Dervak isn't an evangelical champion of Chaos nor an opponent of Law... he just knows Law isn't for him.
@New players - Kat, who we have lost, was both our Knowledge expert and our traps expert. Delmoth assures me we can survive without the latter if we are resourceful. But Knowledge has proven vital in this AP. Monster ID, rituals, and other uses. If any of you have the ability to pick up some Knowledge during your level-ups, it could be helpful. Theophilus is quite good at Arcana and Planes.
Does religion work? A nun on a redemption arc might want to devote herself to that.
I would warn the new players that the Mysterium is a significant step up in difficulty from everything before (other than Bokrug — a Great Old One — but that was in the Dreamlands). You can certainly go from full health to dead in one round. Don't neglect your Will save!
Assuming that you've all kept your knowledges on track since book 3 we need dungeoneering, geography (hasn't really come up), local, nobility, and religion.
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Will saves, Fort saves, HP, AC... we cannot guarantee that only our front line will be attacked, so everybody needs good defenses.
We fought some very unsporting foes that teleported and attacked our casters!
(The 'unsporting' above is facetious of course - I expect intelligent enemies to target our casters and I do not regard "I'll stay in back" as a very effective defense.)