GM Brunoreturns' Shattered Star (Inactive)

Game Master brunoreturns

The current map is "almost" always slide 1.

I've kept slides 2 and three around in case you guys decide to explore the rest of that level. Perhpas I should just remove them, as I don't see that happening anymore.

You are still in the light now, but you can see the area of darkness ahead of you. I drew lines (that admittedly aren't that obvious) The darkness basically fills in the T, but ends before the rooms.

The current map is "almost" always slide 1.

Bearings set. Thanks.

I’m pretty sure CrusaderWolf (Reillana) started working at dawn this morning and will be going until late tonight. I would not expect him to have time to post.

I will bot her tonight. I don't think there is really much she can do in the current situation.

I'm going to be THAT guy:

A prone attacker has a –4 penalty on melee attack rolls and cannot use a ranged weapon (except for a crossbow).

I'll await adjudication on this as it affects what Squint and Ulyi would do on their turns.

Yes, I realized as I was writing that it wasn't possible. I was simply making an attempt to handwave away the CR 1 monster that should have been little more than a momentary inconvenience.

Properly, I should force Paeral to stand and then pick up his bow (or vice versa) and let him roll the 20 imto the next round.

I started to make that ruling, but then decided I'd rather speed the combat up, so allowed a rule of cool waiver.

I also decided I was going to allow you to charge the derro.

If bypassing the rule this one time makes the game less fun, though, that is not something I wanted to do, and I am willing to roll back the ruling.

For now though just assume the darkmantle is dead.

GM, Ulyi has cold resistance 10. You don’t seem to have acknowledged that in your posts and you keep on stating that Ulyi has taken 18 points of non lethal cold damage.

Ulyi has cold resistance 10. He has taken zero damage from the brown mold.

Thank you for letting me know. I will update.

@GM, can you put Hungry on the map?

Done

I expect you all know this already, but I’m posting it here because neither I nor any of my players noticed it until a few months ago when we were halfway through book 6 of Rise of the Runelords: it is a DC 25 Sense Motive check to detect whether someone's behavior is being influenced by an enchantment effect (DC 15 if the person is dominated, which - to metagame just a bit - is probably too high level anything we would encounter). We know Celia and I don't think we need a high DC skill check to guess that if she's helping the derro, she's being charmed or compelled, but anyone with a +5 or better Sense Motive modifier could make a separate check to try to figure out whether Fenster has been enchanted or is just a jerk (or both!).

Reillana's statement is more deductive than that, and I think it's appropriate. We saw Deric get whammied and behave very weirdly for an extended period of time--so there's good in-character reasons to understand it. Celia calling a derro "Mistress" and being super deferential is sufficiently weird and out of character that the parallels seemed pretty straightforward. And a bard would know about enchantment magic in general :p

I broke my own rule - I wrote my response directly in the browser window and the website ate it. Not a big deal - just explaining why Barkot doesn’t think Fenster’s charmed. We’ll find out soon enough!

Yep, the DC is to have the GM tell you definitively. Each player/character can make their own assumptions otherwise.

Deric moves into the room directly away from Celia. "It is my preference to do you no harm lady. Being a warrior and this our dance floor, my next move may seem obvious. Or is it? Come to me with open arms."

This came instantly to mind when I read Deric's post:

Open Arms

You go, Deric!

LOL Who knew Journey wrote battle soundtracks?

Sorry to make fun of the comments Deric, I get what you were saying, it just read oddly. :)

As it was intended.

BTW My rogue sneak attack one-shotted Fenster in this scene as soon as he appeared.

Of course, I joined about the same time Deric did, and had no idea who Fenster even was. His possibly being charmed never even occurred to me.

Celia is no longer level 2?

That would make this encounter far too easy :)

Agreed. Helps to know she has more hit points as well.

I was looking over the grapple rules again last night and noticed that a
humanoid without two free hands takes a -4 to grapple combat maneuvers.

I assumed you dropped a weapon. I thought the penalty was more severe than -4... Obviously you just looked it up though :)

I would have kept it in hand that move in case the grapple failed. Will state when I drop it.

The assumed drop must be why I never paid it any attention. I believe that is common.

Bummer to waste a Nat 20

I felt your pain. Celia charging me was a pretty good guess.

In case you missed it, Deric needs to make a Fortitude save.

Was planning on doing that on my next turn. Do I need to do so beforehand?

Your being stunned would have greatly impacted Celia's turn. ;)

Exactly. What will you do now? Look forward to that, partner.

Minimum damage on a critical threat.

Natural 1 to confirm, but max damage.

F*I&*)($@!!! dice generator.

Go ahead, Squint. I will follow.

F*I&*)($@!!! dice generator.

The Benford Curve better not apply to the Paizo dice. Would explain a few things.

I'm in the middle of moving houses. Posting will be rare this weekend.

Oof. Moving is a pain - good luck!

Oof. Moving is a pain - good luck!

Oh, I hate that! My next move will be to a pine box.

Agree with that sentiment, Deric. This move is into the forever home.

I had hoped to be performing this final move years ago. Bought the last townhouse as a five year stepping stone and then the housing bubble burst and I was upside down.

Sixteen years later, four people including two teenagers in a two bedroom townhouse wasn't cutting it anymore. Fortunately my wife started working again a couple of years ago and lucked into a good job that actually rewarded her for her hard work and dedication. Made this move possible.

Two more months until the OCD inducing kitchen in the new house gets redone and this will be a pretty awesome place to spend the rest of lives.

Regardless, I have three days to get the old townhouse cleaned up to hand over to the new owner. At the moment, that still seems daunting.

All the best with the move and the clean-out!

We moved a decent bit while in the military, so I feel your pain...hope it goes as smoothly as possible, GM.

Thanks for the well wishes. It seems I should still be able to manage at least one post a day, so I can keep the story moving.

What next? Escort the victims? Keep looking for the alleged fourth derro that Lockerbie mentioned?

There are two stairwells in the central chamber. Reillana has some private information, and there are unexplored areas outside of the derro chamber.

I’m going to be jammed today with limited time to post - and to some extent that will last through the end of the week. I should still be able to check in at night. Barkot will go along with the group on next steps but would probably vote for escorting the victims out.

Same stance as Barkot here.

Reillana would prefer to do a quick sweep to kill or drive off the other derro before escorting--leaving them intact to either ambush us as we withdraw or to flee and start this up from elsewhere in the sewers doesn't sit well with her.

Reillana's plan sounds good to me...

It’s up to Squint!

Squint has two level 1 spells left over. He's fine with completing a sweep to clear out the last derro as long as none of the prisoners look like they're about to keel over.

Alternately, we could send Celia with her brother and the others to the surface if we're sure that the mind control effect has worn off of her.

Either way, Squint votes to finish one last sweep.

Squint has two level 1 spells left over. He's fine with completing a sweep to clear out the last derro as long as none of the prisoners look like they're about to keel over.

Alternately, we could send Celia with her brother and the others to the surface if we're sure that the mind control effect has worn off of her.

Either way, Squint votes to finish one last sweep.

Ok by me. Is your tagline correct? Does Squint need to be healed?

Deric looks 10 down as well.

Yes. Squint could use some healing.

Healing: Just checked - after healing the abducted towsfolk, Barkot has two charges left on his wand. Deric and Squint, please roll one CLW (1d8+1) each. Reillana, do you have enough charges left on yours to get them maxed, or should Barkot use his two remaining 1st level spells?

I'm still slammed at work, should clear up tomorrow evening. Please bot me as needed.

1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Here comes that '1'!

Healing: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Wow, I was wrong! Thanks, Barkot!