JCServant's Council of Thieves (Inactive)

Game Master JCServant

But, I don't THINK you need to go back, search and find all the posts related to the scroll. I believe your team mates and I have covered the more important points here in discussion for your convenience :D (Which is one of the reasons discussion is for. Sometimes a player at the table misses something or isn't on the same page and a GM or another player calls a quick time out to catch him/her up to speed).

Ok, I went back and found this:

As you form a line and some of you start going down (in the order posted, more or less), some of you immediately begin to notice that the stairs are supernaturally slippery. By the time Brandon and aemon start going down, they slip, falling into others.

Corellon is the last one, and as he is about to go down the stairs, he hears a laugh behind him.

He turns around, but sees no one. Hahahahah! You all look like a bunch of clowns. Tell me, are you the one who picked my little present? She laughs like a hyena. Nothing personal. Just have to earn my pay! I guess we will all find out soon enough. Until my little trap is sprung, why don't you join the rest of your friends who sound like they're taking the fast way to the waste pool!

Suddenly a rather evil-looking tiefling (see Sian Daemodus.jpg) sucker kicks him in the gut!

So, for me, and after re-reading quite a couple of posts, it would seem that the one shooting at us (Sian) would be the one that planted the runecurse for us to pick up in the first place. I am guessing that bluffing her into taking it back would be a long shot to say the least?

Also, while this demon mows us down like hay, do you think he will be interested in "negotiating" to take a scroll?

Let me know your thoughts and I will act accordingly to the groups' will.

Ok. As far as I see it we have several problems.

Two people down means a tactical retreat is out of the question until Kyle can potentially get them up. Not even sure if he has enough channels left to do so.

Edmond cant put a dent in this thing because he can't full attack and there's no one left to flank with so sneak is out.

Sian is doing very consistent damage and we cant pin her down to retaliate.

I think we need to either get out of here and fight them on our terms or take her out with this scroll somehow so we can concentrate on the demon.

Either way I think a bluff to buy time for Kyle to channel wouldn't be a wasted action

My question is, who do you guys want me to try and bluff (see my post above)? And by the way, Tessai is still up, we can flank this one.

I REALLY want us to survive this one - level 5 means bane for Tessai and then it is game over :D

Well we can't flank the demon.

Bluffing Sian would be my preference. If she takes the scroll we can negotiate.

At the moment this two accession looks too powerful for us, especially with our biggest hitter down.

I agree - it may be a hail mary but if the Sian takes the bait, we might have a chance.

Guys... Sian was the one leaving the scroll for us in the first place - did you check my post above?

A channel right now might mean a death sentence. On the floor, next to a demon that seems to have little trouble hurting us. Who is to say that this isn't the demon that has come to collect the runecurse?

Sian set the runecurse, but its not like she knew if we carried a wish scroll with us to begin with or not and she can identify the runecurse from other scrolls without looking at it close up.

You ninjaed me on Discussion - maybe this IS the demon coming to collect the curse - I had just posted it in Gameplay :D

I already rolled Bluff - still feels like a looooong shot to me, but I have rolled the bluff, since the chances we have at defeating this demon are even slimmer....

I was thinking long shot as well. I got the idea from BD though and figured we couldn't possibly be meant to put this thing down.

I gotta agree.

Hey, heading to NY tomorrow, flights in the morning, lots of meetings, etc will be MIA, please play my character, will check in when I can.
Thanks

Just a gentle, happy reminder, I don't generally play your character :) If a combat initiates while you are gone, the houserules currently support you making up one turn when you return. But, thank you for the update. I get cranky when people skip posts and don't give a head's up (Not always possible, but appreciated).

With that being said, I do want everyone to continue to focus on trying to participate as often as possible when they are in town and the such. I'm seeing some good flavor postings going on, even in combat, and I want to encourage that.

This week, I'm awarding Edmond/Brandon and Corellon a Hero Point/Power Point for posts they have each done within the last week that sticks out in my head. I'm also awarding KYLE (edit) a hero point/power point for his gutsy move (and pulling off the rolls needed) to take down Sian with her own medicine. This is in addition to one hero point/power point everyone earns for being a part of that.

Beppo, friendly reminder... in case you haven't memorized the house rules, two hero points may be spent to avoid death in a situation where death is immanent. It leaves you have negative con minus one on the ground, stablized but looking quite dead to most enemies are you literally at deaths door. Using 2 hero points in this manner isn't a sure fire thing, as any Area effect/spell can still knock you into death, but it works more often than not. Otherwise, you have to make a very high fort save or die.

Can a point be used to bail out of paralisys?

Side note: Do we have any idea on how long this effect can last?

In character? No. But clever players may have noticed the d4 I used earlier to open the battle :P

You can use a hero point to reroll a failed saving throw after the fact. The GM rerolls once you declare.

Hadn't associated the effect to that roll to be honest. Ok then, I want to burn a point to reroll, if it can be done. This is starting to look nasty again.

And that's OK that you didn't :) It would technically be meta knowledge.

To think, I almost put TWO of these guys in the encounter. The group size almost supports two at their CR.

I think we may be underequipped, or not optimized enough... Or just inexperienced.

Example: Do we all have cloaks of resistance?

I am almost certainly going to use the 2 hero points to cheat death, but what happens if I do not? My apologies if I am asking a question to which the answer is right there in the house rules.

RE: two of these guys - If we had rolled better Fort saves, or if the paralysis didn't last as long, I don't think this would be as steep of a challenge. As it is, chance has left us with only two party members able to act.

That said, I agree with Tessai that we may be under-equipped (I saw someone - perhaps even our GM - mentioning us being below WBL), under-optimized, or just flat-out better against some kinds of opponents -- for instance, I really didn't worry much about us making it through the murderplay, but most of the encounters here in the Knot seem very dangerous for this particular group. Perhaps because we have had to use some lateral thinking (runecurse, healing potions)?

I am almost certainly going to use the 2 hero points to cheat death, but what happens if I do not? My apologies if I am asking a question to which the answer is right there in the house rules.

If you do not, you have to make a DC (Damage) Fort Save or die. If you die, you have the choice to re roll a new character or resurrect.

If you make a new character, we will work together to create him/her, integrate them into the story. They generally start with the same stats you started with (albiet, arranged to taste), and a similar gold value level. Anything improvement purchases with power points disappear.

If you die/resurrect you will need to roll on the death table to see if death changes you for the better or worst. Death tends to cost 7k or so ...a lot more if your death leaves you in pieces or ash.

Unless the survivors sell the gear of those who die. Then they are RICH :D

That is something that has always brought doubts to my head, except when I played an evil character, who looted all his PC companions who died. Ironically, himself could not be looted when he died, since a beholder turned him and all his possessions to stone :D

Yeah, right?

Well, that's where my house rules DO get a little meta. It's purely for balance reasons, but that doesn't stop me from making some cockamany RP reason for it that makes no sense!

Gear from a dead character gets buried with him (an ancient, Golarion tradition, don't ya know?). Players may opt to keep one heirloom type item to their new character if they can make an appealing RP reasons for it. (like a PC willing his sword to his younger brother who succeeds him in the group).

Really busy day today, i might miss a posting or two i'm going to try my best.

Ummm....only 3 people posted this morning? Out of six? I know I got a note from someone yesterday saying they would be out that that day, but the only person who saying he's out today has actually posted. I need everyone to post unless they have posted here, in discussion that they are out of town or something. It only takes a few minutes.

well, Edmond/Brandon doesn't really have much to do in all fairness

Posted on time for a change ;)

Lol thats true Kyle, I am taking a powder here. Plus I used up all my RP power in that one post. If Brandon/Edmond are going to die I just wanted B to remember what really happened and why Edmond was formed.

He took the hits Brandon never could and has done ever since. That's why he's so selfish and crazy, willing to sacrifice anyone and anything to protect Brandon - its his prime directive.

On the plus side, with the lingering spirit discovery I wont die until -24 hp but id rather be on my feet mashing this thing with you guys.

well, Edmond/Brandon doesn't really have much to do in all fairness

This is true...So we're missing Beppo and Corellon? Corellon...you haven't posted in a few days? Please tell me you haven't disappeared... :(

I thought he said he was travelling this week. To NY I think.

Yeah, I read that post...sounded like he might be out for the day, but I didn't get the impression that he would be completely gone all week. Perhaps we got to encourage everyone to be clear on exactly what dates they plan to be gone/out type of thing.

e.g. "I will be unable to post 5-6 to 5-10"

It's kinda important because if I know for a fact a player will be gone for more than a day (and especially if its a week), I can adjust the CR values of the encounters appropriately.

Well that being the case, I should be ok to post for the next couple of days but after that I fly to Egypt. I then won't be back online until probably the 24th.

Hopefully we can get this resolved before you go.... with 14 CON, you have a bit longer to live...if the party can get to you!

As I said I dont die until -24 so I should have time from that perspective.

Oh, I thought you meant you were going to be taking that discovery later or something, lol.

Hopefully Beppo also have some lingering something..something.

Something...? We shall see. Maybe I should get started on a replacement... :P

I thought we had a good shot at this thing not giving us too much trouble, but all those attacks are starting to take their toll. Still, I'm sure Aemon and/or Tessai has something for it...right?

Yeah, that last round has to be the worst for y'all I've seen yet...not one lucky roll there. :(

I was hoping our luck from the enemy's round (only 1 hit in 7 attacks) would carry over - not so much, it seems.

Yeah. I think its cute how the King throws you in goo...like he's marinating you for supper :P

On another topic...so we kinda got off track of this topic earlier, but what did you all think of a live call get together? We could either just chat on Skype and talk, Or we could run a PFS game...or we could do a CoT side adventure. I know that no matter how hard we try we will not be able to get Everyonetogether at the same time. So, I'd like to do a poll to figure out what works best for the majority

Please answer these two questions, and write comments afterwards.

Which of the following days/times can you typically meet? Please mark each as "Y" or "N"

*Saturday 9am-2pm EST
*Saturday 2pm-7pm EST
*Saturday 8pm-1am EST
*Sunday 9am-2pm EST

Which of the following would you prefer to do? What is your second choice? (Mark 1 and 2)
* Just Talk (If you're like me, you usually do this while playing a brainless MMO using a headset).
* Play a PFS Scenario that's unrelated to CoT
* Play a Scenario that's related to CoT and the group.

I posted earlier (I think) on how a CoT scenario would work, and that while its preferred, we can easily run it without the whole crew. (Items and gold gained could benefit the whole group afterwards, however).

I think for us in the UK it would have to be the morning slots. I'm tempted to do something with the CoT crew just to get our wealth up.

Assuming we level up soon the only things Brandon has bought is a masterwork long spear and silver Morningstar. The spear he actually have away to Devil who took it with him when he did his Sam Beckett impression and quantum leaped. Pretty sure my alchemist has been living off food stamps lol.

If you shoot me off an email, you can have your spear back :)

And something tells me your wealth level may increase....if you survive :P

I have faith in my team :)

And another one bites the dust :(

Sorry I didn't do better by Aemon...maybe he's having trouble with that LARGE bow.

Which of the following days/times can you typically meet? Please mark each as "Y" or "N"

*Saturday 9am-2pm EST
*Saturday 2pm-7pm EST
*Saturday 8pm-1am EST
*Sunday 9am-2pm EST

I work in shifts, and for the month of May, my days off are Sundays and Mondays, so for the time being, to arrange something on a Saturday, the best would be after I leave work = the slot from 2pm-7pm (which I believe corresponds to... 7pm-12pm for me), even better would be noon-4pm (which I believe corresponds to my 5pm-9pm)

The other schedules are probably harder (add 5 hours and 8pm becomes 1am, etc.)

Sunday is also a possibility if arranged with time, since its usually family lunch and stuff like that.

Which of the following would you prefer to do? What is your second choice? (Mark 1 and 2)
* Just Talk (If you're like me, you usually do this while playing a brainless MMO using a headset).
* Play a PFS Scenario that's unrelated to CoT
* Play a Scenario that's related to CoT and the group.

I'd say 1. Play a Scenario that is related to CoT and the group and 2. Play a PFS Scenario that's unrelated to CoT.

Adding to this, I think I would maybe prefer an unrelated PFS scenario, if it would allow us maybe higher level characters (simply for a change of pace from what we have now), but then again I have no high level PFS characters so...

I'm in the same boat as Brandon. Early is better and we do need to start selling things.

Don't worry you won't die i can't let it happen.

Wait, wait, wait.... Tessai at AC 22 took 39 points of damage in ONE round?! Don't takt it prsonally GM-JC, but this one is going into my book as an unbalanced encounter, mainly after the REALLY hard encounters we had before - we are not THAT poorly equipped that he can just take 3 of us out in a heartbeat...

LOL... I don't take it personally as I didn't script this encounter...it's in the book. What can I tell ya. It's a boss! However, I don't know if I totally agree with your assessment...a few things to think about here...

You don't really have a high AC person. So, for kicks, I rolled up a generic protection paladin lv 4 with average wealth (According to HL, 2 of you are over average, the rest are below average).

You're 22 after buffs with 34 max hps...He has 25 AC and 48hps before buffs. He's 28 using smite evil (or fighting defensively)... 31 with both... and 34 if he full defenses with smite turned on :P

And spell/potion buffs only improve those numbers...Also, can swiftly heal himself 5 rounds/day for about 7 points (I like to think of it as 5 rounds of fast healing 7 :P )

This thing has 7 attacks...sure...but his attack bonus is in the 5-12 range. A fighter/paladin with 28-34 AC could probably buy the party time a few rounds before ppl start falling.

Keep in mind, lady luck plays a huge role here as well. Last round or two, most of you rolled REALLY bad, and this round he rolled REALLY good.

Edmond: For the purposes of this Corellon is effectively down too. My only complaint is it had a full attack on Edmond in the surprise round but whatever, but I'm rolling it and enjoying the tension.

House rule with pbp. When you guys go first, you get a full round action on baddies ... when you surprise, you get a surprise (half action) AND a full round on baddies. The ONLY time baddies get to go first is on a surprise deal. So that's why they get a full round. Think of it as they getting initiative first. I did roll stealth versus you all's passive perception. He's pretty hard to spot in his own lair, according to the stats.

Stuff

It's cool, I knew the guys could take it. I'm toying with giving Brandon medium armour proficiency but honestly I don't think it's worth it for a couple of extra points of ac. He's a kill or be killed kind of character really.

Lol...it really did come down to that last shot, it seems. If aemon missed, he was next on the chopping block, and may not have gotten another chance. The critical shot at the end was a thrilling ending though....hahaha.

Yes! it was a little scary rolling that.