Ordinary Heroes Online Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Rhanloi Ehlyss

Heck yea, we should see 'bout it.[/b[]Tomid says. [b]Just try ta keep me away. He seems quite happy that the Cow has a secret passage in it. I'm for goin right now, but if we need ta grab some s'plies I am good with that. But everyone's gotta promise not ta tell about the passage. And I mean it. Promise?

Tomid gets a inquisitive look on his face for a long moment as the gears of his brain turn. Then he asks Say, it was just crates piled up here what hid this passage. That means people at the cow that stacked um knew 'bout this passage.

Zinny scratches at her head. "So we've come all th' way back round? 'Course I promise, but... s' awful strange."

She picks at a splinter from the crate that's in her hand, and gives Gossamer a little skritch behind the ears.

"Well, 'm ready to go back down soon as other folk are."

Or, Tomid, it could be the rat tunnel is relatively new - like at the Whip. The crates have been in that spot for months. So it's a new passage that only you know about! I wonder what it would take for you to make it a concealed door...hmmmmaybe something for you to investigate down the road =)

Hugo nodded slowly, sitting down to wait for whoever went to get supplies "I is ready wenever. Sure is strange wot wit a cellar fer a 'ouse dat aint dere."

Natural Healing: With a full night's rest (8 hours of sleep or more), you recover 1 hit point per character level. Any significant interruption during your rest prevents you from healing that night.

If you undergo complete bed rest for an entire day and night, you recover twice your character level in hit points.

It's after midnight. Do you go home and get a full night's sleep? That will leave Tomid only down 1 HP. Will you come back during the day to explore further? Will that interfere with your day jobs? Or come back tomorrow evening/night?

It is late guys. Tomid remarks. Help me put the crates back and lets break for the night. Zinny needs ta see to her ma, an I need ta wash and bind this wound here. Breakfast at the Cow at first light? Then we can pick up where we left off.

Stomach growling in protest at Hugos readiness to keep going, he held one hand to it, rubbing it like one would the head of an dog. "Uhm, I guesses wes kan do dat too...I aint 'ad dinner yet, ya kinda dragged me down 'ere afore I got ta dat."

Heaving the crates into place, he ascended the stairs, waving and stifling a yawn "See y'all tamorrow."

Zinny flushes at Tomid's words about needing to check on her ma. She does need to do that, but in the excitement of finding secret tunnels and killing rats she'd half-forgotten. She gives a sheepish nod.

"Aye, I gotta go see she's still okay. You gonna be alright, Tomid? Thass a big scratch..."

She takes her leave of the others, a little too embarrassed to look at Tomid directly, and heads up to collect her mother and go home for the night.

In the morning, Zinny will be one of the first ones ready to rejoin the others for rat-stomping and exploration. This time, it's due from a need to be out of Verella's cranky presence as much as possible: being laid up with a rat bite hasn't done the older woman's temperament much good.

In parting Tomid advises Zinny Make sure ya seal up your end of the tunnel under the Whip afore ya sleep Zinny. Don't want you wakin up with rats my size in the bed with ya.

Zinny - You will easily be able to move some crates in front of the rat tunnel. A full night's rest heals your 2 points of damage; however, you have contracted Filth fever from your dire-rat bite. Make a Fort save DC (11); onset: 1d3 ⇒ 2 days; frequency 1/day; effects 1d3 Dex damage and 1d3 Con damage; cure=2 consecutive saves.

Tomid - 8 hours of sleep will heal 3 HP, so you're only down 1 =)

It is midmorning before Tomid can get out of the rack - the 'medicinal' bottle he started when he got back to his room actually helped - by keeping him asleep long enough for his body to heal up most of the damage it took from the cave fisher. After a hearty breakfast, the group of heroes gather once more to fully explore the underground structure they found.

Any other actions you took last night or this morning? Any additional gear - the passages were pitch black. You will be able to retrace your steps and make it back to the concealed door without meeting any creatures. Seems you really did clean out the rats' nest!

Tomid is the last to join the crew. He comes dragging down the stairs, but has his gear ready. Sorry to keep everyone waiting. I guess I was more tireder than I figured. I feel loads better now though.

Forty mcFortress?: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

Zinny sleeps awfully. She intends to get up ever so often to check on her mother, but instead she conks out and has restless dreams all night. In the morning she wakes up feeling stiff and weak, and if it were any other day she'd plead that she needs to stay in bed.

But the others need her. Groggily, with circles under her eyes from the restless night, Zinny sees that her mother is tucked away safely with one of the girls ready to bring her anything she may need. Then Zinny picks up her club, dons her armor, and goes to join the others.

Damage doesn't take place until the second day because of the listed onset, yeah? Diseases and poisons always drive me nuts.

Right, Zinny. The good news is you won't feel the brunt of this until tomorrow. The bad news, because you have to make two saves in a row, you WILL feel it tomorrow - even if you make the save in the morning =(

Nothin' sadder than a fighter failin' fort saves... *violin*

OK - where are you headed? You made it back to the corridor...

Only one way to go, unless we want to swim down the path where the Cave Fishers were. Not doing that (yet :) ) We have a cellar to explore.

Actually, looking at the map you have two possible passages with a total of three doors to choose from...

Zinny looks between the two corridors, scratches at her head, then digs a bent copper coin out of her purse. "All seem th' same to me. Let's flip for it. Crown is the nearer, eagle is the farther..."

1 = crown, 2 = eagle: 1d2 ⇒ 2

She tucks the coin away. "Let's clear out that further tunnel first, it's only got one door."

"Yer so clever Zinny." Hugo said in a gravely voice, still groggy from a good nights sleep. Getting his weapon and shield ready and placing his little floating light in orbit around his head, he pulled at the door handle.

If its locked, he tries to knock it down

Strength Check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21

The door opens easily. There is a small fireplace on the western wall, with softly glowing embers, a tall wooden chest of drawers in the center of the eastern wall, and an old bedframe and stuffed mattress on the south wall opposite the door you are standing in. On top of the bed is what appears to be a human female, who was obviously napping and awakened when you opened the door. She is wearing studded leather armor
and she grabs a scimitar from the bed as she springs to her feet!

"Who are you?!? What are you doing here?" she challenges...

Grizelda flaps her hands anxiously, "Oh dear, it is someone's residence. So sorry to intrude on you! Your basement opens onto a series of subterranean caves and tunnels and the creatures there have been encroaching on peoples homes and businesses. Isn't that right, Zinnia? Tomid?" She pushes the two of them forward, knowing she has no skill with calming angry humanoids.

Aid Another, Diplomacy: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (11) - 1 = 10

Zinny also has no skill with calming angry humanoids, unless one refers to the kind of 'calming' that results in unconsciousness. Her eyes widen to the size of dinner plates as Miz Blau pushes her forward.

"Uh.... uh, yes'm, that's right. We didn't mean to trespass none, only you got... you got all sorta tunnels an'... wild animals an' such... back here..."

Adding, hopefully, to Tomid (or somebody's) Diplomancy: 1d20 ⇒ 18

Gossamer, meanwhile, is 'helpful' by whistling inside the armed woman's head Sleeping in your armor is bad for it!

"Caves and tunnels? Why don't you show me and we'll see what to do about it..." she smiles and says. Motioning for you to lead on, she follows behind, scimitar still in hand.
Marching order please. I will assume the following unless you post otherwise =)
1 - Tomid
2 - Hugo
3 - Silas
4 - Grizelda
5 - Zinny
6 - Mystery lady

First, back from camping. Second, wait a second! :) Tomid is not going anywhere with a stranger. Does he know her? Is this our other player? If we came upon her here then she should know what is forward for us because that is how she would have gotten in here, yes?

My pardon good lady. We did not mean to disturb your rest. As my comrades have stated we were following a a series tunnels that has proved dangerous to both ourselves and other members of town. I am sure you can see why we have to determine where the tunnels lead. One has lead us to you my lady. Perhaps you can be so good as to let us know who you are?

knowledge Local: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

Diplomacy with assists: 1d20 + 9 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 9 + 4 = 29

Welcome back! Hope you had a great time! I drove from Virginia to Vermont and back again this weekend...took my son to visit a college yesterday =)

Nice. Never been to Vermont. Hmm a 29 diplomacy did nothing? Tomid will fight before he takes her anywhere not knowing who she is - this is about to get ugly. Its unlikely that she has lived near town for very long without Timid having seen her. If he has not, then that provokes serious suspicion on his part.

Tomid pulls steel. Listen lady, I tried to be nice. Lets us call the authorities. They are my friends and I am fully deputized to act on their behalf (bluff). You have one chance to explain why you are hiding down here below our town and if you had anything to do with the dire rats that wounded Zinny's mom. Come clean or defend yourself cause we are taking you in.

bluff: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

My thinking is that you do not get to hide in tunnels a few yards from town without having to explain why you are there.

"Uuuh...uuhmm...Yarh, wut 'e said lady!" Hugo yelled in response to Tomids challenge, his voice lacking the conviction of someone who actually knew what he was agreeing with.

Weapon and shield still at the ready, he circled into the room to clear the doorway for the others.

"Then let's dance..." she says with a gleam in her eye and a wicked grin. Lightning fast, she attacks!!

Round 1
Grizelda
Tomid
The lady
Hugo
Zinny
Silas

Tomid looks a little sad that this lady would rather fight than talk, but he obliges. There are 5 of us. Are you crazy? he asks as he begins to dance and attacks. At the last moment he turns his blade to use the back side instead of the edge, causing nonlethal damage.

Scimitar: 1d20 + 9 - 4 ⇒ (15) + 9 - 4 = 201d4 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 6 + (6) = 16

"You break into my home, threaten me, and draw steel in my bedchamber, and you call ME crazy?!! All I wanted was for you to show me how you got in here and where these creatures' tunnels are so I can protect myself, and instead I must protect myself from you! Well, you will see I am no easy mark for your bandit desires. I can, and will, defend myself and my property!"

Need Grizelda's action before the mystery lady will go. Please use the letters and numbers from the map edges to identify where you are moving.

Grizelda's eyes goggle, too stunned to speak for a moment as the impulsive halfling begins jumping to conclusions again. "Wait! Tomid, what if she is here by right?" In desperation to stop the fight before it's begun, she steps forward and hits (probably both of them) with Color Spray.

Color Spray DC:15 (Will)
Rolls for first effect in rounds on creatures with 2HD or less: 2d4 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7
unconscious, blinded, and stunned duration
-------------------------------------------------
Roll for second effect in rounds on creatures with 2HD or less: 1d4 ⇒ 2
blinded and stunned duration.

Then stunned for one round.
-------------------------------------------------
Roll for first effect in rounds for creatures with 3 or 4 HD: 1d4 ⇒ 3
blinded and stunned duration.

Then stunned for one round.
--------------------------------------------------
If 5 HD then stunned for one round.

Are you moving to I21 and casting? That will let the mystery lady make an AoO and you will need a concentration check...

Well, Hugo said he moved, so I'm not totally sure where she can stop. Five foot back if possible. But wherever she must, I suppose.

Concentration: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

Round 1
Grizelda: moves into the room and casts Color Spray at the mystery lady and Tomid (Will save DC 15). Casting it opens her up to an attack of opportunity from the mystery lady, who succeeds in cutting her with her scimitar (Grizelda takes 3 damage) but she maintains her concentration and successfully casts her spell.
AoO on Grizelda: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15 damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Lady Will save: 1d20 ⇒ 3
Tomid: depends on if you make your save...
The lady: Failed her save - she is blinded and stunned.
>Hugo<
Zinny
Silas

Wait on a few accounts. First if Griz is first then the lady has to have combat reflexes to make an zoo, which she might. But otherwise no aoo, Second, if she is targeting Tomid, she has to choose to do so. No doing so by accident. Its easy to choose to include him or to not include him from where she is. Its her call. But its not reasonable to catch Tomid and later say she did not mean to when the spell clearly lets her choose. And third IF Griz is first she does not know Tomid is right after her and planning to attack. She has just as much reason to attack anyone else in the party. So Gris is using payer knowledge to even know Tomid acts before the woman. Tomid is not blood thirsty and worships a good goddess. He has never given cause for a party member to attack him. IF she is a villain and Tomid is rendered helpless then Griz could be killing him. And again, Tomid's logic is that no person could live on the up and up where she does and Tomid not be aware of at least a dwelling there.

First point - Roger on AoO's before your first action...another rule I missed! So disregard the Lady's attack, Grizelda - you took no damage =)

Second point - Grizelda did target you on purpose. Also..."Regardless of the shape of the area, you select the point where the spell originates, but otherwise you don't control which creatures or objects the spell affects."

Third point - You drew steel and threatened the lady. That happened before the combat round started...Grizelda is trying to prevent you from attacking!

Not saying you're blood-thirsty, but you jumped to some pretty big conclusions and are threatening someone who very well may be in the right here...imagine if you were dozing off in the cellar of the Cow (I know - Tomid would never nap on the job =) when a group of armed individuals came barging in from a rat tunnel you didn't know was there, and then demanded to know what you were doing in the cellar and threatened to impart violence upon you when you wanted to know what they were doing in your cellar. Daggermark is a fairly large city - and you guys are living in the bottom half of it's social and economic structure. There are plenty of people who you may have heard about but have likely never seen, and plenty more you're never heard about or seen. Just sayin'...

Hold on a sec, let me look at it again and I'll retcon if need be. Grizelda's logic runs rather differently than Tomid's on this matter... =P
It looked to me like Tomid provoked and then attacked a woman in her bedroom, just because she asked our names and how we managed to wander into her home. Think about how it will sound to the law if she really does live here! o.O
Granted that may not be the case, but innocent until proven guilty is more my motto. Ok, so I think the way we reconcile the fact that she actually initiated the combat but Griz's spell goes off first is that in a 6 second round, there are multiple strikes and parries and the attack roll represents your best effort during that period... I think? So what actually happens is Tomid fends off her first few blows easily and she has yet to find her best window to strike. Anyway, if it's ok with GM, I'll retcon and say that Grizelda will target just the woman.

"Then let's dance..." she says with a gleam in her eye and a wicked grin. Lightning fast, she attacks!!

To review, she drew steel as we walked in. Then when we were still talking she begun the attack. Griz and Tomid were ready and able to act first, but per the dialogue, she initiated combat. Also a 29 diplomacy did not shift her at all from unfriendly, to be willing to even tell us her name. And with a 27 bluff I have to assume she is fine attacking representatives from the local law. I am confused what good those skills are for if they cannot help diffuse a situation like this. To me those are over the top rolls for a level 3 group. Tomid's main point was it was foolish for us to lead a total stranger around with no discussion first. I guess I had misunderstood the size of the town. My assumption was that everyone was pretty much on first name basis with everyone else and that any new person would draw some attention and be the talk of the town for quite a while at least. I suspect I was not the only person to think that.

I was under the impression that Daggermark was a town of several thousand people which means it's quite feasible that you don't know everybody, even if you're a locally knowledgeable guy like Tomid. *shrug*

That said, Zinny would fall on the side of being wary of the woman, but would probably intervene on the side of trying to stop outright fighting. I'll wait to post until Zinny's actual turn since it seems like this is a situation in a lot of flux. :P

=) Welcome to moral dilemma role-playing! This is what it's all about, in my opinion, and my goal is to continue giving you interesting choices with consequences that sometimes last for a long time. So rather than continue trying to justify what you did or did not do, please give me your 'final answer' (since we've just used the 'phone-a-friend' lifeline) and let's play it from there. I'm not saying you are wrong, but I'm also not saying you are right. I am going to try and provide a more challenging role-playing experience for the group, and sometimes (well, many times...) you won't have all of the information you might want but will have to make a decision. <cue dark music and evil laugh>

And for the record - I STILL LOVE YOU GUYS & GALS!!!!

Going with Grizelda's modified spell target and keeping Tomid's non-lethal attack and the mystery lady's failed Will save...

Round 1 (con't)
Grizelda: moves into the room and casts Color Spray at the mystery lady (Will save DC 15).
Tomid: Dodging and parrying the lady's strikes, Tomid lands a solid blow. At the last moment he turns his blade to use the back side instead of the edge, causing 16 points of nonlethal damage.
Mystery lady: Will save: 1d20 ⇒ 3 - Failed! She is blinded and stunned for 3 rounds.
>Hugo< You're up
Zinny
Silas

Dim as he was, Hugo hadn't failed to notice the way in which Tomid placed his attack. Dropping his weapon and shield, he lunged at the incapacitated woman.

Grapple: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13 +2 because she is blinded. Her CMD also doesn't receive Dex since she is stunned

Next round...

Wedging his leg behind hers, Hugo flipped her to the ground, pinning her.

Grapple Pin: 1d20 + 6 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 6 + 5 = 19 +5 to maintain grapple after she doesn't escape

Zinny blinks as things go from tense talking to weapons drawn.

"What-- what're we doin'--"

Oh. Hugo's trying to grab the lady. And there's all these colored lights...

Bemused, she starts digging in her pack for her rope. "We don't mean to hurt you none, ma'am!" she calls to the lady (completely ignorant of the fact that the magical effect on the woman means she can't hear Zinny). "We just ain't sure where we are or who you are or anything, so, uh..."

Getting out rope, then moving to the lady and tying her up once she is pinned/helpless.

CMB, if it matters: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20

Hugo attempts to grapple the mystery lady, but he just can't get a good hold on her until Zinny steps up and helps him get control of her.
She takes a -4 to dex / str checks because she is blinded and stunned - your +2 comment is not accurate. Her CMD is 18. Subtracting 4 gives her a CMD of 14. Zinny's succesful CMB gives you +2, which is now enough to grapple the mystery lady. Assuming no one else tries anything bizarre, you will succesfully pin her next round. Roll one more CMB with a +5 bonus for grappled. She loses -3 off her CMD (making it an 11) because pinned characters lose dex bonus altogether. That will completely end the combat before she recovers from Grizelda's spell!

Yeah my +2 comment was kinda backwards, since I based it off the Invisible rules, which gives an invisible attacker a +2 attack bonus. However, blinded is its own condition, and I assume its penalties account for everything (Although it does beg the question, does an invisible attacker still gain a +2 attack bonus when attacking a blinded enemy O.o?)

Since she is blinded, she takes a -2 penalty to AC. AC penalties apply to CMD. The -4 penalties to Str and Dex checks arent relevant for calculating CMD. The stunned condition adds a further -2 penalty to AC, and attackers gain a +4 bonus to their CMB.

Assuming that is correct, she takes a total of -4 to AC, dropping her CMD to 14, and I gain a +4 to my CMB, putting the roll at 17. The first roll should succeed :)

Man, you think you got all the rules down to a science and then someone makes a mistake and you go to correct it...only to realize youve been doing it wrong yourself...blargh ;)

Uh. Tomid says a bit nervous. I don't think this lady's suppose ta be here, but maybe she is. Lets see if she'll talk now.

The grapples rules are complex, and a moving target. The recently changed again how spell casting from a grapple works. Now its not certain death for a caster that is grappled. It was pretty much a sure thing before.

AC has nothiing to do with grapples - unless it's changed somewhere? CMB and CMD are based solely on STR, DEX, and size modifiers...it was supposed to be easier but it's not, really!!

CMD = 10 + Base attack bonus + Strength modifier + Dexterity modifier + special size modifier + miscellaneous modifiers

Miscellaneous Modifiers: A creature can also add any circumstance, deflection, dodge, insight, luck, morale, profane, and sacred bonuses to AC to its CMD. Any penalties to a creature's AC also apply to its CMD. A flat-footed creature does not add its Dexterity bonus to its CMD.

Interesting. Where did the Misc Mods stuff come from? I can't find it in the core rulebook, adv. players guide, or ultimate combat.

But enough of the rules wrangling already - we sound like a bunch of lawyers!! Now that you have the mystery lady tied up, what are you doing? Let's get this back on track!!

Tomid has made a recommendation to talk to her.