Personally, I think Truk demanding a surrender is a bit silly since if we took prisoners what would we do with them? The people of Haemil are evacuating.
Prisoners are easier to kill than armed soldiers.
*whistles malevolently*
I'm just glad we survived the battle. If the gnoll leader had come in with his giants, some PCs might have died, even if we ultimately prevailed. Now he is someone else's problem.
Does the last ogre in the pit give up a life essence?
I'll do the other essences once we know how much we get from the bows, but I can do the current two Life Essences now.
1: Garidan
2: Gruskorb
3: Malthazir
4: Niyut
5: Truk
1: Gruskorb
2: Malthazir
3: Niyut
4: Truk
Congrats to Garidan and Niyut!
This is Nuyit's fifth Life Essence which means the base secondary effect is a feat. May I choose the feat? If so, I'll go with +1 Cha and Cunning as my bonus feat. If not, I'll go Cunning and whichever feat you choose to give her.
Wait, we get a feat as a secondary on our fifth LE? When did I miss that detail :D?
@Malthazir: Did you want to switch your Life Essence to the Infernal Summon custom feat or keep it as Int +?
@GM: Would that Infernal Summon custom feat be better as a secondary effect that grows over time? We have seen with Truk's most recent LE that one side can be a stat boost and the other a feat.
Yes, I did that with Truk. As a semi-general rule, around your 4th-5th Life Essence added for a stat boost, I'll make your secondary effect a feat.
So, I'll allow Malz to use the LE for +1 Int, and grant him the custom Infernal Summons feat as a secondary benefit.
Then use the Conjuration Essence to get the Standard Action cast time on those Infernal Summons.
Then the essences from the Tik and Flame Staff to be added to the Sage Staff for expanding the Spell Predilection to the entire Summon Monster line.
@Malthazir - Decision on the final Ethereal Essence from the Ursikka?
Look, it's a semi-general rule, Garidan.
Ah, okay. But if I'm reading this correctly, you had to have five LE's spent on stat increases to get the secondary benefit of a feat on the fifth one, not five LE's spent on whatever in total.
4-5.
Maybe you will get the inverse a +1 stat boost since you focused mainly on feats.
4-5.
Pedant :p. Doesn't change the point, however.
Maybe you will get the inverse a +1 stat boost since you focused mainly on feats.
Now that is a pretty nifty idea right there! If Valjoen goes with it, I'd slap another +1 in Dex to hit 20, then I just have to pick a feat. I think I'll finally grab Combat Stamina.
I will admit, however, that I hadn't read it as focusing on stat boosts. If that is the case, I'll need to take the primary effect as a Stat boost regardless of whether I get to choose the feat or not.
What's the preliminary split on the other essences gathered (so far)? Because I'd like to get hands on three and, if possible, do some trading for spellcaster ethereal essences that the party may be holding.
Valjoen, for Garidan's fifth life essence, I'd like the Combat Stamina feat as the primary benefit. For the secondary--if you'll entertain Niyut's suggestion of me getting a stat boost after every "x" life essence spent on feats--I'd like a +1 to Dexterity.
And because it never hurts to ask, I'd like a very minor boost of not having Garidan's Con penalty count for determining his stamina pool (which is base attack + Con modifier), as a result of the LE's source being a giant.
If the requested secondary stat increase isn't possible, however, I'd request that Garidan get to use the giant's Con modifier--adjusted or not for his own penalty to same--for determining his stamina pool.
You mean Arcane Essences? We don't have any related to Evocation, which would be of most use to you.
You mean Arcane Essences? We don't have any related to Evocation, which would be of most use to you.
No, no, I meant ethereal essences. Since Valjoen like to flavor his secondary benefits according to the source of the essence, I think it would be a good idea to feed 'Ruza spellcaster-specific ones when I improved her.
Makes me wonder if Niyut's little book of tricks has one for converting an Arcane Essence to evocation though.
How many Ethereal Essences we gain is completely dependent on how many bows Malthazir and I can manage to disenchant or loot without getting caught.
We currently have 6 Ethereal Essence and 1 Enchantment Essence.
Garidan and Mal got already got their ethereal essences during the last round in July. Niyut would probably claim the Enchantment Essence since she can convert that into Illusion or Necromancy by ritual magic in the long anticipated down time. If Garidan wanted to claim the Enchantment Essence and then wait around until Niyut has nothing better to do than to learn how to tranform it into Evocation, she wouldn't fight him on it. But know that it is very low on her list of priorities way-way behind converting the Divination she picked up over a year ago (!) into a Necromancy Essence, figuring out how to disenchant wonders, figuring out how to disenchant Relics, and several other items on her agenda. In real time, I'm guessing it would be the better part of a year.
At minimum, Garidan is looking to pick up 1 Essence from this fight and at maximum maybe 6-8 depending on how much we get from the bows. If they are +1 Human bane curios thats 50 essences in total if we reclaim all of them, which I very much doubt we will. I'm guessing they are +1s, and we won't get all of them.
We will also pick up a few essences during down time as Niyut disenchants the stuff we picked up during the first battle of the gate.
You mean Arcane Essences? We don't have any related to Evocation, which would be of most use to you.No, no, I meant ethereal essences. Since Valjoen like to flavor his secondary benefits according to the source of the essence, I think it would be a good idea to feed 'Ruza spellcaster-specific ones when I improved her.
Well, I'm saving my hag essences for a very specific project, so I cannot help you there.
Lol, downtime, we need some! Nearly everyone has some projects in their personal to-do lists, even Garidan. Though his is mostly just making more alchemical goodies, he does still want to get those looted adamantine curve blades somehow broken down for raw metal and infused into (at the least) his rapier and one of Truk'tosh's axe heads.
Plus figure out what griffon feather actually does, get that infinite scroll a spell to use, figure out why he somehow keeps finding that one everburning torch in his pack; seriously, Valjoen keeps assigning it me no matter how many times I've dumped into general supplies or even tried trading it, so I'm just going to play like there's an undiscovered reason why it keeps popping up :D.
Figure out what Garidan's postion is with his patron deity is also a thing that needs doing.
and what your buckler can do?
Right now? Jack and squat :D. It's a curio entirely by virtue of its origin of having been made with wood taken from that big tree that Gruskorb's headmate used to live in/around. Valjoen accepted my contention that the wood was maybe not entirely normal--after we got that AC boon from the smoke made burning some--so it has the potential to be something in the future at least, but not right now. So I'm not worried about figuring that out, and neither is Garidan.
Oh, Foramdar should probably send some soldiers to find those gnolls who disappeared into the tower. If he hasn't done it already?
@Mal: I was thinking. If the ramp created by the cliff giant covered the magic ramp, and if it survived being covered by molten rock that quickly solidified, then an earth elemental could find it and tunnel to the curio. Is that worth a second level spell slot to you?
Now he is someone else's problem.
Yes, but whose?
Does the last ogre in the pit give up a life essence?
Nope.
Wait, we get a feat as a secondary on our fifth LE?
By your 5th LE used for stat bonuses, I'll grant a feat as a secondary effect. I'll take suggestions from the player, but will make the final determination. It will need to be thematic. That is, if you take 5 Int bonuses, I'm not going to grant you toughness. It also works the other way... 4-5 LE's for feats get's you a stat bonus.
By your 5th LE used for stat bonuses, I'll grant a feat as a secondary effect. I'll take suggestions from the player, but will make the final determination. It will need to be thematic. That is, if you take 5 Int bonuses, I'm not going to grant you toughness. It also works the other way... 4-5 LE's for feats get's you a stat bonus.
That makes sense. I will definitely go with +1 to Charisma. If this is the Life Essence that gives me a feat, then I would ask for Cunning since her Cha is what boosts her Int skills because of her reliance on her grandmother as a Lore Spirit. That might not be thematic enough. If not, I will happily take whatever you choose for me. :-)
Oh, Foramdar should probably send some soldiers to find those gnolls who disappeared into the tower. If he hasn't done it already?
He wasn't aware of them as he was focused on the swarming gnolls all about him during the battle. You could suggest it in the Gameplay thread if you would like.
That makes sense. I will definitely go with +1 to Charisma. If this is the Life Essence that gives me a feat, then I would ask for Cunning since her Cha is what boosts her Int skills because of her reliance on her grandmother as a Lore Spirit. That might not be thematic enough. If not, I will happily take whatever you choose for me. :-)
I'm good with that. If fits a lot of you've been doing with Niyut and her grandmother, and it fits with the Cliff Giant. If you had won the Hill Giant and wanted Cunning.... meh.
So good news, bad new: The bows are far more powerful than I initially gave them credit.
The good news: That mean that there could be far more essences for us after all this.
The bad news: We will have to do this extraction later, and it might be a process that Malthazir and Niyut cannot do automatically. Though Malthazir might.
So, with that being said:
Niyut will take the Enchantment Essence (unless Garidan wants it and then wants to wait a long time. Truk and Gruskorb each get one ethereal essence essence.
1: Garidan
2: Gruskorb
3: Malthazir
4: Niyut
5: Truk
1: Garidan
2: Gruskorb
3: Malthazir
4: Truk
1: Garidan
2: Gruskorb
3: Truk
1: Gruskorb
2: Truk
Final Tally:
Garidan: Either 1 Ethereal Essence or 1 Enchantment Arcane Essence
Gruskorb: 1 Ethereal Essence. You get the next one.
Malthazir: 1 Ethereal Essence
Niyut: 1 Ethereal Essence; 1 Enchantment Arcane Essence
Truk: 2 Ethereal Essences.
Congrats!
@Garidan, let me know.
Does Charisma govern appearance? Should I be imagining Niyut to be growing increasingly preternaturally attractive as her Charisma increases? The description of her lips as ruby red made me think of snow white except with olive skin. :-p
@Malthazir: I was looking at your character sheet thinking that when we have a minute in private you might be able to take 10 on extracting the essence on these bows, since the base difficulty is 15 + CL. I noticed you have a +26 modifier? Do you have something that gives you an extra +1? 9 Int + 8 Ranks +5 Circumstance + 3 TCS: +25.
Can someone aid another on a take 10?
@Niyut: Ethereal essence for me, thanks.
@Valjoen: Any thoughts on my requested life essence benefits?
Also, what is the process for adding an ethereal essence to the ioun torch to get more daily casts? It's not a wand/staff, so I don't know that one essence/10 additional spell levels per day is applicable, but it's the closest to what I have in mind.
If I wanted to increase the DC to save against the spells from the ioun torch--ala Spell Focus, but applicable only to the [light] descriptor spells the ioun torch can use, regardless of school--how would that have to be done?
And I need a ruling on some feat interactions as well. Lingering Spell makes an otherwise instantaneous spell effect persist for a short time. Since this feat would be applied to [light] spells from Garidan's ioun torch, would that extended duration meet the criteria "create an area of light" required by the Solar Spell feat?
@Garidan: Cool. You are up in Spheres.
@Garidan: I think it's interesting that you think this exculpates the First Hazard in any way. If I understand the metaphysics correctly, the foundation magi -- those demigods who banished and then locked the material plane from the other god -- are the only ones who could possibly break the seal between the Ether and the Material or between the 8 elemental planes and the Ether. It seems like Baerwynnd might be one of the only eight beings who could have done this. The gods just sat and watched until their moment came. Certainly they too are to blame, but I don't think Siv or even Rykhal could have caused this mess.
@Malthazir: I was looking at your character sheet thinking that when we have a minute in private you might be able to take 10 on extracting the essence on these bows, since the base difficulty is 15 + CL. I noticed you have a +26 modifier? Do you have something that gives you an extra +1? 9 Int + 8 Ranks +5 Circumstance + 3 TCS: +25.
Can someone aid another on a take 10?
Yes, I believe you can. But even if several of you aid him, he won't make it with a take 10.
Yes, I believe you can. But even if several of you aid him, he won't make it with a take 10.@Malthazir: I was looking at your character sheet thinking that when we have a minute in private you might be able to take 10 on extracting the essence on these bows, since the base difficulty is 15 + CL. I noticed you have a +26 modifier? Do you have something that gives you an extra +1? 9 Int + 8 Ranks +5 Circumstance + 3 TCS: +25.
Can someone aid another on a take 10?
Interesting, then it must be something other than caster level that is making it harder to extract essences from these bows.
Valjoen, for Garidan's fifth life essence, I'd like the Combat Stamina feat as the primary benefit. For the secondary--if you'll entertain Niyut's suggestion of me getting a stat boost after every "x" life essence spent on feats--I'd like a +1 to Dexterity.
And because it never hurts to ask, I'd like a very minor boost of not having Garidan's Con penalty count for determining his stamina pool (which is base attack + Con modifier), as a result of the LE's source being a giant.
If the requested secondary stat increase isn't possible, however, I'd request that Garidan get to use the giant's Con modifier--adjusted or not for his own penalty to same--for determining his stamina pool.
I'm willing give you a secondary benefit of a +2 bonus to your stamina pool. So, you're pool will equal BAB -1 +2 = 9 points. Keep in mind that as a secondary benefit to a LE, it will increase over time. So, every LE will be like a +2 Con bonus for combat stamina purposes.
It's pretty obvious that Kiravor wasn't just twiddling his divine thumbs when a surprise chance came along, not with how quickly he got assets--at least, those we that know of so far--moving once things kicked off. I don't know--and neither does Garidan--that he was waiting on Baerwynnd specifically to go diving into the Ether for whatever, but I believe that I can safely say he was waiting on someone to go poking around in a way he could use.
And how often does Baerwynnd's status as anything other than First Hazard come up when considering him? While Garidan may be aware of it, it's likely only in passing mention from a book or two that wasn't really focused on the subject. So when considering power on Baerwynnd's level, Garidan would naturally and understandably think first of the other Hazards, not those sharing Baerwynnd's other particular emminence.
I'm willing give you a secondary benefit of a +2 bonus to your stamina pool. So, you're pool will equal BAB -1 +2 = 9 points. Keep in mind that as a secondary benefit to a LE, it will increase over time. So, every LE will be like a +2 Con bonus for combat stamina purposes.
Okay, that's a pretty awesome secondary right there, I'll take it quite happily. So this LE gets me Combat Stamina and the secondary of +2 stamina for Garidan's stamina pool.
Then the next LE devoted to a feat is also the fifth put to that use, and is the one that qualifies for the stat increase secondary?
Also, what is the process for adding an ethereal essence to the ioun torch to get more daily casts? It's not a wand/staff, so I don't know that one essence/10 additional spell levels per day is applicable, but it's the closest to what I have in mind.
That was there for casters, which Garidan isn't. I'd allow for some additional casting, but would only 1-2 per day per essence... and limited only to the light spells already available.
If I wanted to increase the DC to save against the spells from the ioun torch--ala Spell Focus, but applicable only to the [light] descriptor spells the ioun torch can use, regardless of school--how would that have to be done?
You'd need an arcane essence attuned to evocation or light.
And I need a ruling on some feat interactions as well. Lingering Spell makes an otherwise instantaneous spell effect persist for a short time. Since this feat would be applied to [light] spells from Garidan's ioun torch, would that extended duration meet the criteria "create an area of light" required by the Solar Spell feat?
Yes, I would think that an instant light spell made to last 1 full round from Lingering Spell would qualify as an "area of light" needed for Solar Spell. However, remember that Solar Spell only affects creatures while the spell persists... which would only be 1 round. With your increasing level, Ruza has access to some higher level spells which should have a longer duration.
Oh, Niyut brought it up when we were talking with what's-his-face -- Leontil. To the best of my knowledge, nothing we have read ever suggested such a thing. Niyut just put it together and got it confirmed by the Magi of Water.
Kiravor wasn't twiddling his thumbs. All of the divines are crazy clued in. As far as I've been able to gather the seed of their power is knowledge gathering -- playing on divine. He likely foresaw this possibility and has been prepping for it for the last 8000 years.
Still, Baerwynnd is ultimately the one who turned the key and let the devil in.
I'd like access to some metamagic on a limited basis for Truk'tosh.
Would adding the effects of lesser metamagic extend and empower be reasonable for 2 EEs?
Then the next LE devoted to a feat is also the fifth put to that use, and is the one that qualifies for the stat increase secondary?
Correct
I'd like access to some metamagic on a limited basis for Truk'tosh.
Would adding the effects of lesser metamagic extend and empower be reasonable for 2 EEs?
Absolutely. As a druid, you're a caster... and Morgrym’s Holy Symbol of Mylesar, the Wire Skull is a divine bond. 1 EE can make it a lesser extended rod and another 1 EE can make it a lesser empowered rod. 3 charges daily...
Interesting, then it must be something other than caster level that is making it harder to extract essences from these bows.Yes, I believe you can. But even if several of you aid him, he won't make it with a take 10.@Malthazir: I was looking at your character sheet thinking that when we have a minute in private you might be able to take 10 on extracting the essence on these bows, since the base difficulty is 15 + CL. I noticed you have a +26 modifier? Do you have something that gives you an extra +1? 9 Int + 8 Ranks +5 Circumstance + 3 TCS: +25.
Can someone aid another on a take 10?
No comment here, either. :)
Oh, Niyut brought it up when we were talking with what's-his-face -- Leontil. To the best of my knowledge, nothing we have read ever suggested such a thing. Niyut just put it together and got it confirmed by the Magi of Water.
Kiravor wasn't twiddling his thumbs. All of the divines are crazy clued in. As far as I've been able to gather the seed of their power is knowledge gathering -- playing on divine. He likely foresaw this possibility and has been prepping for it for the last 8000 years.
Still, Baerwynnd is ultimately the one who turned the key and let the devil in.
NO comment.
Going on the formula, a Lesser Empower effect would be 2 Ethereal Essences. (Level Adjustment x 1). Is this correct?
No comment here, either. :)Interesting, then it must be something other than caster level that is making it harder to extract essences from these bows.Yes, I believe you can. But even if several of you aid him, he won't make it with a take 10.@Malthazir: I was looking at your character sheet thinking that when we have a minute in private you might be able to take 10 on extracting the essence on these bows, since the base difficulty is 15 + CL. I noticed you have a +26 modifier? Do you have something that gives you an extra +1? 9 Int + 8 Ranks +5 Circumstance + 3 TCS: +25.
Can someone aid another on a take 10?
Was her 37 good enough to at least identify the bow or will she need to rest and cast Identify tomorrow?
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That was there for casters, which Garidan isn't. I'd allow for some additional casting, but would only 1-2 per day per essence... and limited only to the light spells already available.
That's fine, I'm not looking to rival the party's casters with the ioun torch's spellcasting, just improve upon a neat little niche trick to make it a bit more effective and sustainable in the course of long fights (such as the one we just had).
Now, just clarify that last point in your answer, as Garidan's character level increases--raising 'Ruza's effective sorcerer level in the process--will this include any new [light] spells she gets access to (which she's already restricted to).
Or will newly-gained spells of that type get their own per day use, which will then require its own essence(s) to increase?
You'd need an arcane essence attuned to evocation or light.
Noted.
Yes, I would think that an instant light spell made to last 1 full round from Lingering Spell would qualify as an "area of light" needed for Solar Spell. However, remember that Solar Spell only affects creatures while the spell persists... which would only be 1 round. With your increasing level, Ruza has access to some higher level spells which should have a longer duration.
Oh, I know there are beefier spells that 'Ruza will eventually be able to use this with. I just wanted to get to the interaction settled before it came up in game :D.
Also, your "No comments" are awfully suspicious there ;p.
Going on the formula, a Lesser Empower effect would be 2 Ethereal Essences. (Level Adjustment x 1). Is this correct?
Oops, my bad. Empower is a 2 level adjustment. I thought it was only 1 off the top of my head.
Was her 37 good enough to at least identify the bow or will she need to rest and cast Identify tomorrow?
No, but I'll say that the two of you can detect powerful, fire evocation in them, as well as, some greater necromancy magic than anything you've seen before.
But they are curios?