The Devil's Gorge (and Beyond)!

Game Master Rynjin

Anything that Dorla knows about the tiger? (most knowledge skills ridiculously high, Chirrup can often automatically assist; combined knowledge nature is 31)

Do you also have Religion?

This looks like the tales Dorla has heard of Dire Tigers, or Smilodons, Saber Toothed Tigers, etc, but this is an unnatural, undead variant of the same.

Nope; your description of this world made that seem like a waste of skill ranks. Dorla's int is +7 if there is anything available untrained.

There is not.

Olsson sees a huge undead tiger, and when it speaks, he is not at all pleased.

"Ah, 'allo there. We...have come to solve a mystery, ye might say. Word travels fast of a previously-unknown ziggurat appearin' in the middle o' the desert. 'specially one with lights goin' on about it. I fer' one couldn't pass up a chance to explore the unknown, and see somethin' majestic or unique. Which reminds meh'; nice place ye got here. Grand onna' scale I'd never imagined."

"The pyramid is indeed magnificent, is it not? I'm afraid I can't call it mine, however. This is my domain, or the part of it visible to those uninvited, but the ziggurat itself? I'd not dare to claim it as such."

Dorla waits quietly to see how the tiger answers Olsson. She is wary, but willing to listen to what it has to say. She signals to Chirrup to come perch on her shoulder.

"My name is Donovan. I'm an explorer seeking new stories. And you look like you have an interesting one to tell... Who are you?"

"I am Kiayan, former Maharaja of 75th principality. This has been my home for the last few thousand years, a paradise I discovered and would not leave."

Chirrup's aid on sense motive: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
sense motive: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 2 = 11 (includes Chirrup's aid)

My passive Sense Motive beats that... Assuming we use passive skill checks here. ;)

BTW, does Kn(Psionics) help with anything?

No, it does not.

And yes, if you can beat it on a 10, you beat it.

"I see... That's too bad. We're seeking ancient wonders and mysteries. We could use an witness to enlighten us and others on the past of the world. Well... Enjoy your eternity of never-ending comfort, peace and quiet in your private jungle. We'll take our search somewhere so as not to bother you." says Donovan, non-challantly. "Let's go, everyone... Let's see what else there is too see in the ziggurat."

"Are you sure none of you would like to stay and chat? At least a little longer? It's been so long since I've had company..."

Everyone, make me a Will save, DC 23.

Should you make the save, you recognize it as a hostile act, and you're up for Initiative.

Ugh... Couldn't you ask for a roll while I was in front of a PC?

[dice]1d20+13[/dce]

G$++#+nit!

Kn.Religion: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21
Will: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (11) + 13 = 24
+2 if its enchantment

"A big talking tiger! And it's some kinda king?"

will save: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Since it's a will save, I assume Chirrup is immune.

Will: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (1) + 13 = 14

Well... I won't have access to a PC 'til morning, probably... You can roll for me, if you want Sundakan. 1d20 + 13 +4 (from Elan's Resistance).

1d20 + 17 ⇒ (2) + 17 = 19

You knew this would happen.

Everyone settles in for a nice, long conversation with Kiayan except Thetsu, who remains looking very confused as to why his friends are sticking around. The tiger seems not to notice his spell failed.

"So, tell me about the outside world. What has changed during my...sabbatical?"

Any immediate actions to take, Thetsu?

"Uhhhh not much? How long has your...sabbati-thingy been? Say, is there any treasure around here? Gotta be honest, we came here lookin fer treasure. Or I did atleast." Thetsu says whilst scratching his face.

The Vanara tries to shake Olsson out of whatever stupor he's in. If he fails in that, he frowns and will drink his potion of Enlarge Person before cracking his knuckles loudly.

"Dont know what you did to my friends, but you're in for a world of hurt if you don't turn off whatever you did to them!"

Did my 21 Kn.Religion get anything?

Chirrup is immune to mind effects, which I assume means that he didn't even know anything was attempted. Can I assume that Chirrup would notice Dorla acting a little oddly and try to get her back?

How long does the effect last and what exactly does it do?

Well, OOC it's a Mass Suggestion, so it lasts a good long while. You will remain here and have a conversation with the tiger until the duration wears out, or something snaps you out of it.

Chirrup can make a DC 25 check to see you're under an Enchantment effect, as can the Rat.

"I have been away for a long time. Hard to determine, here. Several millenia, at least."

Splinter, sensing that something may be amiss, scans his master's surface thoughts and emotional state for any indication of influence or deception.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (5) + 14 = 19

I guess I'll just chat with the guy for a bit. If he's not being hostile that is...forget the hostile stuff...
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16

"I'm not really a current events guy nor a history expert...Dorla is the only person I know thats really smart. Oh! We hunt magic treasure down since it's not really around anymore? Atleast it's only a thing in fairy tales that is. Fantasy stuff like wizards and dragons from the stories."

"Really? Magic is gone? So people are powerless, then?"

"No not really. Tools got a lot fancier. People still kill each other in grand ways. There are still Ascetics, the powers of the mind, and those who study the art of war. I guess science advanced really fast? I guess all the people who woulda been wizards started makin stuff instead."

Suggestion ends once the Suggestion has been followed... And since he suggested we stayed for a little longer, the effect should end after a few minutes of idle chat.

"Interesting talk... But now it's time to destroy you."

Call Weaponry.

Rising Zenith: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (17) + 19 = 36
damage: 2d6 + 22 ⇒ (1, 4) + 22 = 27

Suggestion ends once the Suggestion has been followed... And since he suggested we stayed for a little longer, the effect should end after a few minutes of idle chat.

No, the effect ends when the duration is over, or the activity is finished (in this case, if somebody ends the conversation). If you don't like that, 12 hours is a little time to something that lives forever.

Ball is in Thetsu, Chirrup, or Splinter's court, and Thetsu seems interested in staying for a bit, while the other two don't really know what's up.

I plan to keep this relatively short either way.

"No not really. Tools got a lot fancier. People still kill each other in grand ways. There are still Ascetics, the powers of the mind, and those who study the art of war. I guess science advanced really fast? I guess all the people who woulda been wizards started makin stuff instead."

"That mental magic actually took off? Who would've guessed a glorified birth defect would usurp the Art..."

The tiger looks pensive, if that's possible.

"Well, it sounds worth giving a look. You've been of great help to me, monkey-man. Perhaps I can reward you all with a stay in my home? What do you think?"

As a side note, it kinda bothers me that almost all of you refuse to talk with this NPC even when specifically, mechanically compelled to speak with him.

If the check is sense motive, Chirrup can't possibly make that DC. Take 10 would meet that DC if perception was the skill.

The tiger is scary looking enough that Chirrup is cautious, even if he doesn't know Dorla is being influenced. He clings to her shoulder, watching the tiger carefully.

Dorla follows the suggestion that she stay and chat with the tiger. She's still a little suspicious of him all the spell does is make her follow his suggestion, not make her friendlier, right? and so she makes her chatting be about elf cuisine and how it differs from human cuisine.

Donovan engages in Dorla's conversation about culinary for a little while... Before attacking the creature with Rising Zenith strike.

It is a little time for him, but not for us. And since he didn't specify any amount of time, it falls to us to determine what's "a little". And I don't know anyone who would define "talking for hours" as "staying a little longer". Suggestion specifically lasts 1/level or until completed. If he wanted us to stay all day here, that's what he should have said. He also didn't specify the subject, so we can spend the next few minutes talking about birds.

Has no one ever asked you for "a little" whatever, but then you give TOO little or too much? That happens precisely because the person's idea of "a little" differs from yours".

Also, I WAS talking to him... Saying "Donovan talks about X" is just as accurate as speaking in first person. Just much more succinct. And less frustrating... The NPC can force my character to talk, but he can't force me to write whatever Donovan speaks word-by-word.

Do you REALLY want to go down the road where I take the most literal interpretation of anything anyone says instead of what I think their intent is?

Dorla looks at the tiger. Do you eat human foods? Forgive me, but I don't know enough about you to know if you eat what we do.

My last post evidently crossed with yours. Also, can I just ask who exactly that last comment was addressed to, Sundukan? I know I was being a little bit of a smart alec, but then there was Donovan's comment that followed, which went much farther.

Do you REALLY want to go down the road where I take the most literal interpretation of anything anyone says instead of what I think their intent is?

The most literal? I'm not nitpicking the rules. That's a major limitation of Suggestion. Once the action is done, the effect ends. There's a whole paragraph about it in the spell description.

He made a reasonable suggestion... Likely to give us a penalty to the Will save. The downside to this is the fact that it is a reasonable suggestion. Talking for another hour is reasonable... Talking for over 6 hours is not.

If you prefer, I can say "Donovan stays and chats for hours and then attacks". I don't mind. I'll follow your ruling... I disagree, but I just don't want to write Donovan's speech word by word. Or in first person.

Sorry, after my last post I lost power from electrical storms ravaging my part of the countryside. Just caught up

Olsson seems deeply disturbed by the creature's mention of pisonic powers as a "defect."

"What? A...defect? Hold a moment, what do ye mean? Magic was...usurped? How? Sounds like ye might be a grand source of information, if ye don't mind another topic; I'm not actually knowin' what the fair folk eat. Lembas...?"

Olsson strokes his beard thoughtfully, distantly wondering why he is so interested in the knowledge the beast might have, but too intrigued to really consider the quandary. Instead, he mentally cross-references Kiayan's 75th principality to anything he might know about the current surrounding area.

Kno. Local: 1d20 + 18 ⇒ (8) + 18 = 26
And if theres anything to be learned but I failed, I'll use Call to Mind to roll again.

Kno. Local: 1d20 + 20 ⇒ (1) + 20 = 21

well darn

Olsson, you just outed yourself as a complete Tolkien nerd. We won't get into what it makes me that I got the reference instantly...

Yes ma'am; I grew up on the stuff, and so will my children.

Dorla looks at the tiger. Do you eat human foods? Forgive me, but I don't know enough about you to know if you eat what we do.

"No, my tastes are quite different. They run towards less...physical things."

I find it kind of funny that Dorla is spending time asking about what the undead tiger EATS than questioning him about magic and the history of the world before it disappeared.

Not that he'd have any concrete answers as to what happened, but I figured she'd at least try.

"What? A...defect? Hold a moment, what do ye mean? Magic was...usurped? How? Sounds like ye might be a grand source of information, if ye don't mind another topic; I'm not actually knowin' what the fair folk eat. Lembas...?"

"I wouldn't know why or how, it confuses me as much as you. The, what were they called, Psychic "gifts" were new and undeveloped when I retreated from the world. That they've somehow completely replaced magic is...perplexing."

Aand Principalities are a largely outdated mode of government, essentially small fiefdoms ruled over by a prince or some other term meaning the same. The only place that still uses them is Thetsu's homeland, and then only as a formality.

Olsson scratches his bald grey-skinned head, taking in Kiayan's words and mulling them over mentally.

"So, if Ah may ask, does this great home of yours...'travel?' Ah only ask as it appears to have arrived at it's current position quite recently, and unexpectedly...at least to outside observers. Where was it when ye came inside an' stayed? A desert?"

"It doesn't so much move as "shift" if you understand. Different planes, realities. Always stays random times. Makes getting off a pain, eve if you can figure out how..."

Olsson nods sagely, understanding dawning on him.

"Ah, well. That explains quite a bit, actually. You see, Ah'm no stranger to interplanar trahvel' meself. Strange, though; ye said this place wasn't of yer own makin', aye? Who wrought such a marvel, then?"

"I couldn't tell you. Even the slight details I know never pass my lips, even when I want to tell them. Who or whatever it is, it likes its privacy, save for those of us kept in these rooms."

"Perhaps I can reward you all with a stay in my home? What do you think?"

"What does that mean? If anything, a tour of interesting sites would be nice..." Thetsu says warily then adds an alternative.

I hope this isn't like that one book where the evil spirit trapped the hero in it's place so it could wreak havoc on the world!

Olsson's face looks puzzled by Kiayan's statement, and he says "Really? You cannah' even speak of it? Blast, 'dats powerful stuff 'den. Wait, 'rooms?' 'Dunnah tell meh' all the doors outside lead to different places!?!!"

Dorla's eyes grow wide as she hears the tiger speak to Olsson and Thetsu. You know about magic? What can you tell me?! Are the stories of people using magic to transport themselves and vaporize their enemies and make people like you true?

Until now, Dorla had no evidence the tiger actually knows anything about magic. She didn't know about the spell because she failed her save.

Donovan sits there listening.