The Father of Waters

Game Master Fighting Chicken

I'll get started on that either today or tomorrow. Happy to help.

Am I right in that the rest of the fighting is at the top of the map.
Trying to work out what the Animated Frozen would do. Lack of intelligence is one of their defining flaws. I'm thinking job done, they stop.
I'm thinking either stop, or return for more orders, or keep trying to kill the fleeing barbarians.
Fleeing a construct is rough, given they can sprint indefinitely.

Done with the player tokens.

Why did I think there were more than the four [other] players?

As to the fighting, I think Rhime is eating dead people, and the wartribes have all scattered. So I don't think as of round 5 there is anything happening other than panic.

Thanks, Drazan! Looks good with those PC tokens, almost like a real map.

Man, I gots to kill some NPCs, but you all keep foiling me.

As for the fighting, Drazan is correct. All the major fighting that is/was going on is happening "off map" or is maybe one or two small skirmishes between NPCs and bad guys (for example, Sarre hasn't made any attacks these last couple of rounds that have affected what you've been doing, but she's still been firing her bow at random bad guys).

Imix is also correct. Most of your soldiers and your monks ran "off-camera" and the bulk of your fighters went north into the woods. If you listen really hard, you may hear have been able to hear the sounds of fighting over the rainfall.

Waiting for Oios to chime in. At some point tomorrow I'll move us forward regardless.

Trying to work out what the Animated Frozen would do. Lack of intelligence is one of their defining flaws.

I'd say they follow your instructions to the letter, and any interpretation that has to happen either results in a 1) lockdown of the Frozen as they don't have the computational power to deal with nuance, or 2) take the most simple interpretation of the instructions possible.

Yeah, makes sense.
I'm inclined to suggest the words themselves are conveyance for a single idea, which stops linguistic programming.
So basically holding then (literally "on hold") waiting for the next order.

Oof. We're going to need someone to head west immediately. Seems they're attacking from all sides. I wonder how they got through the defenses?

Istiel is going to attack the northern warband when I have time to post.

Also, remember everyone got a potion of CLW from Istiel.

BP- just to nip this in the bud now, but how would Istiel's defect arrows and the troop ranged attack work? On top of that, if I remember correctly you can do a reflex saving throw vs troop ranged attack, and she has evasion.

Oof. We're going to need someone to head west immediately. Seems they're attacking from all sides. I wonder how they got through the defenses?

How indeed?

BP- just to nip this in the bud now, but how would Istiel's defect arrows and the troop ranged attack work? On top of that, if I remember correctly you can do a reflex saving throw vs troop ranged attack, and she has evasion.

I would think as the attack is an area attack, that evasion would work but deflect arrows would not. Don't worry, I'll give you some projectiles to deflect soon enough!

That's what I figured.

Goooooood, the fools that think Istiel can be stopped by puny arrows are in for a surprise.

I'm going to move us along tonight.

Imix and Mauni don't seem to have moved. I thought they should be at B12.
Should I be updating the spreadsheet directly, incidentally? Wasn't sure of the convention.

Sorry, I misread you. You can always feel free to move the tokens - I don't mind at all (actually prefer it, if it is possible for you to do).

What's the range on Imix's healing channel? Just want to know if Istiel gets any of that sweet sweet hp back.

FYI Istiel is probably going to try and do a running jump across the 35' channel, preferably over Rhime for maximum awesome. I think a 35' long jump is a DC 35 acrobatics check, so she won't make the full length of the jump and will have to swim the rest. The running jump will be 2 actions and the swim will be one action I think. May take another swim action at the beginning of round 9 depending on the dice (they have not been nice)

I'll brush up on those rules tonight.

Channel's a 30' radius.

Jump check is a 35 DC.

Jumping over Rhime would be pretty awesome, but running onto the croc and then jumping from Rhime to shore would be maximum awesomeness...

Just planting seeds.

Channel's a 30' radius.

Jump check is a 35 DC.

Jumping over Rhime would be pretty awesome, but running onto the croc and then jumping from Rhime to shore would be maximum awesomeness...

Just planting seeds.

Oooohhhhh that WOULD reduce the jump DC to 25.... There's a 10% chance it would work!!! Honestly, it's probably more efficient to get in the water and swim, but eh.

Sadly, she's not in a straight line to Rhime anymore.

So running takes 3 actions, and Istiel can avoid the difficult terrain around the shore while running due to Dragon Style. Will blast off on Round 8.

Unfortunately it looks like Istiel is about 10' out of Imix's channel, so no healing for her.

Yeah, I wanted to get the people downed round before last. I plan on healing again, don't worry - and don't run too fast :)

Uh, are we round 7 or round 8 right now?
Not sure if Imix should be going again.

^ We're in round 7, and Imix has gone. Just waiting on Rigel. I'll move us on this afternoon or evening if I run out of time at lunch.

Man, this ride doesn't end.

It's going to take two full rounds of movement for Oios to even get to the sappers so I guess we go for the warband first? I would think Rigel would want to as that's where Izzy is.

It might not even be possible to get to the sappers with enough force to actually shut them down. Maybe even if the sappers make another opening in the fence we can just stand there to hold others attackers off while the main gate closes.

The end is nigh*

*of this phase of the attack, if you all are successful.

EDIT: Was going to move some things around, but decided that's too gamey.

Is there any way you can communicate to Istiel where these sappers are at? Otherwise, hopefully she'll see them soon. She can run/charge through difficult terrain, so she may be able to reach them next round.

After crunching the numbers, it's easier for Istiel to to the other side via the bridge. Not as exciting, but it would ultimately take another round to get into the action. Besides, without a crocodile to wrestle what's the point or jumping in the water?

Sorry GMBP: I should have trusted you'd document it well

As for the fight that never ends... I like it. A few long fights means there's a reason not to always Nova on round 1.
This is a big event (I think). So I like that it goes a while. It seems to have the ebb and flow of a real battle of this size as well.

Hoping Chukix and Alglin have joined the crowd, rather than died...

Oios likes shouting at people so he'll do that as a free action when he sees what is happening on the other side of the bridge.

Man, I've completely lost track of options here. Doesn't help that combat and I aren't really suited. Next level I get to add Dex to damage, which will help. Some.

Rigel will focus on rescuing Issy and using a mix of charm and threats to direct noncombatants towards safety.

Man, I've completely lost track of options here.

Just like a real, chaotic battle. We, the players, are not in control here, and we can't save everyone (though we're trying). It's a strange and refreshing feeling.

Also, the image of little Imix flipping over a chess board in anger nearly made me spit my coffee through my nose.

Yep, I'm going for the barbarians at the gates feel - literally, actually, by putting barbarians at the gates.

I'm also trying to give you some Sophie's choices, and have moments of violence interspersed with lulls, as Imix points out above to kind of simulate that experience.

You guys are beating back the hordes now. About 125 warriors have been killed/scattered. Not too shabby!

Don't worry too much about your effectiveness, Rigel. Stuff is coming up more suited to your skillset. You all just have to hold off this initial wave.

Also, the image of little Imix flipping over a chess board in anger nearly made me spit my coffee through my nose.

So much this. Great post, Imix!

Yep, I'm going for the barbarians at the gates feel - literally, actually, by putting barbarians at the gates.

I preferred it when it was just a metaphor...

57 damage in one strike! High-fives and fist bumps!

Wow! Consider that warband scattered!

Daamnnnn nice rolls!! Drazen is stealin' all the glory this battle. Istiel needs to step it up.

Not taking my action yet... want that sweet healing from Imix's channel. Istiel is probably going to run to F31 (105') using dragon style to ignore the difficult terrain, putting her in position to charge the braves to the south next round.

My laptop has died. I'll post as well as I can. Hopefully tonight.
Action is going to be heal, then organise dragging the wounded to the gate.
How many random wounded are lying "on the field?"
On phone at the moment. Bot me if needed.

I really wish I would have said it, because now I have no evidence, but when I posted last night I thought to myself I bet because Istiel is staying behind for the channeling, Imix is going to roll a 1.

Lo and behold. Two 1's.

I'm filing a complaint with Paizo, brb.

Haha, great stuff, Istiel.

@Imix, good luck with the computer. Will you be looking to get a new laptop or repair your current one?

Re: wounded, it is abstracted, but we'll say a lot. Your channel(s) will get many people up and moving. Or in the case of low roles, at least stabilize some that are bleeding out.

Istiel Drazen and Oios will handle the braves and sappers if Rigel and Imix want to deal with other matters.

I figure if I can get the people concentrated on Imix I might do one more out here.

Laptop is going to be repaired. I hope.

Unfortunately, even Unchained rogues aren't effective front-line combatants.

Busy day for me here - I'll get an update up tonight.

A little clarification on Oios' sticky* situation:

He's been hit with a tanglefoot bomb. The wording is a little strange, but I take it to mean that a reflex save undoes any potential harm, unlike a tanglefoot bag, which results in the entangled condition upon a successful hit.

Benefit: A creature that takes a direct hit from a tanglefoot bomb must save against the bomb’s DC or be entangled and glued to the floor as if it had failed its save against a tanglefoot bag. Creatures in the splash area that fail their saves are entangled but not glued to the floor; those who make this save are not entangled at all.

*Thank you, thank you, I'll be here all week.

Oooooh. Is that just an Alchemist class thing, or could Istiel make some of those...? Of course, she could just make regular tanglefoot bags I'm assuming.

Also I GET IT NOW! THEY'RE SAPPERS BECAUSE THEY'RE APPLYING SAP TO THE LOGS! ...right?

Oios, if you want to back out to drink a potion Drazen, Rigel, and Istiel should be able to handle the south group.

Holding off the Frozen so they can follow Drazan's lead. Figuring they'll just move and charge one of the mooks near Drazan if he goes the Sappers.

Imix will get the wounded - including Rheumy.

What does staggered mean in unchained?

I think you drop to 1 action per turn and anything physically tasking makes the character lose 1hp. In other words, I don't think unchained changed staggered.

^ Yep. Staggered is one action and a drop.

Imix, I'm a little unclear if you are planning to make a post with your computer issues, or if the post above is your post. I'm going to assume it is and bot you so that we can move along. If I'm wrong, feel free to retcon.

Also I GET IT NOW! THEY'RE SAPPERS BECAUSE THEY'RE APPLYING SAP TO THE LOGS! ...right?

Yep!

As for the tanglefoot bomb, sorry it is an alchemist discovery. But you can make regular tanglefoot bags. And those are pretty groovy.

I was going to try to. That said, the recap covered everything I was after so I am very happy :)

Sorry Oios: you failed your save, so you're stuck to the ground. Feel free to take another action, damaging the bag or breaking free.

A creature that is glued to the floor (or unable to fly) can break free by making a DC 17 Strength check or by dealing 15 points of damage to the goo with a slashing weapon. A creature trying to scrape goo off itself, or another creature assisting, does not need to make an attack roll; hitting the goo is automatic, after which the creature that hit makes a damage roll to see how much of the goo was scraped off. Once free, the creature can move (including flying) at half speed. If the entangled creature attempts to cast a spell, it must make concentration check with a DC of 15 + the spell's level or be unable to cast the spell. The goo becomes brittle and fragile after 2d4 rounds, cracking apart and losing its effectiveness. An application of universal solvent to a stuck creature dissolves the alchemical goo immediately.

Hrm, no step even. Is there some sort of variation of Full Defense that can be made with one act?

I don't think so. You can try and break the bonds with a strength check DC 17. Or maybe a friend can bust you out.

Or, barring that, next round Telowo will be able to heal you.

The raider next to you will be focusing on the Imix's Frozen.

If Oios can't do anything else he'll just shout some more.

Demoralizing one of your foes is not a bad action.