The Mud Sorcerer's Tomb (Inactive)

Game Master baldwin the merciful

Question! Do you guys want to skip to the end of the 10th round of this combat when Rey finally gets to cast her break enchantment spell?

I ask because I must admit to a small amount of reluctance to run 9 more rounds of inter-party combat. If this were table top, I think it wold be a blast and quickly resolved, but as PbP this is going to really drag out and kill our momentum.

So: suggestion. How about we simply deduct a couple of heal spells from whomever would top up those injured by this struggle, and assume nobody dies within the next nine rounds, allowing Rey to save the day? That way we can get right back to exploring and fighting bad guys.

Thoughts?

That seems reasonable.

So far, it's been one of the deadliest encounters I've had, and nine rounds is a loooong time!

Parts of me would like to make sure this is indeed what will happen. Perhaps the control water spell will allow a new save or cancel the effect? Perhaps one of us gets killed. If Sargon gets free, things could go south quickly if he decides to use spells...

But if the rest of the group prefers to skip a few rounds, I'm ok with that too :)

Realistically T'wich will be unconscious or dead in three rounds, so resolving it before then works for me.

Nah, I'm keeping it non lethal.

However if I had to blow through all my ranger focus of the day would mean I'd want a rest stop.

I am good with skipping to the end, I am not going to break free anytime.

Question! Do you guys want to skip to the end of the 10th round of this combat when Rey finally gets to cast her break enchantment spell?

I ask because I must admit to a small amount of reluctance to run 9 more rounds of inter-party combat. If this were table top, I think it wold be a blast and quickly resolved, but as PbP this is going to really drag out and kill our momentum.

So: suggestion. How about we simply deduct a couple of heal spells from whomever would top up those injured by this struggle, and assume nobody dies within the next nine rounds, allowing Rey to save the day? That way we can get right back to exploring and fighting bad guys.

Thoughts?

I mean, if you are willing to do that, then hell yes, that would be great! Honestly it's possible that at the end of nine rounds, the whole fricken party would be dead, maimed, or incapacitated... So, yeah, please, let's do that. :) Do you want to post some kind of a narrative summary and then do the rolls for her?

This spell frees victims from enchantments, transmutations, and curses. Break enchantment can reverse even an instantaneous effect. For each such effect, you make a caster level check (1d20 + caster level, maximum +15) against a DC of 11 + caster level of the effect. Success means that the creature is free of the spell, curse, or effect. For a cursed magic item, the DC is equal to the DC of the curse.

So she'd be a 1d20+14 vs. 11 + whatever the caster level of the fish pond curse was. That's where this thing could all turn sour, because depending on the DC of that thing, one bad d20 roll could ruin our whole lives/game.

Sounds good to me!

I do think this is one we could probably put on the TPK list. I think Mike got us on this one, so can put a win his his column for his encounter! Very devious.

Nah, I could most likely get away if I decided to hide and run away. Wouldn't be a TPK.

OK. I'll post a narrative summary and dictate a rest stop to allow for all the expenditures that would have gone into the scene.

Remember, there was only a 1 in 4 chance that Dragox, Sargon, or T'wich would attack each round, so it wasn't terribly lethal. Most likely they'd spend half the time babbling or agreeing to be grappled as they regained their sanity.

Either way, 9 rounds of grapple checks is my personal nightmare, so I'll move us right along and say it was a very unpleasant encounter. I'll also employ some hand-wavium and say that Rey manages to dispel the enchantment so we can proceed with the game.

Actually once you are attacked during confusion, you focus on attacking back, and no longer roll on the confusion table. Hence, Dragox and Sargon were in it till one dropped, and Twitch was on me till I dropped him since I attacked him.

Poor Sargon...

Yeah I don't see that ending well for Sargon.

Interesting! All right, much more lethal then. Poor Sargon indeed. I'll reflect this in the next post.

Just for my own knowledge, nothing else would have worked once the saves were failed?

This is a nasty trap!

Once the INT check was failed, and the save failed thereafter, only very high level spells could save you.

Like I said, score one for tricky Mike! He would have gotten at least two of killed there, I suspect.

Once the INT check was failed, and the save failed thereafter, only very high level spells could save you.

You mean like the limited wish I had prepared but could not cast due to being obsessed with trout almandine?

DMPC me please I won't be able to post till tomorrow.

What gives, fellas? Posts are really trickling in slowly! I thought the idea was everyone posting daily. C'mon! Snap to it! This spectator is very much looking forward to a few upcoming encounters that make those fish look like a pleasant interlude.

What gives, fellas? Posts are really trickling in slowly! I thought the idea was everyone posting daily. C'mon! Snap to it! This spectator is very much looking forward to a few upcoming encounters that make those fish look like a pleasant interlude.

I say this with the utmost respect and admiration: F@#$ you! :-)

What gives, fellas? Posts are really trickling in slowly! I thought the idea was everyone posting daily. C'mon! Snap to it! This spectator is very much looking forward to a few upcoming encounters that make those fish look like a pleasant interlude.

Mike, I found this note for you on the adventurers board here in ye olde tavern.

I think you should take this offer, it looks promising

Lol, we haven't given up yet, Mike. We are a little intimidated and discombobulated, but we are back at it!

Beyond, the passageway extends a ways until ending in a T-junction.

Im with Omar,Let's go east

Oh the gate is open, well then let's check this room out

Still here.

Still waiting...

I'm here. Dragox is quiet in the tomb not wanting to distract the others from hearing a deadly trap.

still onboard

Apologies. Life! It gets busy sometimes. Posting now.

Animated Blade Barrier, that's nasty

Animated Blade Barrier, that's nasty

Lol, that is crazy nasty! Mike is a bad, bad man...

He is! Or would be, if I could justify these traps having a detection DC of 50+...

For example, in the magazine the chance of detecting this trap was DC 31. Laughable for this group. I raised the DC by a whopping 15 to DC 46, but Omar still made that far too easily. He rolled a 5 and got 47.

I'm still not 100% there in terms of figuring out how to run traps in this trap-heavy game for this group.

You follow the passage back out of the secret room, but quickly realize that the entire dungeon has shifted around you. Gone is the room, and instead a new hallway extends west briefly before turning sharply north.

Following this takes you to another turn back east, and opens into a broader hallway which in turn opens into a large room. With a twenty-five-foot-high ceiling, this new chamber is supported by a great number of cleverly carved gray marbel pillars decorated with intertwining thorny roses, snakes, and delicately clawed hands making strange signs. A twenty foot square pool sits in the center of the chamber, and the columns block sight of the walls from where you stand, hiding any further exits.

Map updated. You're all standing at the entrance to the large room, no traps found up till that point, gazing into it.

Moved your last post to the game thread ;)

Scaling is tricky in d20, and trap scaling is not seen as a success by most. That said, the decision depends on how the rest of the dungeon operates. Are traps taking the role of monsters in other adventures? If so, then they need the proper spotlight.

Yet, if scaling makes them too deadly, there can be a mitigating mechanics at work that doesn't help with the springing part, but with the aftermath part.

Also, I'd say it depends on the mood you're aiming for. Deadly as in bloody no matter how careful you are, or deadly as in bloody dangerous so you'd better always be paranoid?

Good points, DW. I think I'll continue to err on the side of 'bloody dangerous so you'd better always be paranoid', and just wistfully dream of all the wonderful traps you're avoiding.

ON A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT NOTE *AHEM*

I've just finished writing Book 1 in The Chronicles of the Black Gate, a new epic fantasy series that I'm publishing on Amazon. It's currently with my editor, but I'm hoping to publish it mid-April and have already begun outlining and plotting Book 2.

The reason I'm bringing this up is because I'm looking for sharp, creative, fantasy-oriented folk who might enjoy reading an ARC enough that they'll write an honest review come launch day. If you're between books or curious enough to read the first chapter, you can grab a copy in either PDF or EPUB format here in my Dropbox folder: http://bit.ly/24OYZMI

Here's the very rough blurb:

Long ago, in a time forgotten, great teleportation gates were opened connecting disparate cities across the world into a single unified empire. Yet when one city destroys its gates and launches an invasion of the others, it creates an opportunity for long-standing grudges and ancient evils to flourish. For the first time in centuries sin casters are seen fighting alongside the rebels, and their presence threatens everybody from the Perfecti in their floating ivory city of Aletheia to the pale slaves laboring in the chthonic realm of Bythos.

The war sunders Lady Kyferin's family and realm, and when she's banished with her retinue to an abandoned and demon-haunted fortress in the wilds, her fate seems certain. Yet even in the darkest moment there can be a dream of light, and as war rages across the realm she must lead her knights and advisers along a desperate course if they're to survive their exile and hope for a vengeful return.

Many thanks!

I might check that out. I'm re-reading the Sherlock Holmes collection right now and wouldn't mind something new.

Sounds like a cool concept,If anything, I may steal borrow liberally some of the ideas for a future campaign

On a trip, posting will be sporadic until Sunday evening.

Bot me as needed.

Bumpy Bump

Sorry everyone, whole family's been hit with the flu. Wife and daughter are now recovering even as I slide down into the trenches. I'll post as soon as I get better. Thanks for your patience.

Get better, it's only a game.

Best wishes of health!

That sucks EJC, get better

Exactly. Get better soon. I had a terrible cold a couple weeks ago. It was a nightmare for two weeks.

Thanks guys. I hope to post tomorrow. I'd post now but it's a post that's gonna take some work.

Thanks guys. I hope to post tomorrow. I'd post now but it's a post that's gonna take some work.

Take your time. Like was said earlier, it's just a game. :) Hope all are feeling better soon.

Alright, pretty much rallied at this point! Big post coming tomorrow. Thanks for your patience, gents.

Please note I'll be away for Eastern from Thursday to Monday, with little if no posting possible. Feel free to bot me as needed.