Way of the Wicked - The fall of Andoran, Chapter II (Inactive)

Game Master increddibelly

Zombie Treant is expendable, IMHO Talon is not, and would ask for the electricity protection buffs.

Sure thing... I really don't care if the Treant survives or not; and with healing bursts, it should do alright anyway.

I seriously don't know what it is with Talon's rolls, but this is by far the most terrifying character I have ever made.

Wooot, I guess I didn't post yesterday. Well, that's a waste of pretty neat narrative.

I'll post in +/- 16 hours, have a lot going on today.

I'll post in +/- 16 hours, have a lot going on today.

To quote someone very wise: "Take your time. It's a game..."

For my first round, may I use Stone Shape to create something like Wall of Stone to provide myself with cover? I can affect approximately 17 cubic feet, so that should be enough for a wall wide and tall enough for Sindran to hide behind, so just one square in front of me I suppose.

there'd need to be stone to shape.
inside the horn - sure, go ahead.
outside - pebbles, maybe. Not enough to work with...

damage reduction:
When a damage reduction entry has a dash (—) after the slash, no weapon negates the damage reduction.

so - no. DR applies.

Except...

Damage Reduction (Ex or Su) A creature with this special quality ignores damage from most weapons and natural attacks. Wounds heal immediately, or the weapon bounces off harmlessly (in either case, the opponent knows the attack was ineffective). The creature takes normal damage from energy attacks (even nonmagical ones), spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities.

Talon used energy attunement, causing Rygat to do cold (energy) damage, and cast frigid touch (which does cold (energy) damage) via spellstrike. All of the damage is energy, and thus not affected by DR.

EDIT: Oh, and frigid touch staggers for one round even if it's not a crit...just sayin'.

DR Rules

Damage Reduction (Ex or Su) A creature with this special quality ignores damage from most weapons and natural attacks. Wounds heal immediately, or the weapon bounces off harmlessly (in either case, the opponent knows the attack was ineffective). The creature takes normal damage from energy attacks (even nonmagical ones), spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities.

My point is that I'm not using a weapon, I even made my sword do cold damage instead of weapon damage.

Edit: Ninja'd by Oret. Still linked to a nice source though.

This leaves me with the math, which seems broken.
1d6 + 5 + 1d6 + 1d10 + 6d6

frigid touch is 4d6 - not 6d6
and I don't yet get where the +5 instead of +4 or the 1d10 or the extra 1d6 come from. please explain and/or fix?

For the record, I really like how Oret rolls : every appliccable bonus is explicitely mentioned and that saves a GM a ton of time. I don't have to guess what's what.

...and that's exactly why I do it that way. While I have little interest in being a GM myself, I know what a pain it can be. Anything I can do to make things easier seems worthwhile to me.

I enlarged myself, giving a +2 to strength. Extra 1d6 and 1d10 are cold damage because I made Rygat an icy burst weapon and crit. Frigid touch is 6d6 because I empowered it.

I'll specifically say what each number is from now on

I enlarged myself, giving a +2 to strength.

so - a plus 1 to your roll from being enlarged; +5 instead of +4. OK that makes perfect sense.

Extra 1d6 and 1d10 are cold damage because I made Rygat an icy burst weapon and crit.

Elementals don't need to deal with crits. so no extra 1d6 and no 1d10.

It may sound an awful lot like you spent two magus arcana and didn't get anything in return, but look at it this way : you get XP after killing something, so you don't make the same mistakes twice.

Frigid touch is 6d6 because I empowered it.

m'kay. how much does it cost to do that? do you have enough of 'those' and how many are left?

The 1d6 is always there with an icy burst weapon, the 1d10 was the crit-based 'burst' part of things. So the 1d6 should still stand, the 1d10 is based on a successful critical hit, so I'd be willing to concede that it shouldn't. Still, lesson learned.

Empowered Magic is a magus arcana, usable once per day. He only gets the one, so don't worry too much about it. Of course, he can still cast frigid touch again, just without the extra 2d6.

And, fwiw, adding icy burst to the weapon is, indeed, a swift action, and lasts for one minute. Spell recall, which Talon has already said he's planning on, is also a swift action.

1d6 is strait cold damage from having an icy weapon, which should apply regardless of crit.

I looked up the effects of a burst weapon on crit immune monsters, and yes you're right. Apparently the burst simply doesn't happen.

That's the only time I can empower a spell today.

Yes a lot of swift actions were required to get this attack going, but I also had time to prepare. I didn't do these as I was flying down, they are part of the buffs I did before the fight started.

Thanks fort helping me out. It's pretty complicated but I don't mind learning stuff :)

From now on I'll have spoilers with all the math that goes on in my head to keep things simple for you

It doesn't look good for our sparky. I need to focus at work, so I won't post as often.

dudes and/or dudettes, if any (you never know), I've been so tired from work that I've neglected you. Rest assured it won't be the last time, but that only means that I'll pay attention in between, like you're used to by now. It'll be our 1 year anniversary soon - easy to remember since we started on the last day of the year. I'd like to say f*k yeah to you all for being such an awesome band of bastards!

Now let's stop wasting time and take over the world ;)

No worries at all DM, RL>gaming. Thanks for the heads up. Also, this is one of my favorite games and by far my favorite evil one so far, bravo!

No need to worry IB, we all get busy now and again, and to echo Talon... RL > gaming.

It has been nearly a year hasn't it? Wow, time does fly when you're having fun. This campaign has been a great deal of fun, one of the best PbP's I've ever had the pleasure of participating in (not the least of which since it hasn't fizzled out like so many do).

Do be honest, I think Caladwhen is easily one of my favourite characters I've ever had the chance to play, whether it be PbP, PbeM of tabletop. Great job IB, keep it up!

^_^

Woaaah, one-year anniversary! I didn't even know (or more likely have forgotten) we started then. My.

And echoing everyone, this has been a BLAST! :D

Agree with the others, this campaign is made of win.

Thanks IB!

BTW, can you put on the spreadsheet that we still need to investigate the conjuration magic surrounding the thrones?

I mentioned it a few posts back but it may have got lost in the excitement of planning a murder (a fictional planned murder, I hasten to add, just in case any of you are part of a spy agency)...

Well, I believe I can confirm that the NSA isn't watching Pathfinder. If they were, I'd probably be flagged by now (I'm running two WotW games and you are the mild group)

*Cracks knuckles* Challenge accepted.

*Cracks knuckles*

For bonus evil points, you could crack someone else's knuckles; ideally those of someone helpless like a child - no, an Aasimar child - and then use those knuckles in an evil ritual involving <squick>

From a purely RP perspective, I admit to enjoying the 'banality of evil' approach we're currently using, which is not ineffective - did the other group get the lightning elemental to basically kill itself, for example? I mean, that is style! Any idiot can cackle maniacally while slaughtering thousands, but it takes a certain sort of cold-heartedness to just set the slaughter up and then watch it play out...

The above is meant to be tongue-in-cheek by the way - just another appreciation of how awesome this campaign is; if we want to take up IB's challenge and increase the grisly (gristly?) factor, I've no doubt we can take it to 11 and beyond! ;)

Talon is a "do it yourself" kind of guy anyways. I think IB is saying the other group is a little more...savage? Cruel? Disturbing?

Disturbing sounds right. For example, they needed a pure maiden at some point, so they held an election where the villagers voted for the best Samaritan in their midst. And subsequently gave her a 'vacation'.
Pretty efficient. but what worried me was the barrage of ideas that didn't get executed.

I've added thrones andere brain to the sheet.
What is your next move?

Also, perhaps Woody should get some orders. Right now, he's just standing around with a gap in his side, being a bit useless ;)

What is your next move?

While waiting for the brain to be liberated from its current place of residence and put to more suitable use, Morvius will take Oret's advice and investigate the acid lake and the poison spiny fish. Since you can sustainably harvest 4 doses of poison a month, we'll do that.

The only way up from the inner level is the secret door at C5 - I'll therefore craft a trap for that with 4 poison darts (this month's supply) and lots of acid for anyone who opens the door. Trigger mechanism on the inside, so that if we need to escape down for any reason we won't set off the trap.

If I take 10 on this and use Crafter's Fortune, I get a 30; will that permit a suitably evil and deadly trap? I was thinking 4 poison dart attacks on whoever opens the door and an area-effect acid spray to get any lurkers.

Also an alarm, it definitely needs an alarm - a loud one... Anyone with the Perception to find the door will be enough of a threat that we don't want to be caught unaware.

Nice self-sustaining trap Morvius. I have some good trap ideas myself, but they are generally hard to construct and cost a great deal.

As far as an alarm, we can be literal about it. Rig a bunch of alarm spells up.

As far as an alarm, we can be literal about it. Rig a bunch of alarm spells up.

Oh, yeah - it's not on my spell/formula list so I overlooked it. Presumably either you or Cala can spam it out?

I also want to trap the stairs on the outside of the Horn, as anyone taking them can completely bypass the dungeon we're creating in the lower levels. Let's hear some of your ideas - if I recall correctly, one of the minions' functions can be to make money for us, so cash shouldn't be an issue (and if I need to, presumably IB would let me take 20, which would give a 40). You imagine it, I'll build it, they can pay for it! Teamwork.

Yeah, let me just check my spell list of utter destruction...oh look no alarm!

Yeah it's not even on the magus list. With our use for it we might want to just pick up a wand of alarm.

Morvius, a 30 is good enough for me. You're also bright enough to realize that the secret door is currently exquisitely hidden; adding triggers to it may make it easier to find - but together, you'll find a way to make it work. The first trap is set!

Also, the alarm spell lasts 14 hours per casting at your current level. So - to rig an alarm there with fair expense, Talon and Caladwhen should both spend one level 1 spell slot every day; I've randomly assigned Cala at dawn, Talon at dusk.
Note: In the interest of making decisions and thus moving forward, I'm putting your ideas on the sheet, and keeping track of the expense. If you don't agree or at some point in the future (temporarily) decide against this, we will lift the alarm just as quick. Just speak up, as always.

Also, the sheer distance to your living quarters upstairs makes a noisy alarm quite an expensive bauble... I'm sure a mental alarm makes more sense with 1 Mile reach.

we might want to just pick up a wand of alarm.

I humbly suggest a Cohort of Craft Wand.

Thanks for keeping track of the resources IB.

Yes I think the mental one would be much better anyways. That way they don't know we know they are here.

and then you know they don't know that you know. Sorry, I just had to.

and then you know they don't know that you know. Sorry, I just had to.

"Remember, who knows that you know is as important as knowing it in the first place..."

well, I didn't see any objections to starting and Halthus was as ready as he was ever going to be.

The show is on the road people. Week 1 has started. You've met your deadline with Hexor and Vexor several days early, which pleases them greatly.

I've mentioned it a few times before - but now I'll go into detail.
The first few days, we'll keep track of who's doing which prayer - but that's mostly to hammer home the fact that it is important enough to take time out of your day and that it absolutely NEEDS to be done by one of you to make sure it is done right.

But after the first few days...
- one round of the game no longer lasts 6 seconds, but a full week.
- each of you gets to pick a personal action for the week (these are tasks that are challenging enough that it warrants you spending your personal time on them)
- each of you with a leadership feat gets to pick an action for their dark society (simpler tasks that you'll set your minions on. Reports arrive the week after)
- the world gets to act (for example, an earthquake or a curious adventuring party)

examples of personal actions could be
"I craft Oret's bracers this week"
"This week, I'm taking a few of Cala's skeletons, and we hunt down and kill that bloody hydra that ate my goblins"
"I install these traps, in that location, and here's my roll"
"I cast alarm on C5 every dusk except I save my spell slot on the day when I go with Sindran to kill that hydra."

examples of minion actions could be
"cohort, tell my mooks to work in Farholde to smuggle black market goods to earn money through illegal activities"
"cohort, tell my mooks to sell the gear that our smith is producing to earn money through legal activities"
"cohort, we need more crocodiles to defend the caves. Tell my mooks to catch some before the end of the week."

Please notice the absolute lack of interest in details with regard to the latter actions. The cohort deals with the mooks.

This will take some getting used to - but soon it will feel quite natural and efficient. The biggest caveat is to worry about the mooks too much. Remember you are the manager - you set the company policy, they execute it. Just order them around and forget about them.

any questions about how we're going to deal with the next 7 months of in-game time?
(my answer will probably be, don't worry, it'll make sense after a week or two)

As far as this goes I'll just bounce around and get anything done that other people aren't working on. Since Talon completely sucks out of combat (the one large drawback to being a magus) he'll just do whatever he can. I believe I was picking up Aerent's work on repairing some holding cells to start off with.

I really hope a bunch of curious adventuring parties come knocking. I think I'm going to make a necklace out of paladin thumbs.

Sindran would like to help Talon and learn interesting new things about anatomy. Try to keep some of them alive? If nothing else, Sindran wants to extract information (not strictly anatomical in nature mind you) before offing them.

Sindran can spend all his time doing the prayers. He'll move his personal effects and sleep in the Sanctum proper if no one protests. That means he'll take priority over midnight prayers and morning prayers since that's where he'll be. Also because there's a direct entrance into the sanctum itself (that flying one) so it will be useful to keep a guard around. I'm not speaking of myself, I'm speaking of the goblin bodyguards I'll place there of course.

However, those who feel like they're not doing much out-of-combat will feel free to take up prayer times.

Question: Those with societies already spent their actions for this week, yes? Sindran doesn't have his cohort here (yet) so he'll delegate to Zikomo for now.

And is it alright if I leave most of the fixing up the Horn and defense to everyone else? I'm going to focus all my efforts on Farholde and the forests. I personally would like definitive information on the movements of our 'allies' and other important parties.

Generally, I'll be looking for information so that the rest of us have more options on what to do. Ideally, something more combat-oriented for Talon and Oret to do like hunting down dangers around the forest or capturing them.

Not to step on your toes, but I think Talon would light to become the nocturnal one since his race is naturally nocturnal.

Taking up more prayers is a good idea, I could pick up other shifts so you guys can do the more difficult jobs only you guys can do.

I like the idea of having a nocturnal/diurnal presence, makes sense; although I think we all have darkvision, so any night attack by human enemies would potentially be more dangerous for them than for us!

Also, does anyone have access to this spell? It gives a nice literal touch to the idea that evil never sleeps...

Knowledge Pool: At 7th level, when a magus prepares his magus spells, he can decide to expend 1 or more points from his arcane pool, up to his Intelligence bonus. For each point he expends, he can treat any one spell from the magus spell list as if it were in his spellbook and can prepare that spell as normal that day. If he does not cast spells prepared in this way before the next time he prepares spells, he loses those spells. He can also cast spells added in this way using his spell recall ability, but only until he prepares spells again.

I can get access to that spell fairly easily. I have 6 arcana pool points per day and haven't ever been close to running out.

Yet.

Yet.

What have I done.