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

Game Master increddibelly

Sweet, almost forgot you could do nonlethal since you're usually cracking bones.

Is keeping his kneecaps incentive enough?

Wis: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20

Eh, how scary can a healing cleric be? I'd rather waste a little time and effort than risk suddenly not being able to find a devote sarenraean.

Oh. We need them devote. Hmm. I guess I can't break them too much. I'll join in the battle with Grumblejack.

The priestess was in love with the leader, yes? Heh.

Anyway, voting to watch for now. Perhaps lead them into the caves and traps to soften them up.

And aww, man, I lost a goblin. Do try to keep another alive, Talon, so I can get a replacement!

Also, not sure this is the smith we're going to be looking for, unless we have a good way to compel/charm him.

We have a mage (Charm Person, Hypnotism, Dominate Person), an oracle (Calm Emotions), an alchemist (drugs!) and a couple of seriously scary bruisers.

Oh, and an acid pit into which we can lower someone bit by bit.

I would say, one way or another, we're well placed to get what we want...

No sindran, the bard has the hots for hallack.
Nuns don't marry, silly...

I'll describe the party's actions; you are aware of them, and you can scry on them using one of the eyes in the altar. You're welcome to interrupt me and attack whenever you see fit, or you can just eat popcorn and watch the goblins eat them.

I think I'll wait till they're at a weak position before attacking.

No probs, I shall await a signal before throwing the bomb - preferably one turn before Talon and Oret charge; that way the stink bomb will disperse by the time they act.

Could we get a map IB?

nah, it'll be over soon. They never should've come here.

Oret is with sister Martha (unconscious)
James is trying to drag Martha to safety.
Yorgun is in combat with Oret.

Talon(s) are with Bianca (nauseated, hurt)

Everyone else is looking at green smoke / the melee from a small distance.

Oh - and a Dwarf ran into the forest.

Well, the Treant blew the surprise... can it at least make its attack on one of the remaining targets, say Hallack or Yorgun?

Hmmm, I don't think I'd have dropped the fireball into combat like that after Oret and Talon were present; Caladwhen maybe cold and heartless, but not reckless. I guess that's the problem with PbP sequencing... and why I always preferred Lightning Bolt to Fireball!

Not to rain on your parade Sindran, but I've been playing summoning type casters for years and I have had one thing drilled into my head: Summon Monster is a full round action. Creature will appear at the beginning of your next turn. However I do enjoy the backup, trip is fantastic right now!

Hah! Thank you, that always trips me up. I have a summoner which does it as a standard action and I keep forgetting that, as a spell, it's a full-round. Not to worry in this case though since the cheetah is still fast enough to chase down the dwarf!

500ft. That thing could chase down a blackbird.

500ft. That thing could chase down a blackbird.

Well, shucks.

I guess that's the problem with PbP sequencing...

Agreed. But the chaos of battle can be confusing at times. Sometimes people just get hurt when they're in a fight. Even you.

Oh damn Oret, monk fight. You gonna take that?

Talon - I'm going to handle the jungle chase as follows:

Every round you should roll a fly check like you did earlier; I'll use that number as a target DC.

The jungle gets one attack roll of 1d20 + a 3d6 bonus (that is my way of saying there is NO way of telling what is around the corner) and we compare the results.

if your roll is higher, you come closer to the dwarf.
if you lose, the dwarf gains distance, because you have to spend a move action to avoid/go around/whatever. And the latter has just happened in gameplay.

Also, if the jungle ever rolls a natural 19 or 20, the jungle will hurt you in a yet to be determined but certainly unpleasant way.

Also, if the jungle ever rolls a natural 19 or 20, the jungle will hurt you in a yet to be determined but certainly unpleasant way.

That poor girl...

That sounds increddibelly difficult. I'm going to see if I can go above the canopy and just follow him until there is a clearing.

IB, it occurred to me immediately after I posted that Caladwhen has Dimension Door memorized. I'm going to have her port ahead of Yorgun, remaining high enough in the air that he can't reach her and off to the side so I'm not in his path.

On the next round, I'm going to hit him with Slow spell so Talon can catch up, and we can take him out together. Can't let this little arse of a smith get away.

I believe you'll actually counterspell his haste with that. Also that makes me wonder, who cast haste on them? Their source of arcane magic is a bard, so that means they must be at least as powerful as us (technically, we're a pretty optimized group) to have that. Kind of makes me excited about loot...

sorry folks, going to have to go AFK before I can finish up.

sorry folks, going to have to go AFK before I can finish up

No probs, gave me some time to act - anxiously waving a bomb around just isn't me, I've decided...

folks, please take a moment to read through the environment rules regarding Forest Terrain
I'm getting the distinct feeling you're still underestimating the density of the Cair Bryr.
There's just no way you're going to see farther than 30ft in - If you roll a natural 20, that only means that you're 100% sure that your target is not within the area you can see.

There's just no way you're going to see farther than 30ft in - If you roll a natural 20, that only means that you're 100% sure that your target is not within the area you can see.

Fair comment- but Perception's not just sight-based.

The target is running (at double-move, apparently) through Difficult Terrain(!) - crashing through creepers and other soft obstacles, trampling twigs and leaves underfoot, panting hard, no doubt disturbing the wildlife (think outraged birds flying up into the air, rodents crying in alarm, that sort of thing).

That has to play havoc with any Stealth modifier.

And in relation to the wildlife: we had to make Survival checks to move through the Caer Briar - and that was moving slowly and cautiously; What chance of the target blundering into something...?

EDIT - Also, if the target can see Cala (albeit with a natural 20) then he is in spotting distance for her, too, surely?

Well if it's too thick to see through then we're going to need Sindran's services.

I hope that the above doesn't come across as slightly p!$$y, BTW - it's not intended to be. I just really, really want to find the little snot...

If it overstepped the mark, I apologise.

I'm going to have to agree with Morvius here. I'm a hunter and have over ten years of experience moving silently in the woods, and if you're not quiet then there is a large radius around you that holds no wildlife. If you're being particularly loud, then the fleeing animals are practically like a beacon. IMHO, we still couldn't pinpoint him through the woods, but we would at least be able to generalize.

If this guy gets away we're going to have some serious problems on our hands. A mysterious light is one thing, a group of villains is another. We'll get a lot more attention*.

*Although then I can make a bigger necklace of paladin thumbs. And a larger pile of dead bards.

Don't worry folks, if you're upset that means you care, and that means I'm doing something right.

Look, you're facing someone who is good at not being found and who is simply retracing his steps as best as he can.

I'm not saying you cannot win this.
I just want you to respect the immense difficulty with finding someone in a dense jungle. Think for a moment how it would be for you, standing before a nigh on prehistoric jungle; would you not rather search for a needle in a haystack? And especially with the added pressure of being uncovered, in week 2 nonetheless.

Also, The cheetah can only charge 500ft which needs a straight line: sorry, not going to happen...

I like Talon's view on 'beacon', even though the beacon would have to be within 30ft...technically... But morvy did roll a nat 20, so I'll make something out of that, you deserve that much...

but not today I'm afraid, I've just returned from a technical training and my mind is drained. Sorry :)

Well, if there is a way of getting his general whereabouts, Caladwhen can always through down an AoE spells like Web.

still, it's extremely difficult to spot the right spot and then miss the trees with your web...

also, I think it's fair to say that looking up is easier than looking down.

I think it is fair to say that you are DEFINITELY doing something right!

I also think though that anyone running at full speed through primeval jungle is asking for trouble... They certainly won't be doing so quietly. Shame if he was to attract attention of something nasty...

I've been considering the situation for a few days, and I've come to a conclusion.
The dwarf ran into the forest, but then because of the difficult terrain, was forced to stop running and started walking through the jungle, using his excellent acrobatics skill* to retrace his steps (for a small bonus). Talon chased after him, but as we know, bumped into a tree, allowing the dwarf to gain a lead. Even at half speed, that's enough to end up about 100ft away.

Stealth and Detection in a Forest: In a sparse forest, the maximum distance at which a Perception check for detecting the nearby presence of others can succeed is 3d6 × 10 feet. In a medium forest, this distance is 2d8 × 10 feet, and in a dense forest it is 2d6 × 10 feet.

since the primal jungle of the Cair Bryr is a step up even from dense forest, the maximum range of any perception check is 1d8x10 feet - 45 feet on average.

Now. Talon, Cala and Morvius are all doing their very best to find the damned dwarf, and together you're doing a great job of ruling out specific areas. Cala is ahead of him, Talon is behind him, and Morvius is behind and to the side. Yorgun is somewhere in there.
crappy pic showing the horn, surrounding area, and you.

More to come - I have to go now.

And there's that.
I hope you can enjoy the plot twist, and I hope I've succeeded in adding more problems to your list.

I hope I've succeeded in adding more problems to your list.

You mean the walking XP? If Talon can't find that dwarf he knows where all of his extra energy is going to go.

You mean the walking XP?

Flying, dear boy; flying.

psst. I think he means the carbon-units at the other end of your polearm.

Thanks IB, my bad - I keep forgetting haste only works on a full round action.

EDIT: Also, Talon: I think you've missed out your action - shouldn't you have got a turn in before the Celestial went invisible?

I'll come up with you and throw pyrotechnics

sounds like a readied action to me - except you started whacking that weapon around like a madman, so you kinda wasted his turn.

yeah, I'm having a real mean streak today...

Well Morvius I was trying to talk to her before you walked in and cut her >.>

Yeah the flow of combat right now is confusing me.

I read this:

Talon is giving this chick about two seconds to start talking. Then he's going to take off or start swinging.

as the relevant readied action - I then came in and flanked the target, so Talon can now start swinging...

Us and our low CHA characters lol. What what do you think IB, would I be able to get an attack off?

Give in to your anger, young Dalkar - strike her down and take your place at my side... :)

That's actually pretty appropriate considering Morvius is still somewhere on my to do list. Not anywhere near the top, but he's on there...

On an unrelated note, I'm trying to build an arcane archer and am at a road block. If you would like to submit your thoughts, I have a thread here. I bring this to you because you guys are some of the better players I know on the boards and if you choose to give feedback then I know it will be good!

If it helps, this is a link to a PFS character I'm going to be building up to be an Arcane Archer.

What what do you think IB, would I be able to get an attack off?

If you ask me, I'll say no. I think it'll be more fun if she escapes, but that's not entirely up to me. I would like to stress the fact that you're obviously surrounded by Sarenrae-knows-how-many archers that use hit-and-run tactics to barrage you until you either leave or fall, whichever comes first. That would probably weigh on your character's mind - IMHO Talon already responded wisely by suggesting to fly off (and nukerize the general area).

I think it'll be more fun if she escapes

More fun for you, maybe - Morvius is unamused by the prospect of chasing an invisible Celestial around the Horn while it charms everything in sight (we're lucky it charmed the cheetah - if it had charmed Talon, Morvius would be coughing up his life-blood about now)... ;)

More seriously, the advice to withdraw is valid; the only counterpoint is that the thing has already taken more than 80 points of damage. We could wait AGES before having such a good opportunity to kill it.

Speaking of opportunities, a couple of queries:

1) Did I get an AoO as it withdrew/cast its spell? If so, it has taken over 100 points of damage

2) The arrows fired at Morvius were fired before the Celestial withdrew, so they were fired into melee: is there any chance some of them hit the (Large-sized) Celestial rather than the (Medium-sized) tiefling?

Morvius thinks it would be "more fun" if the thing died from being accidentally shot by its friends, but then he really is Evil!

Sorry for the radio silence, I have had the most wicked cold this past week, and have been sleeping through my free post time! Nevertheless, I'm on the mend :)

As to the Celestial, I think there are too many things going on at once. We have the Dwarf heading back to town, we have the elven raiding party heading towards the horn and the Lillend; I think perhaps we should focus on the former two and see if we can't at least silence the humanoids.