Meh. It's hard to be a late introduction to an evil group. Beatrix is all "You're not showing enough cleavage to be important because if the mirrorverse episodes of Star Trek have taught me nothing else, it's the more visible flesh, the more evil the heart," and Bostarg and Alazandaru are trusting no one and keeping their cards close to their vests. If it weren't for the self-obsessed, arrogant blowhard who can't shut up about his grand destiny, we'd all just be eating in awkward silence.
I mean... carry on, Morthos! Good job!
You just don't know him at all, do you? ;)
He's totally the one who's going to be prone to the dangers of monologuing, btw. "Silence, simpleton, and let me tell you my plans so you can appreciate how clever I am before you die!" Fortunately, Alazandaru will just go ahead and knife the guy while Morthos is talking anyway.
Hey! Everyone has their part to play, bay-bee! Everyone has their part. ;)
Beatrix is...a little bit of a jock I think.
Ha, okay. Had a neighbor in the dorm in college for 2 years who was one of the few chicks in ROTC so I have an idea of the type. They can undoubtedly build a solid relationship on looking down on the other as either a prissy, know-it-all stick-girl or a freakish, muscle-bound she-hulk, even as their skill sets prove invaluable to each other.
The fact that the White Ravens are present makes him doubly suspicious and is one of the real reasons as to why he's talking in riddles and being tea-focused.
Now I'm totally hearing him with an Uncle Iroh voice. "Delectable tea? Or deadly poison?"
Once the reveal is given and Tiadora / Thorn announce that Tatya is joining them (and the White Ravens are out of the room) Bostarg will be much more engaging.
Pssh. What makes you think I'm not here to join the White Ravens? ;)
Uncle Iroh is totally awesome! Easily one of my favorite characters in that show. Which, might I add, is far, far, far better than that stupid movie they tried to make.
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Beatrix is...a little bit of a jock I think.Ha, okay. Had a neighbor in the dorm in college for 2 years who was one of the few chicks in ROTC so I have an idea of the type. They can undoubtedly build a solid relationship on looking down on the other as either a prissy, know-it-all stick-girl or a freakish, muscle-bound she-hulk, even as their skill sets prove invaluable to each other.
Awesome. I can totally run with that.
Methinks I need to watch some more Avatar. I didn't get the reference (or name) at first and had to research it.
I'll be trying to get the next post up here shortly, just a heads up. If there's any further RP you want to do during the three days, or even continuing the dinner party, feel free. Hopefully you should see the posts within the hour.
An additional note.
When searching rooms, it helps to give me more than one Perception roll depending on what you're searching. That way if there's multiple items you can find or discover, it not only moves things along but helps prevent the 'I need another Perception roll' scenarios. Just an option. If more than one person searches, it can be resolved that way as well.
I'd honestly rather just declare we're searching the room or searching "X" and if further perception rolls are needed GM makes them. Perceptions one of those skills that needs to be rolled by the GM as often as possible to keep up a decent pace in PbP, IMO.
Regardless of that, i'll make a couple of rolls when I search. But bear in mind everyone, Alazandaru's perception modifier is quite humble and he doesn't have or get Trapfinding.
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Seconded - I'd much prefer that if you ever need us to make a skill check or will/fort/ref save that you just make the roll for us instead of asking for the check and then having to wait for us to make the roll and then have to wait for you to post the result.
In a PbP, that can use up a day or two - and they move slowly enough as is. I promise I won't be offended if I don't actually get to make the roll myself.
I mostly meant for active perception rolls, like searching a room. Though I can do that as well if you'd all prefer.
When it's reactive that is my plan to help things along.
Now this Iron Circlet, does it work word for word exactly like a Hat of Disguise?
Yup.
Thanks!
Thank you Tatya for the play-by-play.
This fight does seem confusing in a PBP format (I recall it wasn't that much easier table-top for my home group either).
As far as round numbers go, I'm perfectly fine with including those at the top of each post going forward. If I counted correctly this should have been round 4 that just passed. One attack on Beatrix, one on Morthos, one miss on Alazandaru, one miss on Alazandaru.
Also a question to pose to the group. Readied attacks where the trigger no longer is valid. Normally I'd say to make a new attack roll in such a case, since you normally wouldn't know the result until after you declare actions. But in PBP, you can preview your result anyway, so I'm not sure what benefit/penalty requiring a new roll would make. Opinions?
Yeah me too. As much as I hate to waste an accumulated 20(especially in this odd combat scenario. Never been in a 'torch' fight before. Pretty fun actually.), it's all good to me either way as well.
If I'd a rolled a 4 I'd be saying: "Rerolling is good." :)
There's not a lot worse than rolling a crit on a ready and then having it not trigger. In such a case, it's nice to "bank" your roll and be able to use it when you can attack. In a tabletop game (or at least in my tabletop games), you wouldn't even roll your die until the ready condition occurred so there's no chance of "wasting" a crit.
On the other hand, there's also the possibility of fumbling a ready that never triggers, in which case you'd feel ill used if forced to use the roll for your next valid attack.
I think it's probably fairest to require a reroll on your next init, no matter what. Otherwise, if a ready roll carried over, you'd already know the result and be tempted to move or drink a potion or anything other than attack that round if you already know you were going to miss. Not that we're not all scrupulously honest, of course, but it removes a source of temptation. :)
I would say re-rolls then. Sorry Beatrix, hopefully you'll still hit!
Heh. Saw Morthos's roll but missed Beatrix's. Didn't realize I was arguing against two people with accumulated 20s.
On the plus side, Bostarg's and Alazandaru's readied misses turned into accumulated 17s so maybe it evens out, even if Beatrix and Morthos miss.
DM, please roll for me - super busy today won't have a chance to post.
Just giving you a heads-up that at the end of this month (July 31), I'll be leaving town for two weeks for work. I don't know the status of an available internet connection while I'll be gone, or how much free time I'll have, but I'll post as able.
After that, I'll only be back for a day before heading to Gencon afterwards, getting back home late the 19th. So between those two dates I'll be sporadic at best, possibly unavailable. Sorry for any inconveniences this may impose.
Infernal healing ought to be a great spell for torturing prisoners, forcing them to 'sense the evil' within their own skin as they benefit from it. And then maybe sending them running back to their trigger-happy paladin buddies while they still have fast healing: "Who's that heading this way?" "Looks like Bob, but ... wait! he detects as evil!" "Must be one of those damned Asmodeans in disguise. Fire!" :)
I'll be out of contact until the very end of July, due to a trip to Kiev followed by days spent packing up the flat i'm living in here in Ukraine followed by a 3 day bus journey back. Its easier to just declare my absence now rather than try and keep up with things during this busy time. Roll on August!
Opinions on the format used for the surprise round and round 1? Will that help keep the combats in order?
Sneak Stab (Ex): A knife master focuses her ability to deal sneak attack damage with daggers and similar weapons to such a degree that she can deal more sneak attack damage with those weapons at the expense of sneak attacks with other weapons. When she makes a sneak attack with a dagger, kerambit, kukri, punching daggers, starknife, or swordbreaker dagger (Advanced Player's Guide 178), she uses d8s to roll sneak attack damage instead of d6s. For sneak attacks with all other weapons, she uses d4s instead of d6s. This ability is identical in all other ways to sneak attack, and supplements that ability.
I approve of the combat-tracking format. Makes it easier to see who's acted and who has still to act.
I like it.
Have you considered Aid Anothering in combat, Bostarg? +2 to someone else's attack or AC might be more useful than trying to get past the DR with a 1d4 weapon, and I believe the bonus stacks with flanking.
I gotta confess, these are some tough encounters.
Red mist who does con damage(At least I hope it's damage and not drain). :P
Metal snakes with a nasty AC. Pretty potent creatures for such low level. Definitely makes it interesting, that's for sure.
Yea, some of the fights in Book 1 are pretty tough. It's definitely a refreshing change from some adventures I've ran.
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While I'm thinking to ask, has anyone altered their appearance at all with the Iron Circlets, and if so what is the revised appearance? Also do you display any symbols to Asmodeus or anyone else? If no change, just a quick note stating that would be nice, please.
I assumed there wasn't any point in disguising ourselves as long as we're in the Cardinal's domain. Tatya wears her unholy symbol openly at all times while inside the house as well.
I've thought about altering my appearance with a new name and a new face(AKA New avatar pic and a new alias) eventually. Not sure if that's a bit much though.
Yeah Morthos would probaly have his holy symbol around his neck. Like Tatya, while inside the house he doesn't think there is any need for hiding the holy symbol or having to be disguised.
When you guys are ready to move on (loot distributed and all) just let me know, and where you wish to go. At present you haven't explored past the southern door in the cobra room or the northern door in the darkness room.
MW studded is +3. Unless you want a mage armor, Mark, I'll keep those two. Everyone else already has a +4 or better armor bonus.
Oils of magic weapon should probably go to Beatrix and maybe Morthos? Cure and restoration potions to the front-liners. Bostarg should keep most of the splash weapons, as he's more likely to be out of melee and also has a good Dex.
Alazandaru is down 6 hp, I believe, and Morthos is still hurt. Oh, and AK is going to insist that everyone without an Int penalty roll that Appraise check for the mithril.
Sorry; busy day today (or, well, just yesterday now my time), and tomorrow/today's my wedding anniversary so I'm likely to be a bit scarce then, too. Let's get the loot divvied so we can move forward.
I'll take the enlarge since Beatrix don't really want them. I'm not too much a fan myself of them, but what the hey.
Okay. I've got a list of what everyone supposedly has. Let me know if I've got something that needs to be switched around or whatever. I'm sure when AK gets back he'll straighten it out if needed. Nobody does it better than that cat. :)
Ok, I guess I'm taking the cloak. I'll take one oil and give the other to Morthos. I'll also take the CMW potion and leave the arrows for Morthos, unless he wants to split them with me.
If you look on my profile under LOOT, I got the arrows split up. If there's something you'd rather change up, let me know.
When AK gets back around we can get his input. I've got my name on one of the oils but I think his character may be better off for it than Morthos.
I got a question: Do we still have those cloaks that granted a stealth bonus? It was some form of stealth bonus, right? And there were several as well, correct? I'm just trying to remember. I've slept since then. :P
Just waiting to see if it's a consensus to go through the door by Morthos before continuing.
That door's fine by me. Should be back in the swing of things tomorrow.
Just a friendly reminder that tomorrow I'll be leaving to Texas for two weeks, then Gencon. I should have internet access from the hotel, but no guarantees in my experience (I've had bad luck with hotel internet in the past). I'll update the game as I can, but there won't be any map updates as it'll be from my iPad or phone.
If I don't have access, well I'll see you all in three weeks!
We had a fairly good experience with motel internet when we roadtripped across the Southwest this spring. Oddly enough, the chains along the interstates seem to do a lot better than the more expensive hotels; I guess they get more road-warrior business travelers that demand reliable connections.
Where in Texas are you going to be, DM?
Waco. Helping with a center opening. Plus sucking up to help for future promotions.
Also at the airport! Man I hate flying. Completely acrophobic.