[RetroCon] Year of the Shadow Lodge - GM Thread (Inactive)

Game Master Dennis Muldoon

We've done with C2 now as well.

Done with C2.

Alright, I posted the next update. For this section, it's very important that you report events as directed as soon as they happen. There are several events, such as the door to the mausoleum being open, that only take one group to trigger. Report successes through the Success Reporting link at the top of the page (and in my tagline). I will check the results frequently, and post when a condition comes into play.

Is dashing and not sneaking considered "engaging the dragon"?

No, if they're just sprinting for the door they're not engaging. If they're not trying to stealth, though, they are subject to the dragon's attack, as described in the text. A tail slap in the first round, and more two rounds later if they haven't opened the door yet. If they get the door open, be sure to report it (if another table beats you too it then your group won't need to make a check).

So, they can choose to engage, just run, or try and sneak.

Yes. The distance isn't well defined, but if you want to make sneak vs. run a more meaningful choice, I think it would be fair to say that it takes two rounds to sneak across or one round to run.

Also, please remember to report whether your group is engaging or avoiding the dragon, and if you open the door. Results can be found on the Tracking form.

Leptus the Human Ranger was able to open the door

Group has reached D7 (as soon as I do a bit of prose and room description)

My group is moving slowly we had very little activity over the weekend (partially my fault I found myself unexpectedly away from home all day Sunday). We're still on encounter D2.

Dennis, my group just dropped the dragon below 60 hp. One PC still has a round of actions this round. Does the dragon flee immediately, or does he get to continue to attack?

I'd say the dragon flees on its turn, but do what makes sense for your table. Either way that triggers the condition, so the dragon won't attack anyone in D3.

My table has only just finished the D2 encounter as well.

My table has made it to D6 but they have not explored D4. I'm waiting to see if they choose to wait or if they want to explore D4 before reporting ready.

GMs -- if you find yourself suddenly busy or swamped -- that's a great time to call in a backup GM. Kyle has been feeling like the Maytag repairman all Retrocon. He wants to backup a table at least once!

Give him a ping if you need assistance!

Hmm

I'll need a backup next weekend!

Got you covered Kate. :D

I might need a backup near the end. I am going to a convention that starts on the 21st. It depends on how much preparation I have to do beforehand.

I'm still around. Im technically the dedicated RfC backup but I'm still here if you need.

Thanks, Kyle!

Fighting with de wraith ... (D4, tier 3-4).

Invented a magical barrier that is blocking them from moving into the final room... for fun's sake.

My group is still having fun with the wraith at my 3-4 table as well.

Sorry to those of you that got rushed along. Please proceed to area D7 quickly so that all tables can encounter it at the same time. Please be sure to report successes as directed.

One success at disable device.

Can the same character make multiple checks?

Invented a magical barrier that is blocking them from moving into the final room... for fun's sake

Seems a good idea ... almost one success at disable D7 (2 of 3 ... ).

The disable rules seems to be extremely unclear.

The item description states...

"The artifact has three distinct parts, and in order to shut it down, all three parts need to be disabled. Each part requires its own disable check. The checks must be performed one at a time, over the course of 3 successive rounds. Failure always triggers an ethereal blast and resets the device."

But the encounter text reads...

"If a group attempts to shut down the device, each player who can must make a Disable Device check (see the trap entries below), and then the Table GM must send a runner to inform the Overseer GM of the total number of successes for their table."

It says "a" disable device check, not "three" and it refers to the trap, not the artifact.

So how does this work? Do I have them roll once and report a success if that check succeeds? Do I have them roll three times and report one success only if all three succeed? Something in the middle?

I also don't see anything that mentions a single player being able to try multiple times. Did they really expect that at least a third of the PCs in the special would have training in Disable Device? That seems to be far from my experience where you are lucky if one PC at a table has it.

Yeah, it's not clear. I think what's in the encounter text is meant to simulate the whole house trying to shut it down, so let's go with that. If your group tries to shut it down rather than running past, everyone who can makes one Disable Device check. However many pass the DC, that's how many successes you report. The milestone doesn't seem realistic if we're not allowing multiple attempts, so allow them to repeat that process as many times as they'd like (remembering that each attempt carries a 50% chance of getting hit by a tendril).

2 successes on 1-2 table.

I'll have to try to pace my table a bit. Even with the 4 negative levels Belamros took from the spectre, he's still rolling +27 vs DC 25.

Give everyone a chance to get one round of checks in, then feel free to take him off the chain. We need 8 successes for code gray and 16 for code black, so it's fine if he gets a lot of them.

1 success (tier 3-4)

Two more successes (tier 1-2)

Two successes at Tier 3-4

Alright, that's enough for Code Gray! Announcement in your threads coming momentarily.

2 more successes here at the 1-2 table

Don't forget to report those through the form, please.

In terms of reporting through the form, I reported the first 2 from my table. Do I now report 2 or 4 on the form? I guess what I am asking is do you want a table total or just reporting 1 or 2 at a time?

report them as separate things, not a running total. The form will add them up. I see you reported 2 earlier. If you have 2 more, report another 2, not 4. Every time you report it creates a new line on the spreadsheet, which will contribute to the total.

Our Charvion is down, and I have reported as such. 78 hp on a Subtier 8-9 mob had my table like ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Alrighty Kate, looks like your Off-Time is coming up, so I am going to read your last two pages of forum posts to figure out just how much I need to actually prep.

Thanks, Kyle! I can post Friday morning, and then I'll leave it to you through the weekend.

Charvion Down. Reported in the Google Form too.

Excellent! One more and we'll be to Code White.

Dennis, should I immediately spawn another Charvion, or wait for you to say we're under attack by another copy?

I'll post right now, then if you need another after it you can just spawn another one.

Did we post Code White yet? I don't see it in the Discord game.
Also just reported 2 more Charvions down.

My group has been hampered by the repulsion spell. Their melee monster failed the save and is stuck attacking at range.