GM Lorenzo's #8-00: The Cosmic Captive (Subtier 7-8) RetroCon PFS Special (Inactive)

Game Master Lawrence Smith 2

Thanks for the catch.

Is it possible to adjust Fairbeaks' starting position a little? Just noticed him jammed back in the tunnel corner blocked in by Urien.

Sure, place him where you, in-character, would have done so.

OK, thanks!

Not far off. Just out of the way initially, but not blocked in. =)

Where are the warding circles on the map? Is that the dotted red line?

Yes, the red dotted line. They're not depicted on the scenario's map, only described as encircling the orb but without specific dimensions. The orb is described as 20ft in diameter.

For simplicity's sake, let's just go with the way, I've depicted it.

Ninlil, do you want to attempt Knowledge (arcana) checks to identify the creatures?

And consider telling the team what you know?

Oh hey! I should totally do that. Thanks for the nudge. Bad short-term memory combined with a lot going on, I guess. :)

When did Theo become shaken?

I noticed Ninlil mentioning something about this earlier, and was confused what she was referring to as well.

I think I missed something somewhere!

Sorry if that wasn't clear. Ninlil and Theo were shaken when they failed the Will save vs the Fear ward. Theo failed by 5 or more, so he also had to make a Fort save. When that failed, he also suffered the suffocating effect. Having made the subsequent save, Theo's no longer suffering suffocation, but you're both still shaken for the encounter.

Re the AoO, I didn't apply the bonus from fighting defensively, but it looked like you hadn't accounted for the dodge bonus from haste, so it missed you.

And thanks for noting that I'd forgotten to have Red act.

Ah, ok... must have missed that bit.

And ya, I forgot the haste bonus... so lucky me!

Though it looks like Fairbeaks misssed because you remembered yours. Ah, karma! =)

This morning I'm trudging to an offsite meeting through snow and 30 mph winds (how appropriate! Ninlil approves) so I won't be able to catch up until I get back this afternoon.

Am I to understand that Haliban walked away from the orb then recrossed the rings back towards the orb triggering them all again?

I've asked for clarification from the Overseer GM. Since this is a Special, I don't want to make a judgment call in this situation, so close to the end.

If necessary, I'll be happy to retcon things.

It does seem like a weird thing to do. But I made my saves so no harm done.

Solving the Puzzle Orb: In between combats, a PC can attempt to decipher one of the immense polyhedron’s many facets .... Other: In between combats, each PC has 2 additional rounds of actions that he can use to heal himself or others. He may perform these actions in addition to attempting a check against the magic circles or puzzle orb.

It seems each PC is limited to only one attempt to solve the puzzle, but I've asked the Overseer GM for clarification.

If the ruling is that multiple attempts are permitted, I'll retcon the successes.

Wow, the Perception DC was > 32 without the ward? Ouch.

just as an aside, it looks like you destroyed all the wards before Theo got to take a single swing.

So he would have had two other actions, one of which would have been to pull out the traveler's any tool, to make a mwk tool of some sort for a +2 on that check. Just didn't think I had the action available.

Would a 34 have made it?

pp. 47, 49 wrote:

Solving the Puzzle Orb: In between combats, a PC can attempt to decipher one of the immense polyhedron’s many facets .... Other: In between combats, each PC has 2 additional rounds of actions that he can use to heal himself or others. He may perform these actions in addition to attempting a check against the magic circles or puzzle orb.

It seems each PC is limited to only one attempt to solve the puzzle, but I've asked the Overseer GM for clarification.

If the ruling is that multiple attempts are permitted, I'll retcon the successes.

No worries, that's fair--the language was maybe a little unclear to me when I skimmed, so I wasn't sure. It's not a huge deal either way. :)

Yeah, a 32 wasn't quite enough to succeed.

The DC of skill checks varies. As Urien observed, before the distortion ward was destroyed, it made them more difficult.

And I've tried to make it clear to your PCs in my posts that when a skill check is used a second time, it also becomes more difficult.

The Overseer GM still hasn't addressed the request for clarification re more than one attempt per 'phase' to solve the orb puzzle.

As you can see in the quoted text in my earlier post, it seems clear, but I wanted to check with the head table.

The Overseer GM has been good about addressing issues quickly, so I'm sure we'll hear from him soon.

I'll keep checking and let everyone know as soon as I do.

*EDIT* I reviewed the scenario text, and the Gameplay posts, and just realized that Theo had failed his first Perception check during the preliminary 'phase' when the party entered the Sanctum. The difficulty on a subsequent check only goes up after a previous check succeeds. So yes, Theo succeeded. So the team had 4 individual successes, but unfortunately, that total's not enough to bump up the party successes from 2 to 3.

what's the difference between an party and an individual success?

Dude, there's sort of a formula that computes the party's number of success based on the number of individual successes.

I asked and got clarification about that from the Overseer GM, so we're tracking that correctly.

Shame I didn't think to just shoot the rings the first time.

So objects take half damage but wouldn't adamantium bypass that? I know it bypasses hardness.

So, clarification - was my "initial assessment" a check to solve the puzzle or do I still have a shot at that?

@Haliban: half damage to objects has nothing to do with hardness or material properties - it's an aspect of how object hp and damage (ie broken / destroyed) is calculated (much like how blunt weapons don't really do anything to rope or how adamantine weapon blanch doesn't bypass hardness, only DR/ adamantine). It could be worse though, you could be trying to use a ranged attack with multiple energy types in it :)

@Haliban, the hardness of the circles was greater than 20 while the warding circles were still active.

@Urien, I read your first post in this phase as a disable device check to damage one of the circles. That 'full-round' (according to this specific mechanic) action failed. You might want to double check all your actions this phase. Not sure you could also get off the flaming sphere spell, but I might have overlooked something.

All: Overseer GM confirmed each PC can make no more than 1 attempt to solve the orb puzzle during each phase. If you exceed the DC by 5 or more, your attempt counts as two individual successes.

My brain is fried. I'll post up the next combat encounter in the morning. More crusty things emerge from the walls...

My brain is fried. I'll post up the next combat encounter in the morning. More crusty things emerge from the walls...

I know what will solve it. Another complicated set of restrictions that I have a hard time keeping track of! :D

Thanks for bearing with us all.

@Urien, I read your first post in this phase as a disable device check to damage one of the circles. That 'full-round' (according to this specific mechanic) action failed. You might want to double check all your actions this phase. Not sure you could also get off the flaming sphere spell, but I might have overlooked something.

That was more an attempt to try to damage the circle effectively because I didn't know what else to try, but no worries - will redact the flaming sphere casting.

Finally sorted out some computer problems and can post again.

So Haliban used Disable Device twice. Is it even harder the 3rd time then the second time or equally hard?

I could try Perception instead.

Haliban, the information in the 'refresher' is the extent of the group's understanding of the puzzle.

Attempt what you think best.

Haliban, from the refresher info, you would have still been better using Disable Device... as the prior success would have just moved the DC from average to hard.

Whereas, Perception is hard from the get go.

So the higher bonus would work better.

Shrug, lots of unknowns still. =)

I try to do my best to reveal as much information as possible through what the PCs perceive and experience, whenever practical, and not let too much in-your-face meta-gaming clutter the Gameplay thread.

But here you go: The DC of a particular skill check has increased whenever someone has succeeded at the same skill check previously. The DCs were enhanced as long as the distortion ward was active, including making Hard checks even harder. That ward was destroyed, and now Hard is just plain Hard. Does that answer the question? If not, let me know.

When I catch myself using a lot of ooc in the Gameplay thread, I ask myself if I can instead convey the same information through dialogue or description. When I can, I try to do so. I provided the ooc 'refresher' block to make it more convenient for everyone to find a summary of what you've figured out you need to do.

That's just my style, not a dictate to anyone. Some folks enjoy ooc chatter in the Gameplay thread.

One of these times, I won't be last =)

Boon Rolls:

Each player (including each GM) rolls 1d20; 19 or 20 wins a boon.
Each boon winner rolls 1d4 to see which boon.
If you're a winner, please PM me your email address.

GM's Boon Roll: 1d20 ⇒ 10

How absolutely mediocre of me...

boon?: 1d20 ⇒ 5

kinda like my init rolls =)

Boon roll: 1d20 ⇒ 11
Explanation makes sense, but I know I'm having difficulty trying to figure out which were successes and which weren't. Is it meta to ask for a list of skills that either have had a success on them or haven't yet had a success on them so we know which ones we should attempt?

Booooo(n): 1d20 ⇒ 16

So close and yet so far!

Theo, Ninlil'll trade rolls if you want. ;)

Sure, I'll go back through the Gameplay posts since the encounter began and sum it up. I'm pretty sure I indicated when a PC succeeded or failed, but I might have missed one or two. I also indicated when an attempt at a skill check seemed more difficult than the first time that skill had been used.

You can attempt any of the listed skills, however, as many times as you'd like, but only one check per 'phase'.

This will take a little time, but I should be able to include that information at the conclusion of the current combat encounter with more fortress guardians.

We can save you some work at least!

These are the skills attempted, the result of our rolls, what result was reported to us.

First go:
Haliban: Disable Device 31 *success*
Ninlil: Knowledge (religion) 33 *success*
Theo: Perception 29 *fail*

Second go:
Haliban: Disable Device 37 *success*
Ward 5 destroyed
Ward 4 destroyed
Ward 1 destroyed
Ward 2 destroyed
Ward 3 destroyed
Theo: Perception 32 *success*
Ninlil: Knowledge (planes) 36 *success* x 2
Snaggle: Knowledge (planes) 21 *fail*

Third go:
Urien: Knowledge (planes) 33 *success*
Alden: Knowledge (religion) 7 *fail*
Hector: Disable Device 35 *success*
Haliban: Perception 27 *fail*
Theo: Perception 26 *fail*
Snaggle: Knowledge (planes) 30 *success*
Ninlil: Knowledge (planes) 30 *success*

_______________________

Average DC skills we can use:
Appraise
Intelligence check
Wisdom check
Use Magic Device

Hard DC skills we can use:
Disable Device
Knowledge (any)
Linguistics
Perception

We don't know what the Average or Hard DC's are, though do know that a 27 failed the hard one (once the ward was down).

We also know that succeeding on an average check, moves that skill up to hard from that point on (which is why K:religion and disable device are now on the hard list)

Thanks, Theo! Much appreciated.

Lol Alden never passed anything from the start go. Even without being cursed those rolls would still have ensured that all attempts will fail.

1d20 ⇒ 191d4 ⇒ 4 Well now what do you know.........

boon?: 1d20 ⇒ 12

Alden, please PM me your email address, so the organizers can send you your boon.
Thanks.

The location bonus for Theo and Fairbanks isn't a big deal in combat but every little bit helps. I vote shattered sanctum.

Seconded.

Boon roll: 1d20 ⇒ 13

Urien makes a good point, about the wind down here.

I think removing the -2 to hit for all ranged attacks is more important than Theo (and the bird) getting a +2 on initiative.

So I change my choice to going topside! aka: the tower ruins, based on the GM's posted map link.

Fair enough. I'l switch my vote to the tower ruins.

Haliban would make sure all durable arrows are back before moving on.

Cool. Probably helps explain his position in the Initiative order. ;-)

Oy vey!

It was kind of fated at this point. =)

Ninlil would like to eat a spell (level 4) before applying the Winds of Restoration benefit to regain the ability to eat a spell. That might not be kosher! If not, that's fine.

Either way, Ninlil will regain two 3rd-level spells and one 2nd-level spell. Whee!

Chew before you swallow, Ninlil. Don't want to choke on it.

So that's where vomit swarms come from...