Loved the post, Maritine. Can't believe you knocked that out after the day you had. Amazing.
Bleh. My dice really are all or nothing, huh?
You're going down the stairs? Okay, I guess we're done with stealthy scouting for the moment...
So, to move our tokens on the map, all we have to do is drag and drop? It automatically updates, with no need for us to click a save button or some such?
Excuse my dumb questions, but this is new to me. If it's really this easy, though, I'm intrigued!
So, to move our tokens on the map, all we have to do is drag and drop? It automatically updates, with no need for us to click a save button or some such?
Excuse my dumb questions, but this is new to me. If it's really this easy, though, I'm intrigued!
Indeed, it's as simple as that ;)
If there's nothing more to check out in this room, Mihaela's going down the second flight of stairs.
Indeed, it's as simple as that ;)
Cool!
If there's nothing more to check out in this room, Mihaela's going down the second flight of stairs.
Poke your invisible nose into that little cul-de-sac at the east end, and then roll on down, I guess.
--> Perception monkeys: check the other sarcophagi? Probably nothing of interest, but since we're here anyway...
--> A few moments after Mihaela descends the second set of stairs, Walter will repeat his earlier tactic of moving 10' down the steps an and then waiting with a readied Fireball in case she comes back in a hurry.
Oh, and a general observation: I'm Eastern Europe TZ, and I guess Mihaela is Central Europe. So, you guys will wake up to some of our posts, and then the next morning we'll wake up to some of yours.
Quick note: there is a closed door to the South. It's not hidden or anything, but I didn't realize it had been left out of the official room write up - sorry about that.
Aaaand we're back with another round of "There's guys fixing my house!"
Let's see how it goes today.
@DMLC Thanks, it was a bit of a struggle since I lost the whole day and I'm really hoping to get something else down and some rolls sorted n abot, let's hope, an hour or so.
@Walter - what can I say? I got caught up in making the post. Impulsive inspector is almost a lovecraftian trope anyway, might as well use it.
Quick note: there is a closed door to the South. It's not hidden or anything, but I didn't realize it had been left out of the official room write up - sorry about that.
In that case (and assuming she spotted it), can I retcon Mihela's actions and have her wait for the room to be checked before going down the stairs?
@Maritine: No pressure! My idleness warning is for folks who fade away over the course of a week or two, not for people who are dealing with active crises! If you need a day or two to get your head on straight, absolutely no worries.
@Mihaela: Absolutely.
Apologies for the confusion, everyone. I went back and reread the boxed text, and there's indeed no mention of the door. I'm going to have to be careful moving forward and not just cut & paste without double checking stuff like that.
Team,
I don't really love the idea of leaving a door behind us. Other hand, also don't love the idea of making hella noise by bashing it down.
Suggestions, thoughts?
My dungeon crawler senses shiver at the thought of moving on to the next area while leaving unexplored territory behind.
Mihaela can go on and keep scouting ahead for a while, see what she finds. If she doesn't stumble upon any immediate threat, perhaps we can try and break through the door without alerting whatever it is is waiting for us downstairs?
On a oh-so-related note, I so wanted to pick up silence as a 2nd level spell — but competition was just too fierce.
Beware of doors: For some reason, placing a door in front of the PCs will make the game grind to a halt while they prepare to open it. Don't ask me why this happens, it just does.
@Michaela, are you heading down the stairs a little further, then?
And I need two votes on what to do with the door and then we'll act.
@Lys: per your wording, I think we're on the same page, as I don't allow actions to be readied out or combat, but will count Lys as being aware if there's a surprise round.
@GM - Yeah, allowing players to ready actions at the opening of every door can get weird, (everything door related can, really) but felt like mentioning that as it'd be the reasonable thing to do (from a narrative perspective).
Beware of doors: For some reason, placing a door in front of the PCs will make the game grind to a halt while they prepare to open it. Don't ask me why this happens, it just does.
Well aware of that issue on my end, thus always voting to bash in every door I see. I'm onto them.
Just hoping there's no door mimics.
Let's do this. I'm planning on heading down the stairs a little further and report on my findings. If I find no immediate threat, my vote is for Kolthis (assisted by one or more PCs via aid another, should there be enough space — unfortunately, other than him it's a competition for who's having more trouble tearing through wet tissue paper) to try to force-open the door.
Well aware of that issue on my end, thus always voting to bash in every door I see. I'm onto them.
+1.
Yelena definitely shouldn't be the one opening said door, but I agree that we should check it out before going lower. Kolthis can pull out his axe and chop it to bits if all else fails.
Kolthis will chop the absolute hell out of this door! I'm all for exploring things as they come.
Will post and move things forward shortly!
I am also working on my post, sorry for the delay
Doors. The greatest enemy any party can face.
Doors, yes - but really, it's what they represent. The danger of the unknown. Who knows what could be behind the door - a new wagon, a shiny axe, a pile of gold, a portal into the deepest abyss where the souls of mankind wither away as they are consumed by Eldritch Ancients waiting to wreak havoc on the unsuspecting mortal world to usher in an era of eternal nightmare - who's to say!
Question: what is Mihaela's light source? Or is she just banking on her low light vision?
@Kolthis - the worst thing on the other side of a door is ANOTHER DOOR~!
That or the rest of the Tomb of Horrors
Question: what is Mihaela's light source? Or is she just banking on her low light vision?
The latter (plus scent (for aberrations) / hearing). Figured any light source would probably negatively impact my stealthiness (to use an euphemism).
Looks like you were right Maritine - our prize is, in fact, ANOTHER DOOR.
Quick note: I've updated the post to reflect the DM's ability to conquer doors and keep the game moving ;)
Map also updated.
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Thank you, oh benevolent DM, for sparing us from the terror of passing through another accursed door. Verily, they are the most dangerous parts of adventuring.
Looks like you were right Maritine - our prize is, in fact, ANOTHER DOOR.
Ooohhh Noooooo~!
The Absolute Worst Dungeon Ever - Nothing But Doors!
And The Single Best Feat Paizo Ever Printed (from Champions of Corruption):
Stunning Irruption (Combat)
When you smash your way into a room, you gain more than just the element of surprise.
Prerequisites: Str 15, Power Attack, base attack bonus +5.
Benefit: Before starting combat, you can attempt to break through a door, window, or wall to enter a room. If you succeed, the violence of your arrival is so great that all characters within 20 feet of your entry point must succeed at a Fortitude saving throw (DC = 10 + your base attack bonus) or be stunned instead of acting in the surprise round (if there is one) plus 1 round thereafter. Characters who succeed at this save are instead shaken for 1d4 rounds.
They had me at "or wall".
Okay, so we have one party member exploring down the stairs while everyone else checks out the door. I guess Walter will go watch over that singleton, just in case.
(Walter vaguely tries to remember some ancient principle of dungeon exploration that he read about once, long ago... Don't break up the band? Don't subdivide the assemblage? Don't separate the troop, partition the gang, bisect the crew? Something like that.)
But we're probably better off having a couple of PCs watching the rear just in case. Walter's +1 Perception isn't going to help much with searching that room, and you can call him in if you need a Knowledge check.
Let's hope at least one of you four Perception monkeys can make that DC 23...
I think Mihaela's intent was to rejoin the group after her recon, and that the group was going to wait for her to do so before proceeding. I'll let her confirm, but that's what I gathered from her posts. As such, her icon needs to be moved into its new and more accurate location.
We could come up with a rule of thumb which is that no doors are opened or new roooms explored without the party reassembling, unless otherwise stated.
I think Mihaela's intent was to rejoin the group after her recon, and that the group was going to wait for her to do so before proceeding. I'll let her confirm, but that's what I gathered from her posts. As such, her icon needs to be moved into its new and more accurate location.
That was the idea, yes. I thought it a good compromise between not wanting to split the party, and taking the necessary precautions against being ambushed. Of course I'd fully endorse keeping the time frame a little loose so as not to stall everybody else as they wait for her to return.
If it's still possible, my intent would be for her to be there when the doors are broken down, and then slip into the rooms unseen to scout / get positional advantage should a fight break out.
We could come up with a rule of thumb which is that no doors are opened or new roooms explored without the party reassembling, unless otherwise stated.
I think that's a good rule of thumb. Keeping the party together as much as possible makes things simpler and also makes it less likely we'll die horribly. Win/Win!
I moved her token in the position I'd like her to be once the last door gets forced open, though I don't know if it fits into the narrative. feel free to place her where you think it'd be more appropriate.
We could come up with a rule of thumb which is that no doors are opened or new rooms explored without the party reassembling, unless otherwise stated.I think that's a good rule of thumb. Keeping the party together as much as possible makes things simpler and also makes it less likely we'll die horribly. Win/Win!
+1. Every time the party finds a door, assume we just
If not already under the effect of an invisibility spell, Mihaela would then probably turn invisible by means of her Inquisition-granted spell-like ability (lasting only 5 rounds) and scout ahead, if everyone's on board with it.
Another +1 from me about doors. Kolthis is happy to break them down and cover them with the reach from his hammer as Mihaela scouts. Smart adventurers are alive adventurers!
Another +1 from me about doors. Kolthis is happy to break them down and cover them with the reach from his hammer as Mihaela scouts. Smart adventurers are alive adventurers!
If Kolthis is going to be Kool-Aid Man, I think Walter will be close on his six -- a single 5' square behind him -- just in case the new room contains oh let's say a bunch of enemies who don't have fire resistance, clustered within a 20' radius. (Well and also, that puts me near the center of the party, so I can burst a Haste on everyone if that's the way to go.)
OK. To be clear: every time you guys exhaust a room and I think are ready to continue, or enter a room where there's nothing to really hold your interest, I'm going to assume the following:
a) Group gathers together
b) If locked/barred, Kolthis takes point to batter down
c) Mihaela then infiltrates under benefits of invisibility
d) If not locked/barred, Mihaela slips in first using stealth
e) Everyone else follows using regular marching order once Mihaela gives the all clear
@Mihaela: I'm fine with your positioning, and assume that IC you guys would have clarified all this much more tidily than we did in OOC ;)
Works for me.
Edit: wait, (a)(2) after group gathers together, Perception monkeys have a go to check for traps and whether they can hear or smell anything on the other side.
I will take on my role of Kool-Aid man with determination and gumption, as is fitting for any proper Dwarf. Real shame that I don't qualify for that feat.
Revised:
a) Group gathers together/perception monkeys detect what they can
b) If locked/barred, Kolthis takes point to batter down
c) Mihaela then infiltrates under benefits of invisibility
d) If not locked/barred, Mihaela slips in first using stealth
e) Everyone else follows using regular marching order once Mihaela gives the all clear
Hmm. I wonder if it's worth it for Walter to expend spell slots for share language, in an effort to communicate. If they're not hostile, and are simply hiding here in fear of the creature, what are the chances we learn something we don't already know? Decisions, decisions.
I was thinking that myself.
But first: woop woop woop Social Encounter Alert! woop woop FACE CHARACTERS PLEASE REPORT TO THE FRONT OF THE PARTY
Yelena had a scroll of comprehend languages, which she just used. It's not perfect, but it's better than using spell slots we might need later.
The Spell Sage is a lot stronger in campaigns or modules with a lot of 15 minute adventuring days. But I have a sinking feeling this is going to be more of a gauntlet / clock kind of a thing, with limited opportunities for long rests. So, not in a hurry to burn my precious, precious dailies!
Comprehend languages works well enough for sure! Who knows what else is down here, so yeah, makes total sense to save those slots if possible.
Gauntlet, or not, I'm excited! All of the roleplay and flavor from everyone's posts have been wonderful to read.
Dang what time are you guys all up? I woke up to site maintenance and then BAM tomb exploration. Post coming!
I'm in the UK, I'm generally posting after work, and if I'm lucky, during lunch break.
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I, like the Old Ones who fly between the stars, never sleep.
I, like the Old Ones who fly between the stars, never sleep.
As is only appropriate for our caretaker through Carrion Hill.
Personally, I'm in Eastern United States, I wake up at 5:30 AM and start work at 7:00 AM EST (-5 GMT), and will post any time between the morning, and after I get off work at 3:30 PM, depending on how busy my day is.
Sometimes, as has been the case the past couple days, this means I don't get a chance to post until later in the evening time, before bed.