Gameday IX Star-Crossed Court 1-23 by Curaigh (Inactive)

Game Master Curaigh

Astrid didn't crit with a 31?

Athletics: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (5) + 13 = 18

”Giddy-up!”

Celister spurs the dinosaur into action, finding surprising difficulty in staying on. I’m pretty sure I’m out of Hero Points...

Namza signals one of the handlers to help him off.

"I think I'll just watch the show. Look at those Pathfinders ride!"

I think with that penalty I'm probably a net negative on our chances.

If a 31 doesn't crit, Quinoline may also tap out. She'll be at +10 with the penalty so it will be at least nat 12 to succeed.

Umbra has no intention of letting go unless he's forced to (which i figured was likely even before we rolled since I am untrained in both acro and athletics! -- an oversight for first time playing this gm blob! )

Same with Pyotr, although even with the bonus he'll likely be bucked soon.

Well, considering neither Quin nor Namza crit-failed, I'm pretty sure the GM just missed that the 31 existed beyond being a success.

Don't mind me, I just realized that we could be in this current situation if the DC was 22.

I mean if we're going to meta the DC...

What I'm hearing is 'blah blah blah numbers blah'. What I'm thinking is 'We get to ride dinosaurs!'

Well, some of us get to ride dinosaurs. Some of us just fall off. :(

An iruxi wearing too big- and too red pants, a floppy nose, and a strange headdress runs in front of Namza's anklyosaurus. The massive head swings to follow the running woman who stops and reverses course. The back and forth dance keeps the dinosaur's attention while the crowd laughs. Referees help Namzo descend from his dinosaur, then lead the creature away. As Namza is also led away the crowd cheers.

Astrid knocks the ball to Pytor and Pytor knocks it into the Backwards Pole. The rest of the players have to turn their creatures backward for the next round!

Round 2
Astrid: <-- here now
Namza: <-- here now (Or the above?)
Pytro: <-- here now
Quinolin: <-- here now
Celister: <--here now
Umbra: <--here now

If a 31 doesn't crit, Quinoline may also tap out. She'll be at +10 with the penalty so it will be at least nat 12 to succeed.

Don't give up based on that! Another way to look at is you can only crit fail on a 1! And like Astrid said you. Are. On. A. Dinosaur! :)

Round 1
Astrid: Success!
Namza: Failure (-2 on all future checks)
Pytro: Critical success! (+2 on all future checks)
Quinoline: Failure (-2 on all future checks)
Celister: Failure (-2 on all future checks)
Umbra: Failure (-2 on all future checks)

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (5) + 4 - 2 = 7

The ball suddenly heads towards Umbra, "Yes, Yes, come to umbra!" He decisively tries to get his dino to put itself in position but the dino seems to be scared of the ball and begins bucking uncontrollably! Must...hang...on!

After hurrying off the ring, Namza cheers on his mounted cohorts. "Ride that dino!"

athletics: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25

"Ha! Whoa there, Stinky. Left, go left!"

Grinning like a maniac, Astrid uses her mallet to steer the great beast towards the ball and charges forward, almost colliding with a member of the opposing team.

Athletics: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 9 + 2 = 25

Pyotr does his best to pull a quick about-face. He is left most cinematically airborne for a second.

"Spin! Spin and there will be tales told of this day, my glorious steed!"

Oh, fine.

Quinoline grits her teeth and hangs on.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 12 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 12 - 2 = 21

Or not.

"Quin! Over here! You're going the wrong way!"

"I don't know how to control this thing!"

Also, Quinoline's still trying to bottle ankylosaurus gas while she's riding.

"Stop playing with that vial and whomp him with your mallet. Like this."

Astrid raps her mallet against the dino's tough hide and he veers to the left.

Athletics: 1d20 + 13 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 13 - 2 = 29

Celister grabs hold of the dinosaur like it's a bucking bronco and somehow manages to stay on!

Farty Bart seems to realize what the strange weight on its back is doing and tries to avoid the vial. Quinolin, master glass maker, uses that to steer the beast! (Story bonus applied)

Four of the other Pathfinders move the game forward, knocking a ball through a hoop here, against a post there, passing it to their teammates all around. The crowd is cheering excitedly, led on by Namza.

Then the cheers turn into a slow moan that echoes in the following silence. The smallest Pathfinder, the one with 'the impressive tail' is thrown from his mount, landing with a loud crack. The feral beast, seeing an irritant strikes out with a foot bigger than kobolds entire chest!

falling: 1d6 ⇒ 2,
stomp: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (8) + 17 = 25 bludgeoning: 2d6 + 7 ⇒ (4, 5) + 7 = 16

Round 2
Astrid: success
Namza: cheers
Pytro: success
Quinolin: (with a GM bonus) success
Celister: success
Umbra: is thrown!

A, P, Q & C are up for R3. If you would like to roll for multiple rounds in a single post you can. Though I personally enjoy the creative interactions. :)

"Ow! Umbra would do better but Umbra had meanest Dino! Do not be disappointed!" he pleas to the crowd. Umbra then hurries off to the sidelines out of danger's way to cheer on the rest of the team.

Quinoline reluctantly puts away the vial and uses the mallet to guide the dino.

Round 3:
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 12 - 2 ⇒ (18) + 12 - 2 = 28

"I think I got it, Astrid!"

Round 4:
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 12 - 2 ⇒ (1) + 12 - 2 = 11

Quinoline's glasses slide off of her face. She manages to grab them before they fall, but her dinosaur careens into the arena wall.

I'm guessing that ends Quinoline's dino ride.

Pyotr's stride is momentarily broken at seeing Umbra fall, but at least the kobold manages to escape. He goes back to mallet-steering with increased vigor. "I hope there'll be no such traitorous thoughts here," he whispers to his mount. "Or I'll have to ask my cousins what soups can be made of you!"

Boru, who has stowed away in his ally's backpack, chips in with a quiet "Yeah," too far away to be heard by other people.

Athletics: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 9 + 2 = 24

Kinda running out of flavor for this, so I’m just gonna roll.

Round 3:
Athletics: 1d20 + 13 - 2 ⇒ (7) + 13 - 2 = 18

I assume that means that Celister is knocked off. If not, though:

Round 4:
Athletics: 1d20 + 13 - 2 ⇒ (9) + 13 - 2 = 20

Know that probably means I’m knocked off.

Quinoline reluctantly puts away the vial and uses the mallet to guide the dino.

"I think I got it, Astrid!"

"You're doing great Quin. Just keep...Quin look out for the wall!"

Quinoline's glasses slide off of her face. She manages to grab them before they fall, but her dinosaur careens into the arena wall.

Astrid winces as her friend crashes into the arena wall.

"Ouch. Come on Stinky lets get that ball."

Round 3
athletics: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20

Round 4
athletics: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (14) + 12 = 26

Celister, I understand why would you think an 18 is bad, but why is a 20 is worse?

The game kicks up the intensity, but the Pathfinders are holding their own. Celister and Astrid clearly struggle with their footing and their ride is precarious, but they stick on the ankylosaurs by sheer skill.

Quinoline and Pytor manage to race down the course juggling the ball between them like old pros. It is a crowd pleasing assist and score from the pair.

Round 3
Astrid: fail (-2 to future checks)
Namza: cheers
Pytro: success
Quinolin: success
Celister: fail (-4 to future checks)
Umbra:

Astrid regains her footing and takes a lead in the next round, quartering Stinky around barrels and denying her opponents a chance to pull ahead. Celister foot falls from his holster as his dinosaur goes one way and he goes the other, but his grip holds and he doesn't meet the sand.

Quinoline does.
Hard.
And Farty Bart doesn't like it. She throws a kick at the vial human. falling: 1d6 ⇒ 2
strike: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (20) + 17 = 37, bludgeoning: 2d6 + 7 ⇒ (3, 2) + 7 = 12
Nat 20. :(

Round 4
Astrid: Success
Namza: cheers
Pytro: <-- here now
Quinolin: is thrown!
Celister: fail (-6 to future checks)
Umbra: in the stands

P is up for round 4.
A, P, & C are up for R5. :)

Quinoline mutters something extremely inappropriate in Osiriani as Farty Bart shatters her third pair of glasses in as many missions.

She'll cheer for her teammates, but she can't really see what's going on, so she attempts to repair her glasses in the stands.

Crafting: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (10) + 14 = 24

There's still a big crack, but at least they fit on her face again.

Quinoline will take a -1 to visual-based Perception for the rest of the adventure.

As long as Pyotr has been prattling at his mount, it hasn't flung him. So he continues! "You need a name. You look a touch like the Venture-Captain I trained under. But maybe I shouldn't compare you two so harshly, considering what I think became of him...um...onward! Never mind, I'll think of a name later."

Athletics: 1d20 + 9 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 9 + 2 = 21

As long as Pyotr has been prattling at his mount, it hasn't flung him. So he continues! "You need a name. You look a touch like the Venture-Captain I trained under. But maybe I shouldn't compare you two so harshly, considering what I think became of him...um...onward! Never mind, I'll think of a name later."

[dice=Athletics]1d20+9+2

Failure. -2 to future checks (+0 net). I need a roll for the 5th and final round as well.:)

To be clear, I wasn’t saying the 20 was worse; I was saying that an 18 followed by a 20 wasn’t good.

”Come on. Come on! COME ON! COME ON!!!”

Well, if this isn’t the time for this character to be stubborn to a fault then I don’t know when it would be

Athletics: 1d20 + 13 - 6 ⇒ (13) + 13 - 6 = 20

"Ha! We almost have it! If I can just knock that stupid ball into that goal..."

Athletics: 1d20 + 12 - 2 ⇒ (17) + 12 - 2 = 27

Astrid drives her dino between two defenders and gives the ball a glancing hit with her mallet. The ball flies at an angle towards the goal. Astrid holds her breath as she watches the ball get closer and closer to victory.

Suddenly she curses as she sees the arena wall fast approaching as her mount careens towards it. She loses sight of the ball as she whomps her dino to prompt a fast turn and prevent a nasty collision.

"Did I get it? Did I get it? Pyotr! You're right there. What happened?"

Ah, sorry.

Pyotr mightily reins his mount around, temporarily abandoning the goalie position. Not sure Astrid's shot will connect, he seeks to nudge it a little. "It should be on target now, dinosaur god willing!"

Athletics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29

Quinoline kneels down and sweeps a few pieces of broken glass into an empty vial for further analysis.

Crafting +14

Astrid's shot is nicely assisted with all the grace a massive mace for a tail can manage from Pyotor's mount. Celister is nearly upside down in his harness, but virtue of one leg-or is it an arm-keep him in the game.

The crowd is hooting in ululating cheers. They simultaneously hop up and down adding an earth shaking feel to the excitement. The iruxi teammates come rushing over to you cheering excitedly. Even the opposing team is cheering for the accomplishments of the Pathfinder's team. As is tradition they carry the winning rider one their backs for a victory lap. At the end of which, Pytor is presented with a trophy*: a ring with the carving of a ram on it. Both Astrid and Celister have also won 30 gp* each.

*these are treasure bundles not actual cash. The ring is a ring of the ram.

Of course the true prize for the Pathfinders is the momentary fame and good will generated.

Quinoline, managing to last 3 rounds, performs well enough to earn the iruxi’s respect, granting a +2 circumstance bonus to any single Deception, Diplomacy, or Intimidation check made against an Iruxi
for the remainder of the adventure.

Pytor, Astrid and even Celister managed to stay seated on their dinosaur for at least 5 rounds truly impresses the lizardfolk and can instead gain a +4 circumstance bonus on a single Deception, Diplomacy,
or Intimidation check made against an iruxi for the remainder of the adventure.

Quinoline puts vial glass into her glass vial. The powder within is nothing she recognizes. Though if she asks anyone can tell her it is itching powder that would greatly upset a dinosaur if it had to gotten onto its scales.

I am going to award the third Hero Point to Celister. I think he is the only one who spent his and this way everyone has at least one for the negotiations. :)

Astrid's shot is nicely assisted with all the grace a massive mace for a tail can manage from Pyotor's mount. Celister is nearly upside down in his harness, but virtue of one leg-or is it an arm-keep him in the game.

The crowd is hooting in ululating cheers. They simultaneously hop up and down adding an earth shaking feel to the excitement. The iruxi teammates come rushing over to you cheering excitedly. Even the opposing team is cheering for the accomplishments of the Pathfinder's team. As is tradition they carry the winning rider one their backs for a victory lap. At the end of which, Pytor is presented with a trophy*: a ring with the carving of a ram on it. Both Astrid and Celister have also won 30 gp* each.

*these are treasure bundles not actual cash. The ring is a ring of the ram. & Nat 20!

Of course the true prize for the Pathfinders is the momentary fame and good will generated.

Quinoline, managing to last 3 rounds, performs well enough to earn the iruxi’s respect, granting a +2 circumstance bonus to any single Deception, Diplomacy, or Intimidation check made against an Iruxi
for the remainder of the adventure.

Pytor, Astrid and even Celister managed to stay seated on their dinosaur for at least 5 rounds truly impresses the lizardfolk and can instead gain a +4 circumstance bonus on a single Deception, Diplomacy,
or Intimidation check made against an iruxi for the remainder of the adventure.

Quinoline puts vial glass into her glass vial. The powder within is nothing she recognizes. Though if she asks anyone can tell her it is itching powder that would greatly upset a dinosaur if it had to gotten onto its scales.

I am going to award the third Hero Point to Celister. I think he is the only one who spent his and this way everyone has at least one for the negotiations. :)

Sorry if this is posted three times. Even after refresh and leave the page and coming back I do not see my post... :(

Astrid's shot is nicely assisted with all the grace a massive mace for a tail can manage from Pyotor's mount. Celister is nearly upside down in his harness, but virtue of one leg-or is it an arm-keep him in the game.

The crowd is hooting in ululating cheers. They simultaneously hop up and down adding an earth shaking feel to the excitement. The iruxi teammates come rushing over to you cheering excitedly. Even the opposing team is cheering for the accomplishments of the Pathfinder's team. As is tradition they carry the winning rider one their backs for a victory lap. At the end of which, Pytor is presented with a trophy*: a ring with the carving of a ram on it. Both Astrid and Celister have also won 30 gp* each.

*these are treasure bundles not actual cash. The ring is a ring of the ram. & Nat 20!

Of course the true prize for the Pathfinders is the momentary fame and good will generated.

Quinoline, managing to last 3 rounds, performs well enough to earn the iruxi’s respect, granting a +2 circumstance bonus to any single Deception, Diplomacy, or Intimidation check made against an Iruxi
for the remainder of the adventure.

Pytor, Astrid and even Celister managed to stay seated on their dinosaur for at least 5 rounds truly impresses the lizardfolk and can instead gain a +4 circumstance bonus on a single Deception, Diplomacy,
or Intimidation check made against an iruxi for the remainder of the adventure.

Quinoline puts vial glass into her glass vial. The powder within is nothing she recognizes. Though if she asks anyone can tell her it is itching powder that would greatly upset a dinosaur if it had to gotten onto its scales.

I am going to award the third Hero Point to Celister. I think he is the only one who spent his and this way everyone has at least one for the negotiations. :)

Umbra jumps up and down clapping his hands together rapidly in excitement as Pytor, Astrid, and Celister are recognized for their fearless dino-riding.

Pyotr takes several bows, looking elated all the while. "All in a day's work. Not that I'd call this labor, oh no, not when it's proven so interesting and fun!"

Astrid leans over and scratches her dino on the head and dismounts, tossing her mallet to one of the handlers.

"See you later Stinky! You're a good dino."

She strides over to Pyotr and punches him on the arm.

"Ha! Good job Pyotr! We'll make a proper warrior out of you yet."

Insert any actions or questions before retiring for the night here:

The next day, Calisro and Eras, along with the rest of the Vidrian delegation, lead the Pahfinders to the Chamber of Stars, the meeting space of Ekkeshikaar’s ruling council, where the possibility of a trade agreement will be discussed.

The heart of a sprawling and partially-submerged government building made of glass and stone, this large circular chamber is one of the few parts of the building that extends up above the waterline, giving an only slightly-obscured view of the sky above through the midnight-blue-tinted glass dome that covers the room’s ceiling.

A group of seven iruxi dressed in long blue-black robes trimmed with gold sit at raised pulpits along one side of the room. A long table has been set aside for a handful of representatives from the Vidrian delegation, and additional seating holds crowds of native iruxi, some eager to see the trade deal pass, others to see it halted, and the rest simply excited to watch events unfold. Already, a queue of Ekkeshikaar’s citizens is forming behind a stone lectern set aside for citizens to speak their minds and ask questions on the proceedings.

The Pathfinders are led up to the table, seated alongside Calisro, Eras, Mirian Raas, and Jekka. Mirian explains that the party will be among the delegation members answering questions and arguing their case before the council and the people of Ekkeshikaar.

Before the negotiations begin, Calisro hands the Pathfinders four vials, containing a total of two doses of moderate cognitive mutagen and two doses of moderate silvertongue mutagen. "These may come in handy," she whispers, "distribute them amongst yourselves as you see fit.'

Various bonuses have been awarded throughout the adventures. Please, double check what you may have gotten over the course of the adventure. Any questions before we begin?

1d7 ⇒ 4, 1d7 ⇒ 2, 1d7 ⇒ 1, 1d7 ⇒ 1, 1d7 ⇒ 7,

Quinoline cheers for Astrid, Celister, and Pyotr.

She will save the itching powder for further analysis, but tell her teammates about it.

Was it just one of the animals, or all of the animals? Whose animal was it?

---

Can we pass the mutagens back and forth during the encounter, or do we need to decide who gets what right now?

Umbra puts on his best, darkest robes, and prepares for the negotiations. He reviews all his notes, and reminds himself to not interject more than is necessary.

I'll pass on the mutagens. I think umbra is pretty well covered between being CHA-based and getting the skillful mentor bonus-- puts a lot of my skills into a decent number.

I'd take a cognitive mutagen. I've pretty covered on social skills, but we should use the mutagens if we can. They turn crit fails into failures, in addition to the bonus.

Quinoline has +0 Deception, Diplomacy, and Intimidation. She can definitely use one of the mutagens if she's forced to make a roll. I forget whether I mentioned this, but Quinoline does not have any of the mutagens on her formula list, or else she'd be able to Quick Alchemy a few on the fly. Sorry - if I had planned better, I would have picked up the formulas before the adventure.

Pyotr looks ready to perform a boyish fist-pump at Astrid's validation, and his good mood continues well into the next day's negotiations.

I don't remember all the rewards, but I remember getting the Diplomat's Badge. I'll take the last cognitive mutagen if no one else is. Combining that with the badge, I should be set on Charisma.

I’ll definitely take that silvertongue mutagen; Celister’s pretty set on social skills, but not as set as, say, a sorcerer. Also, how long are we expecting these proceedings to last? Because the mutagens both only last for 10 minutes.

Astrid is reasonably comfortable with her skills. The only real problem skills look to be her diplomacy, performance and random lore skills at +5. It looks like both cognitive mutagens and one silvertongue are taken. Quin why don't you take the remaining silvertongue and I'll go without. I can't really afford the drawback of the silvertongue.

After their success at dinosaur polo, Astrid spends the evening and well into the morning bar-hopping with her iruxi teammates and any pathfinders who wish to join. She arrives at the Chamber of Stars the next morning tired and hungover but in good spirits.

Quinoline can tell the entire vial of itching powder was spilled when it broke. None of the powder made it onto the ankylosaurus. es.

The negotiations will last hours, but you will know when to swig one. For that same reason, you can divi as needed. There will be a series of arguments you each will need to address. Several skill options
exist for each, X & Z are always options, plus if you can make a good argument for a different skill, I will allow it. The DC increases each additional time an individual uses a given skill (1st Diplomacy=x, 2nd Diplomacy =x+1, 3rd Diplomacy 3=x+2..., etc.) Crit success & crit failure have additional effects. The overall Argument success is based on the party size & number of Influence points.

Those with the Ally of the Iruxi boon, get a +2 circumstance bonus on all of these checks.