Ærde: Lost and Found in the City of Wonders

Game Master Jibril Johan Sameh

Bah... I checked the gameplay side for just such a post but of course it was here, and in that post from which the latter part got so etched in my mind as I had never thought about the problem of not recognizing your favored enemynfor what it is.

I find it easy to miss an important detail in this style of play. This one mode communication does have its' fog-of-war.

@Zahra - Your claws ability description says you can make two claw attacks as a 'full attack action'. You moved this round so you only get one claw attack. Fortunately, your first attack hit. These three thieves have different armour classes.

@Tymythy - I need a clarification. Do you through your spear through the mass of the flames or over the top?

Oh, the fire-elemental thingey actually stayed there? I thought it was just a flashy but temporary visual effect of magical firebomb-thingey. In that case, tossing the spear past/over the elemental at the human, thank ye.

Anyway, a bottled elemental? Gives me a very pleasant Gardens of the Moon vibe ;^) Angie will surely recall what scene I have im mind.

Should get just N of Zahra, unless the floor is cluttered enough to count as difficult terrain...

I just took a look at the spaces and can't seem to figure out how you got to just north of Zahra. You started just west of the two bodies. The floor in the storage room and the work room are not difficult terrain. I am counting the square with two bodies in it as difficult terrain. Even if I didn't I see 1e + 1ne +3n +1ne +1for taking your second diagonal move that round. The furthest you should be able to get is just east of Zahra and you can still attack but with a 20% miss chance for partial cover. cover 1 or 2: 1d10 ⇒ 2 Sorry - I rolled this earlier and the result was a 5. For some reason, during an edit, it changed to a 2. This is a hit.

Right you are, forgot that "1st diagonal move is cheap, the rest cost double" rule. That result is just fine by me.

So, what will the elemental do now, since its summoner expired? Vanish? Await for instructions that will never arrive? Go berserk?

It hasn't disappeared yet but Dounia and Zahra must declare before it has its' turn.

Not sure what kind of roll this would be but she'll try to smother the fire elemental. I don't think it's possible but she doesn't know that...

Nice creative problem solving. I'm going to think on this. It is a 'small' fire elemental and its' flame is fuelled by something more than combustion of a source - but it should respond in some way to the rules of fire ... I'll post on this soon.

Maybe the blanket can smother it temporarily - enough time to pick it up and punt it out the window. Then it can burn through the blanket after safely out of the house.

And a summon spells generally have pitiful duration - assuming the item isn't more special than a single-use Summon Monsters, the elemental might just vanish in a couple of seconds anyway.

Stop...Drop...and Roll!

@Cairee - you have 15max HPs. You took 1HPD when the creature hit you (I think you missed this), 4HPD with the first round of fire damage, and 4 more just now. Your current HPs should now read 6.

@GM - updated!

@Corey: how would you feel about Zahra using her ray of frost to help put out the fire on Cairee? Can she damage the flame without damaging Cairee?

@Corey: how would you feel about Zahra using her ray of frost to help put out the fire on Cairee? Can she damage the flame without damaging Cairee?

You don't have any ranks in spellcraft, otherwise i'd let you roll to do non-lethal damage. You can give it a try as is but it would be risky.

If Zahra kills Cairee, my next character will be a snarky Catfolk who walks all over your faces while you try to sleep. (Based on real life events)

Which would spark demand for an automated nocturnal feline kill device... where are Squeak and Palisade when you need 'em? ;^)

My bad, it didn’t dawn on me that we were still in rounds.

@Shari - somehow Zahra has become blocked and I cannot send you provate messaged or reply to your last message.

The board in your bedroom, you will eventual discover, was brought by the burglars from elsewhere. It is actually made of three 6' boards that fit together. They used it to climb over the neighbouring wall onto the backyard workshop and then from there cross into your bedroom window. Though the front (glassless) windows were unshuttered they wanted to enter the house unseen.

@zahra, wanna give Cairee an assist?

@Shari - somehow Zahra has become blocked and I cannot send you provate messaged or reply to your last message.

The board in your bedroom, you will eventual discover, was brought by the burglars from elsewhere. It is actually made of three 6' boards that fit together. They used it to climb over the neighbouring wall onto the backyard workshop and then from there cross into your bedroom window. Though the front (glassless) windows were unshuttered they wanted to enter the house unseen.

Weird. Not sure why that would be. I never changed any settings. Does anyone know how I can fix that so people can PM me?

Would someone else in the group be willing to PM me to see if this affects everyone or if it was just a glitch that one time?

Sent you a PM just now, didn't complain about any issues...

Yes, if I go to Zahra's profile page I don't get 'private message' (which usually lives under the name) as an option. I will see if I've done something on my end.

She'll try to give an assist but these people did break into her home...

@Zahra - Your trait 'affable' gives you a conditional bonus on diplomacy rolls to 'gather information' but this is a 'make request' roll so you will only have a +8. You still received a final result of 10 so Cairee gets a +2 on her next Diplomacy roll.

... And Tymythy won’t be of much use in Diplomacy checks either. Intimidate, he has some small skill in, though… and I guess one could aid from another direction, at least in some situations…

[dice=Intimidate]1d20 + 4 Maybe, perhaps, could be considered an aid another for diplomacy, for giving the burglar an answer to the "cooperate or else" question.

”And if he does not wish to speak to save his life, I will commend his courage and ensure he swiftly joins his comrades in...

There are situations where I only allow one assist and situations where multiple people are aiding. My criteria would be that: 1) it makes sense that multiple people would be helpful as in moving a large stone; or 2) the second assist be different enough from the first that it would make sense. I feel like Tymythy's 'bad cop' will work here but because he: rolled very well (it would function as an intimidation roll to demoralize his opponent); he didn't contradict the suggestion that truth will lead to freedom; and, the burglar is a low level thug.

Yes, if I go to Zahra's profile page I don't get 'private message' (which usually lives under the name) as an option. I will see if I've done something on my end.

Ah, now that wounds awfully familiar. I still can't send PMs to Lupi from my Eberron game. If you ever figure out how to resolve this issue (as it seems to affect only some people sending PMs to only some recipients) I'd like to know ;^)

There are situations where I only allow one assist and situations where multiple people are aiding. My criteria would be that: 1) it makes sense that multiple people would be helpful as in moving a large stone; or 2) the second assist be different enough from the first that it would make sense. I feel like Tymythy's 'bad cop' will work here but because he: rolled very well (it would function as an intimidation roll to demoralize his opponent); he didn't contradict the suggestion that truth will lead to freedom; and, the burglar is a low level thug.

Very much agree, and as these things are situational they are hard to write under one rule. For instance... if you are rolling Perception to listen to some quiet noise you think you heard a moment ago another character doing the same can't possibly make your ears work any better. But if you are looking for a secret door, it makes more sense for another person to help prodding various wall fixtures as they may happen to twist that one particular torch holder just so.

Cairee - you receive an additional +2. With your Diplomacy of +8 please roll at +12. I will give you one piece of information for success. If you manage to roll higher I will give you an additional piece for every 4pnts over 22 you get.

I reread this and it seemed confusing to me.

OK. I went to:
my profile/my address book - then I clicked on 'show blocked addresses' and Shari's showed up!

Somehow I had blocked you Shari? I don't know how.

I clicked on unblock and I seem to be able to PM you.

OK. I went to:

my profile/my address book - then I clicked on 'show blocked addresses' and Shari's showed up!

Somehow I had blocked you Shari? I don't know how.

I clicked on unblock and I seem to be able to PM you.

Sure...sure :)

I'm glad that got sorted because I couldn't understand what was happening because both Dounia and Tymythy were able to PM me. Phew!

Is the burglar talking about Zahra or one of the others in the room that were 'taken'? Just want to be sure before posting

Is the burglar talking about Zahra or one of the others in the room that were 'taken'? Just want to be sure before posting

He is clearly indicating Zahra. 'Someone else' took you and this 'Red Dragon' clan doesn't know why. If you was taken then surely you must be 'valuable'.

I hesitate to mention this, but did the three burglars have any loot on them? While Tymythy doesn't exactly live for the glory of plunder he currently doesn't have a single coin to call his own, and wouldn't mind an extra dagger or two either ;^)

You did very clearly mention that you had stripped the burglars of everything:
small fire elemental:
left nothing behind, not even its' own ash

burglar 1:
7gp 9sp; a set of thieve's tools, a punching dagger with red stained blade, a sling with 10 bullets, a slip of paper (directions to the Asmar house from the grand bazar)

burglar 2:
2gp 25sp; small scimitar (stats as shortsword) with a red stained blade, shortbow with 12 arrows, a set of studded leather armour

burglar 3:
3gp 15sp; a spell component pouch, one broken elemental cage (useless),

Blades stained red... do you mean stained as in poisoned or just "blackened" to avoid reflecting light to reveal their owner's position when they are trying to hide? Or something else, perhaps a sign of their owner belonging to this Great Red Dragon secret society?

Heal, to ideantify the thingey: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

Blades stained red... do you mean stained as in poisoned or just "blackened" to avoid reflecting light to reveal their owner's position when they are trying to hide? Or something else, perhaps a sign of their owner belonging to this Great Red Dragon secret society?

Simply painted red - no sign of poison - perhaps a sign of ownership or allegience? You are free to speculate.

Woohoo! Nice grab. Now I don't need to try again until tomorrow. Also, he has a +6 perception?! What level is this guy?

Most likely, second level with a +1 wisdom modifier.

MOAR BIRD TALK!

The Roll20 map is up - the staircase beside you all is stacked and goes up and down.

@everyone - Please let me know what you're keeping and I will start a link to a loot list

How do you guys wanna handle the money? Divide between us? Or keep a group coffer? I'm good with whatever. Cairee would be more than happy to let someone else think about money.

I missed the list of stuff from the burglars. Here's my heal roll for the plate.

Heal: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

a thurible - a small censure one burns herbs on for inhaling - a drug delivery device - value 50gp

Cairee's kept a healer's kit, bandages, and a mystery vial from the wagon bundles. I think we should try to sell this plate.

Cairee wouldn't think to take other belongings like armour and weapons to sell, but will help carry if someone else initiates it.

I think we can leave the armour and weapons for Nisma to sell, she seems well connected. Dounia isn't going to want to drag heavy stuff around town. Happy to sell the plate.

Dounia will want to carry her share of the money. Also happy to carry all the money. :)

Tymythy will take that dagger, then, and the curved short sword.

By the way... just happened to open the Gnome race document of yours and noted the given names are made entirely of fairly common Finnish names ;^) Looking forward to meet some of those fellow in game!

Does "citizen" refer specifically to the city? I assume Dounia is in fact, not, a citizen?

Does "citizen" refer specifically to the city? I assume Dounia is in fact, not, a citizen?

Yes, when she says citizen she means city-person. You aren't part of the city census which happens every four years.

We have just moved and things will be busy at home for some time. This will mean things will be very slow for both Cairee and myself.

Oh! Best luck for the new home, in that case. Take your time getting settled by all means.

Enjoy the new digs! Hopefully everyone settles in well.

Hopefully everyone settles in well.

The cats are making it their own and have figured out how stairs work - they lso seem to think we've set up all of the boxes for them.