GAMEDAY #8-25: Unleashing the Untouchable - GM Nowruz (Inactive)

Game Master noral

I assume there's no possibility of the Huge elemental making it through the halls?

Escape Artist checks can be used to get through spaces less than half your size, so that could be an option.

Escape Artist checks can be used to get through spaces less than half your size, so that could be an option.

Huh. I never really deal with Escape Artist, but you're right. And the elder air elemental actually has a sky-high bonus on that skill - he can exactly make the DC without touching the dice!

The movement rules don't seem to go any further than "difficult terrain" for squeezing, unless I'm missing something, and since the elemental has 100' speed normally, it seems doable.

Seems good for me!

"Ooh, good idea, Kyron! I'd love to take a look at your notes on the Elementals later - I have some personal experience with Mythic power, and your observations on this sample could be helpful."

"...wish I'd thought to take my own samples, but the "flight" issue distracted me. Also those intriguing conduits."

Lichaam looks to the sky. "Just to be clear, my intent is to check those conduits to see which direction is "source" and which direction is "forge". Since the forge would probably be the most-controlled source of Trueflame in here. Also taking note of any apparent damages, which could indicate issues with using the forge."

"Of course... Always happy to share information."

The most-standard move from the scenario would be to have us fight the boss before we can break the Opal. However, it could have reinforcements arrive just a bit too late to prevent us from breaking it, along with maybe a dimensional lock or something to prevent us from just leaving.

So just in case... does the elemental stick around after the Opal is broken? Does it still remain loyal to our mission?

As soon as the untouchable opal breaks, the elemental disappears but you might have other conditions applying then.

Are we able to read the glowing Ignan rune from where we are?

Assuming that checking the forge over like that would involve being near it. Lichaam knows that him moving forwards without a melee guy to hide behind is asking for trouble. However, he's definitely willing to help with Daathiel's investigation.

Moved Lichaam's token up on the map.

He's been trained to not run forwards without support, no matter how tempting that ancient scroll might be. Occasionally he has lapses, but mostly he tries to keep in mind the well-supported wisdom - "you are squishy and edible without ketchup."

Daathiel has almost no offense in combat, but his defenses are decent.

Flight, Blink, Mirror Image, Boots of Escape, and good saves.

Please define "single skill check." Do you mean each PC can make a single attempt, or that we can try repeatedly with a single skill, or that we get exactly 1d20 to throw at the problem?

Do we know about how much harder the "alternate" skills are? With Lichaam's mwk book, Kyron would be rolling Engineering at (I think) +33. However, Lichaam could roll Planes at +43 with two 1st-level scrolls.

Do we know how long the recalibration will take? The scrolls in question would last 20 minutes, and the other devices might allow Planes. If we think they'll last that long, that might push us towards using Planes on this one.

One skill check made by one PC and the others may aid. The skills under room D6 have a lower DC as the alternative skills by 5.

Each repair will take around 5 minutes.

One skill check made by one PC and the others may aid. The skills under room D6 have a lower DC as the alternative skills by 5.

Each repair will take around 5 minutes.

Sounds like it would be worth using the alternative skill in this case.

5 minutes each, plus travel time... just a bit too long. That's fine. Lichaam also has the 2/d ability to make a scroll use his own CL. And another one to just double a scroll's duration.

Those bonuses to the checks, the ones for knowing Ingan or having boons... do they only apply to the ability checks, or to the skill checks as well? The wording is a little ambiguous, but that would be another +4 at least if they did apply.

***

For anyone curious, one of the scrolls is Whispering Lore, via UMD. It's a boost to Planes specifically (in this terrain), and can only be used by an Elf.

One thing which may also help here is Kyron has True Skill memorised, so he would be able to use that to add +7 to one skill check made by him. Although potentially that could be useful to keep for any later skill checks we need to make (however, he does have a spare 1st level spell slot he could use to re-memorise it if needed).

"I'm just taking 10 if I can" Lichaam offers, briefly looking up from a well-thumbed Pathfinder Chronicle.

I would be astonished if the DCs are high enough that the various bonuses we are stacking are actually needed.

That is why Daathiel is refusing Aid Another and MW books on his check.

We have multiple characters that are really good at these skills and they need not be reduced to irrelevance. I'm happy to do one check and let others do other checks.

I would be astonished if the DCs are high enough that the various bonuses we are stacking are actually needed.

Same. That said, I have seen some absurd DCs.

We have multiple characters that are really good at these skills and they need not be reduced to irrelevance. I'm happy to do one check and let others do other checks.

While this makes sense on one level... it's not something Lichaam would suggest. He wouldn't speak against you running off on your own, but the books say to never split the party.

Daathiel wrote:

We have multiple characters that are really good at these skills and they need not be reduced to irrelevance. I'm happy to do one check and let others do other checks.

While this makes sense on one level... it's not something Lichaam would suggest. He wouldn't speak against you running off on your own, but the books say to never split the party.

I understand, but I believe that this is an instance where it makes sense on multiple levels (in-character, for time; OOC, for letting more PCs have a chance to meaningfully contribute). I will stick with the action that I posted.

shaventalz wrote:

Daathiel wrote:

We have multiple characters that are really good at these skills and they need not be reduced to irrelevance. I'm happy to do one check and let others do other checks.

While this makes sense on one level... it's not something Lichaam would suggest. He wouldn't speak against you running off on your own, but the books say to never split the party.

I understand, but I believe that this is an instance where it makes sense on multiple levels (in-character, for time; OOC, for letting more PCs have a chance to meaningfully contribute). I will stick with the action that I posted.

Yeah, I definitely understand that reasoning.

If we're sure there's nothing else here, it seems FAIRLY safe. Maybe a three-way split between Daathiel/Kyron/Lichaam, since Yanndu's bonus isn't as high? Then the party joins back up for the last one. That would get it done in 10 minutes, everyone would have a guard while they're working, and the party would be together for if something jumps us once the system is in working order. Something like "they see the surge as the power starts flowing and teleport in."

That’s a good point. I’m happy to do them in parallel. I also think we should check the rest of the complex before we do the calibrations, to see if there is any additional useful information, or potential threats.

Your bonuses are so high that you auto succeed. :-)

Let me resolve tomorrow because I can’t at the moment.

Fossilblight's destruction condition is breaking open "a great creation built by earth and fire working in perfect conjunction." Breaking the Opal seems like it would fulfil that. If the Opal doesn't qualify as "great", nothing will, and it was created by earth/fire/water working together.

OOC, I'm perfectly fine with splitting up to take 10 minutes, and slightly less fine with trying a 4-way split. IC, Lichaam is nervous about such a split, but will go along with it as long as we've checked for enemies first.

Agree to a two way split but not smaller. Fendahl will accompany which ever group needs muscle. He does not have the associated engineering type skills.

I think if we check the rest of the complex before we do the calibration that would mitigate the risk of something bad happening if we spilt up to do the calibration. Hopefully it would flush out any lurking threats in the area.

I posted that Daathiel went off on his own and started calibration in D7 without waiting for consensus.

That is what I posted, that is my action with my character, and I am fine accepting that risk.

He already has split off to go do that.

I will not ask anyone else to contribute if he dies through that decision.

I'm assuming that common knowledge/folklore/old wives' tales about efreet include their whole "literal genie" gimmick.

Cad is one of the few characters I have that really could not contribute to those check. Great work (and builds) team!

...its wrists are bound by a thick pair of cold iron shackles covered in blazing blue sigils.

You also realize that the Efreeti's manacles are made of adamantine...

What type of metal are the bindings made of? That could matter for the purposes of breaking them, if the "tremendously complex lock" is more complex than we can handle.

Daathiel can hit a pretty high DC for Disable Device. He could cast Greater Heroism to get up to a +32, so even if it is DC 50 he could get it in a few tries (especially with an Aid Another). That +32 is (+14 ranks, +4 Dex, +3 class skill, +2 MW thieves' tools, +5 competence, +4 morale).

Your knowledge engineering and disable device is high enough to reveal that it’s a dc 45 disable device.

Assume it’s made of adamantine and thus has 20 hardness and lots of hit points.

Your knowledge engineering and disable device is high enough to reveal that it’s a dc 45 disable device.

Assume it’s made of adamantine and thus has 20 hardness and lots of hit points.

And more importantly, can't be cheesed with Fossilblight.

Daathiel can hit DC45 given a few tries.
If nobody hits the Sense Motive check (I think Yanndu is our best bet), I would be inclined to have my character trust the Efreeti and act accordingly, likely freeing him.

It would be unreasonable to act on the knowledge that there was a high Sense Motive DC that I didn't hit.

Although 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend' has limits, it is something that Daathiel will go with in this case, barring any evidence to the contrary.

If nobody hits the Sense Motive check (I think Yanndu is our best bet)

Lichaam's Sense Motive bonus is... well, he needs assistance to get a hunch.

It's also worth bearing in mind that the Sense Motive information could indicate that he is entirely trustworthy and a useful ally or may be unrelated to his trustworthiness.

In the absence of anybody making that check, I would be inclined to have my character trust the Efreeti and act accordingly, likely freeing him.

I don't know what the check would reveal. I'm just saying which way I would lean in this case if nobody gets it.

"I'm also inclined to free him, with appropriate guarantees." Trying to keep a bound genie rarely ended well.

"Do we have any ideas for what to wish for, though?"

If our goal is the destruction of the Opal to free the prison within, then that would be Fendahl's intent. Mission completion and return home safely.

But, like Daathiel, he does not sense any falsehood, but is well aware that is always a possibility with these types. If freeing him can further our mission, so be it. If freeing him is not going to help us, or there are alternative methods, then he is happy to let the Efreet remain in captivity until a mutual beneficial agreement can be reached.

Kyron would like to know more about the Efreeti first... However, the Concordance member in him sees this as a potential opportunity for the Society to gain a useful planar ally, plus having access to wish magic may provide a significant boon when it comes to trying to destroy the Opal. I would imagine he is also aware that Efreeti tend to be lawful so are likely to stick to their word.

Additionally (if what the Efreeti says is correct) leaving him here could be of significant benefit to Ymeri who is an enemy of the Society.

"The scenario name-dropped the group without actually telling you who they are, didn't it?"

Fendahl still watches the efreet with skepticism

”Hrmmm. Yes the Aspis typically focus on greed and have no honor. We succeed by adherence to our word.“

"Wait, we do what?"

"That doesn't seem to match with the Chronicles... like, at all. Some groups, sure, maybe even this group, but there are more than a few "Chaotic Neutral" types in the Society."

”Perhaps, Master Lichaam. I am only able to speak of those teams I have been a member and honor is paramount .“

Lichaam isn't thrilled at dealing with an efreeti, himself. He doesn't dabble in planar bindings, and hasn't tried using them to wish for more intelligence. Part of that is their Evil, and part is practical concerns. However, this one seems about as helpful as they come.

Plus... what else would you do? Kill the prisoner because he pinged Evil? Leave him for Ymeri, and let the larger Evil do bad things with his information?

I love these moral dilemmas! ;-D

Daathiel is just gently trolling Caduceus by asking "What has Isah done?" since he knows that Detect Evil does not provide that information.

"If I wasn't so distracted by your seemingly-inconsistent stance on executions, I would take great insult at your words. Claiming I unchangably made up my mind and didn't do any research... why, if we weren't in such a dangerous situation, I would write a scathing letter to your superiors!"

"Paladins have Spellcraft as a class skill for a reason - where do you think we even got the detect alignment spells from in the first place?"

Seeming to get even angrier, Lichaam then shouts "GM? If we get out of this, make sure Caduceus gets a copy of my Day Job!"

LOL as morally entertaining as when I played my paladin at a table filled with pirates and swashbucklers. Makes for good story and role play.

Agreed!

Given the strict nature of paladins, I am not certain that a 'real' Pathfinder Society would want them around. Assignments regularly force agents to make so many decisions that are on the borderline of evil (and more often than not, overtly criminal).

On a different note - how long do we think it will take to break the Opal once we start? Do we have any idea?