Damn Amenhep, I'm sorry to hear about that. Hope you're recovering well, and my condolences on losing your family pet. I know that's rough to go through that from personal experience. Take care of yourself and your family first, we'll be here when you have the time and inclination to post!
Sorry for dropping out again, just as things got settled for me I got a pretty bad concussion from a quadbike accident and had a family cat die unexpectedly right after that. Been a tough month...
Sorry to hear that, Amenhep. Wishing you better fortune in the future!
Take care Amenhep!
I am travelling until Tues, Sept 2nd. Posting may be sparse. Bot me if need be...
Sorry for dropping off again, been having sporadic concussion flareups that really knock the wind out of my sails.
GM West: I tried to give some suggestions on Level 8 for Elliander at the end of his CS page . Can you please take a look?
Heading out of town for a long weekend - I'll be back on Tuesday, though probably unable to post until later next week!
Elliander, those suggestions all sound good to me, run with it! :)
Sorry for dropping off again, been having sporadic concussion flareups that really knock the wind out of my sails.
That sounds terrible. I hope you start feeling better soon.
GM West: Elliander acquired a wand of Scorching Rays from Soumral. How many charges left? (Elliander would probably be able to tell, since it’s a spell known to him, he knows Detect Magic and has Spellcraft+14.)
Just roll?
Nevitash is leveled up. He does want to buy a MW buckler before we leave town.
No answer on Francis making any other wands?
And what treasure do we have to sell off/split?
Ok, an 8th level version of Devin... This does not include updated equipment.
Devin Horekson
CG Male ½ Orc
Bard (Court Fool) 8
Init +7 = +3 dex +4 Improved Init
Speed 30 ft
Darkvision (120 ft)
Defense
AC: 18 = 10 + 4 armor +1 Armor Enhancement + 3 Dex
HP 63 = 8 +(6d8>>4+5+7+4+7+8 +4= 39)+8*2 Con
Fort + 8 =+2 Bard +2 Con +2 Luck+2 resistance
Ref + 13 =+6 Bard+3 Dex +2 Luck +2 resistance
Will + 10 =+6 Bard +2 Luck +2 resistance
CMD : 19 = 10 +6 bab+3 dex
Offense
Melee: Whip, Spiked Gauntlet, Longspear +1
Ranged: Shortbow or Dagger
BAB: +6 = +6 bard
Bard Spells & Masterpiece Performances
L0 (6,*) DC 13: Sift, Ghost Sound, Message, Prestigidation, Detect Magic, Read Magic
L1 (5+3, 4+1/day) DC 14: Grease, Vanish, Saving Finale, Silent Image, Liberating Command, Blistering Invective, Hideous Laughter, Ear Piercing Scream
L2 (4+2, 3+1/day) DC 15 : Heroism, Glitterdust, Mirror Image, Gallant Inspiration , Pageant of the Peacock, Silence
L3 (3, 2+1/day) DC 16: Haste, Glibness, Dispel Magic
CMB : +6 = +6 bab
Stats
Str = 10 (0 pts)
Dex 16 =16 (10 pts) ,
Con 14 =14 (5 pts)
Int 14 = 14 (5 pts)
Wis = 10 (0 pts)
Cha 18 = 14 (5 pts) +2 Racial +1 Lvl 4 +1 Lvl 8
Feats: Flagbearer(1st), Lingering Performance (3ed), Improved Init (5th), Surprising Combatant (7th),
Traits: Unlearned (K Nobility, drawback), Fates Favored (Faith), Power of Suggestion (Equipment), Trap Finder (Campaign)
Skills (8*6+8*2(int) /lvl) (Ranks, skill roll. NOT INCLUDING ACP)
Perception (+16 = 8 ranks+3 trained +5 eyes of the eagle) and (+2 dimdweller),
Disable Device (+17 = 8 ranks+3 trained +3 Dex+1 trait+2 MW tools),
Stealth (+14 = 8 ranks+3 trained +3 Dex) and (+2 dimdweller)
Spellcraft (+13 = 8 ranks +3 trained +2 int)
Perform (Dance) (+15 = 8 ranks +3 Trained +4 Cha)
Use Magic Device (+15 = 8 ranks +3 Trained +4 Cha)
Sleight of Hand (+11 = 5 ranks +3 trained +3 dex )
Acrobatics(+14 = 4 ranks +3 trained +3 dex +4 Buffoonery )
Climb(+8 = 1 ranks +3 trained +4 Buffoonery)
Disguise (+13 = 2 ranks +3 trained +4 cha +4 Buffoonery)
Linguistics (+8=3 ranks +3 trained +2 int)
Profession (Gambler) (+4 = 1 ranks +3 trained + 0 wis)
From Versatile Performances
Diplomacy (+15 = 8 ranks +3 Trained +4 Cha)
Sense Motive (+15 = 8 ranks +3 Trained +4 Cha)
Bluff (+19 = 8 ranks +3 Trained +4 Cha+4 Buffoonery)
Intimidate (+15 = 8 ranks +3 Trained +4 Cha) and (+2 dimdweller)
Background Skills
Perform (Comedy) (+15 = 8 ranks +3 Trained +4 Cha)
Perform (Oratory) (+15 = 8 ranks +3 Trained +4 Cha)
Languages: Common, Orc, Osiriani(int), Draconic (int), Kelish (Linguistics), Sylvan (Linguistics), Sphinx (linguistics)
Buffoonery +4 (Ex): A court fool gains a bonus equal to 1/2 his bard level on Acrobatics, Bluff, Climb, and Disguise checks (minimum +1). This replaces bardic knowledge.
Bardic Performance (25 rounds): A bard is trained to use the Perform skill to create magical effects on those around him, including himself if desired. He can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Charisma modifier. At each level after 1st a bard can use bardic performance for 2 additional rounds per day. Each round, the bard can produce any one of the types of bardic performance that he has mastered, as indicated by his level.
Starting a bardic performance is a standard action, but it can be maintained each round as a free action. Changing a bardic performance from one effect to another requires the bard to stop the previous performance and start a new one as a standard action. A bardic performance cannot be disrupted, but it ends immediately if the bard is killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round. A bard cannot have more than one bardic performance in effect at one time.
At 7th level, a bard can start a bardic performance as a move action instead of a standard action. At 13th level, a bard can start a bardic performance as a swift action.
Each bardic performance has audible components, visual components, or both.
If a bardic performance has audible components, the targets must be able to hear the bard for the performance to have any effect, and many such performances are language dependent (as noted in the description. A deaf bard has a 20% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with an audible component. If he fails this check, the attempt still counts against his daily limit. Deaf creatures are immune to bardic performances with audible components.
If a bardic performance has a visual component, the targets must have line of sight to the bard for the performance to have any effect. A blind bard has a 50% chance to fail when attempting to use a bardic performance with a visual component. If he fails this check, the attempt still counts against his daily limit. Blind creatures are immune to bardic performances with visual components.
Distracting Motley (Su): At 1st level, a court fool can startle his allies back to their senses with erratic capering or by fluttering multicolored clothing. Each round, he attempts an Acrobatics check. Any ally (including the court fool) within 30 feet can use this check in place of her own saving throw against confusion and fascination effects. Those already under a confusion or fascination effect can attempt a new save each round using the court fool’s Acrobatics check. A court fool wearing an entertainer’s outfit gains a +2 bonus on these Acrobatics checks. Distracting motley doesn’t work on effects that don’t allow saves. This is a mind-affecting effect that uses visual components. This performance replaces countersong.
Distraction (Su): At 1st level, a bard can use his performance to counter magic effects that depend on sight. Each round of the distraction, he makes a Perform (act, comedy, dance, or oratory) skill check. Any creature within 30 feet of the bard (including the bard himself) that is affected by an illusion (pattern) or illusion (figment) magical attack may use the bard's Perform check result in place of its saving throw if, after the saving throw is rolled, the Perform skill check proves to be higher. If a creature within range of the distraction is already under the effect of a noninstantaneous illusion (pattern) or illusion (figment) magical attack, it gains another saving throw against the effect each round it sees the distraction, but it must use the bard's Perform skill check result for the save. Distraction does not work on effects that don't allow saves. Distraction relies on visual components.
Fascinate (Su): At 1st level, a bard can use his performance to cause one or more creatures to become fascinated with him. Each creature to be fascinated must be within 90 feet, able to see and hear the bard, and capable of paying attention to him. The bard must also be able to see the creatures affected. The distraction of a nearby combat or other dangers prevents this ability from working. For every three levels the bard has attained beyond 1st, he can target one additional creature with this ability.
Each creature within range receives a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 the bard's level + the bard's Cha modifier) to negate the effect. If a creature's saving throw succeeds, the bard cannot attempt to fascinate that creature again for 24 hours. If its saving throw fails, the creature sits quietly and observes the performance for as long as the bard continues to maintain it. While fascinated, a target takes a –4 penalty on all skill checks made as reactions, such as Perception checks. Any potential threat to the target allows the target to make a new saving throw against the effect. Any obvious threat, such as someone drawing a weapon, casting a spell, or aiming a weapon at the target, automatically breaks the effect.
Fascinate is an enchantment (compulsion), mind-affecting ability. Fascinate relies on audible and visual components in order to function.
Inspire Courage (Su): A 1st-level bard can use his performance to inspire courage in his allies (including himself), bolstering them against fear and improving their combat abilities. To be affected, an ally must be able to perceive the bard's performance. An affected ally receives a +1 morale bonus on saving throws against charm and fear effects and a +1 competence bonus on attack and weapon damage rolls. At 5th level, and every six bard levels thereafter, this bonus increases by +1, to a maximum of +4 at 17th level. Inspire courage is a mind-affecting ability. Inspire courage can use audible or visual components. The bard must choose which component to use when starting his performance.
Defuse Tension (Su): At 3rd level, a court fool can use a silly performance to comfort a beleaguered ally. That ally must be within 30 feet and be able to see the court fool. The ally ignores the fatigued and shaken conditions (but not more extreme conditions, such as exhausted or frightened) as long as she continues to see the court fool’s performance. This performance affects one additional creature at 7th level and every 4 bard levels thereafter. A court fool can’t use defuse tension on himself. Defuse tension relies on visual components. This performance replaces inspire competence.
Suggestion (Sp): A bard of 6th level or higher can use his performance to make a suggestion (as per the spell) to a creature he has already fascinated (see above). Using this ability does not disrupt the fascinate effect, but it does require a standard action to activate (in addition to the free action to continue the fascinate effect). A bard can use this ability more than once against an individual creature during an individual performance.
Making a suggestion does not count against a bard's daily use of bardic performance. A Will saving throw (DC 10 + 1/2 the bard's level + the bard's Cha modifier) negates the effect. This ability affects only a single creature. Suggestion is an enchantment (compulsion), mind affecting, language-dependent ability and relies on audible components.
Dirge of Doom (Su): A bard of 8th level or higher can use his performance to foster a sense of growing dread in his enemies, causing them to become shaken. To be affected, an enemy must be within 30 feet and able to see and hear the bard's performance. The effect persists for as long as the enemy is within 30 feet and the bard continues his performance. This performance cannot cause a creature to become frightened or panicked, even if the targets are already shaken from another effect. Dirge of doom is a mind-affecting fear effect, and it relies on audible and visual components.
Versatile Performance (Ex): At 2nd level, a bard can choose one type of Perform skill. He can use his bonus in that skill in place of his bonus in associated skills. When substituting in this way, the bard uses his total Perform skill bonus, including class skill bonus, in place of its associated skill's bonus, whether or not he has ranks in that skill or if it is a class skill. At 6th level, and every 4 levels thereafter, the bard can select an additional type of Perform to substitute.
The types of Perform and their associated skills are: Act (Bluff, Disguise), Comedy (Bluff, Intimidate), Dance (Acrobatics, Fly), Keyboard Instruments (Diplomacy, Intimidate), Oratory (Diplomacy, Sense Motive), Percussion (Handle Animal, Intimidate), Sing (Bluff, Sense Motive), String (Bluff, Diplomacy), and Wind (Diplomacy, Handle Animal).
Well-Versed (Ex): At 2nd level, the bard becomes resistant to the bardic performance of others, and to sonic effects in general. The bard gains a +4 bonus on saving throws made against bardic performance, sonic, and language-dependent effects.
Caper and Jeer (Ex): At 5th level, a court fool can take 10 on Acrobatics and Bluff checks, even when in danger or distracted, and can use Bluff to create a diversion to hide (as per the Stealth skill) as a swift action. He can take 20 on an Acrobatics or Bluff check once per day, plus one time per 6 levels beyond 5th, even when in danger or distracted. This ability replaces lore master.
Medium: Half-orcs are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Normal Speed: Half-orcs have a base speed of 30 feet.
Dragon Sight: Half-orcs with this trait gain some of the keen senses of dragonkind. They have darkvision with a range of 120 feet. This replaces darkvision and intimidating.
Orc Blood: Half-orcs count as both humans and orcs for any effect related to race.
Sacred Tattoo: Many half-orcs decorate themselves with tattoos, piercings, and ritual scarification, which they consider sacred markings. Half-orcs with this racial trait gain a +1 luck bonus on all saving throws. This racial trait replaces orc ferocity.
Dimdweller: Characters with this trait are at home in gloomy conditions. Whenever these characters benefit from concealment or full concealment due to darkness or dim light, they gain a +2 racial bonus on Intimidate, Perception, and Stealth checks. Half-orcs can take this trait in place of weapon familiarity.
Favored Class: Bard
FCB : 1-3 +3 rounds bardic performance (1/2 Orc FCB), 4-8, 3 1st level spells known, 2 2nd level spell known
And speaking of equipment, no one spoke up when I asked who was keeping the loot sheet... So I presume this means that no one has been.
Elliander has updated his CS with the things he got from Soumral.
A quick look:
We sold the assassins' armor and weapons, but kept the potions and poison(?). (Elliander got one Blur)
We bought a Wand of Lesser Restoration (4,500gp) and got 650gp each to add to our character sheets.
The Vault:
Clockwork soldiers (2 Magical Halberds +1, 2x2000gp?)
Dark Depository?
Dark Depository:
Bone Golem: silver necklace that looks to be worth a fair amount of gold (750gp value)
Three arcane scrolls : Blight, Finger of Death and Soul Bind.
Cursed: Headband of Vast Intelligence +4, not fully identified
Who is carrying what? (I don't think Elliander is interested in these three scrolls.)
(Left three large iron tablets (too heavy to take with us) - Soul Bind, Energy Drain and Clone)
Have you updated your CS with what you got from Soumral?
Who claimed what of Soumral's GEAR/POSSESSIONS ?:
Magic Items
*Mask of the Forgotten Pharaoh* ---> Francis
Pearl of Power x2 ---> Francis
Cloak of Resistance +1
Feather Bird Token
Wayfinder ---> Elliander
Wand of Magic Missile (50 Charges)
Wand of Mage Armor (42 Charges)
Wand of Disrupt Undead (45 Charges)
Wand of Magic Missiles [CL 3] (4 charges) [0.0 lb.]
Wand of Scorching Ray (2 charges) [0.0 lb.] ---> Elliander
Scroll of Magic Missile (CL 5)
Scroll of Identify (CL 1)
Scroll of Levitate (CL 5)
Scroll of Burning Hands (CL 1)
Scroll of Flaming Sphere (CL 3) ---> Elliander
Scroll of Whispering Wind (CL 3)
Wayfinder ---> Devin
Ioun Stone (Dusty Rose Prism - Cracked) ---> Devin
Sleeves of Many Garments
Consumables
Potion: Endure Elements
Potion: Hide from Undead
Potion: Shield
Potion: Cure Light Wounds x3
Antiplague x1
Antitoxin x1 ---> Elliander
Alchemists Fire (1 Home)
Acid Flask (1 Home)
Lamp Oil x5 (3 Home)
Tindertwigs x3
Sunrod x2 1x ---> Elliander
Mundane
Cold Iron Dagger
Alchemical Silver Dagger
Hot Weather Outfit
Smoked Lens Spectacles
MWK Backpack
Bandolier ---> Elliander
Wrist Sheath
Waterskin
Grooming Kit (Home)
Salt Tablets (10) ---> Elliander
Bedroll (Home)
Belt Pouch x2
Notebook x2
Pen & Ink
Flint & Steel
Mess Kit (Home)
Soap (Home)
Spell Component Pouch x2
Chalk (5) ---> Elliander
Charcoal (5) ---> Elliander
Map Case & Sheets of Paper (15)
Rope, Hemp 50' (Home)
10" Reed Tube
Brushes x2
Rations (5 Days) (Home)
I looked back and saw that I invited folks to divvy up the loot from Soumral's character sheet. Please double check that you aren't claiming items twice. This would have been somewhere around February or March of this year. I thought you sold stuff around that same time, but other than the gear from the assassins I'm not seeing anything specific.
Normally I keep a pretty accurate loot list in the Campaign tab, but I'm not seeing anything... At this point, I'm going to assume that stuff somehow fell between the cracks.
The magical headband was cursed to seem like a +4 to INT, but was actually a -4 or something. Let's go ahead and say that, in addition to the stuff you want to claim from Soumral's character sheet, you can sell everything you've looted thus far and add an additional 2,000gp to each of your character sheets. Feel free to spend your gold to purchase magical items, as you can find whatever you want within reason here in Tephu.
Get your character sheets updated please, before posting to my next post in the adventure thread, which sees your party headed off into the desert.
Done.
I did make a couple 1st level wands, and switched out a couple of things. Bought a haversack so I can finally be at a light load. (barely)
I will be casting several long duration spells before going in to any dungeon, Undeath Sense and Tears to Wine, both 10 minutes/level, and Magic Vestment, and Magic Weapon-Greater, 1 hour/level.
Suggested Plan:
1.Find out where is the Parched Dunes and an approximate location of Chisisek's tomb.
Check: The GM has already helped us some to go on.
2. Find out how to get there.
Whether travel by camel for Tephu directly or if we can get to Crook River by boat first, it seems like we need camels. Do we have to bring them from Tephu or is it possible to acquire them on the way?
@GM West: Can we learn in Tephu if we must get the camels and all equipment there, or is it some kind of trading post we start from in the desert where we can gear up? (Magical stuff etc is probably best acquired in Tephu.)
3. Learn more about the desert conditions.
Francis protects us from heat. Does that mean we can have our usual armor etc.?
How to deal with water supply? Create water? Purification?
Dehydration: not only water, but salt tablets etc.?
@GM West: Do we have any idea for how long we’d expect to walk around in the desert? Days, weeks or months? How much supplies to bring (for us and camels)?
Protection from sandstorms? Proper clothing?
Will navigating in a desert be a problem? Any maps we can get? Compass needed?
I think we shall divide and bring Soumral’s wands, scrolls and potions&flasks.
I did not want to claim too much but let you have your pick too.
Elliander uses the Duskblade / Magus spell lists, so he knows Magic Missile, Disrupt Undead, Levitate, Burning Hands.
Does anyone know Mage Armor, Identify or Whispering Wind?
@Francis: You know Create Water, right? So, 2 gallons x 8 levels = 16 gallons (60 litres) per spell. That’s well enough for us five if we have containers, but not enough for five camels too. Camels can go 1-2 weeks though on a “full tank” (25+ gallons), so we need to fill’em up regularly from an additional water source or a couple of more spells spent on water now and then. Am I thinking right?
@GM West: Would we know if there’s only sand/stone in the desert, or enough grass somewhere to feed the camels?
I agree with Francis, getting a Haversack might indeed be a good thing. I’m getting one too as I don’t want to load everything on a camel I don’t know how to handle. :)
I’m buying a compass and can take the following items from Soumral’s gear to better keep track of the vast desert:
Notebook, Pen & Ink, Map Case & Sheets of Paper (15) (unless someone else wants to do it?)
Anyone with Handle Animals skill?
Would we want to hire some local (NPC) to help us with the camels if not also acting as a local guide? Trust issue or it would just complicate the story?
Lots of good questions!
The map I've provided is what you know - which isn't much. Taking the river is certainly possible, to a point anyway. I'd have to change your location on the map. But... no way you get camels on a boat with a shallow enough draft for river travel. You'd be on foot once you disembark, with a lot of trackless miles to cover.
You know there are hills and badlands to be found at the mouth of the river, as well as sand dunes further north mixed in with some stony ground. It's not all sandy desert, but its mostly sandy desert.
The hills and badlands might have some grasses and such for the camels to graze on, but you simply don't know. Not many folk travel into that area of the desert, at least not in recent times.
All equipment will have to be purchased in Tephu. You aren't likely to find much out there unless you happen onto a merchant caravan or something, which is possible at an oasis. There may or may not be one of those where you're headed, as they sometimes dry up and then come back again over time.
Again, travel time depends on how you're going - on foot or by camel. and how lucky you get in finding what you're looking for. Figure you're looking at a journey of at least a couple weeks, and maybe a month or more if you have bad luck and/or are on foot.
Wearing armor will impose penalties if you are forced to make CON saves to avoid heat exhaustion. That's about all I can tell you. Obviously magic will give you an advantage if you use Endure Elements, as you won't have to worry about making those saves whether you're in robes or wearing plate mail armor. Of course, there are sandstorms and quicksand to think about...
I think we should travel by river as much as we can, then on foot. I'll switch out a couple of my 1st level spell slots to save charges on the wands, trying to stretch them out to a month or more. That should help for the heat. Yes I have the Create Water orison, so water won't be an issue. Create Food and Water is third level so food shouldn't be an issue either. The party probably should carry enough food and water to survive if Francis dies....
How about flying for aerial reconnaissance? I can cast Air Walk. Duration 10 minutes/level. For a quick look I could summon a lantern archon. Only lasts for 1 round/level, but intelligent, can fly and teleport itself at will to take a quick glance around, then report back.
As for sand storms? Web Shelter might help. ?? And several folks should probably have a coil of silk rope.
Ok, do we have anyone who has skills in either survival or Handle animal (or Ride). Devin has none of the above, and if we are to use camels, we need handle animal if they are pack animals, and ride if we are to be mounted... With respect to staying alive and navigating in the desert, survival is the skill...
If the answer is no, we don't have these skills, do we want to hire a guide?
I am great at Survival. I do not deal with animals.
OK, waiting for Amenhep to have a chance to comment.
Seems like none of us are very good at handling animals (Trained Only skill!), so we might have to do without camels.
If we buy camels, we must do so in Tephu and ride from there; GM: no camels in any boat.
If we go without camels, we can just start where the GM drops us off and likely don’t need any NPC to help us (?)
Again, take a look at Soumral’s gear.
Camping outdoors in a desert. Warm day, chillier night?
I guess we need bedroll, blanket etc.
What about tents? Two medium-size tents will host 2x2 persons + 1 keeping watch ?
Magical shelter like Rope Trick, anyone?
@Francis: Would you prepare Web Shelter? “Effect 5 ft.–10 ft. diameter web sphere or 5 ft.–20 ft. hemisphere”, would that be enough for at least four of us? (I guess so.)
Cooking? Even if Francis might help us with food: Do we think we need to bring pots etc? Will we be able to hunt anything or just rely on bringing a lot of rations?
Comments?
I am handwaving you getting to the starting spot, camels or not. If you go by river, I'll adjust your starting point accordingly.
I don't want to bog things down to much here with the overland travel thing. It's meant to add some interesting spice to the adventure, but not to drag it into the quicksand and mire it.
You can hire a guide in Tephu to help with the camels, though the charge is going to be high considering the risk. Probably 100gp/week would cover it. You can Ride camels without a roll UNLESS something happens that requires a roll. Combat for sure, trying to outrun a sandstorm or monsters, trying to get free of quicksand, etc. Anything that is stressful, in other words. You can make untrained Ride checks, of course.
The guide can do the Handle Animal checks to keep the dromedaries moving along. Figure his/her skill modifier would be +8 or so. In fact, I'd allow that hiring a guide would presume he'd outfit you for travel to the degree that you'd be well prepared for the harsh desert. I'd guess that doing so would cost you an additional 250gp or so, allowing you to survive for a few months in the desert - though again, a magical way of getting water would be required.
If someone can cast Rope Trick, that would be better then tents.
The Web Shelter as a Hemisphere should work, if there is a way to get in and out anyway.
It would be best if we could magic up most of our food. Carrying the weight of food there and back could be pretty heavy. I can provide food and water pretty consistently for myself and one other person. So if we try and bring our foodstuff, I can supplement it.
I already have a bedroll as well.
With Create Water that shouldn't be a problem, and Create Food and Water makes enough food for "food and water to sustain three humans or one horse/level for 24 hours". Create Water creates 2 gallons/level per casting.
I added Web Shelter to my prepared spells. If we notice a sand storm coming we just get in and lock the doors. The sand might bury it. But I think we should be able to dig out once the storm is past us. Rope Trick would be better, but we don't have a wizard with us.
I'd say hiring a guide would be a good idea. But not the camels. Might need to have 2 web shelters?
So, Nevitash is the only one with good Survival skills and we all suck at handling camels. :)
A guide would cost us 100gp/week + 250 gp to equip us? Do we need one if we don’t have camels? If we can sustain ourselves, the need to find an oasis (for example) is less.
Francis will have to carry the responsibility to supply and protect us. Stock up with wands if necessary to handle healing too.
How is the Create Water supposed to work? You create 8x2=16 gallons of water all at one(?) time of day, and we’d better have enough waterskins to fill up at that time, or is it possible to tap into that amount a little at any time during the day?
Elliander’s magic is more for attacking. Not much help with Survival issues, I’m afraid. He has bought a Haversack though and can carry one medium tent and rations as back-up to Francis’s magic. He has a Silk Rope.
With Knowledge [Geography]: = +5 and a compass, he might help draw a map to better cover the desert.
@Devin: Do you have any spells & tricks to help us against the natural desert hazards?
Create Water is an Orison. I can cast it every round of the day, creating 16 gallons each time. Until Pharasma stops me I could work to flood the desert....
Love the discussions! And the idea of flooding a desert using a cantrip... :D
So I am taking a road trip to Colorado and AZ on Saturday, and will be gone through October 7th, roughly two and a half weeks or so. I'm unlikely to post with the remainder of this week, as I'm trying to finish up stuff at work and home to leave everything behind for a bit. I'd imagine I'll be busy getting back too, so I'm going to figure I'll make my next post on the weekend of October 11th.
I'll have a laptop and internet access now and then, but unless I'm mired in bad weather with nothing better to do (i.e. head out and enjoy the scenery) I don't anticipate posting anything substantial during that time. I might be able to answer questions though, or post something minor between now and then. We'll have to see.
Thanks in advance for your patience folks, and we will resume this adventure very soon!
Have a fun trip.
OK, to move things along I attend to:
Buy:
-Medium sized tent
-Hot Weather Outfit
From the rest of Soumral’s equipment, I´ll stuff my Handy Haversack additionally with:
Belt Pouch
Potion: Endure Elements
Potion: Hide from Undead
Potion: Shield
Potion: Cure Light Wounds x3
Antiplague x1
Alchemists Fire
Acid Flask
Lamp Oil x5
Sunrod x1
Waterskin
Bedroll
Rations (5 Days)
Wand of Magic Missile (50 Charges)
Wand of Mage Armor (42 Charges)
Wand of Disrupt Undead (45 Charges)
Scroll of Magic Missile (CL 5)
Scroll of Identify (CL 1)
Scroll of Levitate (CL 5)
Scroll of Burning Hands (CL 1)
Scroll of Whispering Wind (CL 3)
I will carry her Wand of Magic Missiles [CL 3] (4 charges) [0.0 lb.] in my pocket.
I already have a Silk Rope. What about you? How much rope do we need? Bring Soumral’s hemp rope too?
Anyone wants to take her :
Cold Iron Dagger
Alchemical Silver Dagger
Smoked Lens Spectacles ?
I do not need any of those items. We can just sell them and split the profits.
Francis will take the daggers, and cast Masterwork Transformation on them.
The party travels during the morning hours, just as dawn paints the eastern horizon a lovely shade of pink and then again in the evening, as the sun sinks into the west with another blaze of beautiful colors. Midday is spent resting in whatever shade the heroes can make for themselves, so that they avoid the sun that blazes unmercifully down upon them from directly above. Thanks to Francis' magic, they are able to endure the awful heat of the day, and again the cleric's magic gives them plenty of water to drink. But still, traveling through the desert beneath that blazing sun tests their endurance.
They head roughly northwest and take their time searching the sandy plains for signs of a hidden, or perhaps even buried, pyramid. But the adventurers find nothing for the efforts, and the first pinpricks of despair begin to creep into their souls. There is so much land to search, and the tomb may be quite obvious or it may indeed be difficult, if not impossible to find. Have the centuries and the harsh desert environment concealed it entirely? There is no way to know, and they can trust only to their gods, to luck, and their own survival skills to find out...
Should we move this to gameplay?
I will put a line on the map for suggested route.