DM Joseph Rauel's Crypt of the Everflame into Home-Brew

Game Master Dm Joseph Rauel

Wasn't the shadow 5' back from the position it is now? I may have missed it, but I could swear Herskor was not in melee reach.

It had moved away, but with Kevan moving around the fire 2 rounds ago it moved back up

Has the other group reached the Shadow yet? Are they doing any better than us? :D

They have not. This battle has been a hot mess because I only missed 1 attack and all of my rolls for the STR damage as been 4 or more. Mostly 5s.

I will say that it is okay to run... lol.

Was planning on attacking and moving, but it is not possible, right?

You can attack and move. Moving through ally's squares is safe. Also, you would move into a square that grants you cover so there would be no AoO for attacking and moving.

GM, if you're feeling nice, and if there's a square available at the end of the turn, Felix will take a 5 foot step towards the hallway.

If Herskor does the above, you could 5-foot step into his square.

With the fight against the shadow going completely sideways, Aldmus is rethinking his career decisions. Like, maybe he should have gone into farming. Or perhaps taxidermy...

I cannot believe just HOW badly we're rolling...

@Aldmus Really sorry to hear that, thoughts with you and their family and friends. I hope you’re all doing as best you can in terrible circumstances.

@Aldmus: I am sorry for your loss. My condolences to you and the family.

My condolences. May God comfort you and his family during this time.

Urgh. Meant to post that here in the discussion area. Sorry

Sorry to hear that, Aldmus. My condolences.

Take care, Aldmus.

Thanks, guys.
I'm ok, overall. Just really down...but it'll be ok.

Will be here, but there's likely to be a delay of a day or so from me on responses. A friend of mine who's been battling cancer for some time passed away today. Not a complete surprise, but still upsetting, obviously.

@Aldmus I am so sorry to hear this. I will be praying for you and their family.

I am sorry I've been away. I have had 2 sick kids. passing around ear infections and strep has been a blast. I will get a post up today/this evening.

No rush, DM. Everyone in my house is just getting over another round too.

Sorry to hear it DM JR. No rush, and hope everyone is on the mend.

The only people who can only do a single move action is Aldmus & Jhessa and that is because they are nauseated. The room is “filled with smoke” but mechanically only breaks down to a -4 perception per the adventure.
@Herskor I am going to move you since you said you wanted to attack and move.
@felix I am going to 5-ft step you since you said you were going to move there once Herskor moves.
@Esgean total defensed but not moved? TD is only a standard. If you
@Kevan You can take a second move action and where you are would not provoke an AoO so I will go ahead and move you, that might change things for Esgean, maybe not.

I hope the above is okay with everyone.

@Herskor I am going to move you since you said you wanted to attack and move.

Thanks!

The only people who can only do a single move action is Aldmus & Jhessa and that is because they are nauseated. The room is “filled with smoke” but mechanically only breaks down to a -4 perception per the adventure.

@Herskor I am going to move you since you said you wanted to attack and move.
@felix I am going to 5-ft step you since you said you were going to move there once Herskor moves.
@Esgean total defensed but not moved? TD is only a standard. If you
@Kevan You can take a second move action and where you are would not provoke an AoO so I will go ahead and move you, that might change things for Esgean, maybe not.

I hope the above is okay with everyone.

Esgean is anchoring the shadow while Felix runs.

Excellent. Can’t move the tokens when i’m on the phone.

Hey GM, I screwed up. Felix has an active smite against the shadow, which increases his AC against it by 2, and while I mentioned that when I first activated smite, I didn't make any notation of it in my header (until just now). That round 6 strike that sapped 5 points of Felix' strength would have missed.

Not sure that a full on retcon is necessary to reconcile this, but maybe he recovers those 5 points faster?

Or if the shadow is going to chase us, maybe he recovers it immediately? :)

You would be correct if it was going against your standard AC. Unfortunately (ooc) its attack is a touch attack.

You would be correct if it was going against your standard AC. Unfortunately (ooc) its attack is a touch attack.

Ah, you're right. It's a deflection bonus, not some sort of divine everything bonus.

Well, I've never played a character with 4 Strength before.

It looks like on the map Esgean moved into the room? I am not sure if this is correct so Esgean needs to respond to one of the two choices as she is the final one in the room. We need to do that before rounds can move on.

Everyone outside of the room can make free action comments

I moved where I thought I could to keep the shadow's AOO off Felix and keep it from chasing him. If the avenue for escape is open now I'll take it.

Any ideas about what to do? Best-case, we need a week to heal Felix. IC, Esgean would not want to spend that time inside a dungeon where the shadow still roams, but the ravine is not a good option either. Side adventure to travel to find healing?

Heal with a full day of rest can recover 4 ability score points. That's three days for Felix.

Felix isn't going to want to leave the dungeon without finding Dimira, first. You guys will have to make a strong argument for that.

As things currently stand the door into that room is still open and you do not see the shadow following. You are unsure what that means, if anything, but it currently isn't following.

Each night you rest you gain 1 stat point back, 2 if someone gives aid. But, that person can only give long term care to 1 person. Same thing with the full days rest like Kevan suggested.

Leaving the tomb and heading back is an option that is talked about in the module if that is what the party wants, but it doesn't seem like Felix is onboard.

Side note for the other table, they just got to this room. Half went back to the chamber to rest while 2 went to sneak into that chamber...

the patient recovers hit points or ability score points (lost to ability damage) at twice the normal rate: 2 hit points per level for a full 8 hours of rest in a day, or 4 hit points per level for each full day of complete rest; 2 ability score points for a full 8 hours of rest in a day, or 4 ability score points for each full day of complete rest.

This is what long term care provides if someone has it. This means not just a nights rest but sit on our butts for a whole day but with Felix at what, 6 STR, and Kevin at a 5, we need some lay down and don't move type of days.

You can give long term care to up to six people at a time. Assuming you can take 10 on the check (DC 15) - and I can’t immediately see why not - then Jhessa should be able to look after everyone as per Kevan’s post and gain back 4 ability score points for a complete 24 hours of rest.

You can give long term care to up to six people at a time.

Oh man that is my bad. Some where down the road I had learn/was told that it was only 1 on 1. This is why it's important to read the books saying it as I look in the mirror. Thank you for the correction in that Jhessa, that will really help the party in their current situation.

OOC Game Talk

It looks like you guys are going to be resting for a little bit. Thanks to Kevan's information, and with Jhessa's Heal Check for long term care, It would take 2 full days to get everyone except Felix back to normal. It would take a 3rd day to get Felix back to normal.

How many days would you like to take? 1 - 2 - 3?

It seems that there is going to be some down time, once your character is back to normal (Esgean/Aldmus after 1 full day (or 2 nights) | Herskor/Kevan after 2 full days) what would they like to do?

Esgean mentioned going out and hunting so the group could have meat instead of rations.
The bodies are starting to gain an odor, maybe take them out and bury them and forming a cairn?

other "downtime in a tomb" ideas...

If we are going to recover as quickly as possible, day one should be nothing. Everyone on bed rest other than Jhessa who will be giving full time care to five people. Although we often hand wave it, I would think we feel like crap, particularly Felix who is down to the strength of a child. After the first full day someone could go hunting of those who have recovered but I think it would be best if they just started out on watch. For what it matters, Kevan takes to bed rest very well.

I think Kevan has the right of it. Right now some people are probably struggling to even carry their gear. It’s not an ideal situation but I think it’s probably the most viable option.

as per Kevan’s post and gain back 4 ability score points for a complete 24 hours of rest.

Character Status: -2 HP -3 Str Esgean | -3 HP -6 Str Herskor | -4 Str Aldmus | -5 Str Kevan | -12 Str Felix

After 1 day of rest we'd have:

-2 Str Herskor | -1 Str Kevan | -8 Str Felix

And after 2 days:

-4 Str Felix

I can't justify taking the 3rd day, not knowing what could be happening to that poor, imaginary girl.

Hi. Back.
Impromptu trip out of town for funeral stuff. (Not THAT far, but enough that we stayed overnight). Just got back.

Will post later today.

Okay, I am going to fast forward two days.

Day 1 everyone rest.
Day 2 those who need to have more healing will rest while others have a downtime day. Esgean/Rejke hunt. If you do anything different or more from what I post, please feel free to roll any appropriate rolls and also feel free to RP anything that you would want to

@GM - All fine with me.

@Aldmus - Hope it went as well as it could have done.

Hey all, sorry for the delay. We had 2 ice days and the schools were closed meaning everyone was home and it was crazy. Today is back to the norm and I will have a post up shortly.

Okay, I am going to fast forward two days.

Day 1 everyone rest.
Day 2 those who need to have more healing will rest while others have a downtime day. Esgean/Rejke hunt. If you do anything different or more from what I post, please feel free to roll any appropriate rolls and also feel free to RP anything that you would want to

I missed this or didn't read it, but I put my comments in gameplay as to the rest days. I don't know what time it was when we encountered the shadow. Mid-day? I think that makes a difference.

Felix made a comment in gameplay when we encountered the shadow and he's said as much again in his latest post: we're just not effectively maintaining party order as we go. Pbp is what it is, but for the purposes of not getting out of step the next time we run into something, can it be assumed that we are always proceeding in marching order when possible? That way GM can update the map accordingly if one or more of us is unable to post in a timely fashion.

Shoud we revise our single-file order? Kevan - Felix - Herskor - Esgean/Rejke - Jhessa - Aldmus?

The first night would have been after we were all hurt by the shadow. Are you saying that there was a full day between the Shadow encounter and that first night? Otherwise 2 full days would require 3 nights. It's a difference of 10 Goodberries for me which is a good haul, and 1 point of Str. I'd like to have taken that last full day of rest and not start off again in the middle of the day.

Since you're underground and no real concept of time, and everyone would have been well worn out, right then was the first "day/night" "24 hour period" when everyone crashed. Jhessa treating everyone throughout and sleeping where she could.

It would only have caused Esgean to not go hunting the second time, which if that is critically important to the character then would she fight Felix on him needing to rest the extra day even if he doesn't want to? On the start of day 3 everyone would have been getting ready to go as Esgean would have wanted to go hunting.

Felix made a comment in gameplay when we encountered the shadow and he's said as much again in his latest post: we're just not effectively maintaining party order as we go. Pbp is what it is, but for the purposes of not getting out of step the next time we run into something, can it be assumed that we are always proceeding in marching order when possible? That way GM can update the map accordingly if one or more of us is unable to post in a timely fashion.

Shoud we revise our single-file order? Kevan - Felix - Herskor - Esgean/Rejke - Jhessa - Aldmus?

I will use that most of the time, but there are cases where a PC might not do the lead, they might stay back or not go in at all. I will always ask what the character would do at the end of my postings.

Thanks for the clarification, GM. Esgean has on intention of arm wrestling Felix over his desire to push ahead.

Thanks for the clarification, GM. Esgean has on intention of arm wrestling Felix over his desire to push ahead.

Felix' effective strength is currently the same as yours!

Felix made a comment in gameplay when we encountered the shadow and he's said as much again in his latest post: we're just not effectively maintaining party order as we go.

Just so I don't seem too passive aggressive, I did also bring it up in the Discussion thread. I'm taking it more as an opportunity for roleplay, and Felix may bring it up later if it seems like someone squishy is about to dart into an unknown situation again.

You were right to bring it up - no passive-aggressiveness detected.

How's my proposal for the revised single-file order look to you?

Order looks fine to me.

Shoud we revise our single-file order? Kevan - Felix - Herskor - Esgean/Rejke - Jhessa - Aldmus?

Initially we had decided to keep Herskor at the back to 'guard' our rear, but I am also ok with this option. This way I can offer more support to Felix up front.

Hey all, this week has been crazy. My mom continued her chemo treatment then my dad is in the hospital since 10a yesterday. I will have a post up today.

No worries, DM. Do what you've got to do.

So, Esgan cast clw on the skeleton Felix finished off, but GM maybe had her do it to the skeleton Rejke finished off. I'm moving in this post based on Esgan's post of her action.

That's true. My interpretation is that Jhessa imbued Felix' attack with positive energy and he did enough damage to destroy it so it's a kill without having to waste a CLW on it. GM graciously applied Esgean's damage to the other skeleton.

That is totally my bad. I misread what it you posted. We can retcon it, but if everyone is okay with my error in favor of the party let's just keep it as is.

Always feel free to let me know if I make a wrong ruling or if I am not following a rule as it is supposed to be. Running games on the boards has shown me many rules that my old in person group were running wrong. All we can do is keep learning and growing as players/DMs every time we roll the dice.