[GameDay XII] DM Carbide's CORE Tide of Morning (0-23) (Inactive)

Game Master John Woodford

"The one we didn't see spoke of someone whose warriors the misguided attackers inside were, what it was? Cyl... Cyflymder or something like that? Would Hemzel hava quarrel with someone with a name like that?" Miriel tries to remember what the voice said.

Diplomacy Aid Gwendolyn: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24

Unfortunately, the hut is nearly a total loss even though the party was able to keep the fire from spreading, so Keynala's reference to destroyed evidence does not impress them. With Miriel's help, though, Gwendolyn is able to get the gnomes a little calmer...they're no longer hostile.

With Miriel's Diplomacy skill, she automatically aids another. One more try to get them on board!

"I am willing to prove my goodwill in any way you deem appropriate. First, I would invite you to see poor Hemzel, and confirm that his wounds don't match our weapons. Also, whatever rituals you would perform as final goodbyes, I will help. I beg you to give us a chance", Miriel continues trying to make friends with the gnomes.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15

”Please, we are not your enemy.”

Diplomacy Aid: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (7) - 2 = 5

”I mean really. Why would we want to harm this person none of us even know?”

Diplomacy aid 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17

Gwendolyn?

Hera again demands to know "WHOO!?" they are talking to.

”Please, we are not your enemy.”

Gwen turns to Keynala and says "No. Really don't do that." and gives Hera who is perched painfully on her shoulder the look (you know the one).

Hera turns her head a full 180° away from the look.

Gwen turns back to the gnomes and clapping her hands together says with a hopeful smile "So are you going to help?"

She says it while looking pointedly around at all the destruction "Or are you just going to stand there in your colorful pointy hats directing traffic away from the site?"

diplomacy (recipient of multiple aid): 1d20 + 8 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 8 + 4 = 22

Why do you think they're the sorts of gnomes who wear pointy hats? They don't look like they hang out in gardens.

The gnomes finally see reason, or something like that. "I suppose it was Cyflymder who did it. Wretched little fey's been agitating practically forever, but I never thought he'd go this far. I'm sorry--Hemzel was an old friend, and I didn't think." The leader addresses Miriel. "I appreciate the offer, but we'll see him off in our own way. Oh, and if you're planning to go after Cyflymder, this may help." He hands over a fully charged wand of cure light wounds.

With that, they take the druid's body and begin some sort of preparations. Which is to say, they're still close enough to talk to if you have questions, but they aren't interfering with anything else you're doing.

Examining the sheaf of papers from the hut, they appear to be written in a shorthand that's part Common and part another language none of you know. The Common word for lorestone appears in several places.

Anyone with a comprehend languages spell can read it easily; otherwise, it's going to take Linguistics checks to decipher it.

Why do you think they're the sorts of gnomes who wear pointy hats? They don't look like they hang out in gardens.

There wasn't much of a description given, so I went with the gnomes I gnow. ;)

The gnomes finally see reason, or something like that. "I suppose it was Cyflymder who did it."

Oh, no! They're Welsh....

"Wretched little fey's been agitating practically forever, but I never thought he'd go this far. I'm sorry--Hemzel was an old friend, and I didn't think." The leader addresses Miriel. "I appreciate the offer, but we'll see him off in our own way. Oh, and if you're planning to go after Cyflymder, this may help." He hands over a fully charged wand of cure light wounds.

Gwendolyn looks it over very professionally and asks "Great! What's the command phrase?" Probably something "easy" to pronounce like 'Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.'

Examining the sheaf of papers from the hut, they appear to be written in a shorthand that's part Common and part another language none of you know. The Common word for lorestone appears in several places.

"No time for code-breaking." Gwen pulls a wand from her handy bag and twirls it about and says "Rosetta Stone." activating the magic and allowing her to comprehend (languages) the script.

Not sure how long it will take to read this way, but she recounts the major talking points as she encounters them to the rest of the party.

Nala listens intently to the translator, ”Well, our task was to help Hemdal. And it seems the one way left to do that is to protect the lorestone, which is probably on that island to the north. I say we leave quickly.”

I laughed at the welsh stuff, nice.

It's written out that way, but it's pronounced "smith."

"They are remarkably useful", Miriel comments about the gnomes' wand as she puts her own one back into her belt.

"We should probably hurry, as they will destroy the lorestone as soon as they can. Can you tell us anything that could be of use? This Cyflymder is a fey, but do you happen to know anything more, that could aid us in our mission? What kind of mischievious tricks are coming our way?" she asks the gnomes.

The gnome leader provides directions to the druid circle. "It's a cursed place for anyone but druids, but I expect you being on Hemzel's business will help."

"If they are going to destroy the lorestone, we should hurry to prevent that from happening. Is everyone healthy, and prepared for whatever challenges may come in our way?"

Miriel checks once more that her every possession is in its place, and seems ready to head to the druid circle.

Nala nods, "I am prepared for the trek. There are things I will do once we get to the lake, but I am ready for now."

__________________

She waits until they head out to raise the following question, "Gwendolyn and Malon, I saw you looking at some found potions, a scroll and a necklace. What were they and will they be useful to us in stopping these fey?"

My suggestion would be Nala take the Necklace for +1 Natural Armor. Miriel take the Barkskin potion for 30 minutes of +2 Natural Armor. Malon take the Bear's Endurance potion for 3 minutes of +4 Con (increased HP and Fort Save for a low PC out of tier). And Miriel take the scroll since she can cast it with a very low CL check. I am also cool with alternate suggestions on the loot.

Most of the party has low-light vision, and the one who doesn't has an owl familiar, so there are no issues with a night march (except for a minor incident where you cross paths with another old Pathfinder who's apparently sleepwalking and being followed by another team). The thick trees, brush, and brambles of the Verduran Forest finally give way to a glassy lake with a small tree-studded island just thirty feet offshore. An improvised bridge of mossy logs stretches toward the island from the near shore, though some of the trunks have tipped nearly vertical into the water, leaving gaps along the makeshift bridge.

Map forthcoming.

Nala nods, "I am prepared for the trek. There are things I will do once we get to the lake, but I am ready for now."

__________________

She waits until they head out to raise the following question, "Gwendolyn and Malon, I saw you looking at some found potions, a scroll and a necklace. What were they and will they be useful to us in stopping these fey?"

My suggestion would be Nala take the Necklace for +1 Natural Armor. Miriel take the Barkskin potion for 30 minutes of +2 Natural Armor. Malon take the Bear's Endurance potion for 3 minutes of +4 Con (increased HP and Fort Save for a low PC out of tier). And Miriel take the scroll since she can cast it with a very low CL check. I am also cool with alternate suggestions on the loot.

Gwen explains the items Miriel fished out of the fire to everyone. and then watches as Keynala hands all the items to everyone else.

"Gee. Thanks...." she says ironically.

Nala replies sweetly while she pulls out a wand, ”You are very welcome. Would you or anyone else like to try to use a hit of this wand of longstrider?”

Need to have it on your spell list or UMD it. +10 to speed for 1 hour.

She activates it upon herself and hands it to anyone who says yes. Then the ranger pulls out another wand, ”And this one is jump, I can give the spell to everyone as we hop across those logs.”

+10 to acrobatics to jump for 1 minute.

First off, Gwen ushers everyone about 60' away from the log bridge and back into what I am assuming is all difficult terrain on this side of the stream, for their planning session.

Nala replies sweetly while she pulls out a wand, ”You are very welcome. Would you or anyone else like to try to use a hit of this wand of longstrider?”

Need to have it on your spell list or UMD it. +10 to speed for 1 hour.

"What's the command phrase?"

Hera, I need a low altitude recon, while we straighten out all of our magical sticks. Here take this with you for trouble." she holds out a wibbly-wobbly bag of goo, a tanglefoot bag to the owl. "And remember there's someone invisible out there... or standing right next to us."

Gwen casts mage armor on Hera (assuming that it's been at least 5 hours since the last encounter--otherwise the spell is still active on the owl, but I'll assume it's been a 5-hour+ walk). Regardless she casts invisibility on her familiar.

She goes to take a long, slow drag off of Keynala's wand when she remembers she has a pair of scrolls of expeditious retreat in her handy bag.

Make you go twice as fast for a minute/10 rds. Like the wand of longstrider the target is 'you' and you need to have it on your PC's spell list or make a UMD check to get the effect.

She looks at the heavily armed and armored Miriel and considers....

So Gwen has a few spells that might come in handy here for baiting out an ambush and/or helping get in unnoticed. She packs minor image which could be used to make a pretend party crossing the logs ahead of us, and invisibility, which could make us all invisible (duh) and lasts for 3-5 minutes. Thoughts?

The invisible owl moves silently off to the mission objective with her surprise package to recon the area.

When Gwen casts invisibility it has a 5-minute duration. mage armor lasts for hours.

Nala follows the group back and shrugs, ”Its a wand, you just swish it around and stuff happens. At least for me.”

She squints at all the planning, ”I’m sorry, I’ve never been with a group that really planned for things or was prepared, so this is unusual. I do like the illusion idea. Then maybe hide one or two of us with invisibility for an element of surprise. I am also really good at swimming, if you want me to come in from a different direction.

"Having a plan is a really novel idea, just for the unusual experience it might be interesting. I am not that bad at sneaking, it's just that the metal armor is producing an unfriendly amount of noise. But, maybe if you can lend me a touch of the same protection Hera got, I could stay here behind a well-formed bush and engage enemies fooled by illusions with my bow." Miriel agrees the general sentiment.

Taking off the breastplate and with mage armor Miriel would have AC of 17, only drop of 2. Stealth would be at +7. Making us all invisible would take a ton of castings, but if Miriel sneaks and Nala dives we would save some magic.

Miriel can cast Protection from Evil on herself or someone else to increase AC by 2 for 2 minutes.

Oh, and the lesser restoration is 1st level spell for paladin, so she can use them without any checks.

Malon took the offered potion and stood by silently as the others prepared. He planned on bringing up the rear in any case so he didn’t ask for more protective magicks.

Nala follows the group back and shrugs, ”Its a wand, you just swish it around and stuff happens. At least for me.”

Gwen takes a moment to explain how magical spell-triggers work and the vocal components required to the rustic ranger. It had been the topic of a school thesis.

”Oh, I didn’t know that. I usually just lightly sing an elven lullaby for all my wands. It must be one of those words. I never made the connection. I wonder if it is the same word for each wand or a different one?”

Hera scans the area for anything resembling the stone, or foes.

If she can she just takes 10 on perception for 20 a whole bunch of times. Alternatively, I could make a lot of rolls.

"Having a plan is a really novel idea, just for the unusual experience it might be interesting. I am not that bad at sneaking, it's just that the metal armor is producing an unfriendly amount of noise. But, maybe if you can lend me a touch of the same protection Hera got, I could stay here behind a well-formed bush and engage enemies fooled by illusions with my bow." Miriel agrees the general sentiment.

Taking off the breastplate and with mage armor Miriel would have AC of 17, only drop of 2. Stealth would be at +7. Making us all invisible would take a ton of castings, but if Miriel sneaks and Nala dives we would save some magic.

Miriel can cast Protection from Evil on herself or someone else to increase AC by 2 for 2 minutes.

Oh, and the lesser restoration is 1st level spell for paladin, so she can use them without any checks.

It would probably be best if none of us had to haul ourselves out of the water and then have stand up from prone to fight effectively (the water would slow even a good swimmer down dramatically).

Gwen can swing a mage armor though if Miriel doesn't want to risk the logs encumbered.

Before we do anything though Gwen would like to hear back from our scout. ;)

I wasn't thinking about the water, more about stealthing if we go with the illusion route. Though, with 0 ranks in swim it sounds nicer to get rid of the -4 the armor gives. So, gladly taking a swing.

Miriel removes her armor to allow better movement. "It does protect quite well, but you cannot avoid the obvious problem of the encumbrance."

She puts the armor and her backpack on a dry, safe spot, and readies her bow.

There are a couple of human-sized figures in the stone circle, and there are rocks on the ground. There's also something fairly large just under the water near the log bridge.

Does Hera know what the lorestone looks like?

Noticing the elf taking off her armor Nala remarks, "Don't forget the potion, that will help. Not make you more sneaky though, just less unarmored."

And since she can't possibly see or notice an invisible tiny stealthy owl leave or return, she just waits too see what plan is decided upon.

Does Hera know what the lorestone looks like?

As far as I know, no-one on the team knows what it looks like, though if they did Hera would certainly have been informed. I suppose if she sees a decorative stone on a sacrificial altar she might assume that's the lorestone.

Upon hearing the owl's report, Gwen suggests folks stay out of the water until it is cleared of threats, or that those threats are at least quantified.

Where abouts are the "underwater lump" and the people she saw on the other side? Everything beyond this depends a bit upon this info.

Gwen readies to cast an illusion from cover covering the highlighted area on the map as soon as folks are ready. Leading up that she tosses some magic upon Miriel (mage armor) and possibly invisibility (probably from her CL 3 wand) if she wants to get in close to deal with whatever might be guarding the bridge since shooting in watery cover is quite hard going by the aquatic combat rules.

Did anyone want to move faster by between 10' or 30' via scrolls or wands? Lemme/Nala know who needs what before we go.

Then she projects an image of herself moving through the undergrowth sneaking carefully across the bridge, her boots sounding upon the wood.

She secrets herself behind a tree (as now indicated on the map).

Hera hangs out invisibly in the tree above with her tanglefoot bag.

Nala will sneak up behind a tree to see what happens with the illusion. She has her shield and a javelin out.

Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

"Oh, right, the potion!" Miriel says, digs it out and drinks it.

How convenient, now AC matches the status line.

She takes a spot behind a tree a bit behind, bow ready in her hand.

You took all the trees on the map. But, longbow has quite a range, so maybe there's more outside the map?

Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

Malon pulls his magic missile wand and tries to scurry behind a tree as well.

Stealth 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Once in the dense foliage, Hera realizes that the two snakes she thought were normal forest creatures are actually large enough to potentially pose a threat to the party. There are a lot of nocturnal animals about, and I presume that the owl doesn't report on all of them unless they look dangerous. It's also clearer that the object underwater is a freshwater crocodile. Finally, Gwendolyn concludes from Hera's description of the bridge that there are more ropes on it than would strictly be necessary to hold parts of it together, and some of the ropes extend up into the canopy.

More to come later, probably Wednesday evening--I still have a session to complete for the conference tomorrow, and there's a dinner after we wrap up tomorrow night.

Gwendolyn's image squishes across the log bridge, and when the illusion reaches the middle the snakes drop from the canopy and bite at it.

Does anyone want to act?

Malon is content letting the surprises reveal themselves before he puts himself at risk.

Nala will wait for the illusion master to decide when their trap should be sprung.

Readying an Action to throw her javelin at the nearest attacker (probably west snake) when an ally attacks or gives the signal to attack.

"Fortunately for us, snakes and crocodiles are natural enemies." ;)

Gwen let's the illusion play out letting the false Gwens dissappear into the trees on the other side. Then, she casts mirror image on herself again before racing out to deal with the creatures with another cone of rainbow dazzle (Will DC 16) if any two of them are in the area of effect. It's about two rounds of actions. She keeps an eye out for the croc while she's casting and changes her next action at need, but that's the plan. If anyone wants to snipe the revealed snakes that's fine too.

If all goes well, she kicks the stunned snakes into the water and proceeds across in the company of her multiple selves like a repeat of the illusion.

mirror images: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3 Counting this one as cast in the count above.

I understood Gwendolyn to be casting a single image of herself using a minor image spell. Where did the false Gwens (plural) come from?

I understood Gwendolyn to be casting a single image of herself using a minor image spell. Where did the false Gwens (plural) come from?

My bad. I couldn't remember if I had made the illusion look as though it had been magicked itself.

OK. One other question: is false-Gwen ignoring the snakes? The illusion has to walk over one of them to reach the other side of the bridge.

Miriel keeps her bow ready and watches what Gwendolyn's spell does to the snakes.

Delay to see what the color spray does.

OK. One other question: is false-Gwen ignoring the snakes? The illusion has to walk over one of them to reach the other side of the bridge.

It walks through their spaces but tries not to touch either of them.

The snakes follow after the illusion, continuing to bite at it.

Is the map still correct since the illusion moved across the bridge and into the treeline? Though I suppose Gwen can continue to concentrate on it, have the illusion run back the other way and draw them closer to our side of the stream.

Just updated the map. What do you want to do?