From the map I'm not sure how height works - is there any real threat to the party (provided nobody falls)?
We chose the low road, which is just crossing rocks in the river, precisedly to avoid height. You know a crocodile can grab someone and pull them under in a death roll. ;P
And Caulder got to the answer before I did. Should have checked in here first. Wait... Caulder? Hey, I remember Caulder! ;)
The only good crocodile is one that's already been made into a wallet.
From the map I'm not sure how height works - is there any real threat to the party (provided nobody falls)?
We chose the low road, which is just crossing rocks in the river, precisedly to avoid height. You know a crocodile can grab someone and pull them under in a death roll. ;P
Assuming Ten's last status post was correct, he was at -3. 9 should be enough to get him up and around. No point wasting expensive wand charges when the DM already told us there's nothing else to fight. ;)
"Hey, hey, watch it, Darkbane," Caulder cautions as he nears. "Make sure you miss the arm." He checks the fallen distiller to be sure he's stable. "Hey, dwarf, all clear!" he calls to Pagrip as he jolts Ten back to consciousness with a stab of the positive energy wand. "Wakey-wakey, sunshine. Need you to slice off another appendage."
The southern table is the one the golem's using as a weapon now, right? So the northern table is still on the map but the southern one's not, for purposes of movement?
"Dwarf, get your crossbow ready and try to stay where that thing can't hit you again." Caulder moves back into the doorway where he can see what's happening. "Darkbane, if you're worried about the distiller, stop just standing there on top of him! You need to draw the abomination away from him! You move the monster; I'll get the distiller!"
Start 5-foot-stepping with those attacks already. :P
Move 20 feet back into the 5-foot-corridor just outside the door; ready an action to cast stabilize on Esme if she falls
"If we survive this, I expect a stiff drink," he growls. "If it follows us, see to the distiller; if it stays with you, I'll see to the dwarf."
Working on the assumption that Pagrip is badly injured, he'll withdraw out the door after him to heal him next round. If Pagrip isn't hurt, he'll withdraw around the still-extant table to the door in the north wall, 5 squares north of Esme on the map.
I thought he was not including the attack bonus to keep us from metagaming. The raw d20 roll has been under our AC before when he's described it as a hit and made people roll Fort saves. Like here, where the hit that put Ten into negatives is a natural 14 when his AC is 17 or here where Esmerelda takes damage and has to save vs. something on a 16 when her AC is 18. I think anytime he rolls damage, we're suppose to apply it and trust his math. ;)
Can't find any reference to which weapon he has in his hand, but he hasn't done anything that takes two hands since we entered the room so I see no reason why he wouldn't have his morningstar equipped. AoO 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9 damage 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11 I always roll max damage on misses. :P
Caulder ignores the paladin's panicked shrieking. "Dwarf! Out the door! If it follows you, at least it's not clubbing anyone!"
"I just healed them, damn it!" the cleric snaps at the golem. "Dwarf, back away toward the door! Darkbane, get the nine Hells out of the corner! We've got to retreat. The left arm of an dead Shoanti isn't worth anyone's life, even a distiller's." He carefully reaches down, without taking his eye off the monster, and grab's Ten's limp arm. "No civilian dies on my watch! Do you know the kind of paperwork I'd have to fill out?"
convert bless to cure light wounds on Ten 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
I think with Esme's ready it's now Caulder, Esmerelda, Pagrip, Ten, golem?
"And heal the idiot grandson's left arm too? Not on your life, Darkbane," he growls. "Not without a donation to the Bank on its behalf. Distiller!" he barks, stepping up to support Pagrip. "Stop bleeding!"
"What is it with you and beards all of a sudden, Darkbane?" he complains, reaching out and cuffing Pagrip on the back of the head with some positive energy. "Hey, dwarf, when you're hurt, have the sense to step away from the thing killing you! You're no good to anyone dead."
convert hold person to cure moderate wounds2d8 + 3 ⇒ (7, 6) + 3 = 16 Now there's efficient resource management. :)
"Good plan," Caulder growls and turns his attention to Pagrip. "All right, dwarf, you're our 'expert,'" he grimaces at the depths to which they have fallen. "What can you tell us about this golem and how to disassemble it?"
wand of cure light wounds on Ten 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
"There, Darkbane, see how it's done?" Caulder remarks with satisfaction, prodding the distiller with the wand. "Listen, derro, you're getting a second chance out of this that I very much doubt you deserve. If I see you again, I expect you to have made the most of this opportunity and be walking the straight and narrow -- or you'd better hope I don't see you again."
If I spend a wand charge on Pagrip, I'm totally going to roll an 8 and then he'll have become the very thing he despises and have to go atone or something. Should have hit up the soft-hearted paladin while she was being profligate. :P
Caulder winces visibly as the wand charges pile up. "Well, not handling it like that, it won't work well," he snatches the wand back. "Abadar's scales, woman, did noone ever teach you to swish and flick?"
7 charges marked off. How are Pagrip and Ten doing hp wise?
"See, this is what come of necromancers branching out," Caulder complains. "A simple zombie we could stop with positive energy. Well, it's not my problem. Grandpa Idiot said he wanted his idiot grandson's body back, not that he wanted it unmoving. See, derro, here's our problem," he approaches the grappled creature. "I don't trust you to keep your word any farther than I could throw you, or, well, than you could throw me, to be more specific. Darkbane and I, we're men of our word. Well, a man and a... you know what I mean. So you're not going to die today. You're cooperating, so we're not even going to run you in today. Nine Hells, as far as I'm concerned, I'd be happy to consider you a Confidential Informant and give you a bit of immunity. But when we've still got a hyperactive golem to disassemble, I honestly wouldn't put it past you to hit us with another of those screams or turn the lights out on us at a critical juncture. So help me help you. What can you do to convice me you're not going to turn against us before we get out of these crypts?"
"He provides for those who provide for themselves," he reminds her with a stern glance. "Don't get all theologically mushy on me, Darkbane, or I'll have to inform the Bank you need remedial training. If we're going to have to fight an out-of-control golem, I suppose I should take a charge. But just one! So what do you think?" he asks, nodding toward the derro. "He's kept his end of the bargain, but I don't want him creeping up behind us while we're getting the arm off the 'art.'"
A little reluctantly, Caulder pulls the wand from his pack and hands it over. "Don't get carried away, Darkbane," he warns. "Overhealing is as profligate as tossing good coins into the harbor."
"Pharasma damn every damned Shoanti to the Abyss!" Caulder swears a blue streak. "We're still missing an arm!" He swings back to the derro. "C'mon, think, dwarf! Legs with the otyugh, head on the effigy, torso in the bedroom (and don't think I'm not trying not to think about why it's there), and left arm...?" he leads hopefully.
"Don't get me started," Caulder rolls his eyes. "Dumbest damn mission I've ever been tasked with. We got the otyugh's piece, and we got the head off the ... effigy, or whatever in there," he nods back the way they came. "A piece with paint? What's that? It have arms on it?" He flails his own upper appendages helpfully to illustrate.
"Here, Pagrip," Caulder calls warily to the dwarf in the passage. "Come this way so he can see you. No funny business, dwarf," he growls at the derro. "Sorry," he clarifies to Pagrip, "other dwarf... thing."
Ten forgot his +2, not that it matters. Does a CMB count as an attack roll? Seems like it ought to. Delay.
Oh, and not that Caulder knows, but anyone Spellcrafty ought to know that blindness is a dismissable spell, which means that if we can take the derro alive and intimidate him into cooperating for 1d6 x 10 minutes, we won't have to go spend good money on a dispel magic for Pagrip.
If it's only 1 round of stun, Pagrip should have been able to move when Vreeg was casting and be out of his line of sight/effect by now. Waiting to see if Ten's tentacle's Grab took.
Technically, Pagrip's stunned until Vreeg's turn, not delaying. He can't act until then.
The line of effect to the floating derro effectively blocked by oversized distiller and his oddly tiny weapon*, Caulder holds his shot and backs across the room next to Pagrip. "Dwarf!" he commands. "Draw your weapon and follow the wall to your right. The way out is a five-foot corridor ten feet along. Block it and wait! You're not doing anyone any good here; you're just a target. Anything tries to get past you, you swing at it -- and shout." Clutching his symbol of Abadar, he points it at the derro, bidding "Justice be done," and a coldly-glowing spiritual longsword appears beside the floating dwarf-thing, spinning as it swings.
As long as we're torpedoing our own side, I point out this text from enlarge person... ;)
Quote:
All equipment worn or carried by a creature is similarly enlarged by the spell. Melee weapons affected by this spell deal more damage (see Table: Tiny and Large Weapon Damage). Other magical properties are not affected by this spell. Any enlarged item that leaves an enlarged creature's possession (including a projectile or thrown weapon) instantly returns to its normal size.
Also, Esmerelda moved to within one range increment to throw her sword, as specified here, and Ten said he moved to the northeast corner. Looks like maybe that's an old link or the map didn't update properly?
Ten just took his readied action, which means that his initative shifts to before Vreeg's; he doesn't get to act again right afterwards. Should be Esmerelda's turn.
"Fall back, Darkbane!" Caulder commands, loading his crossbow. "He doesn't have what we're looking for; no need to die here."
Draw crossbow; load crossbow
Race
| HP 11/11 | AC 13, T 13, FF 11 | CMD 10| F +2 R +3 W +2; +2 vs. fear | Init +2 | Perc +1
Classes/Levels
| Speed 30ft | Spells 2/3 | Arcane Reservoir 3/4 | Arcane Bond 1/1 | Active Conditions: None.
Gender
”Enora” | Female LN Small Halfling Arcanist 1
About Enora by PaleDim
Enora
Female halfling arcanist 1 (ACG 8)
LN Small humanoid (halfling)
Init +2; Senses Perception +1
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Defense
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AC 13, touch 13, flat-footed 11 (+2 Dex, +1 size)
hp 11 (1d6+5)
Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +2; +2 vs. fear
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Offense
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Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk quarterstaff +1 (1d4-1)
Ranged light crossbow +3 (1d6/19-20)
Special Attacks arcane reservoir (3/4), consume spells
Arcanist Spells Prepared (CL 1st; concentration +4)
1st (3/day)—color spray (DC 14), shield
0 (at will)—detect magic, light, message, prestidigitation Bloodline Arcane
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Statistics
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Str 8, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 17, Wis 8, Cha 16
Base Atk +0; CMB -2; CMD 10
Feats Toughness
Traits helpful[HoG], magic is life[ACG]
Skills Knowledge (arcana) +7, Knowledge (religion) +7, Linguistics +7, Perception +1, Spellcraft +7, Use Magic Device +7; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception; Armor Check Penalty –0
Languages Common, Goblin, Halfling, Jistkan, Osiriani, Polyglot
SQ arcane exploits (bloodline development [arcane]), arcane bond (bonded item [mwk quarterstaff]), fearless, fleet of foot[ARG], halfling luck, keen senses, weapon familiarity
Combat Gear acid;
Other Gear spell component pouch (2), wand of mage armor (5 charges), backpack, waterskin, spellbook (contains all 0th-level spells; all prepared 1st-level spells plus comprehend
languages, disguise self, enlarge person, expeditious retreat,grease, liberating command[UC], mount, protection from evil, and unseen servant), 2 gp
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Special Abilities
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Arcane Bond Once per day while holding her quarterstaff, Enora can cast any spell in her spellbook that she is capable of casting. If she doesn’t have her quarterstaff, she must make a DC 20 + spell level concentration check to cast a spell or the spell is lost.
Arcane Reservoir Each day, Enora starts with 3 points in her reservoir, though she can fill it up to a maximum of 4 using consume spells. She can spend one point on a spell to increase the DC or caster level by 1.
Bloodline Development (3 rounds) Use 1 reservoir as a swift action to treat bloodline ability at full level for 3 rds.
Consume Spells Enora can spend a move action to expend a 1st-level spell slot and gain 1 point to her arcane reservoir.
Helpful When Enora uses the aid another action successfully, she grants a +4 bonus to her ally.
Magic Is Life As long as any spell is active on Enora, she gains a +2 bonus to saves against death effects and always stabilizes.
Spells:
Color Spray Enora releases a 15-foot cone of beautiful colors. All creatures who can see the colors roll a Will save. If they have 1 or 2 hit dice, they are knocked unconscious for 2d4 rounds, then stunned and blinded for 1d4 rounds, then stunned for 1 round. If they have 3 or 4 hit dice, they are stunned and blinded for 1d4
rounds, then stunned for 1 round. Otherwise, they are stunned for 1 round. This is a mind-affecting illusion, so it doesn’t work on some kinds of creatures.
Comprehend Languages Enora can understand all languages she reads or hears for 10 minutes, though she can’t speak in those languages.
Detect Magic Enora can notice magic in a 60-foot-cone. If she concentrates, she can find how many magic auras there are on the next round. On the round after that, she can try to find out more about one aura.
Disguise Self Enora can use an illusion to make herself look like a different size Small humanoid for 10 minutes. This grants her a +10 bonus to Disguise checks.
Enlarge Person After 1 full round of casting, a medium humanoid target within 25 feet becomes Large for 1 minute, gaining +2 Strength, –2 Dexterity, reach, +1 size bonus to CMB and CMD, –1 size penalty to hit and AC, –4 size penalty to Stealth, –2 size penalty to Fly. If cast on Enora, she would become Medium and would not gain reach, so it is better cast on a bigger ally.
Expeditious Retreat Enora’s movement increases to 60 for 1 minute.
Grease Enora can grease a 10-foot-by-10-foot square of floor or an item for 1 minute. If she greases the ground, creatures in the area must make a DC 14 Reflex save or fall prone and creatures walking through the area must make a DC 10 Acrobatics check or stop moving and be forced to make the same Reflex save (failing the Acrobatics check by 5 or more makes them fall without a Reflex save). If she greases an object, if the object is attended, the object’s possessor can attempt a Reflex save to make the grease miss the item. Otherwise, if the possessor was holding the object, he drops it, and he must attempt a Reflex save each round to pick up or use the item. If she greases someone’s clothing, they receive a +10 bonus to Escape Artist checks, CMB to escape grapple, and CMD vs. grapple.
Liberating Command As an immediate action, Enora can pick an ally within 25 feet. That ally can spend an immediate action to make an Escape Artist check with a +2 competence bonus to escape restraints, bindings, or grapples.
Light An object Enora touches sheds light for 10 minutes. She can’t have more than one copy of this spell active at once.
Mage Armor Enora’s wand grants a touched target a +4 armor bonus to AC for 1 hour.
Message Enora can whisper messages to the target for 10 minutes as long as they remain within 110 feet and aren’t obstructed, and the target can respond each time Enora sends a whisper. Nearby creatures might be able to overhear the messages (DC 25 Perception).
Mount Enora can summon a basic light horse or pony for 1 hour.
Prestidigitation Enora can perform simple magic tricks for 1 hour, such as cleaning her outfit, chilling her drink, or flavoring her meal.
Protection from Evil A touched target gets a +2 resistance bonus to saves and a +2 deflection bonus to AC against evil creatures for 1 minute. The target cannot be touched by a nongood summoned creature and is immune to direct mental control and possession from evil creatures. Casting the spell after direct mental control or
possession allows the target a new saving throw at a +2 bonus.
Shield Enora gains a +4 shield bonus to AC for 1 minute and becomes immune to magic missile.
Unseen Servant Enora can create an invisible force that follows her around for 1 hour performing basic unskilled tasks exerting no more than 20 lbs. of force (except it can drag 100 lbs.). Its speed is 15 ft. and though it can’t be targeted, it dissipates if it takes 6 or more damage from area attacks. It also ceases to exist if it ever is more than 25 feet from Enora. It takes a move action to command the servant to perform a task.
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Background:
Like many halflings, Enora has always been driven by an unlikely pairing of curiosity and luck. She grew up in Rahadoum, where religion is banned, and her parents—both professors at one of Rahadoum’s premier arcane institutions, the Occularium—fostered in their only daughter a hunger for knowledge that was rivaled only by her optimism and determination. Enora’s intuition, natural understanding of the mystical inner workings of magic, and fastidious research skills quickly took her to the top of her class.
When she came of age, Enora came out atop a pool of nearly a hundred applicants for a coveted governmental position researching some of the Occularium’s most valued magical treasures from the ancient Jistka Imperium. But years of study of even the most esoteric and enigmatic of Jistkan relics wasn’t enough for Enora, and countless hours in the Occularium’s library aroused in her an uncontrollable sense of wanderlust. She took a leave of absence, intending to research the ruins of Lirgen—one of the two nations completely subsumed by the Eye of Abendego just over a century earlier—where she hoped to rediscover lost information about Lirgeni mastery of astrology.
Within a dank and moldering sanctuary, Enora uncovered a stone tablet that radiated a magical aura unlike anything she had ever encountered before, even amid the most powerful of Jistkan artifacts under her charge in the Occularium. Setting her hand upon the arcane writing and reaching forth with her innate arcane abilities, Enora touched the very fabric of the magical energy that pulsed through the artifact, unraveling it ever so slightly to better understand it. Immediately, her mind was flooded with magical revelations—knowledge beyond her wildest dreams.
When she pulled her hand away, Enora had a new understanding of the potential for learning that existed beyond the strictly secular libraries and laboratories of Rahadoum. A combination of rage and sadness overwhelmed her as she realized that her own rejection of Nethys and other gods of magic had been holding her back from attaining the knowledge she’d always yearned for. How could she return to Manaket and her governmental position knowing that so much more information remained beyond her grasp, simply because it was held in libraries dedicated to deities her nation had shunned?
Enora traveled east into the Mwangi Expanse and found passage down one of the region’s many rivers to the Arcadian Ocean, the entire time assessing her options. In the end, she chose the pursuit of knowledge over the security of the life she’d known, and now lives a life on the edge of two worlds. She works continually through carefully worded letters to maintain her good standing with the Occularium in order to preserve her access to its myriad magical and academic resources, but is afraid to return home, lest her newfound respect for the power of the gods brings punishment upon her head. She travels the Inner Sea in search of a better understanding of the inner workings of magic and the secrets of lost empires whose magic surpassed that of even the most powerful modern archmages.
Enora is singularly driven in her search for knowledge, but isn’t above working with others in order to achieve common goals. She remains cheerful and optimistic about most things, yet holds deep-seated anxiety about the conf lict she will inevitably face should she return to Manaket and be outed as a follower of Nethys. She doesn’t talk much about where she came from, but knows that one day her travels will take her back to Rahadoum, and she’ll be hard pressed to keep her secret.
