This game will be missed, I did enjoy it while it lasted and it gave me insight into running mid level games myself. Thank you for your time that you did put into it, I hope that your future endeavors find success.
Search Posts
I wait with bated 'breath'
::I feel we should send someone to make sure the leader stays in the field prior to our assult?::
I too return to relay the information I have found, paltry as it is.
::Finally something to do, Let us all head back to the meat wagon as though getting ready for daylight conditions. The Morgh can stay there if it wishes since we don't want it turning on us mid fight, I don't much care if we leave Vesta's vampire body there or let it die in the sun. Then we can each go our separate ways to investigate. Also with the wolves chasing Gabriel all night after the hunt during the day they are likely to be exhausted as well as sick making them an even easier target.:: Prior to leaving I cast Air Walk on myself. duration 100min After making preparations and listening to any other ideas that are suggested I turn invisible using my ring and stealthily make my way out the back of the wagon and then walk up into the sky about 80ft to do some investigating of my own. Stealth
I am looking for any indication of their dwelling area, lights from torches or bonfires or the like. Barring that I will go in the general direction of the pack that Vesta followed and look for them or a different target of opportunity.
Don't you have a werewolf hand that you commandeered? Will that not hide you scent?
I have a ring that only works for me, I did not learn normal illusions. But I cannot hide my scent.
We still need to gather information, however I cannot without drawing undue attention to myself
Gathroc, Vesta, we will need you to find out who their 'generals' are for lack of a better term. Be discrete. Gabriel do some of your own reconnaissance and see what you can find, take one of your werewolf hands that you have perhaps, they would expect to smell werewolves more then vampires or human. Myself, and Ignac will 'patrol' and see if we can overhear anything useful, they may speak freely around us since we are supposed to be low on the totempole or mindless. I can turn invisible if I need too but I would rather not since I don't know how sensitive their noses are.
I do not think that this poison will reduce the leaders powers significantly enough for us to destroy him, perhaps we can use the Vampire guises to attack and kill several of his 'Generals' while everyone is at their sickest and then flee pinning the blame on the vampires causing them to start a feud with the vampires effectively tying up two enemies? Any other ideas?
I am sure that we can think up something, I had just assumed that since that had seemed to be the plan from the get go it was feasible.
Ok, so I am a little confused, when we were originally planning this attack around the table at the shadow claw's ziggurat I am pretty sure we had decided that the poison would weaken the leader of the pack enough for us to kill it and we had received a figurative 'thumbs up' from the DM that that could be the case. The last post about the power of the leaders from the DM seems to suggest this is not the case however and we should think of a secondary plan of attack. I however don't really see a way to take out enough of this group, short of starting a war of us vs them once they are poisoned, to ensure that they are significantly weakened for the upcoming battle. Are we, or are we not going to attempt to attack the leader?
I watch with interest as the killing takes place with a scientific eye. The ones who kill the efficiently are the most dangerous, the others are just brutes.
We wait until they feast on the poisoned flesh and then attack, some may have to hold back the pack while the rest kill the leader.
I follow along dutifully and tirelessly with the others, when we see the leader of the pack my eyes trace up until I am looking at the full figure. Well crap I think.
Well their "liege" gets the first kill, so he should also be the first to feel the effects of the poison
I will move forward after Gathroc with Ignac and the other vampire thrall in tow as though they are under my control. Remaining silent unless someone speaks directly too me.
After the poison sets in
"I do not hunt, I guard, but I will stay and watch the sport if my master permits." I say in an unfeeling monotone, turning to Gathroc.
Or, long rotted corpse
I was under the impression that after we poisoned the pack we were going to take out the leader while they were at a disadvantage because it was not a long lasting poison, and it would cause infighting, and thus no challenge to the Shadow Claw. I relay to the others through the link.
I will just act as an ally to the vampires much as the Mhorg was. I will not speak to the werewolves unless asked a direct question. I will only assist once battle starts after we poison the werewolves.
"This sounds like a passable plan, let us "rest" then."
"Very well I believe that this is a sufficient begging for "trust" let us let him out and then be wary but continue with our mission"
"This sound like a good idea"
"As I stated previously, if he assists us with our mission via intelligence or aid I see no reason to destroy this one, we could even send him to our master as a possible new recruit."
"Hum, yes? Well let's see what we have to work with. I say walking over to the vampire and pulling out my dagger I cut off one hand and watch with interest as it dissolves to dust. "perhaps if I could bolster its undead qualities, or..." I begin mumbling to myself. After some careful deliberation with myself I prepare to cut off the second hand. As soon as I do I begin charging it with necrotic energy allowing it to hold its form without dissolving, finally casting a twisted combination of animate dead and mage hand into the detached hand and charging it with the still flowing negative energy. After I am finished I step back and look at my handy work. A handless vampire and a vampireless hand.
Not wishing to waste anymore of my spells and seeing that the others have things well in hand I go over with Vesta to converse with the Mhorg. "I will agree to your surrender if you assist us with knowledge of this caravan and help us finish our mission with it." I say.
I look toward the Mhorg and cast Baleful Polymorph. to overcome Spell Resistance
Baleful Polymorph: School transmutation (polymorph); Level druid 5, sorcerer/wizard 5
Casting Time 1 standard action Components V, S Range close (25 " + 5 "/2 levels) Target one creature Duration permanent Saving Throw: Fortitude negates, Will partial, see text; Spell Resistance: yes As beast shape III, except that you change the subject into a Small or smaller animal of no more than 1 HD. If the new form would prove fatal to the creature, such as an aquatic creature not in water, the subject gets a +4 bonus on the save. If the spell succeeds, the subject must also make a Will save. If this second save fails, the creature loses its extraordinary, supernatural, and spell-like abilities, loses its ability to cast spells (if it had the ability), and gains the alignment, special abilities, and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores of its new form in place of its own. It still retains its class and level (or HD), as well as all benefits deriving therefrom (such as base attack bonus, base save bonuses, and hit points). It retains any class features (other than spellcasting) that aren’t extraordinary, supernatural, or spell-like abilities. Any polymorph e#ects on the target are automatically dispelled when a target fails to resist the e#ects of baleful polymorph, and as long as baleful polymorph remains in e#ect, the target cannot use other polymorph spells or efects to assume a new form. Incorporeal or gaseous creatures are immune to baleful polymorph, and a creature with the shapechanger subtype can revert to its natural form as a standard action.
I pile into the back then since both front seats are taken.
I smile to myself with satisfaction having known that the spell I just cast had been a long shot.
I move back into the barn and then cast BLINDNESS/DEAFNESS on the lead vampire in an attempt to blind it. This causes me to loose invisibility due to it being an attack. BLINDNESS/DEAFNESS:
School necromancy; Level bard 2, cleric 3, sorcerer/wizard 2 Casting Time 1 standard action Components V Range medium (100 ". + 10 "./level) Target one living creature Duration permanent (D) Saving Throw Fortitude negates; Spell Resistance yes You call upon the powers of unlife to render the subject blinded or deafened, as you choose. Spell resistance check
Touch attack Just prior to Gathroc's vicious rain of blows he feels an invisible hand touch his shoulder and unnatural strength fills his frame. Black energy crackles around him as his bulk increases.
I will make my way to Gathroc keeping out of the way of a direct charge and staying invisible. I cast bull's strength at my original position before moving, keeping the unspent charge in my hand so that when I get the chance I can touch Gathroc with it. It has a verbal component so they hear me cast it but I move stealthy and remain invisible due to it not being an attack action and therefore not breaking invisibility, so I should be unknown in my new position. Stealth
I am holding my action until something significant happens, then I may mass bull strength or enlarge person someone.
I feel that, by reading through his last two posts Gathroc's two main complaints are being unable to use his fighter as a fighter (i.e. he wants to swing his sword more at enemies to watch his destructive power.) which should soon be rectified, and other PC's are not doing what he thinks that they should be doing (Vesta and myself not going after enemies but instead the portal back in the attack on the ziggurat, Vesta and Gabe not slowing down the vampires.) Which there really is nothing that we can do about, everyone sees situations different ways and reacts differently to them. If we end up in a less then par situation because of some others actions we will just have to deal with it.
I am not trying to patronize or exacerbate any problems that may be brewing (or existing) I for one am still enjoying the game, I feel the pace could be a little faster post wise but I see no problem with how things are playing out. Had we killed all the spawn by knocking down the barn it would have been 5 undead vs two (possibly very powerful) NPCs which would be no real challenge for our group. Even less so after my buffs/debuffs took affect on our already very powerful party members. As it is I still feel that this group wont pose much of a threat unless the DM is super buffing them. Sometimes PC plans work and sometimes they don't but if the DM is asking specific questions about what is going happen and they are ignored in favor of conversation I feel that it he is perfectly within his right to railroad the game along especially when considering the amount of time that has already been spent on this opening conversation.
Stealth- 33+20 for invisibility
I will hide outside of the barn and provide a support role to everyone.
"I am not gifted in the art of illusions, therefore anyone unable to hide or noisy should be far enough away to go unnoticed. Everyone stealthy can hide closer to the barn, we will need our martial characters to focus on the leader. Let us make preparations and face this group."
I will attempt to rig the structure to collapse with Ignac and Gathroc's help, disguising our sabotage. After we are finished with the above.
With that I begin searching through the ruins for a trap door of sorts leading down.
"sounds good to me, unless it is magically reenforced. That would give us a huge advantage since vampires are somewhat allergic to sunlight. We cannot assume that all of their minions are killed by sunlight however."
|