Lahrehn's page

Archlich here! This is tentatively the character I'm working in: Lahrehn Sceadufjord is a shieldmaiden, a shield champion brawler (VMC barbarian) with a more defensive combat style. Still working on lots of things on the background and waiting on the player's guide, so I don't expect her to be finished any soon :) But posting here with the profile mostly to show what I'm working in if more people are inspired and want to think on connections etc.

Hi team - my apologies for any disruption, I'm leaving the game. Best of luck.

Lahrehn looks around and assess the situation. As much as fleeing, the oozemorph had a strange, alien calm attitude, and even being hurt by the dangerous creature, still kept her pose. She immediately turned around and unleashed another of her full attacks, in her heart feeling she wasn't being too well succeeded in it.

I'm not sure you're fully aware of your situation, monster. - she says, trying to impart some out-of-place bravery.

Bite: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (20) + 7 - 1 = 26 Power Attack. I didn't add any flanking as I don't think she is at the moment
Damage: 1d6 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 2 = 11

Claw 1: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (7) + 7 - 1 = 13
Damage: 1d4 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 2 = 6

Claw 2: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (15) + 7 - 1 = 21
Damage: 1d4 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 2 = 6

Confirm Crit?: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (13) + 7 - 1 = 19
Extra Damage: 1d6 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 2 = 11

She will keep an eye around for other wall holes in this room as well. I can guess some of them from the drawing, but will let you tell me the ones that look like the deepest, like mouse holes or passages to other rooms.

No one can grapple without improved grapple, grab, or provoking an AoO. Stop trying to play other people’s character.

My piece was already where it should been as I was moving it properly on the map every turn and indicating with an arrow.

I have less than 40% of chance of hitting him, and even when I hit, my attacks barely scratch him. Even flanking it's like 50%/50%. Everybody is pretty much on the same boat (of barely being able to hit him) while at least Vixen can do some damage, alone. Our AC is also ridiculous for his attacks, and it clearly has a lot more hit points than us. I don't agree with staying at all, so I'm not staying. I'd much rather do this fight at least with our sorcerer and more preparation. We have no way to know if this creature is like using a scroll or potion of inflict wounds or infernal healing, which is probably what it's clearly doing. Even if we manage to hurt it: If it's not attacking, it's recovering itself. When it pops out of vanish in some rounds, it might be closer to full again.

Lahrehn continues her path. She speaks, as she's moving, but doesn't really stop for anything else. She keeps smelling, but doesn't use any particular action to pinpoint his position with his scent.

Girls, keep moving! Let's reconvene while we're all still alive. Prepare. Vix is in terrible shape, and even if the talisman gives her a some more attacks on the monster... I'm not sure it will suffice. I can barely scratch it. It's pointless to die for nothing! There's no shame in fleeing and returning prepared.

She sticks to her convictions and keeps moving, hoping they will hear her - and unconsciously praying they survive in case not.

Not sure if we'd be able to hear if he's like popping and drinking a potion or something? He's floating so I guess he doesn't emit any sounds while moving.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

Now that we "know" the kind of effect the enemy causes on us, I'd argue that we can try to prepare ourselves better. Honestly I'd rather we stay on the rules as they are and try to circumvent the challenges as designed, even if badly designed. If one of us in the future plans to use fear, or now decided to use the mechanic because of its power, I think it'd only be fair.

Strange Aeons is more of a horror than an adventure and I feel that withdrawing and fleeing from an encounter should be perfectly acceptable and, in fact, probably targeted design. Maybe it's the lack of a divine caster at this point (a paladin with aura, a cleric doing "unbreakable heart", I don't know) that is harming us, but the pleasure of RPG is finding creative solutions around problems within the scope of the system rules, without the need of adapting it.

Now, if we were to manage to flee and regroup now, to better prepare, I'd even say that adding for example a +2 circumstance bonus on our fear checks would make sense - as we already "know" what to expect.

Maybe preparing better could even mean that we go with our eyes closed. Or some of us. For instance, I have scent (something to remember on our invisible friend right now) - I could spend a move action to try to know his direction if he was close enough, or pinpoint if within 5 feet.

Scent

I updated myself on the map and moved accordingly. I'd rather we regroup and prepare/come out with a better strategy to deal with him. Plus, I'd really rather have all characters of the party somehow more involved in the combat, especially if it's "the final boss" of the module. It's not the GM's fault, but the bad design of the creature (in my opinion, considering circumstances etc.).

I’d rather find the others and regroup! You don’t look to be on your better status. Come, don’t stop! - says Lahrehn, visibly concerned.

She will withdraw to the exit to where the others ran. She won’t stop to pick the talisman.

My apologies, on my phone - GM, please move me accordingly. Thanks!

I guess I'm a much more evil GM than the average here. I would never rule it like that (since the interpretation feels very forced, for me).
The similar item, from old AD&D 2nd edition psionics, had a specific wording of "this item won't work in a creature already under half its hit points". Well, it was also 3/day, so I guess it's not that similar.

It's like the other item that says "when the wearer takes enough damage that would kill him, he's instead alive and stable at -1 hit point" - there was a long discussion if it'd work on someone already dead that takes a high damaging spell. The quantity of damage he (as an object, now) takes WOULD KILL him if he was alive, so would shooting him with a high damaging spell outright resurrect him and make him stable at -1? It was obviously FAQ that it doesn't, and that "the 'from' part of the condition" had to be inferred. In the case of the talisman above, it feels to me that "from over half hit point" should be implied, but then again... Maybe I'm just a much more evil GM.

You are already at fewer than half - you're not being reduced TO this status, you are already in it (just being reduced further). Notice the condition doesn't say something like "while being reduced in hit points after which ending with less than half of its maximum". Anyway, considering the fight, the GM might want to house rule something more lenient (especially considering it will destroy the talisman).

The talisman has to be worn when the condition happens - so usually adorning it after the condition already happened doesn't do anything. They're trigger based. If she's healed over half her hit points and then (while wearing it) she's reduced under it, then it'd work (healing and then crumbling to dust), without requiring the usual 24 hours of attunement like other magical items. Of course, the GM might change the way it works.

Lahrehn feels her attacks really aren't doing much - they barely hit, and when they do they don't really much harm the creature. Yet, the oozemorph insists with her troll natural attacks, trying to at least give them some sort of fighting chance.

Bite: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (12) + 7 - 1 = 18
Damage: 1d6 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 2 = 8

Claw 1: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (15) + 7 - 1 = 21
Damage: 1d4 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 2 = 6

Claw 2: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (4) + 7 - 1 = 10
Damage: 1d4 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 2 = 9

@GM: Did you have the chance to see what I mentioned above about movements?

Did anyone hear about Saiya? Should the GM maybe bot her to keep us moving?

I adjusted Lahrehn’s move because she wasn’t threatening the enemy on the previous round - so the enemy couldn’t 5-foot-step to the position he was (he would end up diagonal to her) - and since he did a 5-foot-step after the move, I thought someone had changed her token by mistake. He could be in that position in relation to her if he had moved - in which case he wouldn’t be able to do a full attack and would provoke an aoo.

Basically the position was like that when I acted last:

T X X
X X L

So with a 5 foot step, he’d only be able to

X T X
X X L

Or

X X X
X T L

He wouldn’t be able to be like that without moving:

X X T
X X L

Anyway, please feel free to adjust her token as desirable. Just keep in mind she didn’t end last turn threatening him.

I am not flanking him. At least, not by the map. Assuming she understood how hard he is to hit, she'd also avoid power attacking, but not sure she knows it.

Lahrehn tries to flurry her attacks against the enemy, but isn't much lucky.

Bite: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (11) + 7 - 1 = 17
Damage: 1d6 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 2 = 8

Claw: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (5) + 7 - 1 = 11
Damage: 1d4 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 2 = 7

Claw: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (7) + 7 - 1 = 13
Damage: 1d4 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 2 = 9

The oozemorph looks around, as her companions flee or are decimated by the monster's attacks, and considers her options. What else can she honestly do?, she ponders.

Are there any tight holes around on walls or the ground or similar? Tight as in 1/8 of my size? If it is reasonable, can you put some pointers in the map as to where it would be?

Lahrehn sees some of her colleagues running, and her eyes immediately turn into rage. Her enduring stoicism keeps her in place, pulling courage from the core of her shattered soul.

She moves over the rubble, for moments looking to have more than two legs as her ooze body spasms in the current fragile balance, then tries to bite the weird creature that emerged.

Attack: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (12) + 7 - 1 = 18 PA... Not sure if it hits
Damage: 1d6 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 3 = 11 Another +1 if it's an aberration

5d6 duration in rounds is plain ridiculous. Not really sure who designed the creature! Well, let's try to do the work :) I guess they assumed a paladin in the party, people with rerolls or some priest with remove fear or calm emotions or something of the sorts? Especially since we never left this place and couldn't shop yet, it was very much possible the entire party could have fell to it.

As a side note: while I appreciate the power and coordination of our actions, how the hell would Saiya knows to apply exactly that oil and exactly to Vixen (the person with the item that drops the fear level)? Vixen was posting on discussion about the creature even before it appeared, and this bothers me (as I never played Strange Aeons, I'd appreciate the surprises). I guess that not using player knowledge would make this fight even worse, but still, I have to be blunt to the fact that I didn't like what I saw here. I apologize for the sincerity but hope you understand my point.

Careful, guys, don't breath it! It might be poisonous! - says Lahrehn, a little lost on the happenings. She stays back, trying to access the situation.

Assuming we're still on difficulty terrain, unless Vixen has anything special, she wouldn't be able to 5-foot-step (Dragon Style doesn't let you do it), and if she moved, she provoked an AoO (unless she tumbled with Acrobatics, making the 5-foot = 20 feet). Regardless... Let me do Lahrehn's action.

Lahrehn moves closer to the enemy, and as she does it the oozemorph tries to take a bite at the target.

Attack: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 7 - 1 = 12
Damage: 1d6 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 3 = 10

Her attacks comes out wide, though - at least she's now closer.

Lahrehn double-moves towards the enemy, doing her best to be fast over all the rubble. She steps in a pebble on the way, but bites off the pain and stays the course.

Guys... We need to move in... Already... As I fear I'm losing the grip on this shape. - says Lahrehn, pulling herself together to one last breath before reverting back into the almost useless blob.

I have very impressive sling shots with rocks. No, not impressive. :P

Lahrehn approached and stayed ready, by Mizuko, slightly shaking as it was visible she was already on the last moments of holding the troll's shape.

I don't doubt you're going to make it work. I was mostly commenting on how I wish they'd make a truly good archetype for improvised weapons. Either way, I like the flavor.

Interesting archetype, Vixen. It would really help your build if grapple was one of the maneuvers included on the level 4 thing, but I see where you're going with it regardless.

The quality "grapple" on weapons just work when you crit with the weapon. It isn't that great to be honest. Arguably the GM could let you use shoelaces as some sort of improvised garrote, or something like a yo-yo working as a grappling hook, but they wouldn't get the grapple quality (unless you have something that lets you copy the weapon qualities when using improvised weapons).

I like the "Jackie Chan" vibe of the improvised weapon builds (like the Goblin Barbarian one) but to be honest it's hard to see it work. Bear in mind, it's not as terrible as the build I am using right now (which confessedly I just insist on because I love the flavor and the challenge). The improvised weapons thing can be cool though and maybe you can build at later levels to achieve some efficiency. Right now, at lower levels, anything basically works, right? Heh.

Lahrehn moves with the others, but stops behind Cerise and Saiya when they start analyzing the weird behavior of Vermilion. She then turns her body to look back, as if keeping watch.

As Lahrehn recomposes herself - the shape seems unstable for moments - she speaks.

If we're... Healthy enough... I'd say, let's keep pushing. At least while I can stay... Somewhat useful.

For an instant, the troll claws seem to melt, as if the fingers were gluing together, but it quickly looks like she took control of it.

You can keep the bracers, dear. - says Lahrehn, tapping her shoulders awkwardly with tentacles that compressed back to her usually formless body - Im sure you can make good use of them. And I’m hurt, but it’s just a minor scratch so don’t worry... I’m sure I’ll wake up better tomorrow.

She then coughs for a moment and feels some headache. It’s becoming painfully hard to keep her shape, as much as she feels like she’s getting better at it.

GM: please let me know when the 3 hours pass so I can roll to see if I keep the shape longer.

Loving these rolls here!

Lahrehn sees herself grappled. She's stoic, however; the oozemorph just unleashes her full attack against the crone, hoping her companions can help putting the enemy down before she goes down.

Bite: 1d20 + 7 - 3 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 7 - 3 - 1 = 9 Grappled, Power Attack
Damage: 1d6 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 2 = 8

Claw: 1d20 + 7 - 3 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 7 - 3 - 1 = 9 Grappled, Power Attack
Damage: 1d4 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 2 = 6

Claw: 1d20 + 7 - 3 - 1 ⇒ (15) + 7 - 3 - 1 = 18 Grappled, Power Attack
Damage: 1d4 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 2 = 8

Lahrehn moves, trying to tumble around the enemy nearby to flank him with Saiya. She then tries to bite at it.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

Attack: 1d20 + 7 - 1 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 7 - 1 + 2 = 17 PA, Flank
Damage: 1d6 + 3 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 3 = 8

Take your time! Rest, if needed. This is a PbP, and our rhythm is already excellent when compared with the other ones I'm in.

Without much to do - the "troll" is really not prepared to fight in distance - Lahrehn pulls her sling and shoots a pebble against the further cultist, not engaged in melee.

Sling: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15
Damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Attacking the yellow one... Pretty bad, but really nothing better to do. Once the hall clears more, she can try to move inside and attack.

She might be some sort of crone. Or witch. I don't know these things... Just that we should beware her strength, even on the old age.

Lahrehn scratches her chin for a moment. The troll's face is hairy and somewhat warted.

This place is sure convincing me to find ways to be useful from afar. But I won't shy to be on the heat of battle if needed. Now that we have the information on her, we should probably move already.

I disagree. - says Lahrehn, decisive - It was a good plan, but now they’re alerted of our presence and clearly ready for it, we won’t fool anyone anymore.

She crosses her arms, silently for moments, then continues.

I think the time for ruses had passed and we now need to make our stand.

Lahrehn giggles.

And I guess for me is when I'm able to actually speak and function at all...

She seems satisfied to see her companion play to her strengths, and just waves for good luck.

I'd say we should definitely prepare... I'm not really comfortable on rushing out and somehow get ambushed by a dozen other weird things roaming this place. - says Lah-lah, before turning to Mizuko - I like the idea of taking a peek upstairs first. Or maybe a quick scout if one of us is capable of doing so without raising attention?

It looks like you're right, Saiya. - says Lahrehn, then turning to Mizuko - Yes, let's get going. That's gotta be our way out!

As Lahrehn gets ready with the others, she looks at Vixen pulling something to throw.

I understand your line of thought, my friend. However, I guess some of us are stuck in the up-and-close heat, right? - the Troll-looking woman interjects, rhetorically, before continuing - I hope it's not as bad as it seems... Or that we can somehow recover from it. At the end of the day, however, it looks like it's a burden some of us will have to carry.

She blinks for a long period of time. The eyes seemed to do it very naturally - almost as if she's starting to get more control over her body. She still shivers, right after, but maybe she's improving. In her core, though, she can't help but feel a little chilly.

As stoic as she has been, as they seem to approach a potential end for this nightmare, she wonders if she'll even make it out of it - and, even if she does, if the nightmare will truly end or it's just the end of the beginning.

Honestly, we shouldn’t be able to take two rounds of action for surprise. Sorry, Vix, but I don’t want the enemies doing it to us, so we shouldn’t be able to. Preparation rounds can sometimes happen, but they don’t count as combat and combat feats (like Martial Flexibility) can’t be used.

Climb: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18

Lahrehn climbs behind Vixen, and like her companion she immediately offer assistance for the others. The troll clawed hand pops and seems to stabilize to help pull whoever needs.

Funny thing is that next level, my ooze form will get a "climb" speed. Damn, this archetype is so dumb! Yet, I kinda like the flavor. The party definitely helps - if I was surrounded by a**holes it would be hard to make it work at all.

Lahrehn approaches Vixen, staying just a few feet behind her. The oozemorph made herself ready - everything in this place seems to be willing to jump them, and with ghouls around... She felt they weren't ready for dealing with many of them at a time.

<Anyone there?> - she spoke in Aklo, not exactly knowing what Vixen was asking towards the crate, but trying to guess.

Lahrehn interjected, mostly willing to continue and get back already, but paused to give Saiya space.

Very well, Saiya - we will be ready to go.

Lahrehn spits the last pieces of ghoul before walking towards her most hurt companions. As she moves, she stops to shake for moments - it had taken a toll on her to keep this shape for so long, and she knows very soon she will revert back to her natural ooze form.

I'll follow you, my friends. We have to take care of your wounds! - she says in agreement with the plan.

How long has it been since I shifted to troll? Has it been 3 hours or more?

Lahrehn repeats her flurry of attacks against the closest enemy, hoping to be ready for the next ones approaching.

Bite: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (13) + 7 - 1 = 19
Damage: 1d6 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 2 = 7

Claw 1: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (2) + 7 - 1 = 8
Damage: 1d4 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 2 = 9

Claw 2: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (13) + 7 - 1 = 19
Damage: 1d4 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 2 = 7

EDIT: If the bite drops the enemy, I'd love to take a move action instead of continuing the full attack and move on top of such dropped enemy (to force the other enemies to move further closer to us)

It's a little confusing! But considering the archetype is already terrible in everything it does, I will go with the worse interpretation possible (lol! It makes sense they'd keep it on the bad side) and limit myself to the two claws+bite of the troll (and when I revert back to ooze, will use the other two tentacle attacks instead).

By the way, has it been 3 hours? Could you let me know when, so I can roll the proper saves (and probably fail and revert back to ooze? Hehe).

Cheers

Lahrehn lashes out her natural weapons against the enemy by her. She power attacks, trying to get her attacks to do more damage than their usual. Her troll claws and teeth move around in coordination with the two weird tentacles expanding from her back.

Bite: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (19) + 7 - 1 = 25
Damage: 1d6 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 3 + 2 = 6

Claw 1: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (18) + 7 - 1 = 24
Damage: 1d4 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 2 = 8

Claw 2: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (7) + 7 - 1 = 13
Damage: 1d4 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 3 + 2 = 8

Morphic Weapon 1: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (11) + 7 - 1 = 17
Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 2 = 11

Morphic Weapon 2: 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (6) + 7 - 1 = 12
Damage: 1d6 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 2 = 11

Lahrehn moves, as fast as she can, to engage with the enemies. Due to the difficult terrain, her last steps aren't as fast as she can.

Double moving - I didn't have enough movement to move and attack, so I went a little further with the rest of the movement.

The creature seems confused... Maybe like we were when we first awoke. It's saying it's lost, but means us no harm, because we are "real humans". Saiya is telling it where we are, and that we are lost as well. - says Lahrehn, stopping for a moment to think.

My Aklo is not great, but when we first met the creature... The first thing it said, it was like a poem. Please forgive my terrible translation... I don't know all words, and I believe certain things don't actually have a translation. Let me think...

She took another deep breath and repeated what she could from memory.

Lahrehn probably just translated close to it (the poem on the first Aklo block the GM posted). As much as she has the language, I think it's more realistic that hers isn't perfect ;)

It says its name is... Vookill. No, wait... Voonith. Let's give some space... Saiya is trying to calm it down. - says Lahrehn, opening her arms towards the others, but letting them keep a distance to react if needed.