Not sure its been a while since we had any :)
I'll go back through our list.
Anyone else with things to do?
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List of things I'd like to do during downtime: - invite the ambassador from Bard's Gate, Sammar (?) over to dinner and update him on the group's investigations and whether he can obtain some support to repair/guard the tower: not sure if the DM/group wants to play this out or handwave; - see how the hag is getting on with potion making (I honestly can't remember exactly what she was making though, I'll need to look back) - use a relatively small amount of party funds to scribe some scrolls, chiefly a couple of secure shelter for emergencies.
Marcus is pleasantly surprised to see Samuel still at the Camp and thanks him for his efforts. It's good to confirm our suspicions about the druids although I'd tend to think followers of Telophus would be uninterested in acting as an ally against whatever dwells in Tsar.... Still this grove seems like it would be an ideal place to rest in the Ashen Waste. We also need to make a decision about what to do with the orcish mercenaries. Thanks to Samuel we know they had something to do with the attack on the Caravan. Personally, I'm eager to put a stop to it before they do the same to anyone else.
Not sure about everyone else but not quite clear to me whether we're gong to pick up narration after a week. I'll work on a post with that assumption.
Before leaving the dwarves Marcus takes the Thane and priest aside and gives them a quick summary of his plans for the Desolation, with a restored caravan route supported with secure bases at the Camp and the fortified tower. He offers access for dwarven caravans and suggests that they correspond further as matters develop.
Lvl 8: +7 hp (fc)
Dimensional Steps (Sp)
+1 to base skills
spells wall of fire, secure shelter
Bumping because... Well... Its been a while... Alex has been updating his games over last day or so. Sure he will get to us shortly.
Thanks for the offer but with both her and her quarry flying I see no way for us to catch up. And there's still plenty of nasty things left on the ground. She should be OK, I hope...
Well you'll look the part in that armour once you give it a clean. We can always dye your current cloak....
And you should have thanked me. Whoever heard of a dwarf in a purple cloak? Even the ogres were laughing. Well before the fireball and you hitting them with your hammer a lot. Thyr's oath I swear I'm almost there. Just a few days and I should be able to teleport myself and perhaps even a few others short distances. A bit of time with that and I can start on the spell to take us hundreds of miles. I can't rush these things though. At least unless anyone wants to feel like teleporting into the middle of a mountain feels like. But don't let that put anyone off volunteering. The wizard stares off outside the camp, clenching and unclenching his hands by his sides. I can barely feel Kiri anymore.. I hope she has the good sense not to track those vampires somewhere dangerous.. Marcus bites his lip, apparently not at all sure about Kiri's good sense.
OK I took Barak's claim as weak enough that he wouldn't want a roll off so cloak goes to Lara subject to his confirmation please. Flail and breasplate go to Telurion and Durin. Not sure if DM waiting for us to complete to update?
Just waiting on claims from Lara then I think. Don't be shy about putting your hand up (one great thing about this game and the preceding SS game is that noone has ever been prissy about loot).
Well for mine you've more than proven yourself Lara. And don't worry about that arrow. Durin still complains about how I singed his favorite cloak with a fireball he charged straight into. And that was years ago. But you should know our real mission if you wish to travel with us. The conjurer provides a quick summary of the party's quest to find out what happened to Bishu the paladin-lord and his company. So our end goal is Tsar itself once we've managed to carve out enough of a foothold from both the Camp and the Desolation. With us taking over the inn at the Camp and two defensible positions in the waste we've made a good start but we've work to do yet. But truly we've little to offer beyond danger and comradeship.
We'd passed over against the ju jus as I recall. So thats: Breastplate Durin Cloak Arachiel (weak)
Flail Telurion (?)
We'll work something out (like we did with the gem of seeing) but it could well be another year or more in real time before we hit level 9 so personally I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. We are easily level 8 but I don't see anything from the GM altering his previous confirmation that we would need to return to the Camp.
Marcus looks on at the display of genuine divine providence with awe. We are truly honored to receive Dwerfater's gifts Thane. He seems torn in response to the dwarf's invitation though and looks enquiringly at the rest of the group. It is another most generous offer, particularly given the damage that either Durin or Barak could do to your ale stores, but our foothold .. more a toehold here in the Desolation is tenuous and we have companions whose safety may well be at risk. Perhaps we should confer? Miss E.. Lara would you care to join our discussion?
It probably should have but only just occured to me that we only have 3 out of 6 of the original players left and its likely been at least 18 months since we discussed treasure sharing. Basically if you want to "claim" anything just say so. If this can't be resolved via discussion then remaining claimants roll off (I don't recall this occuring yet). When the party gets a chance to sell items (and shop) you "pay" for your items out of a notional share of the group total (with some allocated for consumables / party items). So PCs who miss out on claims get more gp to compensate and everybody ends up about the same. I have no reason to believe we will be to sell things generally before I get teleport at level 9 so don't worry too much about this. Just putting your hand up for things you think suit you best has worked fine so far.
Thanks GM. Does that leave ACG classes available if someone dies? -------------------------------------- Holy +6 weapon batman. Throws the item distribution completely out of whack but a nice problem to have (we'll have to work out something but we're still buying items out of treasure shares in theory). Can those who want to submit claims do so please (I think we can count Durin on already having done so for the breasplate). Marcus already has a + 2 resistance cloak so I make no claim on that, from memory Telurion had a +2 as well. Anyone not got one at all? ------------------------------------------ In terms of the dwarves offer, I may not have the geography right but I assume this would take some weeks (if not months). Its been a really long game day in real time but we still had the dwarven ghost to sort out and Marcus at least would be reluctant to leave Vincent alone in his tower and the other former PCs in the camp with vengeful gnomes and so forth running around. Not that Lara would know any of this.
Was thinking about level 8 changes and realised that I already determined those sufficiently long ago that I'd forgotten. Assume we still have to head back to the Camp rather than hang out at the fortified hill. Its funny we should be a goodly way to 9 after all that. Are we still good with Paizo sources other than UM/UC? What about ACG?
Marcus blinks somewhat comically when the orb fails to explode in a torrent of fiery death but he smiles widely as the truth is revealed and the dwarven priest gives his explanation. Then we also have the answer to the question of which dark god the dw.. lich served... Orcus the Corruptor.. Set perhaps to destroy potential enemies of his Master and Tsar? We've managed a great thing I think. Even if we all fall tomorrow we've rid the world of an ageless threat. That is something to be proud of friends! Marcus will study the gear once its been scanned for evil but takes care to avoid the implication that he is claiming it for the group given the dwarven presence.
Durin ... wait! Arg.. Marcus takes an involuntary step back and throws one arm up as the warrior picks up the lich's doodad.
I know a lich must transfer its soul, or lifeforce if you prefer, to a magical phylactery in order to achieve undeath. What I have no idea about is whether that soul can survive the destruction of the creature's physical body. That and how to go about either locating or destroying a phylactery. If the phylactery does sustain the lich's existence then presumably its both hidden and well guarded. Unless Kiri comes back with a lead
Gazing around, the wizard takes in the whole new piles of bone and undead corposes spread across the dwarven encampment. Marcus turns to the dwarves. Well at least your digging is at an end. If your wounded can make it we should try for the fortified hill we cleared out yesterday. Stone walls would make for a more comfortable rest and we have hardly taken care all of the Desolation's threats...
Marcus only has enough energy for a long sigh as the lich falls, the wizard slumping down onto a dwarven bedroll. Head throbbing he simply watches as Telurion and Arachiel rush forward to keep Durin alive. Good thing I didn't need to fall back to the celestial pony. Pushing himself back to his feet, Marcus picks his way down the bone strewn slope toward the three where he gingerly prods one of the lich's femurs with his boot. Telurion you seem to know more about these things than I do. Do we need to do anything specific with its remains? Arachiel would you mind viewing its remains and gear for evil auras, I'll do the same for magic.
Round 4 Unfortunately the mage can come up with very little other than hoping his paladin companion can save the day as Durin is so grievously harmed. We can't give it space to cast! Hit it with everything you've got! The wizard runs a black pearl between thumb and forefinger as he carefully watches the lich.
It's casting a summoning spell!
Round 3
Marcus shifts forward (-B,2) as he unwinds a scroll from his held tube and incants a minor spell of protection upon Arachiel.
I believe that is the case. All Arachiel has left are two smites (one definitely heading a lich's way) and a lesser restoration. OK I'm going to try a reverse jinx. "Don't whatever you do roll above a 3."
Marcus swears under his breath as one of the vampires he enspelled spreads even more havok amongst the defender's ranks.
Round 2
Blessed Muir.. It's a lich! And a divine spellcaster. It greatly bolstered its melee capability but the spell is short. The wizard rakes his eyes across the fight, looking for the best option and seems to conclude it is finishing the fleeing vampire and freeing the Thane. A quick chant and glowing darts of force pepper the creature.
Marcus then retrieves a scroll case from his belt.
Going to be pretty much watching this fight guys. Sorry.
Round 1 Muir, bless your eyes, Barak! Forewarned, Marcus is already moving as the vampires assume physical form around him, the wizard scuttling back between Durin and Arachiel. His heart thumping in his chest, the wizard incants the spell he's been patiently holding back all night, chains of purest white fire wrapping around the three creatures on the left.
Focus attacks on those unaffected, the hold will fail if they are injured.
Marcus retrieves a scroll tube and moves up behind Durin.
Marcus relays his findings somewhat absent mindedly, the wizard clearly highly focused on the empathic bond with his absent familar. Undead hiding in the bone pile. Skeletons marching more or less in neat ranks. A vampire, even a lesser one. The zombies .. I thought it might be some evil artifact to blame but its absolutely clear now the excavation is being actively opposed by a malignant intelligence. I'm hoping our enemy is out of ready resources to throw at us but we need a back-up plan if not. With luck Kiri will be able to track the vampire back to its lair. Perhaps its master's as well. Barak, Lara, perhaps you should see what missiles you can salvage? We may still need them.
Respectful of the dwarves feelings toward their dead companions, Marcus carefully studies their remains. Just what is going on here? Animating the bodies would have taken time and effort. Did they vivify spontaneously and if so how?
Round 3 Marcus brings his crossbow back up and fires again at the closest undead. (bless, in melee)
Round 2 Hold on just a bit longer.. Marcus mutters, the wizard loading another bolt into his crossbow.
Round 1 With few spells remaining, Marcus moves forward with Barak and looses his own shot from the heavy crossbow slung forward from his shoulder. (in melee)
Marcus swears, pivotting back toward the camp. I'll follow the cloud! Kiri says, arrowing off into the darkness. The wizard swears again but his troublesome familiar is already gone.
Round 1
Marcus adds his words of warning to the rest, the wizard readying an offensive spell in case any of the trio can cast.
Make sure all of the cadavers have been slain with enchanted weapons and then try and heal up. We are yet to face our true adversary! Marcus instructs the dwarves before following the others, the wizard trying desperately to track the remaining creatures with his lights and provide the archers with a target.
Round 4
Still focusing on his defense against a potential attack, Marcus shifts his dancing lights around to his best guess of where the trio are.
Aye! 'Ware the possible caster, though!
Round 3 Marcus studies the zombies as they stride within range of the bonfires. They're not normal zombies, their Cadavers! They will rise again if not struck down with magic or positive energy! Use enchanted weapons on them only!
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