Marten Lebeda's page

Marten Lebeda wrote:

Niadroub Kliip wrote:

GM_DBH wrote:

@Vibenia, I believe that the Thor river camp is already occupied. One of the original players retired there to do much as you wish to do.

That hardly seems fair. Who was the player? I can't think of anyone likely to come back (maybe Colwyn), and we can just as easily say that they moved on to live somewhere else. Or that they become part of the training camp!

Or they died horribly to one of our many enemies!

And they willed all of their possessions to Niadroub Kliip!

You know, in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, that certainly seems reasonable.

GM_DBH wrote:

@Vibenia, I believe that the Thor river camp is already occupied. One of the original players retired there to do much as you wish to do.

That hardly seems fair. Who was the player? I can't think of anyone likely to come back (maybe Colwyn), and we can just as easily say that they moved on to live somewhere else. Or that they become part of the training camp!

Or they died horribly to one of our many enemies!

Also, thinking of maybe taking a hex in the far south of the Greenbelt. Set up a watchtower, then a settlement, make a tiny forest village with elven influence.

Once the team decides to teleport back, Marten gratefully assembles with the crew and fbam returns home. Niadroub announces that he's going to fill in Colwyn, and Marten gives him a brief nod before mentioning, "I'm going to go find my fiancé." His comment is too slow, though, as Tessara rounds a corner and immediately snaps close to him, heedless of the bog mud spattered on his armor and tunic. The elf woman presses her forehead against his, and the two share a wordless moment of empathic communion.

(Slightly creepy, actually.)

"I have to go make some arrangements," says Marten after the reverie. "I'll see the rest of you again at dinner?" Tessara leads him off by the hand.

Gorman gives a snort and says, "I'm gonna go clean my guns."

~~~~~~~~~~

Siofra eventually hears that Zelera is back and tracks her down.

"So tell me the latest. What all happened this time? I gotta know the dirt so that I can write more songs about the terrible comedic errors of that goon Marten. Though it'll be tougher now because I have to lampoon him while the rest of you don't deserve that treatment."

I think Marten was going to request the cloak of resistance +2? There was some discussion about that previously, that I'd forgone getting one because the paladin's Charisma bonus to saves help to offset that, but since we seem to have one just lying around, now's the time.

The headband of mental prowess +2 could be useful to one of Marten's recruits, depending upon which stats it influences.

Sounds like a quick jaunt. Let's get it out of the way and... if we're going to stay in the swamps crossing water, I should probably stick with Gorman. Otherwise, may be time for Siofra to join an expedition. Hilarity ensues.

Marten cracks a smile again when the boggard tells Niadroub about the various local hazards.

"The bog mummies should definitely be dealt with. And people in trouble! That's definitely right up our alley. I'm inclined to help refugees first and eliminate bog mummies second, unless there's a logistical reason to reverse the order."

Marten claps Niadroub on the shoulder and says, "Well done, my friend! Your loquaciousness is apparently esteemed in multiple languages."

Gorman mutters, "Yeah, surprised we didn't have to shoot our way out." The pirate is always grouchy, though.

"What next? Should we strike further into uncharted territory and then head back to the fort to resupply and perhaps see if Colwyn has left us any directions?"

"I guess we have to go back and fetch the head!"

Marten shifts uncomfortably from foot to foot, with his armor making a metallic rustling noise. He doesn't like leaving Niadroub out in front like that, ready to attract neck-seeking missiles.

Still here! I know, I know, you were hoping I was gone, but alas.

"Wow, impressive," says Marten. "I've only learned a few languages and that one sounds like a real challenge. The throat-reverberation and the tongue-swallow in particular seem pretty tough."

"Does anyone have any translation magic? Otherwise this is going to be charades."

Marten has Diplomacy +20, but language may be a barrier.

"If we can solve this diplomatically, I would prefer to do so."

On foot (or horseback) is fine.

We got some real foot fetishists here!

Not complaining, just ruminating from a design perspective!

On reflection a boat might work. Gorman is a skilled boatman.

Not to bog things down though. If the group would rather go overland, so be it!

Horseshoes of speed please.

(Honestly kind of a trap item. Doesn't improve your party's overland movement speed because it's just the one horse. Mostly lets you be more responsive in melee while running around a battlefield, but how often do you have your horse in a dungeon? I guess kinda useful for outdoor swamp fighting where you have to overcome difficult terrain.)

"Hmm. Water is kinda my bane, given the armor," says Marten ruefully.

"Any precautions we should take? Is it going to be deep enough that I need to worry about drowning? Should I leave Tracer (my steed) behind?"

If you want 'em, take 'em, and we can make the recruit make his own!

If nobody wants those bracers of armor +4, I could stick them on the mage who's going to join my recruits next time we go home. But no biggie.

Marten Lebeda wrote:

The main thing that I need now is time. Marten is sitting on a ton of cash but needs to use it to upgrade his existing gear.

We can justify a pause after we check in at Fort Drelev, if you want. We should update our ruler on what we've been up to. We'll have a ton of things to sell, and we can go shopping. What do you think?

If I must pay full price for something, so be it, but Marten's recruits have some magic item crafting ability as well. At the very least he needs a better AC, and I would someday like to get holy on Falling Leaf.

Marten indeed does not have a cloak of resistance, as I've been relying on his +Cha to saves to help carry him through. Any item that doesn't have a gold piece value next to it is something that he got as treasure. If it has a gp value, it was from his starting gear.

The main thing that I need now is time. Marten is sitting on a ton of cash but needs to use it to upgrade his existing gear.

Or you could find a way to destroy the sword, at the cost of pissing off Gorum. :)

I feel like, we beat the champion, we got the sword fair and square, we get to decide what to do with it, and if Gorum has a tantrum about that, he's a shitty god who doesn't live up to his own principles ("the winner of the fight decides the fate of the loser").

That said, Marten has no idea how one would go about shattering an artifact weapon like this. It is certainly too dangerous to be left just lying around somewhere where anyone with some divination magic could find it and put it to their own sinister uses.

Marten nods. "Yes, thank you, Zelera."

"I'm ready for anything else that awaits us."

Mage hand doesn't work on magic items, or on items weighing more than 5 lbs. (Ovinrbaane weighs 12 lbs.)

Gorman: Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 33

Gorman, in the middle of cleaning and reloading his pistol, idly points with the barrel brush.

"Secret door in the bas relief."

In two more levels I'll get a feat that lets me deflect arrows with my sword, by which time nobody will be using arrows against us any more! :D

Marten takes a moment to catch his breath as he rises out of his battle stance.

"I wonder what this poor man's story is," he says. "Dragged into this conflict? Or willing participant? I suppose it is moot now."

The 1st edition Ovinrbaane

Marten takes the hits with a grunt as the arrows spang hard against his armor, rocking him onto his heels. He barely catches one in time with his shield before it hits an artery. For dead guys, they're really good shots.

He moves to directly engage the nearest skeleton archer (purple), using it for cover against its own ally.

Since I have to move more than 5' to reach the skeleton, using the blessing of fervor for +2 to attack and AC. Makes AC 27.

Falling Leaf power attack, blessing of fervor, divine favor, prayer: 1d20 + 20 - 4 + 2 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 20 - 4 + 2 + 3 + 1 = 37
Falling Leaf power damage, divine favor, prayer, weapon of awe: 1d8 + 7 + 8 + 3 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 7 + 8 + 3 + 1 + 2 = 26

From behind, Gorman reloads and takes a pistol shot.

Gorman: Pistol attack, blessing of fervor, prayer: 1d20 + 13 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 13 + 2 + 1 = 25
Gorman: Pistol damage, prayer: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Been forgetting to add Zelera's prayer spell.

Marten lets out a heavy sigh. He remembers what happened last time he faced a bunch of skeletons with bows.

He slides around the pillar to his left and past Dusk so that he can reach a nearby skeleton but use it for cover against its companions further south.

Hopefully, if they shoot through its space, I get the +4 AC bonus for cover.

Falling Leaf attack, divine favor, prayer: 1d20 + 20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 20 + 3 + 1 = 42
Falling Leaf confirm crit, divine favor, prayer: 1d20 + 20 + 3 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 20 + 3 + 1 = 44

Bless weapon makes all threats against evil creatures crits, so that roll might be redundant.

Falling Leaf damage, divine favor, prayer, weapon of awe: 1d8 + 7 + 3 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 7 + 3 + 1 + 2 = 14
Falling Leaf crit damage, divine favor, prayer, weapon of awe: 1d8 + 7 + 3 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 7 + 3 + 1 + 2 = 21

All lumped together in one hit, so the DR isn't as effective.

Not a complaint against you! I'm aware that coming in at a higher level always gives you a better gear selection. I just need to do some catching up. :)

Once we get some cash, really need to get my armor improved somehow. Being 7 points of AC worse than the rogue is just a bad place to be as the tank.

Marten takes the battering as usual and counterswings at the foe with Dusk opposite him (light blue).

1. Falling Leaf attack, divine favor, flanking: 1d20 + 20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 20 + 3 + 2 = 29
2. Falling Leaf blessing of fervor bonus attack, divine favor, flanking: 1d20 + 20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 20 + 3 + 2 = 29
3. Falling Leaf attack, divine favor, flanking: 1d20 + 15 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 15 + 3 + 2 = 23
4. Falling Leaf attack, divine favor, flanking: 1d20 + 10 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 10 + 3 + 2 = 29

1. Falling Leaf damage, divine favor, weapon of awe: 1d8 + 7 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 7 + 3 + 2 = 13
2. Falling Leaf damage, divine favor, weapon of awe: 1d8 + 7 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 7 + 3 + 2 = 15
3. Falling Leaf damage, divine favor, weapon of awe: 1d8 + 7 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 7 + 3 + 2 = 14
4. Falling Leaf damage, divine favor, weapon of awe: 1d8 + 7 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 7 + 3 + 2 = 13

Since he's not evil, none of my stuff works.

Marten attempts to smite the foe, which fails, and so his blade is barely useful at all.

1. Falling leaf attack, divine favor: 1d20 + 20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 20 + 3 = 25
2. Falling leaf second iterative attack, divine favor: 1d20 + 15 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 15 + 3 = 28
3. Falling leaf third iterative attack, divine favor: 1d20 + 10 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 10 + 3 = 26

1. Falling leaf damage, divine favor, weapon of awe: 1d8 + 7 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 3 + 2 = 16
2. Falling leaf damage, divine favor, weapon of awe: 1d8 + 7 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 7 + 3 + 2 = 20
3. Falling leaf damage, divine favor, weapon of awe: 1d8 + 7 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 7 + 3 + 2 = 16

I'm hoping that the team can bottle up the skeleton champions before they kill me while I run up and smite on this guy.

Sensing that it's go time, Marten casts bless weapon, communal protection from evil, divine favor, and weapon of awe as soon as the party is ready to go. (No sense wasting short durations while the party stands around hesitating at the door.)

[dice=HP]1d8+1

BAB +1

F/R +1

Skills 2+1+1=+4

Diplomacy +16=+2+11+3
Knowledge (nature) +16=+1+13+3
Knowledge (planes) +17=+1+13+3
Perception +22=+6+13+3
Background Skills
Perform (dance) +19=+2+13+3+1
Sleight of Hand +15=+2+13+0

+1 CL
+1 5th and 6th per day

Summon Fey 1 upgrades to Summon Fey 2

Gunoke is still to come.

Don't forget your feat!

I recommend Favored Prestige Class so that you can squeeze out a few more hit points or skill ranks and then next feat get Prestigious Spellcaster, which removes your one-level casting deficit and puts you back on track to full cleric casting.

Marten eventually recovers his enchanted sword, while Gorman quietly cleans his pistol.

"Any way for us to know in advance what we face beyond? What he was guarding? Anyone have a divinatory spell to see further ahead?"

Sorry to hear that things have been so rough, DBH.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marten, Level 13: Paladin (Mind Sword) 13

+1 BAB
+9 hit points (+2 additional from Con enhancement)

Feat: Power Attack

Skills: +1 each of: Diplomacy, Intimidate, Perception, Ride, Sense Motive; Artistry (Philosophy), Linguistics

New language learned: Halfling

Class feature: +1 smite/day

Recruits also level up.

Marten looks over to Niadroub.

"Can I swing at him while he's in the ice block, or... ?"

Will save: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (1) + 13 = 14

Marten's hand spasms uncontrollably, because despite being a veteran practitioner of the psychic arts, he apparently has no mental defenses whatsoever. He sighs and picks his sword back up.

Marten is about to run headlong into the antilife shell when Niadroub barks out a brief warning about an "enveeeseble death bubble!", so he pivots to telekinetically flinging his sword instead. Falling Leaf lashes out, spinning hypnotically through the air and spinning in loops and whorls reminiscent of its name.

1. Falling Leaf mind arsenal attack, blessing of fervor: 1d20 + 18 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 18 + 2 = 33
2. Falling Leaf mind arsenal second iterative attack, blessing of fervor: 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 13 + 2 = 33
3. Falling Leaf mind arsenal third iterative attack, blessing of fervor: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 8 + 2 = 14

2. Falling Leaf mind arsenal second iterative attack confirm crit, blessing of fervor: 1d20 + 13 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 13 + 2 = 16

1. Falling Leaf damage: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
2. Falling Leaf damage: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
3. Falling Leaf damage: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Expends two uses of mind arsenal to make a ranged full attack.

If the dimension door leaves me within 30' of the guy, that means I don't need to use blessing of fervor for speed, so I can switch it to +2 to hit, which bumps up the crit confirmation from 22 to 24.

Ref save: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14

The blade barrier makes sparks as it clangs on Marten's armor and shield, leaving the paladin sighting heavily as he pulls Falling Leaf and moves to engage.

Using the blessing of fervor to get the extra movement speed to move to engagement range this round.

Falling Leaf attack: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (20) + 19 = 39
Falling Leaf confirm crit: 1d20 + 19 ⇒ (3) + 19 = 22

Falling Leaf damage: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14
Falling Leaf crit damage: 1d8 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Marten rests his hand on the hilt of Falling Leaf. Behind his helm, his eyes narrow slightly.

Detect evil.

"As predicted, another Gorum challenge. He just challenged us to a fight."

"I suspect another challenge of Gorum. Hm. The glow is a bit ostentatious."