Norine Pepfarin Epfafeen's page

Hi all,

Sorry I haven't posted. I have been having some back problems that have cut into my sleep and well-being and so I haven't been online for awhile.

I am afraid that I, too, am going to have to pull the all-too-common disappearing act, at least for the time being, and take a break from the games. :(

Hopefully, I'll see you again online, but feel free to recruit a replacement.

Thanks,

~~ Matt

I filled in my list, which is a tiny, tiny fraction of Auke's list, lol.

I filled in my information.

Hmm. Interestingly, Norine did communicate some of the information to her, asking her about why she was doing what she was doing:

...

"And you would give the keys to the city to the Chelaxians, the people who would have had you killed for the very same if your father had not committed treason to save you?" she responds, more sincere questioning than a retort.

Perhaps "too little, too late" for there to be a good compromise established or to change her mind about things, but she might go away wondering about that, at least.

Yes, thanks again for running this!

We might also see, depending on who is running the next one, whether GM Auke would want to become part of the group, rotating through as GM or player as Mez, Derek, WhtKnt, and Alice (Liadain) have done. (I have a PM into Alice; I thought she would be back from her exams by now, so I am not sure what happened to her.)

Well my friends, the scenario has kicked our butts from the very beginning, and Janks escaping to join up with Celeena was just too much for us. Coupled with what has got to have been the worst 'ambush' in PFS play, and we're pretty much toast.

And now Color Sprays(?) *Sigh* Norine made it by one but making it by 5 more is gonna be tough. (It totally makes sense when you are designing powerful opponents, but the ability to take out half or more of a party in one go is too much, IMO. Despite the usefulness to players, I wish they had changed it when making PF.)

It everyone can merely get out of this alive (if beaten) then I will be satisfied.

"Sorry! Misunderstanding!" Norine exclaims in a rapid burst, "Can't stabilize except by touch! Don't have the spell!"

Norine moves to the Alexia's side and stabilizes her with a wordless touch.
[spoiler=Sacred Touch - As a standard action, you may automatically stabilize a dying creature merely by touching it.[/spoiler]

"Go to your ship and your new home, Celeena!" Norine pleads.

Alexia is part of a round away from death if, as I calculate it, she is currently at -9 and has a Con of 10. So, it's over from Norine's perspective. (She wouldn't know the exact numbers, of course, but it would be obvious the downed, slight witch it is severe mortal danger.

Ninja'ed by Talwin.
"Stop everyone!" she pleads again.

Channel Heal: 2d6 ⇒ (2, 4) = 6

Norine nods to Celeena and clutches her holy symbol, sending out energy to heal and stabilize - but still excludes her three opponents.

"And you would give the keys to the city to the Chelaxians, the people who would have had you killed for the very same if your father had not committed treason to save you?" she responds, more sincere questioning than a retort.

Things we be a bit slow for me today as I am going with the family over to friends' for the 4th of July.

I think Norine was up, but didn't get added to the latest post.

Norine moves closer the action, aided by her long stride.

Norine squeezes between some tables and boxes, moving forward a bit while keeping Ebon within range. "This way, Ebon!" she shouts, casting a spell and preparing to transfer it to him.
MA 10 ft., readying Bull's Strength to cast on Ebon as he moves past.

Norine causes her wand of bless to spring into her hand, blessing the party.

Just a quick warning. If you are just standing there Celeena will see you a mile away.

I was thinking that, but I usually assume the GM is placing us where the encounter starts. Given we know where she is coming from ("a highly respected tavern in the Coin district") can we guess which direction she is coming from and hide behind things on the other side? Also, from the map I have a hard time telling where to hide and where is a street she might be coming from.

Norine casts Longstrider on herself and Shield Other on Ebon. With the latter, she gives him a platinum ring, the match of her own, with the words, "'Til death do us part, big fellow." "Ebon's not going down this time without a fight! ... Well, I suppose there has always been a fight involved, so, I guess I should say, not without a bigger fight!"
Shield Other: "The subject gains a +1 deflection bonus to AC and a +1 resistance bonus on saves.", plus we split the damage you take for 3 hours (The deflection bonus won't stack with Shield of Faith, though.)

Norna thanks Ogrekin in the morning for his help, and promises more aid in the future when it is needed - as it always is along the docks.

Informing the others, Norna goes out of the tavern and to a quieter section of the docks where she can hear the rhythm of the waves and the cry of the gulls, with whom she shares her rations. (While the tastes of the Grog Pit - and the sometimes-dramatic gastrointestinal consequences - are always interesting, keeping a gnome fresh, Norine decides to play it safe before the coming showdown.) There she prays and recovers her spells and her connection with the divine. She then energizes her consecrated shield.

When she's done, she asks the group, "So, where do we want to confront her?"

No worries, then. Norine needs her beauty sleep, even if it is under a table.

Diplomacy (Gather information): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
Diplomacy (not get shivved at the Grog Pit: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

Norine suddenly remembers, "Hey, the Grog Pit is always open!" ;-) "Conveniently located near the docks, and the house grog is a mix of just about everything unsavory and so, if you are feeling like you want to savory something unsavory, it sure makes it convenient that you can sample so many unsavory things in one mug full!" Norine, the sailor, herself, and frequent dockside visitor as a cleric of Desna, waxes on poetically babbles on enthusiastically about the questionable virtues of the place. "Plus, the rats there are very cosmopolitan and well-traveled..."

Would we have time to pick up any supplies? (Just because we are in Absalom.) If so:

"Off we go!" Norine agrees. As they go, she wonders aloud, "Still, why would Celeena work with Cheliax after nearly been killed by them herself (and as a little girl, no less)? Unless, perhaps, she is being forced like her father, or a lust for power that forgets old lessons and old enemies? She did have a certain verve for the job that suggested the latter."

I did revive Targost here. :) Maybe Targost is just slow to come around.

...

She then touches Targost with her wand until he is fully healed.
[dice=Wand of CLW]1d8+1
[dice=Wand of CLW]1d8+1
[dice=Wand of CLW]1d8+1
...

I don't know why the values didn't copy in the 'Reply' quoted area, but they were 8, 2, 8, for a total of 18 points, which should be enough to get him to full.

Norine will enter the next room, first casting Detect Magic to scan it, followed by aiding in a physical search. "Hopefully, we interrupted her before she could finish, or she left something behind in her haste to leave."

D.M. plus Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22

I still (usually) provide faction mission, stressing that they won't affect one's prestige points and are entirely optional and provided for historical and story reasons only. I'm enjoying doing them, myself, in one campaign I am in, with a Silver Crusade paladin working with the Andorans in "The Devil We Know" series. He likely won't fulfill one part of the mission, for moral reasons, but the rest has been right up his alley.

Norine is momentarily stunned and paused by having finished off the dretch with her dagger (even given that most all of the work was done by Talwin and others). Collecting her thoughts, she hears a little voice in her head (not, in itself, uncommon...) but this time it makes a lot of sense! She suddenly yells, "No! Let's bring Ebon and the others back - we'll rest, heal, and complete the mission!" She knows she is without the ability to channel more energy without rest, and fears the Shoanti's safety, getting so far away. Even the kindness they have shown to the released mercenary may come back to haunt them...

She then touches Targost with her wand until he is fully healed.
Wand of CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Wand of CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Wand of CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
My wand is feeling kind of light, so I'll let someone else use some charges on others, if possible.

I'll let someone else more familiar Bards/Arcane Duelists and other such fancy things ghost her. Talwin or Alexia, perhaps?

Well, at least Targost is now only down to -1 or so.

If the dretch is still up after Talwin:
Cold iron dagger: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 171d3 ⇒ 3

Norine draws her cold iron dagger as she steps forward, stabbing the dretch with as much force as she can bring to bear.

Edit: Cross-posted a bit as I was doing something else, too.

Good point, GM: I had completely forgot about the loss of the dodge bonus. I also had checked "Blindness", but missed the part in 5-foot step about "hampered by difficult terrain or darkness" (with Blindness equivalent to darkness). An attack would still be possible, at least if is isn't ranged and so provoking an additional AoO.

Targost, Sorry if I/Norine was/seemed grumpy.

Norine tries to hustle back but can't make it in time and so stops short, grasping her holy symbol and releasing more healing energy.
It should reach everyone but Ebon, I think.
Channel Heal: 2d6 ⇒ (6, 1) = 7

Wow, I've used all 8 channel energies, a CMW, and some wand charges.

Targost, Are you now at 1 hp, having taken 12 additional damage? Your status line still says 13/16. Also - if you are still blinded and are at 1 hp - Total Defense would be good and a 5' step would, I think, also still be allowed. (You could even move at half speed towards us and/or attempt to strike at the dretch, with a 50% miss chance.) Norine, however, isn't going to be able to outpace the dretch's damage, having only 1 channel heal left.

Norine will delay just long enough to see if Targost is still blinded and what he does.

Norine turns and leaves the fight with the dretch, trying again to draw the creature's attack while chasing after the opponents, "After them!" she cries.
Move 40', possibly drawing an AoO from the dretch.

Probably lost them. Only Ebon, perhaps, could catch up.

Norine fights off the temptation to just stare at the sparkles - "No time to be a gnome!" - and drops her shillelagh, causes her wand of protection from evil to spring into hand, casts it on Talwin, and then scoots to the other side of the demon, hoping to draw its attacks, babbling something hopefully-ominous-sounding in Celestial as she does so.

Free, SwA, StA, Move (down, right, down, diagonally left and down), possibly drawing AoOs.

Although it is identified, I forgot to make a Knowledge (Planes) roll to see what I know:
Knowledge (Planes): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

Norine, as per her seemingly-accustomed habit, hustles out of the stinking cloud and goes behind Ebon.

Norine hustles after Janks, drawing her club.

Double move (40').

Norine touches her holy symbol and, for a brief moment, the room appears to be filled with scintillations like blue butterflies, none of which flutter near Janks.

Channel Heal: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 4) = 7

Norine attempts to dodge behind Ebon again, then redirects the energy from one spell to another, much more pressing cure spell!

Drawing potential AoOs from Jenks and the mercenary.
Trading Consecrate for Cure Moderate Wounds/
Cure Moderate Wounds: 2d8 + 3 ⇒ (4, 7) + 3 = 14

So, 14 there. Did you get the ealier +9 Norine healed him for?

Norine steps back behind Ebon, casting from her wand and healing up some of his grievous wounds.

Wand of CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Hi All, I'll be on a short vacation to the coast this Wednesday through Friday and will have less computer access, so feel free to GMPC me if I hold things up.

Suddenly finding herself face-to-face with Janks, Norine swipes defensively at him with her morningstar, moving backwards behind Ebon to set up a potential flank.
AC23 (22+1 for the sanctified shield)
Morningstar, fighting defensively: 1d20 + 3 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (6) + 3 + 1 - 4 = 6

Drawing an AoO from Janks (moved up diagonally, over 2, down 1).

Actually, distance is only the 'tie-breaker': "Creatures with the fewest HD are affected first. Among creatures with equal HD, those who are closest to the spell's point of origin are affected first." So a bunch of 1 HD critters would go first while a 2 HD critter at the center might be completely unaffected as a result.

Sorry, I was confused about who was up.

Ah, I had misread the 'start' business. Here's mine now:
Burning aura: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Knowledge (Religion): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

"They're flaming skeletons!" Norine says, exclaiming only the most obvious. She scans each direction and moves slightly to hopefully capture all of the skeletons in her burst.

Channel energy, Harm undead, DC 13: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 4) = 7

Norine hustles after Talwyn, drawing her wand and casting, healing the inquisitor.
Wand of Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Norine is reluctant to fire the first shot. She does, however, suggest to Ebon, "Let's get a little closer so that you can discuss the matter with them easier."

Delay, following the group.

Intimidate, Aid Another: 1d20 + 2 - 4 ⇒ (9) + 2 - 4 = 7
"What she said!" Norna yells in support, pointing her small crossbow with as much menace as she can muster (it isn't much).

As I'm not the actual GM I can't change the link, but I might put it in the GM profile

I'm not sure if it is worth it or not, since we are probably fairly close to the end, but you could write webmaster@paizo.com as discussed at the top of the Online Campaigns page, and they can switch it over for you so you are the new GM. (I did it when I rescued a game once after the GM vanished.)

It would also allow you to make the game "inactive" when the scenario is over, although that will also happen naturally a few months after the last activity on the campaign.

Either way. :)

While Ebon is healing the group, Norine searches the body on the ground before her, under the scythe.
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
Oh sure, now I get my Nat 20!

"Pursue, but just a little more carefully, as I am sure you are well aware," Norine responds to Talwin, getting up off the floor and advancing, gesturing with her eyes back towards the deadly scythe trap.

"Let's get ready and I'll cast bless again just before we do go down." When everyone is assembled at the head of the stairwell, Norine casts Bless again from her wand. (10 round duration.)

Seconding Talwin.

I like the rule of two's. I think I will have to adopt something like that for my own games.

I've joined the Roll20 game (Matt C = Otiendikil/Norine). I've played a game or two on there, but it thinks I've played more than 250 hours because I would leave the window open and the timer counting - I'm not really that experienced, lol.

Are you going to post the link to the roll 20 page at the top of the page, replacing the old link?

It has been useful in past games, IMO, to allow anyone to move any character token, so that people without easy access can have their characters moved by others. (This often happens when people are on other devices or at work.) It also relieves the GM from having to determine marching order and such.

RSS has never worked well for me - going to have to try again some time - but I check my Campaigns page multiple times a day for updates, so I should be good.

Mez had been drawing them himself as he went, rather than using ones extracted from the file, so they're not ready for you, I'm afraid.

Sure, that sounds good to me, Auke, and I appreciate it.

To the group: OK, now a Venture-Captain is watching us! Everyone stand up straight and look like you know what you are doing! Talwyn, take that silly look off your face! Liadain, put some clothes on! Alexia, try to smile ... um, well, never mind. Ebon, straighten that tie! And get a tie! Somebody wake Targost up! Norine? Where the heck is Norine?! ... Oh, yeah, that's me.

Hey Ryan/Mez,

I'm really sorry to see you go. It was Mez and Norine (and everyone else, of course!) back in GM Derek's that was my first PbP game.

I hope to see you back again sometime!

More importantly, we all wish you the best in RL.

~~ Matt

~~~~~

So, on Mez's other point, would we like to have someone take this game over? I would (and probably should), but I am not the best at running multiple games, and I may end up running two already for another reason.

One idea, if no one feels up to it right now, would be to take a scheduled break, all agreeing to come back to the group on a particular date, such as when the game day is over and people have fewer other games to worry about. Then, if someone is able, we could pick up where we left off with this scenario or start a new one.

Yes, I hope all is well, or at least getting better. :-\

It's always worrisome when there has been a hospital visit recently.