Witches are limited? First time I've heard that one.
They get every healing spell, a million enchantment and divination spells as well as blasting spells like Lightning Bolt/Cone of Cold/Chain Lightning, a whole load of save-or-dies (Baleful Polymorph, flesh-to-stone) and control spells such as stinking cloud, black tentacles and the like. They've got all the same summons as wizards too, if they want to go that route. Scrying, teleporting, flying, utility out the wazoo. Their base spell list is amazing, and that's before you even include things like patrons.
The only thing they CAN'T do is buff out allies, create illusions or animate dead (They can also do these things if they really want to through patrons and hexes). Specialist wizards face the same limitations, if not more. Giving up two whole schools is huge.
UMD is also a class skill if they're super desperate.
Max hp 43 | Init +3 Per +7 (+9 stone; Darkvision 60ft) | AC 20/ T 13/FF 18 (+2 vs Aberrations) | F +5/R + 6/ W +1 (+2 vs poison, spells, spell-like) | CMB +8 CMD 20 (24 stability)
Round 1:
Ava looses Avengen's Edge from its holster, swinging it around in front of her as she readies herself against an attack.
Max hp 43 | Init +3 Per +7 (+9 stone; Darkvision 60ft) | AC 20/ T 13/FF 18 (+2 vs Aberrations) | F +5/R + 6/ W +1 (+2 vs poison, spells, spell-like) | CMB +8 CMD 20 (24 stability)
Knowledge (Local):1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
"D" stands for "Dinosaurs," which the city of Westcrown is well-known for.
Max hp 19 | Init +2 Per +7 | AC 15 (T: 12, FF: 13) | Fort +5 / Ref + 2 / Will +5 | CMB +5 CMD 17
Spells Prepared:
Orisons - Create Water, Guidance, Virtue, Purify Food and Drink | 1st - Cure Light Wounds, Shillelagh, Produce Flame
Being a nasty evil lady is fun. I usually only get to use this kind of language when I'm doing an evil monologue or something. (We should definitely monologue to some tied-up would-be heroes at some point)
Max hp 43 | Init +3 Per +7 (+9 stone; Darkvision 60ft) | AC 20/ T 13/FF 18 (+2 vs Aberrations) | F +5/R + 6/ W +1 (+2 vs poison, spells, spell-like) | CMB +8 CMD 20 (24 stability)
Round 2:
Ava will continue down, sticking to the shadows. She'll keep the others in sight.
I do not like what I feel is abuse, which is what I've felt here. Oddly enough, that it's not directed at me doesn't seem to matter. I find myself wanting to yell, "STOP!" for Twigs and Cearb.
You do realize it goes both ways? Bastagar and Caerb have been insulting and threatening him from day one. Most of the Halfhand's supposed abuse is just him muttering "Can't trust fairies" to himself over and over. The Halfhand's actually probably taken more direct abuse than anyone else in the party.
But that's okay. Because characters like Bastagar and the Halfhand were made to be insulted. They're made to be scorned and slapped around a bit. We want to be hated and reviled, at least at the very beginning. It's part of who the characters are. And it's part of their growth as well. Why else would we make the twisted, filth-caked, half-mad creatures that we did?
Nobody's feelings are getting hurt. We're just having a bit of back-and-forth banter, exchanging light jabs. The gimli/legolas relationship is something that we work towards over the course of the game. It's something we achieve through shared experience over time, not something that is immediately apparent.
On bandits
Hilde Alfborne wrote:
Yes, that may have been the best thing to do, with careful deliberation and concern about what is Right. That was not the spirit in which it was done however, and when it comes to moral issues, motive is more important than outcome.
Ah, see, that's where you're wrong. Let's take a look...
The Halfhand wrote:
"A man does not die a slow death. Winter will not claim another victim." The Halfhand spits the word 'winter' like a curse through gritted teeth. He stands over the corpse for a moment, his matted hair hanging in strands across his face, expression blank and cold as the icy snow.
The Halfhand knows the suffering the elements can bring firsthand. He wasn't going to let these men die a slow death in the snow, claimed by hypothermia or picked apart by wolves. What he did, he did out of mercy. He took no joy in killing them. What he did wasn't a good-aligned act, but it certainly wasn't evil.
I wish this was the issue you'd raised in-character, so I'd have had a chance to explain it there, rather than pulling up the issue that the clearly-insane wild man doesn't show any respect for the gremlin-like creatures that look like they crawled out of his worst nightmares.
It's way too early to be having the trust-issue talk. We don't even have a common enemy or goal to work towards yet. I'm loving the stories and posts coming out, but really they should have been told at a time that it was important for us to need to trust each other, like before we confront a formidable foe or embark on a big quest. They don't need to be said just to rescue one lady. It feels like we're forcing an issue into light that we don't need to deal with yet, at a moment that isn't dramatically appropriate.
Max hp 43 | Init +3 Per +7 (+9 stone; Darkvision 60ft) | AC 20/ T 13/FF 18 (+2 vs Aberrations) | F +5/R + 6/ W +1 (+2 vs poison, spells, spell-like) | CMB +8 CMD 20 (24 stability)
Round 3:
Ava's small tongue protrudes from her mouth as she concentrates on the last brush stroke. "There. Done." She looks up from her rough painting to meet Janiven's blank stare. Somehow she's managed to get blue and white paint on both her nose and forehead.
"Oh, uh... No, I don't think they'll get into any trouble." she says absently. "I doubt it'd be anything they couldn't handle, anyway." She holds up the painting in front of her, showing it to Janiven. "What do you think?"
"What? No, that's a person. See, those are the arms." Ava becomes a little flustered as she tries to explain the picture. "It's, uh, Dwarven Impressionism alright? All the great dwarven painters used this style..."
Ava looks down at the painting once more. "It's... It's not finished. Yes, I know I said I was done... But I what I meant is that I had finished the first, uh... layer. It'll look great when it's complete. All the way, that is. With the layers. And things."
Ava stares down at the canvas, and avoids making eye contact for the next half-hour.
The Halfhand shoos away the gnome with a displeased expression as it tries to offer him food, barely even offering it a hint of recognition before turning back to the road ahead.
"This fell weather bodes ill."
As the temperature drops, the Halfhand bids the group to hold for a moment. Pulling his shield from his back, he plants it into the snow, running his finger over the carved runes. The runes glow faintly as he utters a short phrase. Seemingly content, he picks the shield up and slings it across his back once more.
Endure Elements 10% Spell Failure:1d100 ⇒ 96
---
Clearing
The Halfhand readies his crossbow as they approach, blinking through the snow. Seeing its master on the alert, Ormr stands tall on his shoulder, mimicking the wizard's stern expression.
Ormr (Perception):1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
"Undoubtedly. The fey are limitless in the wickedness of their deceit." he says, agreeing with Kelgar and Olaf's sentiments. Ignoring the presence of Hilde and the gnomes, he continues. "Child-snatchers, goat-manglers, one can only imagine what cruel tricks they have in store for their enemies if even the innocent suffer their torments..."
Max hp 43 | Init +3 Per +7 (+9 stone; Darkvision 60ft) | AC 20/ T 13/FF 18 (+2 vs Aberrations) | F +5/R + 6/ W +1 (+2 vs poison, spells, spell-like) | CMB +8 CMD 20 (24 stability)
Ava smiles as she reads the letter, then tucks it into her clothes.
"The Council... This troubles me greatly." Ava says, folding her arms as she turns back to the group. "The name is familiar. It is a name whispered amongst the rogues of Westcrown."
Her footsteps echo as she paces slowly, continuing her tale, her words words bringing with them an unexpected weight.
"A myth, one in which I'd never placed much stock... Until now. Whispers of a black organization controlling Westcrown from the shadows. A dark council. A shadow council." Ava pauses for a moment, the flickering torchlight casting long shadows across her face.
In the communal inventory there's actually 2643gp, 507sp and 80gp worth of jewellery plus the unappraised ones. Did we actually want to gather up the non-mwk armor and weapons to sell?
(Also Ava wouldn't split her share for charity. She'd take 1/6 and let you guys do what you pleased with your shares.)
Speaking of shares, did we actually want to divvy up the gold or just keep a communal stash? Since we're an organization, it makes enough sense to pool resources instead of floating stuff between us.
Here's the equipment tables so far.
View it fullscreen to get the whole table visible at once and navigate between groups of 3 people with the little tabs. It's all pretty simple. I haven't done the weights and values of Caladius' equipment or the new stuff yet, nor have I put mundane goblin arms and armor on there. I can add it if you like.
