Well, folks, I'm going to call this game. I do agree with Yazi. I would continue on, but Hajar has not been on in months, we're all down to once-a-week (if then) posting, and we still have an entire book to go.
It's been fun. I got lots of experience. I will check to see if anyone responds to this post, but I recently lost my mother, lost my neighbor across the street that I cared about, and started a new job that is practically 12-hour shifts. Something's got to give.
You guys and gals have been the best. Thank you all for being here for each other, for me, and for former players. Real life does interfere quite a bit, I'm sad to say.
I wish you all the best for 2022, and beyond.
GM Pace
Jeremy Pace
Graham, NC
jeremy@jeremyhpace.org
Khayal, showing his mountainous training only a few fighters even dream of, easily climbed the sheer side of the pyramid, his hands and feet finding sure holds.
Halfway up the side of the 100-foot pyramid, a russet-colored blur passed the burly man, the Keleshite making her climb look more like a ballet dance across a stage. Feet clad in slippers never stopped, with her body making the occasional twirl as Nasir went around Khayal, continuing up the obstacle.
The other adventurers and natives continued around the West and South side of the pyramid, until the stairs came into view. Yazi's head for some reason kept turning more and more to the side, watching the climbers, rather than what was in front of them. Bartan was leaning backwards, head to the side, as he also watched the Dervish Dancer show her expertise.
"Ah, the power of youth." Rayhan sighed as he followed the Fire Giant. The three azer puffed vigorously, their flames flickering, as they ran to keep up with the taller people.
Still praying for MichaelCullen's family after the loss of their parent's house.
We have another "winter storm" planned for Sunday, 16 January. It could go all the way up the Appalachian Mountains from Georgia to New York. Eight inches of snow in the mountains of NC. So prepare early and stay safe out there, players.
Thanks, everyone. Yes, my mother is better. She's now trying to find natural, alternative foods and supplements to the medicines the doctors gave her, because she doesn't like the side effects. But I made sure she kept the initial prescriptions, and uses them when needed.
Happy New Year! 2022 has GOT to be better than the last two years.
Bartan finds:
- two pink potions in heavy glass
- two white potions in heavy glass
- 2 mwk cold iron heavy mace
- 2 mwk cold iron longbow
- 2 quivers of mwk cold iron arrows (think extra-long crossbow bolts) in fire-resistant copper quivers
- 5 Large cold iron ballasta bolts
The giant took the magic missiles to his chest with a snarl, but successfully parried the paladin's falchion. (No flank declared?)
A certain woman with a certain greataxe dove into the fray, and the giant tried using his sword, but the axe cut again and again, until the giant fell, his flames winking out.
(Sorry, South is more "murder holes". The ones directly above the Large bronze stairs just before the pyrohydra. When I expanded the picture, I cut it as a rectangle, therefore you can't "see" South.)
(And, apart from Yazi, if you're searching, I'll need Perception checks. Yazi's ranks are so high it's more like 5E's passive check.)
We just bot'ted your character, you can come in anytime!
And I fully understand the depression. I lost a module PbP from depression, and I also lost a very long-term PbP recently from the GM just never replying to any of his games.
Loud cursing in Ignan is heard from above, and a second boulder comes down a murder hole from above! But the boulder rolls in such a way that only Nasir is threatened by the missile.
Nasir, Reflex Save DC 22, Fail:
You take 1d8 + 15 ⇒ (2) + 15 = 17 rolling rock damage.
The first boulder stopped rolling when it came to a stop against the pyrohydra's hide. One of the heads looked down, then tapped the boulder playfully.
Hajar ran down the stairs, stopping just before the alcove with the door. He motioned for the rest of the adventurers to follow him.
Broadbeard hopped down the stairs, getting to a place where the taller adventurers could pass by behind him. He held his shortspear against the pyrohydra, just in case. (Fighting Defensively)
Bartan's playing card hit wide inside the column of the murder hole in the ceiling.
for Bartan and Yazi:
You see the angry face of a Fire Giant at the other end of the murder hole in the ceiling, his beard, hair, and eyes spouting fire.
(10,000 posts! Whoo-hoo! You guys and gals are the best!)
The surviving flamed-salamander is looking just as angry as the other had been before Hajar cut him down.
(Anybody else?)
"I knew I should have stayed back with the others. They're probably guzzling that wine right now, and getting their dice out." Broadbeard complained. He concentrated on looking up at the "murder holes" in the ceiling.
(If no one claims any of the treasure from the previous day, I'll say one of Yazi's or Nasir's many Bags of Holding has the items, in case you need them later.)
Spooky plays with Yazi during the rest period.
Hajar will cast Endure Elements on anyone that needs it.
Rayhan, doing math in his head, has Hajar wear the Boots of Teleportation.
Rayan asks "If anyone sees the 'messenger' in reflections today, let us know. Mayhap that person can tell us where this 'symbol of authority' is located."
Shazathared hopes everyone will fight well, and reminds you to look for the 'artifact of power' that is imprisoning not just her, but yourselves and everyone else who enters this Efreeti palace.
With a combination of Rayhan's memorized spells and Hajar wearing the boots of Teleportation, the adventurers get back to the Salamander's dining area (Area D12). One azer, Broadbeard, came with Hajar.
The kitchen's dining area is much as you left it - upturned table blocking the stairs down, kobolds in the kitchen. The kobolds offer dried salamander jerky and some leftover roasted salamander. They have no new information - neither salamander nor Efreeti have come to reclaim them in the past several hours.
Rayhan takes the time to show the two wands he has identified. "The first is a wand of Fly, almost empty"(6 charges)"; the second is a wand of Resilient Sphere, which might have helped us in the last battle, with 17 charges. I will need time to identify the rest of the pile."
GM rolls:
Spellcraft:1d20 + 18 ⇒ (15) + 18 = 33
"But these," the older man said, showing a pair of shiny leather boots, "will help us immediately: boots of Teleportation!"
With his studied magic and the new boots, Rayhan was able to teleport not only the adventurers but the azer and their stone wine-caskets as well to the lower realms of Bayt al-Bazan.
---------------------
Shazathared is overwhelmed to see the adventurers return. "Oh, I am so glad to see you all!" she gushed from her place in the fountain.
The azer, not liking the humid area, moved quickly to the side rooms in the corridors.
"I was able to quiet the air djinni's weeping with a carefully worded suggestion spell," the water genie tells you all, "but I am unable to break his curse. It 'feels' like a feeblemind spell, and only my elders could deal with that kind of curse. If any of you could do heal, or miracle?" she asked.
(Standard 8 or 9 hours' rest. Renew spells, redo spells, change stuff in your backpacks, etc. Shazathared can make clean water, purify food and water, etc.)
The azer appear to be eating some of the roasted salamander they brought back with the wine.
Rayhan identifies the loot taken from the ghost-dwarf.
Bagoas' loot:
- wand of Fly, 6 charges
- wand of Resilient Sphere, 17 charges
- wand of Searing Light, 3d6 ⇒ (6, 2, 4) = 12 charges
- wand of Water Breathing, 4d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 6, 1) = 14 charges
- wand of Locate Object, 5d6 ⇒ (6, 4, 5, 4, 2) = 21 charges
- boots of Teleporation(Anybody else want these?)
- a bottle of air
- a sustaining spoon
- an rope of climbing
- a Blessed Book, which Rayhan immediately takes (with apologies to Bartan, but Rayhan was literally out of space with his travelling spellbook)
- rags of clothing
- 22 gold pieces
"Aha!" Rayhan said, after identifying the wand of Locate Object. "While we cannot go through stone or lead with this, at least inside a room, we can try to find this 'object of ownership'. Until we run out of spells."
Pondering, when asked Shazathared replied "I do not know this ghost-dwarf you speak of. But Jhavhul never mentioned him, or any of the leaders of his place, or the higher servants. But I do believe you did what you could; such an object would be very close to the throne of the palace, in case an upstart would challenge the Prince."
One of the azer, Broadbeard, comes up to Khayal after their rest period. "Don't forget, mercenaries left near the 'Flickering Candle' area." he requested. "There's still plenty of our 'old masters' to cause trouble, if we all want to get out of here."
(Any other questions, comments, requests of the water genie?)
Thanks to Yazi and Bartan to staying through the campaign. I'm hoping the others return soon, that it is only the stress of the Conona-19 virus keeping them from gaming.
I'm here as long as you all are here. I might drop to posting only twice a week, but I'll post as often as the players act.
I'm starting the annual week of Vacation Bible School at my church, so I may not be posting in a timely manner. I hope I don't get the Zoom conference-room and the game mixed up. The kids wouldn't mind a battle or two against a dwarf ghost, right? :) And you guys & gals wouldn't mind online crafts with a Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood theme?
(I included a (Type I) Bag of Holding in the above loot, just in case. And gold/jewels don't weigh that much, compared to the fire-giant loot. When the fire-dwarves put on the salamanders' backpacks, they're going to look like they're carrying old-fashioned flat mail boxes.)
It turns out my inability to get to Pazio.com was caused by a home router overheating after 10 years of use. So an order on Ebay for an upgraded router, the arrival of said hardware, and a couple of reboots on the home network, and all my slowdowns and time-outs are a thing of the past!
So now I can get back to normal once-a-day posting!
Khayal charged the genie who had fallen Hajar, but his single attack was not enough to drop the red-skinned efreeti. The taller man snarled jealousy at seeing the elaborate ring on the mere human's hand.
Yazi killed the efreeti in front of her with one blow, and sidestepped to drop the other. (TWO DOWN.)
Bartan's playing card hit the efreeti squarely in the chest, hitting flesh through a chink in his armor. The genie winced at the pain but started to laugh, only for his shout to change to horror as frost spread across his torso. Dropping to one knee, the efreeti's hands loosened on his weapon, the frost covering his face as the red-skinned man fell facedown on the stone floor. (You just hit his AC.)
GM rolls:
Atk1 on Nasir, miss chance:1d100 ⇒ 39 Atk1 on Nasir, miss chance:1d100 ⇒ 81
(Slight retro. Miss chance only worked on Nasir's 2nd attack; Nasir's new AC was higher than 28 on the first attack: both miss. The 2nd attack hit her armor, not her.)
(Just remind me about your AC/hp if necessary!)
(Nasir's attacks are on a falling-down corpse. The curse of a by-order play-by-move. I'm willing to give her a 30-foot move to the last efreeti and count her first attack, if she wants to redo her full attack.)
Nasir's effect whipped out into the air, and two areas appeared to stop in mid-air.
Yazi flailed around with Zenzirad, the black axe merely cutting the air until, on the third swing, she heard an oath sworn in Ignan.
MW falchion atk on Coldtooth:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (15) + 16 = 31Dmg:2d6 + 9 ⇒ (2, 3) + 9 = 14
Up near Bartan, one of the fire-dwarves cried out as a blade cut into him. An efreeti appeared, landing next to the circle of azers. The mercenaries closest to the efreeti attacked the genie with glee, able to hit their former employers and slavers.
MW warhammer atk:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15 MW warhammer atk:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16
Both dwarves missed. Coldtooth withdrew, his chest bleeding past his armor.
Yazi's opponent, landing on the stone floor, attacked the women in front of him.
MW falchion atk on Yazi:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (19) + 16 = 35Crit?:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (1) + 16 = 17(No.)Dmg:2d6 + 9 ⇒ (4, 5) + 9 = 18
MW falchion atk on Nasir:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (17) + 16 = 33Dmg:2d6 + 9 ⇒ (2, 4) + 9 = 15
Another efreeti appeared (Hajar has an AoO, 50% miss chance.) attacking the dancer.
The efreeti facing Hajar kept attacking even as he landed on the base of the zigguart's stone steps.
MW falchion atk on Hajar:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (11) + 16 = 27Dmg:2d6 + 9 ⇒ (2, 4) + 9 = 15
The other azer around Bartan shouted as they moved towards the closest genie. One stayed behind, looking at the wounded Coldtooth.
"Don't worry. This bastard's going to have to get through us first, mage!" Broadbeard boasted.
AoO MW falchion atk on green azer:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (16) + 16 = 32Dmg:2d6 + 9 ⇒ (3, 6) + 9 = 18(-3 hp; down)
One of the fire-dwarves, formerly on Bartan's right side, ran up too fast to the red-skinned genie, who savagely swung his blade at the smaller target. The azer fell, gushing blood and flames.
"Hmmm...." Broadbeard pondered.
Bartan flung two playing cards at his escorts' attacker, one of the cards hitting, causing the man's shoulder to crackle with cold.
Bartan's target (normal giant) roared in pain at the touch of the chilled playing cards, the giant staggering, then falling.
GM rolls:
Fall direction (clockwise):1d8 ⇒ 3 Invisible chance1:1d20 ⇒ 13 Invisible chance2:1d20 ⇒ 14 Invisible chance3:1d20 ⇒ 19
The giant's form falls toward Khayal!
Khayal, DEX check DC 12, fail:
You take 4d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 2, 5) = 14 points of damage and are pinned underneath the giant. You are flatfooted.
Khayal's blades cut the giant in front of him, getting past the giant's armor, but the creature remained standing. (Your Ring of Elemental Command (Fire) is helping.)
Nasir's attacks cut the (normal, falling) giant to pieces! Yazi's first attack also hit the (normal, falling) giant in front of her and Nasir, but her second attack missed. (This greatly lowered the Reflex DC Khayal needed!)
Hajar's first attack killed the genie in front of him.
The giant in front of Khayal (red), fear in his eyes, swung again at the fighter. He shouted something in Ignan, looking at both Khayal, then Hajar. After his first sword failed to hit Khayal, the giant turned on Hajar (five foot step away from Khayal and towards Hajar). Greatsword atk on Khayal:1d20 + 21 - 1 ⇒ (3) + 21 - 1 = 23 Greatsword atk on Hajar:1d20 + 16 - 1 ⇒ (19) + 16 - 1 = 34Dmg:3d6 + 15 ⇒ (5, 5, 1) + 15 = 26 Greatsword atk on Hajar:1d20 + 11 - 1 ⇒ (18) + 11 - 1 = 28Dmg:3d6 + 15 ⇒ (3, 5, 5) + 15 = 28
in Ignan:
"This one has a magic ring protecting him! Kill the weaker ones, quickly!"
(Since nobody did a Perception check (except Yazi's auto-check), here goes...)
MW Falchion atk on Hajar, flatfooted:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (11) + 16 = 27Dmg:2d6 + 9 ⇒ (3, 6) + 9 = 18
Out of thin air an efreet appears, ten feet above Hajar, stabbing downwards with his falchion!
"Och, I forgot to tell you - efreeti can fly, too, employers! Azer, candles out!" Broadbeard shouted next to Bartan, towards Hajar. In response, the fire-dwarves, still holding their warhammers, put single fingers or thumbs into the air, looking around intently. Two moved as Bartan moved (5-foot steps).
GM rolls, Perception DC 22, same blurb as last round:
One azer (gold), pointed north-by-northeast, then south of his position, muttering angrily. "Got one approaching us from the North! Got more than one coming at us or the berserk-female from the South! All flying!" Coldtooth translated. (Efreeti pointed out in red outlines, but still 50% miss chance.)
Khayal cut into the fire giant, who snarled and muttered curses in Ignan, looking at the smaller human.
Bartan found himself surrounded by fire-dwarves, facing outwards, who got out warhammers. (Fighting Defensively)"Always have to save the magic-caster." Broadbeard said good-naturedly, but Coldtooth asked "Do you have any wands of wall of ice or cone of cold?" The other fire-dwarves spat curses at those named spells.
Yazi swung and cut, the giant bleeding fire from his flesh, Yazi's second swing missed, and the third hit armor.
Nasir spun around the genie on the zigguart steps, slashing and slashing, her opponent dropping at the last.
The fire giant attacking Yazi reached back and used his experience in his swings at the smaller enemy.
Greatsword on Yazi:1d20 + 21 ⇒ (14) + 21 = 35Dmg:3d6 + 15 ⇒ (6, 4, 4) + 15 = 29 Greatsword on Yazi:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (14) + 16 = 30Dmg:3d6 + 15 ⇒ (4, 5, 3) + 15 = 27 Greatsword on Yazi:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25Dmg:3d6 + 15 ⇒ (4, 2, 5) + 15 = 26(Those are some weird rolls.)
The fire giant on Hajar decided to go after Khayal instead.
Greatsword on Khayal:1d20 + 21 ⇒ (5) + 21 = 26Dmg:3d6 + 15 ⇒ (5, 3, 6) + 15 = 29 Greatsword on Khayal:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (18) + 16 = 34Dmg:3d6 + 15 ⇒ (4, 2, 3) + 15 = 24 Greatsword on Khayal:1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20
Hajar had problems of his own. His efreeti took a step back, shouting like a bonfire.
In Ignan:
"Cold magic? Are you insane? Those are death penalties!" "A wand is likely to explode in your face!"
"Genie-touched weapon! Death from above, brothers!"
Perception DC 25:
Yazi can feel small head-sources like the fire-dwarves at her back. And the gigantic one in front of her has doubled.
Nasir can feel a hot wind approaching her from the East, but 10 feet up!
Hajar feels hot winds starting to blow towards him, contrasting the hotter fires at his back. The moving winds are...higher?
(Apparently I did? Ah, Yazi and Hajar had the same number.) (Man, you guys & gals have a lot of attacks to calculate.) (Nasir, I think you went twice. It was just an AoO! I'll count the attacks on the next round. Your crit did confirm, btw.)
Both the efreeti on Nasir and Hajar get their hands and arms cut by the adventurers, breaking their concentration.
The paladin wasted no time, but of his three strokes only the first hit the genie.
Yazi, ignoring her blindness, got in two strokes on the approaching fire giant, the cuts making frost appear on his skin and clothes, causing him to roar in both surprise and anger.
The other efreeti on the Southern side of the ziggurat vanished from sight.
"Diamond around the robed one - on the double!" Broadbeard shouted, still blinking against the pyrotechnics. "Mind the, uh, beserker! The short-haired one." The azer's directions pointed at the now-extinguished wall of flame. "He means that one." Coldtooth crossly corrected, pointing at Yazi. "The other female's a whirling dervish - stay away from her too." the fire-dwarf added.
I knew this would happen. You haven't leveled...yet. You should prepare. You are very close. I don't want to spoil any plans to finish these rooms or move on to another set of rooms, if you think your magic will hold out.
What I meant to say, what I should have said, was - my birthday was last Friday on the 19th.
Just because the last couple of books Yazi's been in the last Big Monster battle, soaked to the bone in the blood of her enemies, and I haven't seen a washing machine since leaving Katapesh.
(Frightened/Shaken is all about escape, so an attempt to escape a grapple is fine. I know plot wants the 'damsel in distress screaming frantically as she is caught', but c'mon, this is Yazi we're talking about.)
*Like, the the cube is wedged inbetween the boxes?
(Actually stuck to the cube; moving a single box beside or below or above the cube will jostle the cube.)
GM rolls:
Coldtooth Reflex Save DC 20:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13 But it does not start for one round.
Coldtooth Reflex Save DC 20:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
With several loud oaths in Ignan, Coldtooth ran to Nasir's and Bartan's location. Brushing still-cooling brass off of his shoulders, he panted "Left behind two guards. This room very bad." Seeing the secret door, the fire-dwarf muttered "Adventurers always make door where there is no door."
Looking across the room, Coldtooth called out "Paladin! Wizard! Double-knives! Wait, then run very fast, one at a time! Might work, might not! But better than staying!"
The first thing Yazi sees in the next bronze-walled room is...a crate blocking her way. Pushing aside the crate, Yazi stood up in a room full of crates, barrels, and boxes.
Perception DC 20:
Opening one crate, you find...packing material. And what looks like a very expensive set of silver candle holders.
All of the boxes, barrels, and such have the image of a candle with a single flame on them.
Perception DC 25:
As you open various boxes, you find a lot of art objects made of precious metals, jewels, jewelry, most Large-sized but some usable by smaller humanoids. There's even tapestries, and delicate paintings.
This room is worth a lot. (Appraisal needed.)
In a set of small, red-topped boxes you find:
- a small crystal decanter
- 15 glass flasks (same design)
- a mummified human hand with a leather cord large enough to hang as a necklace on a Large creature
- a Large wooden spoon (more like a caldron pot stirrer). Who would put an ordinary wooden spoon in a secure box?
- three pearls, each in a different box
At the far end of the room (before the room turns North, West, and North again) are a stack of boxes arranged to form a barrier.
Perception DC 25:
The boxes in the middle are holding up a small stone cube in mid-air. You can't move the boxes without the cube losing its' place, maybe falling to the floor?
But you can go over the boxes without touching the stone cube.
A stack of tiny boxes and bags of coins lie randomly underneath a large golden hoop hanging on the North wall.
"Well now, that's different." Connor guffed, hearing the new information. He looked at the others. "All this is moot until we find out just how precious the new engines are going to cost us. Buying, compared to renting, might not be an option. We cannot depend upon another 'Prison of the Elements' to give us additional coin. And the Prison cost us too much." He shuddered at the memory.
"It's still three or four days. Our advantage is something these Wingless don't have." Connor declared, confidently crossing his arms. "Psionic repair, astral workers, sailors with wood and brass engineering skills. Look for a 'fixer-upper'. Low cost, full purchase, with an acre or two. With some reliable breezes. Make sure the hallways can accommodate our wings. Even if it's too small, we can add on another story in true Atalantian fashion." he grinned at the challenge.
<I can contact Sanita and ask if the 'tel Mintakias want a diplomatic house a year from now.> Connor added over the network, away from non-adventurer ears.
(My fonts, especially bold, are coming out all wonky after the last server reset this week.)
Let me just say as GM good use of the rules. "Hack-n-slash" usually works to kill a creature, but I think Nasir saw how her blade simply didn't do enough damage-per-turn in this case, and both Bartan and Khayal thought "outside the box" to defeat the animated brass lion. Dispel magic appears to be the spell to use against animated objects, if you can roll high enough to pause the animation, and adamantine weapons bypass that frustrating hardness that is just as good as DR.
(No other opinions? You've cleaned out this wing.)
With the adventurers gathering in the fountain room to rest, liking the spray of water in the chamber, the azer put up guards at the door to this wing as well as in the map room, preferring a drier climate.
Shazathared forms a harp out of one of the jet sprays, and the mist coming from the fountain expands until it lowers the light level in the room. The madrid played the harp as she began singing, a melodious performance doubling as a lullaby for the humans and half-humans.
Hear my tale, mortals of Plane Material,
And know that many places are ventured to.
While your world goes round and round,
With all you ever knew,
In my home, the sky high above, is Caribbean Blue.
If every man slay all he can, if every woman is true,
Still I believe my sky above, is Caribbean Blue.
My Plane is both torrent and calm, both hot and cold,
The waters ever-flowing; at once still and bold.
Hot is the Plane of Fire,
Empty the Plane of Air.
Dry as dust the Plane of Earth,
But my home you must admire.
If all you told was turned to gold,
If all you dreamed was new,
Still my home sky high above will be Caribbean Blue.
How I long to return to those waters, those oceans and lagoons!
How many eons have I languished here, awaiting an end to my servitude!
Now hope flows like a river anew,
do not fail me mortals, and all you can subdue,
I promise to make your wishes come true,
If I can get back to that sky of Caribbean Blue.
