Merisiel shook her head. Lizards suddenly appearing out of nowhere, Cultists trying to use the power of the Minotaur Lord Baphomet... She efficiently disposed of them all. Heading back, it seems that both Heggal and Valeros had also dispatched their minions and disposed of the vile Tancred Desimire.
Well, at least the villagers are safe now. She burnt the Befouled Altar for good measure. And because she likes burning things.
Pool:
Ally B
Armor 1
Blessing B
Weapon B x3
I believe the reward is access to the Loot Scale of Disguise.
All are +1 die except for the Shax which is +2. I applied Heggal's blessings to the dies above, and there are 2 BotGs left.
Assuming Heggal defeats the Ghoul, the next 3 monsters must be defeated. If Heggal manages to get the blessing with the Sage trick I mentioned earlier (which means he has to not roll 1-2 with the Demonling check), then both blessings can be applied to the Altar fights. Otherwise, only 1 can be applied (since we should probably guarantee the blessing be obtained, which involves spending one of the blessings) - which should probably be the higher one.
Hawkmoon, you never took a skill feat; you finished 1 scenario, which allows you to take one.
Nope. End turn, since I don't want to use Caravan Guard, too risky.
Isaic, if you beat the close monster check without having to use the chain mail, I suggest you use the sage on the divine blessing acquire check; at that point beating a demonling is irrelevant since you can tank with chain mail and if you don't get a demonling you automatically succeed.
I also suggest you close first, since your extra blessing is useful in the subsequent checks.
Good point. I'll go there then since you only have 1 weapon and are more suited to fighting the villain; I get d12 + 2d6 + 1 on my checks because I can sneak attack, which is better than your d10 + d8 + 3.
Yes. I'm going to do the same thing with my Caravan Guard, since it's irrelevant what's in my hand if we beat the villain.
I do have one thing though: should you go to the Befouled Altar instead? Since I have bigger dice, but you have a bigger bonus, it may be better to position you at the Befouled Altar since the henchman is a 10 Combat I believe. (I mean in the turn you just finished. Since we didn't explore or anything I think we can let Keith take that back). Actually I think that's fine; you just discarded your armor, and I kept mine, so I can tank the first monster's damage, guaranteeing I have something for the Cultist.
EDIT: I'm good on the boon front I think. While I would prefer the Weapon 1 (I think we only have 1), a Weapon B for the Rapier isn't horrible so I don't think exploring is a good idea.
Explore Armory. Encounter Caravan Guard. (2 cards left in the location deck)
Since it looks like isaic has 2 weapons now, I don't need to give 1 to him. I'll use it as recharge fodder.
Diplomacy is d8 + 1 (due to the Heart) or bury an armor. I don't think we need the ally now that there are 2 cards left in the location so I'm not going to bury the armor since I can use it to tank damage for my close check for the villain turn.
CHA + Defender's Heart:1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Regardless of the result, discard the Sage to explore to see if we can just avoid that check (which I would hope to do).
I have a Mace for you. Move to my location and pick it up, then you'll have a weapon for fighting with.
Given your luck in fighting lately, I don't think you'd be good at closing stuff. The problem is that I think digging through the Villain deck is more important than permaclosing the Altar. Permaclosing the altar doesn't give us any more turns (I think).
We want someone who can explore a lot and fight at the Armory.
We want 2 explores for the Manor House (Yuck; 3 locations where the henchman was way below half the deck, this really wasn't our scenario)
We want to position everyone where they can close and we want to maximize the number of turns in the Armory.
8 Blessings left on my turn, so the turns go: Meri, Val, Heggal, Meri, Val, Heggal, Meri, Val.
Manor House has an Ally close as well, but requires a fight.
I think Valeros should do the close; my stats aren't suited for getting allies. If that's the case, I think Heggal goes and explores as much of the Armory as possible on his second last turn and tries not to get any more Demonlings :) to thin that deck in preparation for the last thing.
Ideally the positioning of the villain turn should go like this:
Heggal at Marketplace (reasoning that he can pull Blessings which are always divine 5 with his d8 + d4 + 2)
Valeros at Armory (to fight the villain)
Me at Befouled Altar (to fight the Cultist for the close)
If those two are the case, we also know there aren't any Carrion Golems to worry about, so I can afford to explore more aggressively.
I think we attempt to thin the Armory deck so we maximize the chances for a villain turn when we finish setting up everyone.
So instead of going to the Marketplace, I go to the Armory instead and explore. If we encounter the villain on the very first explore again, then we can think about whether we want to actually defeat him (probably still no because marketplace is still unexplored).
The problem is, we absolutely need a blessing when we fight the villain; we only have a d6. I have 1 more blessing (and 3 cards in the deck to dig); Both of you have 3 blessings in your decks at the time of the Diplomacy check, but neither of you have one.
I think we'll see maybe 1/2 more blessings until the end of the game. But since I myself said that we'd want to close with a blessing here (even though that was on my weaker check with a 25% instead of 75%).
Okay, we'll spend the blessing here and hope we have 1 more for the Villain. Valeros, you'll probably need to aggressive dig for one.
I will actually have only 5 cards in the deck after I draw up, so if I discard this turn I'm going to need healing. However, the Befouled Altar has only 1 barrier and we should be clearing that out now that we know where the villain is. Since I know there's no monsters including the henchman it's relatively safe.
Ugh, tough choice, both of these are good. Wand of Paralyze is better for popping the Villain if we didn't already know where he was, but Horn of BC can pull out an ally for an extra heal or a bit of fighting.
Welp. Turns out the combat script wasn't so straightforward.
Hand: Leather Armor, Whip
Bottom: (bottom up) Sage's Journal, Helm of the Valkyrie, Footpad's Boots
Discard: BotG, Thieves' Tools, Blessing of Shax, Caltrops, Dagger, Hand Crossbow
Deck: 7
Actually, if you were to come heal me (or I go to your location and heal you), I would prefer the healing be after the start of my turn; it would end up with a higher chance of drawing blessings I think.
If healing, I think the preferred option is for me to go to you; you still don't have a weapon so you'll have to find one, and the Defender's Heart still has 2 monsters in it, one of them nasty for you. I won't be alone, but that only matters until it comes around to my turn again unless a summon barrier is found (since the villain is already found). There are only 2 barriers in this scenario.
I don't think either of us has any help to give, sorry :( I keep trying to draw blessings but they aren't there!
Public CO: I'll raw roll for my ally then :)
Next turn I'll aggressive dump cards when I reset again to try and draw some blessings.
But this is actually good; now that we know the villain is in the Armory we can close 2 other locations and set up. Heggal gets 2d4 (with an ally) and Valeros and I get 1d6, so we'll need a blessing (or a Sage) to attempt the check anyway.
EDIT: Oh monster. Yeah I want a fight. I have no option of evading and have a straightforward combat script right now so I fight.
Mongrel Wizard 12. Plan is discard Dagger to the initial damage, recharge Sage's Journal for the fight, and discard Hand Crossbow for the post-fight. I'll need healing after this fight.
Combat Roll:1d12 + 2d6 + 1 ⇒ (12) + (5, 5) + 1 = 23
Sadly I can't get the Ally :(
Technically that would have affected my decision whether to be aggressive or not, but sure.
Options:
-It's probably better to leave the Altar now that there's no Henchman in the deck. If the Villain escapes, the deck is smaller.
-Heggal should go find a weapon given his combat troubles; the Armory, the Marketplace, or the Manor House is a good place to do it. Manor House is good because you get to draw 2, thus making sure you can get one that's suited for you.
-I'm probably not the best suited to the Defender's Heart because of the close requirement (which my CHA is good, we already failed a close). I can move to one of the empty locations and continue to grab stuff (most likely Marketplace because of the 2 allies).
-I'm aggressively cycling because I need to pull up my blessings for more explores. We're finished a third of the deck but didn't close a single location.
Given that I just rolled a 3 on a d10 and a 4 on a d9, do your really want them? :P
Fluff:
Merisiel continued down the Defender's Heart, looking for clues about the missing villagers, when she notices a Wrecker Demon minding its own business.
"That last Crossbow hit I got was pretty lucky, so maybe I should bolster this one." From the shadows, she took careful aim with another bolt and fired. The bolt struck true and the Wrecked Demon died instantly.
Merisiel felt a wave of pleasure wash over her; she had heard about the Demon Lord Shax, lord of murderers, around these parts. While stabbing things was fun, she prefers only to stab things that deserved it. She should be careful.
trying to do a new thing for rolling for hand update without rerolls, will have a "pool" that decreases by 1. Will go down from the top left to bottom right, skipping any that have been accounted for in hand/bottom/top/discard/previous.
roll for hand update:1d10 ⇒ 31d9 ⇒ 4
Hand: Hand Crossbow, Leather Armor, Sage's Journal, (NEW) Dagger, Caltrops
Bottom: (bottom up) Helm of the Valkyrie, Footpad's Boots
Discard: BotG, Thieves' Tools, Blessing of Shax
Wrecker Demon. CtD Combat 14. I like my item, so Blessing of Shax is going to get used. I should probably cycle stuff, so Helm is going to the bottom. Seems like a bit of overkill, but I want my own blessings drawn.
Merisiel sneaks up on the frothing knight with silent footsteps courtesy of the Footpad's Boots and let loose. The bolt hits true, and the knight collapses into a heap.
Mad Knight gives a corrupted blessing, so I will wait for Keith to draw a blessing for me before deciding what to do next, but since noone has blessings at the moment it may be prudent for me to hold onto this and let you guys use it, especially if it's Shax or Abraxas. If it's Deskari though (lower chance since we've seen 2-3 of them), it may be worth using it to explore since it can't be used to help others.
Public CO'ing a discard of Helm of the Valkyrie if Shax/Abraxas comes up and someone uses the blessing I have in my hand. If I pull Shax/Abraxas, don't explore. Otherwise wait and I will decide.
EDIT: Actually, hold onto the Blessing if it's Baphomet as well, again I think we might need it. Only explore if it's Deskari.
That Hand Crossbow that was just lying on that rack! I wonder who left all these weapons there... I've heard rumors that the Defender's Heart will require some "cleansing", so to speak. The Crossbow isn't good for stabbing, but it'll have to do.
Move to the Defender's Heart and explore.
Mad Knight. Good thing Heggal moved away (that's nasty for him!). CtD is 14 (13 + AD1). Using the Hand Crossbow + recharging the Footpad's Boots.
Valeros' discard is this: BotG, BotG, Abadar, Shax, Quartermaster. This is actually a very juicy discard pile blessings wise, so a suggestion would be to go to the Defender's Heart and Cure Valeros with one of the Allies.
The alternative is to try and explore Defender's Heart even with the Priest (1/10 at the moment).
I'm considering going to Defender's Heart if Heggal moves away. I currently get d12 + 2d6 when alone and I'd like to cycle away some of my less useful things and fighting is the best way to do that. I also have lots of Armor and can be a bit more risky. But on the other hand, nobody has blessings and a potential henchman means that I'd be in danger of not being able to close the location (only having d8 on the die)
Remember, Hand Crossbow requires proficiency to add the extra d8 (not to mention another weapon).
You currently have more allies not at the bottom of the deck, for what it's worth. You also only need one and not right now.
In other words, I would say dump the ally, because it's harder for you to find another weapon.
Edit 2: Heggal does have 2 Allies; he can go over to your location and heal, thus shuffling the Spiked Chain to a higher position. But that doesn't help you on this reset.
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Abilities
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TRAITS Fate's Favored Whenever you are under the effect of a luck bonus of any kind, that bonus increases by 1.
Maestro of the Society You may use bardic performance 3 additional rounds per day.
FEATS Lingering Performance The bonuses and penalties from your bardic performance continue for 2 rounds after you cease performing. Any other requirement, such as range or specific conditions, must still be met for the effect to continue. If you begin a new bardic performance during this time, the effects of the previous performance immediately cease.
RACE ABILITIES/QUALITIES Small +1 size bonus AC, +1 size bonus attack rolls, –1 penalty CMB and CMD, +4 size bonus Stealth.
Fearless +2 racial bonus saving throws against fear.
Keen Senses +2 racial bonus Perception.
Adaptable Luck Three times per day, a halfling can gain a +2 luck bonus on an ability check, attack roll, saving throw, or skill check. If halflings choose to use the ability before they make the roll or check, they gain the full +2 bonus; if they choose to do so afterward, they only gain a +1 bonus. Using adaptive luck in this way is not an action.
Fleet of Foot Base speed of 30.
Weapon Familiarity proficient with slings, treat any weapon with the word “halfling” in its name as a martial weapon.
CLASS ABILITIES/QUALITIES Bardic Knowledge (Ex) A bard adds half his class level (minimum 1) to all Knowledge skill checks and may make all Knowledge skill checks untrained.
Cantrips (Sp) Bard's learn a number of cantrips, or 0-level spells." These spells are cast like any other spell, but they do not consume any slots and may be used again.
Archaeologist’s Luck (Ex) Fortune favors the archaeologist. As a swift action, an archaeologist can call on fortune’s favor, giving him a +1 luck bonus on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls. He can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 4 + his Charisma modifier. Maintaining this bonus is a free action, but it ends immediately if the archaeologist is killed, paralyzed, stunned, knocked unconscious, or otherwise prevented from taking a free action to maintain it each round. Archaeologist’s luck is treated as bardic performance for the purposes of feats, abilities, effects, and the like that affect bardic performance. Like bardic performance, it cannot be maintained at the same time as other performance abilities. This bonus increases to +2 at 5th level, +3 at 11th level, and +4 at 17th level.
Archaeologist's Luck rounds per day: 10
- single round activation last for 3 rounds
- +2 bonus because of Fate's Favored
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TALENTS & TRAITS
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Ambidextrous may use either hand equally well for any task, and does not suffer the –20 penalty for actions using his off hand.
Autosanguine Chem Geld Tainted: Hide +2 natural armor
Nerves of Steel may reroll failed Willpower Tests to avoid or recover from Pinning
Quick Draw can Ready as a Free Action when armed with a pistol or basic ranged weapon, or a melee weapon that can be wielded in one hand
Weapon Proficiency Basic (Bolt, SP), Melee (Universal), Pistol (Universal)
ORIGIN PATH Homeworld - Fortress World +5 bs, +5 will, -5 int, -5 fel; common lore (war), secret tongue (military), nerves of steel, -5 fel non-war, gain basic weapon (Las or SP)
Birthright - Unnatural Origin: False-Man +3 two abil, -3 one abil, 2d10 insanity, Ambidex, Autosan, Chem-Geld (300xp)
Lure of the Void - Tainted Natural Hide - +2 natural armour
Trials & Travails - Hand of War: Ashes of War Gain 1 weapon talent, Hatred (chaos worshippers); -10 Fel vs chaos
Motivation - Endurance +1 Wound
Career - Void-Master
Wraxus typically wears a double breasted, knee length uniform coat. Though similar to an Imperial Navy uniform, it has several distinct differences. First, it is dark grey, akin to the barrel of an ancient autogun, with black detailing. It also lacks the overly high collar of the Imperial uniform, as well as the tasseled shoulderpads. In short, it is clearly utilitarian, and given the interwoven hybrid flak and mesh armour, along with interior holsters, is equally functional.
While shipboard, from his hip hangs a short, heavy bladed power sword, a classic bolt pistol, and his signature aviator's helm. On Kurdran III, pilots are viewed among the highest of the warrior castes and the helmets they wear echo back to ancient warrior cults of the system. They fully cover the face, and are more akin to something a cyber-gladiator might wear than any imperial helmet.
Wraxus is rather small for the vat-born of Kurdran III. Most are nearly 2 meters tall and rather bulky, yet Wraxus was an anomaly, barely surpassing 1.5 meters and being comparatively thin, though still densely muscled. He sports a spidered scar on the right side of his face, a not-so-subtle reminder of a mistake made by another aviator cadet early in his career. He wears his medium length gray hair slicked back, though whether it is actually through his effort or the frequent use of his helm remains to be determined.
