I have another long day tomorrow and probably won't be able to post until late, but I figure I ought to check in tonight.
For fans of obscure Cohen brothers films...
Mr. Bumstead (to secretary): "I wanna see MUSSBURGER! Or has he jumped out the window, too?"
Norville Barnes (to Mussburger): "I got you, sir. I got you by your pants!"
- The Hudsucker Proxy, one of my all-time favorites
Soory so late guys, like I said in the IC post, RL is kinda insane right now.
So, hows THAT for a mage comeback?!?
Granted, I'm currently standing in a vat of acid, whose surface is currently on fire, BUT I'm at Full HP! :D (I think,...) :(
Nevermind. I WAS at full HP, for all of about 2 seconds,... ;P
PRESUMING that the wrathspawn misses Slidell again this round, (Not something I'm keen to rely on, but what ya gonna do?) I DO want out of this madness! I do NOT want to take an AoO doing it! I'm hoping that the thing will spend it's turn climbing out to get away from the fire, so I can do the same thing.
If not, I can survive maybe one hit from a claw. NOT two! If I'm not hit, I can survive this rounds fire dmg, and hopefully extinguish it when I climb out and flop to the floor.
So question, if this thing is still in here with me come my turn, (And I'm still alive!) can I make a bluff check to prevent it from AoO'ing me when I exit? I was thinking throw the potion bottle against the wall opposite me? (Or something. I'll come up with something appropriately clever if you allow it.)
And it was a Reflex save to extinguish the flames right? (I'm doomed! Ref: -1! Yay for +5 for rolling on the floor!)
OK, back to work! (I mean REAL work!) Laters!
"How do you manage to get into these situations, Doc- er Slidell?"
"How do you manage to get into these situations, Doc- er Slidell?"
"Practice. LOTS and LOTS of Practice Ac,... er, Ehlissa" ;)
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NICE work with the posts everyone. You are all such good writers. Rags, you always crack me up--you have this ability to take Sli's posts right up to the "absurd line" but manage to not trip over it. In fact, you seem to enjoy dancing on it! Great fun. NSpicer and Salome, very nice with the action posts! I can feel the tension, and it's nice to have tension that is associated with good writing rather than invisible castle for once!
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Lots of "down time" at work today--I'll enjoy it while it lasts!
Anyway, I have a question that I cannot remember the answer to: I know that we consolidated Spot and Listen into Perception and Hide and Move Silently into Stealth. Did we do something with Disguise? I ask because I noticed that it didn't appear on Vesh's character sheet as I was noodling around with it today. I assume that it's a clerical oversight on my part, but I wanted to make sure.
Also, I didn't (and don't) mean to be stingy with Vesh's background details, but Mal got me started thinking about exactly what Vesh's background is and what motivated him to (for example) move away from his clan to the underworld of Riddleport. I also wanted to explain some of his comments at the dinner with Foxglove and explain why he has an affinity for Shoanti women! Please don't look at my notes, though. I've got these things sorted out so that I can eke them out to you in-game. Fun, fun, fun!
NICE work with the posts everyone. You are all such good writers. Rags, you always crack me up--you have this ability to take Sli's posts right up to the "absurd line" but manage to not trip over it. In fact, you seem to enjoy dancing on it!
Meh. Just call me 'Twinkle toes! ;) And thanks!
And if we get out of this alive, SLi intends to dance on a jig on a corpse. He prefers the Imp, but he'll settle for a Wrathspawn! :D
Great fun. NSpicer and Salome, very nice with the action posts! I can feel the tension, and it's nice to have tension that is associated with good writing rather than invisible castle for once!
Agreed. Good work by all!
I vote we add a ONE more character into our party. We need a BARD!
What good is going through all of this Heck-ascious fighting if we don't get to hear our magnificent exploits told in song later?
And Slidell wants to hear 'The Ballad of the Battle of the Burning Well'!!! :P
We need a mariachi band to sing about this one.
¡Ay carumba! ¡Mi mage est en fuego!
To Arctaris -
JSL can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't see anything in the Close Wounds spell description that indicates that the recipient maxes out at 0 hp. I think you can take all 7 points of healing. It's a 2nd-level spell, and I think it would be a gyp if it only healed up to 0.
From Discussion p. 28, near the bottom:
My reading of close wounds is that if cast in response to the subject taking damage, it occurs simultaneously with the damage, not after the damage. That is, it effectively reduces the damage taken.
For example, suppose our hero is at 1 hp and takes an 11 point hit. Normally, he would be at -10 and dead. But if close wounds "heals" 6 damage, he would only be at -4 and stable. The nuance occurs in whether you apply the healing simultaneously with the damage or after. By applying it simultaneously, you can prevent death. By applying it after, you just healed a dead guy - not very useful. This wording is only important when the subject has just taken a lethal hit. As long as the damage would not reduce the subject to -10 it doesn't matter whether the healing occurs simultaneously with or after the damage.
In our case, since Mal is not at -10, it is just healing.
The advantage over clw is that close wounds can be cast at range and as an immediate action. So Salome can attack a wrathspawn (or make another standard action), take a 5' step back, and cast Close Wounds all in the same round.
Also p. 28, a few entries above:
If Salome uses Close Wounds on Mal to get him out of negatives, I'll allow him a bluff check to get a sneak attack on the wrathspawn carrying him.
If you take all 7 pts. of healing, you have enough strength to actually make a move when you take your turn. Is that correct? Can our DM clarify?
I vote we add a ONE more character into our party. We need a BARD! What good is going through all of this Heck-ascious fighting if we don't get to hear our magnificent exploits told in song later?
Well, once we tell Ameiko of our exploits, perhaps she could oblige?
If you take all 7 pts. of healing, you have enough strength to actually make a move when you take your turn. Is that correct? Can our DM clarify?
That's my interpretation, too, based on how JSL explained close wounds and the text from the Spell Compendium. The healing is happening simultaneously with the lethal hit. Although Mal presumably was knocked to the ground unconscious for a brief moment...the magic would have reknit his wounds and roused him just as the wrathspawn picked him up.
And, is it just me, or does holding a rogue-playing-possum so close to you sound like a bad idea? For the wrathspawn, of course... ;-D
--Neil
I vote we add a ONE more character into our party. We need a BARD!
What good is going through all of this Heck-ascious fighting if we don't get to hear our magnificent exploits told in song later?And Slidell wants to hear 'The Ballad of the Battle of the Burning Well'!!! :P
Not volunteering, but this offering is for Slidell.
Behold! In Sandpoint’s hour comes greatness.
Bold Malcolm, dark knight of deceit,
Deceitful only in his daring.
Salome, golden chosen of Sarenrae,
Warm of healing, heartless of her foes.
Vesh, trickster with the steady eye,
Whose arrows seek their mark unerring.
Zieke, master of the hidden powers of man,
Assured with men and warlike lore.
Slidell, whose ready tongue and charm
Beguiles alike companions and grim Death.
Ehlissa, wielder of the burning flame,
Whose purity and courage bolden all.
It's not exact - can never really remember how heroic epic goes, but the spirit seems right. :D
I love it!
Thanks Rev!
:D
Well,... OUCH! Just read the latest update, it's Sli's turn.
OK, I want O-U-T of this pool! BEFORE the next spawn emerges!
If I throw myself over the side to get out , does that count as a 5' step, so no AoO?
If not, can I try a Bluff to see if I can get the thing to think I am attacking it, so it will 'defend' itself and I can get out without an AoO?
How ELSE can I get out of here with out taking another hit!?!?
IF I can get out and IF I succeed on my reflex save to douse the fire, I MAY just survive this part.
Barely. ;P
EDIT- ALSO planning on using my active Prestidigitation to wet myself to help put the fire out. "Wetting things" is within the purview of the cantrip. I do NOT expect it to extinguish the flames, (It IS burning OIl after all!) but I'm hoping it will help by at least giving another '+' to the Ref roll to extinguish the fire.
Hey, I need all the help I can get here! :)
SO, I want to throw myself (Climb?) out of the well (I don't think it's but 3-4' deep, right?) Without an AoO, by using Bluff to fake an attack if I have too. I want to get out and land on the ground, so I can make a ref roll to put out the flames with a small chance of success.
DOes this sound plausible?
I freely admit my inexperience in terms of game-strategy and playing the numbers, but here's how I see it.
Slidell clearly will not get out of the well unscathed. (Very much too late for that.) So now it's time to look at harm-reduction and cost-benefit issues.
I know you don't want to provoke an AoO. However, by staying in the well, Slidell will only suffer further damage (acid, fire) and provoke further attacks (and likely more wrathspawn as long as he has blood to let). Also, as long as he stays in the well, Salome cannot heal him. (Her one ranged heal is used, and with very limited healing spells left, she's not going to use one in-combat for someone who deliberately remains in the direct path of harm.) In Salome's view, it would be better to offer healing to someone who could stay well enough to end the battle (via "victory," however that is defined) or to help carry off the wounded in the case of retreat.
I would think that even a near-climb could receive some assistance, so getting out is nearly guaranteed. Similarly with stop-drop-and-roll. If Slidell is unconscious, his companions can still extinguish and move him.
Benefits of staying in the pool longer? Actually, I can't think of any. Water on a grease fire is a no-no, unless you have a death wish. Burning the new-formed wrathspawn has actuallly been helpful, but burning Slidell in the process isn't so helpful. (At least until you get a holocaust cloak or become a fireproof mage , but you'd probably have to be higher than level 3 to take advantage of either. :)
EDIT- ALSO planning on using my active Prestidigitation to wet myself to help put the fire out. "Wetting things" is within the purview of the cantrip. I do NOT expect it to extinguish the flames, (It IS burning OIl after all!) but I'm hoping it will help by at least giving another '+' to the Ref roll to extinguish the fire.
I didn't realize it took a spell to wet oneself. Some people in this situation would do so spontaneously! :P
Hey, I need all the help I can get here! :)
Sorry; I couldn't resist.
SO, I want to throw myself (Climb?) out of the well (I don't think it's but 3-4' deep, right?) Without an AoO, by using Bluff to fake an attack if I have too. I want to get out and land on the ground, so I can make a ref roll to put out the flames with a small chance of success.
Get out (climb, jump, trip, fall, etc.) by whatever means possible, as quickly as possible, and then roll away as far as you can from the action. And hope that IC has mercy on your character! :)
My bad, I was thinking Bluff was Swift action,
I posted my escape attempt. If the bluff doesn't work, just go with the rest.
If I can go with your way, at least I'll be OUT and others can help extinguish me!
I want OUT of this pool! :D
Thank you!
Zieke could try perhaps? I tried to have Ehlissa take the thing down but missed again!
Help is on the way...just need to drink some Gatorade to re-energize first (or I'll be more likely to join him in negative hit-points than save him)!
I'm starting to get worried about Slidell, here. Anyone going to drag him out?
Your STARTING to get worried?!?! ;P
I'm over here rolling up a new PC! ;) (heh)
Zieke's now carrying him and Salome has brought back to 1hp. Such caring friends you have, Master Mage!
Back in Gramp's day, magic users had 1d4 hp and a dagger, and one spell. And if they died, you got another one! ;)
"BAck in MY day, we didn't have no 'D20' mechanic. We had THACO! And we were grateful to have it!"
C'mon guys, 'fess up. If he dies, you'd miss him!
:D
Of course, he's our Fizban! But younger, and less irritating.
Let's just say that Vesh would have a Slidell-shaped hole in his heart that he'd never be able to fill. *Sob*
Alrighty then...let's grab Slidell, chop suey some Wrathspawn, and get the hell outta Dodge. The demon is making me go apoplectic, let alone Vesh! I'm literally closing my eyes before I hit the "Roll the dice" button in Invisible Castle. Sheesh! Nothing like getting your blood boiling over someone else's imaginary demon!
Of course, he's our Fizban! But younger, and less irritating.
Really?! Wow. Dang. I'll just have to try harder then! ;)
I'm going to be out of town until Sunday evening and will not have computer access during that time. I don't expect my turn to come up for a while yet, so hopefully it won't affect the game too much.
If/when a discussion of whether to retreat comes up, I'm all for getting out of there ASAP. (I picture Salome walking Slidell out--twisting his ear.) I think this encounter went much worse than it probably could have and we're really low on healing. If an emergency comes up, I think Salome has one 1st-level spell that can be a CLW and has two CLW potions (though I think she may need one of them herself if she can't get the quasit-slash to quit bleeding). JSL or whomever else may proxy for me.
In case it's relevant, here's another heal check for the next round: Heal check #2 (1d20+7=16)
Have fun, and enjoy your weekend!
Have fun weekend Dreamer!
(Covers both ears with hands to protect them) :)
I'm sorry that last post was so long-winded. I had a definite goal in mind, but actually writing it at midnight, It sort of got lost in the shuffle.
Meh. Just another sign of my,... er,... I mean SLIDELL'S waning grasp on sanity!
:D
It sounds like Salome thinks the party should fall back. Considering that Salome can load up with enough evil outsider hate to drop a babau (3x light of lunia, 2x light of mercuria, bless, bless weapon) this not unreasonable thinking. Now that Salome knows what she's facing, she'd like to come back prepared for it, etc, etc.
Kowing nothing of Salome's abilities, Zieke's in-game suggestion to Ehlissa that they finish off the wrathspawn and retreat was just me trying to accomodate Dreamer's last post where she stated a desire to grab Slidell and fall back. From a strategy sense, I think it works, too. We're pretty beat down. Anymore summoned wrathspawn might do several of us in, especially given the quasit has found her courage again...as well as that vicious thorn she used on our healer.
So...retreat's not such a bad idea. And, if Zieke knew Salome could load up with all that outsider-bashing might, he'd recommend it that much more. Depending on what Dreamer says once she knows our situation, should probably determine our next steps. Of course, we've still got a few actions following the bad guys this round. So, it'll be interesting to see where we are after that, too.
But that's just my two-cents,
--Neil
Ehlissa's on full hit points. She'll do a Boromir and cover y'all. :D
Ehlissa's on full hit points. She'll do a Boromir and cover y'all. :D
Zieke's staying until the wrathspawn are well-done or skewered. The quasit is obviously out of his league. But despite his relatively small amount of time being included in this group, he'll do everything in his power to make sure Salome, Slidell, and the others can affect an organized retreat and survive. He's got his own personal sense of heroics in that regard...
And besides that, he also has to continue his witty critiquing banter while flirting with the sexy sword-wielding paladin next to him... ;-)
She's a good girl now. She wasn't always...
She's a good girl now. She wasn't always...
Yeah...but he doesn't know that.
Yet.
And when he does, he'll probably feel remorseful.
Probably.
;-)
Zieke and Ehlissa are soooo going to be married in six months.
LOL! :-D
It's bizarre. "I'm being clawed to death inch by inch!"
Does anyone else find it odd that as we say we're going to retreat, Invisible Castle suddenly starts favoring our attacks?
It's bizarre. "I'm being clawed to death inch by inch!"
Whole new meaning to 'killing me softly.'
That's just another funny thing about this encounter, I guess.
Yes. I'm laughing on the inside. Right now. A-ha-ha...uh. Hmm.
Hi all, I have family in town, I'm turning 35 on Thursday (yes, I'm shamelessly trolling), and I am still traveling on-and-off for work this week. So, shorter and more infrequent posts for the next couple days.
Also, doing my regular XP reminder a day early. Gotta grab those opportunities when they come! 5430 as of tomorrow (5/19).
busy myself at work, probably won't be able to post until Tomorrow (Monday) in the PM, if that early.
Now, where did I put that 'Shield of defense vs lawyers'?!? :D
Does anyone else find it odd that as we say we're going to retreat, Invisible Castle suddenly starts favoring our attacks?
Not for me. I just rolled a natural 1 for my heal check. Ugh!
When did this stop being fun?
Hi all, I have family in town, I'm turning 35 on Thursday (yes, I'm shamelessly trolling)
Hey, nothing wrong with a little shameless trolling now and then so,
Happy Birthday!
Does anyone else find it odd that as we say we're going to retreat, Invisible Castle suddenly starts favoring our attacks?
No, that sounds just about normal to me.
...leveling stuff...
I don't know that going into the Skinsaw Murders with a slightly higher than normal level would be a bad thing. Between our slightly diabolical DM and the fact that some of that chapter is extremely brutal, being a level higher than normal might be a good idea. When my RL group got to the SM end boss, it was very nearly a TPK (as in everyone's got under 20hp and the boss is barely hurt).
@JSL, May be a flexible version of the weekly XP system you are doing now?
Given our shameless verbosity, er, I mean, 'verasity of role-playing'! :)
Maybe you might want to vary the weekly award to 'match' the speed we are moving through an encounter?
Of course this would mean that the system was completely dependent upon your judgment, which I have found to be above adequate so far. ;P
Or perhaps like you said, 'standard weekly XP' awards during the course of the adventure, until we reach the 'level cap' for said adventure, and then curtailing or postponing them until we reach the next portion.
Either way I'm good! Having lots of fun!
(And hoping we can shanghai, er 'convince' you to continue this past this opening module, and onward into the others! But until then,...) :D
I was thinking this morning, (When I should have been paying attention in church), That we might not need to run. If the Imp stays visible to keep attacking us, I can keep hitting it for a bit. THEN I saw that the critter has a +14 to hit! AND it's got some kind of Poison thing going on. (IS that the Milk of Lamashtu? I don't want Sli to expound his genius and find out that He was way off base! he has a rep to consider you know,...) Even doing only one pt dmg, I think Sli may be hosed. Since he just effectively pi$$ed it off, and he has a grand total of 1HP left! AND his fort save aint all that,... :P
IN short, NOW I'm thinking along the lines of a famous Monty Python Quote,... (all together now,...)
"RUN AWAY!!!" :D
And HAPPY BIRTHDAY Sant!
When did this stop being fun?
Probably around the time we all started getting our butts handed to us...and worrying over what the lingering effects of various poisons might have...whether death by drowning would be preferrable to death by being roasted alive...and yada-yada. Oh. That was a rhetorical question, wasn't it? ;-)
...I'm turning 35 on Thursday....
Happy birthday, sir! Oh, to be 35 again... :-(
...leveling stuff....
If you want to throttle back the pace of advancement, I think that's fine. If the PCs wind up getting too far ahead of themselves, you'll wind up having to do more work in adjusting the opposition to remain challenging (though I perceive nothing lacking in that department over these past couple of encounters).
Maybe to foster continued game play and roleplaying overall, slip in a story XP reward at the end of each major scene...as opposed to the weekly bonus. That way, we're encouraged to push through a scene and keep playing from one week to the next to keep things rolling along. It should require longer timeframes to get through scenes than a single week. And you could reduce the amount of XP reward to just 100 or 50 XP, possibly. Maybe dabble with that and see how it goes...
In the meantime, on with the show...because that's the best part to this game. :-)
My two-cents,
--Neil