More Runecurse Questions (Spoiler)

[Christopher Dudley]

Apologies if these have been asked and answered, but a search didn't turn up the specific answers I'm looking for.

It says the runecurse has an onset time of 1 day, and after the third failed save, the devil shows up.

The core rulebook says that a player that comes into contact with an affliction with an onset time must immediately make a save.

So it's supposed to have an onset time of 1 day but they have to save immediately or be cursed? How is that one day? Or does it mean that they're immediately under the curse, and the counter for failed saves doesn't begin until the next day?

Let's say they pick up the curse and fail the save. The morning after the day they got the curse, they fail the "frequency" save. Is that the first failed save or the second?

Let's say three people can read Infernal and have the Spellcraft necessary to figure out what it means. One picks it up. Fails his save, so he's cursed. Claims not to know what it says and hands it to the next guy. Next guy fails his save, so he's cursed. He claims ignorance and hands it to the next guy. Next guy fails his save. Does the devil show up then because of it being the third failed save? Or does the counter not tick until the "frequency" time has elapsed?

What time of day does the player make the save? Exactly 24 hours after he acquired it? As soon as he wakes up in the morning?

[Kedric the Arrogant]

I ran it as that as soon as someone read it/picked it up, they were cursed, no save. The onset save is to resist how soon the devil shows up. If it gets passed to someone, they get the curse and now have to make the saves to resit the devil showing up.

[Christopher Dudley]

Kedric the Arrogant wrote:

I ran it as that as soon as someone read it/picked it up, they were cursed, no save. The onset save is to resist how soon the devil shows up. If it gets passed to someone, they get the curse and now have to make the saves to resit the devil showing up.

So it's possible for the devil to show up after the thing gets handed to the third person a few minutes after the first person took it? That seems a little... sudden?

Anyway, I ask because my party's about to rest for the second night in the dungeon. If it's a matter of counting the first save as a failure toward the three, then the devil will show up as soon as they get up in the morning. If it's supposed to show up on the third day after they get the curse, then it will show up the next morning when they'll likely be out of the dungeon in the safe house.

Any other opinions? Misters Jacobs and Pett? Any design thoughts on this?

I guess this is a bump.

[Scharlata]

Christopher Dudley wrote:

Any other opinions?

The course of the runecurse made me mad. I think it was written a bit unprecise respective to creator, applier (Sian), applier's time of stay in the Asmodean Knot, handling, passing on to another, time of saves and save DC.

I ran it as you suggest/fear, and things got bad very suddenly.

See my thread and the answers of Mr Jacobs (who I fear I've annoyed a bit with my questions).

He said that the runecurse is "very flexible". So, I suggest you - as a GM - have to run the runecurse as you like it. Listen to your gut. Make it one save per day. The encounter with Nyxvervex doesen't have to take place in the Asmodean Knot.

Kind regards

[Christopher Dudley]

Scharlata wrote:

The course of the runecurse made me mad. I think it was written a bit unprecise respective to creator, applier (Sian), applier's time of stay in the Asmodean Knot, handling, passing on to another, time of saves and save DC.

I ran it as you suggest/fear, and things got bad very suddenly.

See my thread and the answers of Mr Jacobs (who I fear I've annoyed a bit with my questions).

He said that the runecurse is "very flexible". So, I suggest you - as a GM - have to run the runecurse as you like it. Listen to your gut. Make it one save per day. The encounter with Nyxvervex doesen't have to take place in the Asmodean Knot.

Kind regards

Thanks. I saw that thread, and I did look around at all the other threads, and even did a search of the boards on "runecurse" but didn't see this specific question addressed. I'm going to run it such that the saving throws that count are the ones that are made in the mornings. If the first save that counts (to the countdown) isn't intended to be the next day, then "Onset: 1 Day" is totally meaningless.

So, acquire curse in the morning as they arrive, make save, and fail and BECOME cursed (-2 Wis, ticker started). After one day, wake up and make a save. Fail (as happened). This is failure number 1. They're about to rest again, so in the morning, I'll make him make a save again, and if he fails, this is failure number two.

It seems like a lot of leeway for the party, but it's the only way I can reconcile a full day's "Onset" time with the text of the curse.

[Scharlata]

Christopher Dudley wrote:

...It seems like a lot of leeway for the party, but it's the only way I can reconcile a full day's "Onset" time with the text of the curse.

Sounds like it's a very good rune... er... course... :o)

[Xzarf]

I am having a bit of an issue with the Runecurse..

Spoiler:

The sorcerer in the party is the one who was first looking through the papers so I ruled that he was the recipient of the curse. They never figured out what it was and have never shared the paper with anyone else (Arael, Janiven, etc) so they still have no idea that the curse is even there other than I make the sorcerer roll a will save every day. He has made enough saves to prevent it from triggering (he is down to his last fail though) but he missed the last session which was the start of the assault on Delvehaven. Due to the death of the Paladin (to the Triceratops) the party took a couple of days before heading back into Delvehaven. The next session will have the sorcerer back in the party but with all that is in Delvehaven I would feel horrible about unleashing the Bone Devil in the middle of the search. Do I just let it go and play like the curse was never there or do I unleash it the next time they rest (unless of course he makes another miraculous will save). I wouldn't feel as bad if they even understood what it was, but to just have a Bone Devil appear might not make much sense and might prove extremely deadly.

[Jim Cirillo]

Xzarf wrote:

I am having a bit of an issue with the Runecurse..

** spoiler omitted **

It seems to me you have answered the question for yourself. If you don't think it's fair to unleash it on them at that time, then don't. I myself would trigger it if the will save is missed that next session but I've DM'd for most of my current players for a large number years and they trust that I am playing by the rules and not out to screw them. Sometimes PCs get unlucky. This looks like one of those cases to me.

[Geeky Frignit]

Xzarf wrote:

I am having a bit of an issue with the Runecurse..

** spoiler omitted **

I say lay it on them. You can always rule that the piece of paper with the runecurse flares up and a five pointed star appears burned into the paper when the curse is completed. This would give them a clue that something was up with that paper. Also don't forget the runecurse imposes a feeling of impending doom on the character who is cursed.

[Geeky Frignit]

My group just found the Runecurse. My wife's gnome picked it up and succeeded on the Spellcraft check to decipher what it is. I say, it's a curse that affects the person who takes posession of this document.

She says, "Oh, I don't believe in that mumbo jumbo."

My response, "Make a Will Save."

[Daehsquinn]

Is only the creator of the runecurse subject to the "re-gift"-rule with instant attack by the devil? Or everyone who owned the runecurse?

example:

PC1 takes the runecurse, can't read it infernal, so he gives it to PC2
PC2 fails his skill check and gives the curse back to PC1.
Does the devil attack PC1?

What if PC2 gives the runecurse to PC3 and PC3 gives it back to PC1?

[Taesla]

I'm quite sure the only one, who is subject to the "re-gift rule" is the creator of the runecurse. So PC1 from your examples should be fine until he fails the 3 will saves.