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Andorax
Orc
(9/23/02 11:06 am)
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Andorax's Sunday night PCs
Well drat and drat again. A late night's work, a serious headache, and we once again had a called-off gaming session.
Here's hoping for next week.
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justind dm
Pie
(9/24/02 10:54 am)
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Re:
Andorax, quick question from a beginner DM. I noted that in one of your posts 2 invisible PC's actually collided with one another. How did that happen? Didn't the 2 players see the others moves (metagame) and adjust for that?
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Andorax
Orc
(9/24/02 11:04 am)
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Re:
justin, I'm blessed with some very good players, at least part of the time.
Each one of them described their action and ignored the placement of the invisible player's mini. It was my judgement call that this resulted in a collision.
If one PC was going to run from point A to point B, but seems to go around a spot where another character is, invisible, ask them why they're going around. If they can't give you a good reason (in about 5 seconds), then rule on it and give it a reasonable likelyhood of a collision.
Other DMs have suggested more draconian measures for dealing with issue like this, up to and including putting a DM screen (or several) around the courtyard when Utreshimon kicks up his cloud of dust, since "nobody can see anything". I'm not sure I'd go this far, myself, but it's an idea.
Mostly, feel free to adjust things as you see fit. When it looks like your players are metagaming, there's no reason not to just shuffle things around a bit as you see fit.
If you ever have any questions for me other than this, please feel free to drop me an Email (it's in the profile). I'm always glad to help out other DMs, especially new ones.
"Whadda ya mean, Orcs get levels too?!?" |
justind dm
Pie
(9/25/02 10:58 am)
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Re:
Thanks for the reply.
Hope you can get back to the gaming soon, it's been a fun read and given me many ideas to use if I ever get the chance to run this for a group. Here's hoping...
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Andorax
Orc
(9/30/02 9:27 am)
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Re:
Two Dragons in one day...what were they thinking?
Our intrepid band set forth once again, after a night disturbed, briefly, by a patrol of temple guard (that didn't survive Fireball #1) and a prowling Dire Lion (that was hacked to bits by Gath...couldn't bite him to save my life).
This time, they find the west gate blocked by a stone wall entirely...so they just stone shape around it (sigh).
From there, it's hup-two-three march. First, to the Earth Temple, hoping they can actually break apart the Master Key on the altar there (no dice). Then off to the fire bridge.
Wait a sec...isn't that right by...and didn't he escape last time?
Yup...they're heading for Vranthris' lair, and he remembers them well. Hearing them coming a mile away, he skitters along the track to the end of the line, and lays in wait.
The PCs, expecting him in "his" cave, poke around for a minute or three, then move on. They walk right past the platform and head for the water. That's when he lept to the attack!
Opening breath attack only catches the rear two. Fred's playing dead, and Tenaris Glimmerdawn is down to 3hp. The party wheels, Gath's arrow bounces right off, and Lyssa's Flame Strike gets Vranthis' full attention.
Leaping down, Vranthris backhands Tenaris, dropping her (for good, right at -10). He's looming over Tsindin, waiting for her to cast. She does...but he saves easily against Tasha's Hideous Laughter.
Lyssa and Gath both charge, hacking away...but only Lyssa scores a hit. Caina retreats a ways, dropping Magic Missile into him.
Ok...so far so good. Still got plenty of hit points. Solid AC (mage armor cast). I'll rip into the lightly-armored (seemingly) Lyssa.
6 attacks. One hit. Starting to dislike Magic Vestment.
So what happens? Tsindin casts defensively, Caina casts from a distance, and I eat 7 more Magic Missiles and two hits, one each from Gath and Lyssa (where are they GETTING these D20s?!?)
Ok...retreat time. I'm down 106 out of 133. That's enough to take a hit and still get away, right?
DARNIT! Gath and Lyssa BOTH HIT. AGAIN. How do they DO this?!? They'd have won anyways, since Fredrick was playing dead and was reading an action to throw a Wall of Ectoplasm in Vranthis' face...but at least I'd have gotten one last breath attack off.
Well, Vranthis is dead. PCs dust themselves off, congradulate each other, and head for the (still unoccupied) Fire Bridge Complex.
Ok...prep time. Lyssa and Gath both have Improved Invisibility and Fly. They zip across, about 5" above the bridge, and come to the Fire Door. Lyssa tries the Master Key on it, and the door begins to sink.
The rest of teh party, back at the other end of hte bridge, goes "hey, great...let's go", and starts across the bridge.
I launch into my room discussion. I describe the room, the pile of coins, the statues...
...then I lean over and whisper to Eric, Gath's player, "and your See Invisible reveals a Huge Red Dragon curled up amidst the coins, staring straight at you. Make a will save DC 21 against Frightful Presence"
Long story short? I open with a breath, and Lyssa and Gath turn tail and fly, double-move 180 a round, straight for the entrance. Oh...did I forget to mention? They're both invisible, so the other PCs only have the fire blast to know that anything is wrong.
Round later, the Dragon comes out and flies after Lyssa and Gath, who are now fleeing in unabashed terror. Caina runs back into the caves. Fredrick and Tsindin take up defensive positions near the four-way intersection.
I manage to get one swiping attack at Gath as they fly desperately in through the entrace, split into opposite directions, and take cover behind the walls. Chymon lands on the fire symbol, looks in the hall, sees Tsindin and Fredrick, and unleashes his breath. Fredrick desperately thanks all that is holy for his Tower Shield (#3, also now deceased).
Party-saving moment. Tsindin gets pride points for a Magic Missile that busts through SR. Fredrick throws another Wall of Ectoplasm up, blocking the entrance...and the PCs flee back into the caverns, to the sound of a howling mad red dragon. End of session.
"Whadda ya mean, Orcs get levels too?!?" |
Siobharek 
Orc
(9/30/02 11:27 am)
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Re: Session 093002
(That's how you Yanks write dates, right?  )
Wow. A party that knows how to run. I'm impressed. Veddy nice description of the dragon's lair. Heh. Lookin' forward to next session (how long do you play? Some sessions don't seem to last very long).
Siobharek
...it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
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Andorax
Orc
(9/30/02 12:55 pm)
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Re: Session 093002
Yup...although technically 'twould be 09/29/2002.
We attempt to game from 4 to 10 on Sundays. We're often delayed by late arrivals, having dinner, and (of late) extensive "what the heck are we going to do now" planning.
"Whadda ya mean, Orcs get levels too?!?" |
Sacremas
Orc
(9/30/02 1:12 pm)
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Re: Session 09/29/2002
Quote:
...then I lean over and whisper to Eric, Gath's player, "and your See Invisible reveals a Huge Red Dragon curled up amidst the coins, staring straight at you. Make a will save DC 21 against Frightful Presence"
That's mean! I like it!
-Sacremas
"I think, therefore I am... I think" |
Andorax
Orc
(10/7/02 6:02 am)
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Aaaaargh! Another cancellation
Once again, we missed a session. This is part of why it's taking us so long to finish this thing.
This week, it was two character sheets missing due to the car trunk they were in being at the dealership being repaired.
Next sunday, I'll offer to keep the sheets from week to week!
On a positive note, I have my "strike force" put together. The two Dark Naga, the two Invisible Stalkers, the two Drow and Bethe, the Assasin.
OUCH. They're fairly dangerous on their own, but when you start spreading around the spells a bit and having these guys support each other?
Nagas prep themselves with Invisibility, Fly, Blur, Cat's Grace, Mage Armor and Shield.
Nagas provide Mage Armor and Cat's Grace to the Invisible Stalkers.
Nagas provide Bethe with Fly, Cat's Grace and Invisiblity
Nagas provide Fly to the Drow, who support each other with "buffing" spells as well.
I've still got enough 3rds left on the Naga to get off several Fireballs, and enough 2nds to Invisible them a couple of times. The Drow both have Improved Invisibility going and will be dropping spells and pain constantly. Bethe probably won't even make her entrance until after her "3 rounds of study" (and likely after the fireballs have all flown). This camping trip may well wind up being a total party kill...*gulp*
Edited by: Andorax at: 10/7/02 6:06:37 am
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Siobharek
Orc
(10/7/02 6:07 am)
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Re: Aaaaargh! Another cancellation
Man, that bites. Hope you watched a good movie in stead, then. For what it's worth, I keep a binder with the character sheets at the place we game. People don't take the sheets home with them unless they KNOW they'll be present at the next session. Otherwise, they're obliged to bring the sheets to me before the session (yeah, I'm a nazi that way).
Siobharek
...it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
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Sacremas
Orc
(10/7/02 6:36 am)
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Re: Aaaaargh! Another cancellation
I keep all the character sheets with me, and so unless I'm and/or my bag of books and stuff is missing we got them.
About that strike force... you sure? That sounds really mean, a TPK if I've ever seen one... I suggest leaving the drow back home (with Naquent and Hedrack in case the strike force should fall, or having Varachan tip the PC's off so they have at least some time to prepare before the fireballs start flying.
-Sacremas
"I think, therefore I am... I think" |
Andorax
Orc
(10/7/02 7:02 am)
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Re: Aaaaargh! Another cancellation
At least one of the involved players is a controlling type, and likes to spend the week plotting for the upcomming week. So he's likely not going to be happy about having to hand in his sheet (but since this is twice now, he may asceed to it). We'll just have to see.
The group is up to 5 PCs now, and 9th/10th. The Psion's fairly tapped for points, but most of the rest of the group still has resources, so they're not at the edge of exhaustion.
As well, they will get one potential warning. Depending on who's on watch, there will be a Scry attempt right after midnight (Hedrack), which will preceed the attack by roughly half an hour. If they notice the scry, they've got that long to prepare or move away (at which point it's up to the Invisible Stalkers to track them).
Varachan will get word to them after the fact...but I'm not sure if I will have him get word to them beforehand. I'll think on this one. I'd like the force to be a very serious threat, let the PCs know that they've got a limit to the number of times they can poke "the beast" and not suffer retribution.
Still, if you guys think this is a TPK in the making, I'll back it down a notch or two. Thrommel's suggested attack force included Chymon and, IIRC, Thrommel as well.
"Whadda ya mean, Orcs get levels too?!?" |
Andorax
Orc
(10/14/02 2:29 pm)
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And then they turned left
Major change of plans...I guess they really didn't want to take on the dragon after all.
Without camping, the group heads straight for the Water Temple. Tsindin launches a Fireball at the Owlbears for growling at her (a bit touchy and tempermental it seems). Then the Sea Hag.
I've hear several tales of this being a tough fight...I'm left wondering if it's just my PC's level (10th) that's making it a mow-through.
Tsindin did a detect magic...got some sort of magic aura, then nothing (hag saw the sorceress staring into the water, retreated away).
Fredrick (Slippers of Spider Climbing from the Fire Bridge Complex) and Tsindin (Cloak of Arachnidia from Lareth) begin spider-climbing around the water. Lyssa, Gath and Kaina in the boat.
I overturn the boat...that's according to plan...but Gath had a readied action to cast Fly if something happened, so I had to give that to him.
Lyssa and Kaina sank...that's according to plan. Gath is fishing for them with a rope with a piton on the end.
I emerge from the water to use my horrifying appearance...again, according to plan. Everyone (who CAN see her) saves.
I shoot at Gath...ok, gee...6 points of damage. I can't see Fredrick (Invisible) and Tsindin's on the other side of the cavern.
So Kaina grabs the rope, Gath flies her over to the exit, and Tsindin pummels me for 22 points of magic missile damage! I'm hurting, and in serious trouble.
So, as a desperate resort, I dive under...I'm going to try to get SOMEBODY and grapple (and drown) Lyssa.
Spot roll...22 to see me in the murky water. Attack of Opportunity against starting a grapple. -4 penalty to thrust (use as piercing) with a greatsword. -4 penalty for fighting underwater.
Rolls a 19. Confirms crit...with a 20. 38 @))$#)$)&@ points of damage!
Ok, so the hag wasn't a challenge for these guys. Oh well..we move on.
I decided to go with the "temple clears out whe things get nasty" idea...the Water Temple is vacant. This is creepy to these guys in the extreme. They've searched nearly the entire thing, and not found anyone.
Well...almost. They did meet up with the Water Naga. She parleyed, and negotiated with them...spreading her lies to get her "sister" Nagas killed in the Outer Fane. Problem is, getting Lesser Keys of Water is kinda hard when the Water Temple has headed for greener pastures.
Then the problem...Fredrick failed his second save on the Demonstone. He's already plotting for how to get even with the PC he likes the least (Gath). I trust the player completely to play this very, very evily.
First thing he did? He gave it to Lyssa in order to corrupt her and cause her to lose her clerical powers. Evilist thing he could think of offhand.
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Thrommel
The DM
(10/14/02 2:48 pm)
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Re: And then they turned left
Yay! More tales of adventure!
Don't sweat the Hag, I think the Hag is overrated.
Remember that Fredrick will no longer be evil if it succeeds in turning Lyssa. So actually, he's inadvertantly done the best thing possible - once Lyssa is turned evil, he'll know what the score is and the party can subdue a markedly less powerful Lyssa and destroy the statue.
Dang players, always stumbling into the ideal solution in what should be a TPK.
-Thrommel, who'll put his gaze attack up against the Hag's any day.
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Siobharek
Orc
(10/15/02 12:08 am)
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Re: And then they turned left
Yay! Another update. Good one. And excellent thinking with the Demonstone. Pass it to the cleric.. That's priceless.
(Look I didn't even THINK of the Mastercard ad before I'd typed it, OK?
Siobharek
...it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
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Zagig
Pie
(10/15/02 1:37 am)
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Re: And then they turned left
Haven't read your log in quite a while Andorax. Always like it, though. Nice to see Lyssa, Fredrick and Tsindin have made it this far. Party continuity is nice.
Really liked what you did with the Water Temple. It seems a solution like this could also apply to the Earth Temple (for those who haven't progressed as far) if two or three of the other temples are already destroyed. I would think that the Fire Temple is too arrogant to leave, and the Air Temple can't leave guarding the gate, so this idea wouldn't work for them.
Tough luck about the hag, but it will all even out. I know that there are times when the DM can hit no matter what and the party gets its butts kicked by some small little monster.
Really liked the situation with the demonstone. Can't wait to see what happens.
Zagig (really, really liking the story so far)
Edited by: Zagig at: 10/15/02 2:27:42 am
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Andorax
Orc
(10/15/02 6:25 am)
Reply
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Re: And then they turned left
My concern is that giving the stone to Lyssa wasn't the only thing he was going to do...just the first. Plus, with her VERY good Will save, it would be a total fluke for her to fall victim to it within the first day or two.
With a week to plan, I'm sure he's going to do something nasty to Gath at an inopportune moment.
"Whadda ya mean, Orcs get levels too?!?" |
Blackthorne
Pie
(10/15/02 11:15 am)
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*
"...Gath had a readied action to cast Fly if something happened..."
That´s why the DMG clearly states that the ready action should not be used outside of combat.
I mean, this guy could wake up in the morning and say: "I ready an action to cast fly if something happens." Why even bother with initiative?
That said: Great story. As usual.
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Andorax
Orc
(10/15/02 11:20 am)
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Re: *
In the general sense, Blackthorne, I agree with you entirely.
That statement was made, though, when he got in the boat, for the brief (1-2 minutes) it would take to row across the room, with Lyssa doing the rowing.
For a brief period, I can accept "readied" actions like this one...it's what a categorize as "sensible" actions, and I still made him beat me on initiative for the surprise round (which he did, I rolled a 3).
"Whadda ya mean, Orcs get levels too?!?" |
Andorax
Orc
(10/21/02 7:03 am)
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Bugbear Bashing for Fun and Profit
Onward the intreped band trecks, slaughtering a small group of scorpions. They start weaving their way through the mine tracks. Fredrick at point, invisible.
The Dire Boar smells something and wanders out into the tunnel, only to get a facefull of magic missiles from Kaina (yes, I asked her why she blasted the critter, especially down by a companion with her Tiger's death...she thinks they (Dire Boards) are icky.)
A few rounds, and slaughtered bugbears later, the party is looting and Fredrick's peeking around another corner.
Assault on the Chief and company...again, a brutal slaughter. I land a couple lucky blows and do some damage, but bugbears just can't stand up to a party of 5 10th level PCs.
Accross the dead guys' room, one good look at the corpsebomb and the PCs turn back. They spy the two spellcasters, double back, and lay their plan. NOW they want to capture someone. Sheesh.
Well, the plan lasts for about the first round. The Bugbear Wizard flies out and blasts Lyssa and Gath with a Lightning Bolt. The cleric throws a few spells, futilely, at the PCs (too high of saves) and then tries to bash Lyssa with her Morningstar.
They're holding up fairly well...until Fredrick wraps the wizard up in an Ectoplasmic Cocoon...and Gath finally gets a crit off with his Greataxe (while raging) on the cleric Lyssa's been actively trying to subdue for several rounds. 54 points in one blow, and DFMD.
Well, the wizard is bound and questioned, the PCs kick themselves for slaughtering another group of would-be allies, and Fredrick hangs back just long enough to slit his throat (the Demonstone at work...I don't think any of the PCs suspect).
Tapped out of power, the group heads out to make camp once again...but first, Fredrick decides to make sure that Chymon is well occupied and not out searching for them.
He manifested Clairtangency* in Chymon's lair, picked up a handfull of gold, and started hauling it over to the altar with the flame in it, intent on dumping it into the fire. Chymon flattens the cash with a massive claw. Another handful makes it's way over to the other altar...she stomps it again.
Fredrick begins taunting her by manipulating handfulls of coins all over the room, first one side, than another. Chymon, in frustration, calls out to Naquient (whom she knows is fairly close by). A while later, Naquient arrives, she explains what's going on, and she tries the following (let me know if this is logical to you):
1) Invisibility Purge
2) Detect Scrying (yes, I've made some modificaions to the spell lists due to the PC's tactics and situation)
3) Dispel Magic (on the sensor, failed...Psi/Magic Different).
So she watches for a while and considers. Finally, Naquient throws a Darkness at the sensor, blocking Fredrick's view (and essentially ending the power).
* For those of you unfamiliar with it, Clairtangency combines Clairvoyance and Far Hand (Mage Hand). For 1 minute/level, the Psion can manipulate objects as if he were standing at the focal point of the clairvoyance and using Far Hand. It's the first 5th level power he took.
The group heads out to camp, it being only noonish at this point. They spy a Dragonne in the distance, and appease it with a large rack of Dire Boar Ribs. Gath identifies the Bugbear loot. All is well...until about midnight.
I ended the session letting them know that a Fireball had erupted in the midst of their camp. Fredrick is on watch, having fallen asleep the moment the group made camp and very intentionally making it clear that he was resting, at all costs...so he is at full strength right now...the only PC who is.
This is going to be a focal point of the adventure, I think. The ambush will be a do-or-die situation for them, and it'll follow closely by Lyssa's having to make her first save vs the Demonstone in the morning. If they survive both, they're going to get a visit from a messenger, sent by Varachan, desperate for the PCs to get into the outer fane and detailing the ambush plans near the fire door (as prevously discussed). The PCs will (hopefully) try to get in through the Earth Door and head out from there.
As a reminder, the ambush force is the two Nagas, the two Invisible Stalkers, and Bethe. EL 12 vs 5 10th level PCs, from ambush...this one is going to be close. I'll be starting another thread to plan this one out, and would appreciate help there.
"Whadda ya mean, Orcs get levels too?!?" |
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