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Post by Ginger on Dec 2, 2008 10:52:49 GMT -5
I think the lack of Death's Door is a major problem, but there's nothing we can do about that. Fighting and resting is just the standard adventuring thing. Remember when the Company was fighting Frost Giants? We'd go ahead a few caverns, have a big fight, and sleep for a day. At least here we have somewhere safe to rest.
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Post by Wolfgar on Dec 2, 2008 12:15:48 GMT -5
I thought of the frost giants as well. Resting didn't work so well as I recall. We kept being attacked. In general whenever we rest the enemy regroups and things get harder for us. However as we learned at the monastery, pushing the fight to the enemy when we are worn down is also dangerous.
Maybe I am just surprised that no one has come for us in the cave.
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Post by venger on Dec 2, 2008 13:20:29 GMT -5
In general whenever we rest the enemy regroups and things get harder for us. However as we learned at the monastery, pushing the fight to the enemy when we are worn down is also dangerous. Maybe I am just surprised that no one has come for us in the cave. I'm against hiding out for another week while they (re)animate their dead. I'm concerned that the invisible witch and her familiar could have followed us back to the secret cave. Hit & run tactics are working for us. Attack the enemy base during the day, inflict some casualties, then retreat to rest/heal. Repeat. We've gotten a couple experience levels and magic weapons out of it. Does it make sense for Kazan to use the magic spear? He's got "magic" fists already that do 1d6 and attack 5/4 rounds.
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Post by Mr. Trommer on Dec 2, 2008 14:22:41 GMT -5
So what the plan? Kazan will be close to making fifth level soon. Will he make the switch to man-at-arms/fighter then? If so then the spear will help.
If we are looking to get a couple of quick levels then we should recheck the crypts we've cleared out for some quick Zinc dustings. Maybe the mage will be back in the one crypt. If so should we have a general plan for taking her and the imp out? What about invisible cat? Or the electric damage rune? Is it a one time thing?
I assume that the big baddies are on the other side of the bridge some place. My vote is to clear everything else out first if we can. Maybe that will take us close to six days or heal /rest so Gregers will be rested up by then and we'll have another level or two.
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Post by Ginger on Dec 2, 2008 15:35:24 GMT -5
Kazan will be close to making fifth level soon. Kazan needs 1185 XP to make 5th level. If we got that much next week, Basil would have enough to make 3rd level as a thief (because his 10% bonus would get him 1303). I think it's safe to say Kazan will be at 4th for at least 2 more weeks, since Dana doesn't let people level up twice in one session. [/metagaming]
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Post by Ginger on Dec 2, 2008 15:41:16 GMT -5
Without blaming anyone, since I certainly have made my own mistakes, most of our troubles have been due to some pretty silly mistakes. First we had the level title fiasco. Last session, we were doing very well until we started panicking after the first lightning bolt flew.
Discretion is frequently the better part of battle, but as a general rule, please don't run out the door during a fight. Stay within 5 feet of the guy with a -1 AC and healing spells, and I'll take care of you. :)
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Post by Wolfgar on Dec 2, 2008 15:56:34 GMT -5
So what the plan? Kazan will be close to making fifth level soon. Will he make the switch to man-at-arms/fighter then? If so then the spear will help. Kazan won't switch until he is fully trained as a fifth level monk (unless the house rules allow otherwise). Without gaining the resistance to disease, slow and haste there would have been no reason to wait until 5th level. Regardless I think Kazan should use the spear until Gregers is healed. He is proficient with it and assuming it is a flame-tongue it gives extra pluses against undead. We definitely need more proficient wielders of the magic items.
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Post by Mr. Trommer on Dec 2, 2008 16:33:52 GMT -5
Can a monk self train? Then it might worth it if Zinc and Kazan do it at the same time and then we would have Gregers back. Hopefully we can find some more magic weapons to "borrow" while we are here.
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Post by venger on Dec 2, 2008 16:52:14 GMT -5
I'd like to see some Faerie Fires on the bad guys and maybe an effective Bless spell go off at least once.
Maybe Zinc should try out Spiritual Hammer and Kimball should use the +1 broadsword. Zinc is always dropping his sword to turn undead and heal people. Silver arrows don't work on some things and with the new bow-breaking rules, firing in melee is a bad idea.
Basil and Kazan's lousy thief THAC0s are offset by the +3/+4 weapons they're using. Which is fine, as long as they're actually up in melee. People with such powerful weapons shouldn't be hanging back.
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Post by Mr. Trommer on Dec 2, 2008 17:07:40 GMT -5
As a fighter it might be best for Kimball to use Teodor's dagger. That way you could still hold your bow in the off hand with out having to drop it. Basil could then use the broadsword or just grapple non-level draining undead things and take damage.
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Post by Ginger on Dec 2, 2008 17:09:53 GMT -5
Self training will take between 10 and 24 days (2d6 with a minimum of 5 times 2) and about 10,000 GP worth of item destruction. That's more than any golem manual (if only we had a staff of the adder...)
The next time we open a cave mouth and see that it's not just a simple dungeon, I'll cast Protection from Evil on Kazan, giving him an AC of 4 and on me, bringing my AC to -3 (assuming +1 armor and shield). Morvan can do Basil, if he's feeling generous. That should beef up our melee potential significantly. I'll also give the broadsword to Kimball and switch to hammer (either spiritual or mundane).
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Post by Wolfgar on Dec 2, 2008 17:34:36 GMT -5
Basil and Kazan's lousy thief THAC0s are offset by the +3/+4 weapons they're using. Which is fine, as long as they're actually up in melee. People with such powerful weapons shouldn't be hanging back. Monks are incorrectly listed in the PHB as fighting on the thief table. They use the cleric table. With Kazan's +2 to damage with a weapon it makes more sense to use a magic weapon he is proficient with instead of his hands. Basil and Kazan held back against the flying devil but once it landed and in all other combat last week we were in the thick of things. Remember Kazan charged the magic user while some other people were trying to flee out the door. Maybe next time we should close the door behind us to keep the good guys and bad guys from escaping.
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Post by Ginger on Dec 2, 2008 22:56:37 GMT -5
Kimball's THAC0 is 4 points better than Basil's, modified down by 2 because of non-proficiency penalties. Given that Kimball is specialized in a different weapon, and has silver arrows which do a fair job against "magical" creatures, I think Kimball with the broadsword, Basil with the dagger, Kazan with the spear, and Zinc with a Spiritual Hammer is the way to go.
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Post by venger on Dec 2, 2008 22:56:54 GMT -5
Monks are incorrectly listed in the PHB as fighting on the thief table. They use the cleric table. Oh. Well then. Kazan should definitely be using the spear, no question.
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Post by Dead Greyhawk on Dec 3, 2008 7:34:58 GMT -5
So what the plan? Kazan will be close to making fifth level soon. Will he make the switch to man-at-arms/fighter then? If so then the spear will help. Kazan won't switch until he is fully trained as a fifth level monk (unless the house rules allow otherwise). Without gaining the resistance to disease, slow and haste there would have been no reason to wait until 5th level. I believe, and David will correct me if I am wrong, that we decided disease resistance and resistance to haste and slow were effects not necessary to train for. Perhaps the campaign journal will shed some light on whether Jasper went off to train at 5th level.
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Post by Wolfgar on Dec 3, 2008 8:47:47 GMT -5
According to the campaign journal on Dragonsfoot Jasper trained three times with Master Lynne: week 73, week 79 and Interlude A. According to other posts he was 3rd level before week 73, 4th level before week 80 and 6th level before week 98. So if I am reading this right I don't think he trained for 5th level.
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Post by Ginger on Dec 3, 2008 9:04:17 GMT -5
I don't remember either way, but it certainly sounds plausible. I definitely griped about how hard it is for monk's to train every single level for 10 levels in a row.
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Post by Mr. Trommer on Dec 3, 2008 11:50:57 GMT -5
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Post by Dead Greyhawk on Dec 7, 2008 22:27:19 GMT -5
Basil gains 2nd level thief. As predicted, Kazan is extremely close to 5th level monk.
We ended still in the tomb. I provided you all with the option of heading back to the cave to recover or trying to push on in the current, wounded form and suggested you discuss it on here.
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Post by Mr. Trommer on Dec 8, 2008 12:06:49 GMT -5
Week 18 Recap
- Returned to cave - Did the requisite resting, memorization/praying, healing & mending - Added water to the 8 crocks; 5 ware bad; 3 were vintage mead - Gregers drank the mead and told stories - Howling and caterwauling in the night - Kazan sees large glowing saber toothed tiger moving off - Basil becomes 1st level thief with dagger and short sword proficiencies - In morning find large dog prints around cave - Assume ethereal hound protects cave - Gregers reads rune on spear; Alfbrande - Spear tip ignite when the word is spoken (flame tongue) - Kimball passes on taking a shield - Leave Gregers in cave and hike back to valley - Ingebold’s tomb empty this time - Basil finds one intact crock - Kimball walks to stream and notices at least five tombs on other side - Return to Jarlmar’s tomb - Zinc cast Find traps; door is not trapped - Two large statues 30’ in cast dispel magic on those that pass between - All but one light stone is dispelled - Fight a naked undead man without a heart; easily defeated but doesn’t stay dead - Basil stabs lots and cuts off head; carry’s head and stabs when it twitches - Climb stairs upwards 600 feet to observation post overlooking the valley - Party convinces Basil to toss the head off the cliff for 73 points of damage - Headless corpse attacks party as it re-enters the chamber - Cut off hands and feet; take rusty battle axe and tie up naked undead guy - Take spiral stairs down into large long octagonal room - Room is very dark with alcove and throne with lots of gems in it - Morvan does not sit on the pallid throne this time at party’s urging - 16 shadows come out of gloom and attack party - Long drawn out fight before shadows all destroyed - Naked undead guy attack again; less effective without its weapon - Burn the undead guy with oil; it still regenerates - Kazan and Zinc have developed a cough after fight with shadows - Go back up stairs and try to destroy basin with dripping ichors - Haul naked undead guy up the tower stairs and toss off the mountain - Weakness from shadows starts to wear off - Go back down the stairs - Kazan starts destroying skulls on shelves that line the octagonal room - 4 Ghouls come out of 4’ corridor; Zinc turns them - Explore corridor and go thru a door - Room has large stone table, a throne and two motionless skeletons - Zinc dusts the skeletons - Kazan and Cullen examine the throne - Kimball approaches the door in the room - A massive dark skinned ogrish creature rises and attacks Kimball - Fight ensues; Creature turns invisible - Creature and Zinc trip over each other and it becomes visible as it tries to flee - The now dwarf is shot by an arrow from Kimball and dies - Take the dwarfs, short sword, 2 flasks, pouch (22 gp, 200 gp gem), throwing hammer and iron rations - Kimball still doesn’t want a shield
Story paused.
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Post by Wolfgar on Dec 8, 2008 12:43:28 GMT -5
Any idea what the last creature was? From the description it sounds like an ogre magi or maybe a sprigga.
Did we figure out how to get the gems out of the throne?
How are people on hit points? How much is there left to explore? Should we try resting in the caves for once? We certainly don't want to lose anymore potions passing through the sentries.
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Post by Mr. Trommer on Dec 8, 2008 13:01:32 GMT -5
I think it was a dark dwarf or duegar as the figurine had. I don't know what their capabilities are.
I think it would just take time to pry the gems off.
If I remember correct there are only 2 or three cleric spells left. Basil is at 31 hp. Zinc was knocked out once before being healed. We could always try hiding the potions somewhere if we do decide to leave. Perhaps on the shelves with the skulls. I would prefer to go someplace and rest for eight hours to get my level.
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Post by Ginger on Dec 8, 2008 13:45:33 GMT -5
It was an emaciated, gray skinned dwarf, so definitely a duergar. Maybe his mom was a sprigga, since he did have the same enlarging power. However, the growth might have been illusory. It did pack a wallop, though. Kazan was knocked unconscious by a d6+8 specialized sword hit. He was bound and has 2 HP. Zinc was knocked down, but never went unconscious and he has 5 HP and 1 spell (Spiritual Hammer). We also opened one of the doors in the room, which led to his very empty sleeping chamber. Nothing but a cot and clothing.
Morvan has no cleric spells and has 3 webs and a shield left.
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Post by Mr. Trommer on Dec 8, 2008 14:15:11 GMT -5
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Post by Ginger on Dec 8, 2008 17:23:02 GMT -5
Week 18 Recap - Kazan starts destroying skulls on shelves that line the octagonal room - 4 Ghouls come out of 4’ corridor; Zinc turns them - Explore corridor and go thru a door Zinc's Find Traps spell showed him that the throne was trapped. The thieves couldn't find any traps, so I assumed it was magical. Since all of the skulls were oriented to face the throne, I thought that maybe disrupting them would disrupt the magic. We started doing that, and a secret door opened and 4 ghouls came out. That freaked everyone out, but they all were turned. Zinc tried to pursue them back through the secret door, but everyone else chickened out. At that point, we spiked the secret door and forgot about knocking the rest of the skulls out of place. We went through the other door in the large room and fought the duergar in the first room we explored.
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Post by Dead Greyhawk on Dec 8, 2008 21:02:56 GMT -5
Secret door was a sliding panel in the stone. It led into a warren of narrow hunched passages that forked like a trident after 15 feet or so.
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Post by venger on Dec 9, 2008 8:15:58 GMT -5
for the write-up:
Narrow hunched passages 4' high and 4' wide. No bow-use, we'd have to go single-file, probably wouldn't get dexterity bonuses, they'd be sneaking up behind us and paralyzing/eating the rear party members. Not an ideal tactical situation.
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Post by Ginger on Dec 9, 2008 9:13:04 GMT -5
So you're saying that you doubt the ability of Jascar's holy fury to protect us from these evil creatures? Someone's going on the no-heal list...
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Post by Mr. Trommer on Dec 9, 2008 9:22:38 GMT -5
We could break more skulls and lure them out into the octagonal room. Who knows how many are in there. Since Zinc can only turn ghouls it might be better to lure as many out, hopefully in small groups, and gang up on them. It would be nice to have some Remove Paraalysis spells handy too. Having the first person in line paralyzed in a four foot tall tunnel isn't a good situation. The groups overall ACs aren't ideal for fighting ghouls.
It could be something to do while we get all the gems off the throne. Set up a rope trip line across the door, Some stand ready (archers), Kazan smashes skulls to attract their attention, while a couple retrieve gems. Repeat as necessary. After we rest for 12 hours of course so everyone is healed and spelled up. We will have to clear the tunnels at some point. That is why we are here to clear out the undead.
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Post by Ginger on Dec 9, 2008 9:36:20 GMT -5
We could break more skulls and lure them out into the octagonal room. Who knows how many are in there. Since Zinc can only turn ghouls it might be better to lure as many out, hopefully in small groups, and gang up on them. It would be nice to have some Remove Paraalysis spells handy too. Having the first person in line paralyzed in a four foot tall tunnel isn't a good situation. The groups overall ACs aren't ideal for fighting ghouls. It could be something to do while we get all the gems off the throne. Set up a rope trip line across the door, Some stand ready (archers), Kazan smashes skulls to attract their attention, while a couple retrieve gems. Repeat as necessary. After we rest for 12 hours of course so everyone is healed and spelled up. We will have to clear the tunnels at some point. That is why we are here to clear out the undead. No one can cast Remove Paralysis because it is a 3rd level spell. Also, the throne is trapped, so no one should touch it to remove gems. If we try to distract them, we can possibly whittle them down. We know where they're coming from, and Kimball can be ready to fire off a pre-initiative shot. Ghouls have poor AC and are only 2 HD, so we might have a good chance if they come in small groups. No one has any 1st level spells left, so we can't cast protection from evil, but that makes you fully immune to ghouls. Before crawling through the tunnels, that'll be very important. And I forgot to mention that I do have a scroll of Cure Serious Wounds.
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