Princess Rescued, Star Gem Acquired, Morvan Dead

[Ginger]

So the efreet, with the princess, was in the very next room, right past the one with the weird lights. Morvan was dead by the end of the first round of combat. The efreet's 2 attacks, 2d10 each, brought him into unconsciousness. On segment 5, it used its special ability to fireball and Morvan was caught in it, killing him instantly. There wasn't much to be done. We fought the efreet for a while, then he vanished, planning to wait out our protection spells. Concurrently, we had managed to get the princess into a ring of protection, and she said that Hassan's medallion had magical powers vs. the efreet. She put it on.

When the efreet returned, it glowed blue and shot him with magical energy. He was enraged and fled.

In the next room was the star gem, which a flying Rennslaer and Zinc got in between fights with the efreet. Upon picking up the star gem, we were showered with light that was save vs magic or be petrified. Renn was petrified, but Zinc immediately dispelled the magic so he was ok.

At this point, we had cleared out the temple so started looting. We got all of the falling stuff that detected magical, including a glittering helm, a crystal ball, 2 flasks, and a shield. And maybe some scrolls? The book was also found to be magical, but Kazan refused to open it without his PC being there.

We also went to the altar of Seker. Basil took the short sword back off the alter, and we put the staff of smiting, a shield or armor and MORVAN'S CORPSE on the altar. A white light shone down, and it disappeared and was replaced with a weird fingerless glove. It's not usable by bards, so we cannot identify it. Zinc is wearing it, because Seker is a fighter of the undead.

We left, and found that the efreet had annihilated our camp. We returned to the Oasis, which had been attacked for the prior 3 nights. We discovered that the shiek was dead and Hassan (or Korvus?) was in charge. Basil's keen hears could hear that Hassan/Korvus was taking counsel from the drow behind the curtain. We were rewarded with 10,000 GP in gems, a strength bow that Alfred can't pull, 2 magic scimitars and 2 magic maces. Only one of which was successfully legend lored, as +1/+3 vs undead.

At this point, we divinated for the 3rd gem and the wizards, and both were in the sky sea. So we left. We found the ship, and it took us to Martek's tomb, where we left off.

We played with the star gem, and it heals wounds, which fits with the legends, but Basil failed his roll, so that's all we know. The consensus of the group is that Kazan should discover Identify, and Dana said we could retroactively cast it, since we've had 9 days of downtime on the ship.

[Friedrich]

Btw, the room with the weird lights was actually mostly an illusion. From where we were initially standing there appeared to be thousands of beams but using the star gem or from the other side of the room there were really only 4 beams.

The most challenging of the beams seemed to be the one that was 2 feet off the ground and went across the room(meaning you had to pass it in order to get to the other side of the room.

Rennslaer decided to use a spear, twine and a mirror to concoct a device by which the beam of energy could be harmlessly blocked or altered. At first this worked but the second time the mirror did not make its saving throw, shattered and Ren took like 25 damage.

Alfred figured out a solution to the beam problem. He stepped over it.

[venger]

Lost most of Morvan's magic items. (including disintegrate scroll, ensnarement, bigby's interposing hand, etc)

Retained the ring of protection +2, shield +2 and scroll of resistance.

Picked up a dagger +2.

Matching up Shadalah's hand-tattoo to the medallion there was an inscription that indicated salvation lie at the City of the Phoenix, but we chose not to follow up/pursue the last Star Gem.

On the way to the ship we saw the efreet battling a djinn, most likely released from the City of the Phoenix by the drow. I wonder what they used their wishes for...

The ship did not "take" us to Martek's tomb. We found a pillar that, when a Star Gem was insert into it, gave us a rhyme about following their light to the tomb. They guided us to the tomb, we sailed across the glass sea (attack by purple worm!) and wound up on an island in the middle of the glass where Martek's tomb is.

[Ginger]

I didn't mean to suggest that the ship had agency, merely that it was the means of conveyance that took us to the tomb.

[Wolfgar]

That sucks about Morvan. We really need to find a Rod of Resurrection.

Did we lose everything we left at the camp? I left some valuables behind and the spellbook from wizard in the Guild figuring it was extra encumbrance.

I am not sure about Identify. It seems like a waste given that I can research any spell up to 4th level. Maybe if we change the rule so that I get to research 4 levels worth of spells. Was Basil able to identify any of the items falling in the shafts?

[venger]

Jun 13, 2010 20:57:34 GMT -5 Wolfgar said:

Did we lose everything we left at the camp? I left some valuables behind and the spellbook from wizard in the Guild figuring it was extra encumbrance.

: /

The efreet nukes things with a 15d6 fireball every round. Thwarted by us, it took out its frustrations on our base camp. Nothing was left.

Jun 13, 2010 20:57:34 GMT -5 Wolfgar said:

I am not sure about Identify. It seems like a waste given that I can research any spell up to 4th level. Maybe if we change the rule so that I get to research 4 levels worth of spells. Was Basil able to identify any of the items falling in the shafts?

Basil failed to identify the items falling in the shafts. Except for the mummies which he identified with paralyzed fear.

He can't do any of our magic shields, the crystal ball, the book. Identify is a really crucial spell man. One of the MU scrolls was fireball, the other had 3 fourth level spells on it.

[Ginger]

Yes, everything but Flam in the camp was blasted into glass. Basil had some really bad rolls. Everything not specified is unidentified.

Morvan's corpse is with Seker now, so he can't be resurrected, even with a rod. That said, yeah, we need a rod of resurrection generally speaking. I'll be able to cast Raise Dead after next level, but that's a ways away.

Now that I think about it, we definitely got a scroll with 3 4th level spells, but Dana didn't have the list on hand, so we didn't learn what they were.

[Friedrich]

Basil was able to identify the potions falling from the shaft, right? They were potions of slipperiness. And wasn't there a magic shield in there? (+2?) But the shield was not anything better than what we all have already. So nothing special there.

There was a crystal ball though.

In keeping with Josh's theory of the writers purposely placing needed items; might the crystal ball help us find the wizards and thus the third star gem and thus we can leave the Land of Sand?

[Ginger]

Bumping this to update. We took the +2 ring from Morvan, gave it to Kazan, and gave Basil his +1 ring.

Rensslaer:
platemail +1
shield +2/+4 vs lower planar (PFE 1x a day)
bastard sword +1
star gem of mo-pilar (gem of seeing)
staff of smiting
mace (?)

Zinc:
platemail +1
scimitar +2
scimitar (?)
ring of warmth
scroll protection from acid
scroll neutralize poison
scroll of protection (from Morvan)
shield +3
horn of goodness (pfe 10' radius)
staff of rulership (snake, thunder, lightning)
glove of Seker

Kazan:
spear +2/+3 vs giants (giantslayer!)
shield +2
dagger +1
ring protection +2
bracers AC 5
scroll of protection from magic
spell library

Basil:
bastard sword +1
flametongue shortsword
chainmail +2
shortsword +1?
rope of climbing
drow chainmail +3
elven chainmail
drow cloak & boots
amulet of fire shield
sling bullets +1
periapt of wound closure
Flam
ring of protection +1
scimitar +1/+3 vs undead

Morvan:
mace +1
shield +2 (reserve)
elven chainmail (with Basil)
ring of protection +2 (with Kazan)
wand of paralyzation
drow cloak & boots (destroyed by Morvan on principle)
horn of the wilderness (with Alfred)
amber wasp ring
3 scrolls of magic user spells, 1 of cleric spells (one survived, with Zinc)

Alfred:
platemail +1
shield +2
teodor's dagger +1/+4 vs undead
dagger +1
mace (?)

Unallocated:
Glittering helm
shield (?)
crystal ball

[venger]

Rensslaer is carrying the second Star Gem and the incense of meditation that Morvan had.

Basil and Kazan have +2 daggers.

Kazan lost a +1 dagger in the Efreet. (also his hand mirror is gone)

Kazan used a scroll of protection from elementals.

Jun 13, 2010 21:24:38 GMT -5 Ginger said:

Bumping this to update. We took the +2 ring from Morvan, gave it to Kazan, and gave Basil his +1 ring.

Rensslaer:
platemail +1
shield +2/+4 vs lower planar (PFE 1x a day)
bastard sword +1
star gem of mo-pilar (gem of seeing)
star gem of khan-pilar (healing)
incense of meditation
staff of smiting

Zinc:
platemail +1
scimitar +2
scimitar (?)
ring of warmth
scroll protection from acid
scroll neutralize poison
scroll of protection (from Morvan)
shield +3
horn of goodness (pfe 10' radius)
staff of rulership (snake, thunder, lightning)
glove of Seker

Kazan:
spear +2/+3 vs giants (giantslayer!)
shield +2
dagger +2
ring protection +2
bracers AC 5
scroll of protection from magic
spell library

Basil:
bastard sword +1
flametongue shortsword
chainmail +2
dagger +2
rope of climbing
drow chainmail +3
elven chainmail
drow cloak & boots
amulet of fire shield
sling bullets +1
periapt of wound closure
Flam
ring of protection +1

Morvan:
mace +1
shield +2 (reserve)
elven chainmail (with Basil)
ring of protection +2 (with Kazan)
wand of paralyzation
drow cloak & boots (destroyed by Morvan on principle)
horn of the wilderness (with Alfred)
amber wasp ring
3 scrolls of magic user spells, 1 of cleric spells (one survived, with Zinc)

Alfred:
platemail +1
shield +2
teodor's dagger +1/+4 vs undead
dagger +1

[Dead Greyhawk]

Alfred has both a mace +1 (from the priest of Set) and an unidentified mace. He also has the unidentified helm.

Kazan has a scroll of fireball at 7th level (new this week) and a scroll of Massmorph, Leomund’s Secure Shelter, and Shout at 8th level (from last week).

Does Basil's still have the flametongue?

Kazan also refused to look into the crystal ball.

[Friedrich]

Alfred also has the +3 drow mace and the long bow which probably has no magic properties but has an undetermined strength bonus to it.

[Ginger]

Flametongue fell down the pit of evil in the temple of Set. Massmorph is awesome!

[Dead Greyhawk]

Looks like around 8100 XP each. Zinc at 163K, Basil at 222K, Kazan at 97K, Renn at 74K, and Alfred at 55K. All approximates.

[Ginger]

I'd be level 9 if not for the level drain. Unlike Eddie, I chose to look on the bright side and think that this means I'll get a wish to restore my extra point of CON, so I'll get an extra HP at level 9.

[Wolfgar]

Any chance Kazan stocked up on spell ink before we left the oasis? He would have purchased some in order to transcribe the new 4th level spells.

Given all of the unidentified magic items we have it makes sense to get Identify. Kazan can add a second copy of it in the extra spellbooks he inherits from Morvan. :(

Is the 2nd star gem usable by non-clerics?

The collection of random books Kazan bought in the oasis was also destroyed by the Efreet. (DM: was there anything interesting in there?)

So how does the loss of Morvan affect the party roles? Should Kazan lean to more offensive spells and stand in the back or more utilities spells and stand in the front? At 8th level he gets an additional 3rd and 4th level spell. I think he will take Fireball, Fly, Lightning Bolt and Slow for his 3rd level spells and Minor Globe, Polymorph Self and Polymorph Other for 4th. Thoughts?

[Ginger]

3 nights of attacks by the efreet left the oasis pretty deserted, because a lot of people fled or were killed. The sandvoyagers guild left entirely.

To test the star gem, Alfred damaged himself for 1 HP and Rennslaer waved the gem over his wound, which sealed. That's all we know.

On combat roles, I think at this point we just abandon the notion of a 2nd line because nobody needs shielding anymore. Even when flat footed because of casting/shooting, we're all pretty tough.

[venger]

Kazan should be Mirror Imaged and in melee as much as possible.

Did Basil take that scimitar +1/+3 vs undead? I know somebody did.

Rensslaer:
platemail +1
shield +2/+4 vs lower planar (PFE 1x a day)
bastard sword +1
star gem of mo-pilar (gem of seeing)
star gem of khan-pilar (healing)
incense of meditation
mace +?
shield +?
kite shield +?

Zinc:
platemail +1
scimitar +2
scimitar (?)
ring of warmth
scroll protection from acid
scroll neutralize poison
scroll of resistance (from Morvan)
shield +3
horn of goodness (pfe 10' radius)
staff of rulership (snake, thunder, lightning)
glove of Seker

Kazan:
spear +2/+3 vs giants (giantslayer!)
shield +2
dagger +2
ring protection +2
bracers AC 5
scroll of protection from magic
MU scrolls (assorted)
book of ??
crystal ball of ??
spell library

Basil:
bastard sword +1
dagger +2
rope of climbing
drow chainmail +3
elven chainmail
drow cloak & boots
amulet of fire shield
sling bullets +1
periapt of wound closure
ring of protection +1
scimitar +1/+3 vs. undead
Flam

Alfred:
platemail +1
shield +2
teodor's dagger +1/+4 vs undead
dagger +1
mace +1
drow mace +3
mace +?
helm of ??
exceptional strength bow

[Ginger]

Jun 14, 2010 11:12:03 GMT -5 venger said:

Kazan should be Mirror Imaged and in melee as much as possible.

Did Basil take that scimitar +1/+3 vs undead? I know somebody did.

Rensslaer:
platemail +1
shield +2/+4 vs lower planar (PFE 1x a day)
bastard sword +1
star gem of mo-pilar (gem of seeing)
star gem of khan-pilar (healing)
incense of meditation
mace +?
shield +?
kite shield +?

Zinc:
platemail +1
scimitar +2
scimitar (?)
ring of warmth
scroll protection from acid
scroll neutralize poison
scroll of resistance (from Morvan)
shield +3
horn of goodness (pfe 10' radius)
staff of rulership (snake, thunder, lightning)
glove of Seker

Kazan:
spear +2/+3 vs giants (giantslayer!)
shield +2
dagger +2
ring protection +2
bracers AC 5
scroll of protection from magic
MU scrolls (assorted)
book of ??
crystal ball of ??
spell library

Basil:
bastard sword +1
dagger +2
rope of climbing
drow chainmail +3
elven chainmail
drow cloak & boots
amulet of fire shield
sling bullets +1
periapt of wound closure
ring of protection +1
scimitar +1/+3 vs. undead
Flam

Alfred:
platemail +1
shield +2
teodor's dagger +1/+4 vs undead
dagger +1
mace +1
drow mace +3
mace +?
helm of ??
exceptional strength bow

Morvan's +2 shield is still floating around. And as of right now, Basil has Teodor's dagger. Basil did take the only identified scimitar.

[Mr. Trommer]

Basil also has the drow short sword. He can't use the scimitar.

[Friedrich]

Jun 14, 2010 10:12:53 GMT -5 Wolfgar said:

Any chance Kazan stocked up on spell ink before we left the oasis? He would have purchased some in order to transcribe the new 4th level spells.

Given all of the unidentified magic items we have it makes sense to get Identify. Kazan can add a second copy of it in the extra spellbooks he inherits from Morvan. :(

Is the 2nd star gem usable by non-clerics?

The collection of random books Kazan bought in the oasis was also destroyed by the Efreet. (DM: was there anything interesting in there?)

So how does the loss of Morvan affect the party roles? Should Kazan lean to more offensive spells and stand in the back or more utilities spells and stand in the front? At 8th level he gets an additional 3rd and 4th level spell. I think he will take Fireball, Fly, Lightning Bolt and Slow for his 3rd level spells and Minor Globe, Polymorph Self and Polymorph Other for 4th. Thoughts?

Didn't you find some ink when we rumaged through the Sandvoyagers' guild. I went back to the post and Dana did say that Kazan had acquired some down there.

This was when we searched the place with the Star Gem.

Did you use it all??

[Wolfgar]

I have 4 aliquots (unless I left them at the camp). I need 2 aliquots to write Identify twice and another 12 for the 3 new 4th level spells.

[Friedrich]

Jun 14, 2010 20:41:05 GMT -5 Wolfgar said:

I have 4 aliquots (unless I left them at the camp). I need 2 aliquots to write Identify twice and another 12 for the 3 new 4th level spells.

Well, it's like Dana has said before. If it's on your character sheet, then its on your character.

Unless you specifically stated that you left it behind I would think that you carried it into the crypt.

Oh, and btw, now that Alfred has a strength bow, which he can't use, Strength(spell) would be very useful from a party damage dealing perspective. Especially because point blank damage is doubled(and thus so is the strength bonus)

[Ginger]

So, here are the following items we have yet to identify:
Star gem of Khan-Pelar
2 maces from Hassan/Korvus
Scimitar #2 from Hassan/Korvus
Glittering helm
Crystal ball
Shield from the crypt of Al-badr
Glove from the temple of Seker
Tower shield (from Thurnas Netmaster?)
Magic user book

By my count, it took 9 days to travel by sky sea ship, and we spent a full 24 hours sitting here at the tomb. So that's theoretically 10 days Kazan was idle and could have been identifying, assuming we have 10 pearls. There are 10 items, so we could do everything once, but some stuff might take multiple tries.

[Wolfgar]

Jun 14, 2010 20:55:56 GMT -5 Friedrich said:

Well, it's like Dana has said before. If it's on your character sheet, then its on your character.

Unless you specifically stated that you left it behind I would think that you carried it into the crypt.

Oh, and btw, now that Alfred has a strength bow, which he can't use, Strength(spell) would be very useful from a party damage dealing perspective. Especially because point blank damage is doubled(and thus so is the strength bonus)

As I stated before I specifically did not take everything I owned into the Crypt. Partly for encumbrance, partly for (assumed) safety. I don't have that list in front of me so I am not sure what of my non-combat load was left behind.

Kazan gets only 1 new spell with each new level attained. The party currently votes for him to get Identify for his new spell at 8th level. I can assure you that when Kazan reaches 9th level (or 10th or 11th ...) and can start learning 5th level spells he will not take a 2nd level spell. I am happy to memorize a Strength spell and cast it on Alfred but someone will have to procure it for him via other means.

BTW, Kazan is proficient in bow and can certainly use the strength bow. Maybe he should carry it.

[Wolfgar]

Jun 14, 2010 21:07:04 GMT -5 Ginger said:

So, here are the following items we have yet to identify:
Star gem of Khan-Pelar
2 maces from Hassan/Korvus
Scimitar #2 from Hassan/Korvus
Glittering helm
Crystal ball
Shield from the crypt of Al-badr
Glove from the temple of Seker
Tower shield (from Thurnas Netmaster?)
Magic user book

By my count, it took 9 days to travel by sky sea ship, and we spent a full 24 hours sitting here at the tomb. So that's theoretically 10 days Kazan was idle and could have been identifying, assuming we have 10 pearls. There are 10 items, so we could do everything once, but some stuff might take multiple tries.

When/how did we discover it was a "Magic user book"?

Kazan had 25 pearls at last count.

[venger]

Basil successfully legend lore'd the book. But since he wouldn't open/read it he could only tell that it was a magic-user tome. (not a spellbook)

[Ginger]

Zinc will volunteer to augur before Kazan touches the book, if he would like. That has a 78% chance of determining if opening it will harm Kazan.

[Wolfgar]

I don't think there is any rush to read the book. If it is an aligned Libram then I would rather wait until next level to read it. If it is an unaligned Libram then I don't want to read it. If it is a manual of the golem then it is not so useful right now. I don't know if there is anything else it could be.

When I do look at I will definitely take the Augury.

[Ginger]

Book on Infinite Spells?