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Post by venger on Nov 22, 2011 13:56:44 GMT -5
XP week of 11/20- Paavo: 49472 (6th)* Dan: 14723 (5th)* Friedrich: 49228 (6th) Mary: 12737 (4th)* Trommer: 52223 (6th) Colby: 66709|10746 (7th) Danakes: 31398 (5th) Bolo: 33614 (6th) Finnious: 18122/23152 (5th/5th)* Marcus: 44893 (6th) Ingrid: 17509/22278 (5th/5th) --------- Epicaste: 22657 Danaus: 21684
Treasure: a silver-bound book some fine cloth some elven silk a platinum needle a crystal harp 7 silver candleholders 10 bricks of red gold a large ornate shield a bag of violet powder a silver sword brooch 831GP (Denagoth coin)
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Post by venger on Nov 22, 2011 14:25:33 GMT -5
Trapped within the green energy field emitted by Danakes' strange metal box, the dao Ifh ̄ibn Al-bazar indicates a desire to parley.
He will command his servant Omar Sharif to extricate the party from the mud if you would but release him from this emerald prison.
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Post by Bolo on Nov 22, 2011 17:24:19 GMT -5
And we believe that he'll keep his side of the deal because ... ?
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Post by venger on Nov 22, 2011 18:08:09 GMT -5
He has an honest face...?
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Post by Friedrich on Nov 22, 2011 19:35:11 GMT -5
Mary is 4th. ~6,500 xp I think is the most we have ever got in one session!
I think you gave Mary an extra 300 xp too, btw.
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Post by venger on Nov 22, 2011 20:11:32 GMT -5
I'll have to recheck my XP formula. Amended. Thanks.
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Post by Ginger on Nov 26, 2011 3:39:37 GMT -5
While at my aunt's house for Thanksgiving, I stumbled upon a treasure trove! Attachments:
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Post by Dead Greyhawk on Nov 26, 2011 8:31:44 GMT -5
Sweet! Marvel Super Heroes!
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Post by Friedrich on Nov 26, 2011 9:59:11 GMT -5
While at my aunt's house for Thanksgiving, I stumbled upon a treasure trove! What a find! My mom gave all my stuff to the Salvation Army back when I was in college. I was pissed. Does all this belong to you or somebody else like a cousin?
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Post by Ginger on Nov 26, 2011 14:16:44 GMT -5
It was my cousin's, but I'm taking as much as I can shove in my suitcase. I'll make sure to bring the GIGANTIC maps from the Greyhawk box.
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Post by venger on Nov 27, 2011 1:47:10 GMT -5
What a bizarre Monster Manual. Bring that too!
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Post by Dead Greyhawk on Nov 27, 2011 17:21:52 GMT -5
What a bizarre Monster Manual. Bring that too! It's from the second cover set, the one where the DMG has the big creepy guy opening the door.
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Post by Friedrich on Nov 27, 2011 22:27:44 GMT -5
If Colby weren't unconscious I'd consider that a declared action. :( I am still hoping to resolve the dao post-encounter on the messageboard So Friedrich and Colby are down. The Dao wants to negotiate and he threatents to have his giant earth elemental kill Friedrich and Colby if we do not agree to let him go free. I guess that means Fin, Paavo, Bolo and Trommer can make the next move (on the board at least)....
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Post by Wolfgar on Nov 28, 2011 8:21:21 GMT -5
Paavo is willing to negotiate with the creature. First he needs to figure out if we can do this in good faith. Is it obvious how to shut off the emerald prison? Like reversing the sequence of buttons on the box, turning off the box or simply removing the coin. He will tell the Dao to so direct Omar and he will direct Danakes to turn off the prison.
For releasing the Dao, Paavo would wish that all party members who drank from the magic fountain had received only positive and beneficial effects from the waters of the magic fountain with no negative or harmful effects from the waters of the magic fountain.
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Post by Bolo on Nov 28, 2011 17:47:10 GMT -5
Bolo is over on the stairs, separated from the negotiations by a sea of mud, so this is from me as a player, not Bolo as a character.
The description of "dao" in MM2 says they can "fulfill another's limited wish (in a perverse way)" [emphasis mine] and are "prone to malice and revenge". Their alignment is not lawful.
So whatever deal we think we've struck, we will need to be prepared for the dao (a) to twist the wording of our wish big time, if the deal includes a wish, and (b) to still be hostile after we release him. For example, after everything is done and we think we're safe, he could turn rock to mud again right away.
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Post by Wolfgar on Nov 29, 2011 9:00:46 GMT -5
I took the lead on the negotiations since everyone else is immobile. Paavo (with the help of Dan) is the only one able to move about the room. If the situation were different I would have consulted the party before striking any deal. I realize that it may not be the most honorable of creatures but we don't really have a way to extricate everyone from the mud while the earth elemental is also threatening us. I have tried to word the wish to prevent the dao from twisting the words. But it could be more clever than I am.
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Post by venger on Nov 29, 2011 12:36:03 GMT -5
Paavo is willing to negotiate with the creature. The creature seems pleased. First he needs to figure out if we can do this in good faith. Is it obvious how to shut off the emerald prison? Like reversing the sequence of buttons on the box, turning off the box or simply removing the coin. Not obvious at first, no, as there are no buttons on the box, nor is there any clear way to remove the coin. This is a strangely smooth metal box with a green cone-shaped gem protruding from one side. Below the cone is a cunningly concealed slot to insert one of these power coins. The device is activated by turning the cone to focus a beam which envelops the target. The device is humming steadily at the moment. Colby suspects dialing the cone the other direction might deactivate the field. He will tell the Dao to so direct Omar and he will direct Danakes to turn off the prison. Ifh ̄ibn Al-bazar will not direct Omar Sharif to do anything until he is first freed from the energy field and the party gives their word not to engage in further hostilities. For releasing the Dao, Paavo would wish that all party members who drank from the magic fountain had received only positive and beneficial effects from the waters of the magic fountain with no negative or harmful effects from the waters of the magic fountain. Only the one imprisoning the genie is entitled to demand a wish or service, so says the Law of Suleiman. If this is Danakes' wish, so be it, if not he should state his intentions.
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Post by Ginger on Nov 29, 2011 13:42:49 GMT -5
Paavo's wish sounds good to frozen, unconscious Colby.
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Post by Mr. Trommer on Nov 29, 2011 14:57:18 GMT -5
Trommer would rather have the life force draining of the vampire restored.
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Post by Friedrich on Nov 29, 2011 15:08:32 GMT -5
By freeing Ifh ̄ibn Al-bazar, won't we immediately lose any leverage we have over him?
At that point what's to stop him from just burrowing away (at best) or try to massacre the party?
Are these creatures somehow magically beheld to keep their word once they are captured (and released)?
Otherwise I see a lot of room for things to wrong here. But Friedrich is laying in giant pool of mud now so I guess he'll hope for the best.
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Post by Mr. Trommer on Nov 29, 2011 15:11:48 GMT -5
Perhaps I could bind a wound on Friedrich while Paavo exerts his charm on the Dao?
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Post by venger on Nov 29, 2011 15:52:28 GMT -5
But Friedrich is laying in giant pool of mud now so I guess he'll hope for the best. You do have the voice of Mary Tanner, henchwoman, if you feel that Friedrich being unconscious is limiting your expression. Perhaps I could bind a wound on Friedrich while Paavo exerts his charm on the Dao? The only person mobile enough to accomplish this would be Dan Danberry, who is holding Paavo aloft.
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Post by Wolfgar on Nov 29, 2011 16:54:24 GMT -5
Trommer would rather have the life force draining of the vampire restored. I thought about this as well. My reasoning for not asking for this was that the effects of the fountain are likely permanent without the use of a wish. While the level draining can be countered supposedly by the tears of a rain bird. Also it is not clear if a single (limited) wish is strong enough to counter the effects of multiple level draining on multiple party members.
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Post by Wolfgar on Nov 29, 2011 17:05:47 GMT -5
Ifh ̄ibn Al-bazar will not direct Omar Sharif to do anything until he is first freed from the energy field and the party gives their word not to engage in further hostilities. (repeating Chris's comments as dialog with the Dao) What assurances do we have that he will uphold his end of the bargain? How can we be certain that he won't attack us once he is freed?
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Post by Ginger on Nov 29, 2011 17:14:10 GMT -5
I think a limited wish is not powerful enough to mimic a Restoration spell.
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Post by Bolo on Nov 29, 2011 17:27:24 GMT -5
I think a limited wish is not powerful enough to mimic a Restoration spell. Is it powerful enough to reverse the effects of the fountain waters? The description in the PHB says it will fulfill the spellcaster's utterance "only partially or for a limited duration". BTW, I think I was wrong about Bolo being on the stairs. I believe he drank the potion of gaseous form and started drifting over to the dry land where Fin and the NPCs are. Either way, he can't really be part of the negotiations. In fact, he's going to stay gaseous until they are completed and we see how they turn out. I will consult with Danakes's player about his preferences. But he has to finish his homework first. :-)
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Post by Wolfgar on Nov 29, 2011 17:55:28 GMT -5
I tried to make the wording of the wish such that it isn't undoing the effect of drinking from the fountain. That event still occurred. Rather I am asking that of the random effects that could have occurred, a positive one instead of a negative one occurred. It doesn't seem to me to be a major change of reality.
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Post by venger on Nov 29, 2011 18:01:04 GMT -5
It is Danakes' wish foremost. If he chooses to go with this precise wording or if he chooses to wish for a magic shield with a bull's head on it, his decision. What assurances do we have that he will uphold his end of the bargain? How can we be certain that he won't attack us once he is freed? see above, re: honest face What assurances has the dao?
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Post by venger on Nov 29, 2011 18:01:51 GMT -5
And Haste is a positive side effect right? :)
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Post by Bolo on Nov 29, 2011 18:10:34 GMT -5
IMHO we should at least be considering the option of leaving Iffy Bizarre inside the emerald force field and trying to defeat the elemental by force and/or magic in the usual way.
But if we do decide to make a deal, here's a suggested framework:
1. We agree not to engage in any further hostilities, with the understanding that if either Ifh or Omar does anything hostile, or fails to live up to the terms of the deal, we will no longer be bound by our agreement either.
2. Danakes will deactivate the device, standing ready to reactivate it (with another coin if necessary) if the deal falls apart.
3. Ifh will fulfill Danakes's wish (details TBD) and immediately return to the Elemental Plane of Earth, together with Omar, where they both will stay for at least 3 years. (Personally, I don't think we can trust Ifh to keep any kind of deal for 3 years, but I guess it doesn't hurt to try.)
Danakes is busy thinking about the wish ... more news on that front when I have it.
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