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Post by Ginger on Feb 25, 2014 13:39:18 GMT -5
After the near catastrophe with the Mirror of Opposition, things are looking good. We're pushing on upstairs, but there's a more stuff on the lower level to content with if we want to check it out.
Did anyone have any more thoughts for what to do on later reflection? We didn't really check out the weird wall of black liquid. Maybe it's just that I'm visualizing it like a Stargate, but I suspect it teleports somewhere. Someone can go with Dariel, who could then get us out of there if it's too dangerous.
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Post by Wolfgar on Feb 25, 2014 15:07:09 GMT -5
I had some thoughts:
-it is taking much longer than I expected to find any of the big guys. as a result I am worried that all of Dan's protective spells will be down when we do.
-maybe we should have brought Aphris with us and used Speak with Dead once we were presented with the black liquid wall. we should have spent more time on it but the fight with ourselves kind of distracted us from going in that direction.
-Avvakris said he faced no traps in the Dark Tower. it might mean that the black liquid wall is trapped for good characters. or maybe the 5th person through.
-I could also imagine it working like a dispel magic. Which would also not be good for our buff spells.
-Everything we have faced has been put in place long ago. I was expecting a bunch of new demons and undead. Given that we haven't faced any newly placed opposition I am confused at the need to rush into the Dark Tower.
-Should we split up and send people in both directions? Holomir, Dariel, Murky, Moram, Tirian, the storm giant, one of the lammasu and the gnomes could go though the black liquid and we could continue on the back way.
-We should see if passwall works on the abyssal stone. It might make it easier to get where we are going.
-Can Dariel teleport within the tower? At least to places he has seen.
-We could use the lammasu (telepathy/dimension door) to communicate/move between the two groups if we split up.
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Post by Mr. Trommer on Feb 26, 2014 12:32:55 GMT -5
I don't think the gnomes are going to be anything more than cannon foddder. Once we face the the first of the three named bad guys they will probably all flee in fear since they all seem to be zero level npcs. Those that survive might gain a level for their troubles. Also the rooms and passageways are such that it is hard
I am not for splittiing up. Isn't the tower only four levels? Since there are three named foes we should run into them in quick succession since we've gone up one level so far. I expect we have to make saves vs. fear for each encounter so we will need enough bodies to be able to step up and stop the runners who fail. Once we encounter the lich any character below 5th level will automatically flee. Do we have Remove Fear spells ready?
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Post by Wolfgar on Feb 26, 2014 13:12:04 GMT -5
Dan has a couple of first level spells left he can convert to Remove Fear. Haidar and the lammasu should also be able to provide this.
There is no guarantee that the interior of the Dark Tower is the same size as the exterior. With all of the magic used to create it, I could see it being its own pocket dimension.
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Post by venger on Feb 26, 2014 13:12:54 GMT -5
-Everything we have faced has been put in place long ago. I was expecting a bunch of new demons and undead. Given that we haven't faced any newly placed opposition I am confused at the need to rush into the Dark Tower. Holomir's concern was that Manahath the Chosen and a retributive legion of hellish minions would be unleashed if the party delayed too long before assaulting the Dark Tower. And that would be a running battle from the village to the gates of the Dark Tower while they gathered more evil forces. He wanted to cut the head off the snake before it had time to react - bottle them in the tower, fight them over there, so we don't have to fight them here, etc. He asserts that Paavo will soon have his fill of demons, undead and worse. And Dariel of course had his own time constraints. -Should we split up and send people in both directions? Holomir, Dariel, Murky, Moram, Tirian, the storm giant, one of the lammasu and the gnomes could go though the black liquid and we could continue on the back way. Holomir, being an experienced high-level fighter-type, looks skeptical about the tactical wisdom in splitting up the party. And none of the NPCs are really super-eager to jump into that oily black portal... But... they will defer to the wisdom of Dan, the highest level cleric. -Can Dariel teleport within the tower? At least to places he has seen. Yes. Though entry to the Tower is warded against good-aligned extraplanar creatures, so if he leaves he could be stuck outside unless summoned. -We could use the lammasu (telepathy/dimension door) to communicate/move between the two groups if we split up. The telepathy is not going to be that effective. Lammasu speak their own language, Lawful Good and use a *limited* form of telepathy to understand/communicate with everybody else. They don't actually have telepathic walkie-talkies. I don't think the gnomes are going to be anything more than cannon foddder. Once we face the the first of the three named bad guys they will probably all flee in fear since they all seem to be zero level npcs. Those that survive might gain a level for their troubles. Also the rooms and passageways are such that it is hard All the gnomes are prepared to lay down their lives to defeat the evil of the Dark Tower. Before doing that though they'd prefer to administer healing potions, bind wounds, drag downed people, search for secret doors, protect the spellcasters, crossbow lesser undead, demons, etc. affected by normal missiles, tie up prisoners, loot bodies, carry valuables, etc. |
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Post by Bolo on Feb 26, 2014 16:46:44 GMT -5
I am not for splittiing up. Nor am I. Bad idea. Dan has a couple of first level spells left he can convert to Remove Fear. Haidar and the lammasu should also be able to provide this. I believe Haidar has a total of three 1st-level cleric spells left, including one Remove Fear. Do you mean that he can convert any 1st-level spell into Remove Fear, as with Cure Light Wounds? If so, he won't take it directly in future. Is there a list somewhere in the House Rules section that sets out which spells are convertible? [The gnomes would] prefer to administer healing potions, bind wounds, ... Does this mean they are carrying healing potions and bind-wounds treatments, and they are trained in wound-binding? |
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Post by Ginger on Feb 26, 2014 17:41:20 GMT -5
Clerical Spell ConversionAll Good-aligned Clerics may convert spells of equal or greater spell level to healing spells. Healing spells include any cure spell, as well as neutralize and slow poison. All evil-aligned Clerics may convert spells of equal or greater spell level to damaging spells. Damaging spells include the reverse of any cure spell, as well as Poison. Neutral-aligned clerics may convert spells of equal or greater spell level to either healing or damaging spells, but such a decision is made at the creation of the character. We actually don't quite do it this way. We've previously allowed conversion to Remove Paralysis and Remove Fear. I think any remove spell will work. |
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Post by Bolo on Feb 26, 2014 19:42:13 GMT -5
Thanks.
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Post by venger on Feb 27, 2014 11:05:47 GMT -5
The gnomes will administer your healing potions to downed party members.
They will assist in binding wounds (with your bind wound treatments) reducing the rounds required.
All clerics can convert to healing/removal spells regardless of alignment.
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Post by Wolfgar on Feb 27, 2014 11:35:41 GMT -5
I just hope we are able to bring everyone up through the route we are taking in a timely manner. I could see us facing this horde of demons and undead with the gnomes and lammasu still strung out behind us. Can we get Murky polymorphed into a smaller form up towards the front? Any thought on how we are going to get the giant into the mix?
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Post by venger on Feb 27, 2014 11:45:35 GMT -5
Can we get Murky polymorphed into a smaller form up towards the front? Murkey can do that. Any thought on how we are going to get the giant into the mix? DM HINT: Friedrich wonders if that stone block at the top of the stairs might shift or slide if the proper mechanism were activated. The storm giant, straining with all his might, was not able to budget it. |
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Post by Ginger on Feb 27, 2014 12:03:24 GMT -5
What was the text on the big stone block? Something about Set's hated brother is all I remember. It looks like fiddling with the 6 images of the different pantheon gods would open the secret door, but pulling the wrong one would be dangerous.
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Post by venger on Feb 27, 2014 12:11:24 GMT -5
What was the text on the big stone block? Something about Set's hated brother is all I remember. It looks like fiddling with the 6 images of the different pantheon gods would open the secret door, but pulling the wrong one would be dangerous. "1000 Curses Upon You My Most Hated Brother" |
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Post by Wolfgar on Feb 27, 2014 13:33:15 GMT -5
If we don't want to waste time trying to decipher how the stone block works then we could use Passwall on it. It is regular stone instead of abyssal stone, right?
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Fin
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Post by Fin on Feb 27, 2014 20:56:01 GMT -5
Fin's not keen on splitting up the party. He's also not keen on following the narrow, twisting passages we seem to be channeled into...we'll soon be in our signature "two characters in melee while the rest of the team loafs, watches and makes side bets" move.
Let's take a closer look at the black wall. We could try the obvious things first, like toss a spike or arrow into it and see what happens. Then we could move on to, say, conjuring up a marmoset or coatimundi, tying a rope to it, and tossing it in. Fin will suggest that perhaps a well-motivated gnome would be willing to test it as well...for the greater glory of Good, of course. "Think of the undying fame that will be yours," he'll muse, "when your loved ones learn of your brave and noble sacrifice, not to mention our admiration and pats on the back (sotto voce: assuming you still have one to pat)."
It seems obvious that the designers of the Dark Tower not only had abominable taste in interior decor, but they also planned to delay any adventurers long enough such that their 'buff spells' as we call them would wear off before coming face to face with the chief beasties, as has been pointed out.
So, why not back out into the Room of Healing, sealing the Fanged Gates with a Wall of Ice or perhaps even the dreaded Wall of Irony, "spelling up" again and giving things another try?
For the Mirror of Opposition, Fin suggests the following: cast a Wall of Ice before it such that the top of the wall is just above head height. Toss a Brimstone grenade over the wall, et voila, cést bon, the Mirror is so much chipped glass.
Another option would be for one of our stalwart fighters to close their eyes real tight, bend over at the waist, and run full-tilt into the mirror. Fin is sure the thickness of skulls in this case would bring overwhelming force to bear, thus shattering the Mirror.
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Post by Wolfgar on Feb 28, 2014 8:37:19 GMT -5
If there is room right now we should use a hand grenade on the Mirror. Or have the giant pitch a boulder over the wall. Mirrors have terrible saves against crushing blows. The wall of ice only lasts 1 hour. We don't want it there if we have to retreat.
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Fin
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Post by Fin on Mar 1, 2014 8:32:20 GMT -5
Good point about the crushing blows. Fin forgot the same would apply to the fighters' skulls.
Did any of the gnomes respond to Fin's appeal to glory vis a vis the Black Wall? He'll add: "babes dig it when guys run big risks -- stubby, hairy little gnome babes in particular." Fin reasons that if they're truly willing to put it all on the line to defeat the Evil of the Dark Tower, there's no better way to demonstrate that dedication than checking out the Black Wall. He'll remind them that he, Finnious, the world's greatest thief, slayer of practically dozens and master safe- and wise-cracker, will be right there behind them.
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Post by venger on Mar 2, 2014 22:45:40 GMT -5
Before I forget-- Jamalla the Wise, Lioness of Mitra, is going to pop out of the belt and save Nordel from the Blade Barrier at the end of the round.
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Post by Ginger on Mar 2, 2014 22:51:23 GMT -5
Has Nordel admitted that the belt of Mitra is infinitely superior to the bear belt? Because it is.
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Post by Wolfgar on Mar 2, 2014 22:51:41 GMT -5
Re: Blade Barrier It's a horizontal plane, 20'x20'x3', directly in front of the dais. This is different from the Blade Barrier they used today which was a solid mass - 20' x 10' x 10'. Is that correct? FWIW, I still picture it as two dimensional. From the DMG, p 42 Note I emphasized the words "point" and "plane" which seem to indicate the two dimensionality of the barrier. It doesn't say "line" or "cylinder" which would indicate a three dimensional nature. |
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Post by venger on Mar 3, 2014 1:20:57 GMT -5
I see what you're saying. It should not be 20'x10'x10'.
It should be 20'x20' slanting at an angle down the stairs, from floor to ceiling, making them impassible and the gate inaccessible. Trommer should be able to fly in the stairwell, above the Blader Barrier, in some fashion if he's careful.
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Post by Wolfgar on Mar 3, 2014 10:00:54 GMT -5
So it looks more like image 1 instead of image 2? (There is a reason I don't do graphics.) Attachments:
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Post by venger on Mar 3, 2014 12:23:12 GMT -5
Here's my artistic rendering/new interpretation of the Blade Barrier.  |
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Post by Wolfgar on Mar 3, 2014 12:29:47 GMT -5
Awesome! I bow to your rendering skills.
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Post by Wolfgar on Mar 3, 2014 22:02:08 GMT -5
DM HINT: Friedrich wonders if that stone block at the top of the stairs might shift or slide if the proper mechanism were activated. In retrospect, I am guessing the mechanism to activate the stone is behind the sliding wall at the end of the secret passage. I suppose it could also be in the naga tunnel. Though I am not sure how you would prevent the flaming spheres from setting off all of the traps. |
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Fin
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Post by Fin on Mar 4, 2014 10:56:39 GMT -5
Great job on the renderings, Eddie.
I was wondering about the flaming spheres as well...wouldn't they have already set off all the other traps?
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Post by venger on Mar 4, 2014 11:23:34 GMT -5
Suffice it to say, if the mechanisms were operated in the proper fashion, the stone block would haved lift and there would have been no flaming spheres.
Also all the trapped urns could be moved aside as long as one said "Aepep" first and didn't open them or break them.
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Post by Ginger on Mar 4, 2014 11:26:36 GMT -5
You don't think the mechanism is one of the 4 switches that we didn't try?
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Post by Ginger on Mar 4, 2014 12:30:57 GMT -5
I assume that the image, which awesome, is not a perfect representation. Approximately how much clearance is there under the blade barrier and approximately how much space is there between the bars of the gate? Could a leprechaun make it through? Colby is thinking of creatures he could transform into to enter the room.
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Post by venger on Mar 4, 2014 13:15:17 GMT -5
I assume that the image, which awesome, is not a perfect representation. Approximately how much clearance is there under the blade barrier and approximately how much space is there between the bars of the gate? Could a leprechaun make it through? Colby is thinking of creatures he could transform into to enter the room. The only clearance is above the Blade Barrier. Unless Colby wants to pass through it. A very small creature (small bird, mouse, snake, etc) could get through the bars of the gate. |
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