[Fugu]

Since Lynx hasn't even been online since I posted the results of his magic missile, I'm leaving Chapter 1 open for now. Please let me know how your character spent his day and a half off, either in this thread, via PM, or IC, and if there's anything in important that he did between the departure from Mt. Colme and the start of that day off. Anything the characters did before the departure from Mt. Colme should be posted in Chapter 1.

And of course post your character's questions to McCale. Also, I'd like to hear your constructive thoughts about the game. What's working for you, what's not working for you, ideas for the future, that sort of thing.

[Lynx Cat]

Yes, I wasn't even near a computer since Friday afternoon until now :P

I'll look into it now. Thanks for the consideration.

EDIT: Is there anything I can do (tests, etc.) to discern what the bowl does? I'll look into it in the meantime, and suggest that I can help look for the wand by using magic to detect its presence. Will think about questions at the interview later.

This post has been edited by Lynx Cat: 12 March 2006 - 09:11 PM

[Fugu]

With a detect magic spell, Morgan was able to tell the humans where and how far down to dig to find the wand.

You can cast detect magic on the bowl again to try to identify what school of magic it belongs to. (DC 15 + spell level; your spellcraft check the first time you tried was not high enough.) You can learn more specific information about the bowl with a spellcraft check to "identify materials created or shaped by magic" as the SRD puts it. DC 20 + spell level.

I'll go ahead and assume you attempted those two things. I ruled that you can retry the detect magic check as often as you can cast the spell, although the SRD says that there is no retry for the identify materials check.

2nd detect magic check: 13 + 10 = 23. Failed.
3rd detect magic check: 18 + 10 = 28. Success. School: Conjuration.
Identify materials check: 6 + 10 = 16. Failed.

Everyone: I'll have an experience tally for your Chapter One efforts sometime tonight or tomorrow.

This post has been edited by Fugu: 12 March 2006 - 11:20 PM

[Fugu]

I've sent you your experience. At the rate of my initial tally, I realized, you guys would have leveled up somewhere around November, so I doubled it. I also rolled a d4 for each of you to determine how far past level 10 your character was to begin with (a 4 meaning you are 4,000 XP toward level 11).

The experience came partly combat-style from the avalanche and the monster, but the majority of it was for role-playing and story involvement. I liked it (and rewarded you) when you posted your character's thoughts, interacted with the environment (like making a loincloth out of the hospital gown), and did other forms of character development.

I did not give bonuses or penalties based on how frequently you posted, but of course if you post more, I have more content to reward you for.

[Barak]

Here's what HWW would have done during that day, after returning from the site.

He would have seeked out Tel Barion, attempting to talk to the man in private. Assuming he manages that, he would have asked him if he'd be interested to spar at some point, in private. If asked why, he would explain that while he'd enjoy the exercise, and the possibility of bettering himself, he has no interest in doing so under the eyes of the scientists, whom he has started to take a dislike to.

[Benevolance]

I apologize for my tardiness posting. I have almost caught up from my unexpected convalescence and will resume posting in earnest shortly.

This post has been edited by Benevolance: 14 March 2006 - 07:55 PM

[Lynx Cat]

Speaking of which, I may or may not have a work-related trip taking up all of April, and in said trip, I may or may not (probably may) have internet access. Chances are, you won't even notice :P I'll keep you posted if needed.

[Fugu]

No problem, Lance, I'm swamped with finals, so I haven't really been checking very often myself.

[Barak]

A small note about HWW's attitude...

It's my attempt at portraying an elf. He's patronizing, he believes he knows better, and that every other race is sorta clueless (he hasn't interacted much with Morgan as of yet). It really doesn't reflect on my view of the game.

Oh, and he likes Tel Barion.

[Fugu]

When he refers to your 'regular files', Blagorov means the cache of documents kept on your shared computer in the atrium, in which often are kept preparatory materials for diagnostics.

[Fugu]

I need to know your actions for the day following the interview. Some of the info that Blagorov promised is made available to your characters that day, and I will post it in the setting info thread, as well as some more Who's Who information from the Unidat. If there is anything specific you look for in your research, tell me and I will post information on that subject in particular, if it is available to your characters.

[Fugu]

A slight pause here while I work with Lance via PM on Glasgow's actions. When he is taken care of, there will be an IC post handling everything else. Unless Lance blows up the castle or something.

EDIT: Lance, I just realized that even though I interpreted your actions as taking place that night, you probably meant for them to occur during the following day. Please let me know which it is--if was for the following day, there are some things that need to happen in the main thread first.

2nd EDIT: Lynx, I hope you have access on your April trip, but if not, we will work it out, possibly just taking a month-long break.

This post has been edited by Fugu: 23 March 2006 - 03:04 AM

[Lynx Cat]

Well it's still on the same standing. Trip still unconfirmed but likely, internet very likely from what I remember. Unless they blocked Pimptania where I'm going, since last time I've been there, but I don't really see why they'd do that :P

[Benevolance]

Just FYI - I will be gone from April 1st until April 10th. I have no idea if the resort has internet access or not, but it's my honeymoon and I'll probably have other things to do. :D

I will endeavor to post very frequently in the week leading up to our departure so as not to hurt the game's progress.

[Fugu]

If I don't hear from Lance again before he leaves for his honeymoon (which would be understandable since he is dealing with a move), we probably won't do much here until he gets back, around the 11th.

[Benevolance]

Did I not respond to the last PM? I could have sworn I did.

[Lynx Cat]

Oh, and no trip here. So April should be fine for me. As soon as Lance gets back, of course.

[Barak]

The hell with Lance and his honeymoon! He's been living withe Jenn for a while, he doesn't nee...

Oh. Well alright. My wife informs me that it's ok. :)

[Fugu]

A note on allusions to real-life literature: In this setting as I've developed it so far, humans as we know them really existed, and so did their poets. That fact is basically locked in, given certain plot points I've already developed and or revealed. This introduces an awful lot of coincidences that threaten the suspension of disbelief, and if I had to start over, I'd probably try to change it. But it is what it is.

In general, similarities between human literature and game events are coincidental (inside the game, at least). Rarely, a character will intentionally quote a human author. More often they will unknowingly quote one. The former is a plot device and a thematic device; the latter is a thematic device only.

Speaking of which, if you've wondered about the phallic and yonic implications of the wand and the bowl, they aren't my doing--I borrowed the symbols from William Blake. You can thank him for the possible sexual symbology, though I don't think that was the point.

[Fugu]

Who takes what book when they leave? I'm still working on them, but I want to know who to PM the contents to. Eventually I'm sure you will share the information with the other players, and when you do, I'll add it to the Setting Info thread.

[Lynx Cat]

Assuming they agree with what I said, I've got the black book and Lance has the brown book.

[Fugu]

OK, I finally PMed Lynx the lab notes. Lance, just let me know when you're ready to post again. FYI, when you were last alive, the name for your world was "Jalah".

[Lynx Cat]

Hmm. As soon as the game resumes, and before the humans have a chance to call us or something (and assuming Lance and I completed reading our books, of course), I'd like to confer with the two elves in private. That means, just the three of us. And, in case we learned about surveillance equipment at some point, I'll be on the lookout for it.

[Fugu]

So far, you are usually under surveillance in person and/or by camera equipment. There are some places where you can't see any cameras... There IS a very easy way for all three of you to communicate without the humans having any idea what you are talking about.

This post has been edited by Fugu: 06 April 2006 - 02:57 PM

[Barak]

HWW would propose talking in elven. Also, if anyone stresses the need/deisre for privacy, he'd have other suggestions.

[Fugu]

There's something even better than that.

[Fugu]

Before Lance gets back, I'll write up info on two subjects from the Unidat. You can decide which two subjects you research. Your characters would have been doing this research during the days between your fight with the monster and your receipt of the poem.

[Lynx Cat]

I don't speak Elven, but I suppose that our good old Common is a foreign language to these humans. But still, I'd feel more comfortable without them peeking in.

[Fugu]

Common is what I thinking of. I almost reminded you guys about Common way back in the beginning when Glasgow asked Morgan if he spoke Elven, but I bit my tongue.

[Lynx Cat]

Oh, and about the UniDat thing... if you've got more races in mind, this might be the time to write about it, but otherwise something on recent history and/or geopolitics (universopolitics?) would be nice.

This post has been edited by Lynx Cat: 07 April 2006 - 11:35 AM

[Benevolance]

I am back. Thank you all for waiting.

[Fugu]

I don't think I mentioned it before, but 'the company' is AstralCorp. From what you can tell it's like an interstellar Halliburton. Its research branch, CorTru, is funding the dig. The cormi are contracted from another branch of AstralCorp called CorMus.

Barak, how did He-Who-Watches spend his time after lunch?

This post has been edited by Fugu: 12 April 2006 - 03:53 PM

[Fugu]

You've all long been aware of the tiny camera that is nestled in a ceiling crack in each of your rooms.

BARAK: I just remembered that Blagorov told you he put copies of both documents in your file caches, so He-Who-Watches may read them as well. He only has enough time to read one, though, so let me know which one to send you (unless He-Who-Watches does something else with his time).

This post has been edited by Fugu: 12 April 2006 - 08:44 PM

[Lynx Cat]

I figured there'd be cameras, but just thought it wasn't about to get much better than that right now.

[Benevolance]

Fugu - were you going to PM the book contents to us? Or will you now post the relevent info in the setting thread since we're all about to share the information we found in the books?

[Fugu]

Did I not already PM Thel's diary to you, Lance? I thought I did right when you left. I'll send it again just in case. I was planning to PM Barak one or the other of the books depending on which he chooses to read. For now, your characters have different information and will have to exchange it IC. I think it's worthwhile to do it that way because the details in each book may come as a surprise to those who did not read it.

AND I just remembered that He-Who-Watches can't speak gnomish, so he would probably choose Thel's diary. :doh[1]: I'll send that your way, Barak.

[Barak]

Wow. He-Who-Watches' ways work in OOC too. I remain silent, and let you come to the correct conclusion on your own.

[Fugu]

I haven't felt as scatterbrained as I do in this forum since elementary school.

[Fugu]

If there's something else I need to do before the IC game can resume, please let me know.

Also, I never gave you guys a good opportunity to role-play just shooting the breeze with each other, getting to know each other, which by this point your characters have probably done off-screen. If you want, you can post some information about your character that might have been shared during the week you've been awake.

This post has been edited by Fugu: 14 April 2006 - 10:36 PM

[Fugu]

Let's go ahead and say you're in one of the rooms, door's shut and you can begin discussing, unless one of your characters has cause for delay.

[Lynx Cat]

Fair enough for me!

[Lynx Cat]

So... are we doing that meeting or what? I can start talking about "my" book if you'd like.

[Barak]

I'll try and whip up a post. I've been sick, which makes it hard to concentrate on writing up a coherent post.

[Fugu]

EDIT: never mind.

This post has been edited by Fugu: 18 April 2006 - 06:00 PM

[Lynx Cat]

I was thinking to let the other guys talk (probably about Thel's diary) after my latest comments, but I can go ahead and talk about the lab notes if there's no problem with Morgan saying a crapload of stuff at once.

This post has been edited by Lynx Cat: 19 April 2006 - 06:19 AM

[Fugu]

Go for it. We've all done enough PBP'ing to know how to interpret time-delayed conversation.

[Fugu]

Keep talking until your characters are satisfied--I'll let you know if anything interrupts you. And let me know when your character is satisfied, so that we don't wait on each other for three days.

[Lynx Cat]

I don't have anything else of importance to say, myself.

[Benevolance]

I cannot think of anything else to add. Will He-Who-Watches speak to Tel Barion - assuming you others are in agreement on this?

[Lynx Cat]

I don't know, it could be risky. Maybe it would be better to "test the waters" first, try and find a way to find out what he feels about it without actually making a proposition. Because, if he turns out to not like the idea, he could tell on us to the scientists or something. Lance, or Barak, do you have good social skills? I... don't really know which skills would be appropriate in this situation, maybe a combination of Diplomacy and Sense Motive.

[Barak]

Without bothering to make a game post about this.. No, HWW will not talk to Tel Barion at this point. What he meant was more that if it comes to a point that we need a human for some reason, he's the one he'd pick.

[Lynx Cat]

Oh, that's alright. Sounds good enough for me.

[Benevolance]

Me, too.

[Fugu]

Okay, so you are going to get the bowl, the wand, supplies, and leave the complex. When and how are you going to do all of that? You may develop your plan OOC if you want.

[Benevolance]

Glasgow would suggest that sooner is better than later. His preference would be to simply leave the room, gather these things, and go.

He'll grudgingly admit he is capable of discreting palming objects, and offer to retrieve the bowl and wand by mundane prestidigitation and verbal misdirection. A partner to assist might help...

Glasgow and Morgan could go and ask to see the two items, proclaiming some insight from the journal and Glasgow pulls a switcheroo. Does Morgan have illusion magic that could help the plan along?

[Fugu]

Remember that you are holding this conversation in the 15 minutes before dinner. You have time to finish your discussion, but afterward almost everyone will be in the mess hall, and you will be expected in the atrium.

[Lynx Cat]

I'll agree with "sooner is better than later". And yes, I could use illusion to help, but that requires concentration so it would be a somewhat temporary solution. But it sounds like the best course of action to me. I could make us invisible, too.

[Fugu]

Okay, you're in the room right now. Your guards stayed out in the hallway. Start posting your actions IC.

And does He-Who-Watches have a task to complete?

[Barak]

I don't really see anything pro-active for him to do at this point, more be in a stand-by mode and react to problems as they crop up. And they will.

[Fugu]

Let me know if you are waiting on something from me.

[Barak]

Personally, I'm more waiting on the other two.. depending on what they post, and the way they do so will determine more accurately what I do..

And, you know, part of me is like "maybe we should just go see the scientists and tell them "well, thanks for everything and all, we'll be on our way now""

[Benevolance]

Fugu, are we expected to remain in the atrium to eat or would it be feasible for us to collect our trays and return to our rooms?

I'm thinking that Morgan should make Glasgow and himself invisible, then create an illusion of the two of us. HHW can exit the door (are these doors Star Trekkian sentient doors or do they have more mundane ways of opening?) on the premise of fetching food, while Morgan and Glasgow sneak out behind him.

The illusion is only necessary if the Cormuses can see into the room clearly when HHW. What do you guys think?

[Fugu]

It's probable that you'd be allowed to eat in your rooms, but then, you are still learning how anal they have become since discovering that poem. The doors are the original doors--wooden, carved, and non-sentient (and very old and fragile).

[Lynx Cat]

There's not a lot we can do right now anyway, what with the bowl and wand being away. We have to get to them first and that would probably involve asking the humans, so I say we go have our dinner first.

Oh, and I hope there's no problem with going over plans here in the OOC thread. Since we're doing a PC-party reunion, I guess it's just assumed that the characters say the same stuff with whatever appropriate IC wording (in Common of course), if that ever becomes an issue. And that we just talk OOC for the sake of expediency. I mean, that's the way it goes in F2F games, in my experience.

[Fugu]

I agree. I already said you could develop your plan OOC. :P Once you start carrying it out, though, we should return to IC.

So are you going to try Lance's plan? Or just eat dinner?

This post has been edited by Fugu: 24 April 2006 - 08:30 PM

[Benevolance]

We'll just eat dinner.


...for now!

[Lynx Cat]

Yes, it's time to behave.

...or is it?!

[Fugu]

INITIATIVE ORDER
Morgan: 11 + 6 = 17
He-Who-Watches: 13 + 4 = 17
Glasgow: 7 + 5 = 12

Go ahead and post your action; you'll have the option to change it based on what happens before your turn.

[Lynx Cat]

Quote

Having settled on a bold plan of procrastination

:lol:

Do we have a battle map for the atrium?

[Fugu]

Sure thing.

And you are all at full HP of course, even though you could go for a second helping of matzah briquettes.

This post has been edited by Fugu: 25 April 2006 - 10:29 PM

[Lynx Cat]

Oh, and just a couple of things before my action goes... my spell's save DC is 14 and my Dodge enemy is the guard on the right (east) side of the door.

[Fugu]

Morgan's hypnotize affects 2d4 = 3. Eastmost guard is fascinated.
HWW's attack: 2 + 14 = 16. Hit. 1d10 + 1 = 5 damage. Westmost guard is not stunned.
Torville fires at HWW: Miss. Miss.
Gallard fires at Morgan (1/2 concealment): Hit. Miss. 13 non-lethal damage.
Morgan's concentration check: 3 + 8 = 11 vs DC 24. Spell ends, but Morgan's request will still be honored.

[Benevolance]

Did you overlook my action in the IC thread or were you giving me a chance to adjust given the new circumstances?

[Fugu]

Giving you a chance to adjust.

[Benevolance]

The guard that was stunned - is he still considered flat-footed?

Edit: That wasn't clear. The guard that Morgan hypnotized, I mean.

This post has been edited by Benevolance: 26 April 2006 - 04:59 PM

[Fugu]

Although he has no desire to harm you, he is aware of the violence around him, so I'll rule that he is not flat-footed.

[Benevolance]

Is it possible to get into a flanking position on any of the guards?

[Fugu]

You could flank the one that HWW is in melee combat with.

[Benevolance]

Alright, I've edited my post.

[Fugu]

Glasgow's sneak attack: 11 + 14 = 25. Hit. 1d3 + 5d6 = 21 non-lethal damage.

[Fugu]

Morgan's disarm: 16 + 14 = 30 vs 13. Success.
HWW: 3 + 14 = 17. Hit. 7 non-lethal damage. Englis rolls a 16 and is not stunned.
The violence directed at him ends the enchantment.
Glasgow's sneak attack: 16 + 14 = 30. Hit. 1d3 + 5d6 = 13 non-lethal damage.

Lance, I assumed you would repeat your tactic from the last round. If you have a different plan, Glasgow can do that instead. I thought it was worth the risk since this fight is pretty small potatoes. You can PM me if I shouldn't have.

This post has been edited by Fugu: 27 April 2006 - 08:50 AM

[Barak]

It obviously matters little, but for the record, the DC against my stunning attack is 17....

[Fugu]

I meant his base roll was a 16. His modifier pushed it over the 17 save DC. Don't think I snubbed your stunning fist--far from it! I was disappointed by Englis's high roll.

[Barak]

Ahh.. The thought that you meant the actual roll was a 16 entered my mind, but then I dismissed it since people usually add the modifiers when saying stuff like that.

Anyway, like I said, it mattered little after Glasgow took him down.

[Fugu]

Well, anyway, I took the liberty of assuming Glasgow's action so that you could all go ahead and do whatever it is you intended to do you after you were no longer 'guarded'. So do it!

[Lynx Cat]

Well in that case, I might as well do. Was waiting on Lance, but I don't see why he would object, so, whatever.

[Fugu]

McCale actually asked you to meet in the gymnasium. Presuming that one of you would correct Glasgow, I'll go ahead and narrate your passage there.

[Benevolance]

I've edited my post to reflect the correct destination.

[Fugu]

Can you guys tell me all the things that you are carrying? Including supplies you might have grabbed in the atrium. I know Glasgow has a knife and a rifle, at least.

[Benevolance]

I was assuming that around the complex we wore full adventure gear...devouring the cafeteria lemon meringue pie certainly needs a climbers kit! And I'm not tackling that delicious turducken without my Vorpal longsword +5 and Trident of Flaming Burst +3...

[Lynx Cat]

Assuming I've got my spell components, which I wouldn't be caught dead without anyway, there's nothing else of importance. I'll quickly grab a knife just in case, and an apple or whatever little and easily-carried snack is most easily accessible. Well, and I still got the rifle from Gallard, as long as I can keep it slung across my back or something when I'm not using it.

Oh, and does casting another spell break the concentration I need for Major Image? I guess it does, because otherwise I'd like to cast Detect Magic when getting to the gymnasium.

Oh, the good old days of 2nd Edition when Invisibility lasted for 24 hours...

This post has been edited by Lynx Cat: 29 April 2006 - 01:26 PM

[Fugu]

McCale's actions and statements are mixed in with whatever actions your characters take during that time.

[Lynx Cat]

So does it break concentration or not?

[Fugu]

It does break concentration, but the spell lasts Concentration + 3 rounds, so although it can't move during those extra 3 rounds, it will still be there. Do you still want to Detect Magic?

This post has been edited by Fugu: 29 April 2006 - 02:27 PM

[Barak]

I forgot to say, the only equipment HWW carries is the gnome.

[Lynx Cat]

I'm equipment now? Not even a familiar or animal companion? :P (which reminds me of a player, in a campaign long past when we were young and munchkin, whose character got married, and he wrote down his wife in the "animals" part of his sheet and asked what kind of damage she did. There's a lot more to that but nevermind.)

Oh, and I won't cast Detect Magic for now. Should've thought about that and trusted the spell's duration, but, oh well.

[Fugu]

Lance, I'm going to say Glasgow earned 3 ranks in Profession: Pilot, and that there is a +2 synergy bonus for having 5 ranks in Profession: Sailor. (There is also +2 synergy on Sailor for having 5 ranks in Pilot, but you don't quality for that yet.) I'll let you deduct 3 ranks from your next level up in order to make Pilot checks now, rather than two chapters away from now. By the time he does level up, he'll have gotten more practice and you'll be able to put even more ranks into Pilot if you wish.

Lynx, similarly Morgan can take 2 ranks in Knowledge: Astran Geography and 1 rank in Knowledge: Astran History.

It just occurred to me that I didn't give out experience for how your characters have been spending their free time. Since they weren't just sitting on their asses, they deserve some. So this chapter's exp award will include 300 each for Glasgow's pilot training, Morgan's Unidat study, and HWWs exercise/meditation regimen.

This post has been edited by Fugu: 01 May 2006 - 01:19 AM

[Benevolance]

Cool. Thanks Fugu.

Glasgow has only whatever we typically wore around the complex, plus the knife and gun. The guns are stunners, yes?

[Barak]

If HWW walks to the hole and looks down, what does he seee?

[Fugu]

You did a diagnostic test with these guns and were then instructed in their use. The guns have two dials. One dial has a hole on each side, through which you can see the color of the ammo cartridge that is currently stuffed into that chamber, and how much ammunition is left. Yellow is lethal, blue is non-lethal. Both guns are currently set to blue. Both guns have 100 yellow and 90 blue pulse charges. The second dial has 3 settings marked x1, x, and x5; with this dial you can set how many charges to consume in a single shot, and the rate of fire. Both guns are currently set to x5.

1: xd2-x, x= number of shots, up to 16 shots in an attack
2: 2dx+1, x = number of shots, up to 4 shots, +1 to hit
5: 2d6 (1 shot in an attack), +2 to hit

MECHANICS: I tried to balance the settings so that they'd each be useful in different situations. The first deals the most per round on average (around 8), and the third the least, but the later settings have more punch and use less ammo. You'll only need to make one attack roll per attack, just declare beforehand how much ammo you want to expend on that attack. If, for example, Glasgow uses Manyshot to fire +10/+10/+7 (or whatever his mod is), he rolls 3 dice and says how much ammo he'll fire on each attack, subject to the maximum of whatever setting his gun is on. Pretend Glasgow always wants to do maximum damage. If he hits 3 times on x1, I'll roll 16d2-16 3 times (which means he fires 48 times, uses 48 charges). If he hits 3 times on x2, I'll roll 2d4+1 3 times (he fires 12 times, uses 24 charges). If he hits 3 times on x5, I'll roll 2d6 3 times (he fires 3 times, uses 15 charges).