OK, lets start on this. People are still creating characters etc, but tavern mode will start soon.
This message was last updated by the GM at 00:40, Fri 09 June 2006.

Hello? Can I get a roll-call?

Ready and raring to go.

Here I am.

Well, thats both our players. If I can get a third, I'll kick the region into motion.

OK, we have a third. Now it's time for tavern mode.
Our third player is Illianka, a half-drow.

Now comes the question of how people met. If each of you can PM me (if you haven't already) with a vaguely detailed story of your escape/banishment and where you went directly afterwards, I will weave the backstories together.

Where in the Underdark are we starting? Anywhere in particular?

It helps to know where we going to know where we are starting. (Now there's an interesting mystical psionics saying.)

I have a question.  Just got the Complete Psionics.  Will material in there be available in the near future for our characters?

The material in the complete psionics is available, but PM me *before* using any of it so I can look it up.

I am thinking that Schnicklegulp was in the group that rescued Deepwalker from the Mind flayers. This gives those two a reason for travelling together.

Greetings, Walker in the Deep. Schnicklegulp Stoneswiper am I, psychic, spy, sniper and tricky defender of the svirfnebli, at your service.

That's one Lesser Svirfneblin Psychic Rogue with a crossbow. I'm sure I'm going to get annoyed at Svirfspeak. :)

I don't think Schnicklegulp would be with the dwarves that rescued Deepwalker.  However he could be living in their city and that's how they met.

Spying on the dwarves more like. :)

Then maybe he found you, and decided that teaming up with someone much bigger would be a wise choice.

Don't think that would work either cause Deepwalker spent most of his life in the dwarven city learning his skills.  Unless you want Schnicklegulp much, much, older than Deepwalker.

Well, who is Deepwalker then?

(I went and put Schickle's bio on the description page, so you can read it if you like.)

Schickle's only a young svirf, 24.

So Schickle came to this dwarven city to spy on them, gathering info on what they knew about the deep gnomes (nothing at all, hopefully). Maybe then Schickle met Deepwalker, and tried to pump him for information, and the two became friends and decided to work together, possibly after a series of adventures. :)

Deepwalker is a 44 year old Half-Giant.

Any idea when we're going to start?

Sorry - I've been snowed under recently. The next few days should see me having time to put together a set of three adventure ideas (combat, logic, roleplay) that  could work out nicely. Once I've done that, you guys will pick out the one you like the idea of most, and we'll start the game.

Kyah, I'm sorry I'm so late! I mislaid my character sheet for about a week but was sure I'd sent it, then got lost on the way to the forum. ><

I'm Illianka DeVirr, a half-Drow Nomad. 21-year-old escaped slave-assassin. Until I can get my feet on the ground and a god in my head, I'll drift and survive...

OK, three characters is enough to have a start. I'll get onto it within the next day or so.

Hello

Schnickle is a Lesser Svirfneblin Psychic Rogue. He's something of an outcast from his city, as the elders fear his psionic powers. He works for them as a spy however, finding and silencing any threat to the deep gnomes' security and anonymity. He makes sure the Forgotten Folk stay forgotten.

>< I just realised... my powers enable me to move heavy objects for people and go insane...

I'm a psycho porter!

Schnickle's powers focus on stealth and sniping with his crossbow. And running away afterwards.

actually, I am a knife-fighter. My powers are Burst, Detect Teleportation, Far Hand, Defensive Precognition and Energy Ray... plus I can track things. heh.

Lesser Svirf SLAs: Resistance, Daze, Lullaby. DC 11, bleh.

Powers: Burst, Compression, Create Sound, Concealing Amorpha

It is coming soon, honest. Sorry to have kept you all waiting so long.

We're Back!  We're Back!  Now let's get started.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:50, Fri 19 May 2006.

Schnickle's here.

I'm here too..

Whatever happened to all the psionics bubble players from the previous game? I thought they all wanted to stick around.

I am one of the original players.  However my original character was a mounted archer which wouldn't have worked in the underdark.

Riding lizard? Steeder?

OK then.

The party have found a safe haven recently in one outlying corner of a huge miconoid garden. It seems the ambulatory fungi don't mind your presence, and although you can't communicate with them they have allowed you to eat a small amount of the food they cultivate there.

Any thoughts on this as a starting point? Assuming nobody has any objection to having reached this point, having a safe haven ripped from you makes a perfect way to begin adventuring.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:22, Fri 19 May 2006.

It sounds alright to me... though it does raise the question of how a Svirf and a Darkling can be in the same place.

Given the fact that you have run from drow society, he is likely interested in keeping you alive and talking to you, so it is likely enough that he came across you and made an attempt to be friendly.

And see what the drow know about the Svirfs. :)

Maybe Schnickle is hiding out among the miconids when the other's stumble across him?

Where in the Realms are we, anyway?
This message was last edited by the player at 16:41, Fri 19 May 2006.

Well... I'm from Ched Nusad, so... probably somewhere within a few months travel of there. lol

Beneath the High Moor. Somewhere.

Anyways, you have been living in the miconoid garden for awhile now - safe havens in the underdark are few and far between. You have recently encountered a raiding party clearly made up of mind flayer slaves exploring the underdark, and you are fairly certain this is going to bring the mind flayers themselves within the next few days.

My original character is human with a heavy warhorse.  Not good for use in the underdark.
This message was last updated by the player at 21:39, Sat 20 May 2006.

Illianka, are you level 5? Your character sheet only shows three class levels.

Ack! No, I'm not level 5, I'm level 3... >< I missed the bit where it said fifth level for this bubble...

Well, get your levelup details to me quick smart and you can use them this combat.

Or you could change to full Drow, and just change the racial stuff. Depends on the character though. Bonus Int and Dex and spell/power resistance would be nice for a Psion, but the +2 LA is hard for a caster.

Schnickle's only a Lesser Svirfneblin, as the +3 LA of the full Svirf was too painful. :(

Never heard of a Lesser Svirfneblin.  RoA uses the rules from Unearthed Arcana to buy off ECLs using experience.  That's what I did as a Half-Giant is ECL +1.  For those Canadians out there like myself, Happy Victoria Day!!!

A big sorry for Illianka - being knocked out right at the start of the first fight is no fun. The tactics block for mind flayers says they go for the first person to use magic above all others.

Or Psionics, in this case... >< I guess that means I had Initiative over Schnicklegulp, since he also used Burst in the first round.

Lot of good it did me. >< I'm just glad you chose to be lenient...
This message was last edited by the player at 23:39, Tue 23 May 2006.

Schnickle was only going to Burst if the mushroom was too far away. Was it?

But I guess he'll Burst over to help Illianka very soon.

The tactics block also notes that once they knock you out, they try to drag you back to the 'flayer for feeding. As for Schnickle, he will be targeted for his psionic ability next - and yes, he burst'd too.
But yes - I'm not going to coup de grace your characters unless you all get beaten up.

So that would be two Bursts, 2pp so far.

Eek, managing PP is like managing HP. :)

Yeah, but far better than managing spell slots, believe me.

I found a solution to that half-giant + powerful build + monkey grip + expansion problem you mentioned back in RoA OOC.

Powerful Build and Monkey Grip don't stack. PB only lets the half-giant use weapons _one_ size category larger than himself (ie medium and large-sized weapons). OTOTH, IIRC, Monkey Grip does the same thing - only one size category larger than base creature size. Monkey Grip becomes superfluous to the Powerful Build creature, as it doesn't allow weapons beyond large.

Fair point. There is, however, a feat (first level only) that replaces powerful build with large size.

Jotunbrud? That's only for grappling and bullrushing.

I can't remember where I saw it - a friend showed it to me awhile back.

RoF, I think...

Besides, its a human-only feat... like Snake Blood. A feat that changes your race (an idea I love). It turns you into Giantkin instead oh Human.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:20, Thu 25 May 2006.

Not quite, just partway.

Yeah, Jotunbrud is in RoF.

There is no other Giantkin race, therefore a Jormuntbrud Human is a Giantkin.

Just like people with Snake Blood are "Serpentfolk" (Serpent Kingdoms pg 3, I think)

Go go mighty Deepwalker!

*clasps her hands under her chin and looks up at Deepwalker, eyes sparkling* My Hero!

And Deepwalker gets the flayer exactly on 0hp in a single blow. Nice shot.

1300 XP each for Schnicklegulp and Illianka, and 1200XP for Deepwalker (level 6 drops your XP gain slightly)

So, um, what are we doing out here in the Underdark anyway? Do we have a mission or something, or just wandering/lost?

Well, I'm hiding from my masters... no plans but survival, really. And maybe finding religion. I know there has to be a deity who isn't Lolth, Selvatarm, or Kiaransalee..

There's always Callarduran Smoothhands... :)

(Or that Eilistraee bird, of course.)

Schnickle's on a mission to seek out and silence any information leading to the whereabouts of svirfneblin settlements, thwart any threats to their safety, and make sure that the Forgotten Folk stay that way.

I guess we met somewhere in the wilds of the Underdark and decided to travel together for mutual protection. Schnickle would be headed for the nearest big city to check it out.

Illianka had a very sheltered childhood. She can read - theoretically. She's never had much of a chance to practice. That's what happens when you get raised by two or three nurses and weaponmasters, with no other tuition or experience, living in a small cell and only leaving it to practice.

Schnickle had a happy childhood (so unusual for a PC!), but the elders didn't trust him when strange things happened around him. They thought it best that he... not be around.

Hey! Some of my characters have happy childhoods!

...

Even if most people wouldn't agree that what happened wasn't happy. They enjoyed it.

Well, you have at least checked out the myconoid settlement and determined that their lack of weapons or magic makes them little if any threat to the forgotten folk :p

If Schnick wants to explore threats, illithids being here means illithids being fairly close to the forgotten folk, which means a threat to the city.

Deepwalker has good reasons to fight mind flayers, and Illianka is likely to stick around because she has found people who don't torture her.

Is this like a, what's the word, an open-ended game? Where we just wander around and decide where we go and what we do? I've never played anything like that before, so I'm just a little lost. But I think I can get used to it.

The idea was to make it a little more open-ended than usual. I can try to give more direction in it, or we can try something different that doesn't really work without pbp - up to you guys.

An open ended game means more character development, more talking in character, and actively seeking to achieve personal goals. It also means much more work for the players (since they can't just take their goals from the GM).

A normal game means I come up with a plothook that sort-of catches everyone, then you all come up with reasons why you want to go on the adventure, then I lead you along the adventure.

I find somewhere between these is usually best to aim for, but open-ended-ness is hard do in a face to face game - play by post gives me time to think about responses.

I'd prefer a mix of the two... which is what we've got so far. The Illithids are a huge great plot hook just dangling there...

On that note, do you think I should play Illianka a little more childlike? It seems to me that she wouldn't have the maturity most people of her physical age would...
This message was last edited by the player at 13:05, Sat 03 June 2006.

I think people in Drow cities would mature real fast. Or die. (Drizzt is actually a teenaged elf, which explains a lot.)

Then again, a Half-Drow would grow up comparatively much faster, and might not get the full education.

Perhaps go with a mix of both sides. Child-like and innocent in some ways/areas, and much more world-wise in others.

In any case, play the character how you feel she should be, how she feels to you.

Most of my characters turn out somewhat different than how I describe them in the CS.

Don't get in Deepwalker's way around illithids.  He hates them.  That's to be understood since he was their slave until rescued by a group of dwarves.

Growing up in Drow cities does make you grow up fast... but Illianka didn't grow up in the city, she grew up in a few rooms hidden in a house in a city.

If she was beaten, tormented and tortured, she would still recognise that that was wrong, even if that was all she knew. She'd hate her captors and may yet still mature under these conditions.

Anyway, go with your heart. :)

I checked the Underdark maps. If we're under the High Moor, then we're sandiched between Eryndlyn, the Drow city, and Reeshov, City of Traps, a settlement of grimlocks who escaped Illithid rule. They're not hostile, but don't much like visitors either.

Further away, there is Ched Nesad - I guess that's out that's out. Ch'chitl is Mind Flayers. Yathchol has Chitine. There's Shamath, which is Drow, but at least non-religious.

Is there nowhere nice in the Underdark?! :D

... the only keepers of good places within the underdark are Svirfneblin and certain kinds of dragon. You of all people should know that. I suppose the deep illuskans might be less uncaring than most, but they are human...

But yes. Ched Nusad is definitly out.

You'll have to understand if Schnickle doesn't invite you home. Svirfs don't like visitors. :)

Don't forget about dwarves.  There are dwarven cities to visit and not of the duergar variety.

And miconoids. Don't forget the miconoids.

Lets see now... monsters in the underdark...

Aboleth
Beholder
Choker
Cloaker
Darkmantle
Delver
Derro
Destrachan
Drider
Dwarf, Deep
Dwarf, Duergar
Elf, Drow
Ethereal Filcher
Fungus, Shrieker
Fungus, Violet
Gibbering Mouther
Gnome, Svirfneblin
Grick
Grimlock
Kua-Toa
Mimic
EDIT: Looks like I also forgot Miconoids
Mind Flayer
Minotaur
Monstrous Centipede
Ooze, Black Pudding
Ooze, Elder Black Pudding
Ooze, Gelatinous Cube
Otyugh
Phantom Fungus
Phasm
Purple Worm
Roper
Rust Monster
Skum
Swarm, Centipede
Troglodyte

Am I missing any?
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:13, Sun 04 June 2006.

Oh, almost certainly. The myriad twisted hordes of the Underdark. :D

Definiately.  Played in another Underdark type game recently and a monster we faced isn't on your list.

Exams are killing me. I'm not abandoning the game, but I doubt you will see more than a few sentances from me.

The nights sleep is uneventful, so feel free to wake up, discuss where you may want to go, etc.

Ano... I'm away for maybe the next month, starting saturday... ><

Good bye and good luck.

Have a good trip.  My holidays aren't for another three weeks.  Can't wait.

I'll NPC Illianka for that time.

Thanks guys ^^

"We're marching WHERE?" isn't marked as Group 5, so I can't post there as Schnickle.

Another fine mess we've gotten into. :D

It's rather quiet around here, with only the three of us playing. Deepwalker must be one of those tight-lipped quiet types, and Illianka is on holidays for the time being.

I'd intended for Schnickle to be the 'skulk in the background' type, but he seems to be talking and taking charge more often than suits him. We seem to be in the odd position where the Svirfneblin is in charge.

I was thinking we should try advertising for more players. Thoughts?

Good idea. I'll ask if anyone wants to play a minotaur :D

I'm pretty sure I've got the thread as group 5 now.

Also, if you manage to pull off any sort of Jack Sparrow-esque trick on these minotaurs, bonus XP's will go through the roof. I'm currently figuring out a way to have you survive this, and I think I've done it in a way that makes sense & isn't overly contrived (it may seem that way when it happens, but there is a good reason for it other than 'I want you to discover X').

Oh, no need, Schnickle can run and hide alright (I hope). It may be the others who need rescuing. :)

Eh, I'll see what happens and try talking my out of it.


You see, Schnickle suspected those Minotaurs (because they're not Svirfneblin), so he figured that as soon as we were of no more use to them (ie, didn't know anything else), we'd be lunch. Something like that.

Wisdom 8 at work!

*bump*

Lets not have this region die on us, eh?

It's been almost a week with no posts.

It's Schnicklegulp's show right now seeing that he lied.  Anyway going on vacation be back next Tuesday.

...You see, there's a reason that svirfneblins speak like they do.

I'm back... though I can't post on the private message role call to avoid deletion.. ><

Hello.

I posted for you.

Thanks. ^^

Hm - I picked Deepwalker because he was tough enough to survive whatever the Driders threw at him, and his name was easier to type... but okay. ^^ That was my action for the round, anyway. Does it take an Empowerement to let me swap places with him because of his size?

You're fine.  Just thought that I would let you know that would still be in webs regardless if you swapped with Deepwalker as he didn't move out of the area; just grew.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:39, Sat 12 Aug 2006.

Yes, but I'm no longer *entangled* in the webs. I'm just slowed by them.

We have a new player joining the party soonish. Welcome Kharona Azahhl to ROA 3.

... I don't take kindly to threats, if you are that way inclined...

Hello Kharona.

Note that first you have to free him. Do try to kill the mind flayer before you take out the bodyguard - no need to lose a PC before his time.

Hey all. Daniel decided that it would be fun to introduce me by having me fight you. lol. I didn't know if he would let anyone know it was me though. Hopefully I don't kill anyone but I'm going to have to bring it.

I should have my description and character drawing (sketch/concept stage) done in a bit and then I'll make my first 'official' post in the 'Marching' thread.

I wrote my character description based on the first view of the other PCs. I'm good to go now and hope you guys can ace the Illithid quickly=)

Again, forgive me for any damage I do. I never want to miss but in this case...

I've edited your post, Kharona - the private line has some details you asked for.

Good lord Deepwalker. I hope you don't have to attack me. Not only does your flail do 3D8 but the Dice Roller loves you.

Good to have Powerful Build racial trait and the expansion power.  This makes Deepwalker's flail size Huge right now.

Looks like the mind flayer has another bodyguard hidden away - welcome to Yuthel Astid'Malaad.

[Private to Yuthel Astid'Malaad: Try to only hit the minotaurs - they are expendable mooks, while PC's are not.]

Hello.

Now, all you new people will watch out for the svirfneblin, won't you? He's small, he's easily missed.

Plus he's too devious for his own good.

Hi everyone, my character's ready to go! Seems the GM really enjoys giving you trouble since I'll be in the same place as Kharona I guess... I'll try not to kill everyone until I'm freed! :-)

As for gnomes, I'll keep an eye open; an ogre told me they taste just like chicken.

Illianka, *please* don't fail those saves. Driders are not known for their kindness.

I don't want to go back... please, don't let them take me back...

After that pair of saves, you are unlikely to be taken.

dang people, you have lives or something? =P

I don't, but Schnickle is out of action.

Dan? I have 160' movement when running. :p

Then you can run faster than they can.

Hehe

Hm, the question now is... "can I take them when I catch them"?

I think so, if I can keep moving and don't get bogged down in melee... but... I'll have to keep circling to pick up my daggers from where I throw them...

I can get 200 for 3 rounds. But do you really want it to be just us two at that time? I'll RP it sometime this holiday weekend.

Maybe a drider will have returning daggers...

200 for 3 rounds can catch them.

Hope you can take them.  Deepwalker already killed half of their group It's only fair he let's somebody else have some fun.

Now I was thinking of having Schnickle paint himself to look like a Mind Flayer, and thus infiltrate the Flayer city.

But if he can't quite turn himself back, then this may be problematic.

Well, apart from anything else, Schnick should know that mind flayers communicate telepathically, so a mere change of appearance would probably be insufficient to infiltrate their city.

Curses!

Plan B then.

Just got to work out a Plan B...

The B in Plan B is for Battle.

Or Beating. Or Brain-sucking...

Speaking of which, you guys should figure out a plan for approaching the illithid city now that you know where you are going.
Everyone with a knowledge skill that could possibly be relevant to mind flayers, give me a check.

13:12, Today: Schnicklegulp Stoneswiper rolled 13 using 1d20+8. know: psionics.
13:12, Today: Schnicklegulp Stoneswiper rolled 22 using 1d20+8. know: local northdark.

Illithid cities usually have an incredibly powerful Elder Brain at their centre, a psionic entity so powerful it can destroy any threat to the city that enters it's sphere of awareness.
However, you do not know whether a fledgeling city such as this one would have such a mind - nobody knows how they are created. If the city has such a defense, it would overwhelm everyone in the group unless they were protected in some fashion.

I can give someone 5 hours worth of Conceal Thoughts (+4 saves vs mind reading, +10 bluff vs sense motive) if needed.

12:34, Today: Illianka rolled 15 using 1d20+3. Intelligence.

Duergar slavers often trade with the illithid... I think they use helms of mind-shielding.

Ah! Ability score drain! We're all doomed!

Eek. Everything's done really bad.

But I guess we could always get Illianka raised afterwards.

She's Faithless... she can't be raised or ressurected except through a Wish or Miracle.

I'm guessing you... don't have that kind of money. She's hoping to avoid the Wall by being consecrated, but I don't think it actually works that way... ehe

I wonder if you can choose a god on the Fugue Plane. Someone should set up a religion market there...

Anyway: Callarduran, he'll keep you safe and hidden, if you don't mind spending eternity with a bunch of svirfneblin. Being non-svirfneblin and part-Drow is a bit of a problem, but Schnickle will argue on your behalf. He'd say you're a treasure found within the earth, yes.

I guess you have time for a deathbed conversion. Quick everyone, throw gods at her!

(There's always Eilistraee, but IIRC, you don't know who she is. Maybe she'd pick you up on the Fugue plane.)

OOC, do realise that
A: Illianka isn't going to save you by dying
B: Illianka is going to live at least another week or so
C: It is possible that you all just get better, especially if anyone has the heal skill (like, say, a minotaur). Even ability drain can be reversed.
D: She might be useful to have around if you really need to find someone with divine magic in a hurry, since one more person never hurts.


In short, don't jump to killing each other off to avoid Lolth.

I thought it was a major divine curse, rather than a (not so) simple disease.

You have to piss Lolth off a lot more than that to be worth a personalised curse. This is just something clerics of Lolth like doing to heretics.

The thing is...

Illianka doesn't know that. All she knows is that she's been Cursed, and it shows signs of being a true Lolthan Custom - the spider-mark, and the transmittence.

She's a Ranger/Psion with no Spellcraft, how's she meant to know the difference between a Bestow Curse and Contagion spell?

Well, does anyone want to interrupt Schnickle in his offer to assist Illianka's suicide? He has some last resort plans (yes, even after killing Illianka).

Yes well, much as I don't like metagaming on principle, there are times when it can be the better path to follow. Like when the alternative is retiring a pretty awesome character.

Actually, I did have a couple of ideas... heh. Switching her for an alt-reality version for a time because the other fluffed a transportation power, for example. There is another Illianka - the original, actually - who's a shapeshifter in drow guise. Travels with a varied lot - Goliath soulknife, Janni ranger, and a dog hengeyokai - would be kinda funny to see her dumped in a smaller, more ordinary group with most of her powers stripped.

Even so, I'd prefer to keep this version.

There is a city within reach that would have healers and no love for the drow, but only one party member knows about it.

Bump....

>< I don't want to post until someone else intervenes, and Schnickle posted last... Deepwalker, Yuthel, Kharona, where are you?

No Heal skill here...

I'm going to be busy/away over Monday to Wednesday next week. NPC me as needed.

And Schnickle hasn't quite run away yet.

I'm in the middle of exams. Will post more in a week or so.

I'm interested in doing the customized items thing for this ROA birthday - anyone interested? They will almost certainly be better value then off-the-shelf items.

Okay, saves me thinking. Something svirfnebliney and psionic.

Definitly interested ;)

Something that'll fit in with the character, anyway... heh. You know the kind of thing, I think.

Well, soon exams will be over and I'll come up with some interesting 5000gp items.

Sounds good.  Sorry I've been out of it lately.  In the process of changing work locations.

Is the group waiting for Schnick to return? Illianka has some information that could be useful.

Basically waiting as somebody running off on their own is what got us into trouble in the first place.

This sounds familiar... :)

Am I coming back yet, DM Daniel?

I'd say right about... now.

Anyone got ideas for their ROA birthday gift? I haven't gotten PM's about it from a couple of people, although I'm still coming up with magical items for a couple of you.

I've just gotten a new fulltime job and I'm moving house atm, so internet will be spotty for awhile and time will be rarer still. I'll do what I can to keep up with my games.

Okay.

I'm interested in introducing a variant rule to this game (since it's a bubble region anyways, I'm not limited to core rules).

Here it is: vote on it, if you like it I'll introduce it.

When a PC scores a critical (this rule does not apply to NPC crits) he may consult the following table based off the HD of the target creature:

Damage Dealt Effect
> HD of target/2 Target falls prone trying to dodge
1/2HD to HD Target blinded (destroyed its eyes)
HD to 2*HD You sever an appendage required for the creatures primary attack.
>2*HD You hit something essential, and paralyze the target until well after combat finishes.

I like!

Do we have to do anything?

:D

Hey, it's more power to us, so it sounds like fun.

All you have to do is remember to write it into your posts when you roll a crit.
I like this system because it favors the beefy melee characters while still giving everyone else a chance to shine.
Remember that powers/spells with attack rolls can also score critical hits (although only 20/*2)
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:18, Mon 11 Dec 2006.

If it's based on the target's HD, then we likely won't know what that the effect of any given crit will be.

Well, I tend to use standard monsters. If I don't describe something as special in some way, you can assume it's whatever the MM/SRD says it is.
Perhaps just post with a pm letting me know you critted.

Hehe, does that mean we can take "Improved Critical (Ray)"? Like you can take Weapon Focus (Ray) since Complete Arcane came out?

Absolutely. You may use caster/manifester level in place of BAB when qualifying for these feats in this bubble region.

Is the fight over?

Yes.

I'll be away over Christmas (isn't everyone?). I'll have some internet access, but not much.

Expect a temporary slowdown over Christmas.

The Temple will need to be in Group 5, else I can only post as my Rashemi barbarian.

Would it be possible for me to use a tanglefoot bag to gum up the hole to slow everyone else's fall?

Not in time (you would need a move action to draw it)

Gnomes bounce, right? :)

Oh yeah. I wouldn't worry too much about 4 damage to any of your comrades - they're all at least a little tough.

Hehe. Well, if I had Mass Levitate, I'd use it on them... but running on walls is just so much cooler ;)

Hmm. Think I could bring the ceiling down on them before they realise I'm doing it? Problem is, Energy Ray is noisy. ><

I was thinking of using the magic paint brush to make some holes. :D

Each of the PC's has something that can help in this situation.
The paintbrush is one of my favorite magical items, and is definitely useful.

Remember that while the mind flayers are unaware of you, you should still be quiet in there.

Lets see... I could boil the scrying pool, maybe, or cut a throat... but apart from that, I don't know... I could distract them with a weasel or something, but they're already distracted. The same goes for my Hand of the Mage and the sword is just useful as a weapon... In the same way, I could run around them in circles all day, but I don't know if I could hit them before they hit me, and I am kind of fragile.

When fighting mind flayers, your hit point total is far less important than your grapple check...

And your will save more so than that... though I have to admit, I'm used to the uber-melee mind flayers from Neverwinter Nights. I remember that time my undead ranger (it was on a PW) got chased around for hours by an Alhoon being smacked down, getting back up, smacked down, getting up... because the damn thing did 40-50 damage with a punch.

Ok. As a metagame suggestion, you can basically do anything without alerting the mind flayers as long as you pay the slightest bit of care to stealth. If you aren't sure about an idea that will be quiet, try it.
Remember that if a fight starts, the mind flayers will have to avoid stunning each other - you may find you have a chance to escape or fight back.
Alternatively, you could try to get any remaining minotaurs and Deepwalker to come down with you - his flail can almost kill an illithid in one hit, and he has cleave.

Do I think painting out the walls and caving the roof in is a good idea in these circumstances? :D

As a last resort. A cave-in has a moderate chance of killing everyone inside.

Well, obviously we'd all be standing outside when I do it, I hope.

Well, that would certaintly be very unpleasant - you arent sure whether such a thing would kill the flayers outright, but they would certaintly be injured badly by it. The walls are about a foot thick, and made of stone - certaintly enough to crush most men to a pulp.

Guys, it looks as though I will be leaving ROA after this adventure ends. I am in the process of searching for a new GM, and hopefully (s)he can bring in some new PC's to join you, but in the meantime I will be running the game as normal.

In case you were wondering why everything has slowed down, I'm hoping to have Deepwalker join you in the brain chamber for the next few scenes.

So much for subtltey... And it's not even like Deepwalker has to draw his weapon and attack in the first round of combat lest he drop to last place in Initiative.
This message was last edited by the player at 11:26, Fri 12 Jan 2007.

Well, there was about a 95% chance of a fight breaking out. At least this way you have Deepwalker on your side - say what you will, his melee abilities are pretty impressive.

True. I just like being clever and sneaky. :p

And subtle.


I'll probably be retiring Schnickle after this adventure, and Deepwalker will be leaving. That will just leave you, Illianka, as the last remaining player in Psionics.

We currently have a few RoA games that have lost their DMs or are about to, making for quite a few that need DMs. We'll see what we can do about Psionics along with the rest.

However a few DMs might be able to make an allowance and let you transfer to their region and still be Psionic, if they know the rules and stuff. Another is to simply retire Illianka, or wait until Psionics re-opens.

How come when this region first lost its DM this opportunity wasn't made available to me at that time?  I had to wait a long time for a DM to take over the region and the character in question didn't fit in an Underdark setting so I had to make a new one leaving my original character in limbo.  I even asked DM Mike if the character could be moved and I was denied.

Um. I only just invented it the other day, and only as a desperate measure. Some DMs are a little more open-minded than others on Psionics.

The option wasn't being offered by a DM, Deepwalker - just a player. Very few, if any DM's like psionics, which is a pity, but it's the way things go.

That said, you could ask around the bubble regions - the DM's there can use whatever rules they want.

Good news. Psionics should be getting a new DM when the current adventure is done. He'll probably be restarting somewhere in the Vilhon Reach though.

Hi.  Yes, my new Psionics game will be set in Shiftpillar, a large logging town on the western edge of Hlondeth.  Wrap up your game for now, we'll have time to chat about the next game later. :)

Wrapping is definitely going on. We should be done fairly soon.

In other games I am involved in, people are always complaining about there not being any available psionic games.  So why not play here?  They are full of #@!.  They missed out on what looked like a cool game.   I'm enjoying reading the Mind Flayer climax!

Wow. Deepwalker did almost as much damage as my lvl 16 Iaijutsu master! (who I think does something like 11-75 on the first attack of combat. Not bad for a guy with one arm and no magic items.)

Wierdling, any idea what kind of plots you're gonna be running? ^^

....Giant. :)

Illianka, with apologies to DM Daniel, my plots will be about preserving a rebel town against the wholly proper reclaiming by the Serpent Kingdom of Hlondeth.  I also plan a plot involving an enslaved village in nearby Vilhon, and several dungeon forays at the behest of a king oppressed by evil dragons in Chessenta.

And then killing those dragons.

My poor heroes.  If only a more experienced psion was there to aid them...but I guess....my entire group will be level 3.    Yeah, that's a tough break.  If only....

Nothing magic about Deepwalker.  His flail is only masterwork.

Yeah, but Deepwalker has psychic powers. Takeshi has nothing even slightly supernatural. ;)

Ooh. Yuan-ti stuff... I love Yuan-ti. ^^ (though I doubt you'll let me play one, considering they're the adversary...)

Illianka really wouldn't fit into that game though, if you're asking us for 'more experienced psions'... :p

Without the psychic powers Deepwalker would be doing 2d8+14 damage on a charge which still pretty impressive for 6th level.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:04, Wed 17 Jan 2007.

Hang on, that's only 30 damage. Ah, 2d6 from Psionic Weapon.

I can do 31 damage...

...if I crit, sneak attack and psionic shot within 30ft and roll max damage on 5d6+1.

Illianka can do... 14 damage, if she crits with her magic shortsword and does max. With the daggers, she can manage 10. Of course, she can do 45 if she max-damage-crits with Energy Ray (Fire).

Well, that's understandable, if Illianka is solely adapted and interested in the Underdark.  My poor players.... :)

What races will you allow? Some of standard XPH races might be a little tricky, such as Thri-Kreen which might get hunted as monsters.

The race list will be much more restrictive than people expect, I bet.  Probably generic PHB +gensai+Elf/Dwarf variants/Planetouched, with most favor going to Human concepts with the 'Snake Blooded' feat. I'm planning six player slots, but I notice they fill fast and then three drop, heheh.

I can dig that, no problem. It's just that Yuan-ti are so cool, and I don't have to worry about class choices for a whole five monster levels...

Yes, they are cool.

But in Shiftpillar on Vilhon, the game's rebel territory, they are also a dinner supplement. :P

yeah, but so is pretty much everything :p

Anyone with any limited use offensive magic items, *now* would be the time to use them, since all the characters involved seem to be getting discarded after this fight and there is a serious risk of TPK here.

I was fresh out of ideas when we got here... and things haven't improved. Bar sneak attacks (and I haven't made one all year) Schnickle has little in the way of combat effectiveness.

The Climax!

*gets some popcorn, bites fingers around the popcorn*

No, you got a sneak attack in on one of the mind flayers when they were flat-footed. Bonus 10 damage, if I recall. Also, that tanglefoot bag will interact interestingly with what I had planned.

You have the xmas gift of a natural 20, too - not a bad way to use it.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:52, Fri 26 Jan 2007.

And that wasn't long ago. How did I forget that?

Hmm. Tanglefoot, caltrops. Cloud mind, sneak attack, repeat until out of power points.

Hey, can I use the paintbrush on living creatures? Maybe paint a mega mind flayer into a small harmless puppy or the like?

Out of contact 'till friday... basically if you could NPC me it would be great. Illianka'll keep fighting, finding ways to do the most damage she can, but if she falls below 1/5 HP she'll call the retreat. She won't skimp on using PP though.

You can try anything you like :p

I would suggest going for sneak attacks - there is cover to be had nearby (in fact, you are small enough to hide behind the edge of the pool), so if you wanted you could use it to make a hide check then go for a sneak attack. Plus, being closer to the cover than the ularthid is means it doesn't get the benefits and you do.

Ah, sorry about that, my mistake. I was thinking that a 30' move was a standard action, and I don't have my books down here. >>

I have a dorje of detect psionics, but I haven't use it yet.

Is it our turn now? I thought we were waiting for the flayers.

It spent its action drawing a pair of cloth bags out (2 move actions). Guess what they might be...

Well, there's a surprise. Are we (players) all transported?

I think so.

Heh, well, if we survive.. at least it'll only be a few more levels of Illianka working hard and we'll be able to get back to the material. >>

All transported. Portable hole + bag of holding = instant escape!

Wait, so doing the same thing again throws you back again? Okay. Now we just need a portable hole and a bag of holding :p

You know, I have absolutely no idea what would happen if you did that - I'll have to think about it. Normally it causes a dimensional tear that shifts everyone within 10ft to the astral plane...

Deepwalker wasn't within 10 feet of it.  He took two 5 foot steps back and because of his reach was at least 5 feet away to begin with.

Ok then, Deepwalker is still in the 'dark, with the svirf cleric & fighters. That would make it time to write his epilogue, since he is now free to go where he wishes.

[Private to Deepwalker: And, of course, the final XP award for defeating those beasties and finishing the quest: 7200 XP]

You know, with the things I can see Schnickle getting up to with this, I think it's almost artifact level of power. :D




The strange mechanical device - what was that?

And I think we once found a power stone or cognizance crystal, but we couldn't ID it. It was in the same loot as the paintbrush and device. I think Kharona or Yuthel took it, but we didn't hear from it again.

I didn't add my RoA birthday gifts, so I'll just make a note.

The mechanical device is effectively an illithid calculator. It was basically there as a red herring.
The small psychic stone makes people near it feel proud, and has a magnified effect when touched. Illithids find them comforting, and usually decorate their homes with them. That's also what the gems set around the brain chamber were - emotion stones.
The mind flayer cloak is completely mundane.
There was also a ring that grants a bonus power point somewhere along the way.

The minotaurs took the rings.

There was the Lolthan ring I got as well, that might have been it, since I never got told if it was magical or not ;)

Haah, and I levelled up. Ah well. Maybe there will be room for her in another game... I'll miss her, I guess. It was fun. ^^
This message was last edited by the player at 06:30, Fri 09 Feb 2007.

Actually, that ring is about the most useful thing Illianka could have on the surface, and she doesn't know how to activate it.

It casts alter self 1/day.

Haha! I wonder how it is activated... I don't suppose it'll reveal itself? Most magic items tend to, eventually, sentient or not.

You need an identify spell, or something of the sort. There are a few options available, including the simplest, which is taking ranks in use magic device, then rolling a lot of checks. You need to beat DC 25, though.

It's probably a bit belated, but I was wondering what was going on...


Thank you DM Daniel for running this game for us. I enjoyed it, even if I didn't know quite what we were doing. :) Good bye and good luck.


DM Wierdling, will you still be running a Psionics game here?

I sent him a PM about it awhile ago and still haven't heard anything back from him.

Well, I'm out of here now. This will be my last visit to this part of ROA for some time. Thank you all for playing - I've had fun.