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[DnD 4E PbP] Keep on the Shadowfell (IC)
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The adventurers make their way back to Padraig's keep, excited for the promised feast. Music, laughing, and the sweet aromas of decadent food fill the halls, and Padraig's boisterous laughter echoes far past the confines of the modest keep.
"Come in! Come in!" Padraig yells as he waves them over to seats at a head table. "Take your places. Please, consider yourselves at home. My servants are at your beck and call!"
The adventurers take their places, elaborate and delicate glassware clutters the table in front of them, and serving wenches quickly swoop in with strong smelling wine. Dire looks around the room and takes a quick inventory: the head table at which he now sits includes his four companions and Padraig's wife. An empty seat beside her invites the Lord himself, now pacing back and forth in front of them and spreading tales of their adventures (none of them true); two long tables seat another four dozen nobles, merchants, and notable townspeople; no less than eight servants duck and weave amongst the flailing arms and writhing bodies of drunken guests; and a four-piece band plays in the corner of the room, their enticing music almost completely drowned out by the laughter and merriment of Lord Padraig's hall.
"Tell me, adventurers," says Padraig as he composes himself and addresses them over the roaring crowd. "What plans have you of ridding my town of the kobold menace?"
The room goes suddenly quiet at his question.
"You have proven yourselves of great worth, and I grow eager to know your next move."
His smile widens as the expressions on the townspeople grow steadily more somber.
"I am paying you, aren't I?"
At this, Padraig's wife stands and addresses the room with a surprising air of authority.
"Please sit, dear. Let us continue to honour our guests in the manner to which we are known, not in that of a riotous drunk, hmm?"
Padraig turns instantly sheepish and takes his seat, bowing an apology for his outburst.
"I'm sure our friends will reveal their plans soon enough, but for now let us enjoy the night's celebration!"
The crowd cheers at the Lady's call, and the band continues its desperate attempt to somehow play string instruments louder than over fifty people, hollering and carrying on without a care in the world.
A plan, eh? I guess we should have given that some thought today. On the other hand, that'd have meant that I missed the glorious afternoon in the square. The halfling grins at a 'humorous' limerick from one of the local barons. The man's poor bard must have laboured half the afternoon on that one, and the great buffoon still bungled the delivery.
He finds an opening to talk to Dire and says under the din, "I don't think Lord Padraig understands how we operate, but I imagine we aren't going to get out of here without telling him something." He asks very quietly to make sure he isn't overheard "Do you think you can come up with our "plan" when the time comes? I've never been very good at this sort of thing."
"Hear hear! We'll drive the kobolds into their dens and burn them to the ground! No man nor beast can stand against us! Here stand -- here sit -- arrayed the finest group of heroes I've ever met, ready to do the bidding of their liege and their duty to Winterhaven! We shall not fail! We can not fail, not with your support! Those who stand with us stand with heroism! With justice and peace! With all of the civilized races of the world! Hurrah!"
The halfling sits again, and mumbles under his voice. "Donations welcome."
Lets talk about compensation.
Diplomacy at the feast: 1d20+9 20
"Everyone get ou--"
Padraig's words are cut short by the simultaneous slamming of the doors in the dining hall. A curious buzz can be heard from the other side of the closed doors, very faintly, right before panic breaks out amongst the crowd. Several villagers rush to open the doors and are sent flying back by an unknown force--their hands blackened with soot.
Shrugging, he downs the rest of the wine before leaping to his feet, hand reaching for his flute...
Shortly after the sphere comes to a complete stop, it begins to shudder. Glasses and other dinnerware rattles violently as the strange object sends bursts of unknown magic through the oaken table. Suddenly, it begins to float several inches and emits an eerie, purple light.
Dire and Cordarek exchange glances. They both recognize the object immediately as a Necrotic Sphere. Powerful necromancer often use such devices to bind the souls of lesser demons. Upon activation, the souls of the entrapped are released, understandably angry. At any moment, the dining hall will be overrun with all manners of evil.
This sphere must be deactivated!
Stats Sheet
Cordarek (20)
Dire (20)
Panmorn (16)
Halvard (11)
Barran (5)
◄Details►
Welcome to your first Skill Challenge Encounter! Your goal here is to deactivate the Necrotic Sphere before it spews out countless demonic minions, endangering the lives of these innocent townspeople (and more importantly, your wealthy benefactors). You will take turns, in initiative order, trying to disable the sphere. This is done via skill checks, as outlined below. You must achieve 8 successes before you achieve 3 failures. Primary skills add a success mark to your total. Secondary skills work differently and are described in detail below. Failures in both Primary and Secondary skills will add a failure mark to your total. Keep in mind that successive attempts using the same skill become more and more difficult to achieve, and you can achieve a maximum of 3 successes with any single Primary skill during the encounter. Lastly, if you wish to use an unlisted skill, you may do so provided you explain how it is supposed to help. The results may not be what you intended, however.
Primary Skills
Arcana (More Difficult -15) - You draw on your knowledge of the arcane arts to attempt to subdue the sphere's magic.
Insight (Moderate - 12) - You attempt to undo the sphere's mechanical designs, using your will and craftiness.
History (Moderate - 12) - Using knowledge of similar artifacts you have come across or read about, you try to disable the sphere.
Secondary Skills
Diplomacy (Very Difficult - 18) - You grab hold of the sphere and attempt to commune with the demons on the other end, encouraging them to stay inside the device. This is a foolhardy gesture, but it could very well distract the creatures and buy yourself more time. A successful check will allow the next party member to roll twice for his skill check and keep the higher roll.
Dungeoneering (Very Difficult - 18) - You use your knowledge of traps and mechanical devices to learn more about the sphere. The next skill check attempt (primary or secondary) by you or a party member is bolstered by 5.
Endurance (Moderate - 12) - You grab hold of the sphere and try to draw its magic into you, instead of the room. This is at great personal risk. You lose 2 healing surges this way, gaining no HP from their loss, but add a mark to a secondary ticker. When the secondary ticker reaches 2 marks, the sphere's magic is weakened, and your failure count is reduced by 1. This effect can only be achieved once for this encounter.
You can also spend your turn aiding a skill check, making a DC 10 skill check and adding +2 to your next ally's attempt
Progress
Successes: 0
Failures: 0
Current Effects: None
[Up Next: @GrimmyTOA]
There is a brief purplish flash as the webbing comes into being, and the slight clink of crystallizing energy.
Standard Action: Aid an Arcana check by an Ally
Roll:1d20+5 11
Add +2 to Dire or Barran's next Arcana skill check against the Sphere.
[Up Next: @Hensler]
Roll 1d20+10+2 32 - Do I get anything for rolling a critical on a skill check
Up Next: @RedDawn
Insight Check on Orb. (1d20+7=27)
Back to back natural 20's? Yes please.
[Up Next: @Denada]
Up Next: @El Skid
Up Next: @Cordarek
The sphere continues to float above the table's surface, emitting a maddening hum that grows steadily louder. The efforts of the adventurers seem to be slowing it down, however.
Stats Sheet
Cordarek (20)
Dire (20)
Panmorn (16)
Halvard (11)
Barran (5)
Primary Skills
Arcana (More Difficult -16) - You draw on your knowledge of the arcane arts to attempt to subdue the sphere's magic.
Insight (Moderate - 13) - You attempt to undo the sphere's mechanical designs, using your will and craftiness.
History (Moderate - 13) - Using knowledge of similar artifacts you have come across or read about, you try to disable the sphere.
Secondary Skills
Diplomacy (Very Difficult - 18) - You grab hold of the sphere and attempt to commune with the demons on the other end, encouraging them to stay inside the device. This is a foolhardy gesture, but it could very well distract the creatures and buy yourself more time. A successful check will allow the next party member to roll twice for his skill check and keep the higher roll.
Dungeoneering (Very Difficult - 18) - You use your knowledge of traps and mechanical devices to learn more about the sphere. The next skill check attempt (primary or secondary) by you or a party member is bolstered by 5.
Endurance (Moderate - 12) - You grab hold of the sphere and try to draw its magic into you, instead of the room. This is at great personal risk. You lose 2 healing surges this way, gaining no HP from their loss, but add a mark to a secondary ticker. When the secondary ticker reaches 2 marks, the sphere's magic is weakened, and your failure count is reduced by 1. This effect can only be achieved once for this encounter.
You can also spend your turn aiding a skill check, making a DC 10 skill check and adding +2 to your next ally's attempt
Progress
Successes: 3
Failures: 0
Skills Used: Arcana (1), History (1), Insight (1)
Current Effects: Next Insight Check +2
[Up Next: @GrimmyTOA]
Cordarek glances sideways and notices Halvard glaring fixedly at the sphere. The Goliath's eyes seem to be tracking a small roughened area of the orb's surface, and Cordarek's brows knit in confusion for an instant before he figures it out.
Of course. It's so simple!
The Sorcerer's will lashes toward the Necrotic Sphere and there's an audible click.
1d20+4+6=301d20+4+2=26Duh -- that should be 1d20+4+2, obviously. Didn't notice the improperly-entered info until too late. I still rolled a natural 20, though, so it should be okay.
@Hensler is next up.
Up Next: @RedDawn
He can feel the energy coursing through him, he can feel it making him weaker, but he holds fast and knows that some of energy has dissipated.
Standard Action: Endurance Check
Roll:Endurance Check (1d20+6=22)
[Up Next: @Denada]
Athletics Check (1d20+12=25)
Up Next: @El Skid
Up Next: @Figgy
The sphere continues to shudder and hum, yet it is clear its progress is weakened.
Stats Sheet
Cordarek (20)
Dire (20)
Panmorn (16)
Halvard (11)
Barran (5)
Primary Skills
Arcana (More Difficult -16) - You draw on your knowledge of the arcane arts to attempt to subdue the sphere's magic.
Insight (Moderate - 14) - You attempt to undo the sphere's mechanical designs, using your will and craftiness.
History (Moderate - 14) - Using knowledge of similar artifacts you have come across or read about, you try to disable the sphere.
Secondary Skills
Diplomacy (Very Difficult - 18) - You grab hold of the sphere and attempt to commune with the demons on the other end, encouraging them to stay inside the device. This is a foolhardy gesture, but it could very well distract the creatures and buy yourself more time. A successful check will allow the next party member to roll twice for his skill check and keep the higher roll.
Dungeoneering (Very Difficult - 18) - You use your knowledge of traps and mechanical devices to learn more about the sphere. The next skill check attempt (primary or secondary) by you or a party member is bolstered by 5.
Endurance (Moderate - 12) - You grab hold of the sphere and try to draw its magic into you, instead of the room. This is at great personal risk. You lose 2 healing surges this way, gaining no HP from their loss, but add a mark to a secondary ticker. When the secondary ticker reaches 2 marks, the sphere's magic is weakened, and your failure count is reduced by 1. This effect can only be achieved once for this encounter. (1 TICK)
You can also spend your turn aiding a skill check, making a DC 10 skill check and adding +2 to your next ally's attempt
Progress
Successes: 5
Failures: 1
Skills Used: Arcana (2), History (2), Insight (1)
Current Effects: None
[Up Next: @GrimmyTOA]
A fine mesh of coruscating energy drops from nowhere onto the sphere, and flickers through a few million configurations in the second or so that it takes to align itself with some hidden pattern of energy being generated by the construct. Once correctly aligned, the mesh snaps tight around the necrotic sphere, further hampering its movement.
Up next: @Hensler
Up Next: @RedDawn
Next up:@Denada
That should be -1 failure for us, just in case.
Up Next: @El Skid
Barran runs up to the contraption and puts his face right up to it. "Hey fellows! Are you sure you're in the right place? I think you're supposed to be in the next settlement over, down at Lord Pandraig's place. This is Lord Bituman's keep, and we're totally on your side-why don't you go ask your boss why you're trying to kill the wrong side RIGHT NOW?!"
Up Next: @Figgy
The sphere shakes violently. It is clearly much, much weaker.
What is not clear is whether or not that is a good thing.
Stats Sheet
Cordarek (20)
Dire (20)
Panmorn (16)
Halvard (11)
Barran (5)
Primary Skills
Arcana (More Difficult -17) - You draw on your knowledge of the arcane arts to attempt to subdue the sphere's magic.
Insight (Moderate - 14) - You attempt to undo the sphere's mechanical designs, using your will and craftiness.
History (Moderate - 15) - Using knowledge of similar artifacts you have come across or read about, you try to disable the sphere.
Secondary Skills
Diplomacy (Very Difficult - 20) - You grab hold of the sphere and attempt to commune with the demons on the other end, encouraging them to stay inside the device. This is a foolhardy gesture, but it could very well distract the creatures and buy yourself more time. A successful check will allow the next party member to roll twice for his skill check and keep the higher roll.
Dungeoneering (Very Difficult - 18) - You use your knowledge of traps and mechanical devices to learn more about the sphere. The next skill check attempt (primary or secondary) by you or a party member is bolstered by 5.
You can also spend your turn aiding a skill check, making a DC 10 skill check and adding +2 to your next ally's attempt
Progress
Successes: 7
Failures: 0
Skills Used: Arcana (2), History (3), Insight (1)
Current Effects: GrimmyTOA will roll twice for his skill check.
[Up Next: @GrimmyTOA]
@Figgy to tell us what happens next...
"I can scarcely believe it!" he cries with joy. "You have saved our town yet again!"
Cheers of applause ring from the townspeople, now gathering themselves up and trying to look at least slightly less terrified. From the northern set of doors, several guards rush in.
"My Lord!" yells the man in front. "What is going on in here?"
Behind them, several more guards writhe in pain on the ground, covered in soot. It looks like they have been trying to get in from the other side as well.
All
Passive Insight: The sphere now appears harmless, and you are reasonably sure you could safely pick it up.