Looking for ideas.
My wizard has been converted from AD&D to 3.5 recently, and the DM has built a scenario around the character (characters...the other two players have their own subplots going).
Without going on too long (you all know how I can ramble), my character had a castle that we converted using the Stronghold Builder's Guide. There are few defenses except in key areas, and it is guarded by more or less powerful simulacrums (a level 3 Expert cook, a level 6 wizard, a 13 HD old bronze dragon, a noble Time Elemental (GAH), and a level 17 lich sim). There are more but these are the highlights of the range.
What has happened is...(the castle can fly and dimension shift), so the DM said that when the castle arrived into this reality, my wizard and his stuff all changed (he lost 90% of his memories (908,000 xp at level 13 AD&D to 88,000 xp in 3.5 at level 13), he gained feats and skill and ability points, etc...his magic items were revised (and some dismissed) by the DM, the dragon sims all changed (became more powerful), the lich became (quite a bit) weaker, etc, etc. The DM said that Amatar was aware, if somewhat confused and mystified by the alterations and didn't understand it, and then...wham! The plot line.
Upon entering this reality, all the simulacrums "awakened." They were still sims but they think they are what they are. So, the Balor simulacrum that guards his private lab (the most secure area of the castle), burst in and attacked him (following its commands "guard the lab and kill anyone that enters, but believing that it was a Balor who must guard the lab...of course, he didn't know who my wizard was...bang...ow). Without playing it out, the DM said he managed to escape into the main keep, where the other sims also attacked him. Sill in narrative, the DM said he managed to escape.
Okay...now without his lab and home, my wizard joined the Paragnostic Assembly (Complete Champion), and spent about 3 months researching, learning the changes in this reality from what little he remembers of his own.
Key points:
-Simulacrum spell DOES work normally, as I was afraid it wouldn't. The few sims I have created in this reality have not "awakened" including a red dragon, an ethereal doppleganer and a sim of myself. I suspect either the entering into this reality awakened the others or the Badguy I have to deal with somehow arranged that.
-Plane Travel, Ethereal Jaunt, etc, etc, does not function. From what my wizard could determine, the planes all exist, but the veil is quite thick. The inner planes are accessble to being far more powerful than our party is, and the Outer Planes are pretty much legend. My wizard in his research believes they are there...just off limits. He did manage, thorugh a long series of circumstances, convine a Great Wyrm Red Dragon (with the aid of some of his worshipers) to summon an aspect of Tiamat in an attempt to gain information (I just planned to hire a priest of Saint Cuthbert to cast first a Comune, then a Miracle to allow me access to ask a few questions of St. Cuthbert, but the game (due to one of the party members worshiping Tiamat, and my wizards positive dealings with her in AD&D, to pursuing the Lady). The results of her aspect appearing did answer a couple questions, then told him off. The manifestation of the "commune" caused a catastrophic earthquack that leveled the about a third of the norther continent (on the Faerun map) and led to a typhoon that severely damaged the central continent (IT WASN'T MY FAULT...IT WAS TIAMAT...hehe).
Anyway...a badguy who (based on a dispel magic from someone in a recent battle to debuff one of his minons he sent to kill us that failed with a very good roll) is at least 18th level. Considering what he may or may not have done regarding the sims and his entrance into the lab, I am convinced he is Epic or Gestalt (the monks that have been attacking us are gestalt monk/assassins of 13th level...gah). Our saving grace so far....Amber Sarchophagus.
The plan is to get it back. I was content to write it off for the time being, build my own power base (I am, thanks to some well placed sims, now a Count and on the rise). But there have been a total of 3 assassination attempts on my person, the last of which I barely survived, from the badguy trying to eliminate me. I have fained my own death on two occassions, am burried in non detection and mordenkainens private sanctum, runing around in magic jared, polymorphed bodies, and the badguy still knows my every move...so he's either a demigod, there are powers I don't know yet in 3.5 or he is scying everyone in the world looking for anyone talking to a blank...hehe....either way...as far as scying goes, the badguy is infallible.
I am now forced (if I want to survive) to go after the guy. We are level 15 (a wizard (me), a Vassel of Tiamat (an evil version of Vassel of Bahamut), and a Blackguard. I have access to a few functioning simulacrums (17 HD Ancient Red Dragon sim, a level 10 ethereal doppleganger, a second Balor sim (13 HD), and a 14 HD Old Gold dragon sim that has about 48 hours of "outside the mirror" use left before he "awakens." (I store my sims in a crystal that is equivelent to a Mirror of Life Trapping but only works on willing or helpless targets). I have a few others that won't be much help. A 3HD rakshasa, a 2 HD ogre mage, and a 2 HD succubus sim.
In AD&D I was confident that no one could take the castle (Orcus and a few demons tried and failed...back when a level 13 mage after 7 years of play time was The Man, and Orcus was only level 15). In this reality, "What was once strong is now in doubt."--Theodin, Two Towers.
I would like your ideas on what I could do to either get the guy, take him out and regain the castle (which is the ongoing subplot of the game so far, and probably the End Game). What I have in favor is the Mirror of Mental Prowess with which I can enter the castle, but be cut down by the lich and the Time Elemental (unless the badguy has become aware of it and can stop my use of it very unlike I have been able to stop him...I predict this will happen. We shall see thursday).
The first thing I'm going to do next week is research the simulacrums I have to see if there is a way I can "fix," the broken sims at the castle. If I regained control of them, that would solve alot of problems. I cannot scry or teleport into the Private Lab, which is where the badguy will likely be. I can scy the castle to get the layout. I'm planning an assault (hire some assassin, rogues, warriors and monks to join the three of us in attack it by portaling into a quiet spot via Mirror. I have several sims and undead inside the Crystal to dump out into the castle when we arrive, though the stronger ones are all Colossal in side and so will not be able to enter the interior without two or more reduce spells.
How would you take it back? I'm afraid my direct assault approach will totally fail. When we plan this attack inside a scry proof area, I can guarantee the guy will be aware of the plan and be ready. In AD&D there was much I could do. Here, especially without extra planar resources, and my limited knowledge of the rules, spells, etc, I can think of little except that the DM is planning a "dungeon crawl," through the castle with the simulacrums as the encounters and the badguy in the final room. From my knowledge, what the badguy accomplished is impossible. I am positive that I could NOT take the castle due to its defenses...it would be impossible. Again, unless the DM is planning a "dungeon crawl," which would be my only chance.
Any ideas how to expedite this?
The castle cannot be teleported into by normal means, and is guarded by the sims. The private lab (which isn't connected to the castle, and accessible via portal in the Office heavily hidden and guarded, was formerly 1 mile beneath the ground on Celestia...which isn't possible in this reality, so I have no idea where it is). My mirror of mental prowess is specially keyed to enter anywhere in the main castle, but not the Office or the Lab.
I have a permanent Rary's Telepathic Bond with the four more powerful sims at the castle, but the DM told me they now just ignore me when I talk to them. Hoping for the best, I haven't dismissed the Bonds.
The Hoard is in the Private Lab, and I know he has access to it since the assassins he's thrown at me have carried some of the items there (that the DM said I recognized). The portal to the lab is covered by a pillar which has a Phase Door passable only by my wizard (and a DM Badguy who can alter reality somehow) in order to step onto it. The entry way is guarded by glyphs and sigils that would do in excess of 300 damage, and 25+ intelligence damage for entering the portal, touching the floor passing below the ceiling, passing each of the walls, approaching the wall, etc. I can think of no way for him to avoid this damage without making the portal non fucntional (he can't have used something like an antimagic field because then the portal wouldn't function). My guess is, he's a demigod OR he did die and got rezed. Somehow he entered the Hoard itself which is even more heavily guarded.
I tell you this because NO ONE that comes on this mission with me will be able to enter the lab but me. The final fight will likely be solo, and I'm sure I won't be able to beat a villain who is at least 5 levels my senior or at worst a demigod. That is unless I can convince the NPC and PC allies to enter into the crystal and release them on the other side. I'm not sure that will go over well. Hehe.
Lengthy...a bit confusing...but there it is. there's no need to consider the Rules Lawyer approach. It is NOT possible to scry someone in a Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum, but it happened. We'll need to approach strategies. Lets hash this out. I have till thursday.
Thanks guys.
My wizard has been converted from AD&D to 3.5 recently, and the DM has built a scenario around the character (characters...the other two players have their own subplots going).
Without going on too long (you all know how I can ramble), my character had a castle that we converted using the Stronghold Builder's Guide. There are few defenses except in key areas, and it is guarded by more or less powerful simulacrums (a level 3 Expert cook, a level 6 wizard, a 13 HD old bronze dragon, a noble Time Elemental (GAH), and a level 17 lich sim). There are more but these are the highlights of the range.
What has happened is...(the castle can fly and dimension shift), so the DM said that when the castle arrived into this reality, my wizard and his stuff all changed (he lost 90% of his memories (908,000 xp at level 13 AD&D to 88,000 xp in 3.5 at level 13), he gained feats and skill and ability points, etc...his magic items were revised (and some dismissed) by the DM, the dragon sims all changed (became more powerful), the lich became (quite a bit) weaker, etc, etc. The DM said that Amatar was aware, if somewhat confused and mystified by the alterations and didn't understand it, and then...wham! The plot line.
Upon entering this reality, all the simulacrums "awakened." They were still sims but they think they are what they are. So, the Balor simulacrum that guards his private lab (the most secure area of the castle), burst in and attacked him (following its commands "guard the lab and kill anyone that enters, but believing that it was a Balor who must guard the lab...of course, he didn't know who my wizard was...bang...ow). Without playing it out, the DM said he managed to escape into the main keep, where the other sims also attacked him. Sill in narrative, the DM said he managed to escape.
Okay...now without his lab and home, my wizard joined the Paragnostic Assembly (Complete Champion), and spent about 3 months researching, learning the changes in this reality from what little he remembers of his own.
Key points:
-Simulacrum spell DOES work normally, as I was afraid it wouldn't. The few sims I have created in this reality have not "awakened" including a red dragon, an ethereal doppleganer and a sim of myself. I suspect either the entering into this reality awakened the others or the Badguy I have to deal with somehow arranged that.
-Plane Travel, Ethereal Jaunt, etc, etc, does not function. From what my wizard could determine, the planes all exist, but the veil is quite thick. The inner planes are accessble to being far more powerful than our party is, and the Outer Planes are pretty much legend. My wizard in his research believes they are there...just off limits. He did manage, thorugh a long series of circumstances, convine a Great Wyrm Red Dragon (with the aid of some of his worshipers) to summon an aspect of Tiamat in an attempt to gain information (I just planned to hire a priest of Saint Cuthbert to cast first a Comune, then a Miracle to allow me access to ask a few questions of St. Cuthbert, but the game (due to one of the party members worshiping Tiamat, and my wizards positive dealings with her in AD&D, to pursuing the Lady). The results of her aspect appearing did answer a couple questions, then told him off. The manifestation of the "commune" caused a catastrophic earthquack that leveled the about a third of the norther continent (on the Faerun map) and led to a typhoon that severely damaged the central continent (IT WASN'T MY FAULT...IT WAS TIAMAT...hehe).
Anyway...a badguy who (based on a dispel magic from someone in a recent battle to debuff one of his minons he sent to kill us that failed with a very good roll) is at least 18th level. Considering what he may or may not have done regarding the sims and his entrance into the lab, I am convinced he is Epic or Gestalt (the monks that have been attacking us are gestalt monk/assassins of 13th level...gah). Our saving grace so far....Amber Sarchophagus.
The plan is to get it back. I was content to write it off for the time being, build my own power base (I am, thanks to some well placed sims, now a Count and on the rise). But there have been a total of 3 assassination attempts on my person, the last of which I barely survived, from the badguy trying to eliminate me. I have fained my own death on two occassions, am burried in non detection and mordenkainens private sanctum, runing around in magic jared, polymorphed bodies, and the badguy still knows my every move...so he's either a demigod, there are powers I don't know yet in 3.5 or he is scying everyone in the world looking for anyone talking to a blank...hehe....either way...as far as scying goes, the badguy is infallible.
I am now forced (if I want to survive) to go after the guy. We are level 15 (a wizard (me), a Vassel of Tiamat (an evil version of Vassel of Bahamut), and a Blackguard. I have access to a few functioning simulacrums (17 HD Ancient Red Dragon sim, a level 10 ethereal doppleganger, a second Balor sim (13 HD), and a 14 HD Old Gold dragon sim that has about 48 hours of "outside the mirror" use left before he "awakens." (I store my sims in a crystal that is equivelent to a Mirror of Life Trapping but only works on willing or helpless targets). I have a few others that won't be much help. A 3HD rakshasa, a 2 HD ogre mage, and a 2 HD succubus sim.
In AD&D I was confident that no one could take the castle (Orcus and a few demons tried and failed...back when a level 13 mage after 7 years of play time was The Man, and Orcus was only level 15). In this reality, "What was once strong is now in doubt."--Theodin, Two Towers.
I would like your ideas on what I could do to either get the guy, take him out and regain the castle (which is the ongoing subplot of the game so far, and probably the End Game). What I have in favor is the Mirror of Mental Prowess with which I can enter the castle, but be cut down by the lich and the Time Elemental (unless the badguy has become aware of it and can stop my use of it very unlike I have been able to stop him...I predict this will happen. We shall see thursday).
The first thing I'm going to do next week is research the simulacrums I have to see if there is a way I can "fix," the broken sims at the castle. If I regained control of them, that would solve alot of problems. I cannot scry or teleport into the Private Lab, which is where the badguy will likely be. I can scy the castle to get the layout. I'm planning an assault (hire some assassin, rogues, warriors and monks to join the three of us in attack it by portaling into a quiet spot via Mirror. I have several sims and undead inside the Crystal to dump out into the castle when we arrive, though the stronger ones are all Colossal in side and so will not be able to enter the interior without two or more reduce spells.
How would you take it back? I'm afraid my direct assault approach will totally fail. When we plan this attack inside a scry proof area, I can guarantee the guy will be aware of the plan and be ready. In AD&D there was much I could do. Here, especially without extra planar resources, and my limited knowledge of the rules, spells, etc, I can think of little except that the DM is planning a "dungeon crawl," through the castle with the simulacrums as the encounters and the badguy in the final room. From my knowledge, what the badguy accomplished is impossible. I am positive that I could NOT take the castle due to its defenses...it would be impossible. Again, unless the DM is planning a "dungeon crawl," which would be my only chance.
Any ideas how to expedite this?
The castle cannot be teleported into by normal means, and is guarded by the sims. The private lab (which isn't connected to the castle, and accessible via portal in the Office heavily hidden and guarded, was formerly 1 mile beneath the ground on Celestia...which isn't possible in this reality, so I have no idea where it is). My mirror of mental prowess is specially keyed to enter anywhere in the main castle, but not the Office or the Lab.
I have a permanent Rary's Telepathic Bond with the four more powerful sims at the castle, but the DM told me they now just ignore me when I talk to them. Hoping for the best, I haven't dismissed the Bonds.
The Hoard is in the Private Lab, and I know he has access to it since the assassins he's thrown at me have carried some of the items there (that the DM said I recognized). The portal to the lab is covered by a pillar which has a Phase Door passable only by my wizard (and a DM Badguy who can alter reality somehow) in order to step onto it. The entry way is guarded by glyphs and sigils that would do in excess of 300 damage, and 25+ intelligence damage for entering the portal, touching the floor passing below the ceiling, passing each of the walls, approaching the wall, etc. I can think of no way for him to avoid this damage without making the portal non fucntional (he can't have used something like an antimagic field because then the portal wouldn't function). My guess is, he's a demigod OR he did die and got rezed. Somehow he entered the Hoard itself which is even more heavily guarded.
I tell you this because NO ONE that comes on this mission with me will be able to enter the lab but me. The final fight will likely be solo, and I'm sure I won't be able to beat a villain who is at least 5 levels my senior or at worst a demigod. That is unless I can convince the NPC and PC allies to enter into the crystal and release them on the other side. I'm not sure that will go over well. Hehe.
Lengthy...a bit confusing...but there it is. there's no need to consider the Rules Lawyer approach. It is NOT possible to scry someone in a Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum, but it happened. We'll need to approach strategies. Lets hash this out. I have till thursday.
Thanks guys.
