Kulan: Knightfall's Heroes of Carnell Game [OOC]

[Knightfall]

It was a sloooow day for me today. Feeling tired. Vegged in front of TV for most of the afternoon. Headache is coming on. Need to sleep for a bit.

I might try to write my next post later on tonight, but it might end up being tomorrow or Friday.

 

[Knightfall]

I just added my next reply.

FYI, I won't be available for most of Saturday.

 

[Knightfall]

@Scotley, I need another d20 roll from you for the tiebreak. @JustinCase rolled a 14.

 

[Knightfall]

So, are we now assuming the PCs will do the ritual before hunting down the fugitives?

I will say the ritual takes 1d4+1 hours to complete properly, assuming all the required rolls are made without any failures. Otherwise it will take more time... 1 extra hour for every failed roll. (A Natural 20 roll by the PCs reduces the time required by 1 hour.) The PCs can use Aid Another for skill checks and can use magic to increase their odds of succeeding on caster level checks or help Galzadar make his saving throws.

The special materials for the ritual also gives the PCs a +2 circumstance bonus on their caster level checks and gives Galzadar a +2 circumstance bonus to his saving throws. Without the special material, the rolls would be at -2.

There is a risk of death for the cursed elf wizard, so if any roll during the ritual (except the Diplomacy check) comes up as a Natural 1, he dies. However, the PCs can protect Galzadar from dying during the ritual by using death ward or a similar spell. Death ward lasts minutes/round, so it would have to be cast multiple times during the ritual to protect him from each roll of a Natural 1.

If the PCs are willing to take the time, they could use hallow to permanently add death ward to the grove so that is doesn't have to be cast multiple times. However, that requires 24 hours and death ward is a Necromancy spell, so permanently adding it to the Grove of the North Gods might not be the best idea considering how much those gods despise Necromancy. (They won't be angry if the PCs simply use death ward only on Galzadar to keep him from dying.)

The first roll is a dispel magic check vs. dominate person that acts as a supernatural ability. While the domination can't be completely dispelled it can be suppressed. If the entire ritual is successful, then Galzadar will be be free from it as well. (The DC is 11+15 for a total of 26. This effect was placed on him by the demon lord, so it is hard to get rid of permanently.) Greater dispel magic can be used as well, assuming one of the PCs can cast it. (JustinCase posted that Caerth can cast it.)

Break enchantment must be succeeded next, and it is as if someone cast baleful polymorph on Galzadar. (The DC for the caster level check is 11+9 for a total of 20.) As well, Galzadar must make a DC 15 Fortitude save or suffer 1d8 points of vile damage.

(After this point, Malotoch can no longer claim Galzadar's soul if he dies during the ritual.)

Remove curse must be succeeded next, and it is as if someone cast bestow curse on Galzadar. There is no caster level check for the PCs, but Galzadar must succeed on a DC 15 Will save or suffer 1d8 points of vile damage.

Atonement is the last spell required, but it requires Galzadar to be a willing participant. (Since Galzadar was under a curse, there is no XP cost to the caster.) What is needed to make the elf wizard completely compliant is a successful Diplomacy check. Galzadar is considered Unfriendly in his current state (Indifferent towards Caerth), but if he takes vile damage any time during the ritual, he immediately becomes Hostile (Unfriendly towards Caerth). For him to agree to the atonement spell, his attitude must be shifted to at least Friendly.

If everything goes right, Galzadar will shift to Chaotic Good and will no longer be considered a Thrall of Vok and no longer suffers under Abyssal Obedience. He will remain a shadowstar elf but his will be his own (but see below). There is also a 25% chance of him completely reverting to a silver elf with his original alignment (Neutral Good). (The PCs can cast the polymorph spell on him to increase the odds to 50%, but no higher.) This assumes that he is free of the dominate person.

If the dispelling vs. the dominate person effect is unsuccessful, however, he will remain susceptible to being enchanted by demons (but not by undead). This is a permanent -4 penalty vs. Enchantment-based spells and effects. (In his current form, without the ritual, he doesn't even get a save vs. demons or undead more powerful than him.)

If he doesn't agree to the atonement spell his alignment still changes but either to True Neutral or to Chaotic Neutral (50% chance of either).

Freeing Galzadar of his curse is considered a Good act and the PCs will gain a 1,500 XP campaign bonus each if they save him from Vok’s curse, and his alignment shifts to TN or CN. If his alignment shifts to CG, the campaign bonus becomes 2,000 XP each. If they manage to free him from future domination by demons, the campaign bonus becomes 2,500 XP each. If Galzadar reverts back into a sliver elf with his original alignment (NG), the campaign bonus becomes 3,000 XP each.

Aureus will get half of whatever the PCs get.

 

[Knightfall]

Base time in hours for the Ritual: 1D4+1 = [3]+1 = 4

 

[Neurotic]

Base time in hours for the Ritual: 1D4+1 = [3]+1 = 4

Half of my spells will go to waste

That just means they are cast in different order assuming Maur can cast during the ritual. And I can fill 1st and 2nd level slots with protection from evil and replace spell immunity with death ward (and I assume others can cast spells for the ritual as well)

I assume of course we discussed this BEFORE spell preparation since we talked about it after the fight. We know about critical spells (main three), but the rest are on each individual caster.

 

[Neurotic]

So, let's do the ritual first.

Maur cannot both call zelekhut and break enchantment and Atonement (all 5th level spells) so Galzadar comes first with Break Ench. I can cast Remove curse if Caerth casts Atonement.

In addition, as a 2nd level spell Maur casts Consecrate (if we're not in the grove)
Before we begin, all casters should try Dispel Magic just in case

So...this is how I would do it (@Scotley and @JustinCase add your own spells as you see fit, I didn't go through Druid and Wizard lists)

The idea here is to protect Galzadars life from basics such as teleporting/plane shifting him away or killing him with negative energy. And also preventing the domination effect the quasit implied.

This leaves Maur with:
4/5 1st level spells + domain spell on all slots
1/5 2nd level spells
1/4 3rd level spells
0/3 4th level spells <-- so, no divination today
0/1 5th level spells <-- so, no calling of Zelekhut

1. Consecrate (2nd level spell, lasts 18 hours)
2. OPTIONAL: Glyph of Warding (3rd level spell, permanent, containing Invisibility Purge (requires 3000 gp total)
3. Shield Other (2nd level spell, lasts 9 hours)
4. Magic Circle Against Evil on Maur (3rd level spell, 90 minutes)
5. Deathward on Galzadar (4th level spell, 90 minutes)
6. Spell Immunity on Galzadar (4th level spell, 90 minutes) - make him immune to plane shift (covered by Dimension Anchor) or dominate person? to be discussed (ASAP pls)
7. Protection from Evil on Galzadar (1st level spell, 9 minutes)
8. Dimensional Anchor (4th level spell, 9 minutes)
9. Owls Wisdom on Maur (2nd level spell, 9 minutes)
10. Eagle Splendor on Maur (2nd level spell, 9 minutes)

That leaves the ritual itself:

1. Break enchantment (5th level 1 minute casting time)
2. Remove Curse (3rd level 1 action)
3. Atonement (5th level 1 hour casting time) - this means that low duration things expire, but I will renew Protection from evil if/when something starts happening (while Caerth casts Atonement)

@Knightfall
Question 1: how do we go with redeeming the quasit?
Question 2: how is Maurs pool of Pious Soul pool? (you can add any number of points to it as you see fit, given his recent actions)

@Scotley @JustinCase @ScottDeWar_jr @Tellerian Hawke
Comments?

@JustinCase Caerth is essential for casting Atonement - the rest is on cleric list exclusively. The rest, think on how to protect him from domination, negative damage etc...

 

[Knightfall]

For @Scotley:

Xander's Spellbook
0th
Acid splash, amanuensis [SC], arcane mark, caltrops [SC], dancing lights, daze, detect magic, detect poison, disrupt undead, distract [SC], electric jolt [SC], flare, ghost sound, mage hand, mending, message, open/close, prestidigitation, ray of frost, read magic, resistance, silent portal [SC], sonic snap [SC], touch of fatigue

1st
Endure elements, fist of stone [SC], mage armor, mage hand (greater) [SC], magic weapon, Nystul's magic aura, shield, sniper's shot [SC], true strike

2nd
Arcane lock, blur, bull's strength, fly (swift) [SC], spider climb, web, wraithstrike [SC]

3rd
Deep slumber, explosive runes, fireball, tremorsense [SC], Wanda's crawling force missile [homebrewed]

---

Wanda's Crawling Force Missile
Evocation [Fear, Force, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Drd 4, Sor/Wiz 3, Insect 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Targets: Up to four creatures, no two of which can be more than 15 ft. apart
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will partial negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

A force missile of magical energy darts forth from your fingertip, unerringly strikes its target, and makes the victim believe insects are crawling on her. The force missile deals 1d4+1 points of damage.

No attack roll is required, as Wanda's crawling force missile strikes unerringly, even if the target has anything less than total cover or concealment. Specific parts of a creature cannot be singled out. Inanimate objects cannot be damaged by the spell.

After the crawling force missile strikes, the victim must make a Will save or become panicked for 1d4 rounds, as she believes that tiny beetle-like insects are crawling all over her body. A successful save negates this mind-affecting fear effect. A panicked victim suffers a -2 morale penalty on saving throws, and cowers until the effect ends. (See DMG for more information on fear-panicked creatures.)

For every three levels of experience past 3rd, you gain an additional missile. You have two at 6th level, three at 9th level, and the maximum of four at 12th level or higher. You can have them strike a single creature or several creatures. You must designate targets before you roll for SR or determine damage.

Material Component: An arrow painted white.

 

[Scotley]

Ooooh, i like. Will get this onto Phar's sheet asap.

As to the ritual. Greater dispel magic is beyond Phar's level. With regular dispel magic the best he can do with a natural 20 on the die is a 30. Can we aid another on that somehow? Otherwise I fear we are out of our depth.

Phar cannot cast remove curse or atonement.

 

[Knightfall]

Ooooh, i like. Will get this onto Phar's sheet asap.

As to the ritual. Greater dispel magic is beyond Phar's level. With regular dispel magic the best he can do with a natural 20 on the die is a 30. Can we aid another on that somehow? Otherwise I fear we are out of our depth.

Phar cannot cast remove curse or atonement.

Hmm, I thought Phar could cast greater dispel magic...

Ah, I see my mistake, it is a 5th-level spell for bards. So, I'm going to say the DC is only 26; it will still be tough to make but not impossible.

I'm not sure there is a RAW way to Aid Another on that roll. But let's say that a successful Spellcraft check by one additional PC adds a +2 bonus to the dispel magic roll.

EDIT: Also, when you get a chance, make a tiebreak roll for the amulet.