Specific invisibility question

[OakwoodDM]

I have a problem. Normally I wouldn't ask a question as short and trivial as this on the boards, but all my gaming friends are involved in the game I am asking about, and the question would reveal a plot point I would rather they didn't know (yet!).

The situation is this. It's a 3.0 game, and the party is executing a sneak attack on a besieging army. THeir three targets are the two obvious leaders' tents and an orb on a pedestal placed at the end of what is effectively an aisle up the middle of the army.
The two tents I'm not concerned with. The orb, however, is causing a dilemma. The one character going to deal with it is invisible, and his idea is to simply walk up to it, take it and leave. However, unbeknownst to him, it is possessed by a demon or devil (my notes are at home so I'm not sure which).

The question I have is whether picking up something that is possessed by a maevolent force is considered an offensive action. Obviously, if it is, the invisibility unexpectedly drops when he picks up the orb, and he's revealed to the guards (and the army, but I have something else in place to deal with them).

So what do you think?

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

I would not call it an offensive action, unless the orb is capable of somehow defending itself. If it is just an object, it should be able to be picked up, but IIRC the orb would not become invisible when he picks it up since the spell was cast prior to his picking it up, so the leaving part is probably not that simple. The orb walking off by itself might be a bit noticable to the guards...

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

I can't see how picking up the orb would constitute an offensive action.

The orb, when it is picked up, unless it is tucked under normal clothes, will indeed stay visible to everyone.

Of course, if I was the DM and the Orb was something important, it would be protected (guardians, perhaps even invisible guardians, traps (glyph of warding, symbols, etc.))

AR

 

[kenobi65]

Of course, if I was the DM and the Orb was something important, it would be protected (guardians, perhaps even invisible guardians, traps (glyph of warding, symbols, etc.))

...magic mouth screaming "Hey, put that back!"....

 

[OakwoodDM]

The orb can defend itself with the spells of the creature possessing it, but it doesn't want to...yet.

And it is important in that it's being possessed by the leader of the army. However, the army as a whole isn't important to him. He's testing the people of Oerth to see what sort of army he'll need to conquer it if and when he can break through physically into the realm.

Ok, given that the general consensus is that it's not an offensive action (to be honest, I expected that. There was just an inkling of doubt in my mind...), how would you rule an attack on the carrier? As normal invis without having to guess the location (ie 50% miss chance)?

 

[Saeviomagy]

Ok, given that the general consensus is that it's not an offensive action (to be honest, I expected that. There was just an inkling of doubt in my mind...), how would you rule an attack on the carrier? As normal invis without having to guess the location (ie 50% miss chance)?

If the guy is dumb enough not to just put it under his cloak, yes.

However, from your description, the orb is likely just to tell him to put it back, and not try to steal it again.

 

[lotuseater]

there are no short and trivial questions. only short and trivial people.