Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="al_fredo" data-source="post: 6281216" data-attributes="member: 81597">Missed a few updates, I'll be brief.[Arms fair, and travel to the Ziggurat]DMs: The slow reveal of the Theme powers at level 5 is a great trick.OK...So After the arms fair, PC question Simon, Kvartiy, Rock...everyone. They get the lead on the Trinket stand. They go for the false buyer routine, and get the meetup scheduled.They go...and when Kaja tells them the price, our fake arms-dealer say they don't have the money...and well Kaja get spooked...and Combat.  Great set piece here. They capture her, and she says she was working for MacBannin. Back at RHC, delft suggest talking to someone at the museum about the artifacts. PC's investigate the shattered Golem, which is left open-ended.A PC uses his HUGE heal skill to cure the fighters Distant Madness. DMs: Using heal in this way really makes Distant Madness lose its teeth. My cleric needed a 3, BEFORE any 'aid another' checks. I don't really know how/if I should rule against this. I tentatively ruled that he would still have a 'mind scar'...if I presented the opportunity to humNEXT SESSIONAll RP session. PCs go to talk to Hans at the University. They HATE the fact that he has rights to the artifacts, and the PCs are contesting that. Since 'they are being used in an investigation'. well, Hans says he needs them for the gala at the end of the month. Mentions Xambria and her story. PCs talk to her and they are sympathetic. They picked up on the skittishness and see that she's traumatized. So far, no issue...but got a bit curious when she didn't know too many details, didn't have her journal...and refused to accompany them to the dig. Oh well, she was helpful enough with direction. They track down Caius. They do a ruse where they pretend to be affluent art collections and loudly speak of the artifacts that were found. Caius doesn't really care. they finally confront him, he laughs at them as says to hire better actors. They ask him if he know Kaja/Macabannin he says no, but the PCs know he's lying (PC with 25+Insight). they can't really do anything so they leave.They level up. As discussed in another thread, gear are favors...but I didn't play it that way. They got a limited upgrade...but some "normal" magic items (Boots of stealth), and that was that. Off to Zigguraut.NEXT SESSION"Fully equipped"! PCs also brought along 4 red shirt officers. They will come up HUGE! They arrive at the Zig, and a few PCs are down a surge with the endurance checks (I didn't bother with random encounter). DMs: I didn't love all the rolls here. I asked for one Nature check to determine if the group would roll 3 or 4 Endurance checks. After that, each one was framed differently: Bugs/Insects, Anxiety of keeping watch, pure fatigue. They see the Zig, and it's a 30 vs. Will for all hits on Distant Madness! They are scared.  It's evening...and now they are considering an extended rest. Wimps! Well, they make camp inside the first room...and another Will attack comes (all misses). Uh oh! They make camp again OUTSIDE the Zig...another attack (all miss). So they retreat 100ft and get out of the aura and make camp. Well...I asked for an endurance check for the nights sleep (they made zero attempts to improve their camp site)...two failed. They roll the clerics huge Heal Check...again, he basically auto passes, so everyone clears. They see the Zig in the morning again...I roll another 30. A Wasted day, and they are basically back to where they started! DMs: Again with the Heal check on Distant Madness! Not too upset, as they'll get hit hard here, plus it's only 4 of them. But be aware they want to make camp.  Make it a painful choice...In the first room...they see the Ancients, and immediately decide to chop off their heads! They are paranoid, which i guess is good! A Hand of Fate ritual doesn't seem to help (I direct them to the rainbow room)...so they go that way. Battle starts after they start pressing stones. First Burst attack by the Orbs Hits most PCs and KILLS ALL THE ALLIED SOLDIERS! HA! They will be remembered for their bravery! We stopped mid-battle due to time. DMs: They all advanced through the curtain. I left out the description of the enemies...and after they turned hit the second stone..the curtain turns solid...and the enemies appear. I think that's better. Had the run the room in Photoshop, and it's a pain with the bridges and walls!Great stuff. And I'm planing on triggering the end trap no matter what for effect.</blockquote>

Verification