Chapter 16: Q&A / Discussion

[Brian]

Points to Elvis.

[Darren]

Okay...let's go with what they said. Kal will try to just open it first. I can't edit the post right now.

[Jeff]

Jul 18, 2019 10:12:46 GMT -4 Ken said:

Darren: You could have Kal use the Help action to give Belarin advantage on his Intelligence (Arcana) when he approaches this round. Up to you!

If allowed to examine with time on your side, I'd be cool with this. But it's something that would require discussion and counsel. But this is a very hostile situation with several foes actively trying to kill you all. So there's really no time for Helping with an Arcana check on this one. I'd rather independent checks.

[Ken]

Yep, that's cool. True, it's not as though we can compare notes.

[Jeff]

Jul 18, 2019 18:16:47 GMT -4 Darren said:

Kal will take out the scroll of elemental protection so that if he takes more fire damage he can hopefully use it.

Kal will also grab hold of the Needle and see what happens..........

So Kal is using a Ready action with the scroll? He can touch the obelisk freely but this would also mean foregoing an Arcana check for a quick study.

[Darren]

No, I think it's probably better to leave his action for the Arcana check....so I guess I'll forego the readying for now.

I'll roll an Arcana check and add it to my post.

[Brian]

Jeff, how is it the earth elemental can attempt a grapple twice on Melethos before it succeeds, then later in the same round, attack Adamant and pound Melethos into the wall? That would equal four attacks in a round. In fact, how did the earth elemental attack Melethos just after Mel's turn, when it wasn't up in the initiative order?

[Jeff]

Per here, I forgot to have the earth elemental go at all in round 7 when it should have, so I said that the earth elemental had instead taken the Ready action in round 7 (triggered by Melethos's own next turn), so that when Melethos went in Round 8 the earth elemental attacked using its reaction (carried over from round 7), which was to attempt to grapple twice (but it could not move anywhere once it grappled Melethos). And it took place just after Mel's turn. Thus the order looks like this:

- Melethos's turn in round 8
- Earth elemental's round 7 reaction (2 grapple attempts, but unable to move at the same time)
- Earth elemental's turn in round 8

This makes it look like the earth elemental went twice in one round. A creature's reaction takes place between its turn in one round and its turn in the next. 

I know it's confusing to see, and it looks more so when you just read back all at once. This is definitely the sort of thing that's clearer in real time in tabletop games. Ready action in play-by-post takes some doing.

Had I remembered the elemental's turn in round 7 it would have been able to both grapple and move (and do that automatic wall-slamming damage) in round 7 as well. Freeing it for a potentially more devastating thing in round 8. But its round 8 turn is done.

I hope some of that made some sense.

[Brian]

Yep. It does. I had forgotten about he Ready action. Thanks.

[Jeff]

Jul 22, 2019 13:11:25 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

Jul 22, 2019 12:32:45 GMT -4 Jeff said:

I'll use a second level divine smite assuming that hit… twice this efreeti has tried to backstab us now… I'm beginning to think he's not Good

Adamant's got a funny feeling the efreeti doesn't love the party anymore.

[Brian]

Who the hell sets amp controls like that! LOL

[Darren]

Jul 22, 2019 13:58:55 GMT -4 Brian said:

Who the hell sets amp controls like that! LOL

Well, it doesn't go to 11....

[Dave W.]

wierd al wo-ho!

[Dave W.]

Jul 22, 2019 17:57:49 GMT -4 Darren said:

Nope. Attacking him is almost guaranteed to kill Kal, so I guess I'll take my chances on the attack that's coming....

oh thank God...

[Darren]

Jul 22, 2019 21:04:35 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

Jul 22, 2019 17:57:49 GMT -4 Darren said:

Nope. Attacking him is almost guaranteed to kill Kal, so I guess I'll take my chances on the attack that's coming....

oh thank God...

I can't believe we're relying on the benevolence of a dragon to save us now.....

[Ken]

FYI, I'm just waiting to see whether the last whack from Streko's sickle did enough damage to finish off the earth elemental. That'll determine what Belarin does.

[Brian]

Jeff, before I post, does Melethos see a particularly nice sword in the dragon horde? Kal's last order was to grab something and go.

[Jeff]

For now, you only have what you've noticed from the hoard before. I think there are the two previous instances:

ashlock.proboards.com/post/37772/thread

ashlock.proboards.com/post/37809/thread

But for now, you'd have to do a quick search to find something different. I would allow you to scatter coins and fish for something using a move and that one free action you get every round to pick something up, thus leaving you with a regular action.

Or you'd have to use a Perception as an action to do a slightly more thorough search among the coins for a weapon, if that's what you're after.

[Brian]

Okay, thanks.

[Jeff]

Jul 29, 2019 10:43:28 GMT -4 Brian said:

Jul 28, 2019 18:37:33 GMT -4 Darren said:

Kal grins at the dragon that he now knows to be Sem. "Very well," he says, pulling himself forwards. "Let's end this. My friends, grab what you can of the horde, then get the brazier, and let's get out of here. I'll try to stop these fiends."

Sheathing his sword, Melethos scans the dragon's treasure horde, looking for a weapon that might benefit him...

____________________________________________

Standard Action: Meletethos will use his action to look for a weapon in the horde.

Melethos:1D20+1 → 15(14 + 1)#Wisdom (Perception) Check

I'll wait for Jeff's response before Melethos uses his free action or movement action.

Well, sheathing a sword also uses that one free action. But the action used to search can be included in picking something up. 

[Brian]

Right. Point taken.

So the perception check is one action. Then the search and picking up anything found would be an action during the next round. Have I got that right?

[Jeff]

Nah, I'm allowing the action that uses Perception to include some stirring and, if finding something, grasping it. But that's it. You'll see.

[Darren]

Jeff, would Kal be able to use Dimension Door to bring himself and the brazier back to the Dragonfly?

[Jeff]

Yes. Heavy as it is, he could still manage it (Kal can carry up to 140 lbs. before being too burdened to move), as long as he hefts the brazier himself for a moment. He's currently carrying about 53 lbs.

[Darren]

FWIW, I'm pretty concerned about looting a dragon's horde.

That said, we, as players, often try to play our characters and end up ignoring the looting aspect of adventuring because it doesn't fit what we think our characters would do. Unfortunately, that often leaves us missing out on treasure that our characters, quite frankly, need. So, I figure while we got a big pile of loot to take, we should probably avail ourselves of it. And alignment-wise, it fits Kal's nature. Take what you need and move on. But I totally get why Adamant would be opposed, and so we'll let Shorak do the looting for him.

[Jeff]

I do hear you, but I consider your disclaimer for everyone else's benefit. Won't impact the story much.

Anyway, I hope to post again a bit later this morning. Note that some of you have posted a few actions and then gone back to post others, so the chronology is funny. I'll bring us to one particular point in that sequence of actions.

[Elvis]

Thul doesn't realize the Dragonfly is under attack by the slaadi and that Kurra is injured... but Kal should have remembered that.

Are we just ignoring that is happening while we loot the treasure? 

[Dave W.]

Jul 30, 2019 10:18:16 GMT -4 Elvis said:

Thul doesn't realize the Dragonfly is under attack by the slaadi and that Kurra is injured... but Kal should have remembered that.

Are we just ignoring that is happening while we loot the treasure? 

I think Kal is the only one currently aware that the ship has been attacked.

I don't think Adamant is opposed to a proper and just looting. But where is the dragon? It would be down-right embarrassing i think to have it show up while we're knee-deep in it's horde.

Plus we're are beat to hell, nearly out of magical steam, and still under a time crunch.

[Darren]

Right. Which is why Kal is trying to get everyone back to the ship quickly.....

He did say that the ship might be under attack.

[Jeff]

Jul 30, 2019 10:11:16 GMT -4 Darren said:

Okay. Assuming Streko takes the sharrash from Kal, that should allow us to move forward when everyone else is ready. Thanks!

Ya killin' me, Darren. You gotta stop doing these "assuming" things, because now I need to wait—before proceeding to Dimension Door—and see if indeed Streko is taking the sharash from Kal. Mind you, it's a tall spear-long scythe and he's four feet tall.

All of you have the mighty power to screech things to a halt. Use it wisely.