The Secret of Bone Hill - L1 DCC conversion Play By Post

[Raven_Crowking]

@beermotor: I know she got some XP for the first fight, but have there been subsequent XP? Any for the trap? How far is she now from 1st level?

?

[beermotor]

@beermotor: I know she got some XP for the first fight, but have there been subsequent XP? Any for the trap? How far is she now from 1st level?

?

Are you really going to make me scroll back through the thread to count it up for you?!

[Raven_Crowking]

@beermotor: I know she got some XP for the first fight, but have there been subsequent XP? Any for the trap? How far is she now from 1st level?

?

Are you really going to make me scroll back through the thread to count it up for you?!

Nah. I count it at 9 XP.

[beermotor]

She can have +1 XP for triggering the trap. So, now you've got a choice to make...

[Raven_Crowking]

In that case, I guess that the book is a sign......

1d5 roll: 5 (2 defence, 2 utility)

Defence: 2 and 3: Ekim’s Mystical Mask, Enlarge

Utility: 8 and 11: Read Magic, Ventriloquism.

Added hp: 1! (5 total, 2 current)

Very tempted to try to go to the stairs and attempt to learn Read Magic on the fly, to figure out the weird sigils. If a kindly cleric could do something about my hit point loss first.......?

[beermotor]

Read Magic would also allow you to decipher the dark blue book... which, at this point, she is completely unable to read. Neither can anyone else, for that matter...

[Raven_Crowking]

Bloody hell!

But I imagine that the book will reveal its secrets in its own time, and I need not decipher it now. Yet the runes on the wall might be of some interest......

Oh, hey, I get to learn some languages! Two for a 13 Intelligence.....let's see......05...I speak the Neutral Tongue! And....15.....I also speak the Lingo of Law!

[Raven_Crowking]

Cathbad holds the book, in case it gives some bonus, opens it, and attempts to learn Read Magic on the fly.

First, she must make an check on 1d16 (+2 for level and Int) against DC 11. 6 + 2 = 8. I'm not going to burn 3 Luck, so I'll just have to accept the +1 bonus to try to learn the spell later. Misfire: 4 (1d6 printed pages within 100’ are magically distorted such that the letters un-ink, rearrange themselves, and then re-imprint, rendering the page completely unreadable unless the letters are manually resorted; thankfully, there are plenty of printed pages here apart from the book, so hopefully all is okay.........)

Ekim's Mystical Mask might help her survive, so I will risk that as well. 4 + 2 = 6. Nope. Not happening right now. Misfire: 4 (the caster’s face vanishes completely, rendering him blind and mute; in addition, he must make a DC 10 Fort save each round or pass out from asphyxiation; his face returns to normal once the spell’s duration has expired. Well, that's 1 round, so a 19 makes that save.)

Enlarge? 12 + 2 = 14. Cool. I can learn that one. My total roll for casting the spell is 17: I touch the desk, which disappears and then reappears 25% larger. Now I have to roll two Mercurials, the second with -20 to the roll.

The first roll is 94, -10 for Luck, so 84. Energy burst. When successfully casting this spell, the wizard is surrounded by a burst of energy. Roll 1d6: (1) wreathes of flame, which do not affect the wizard but ignite flammable objects within 5’ and cause 1d6 damage to melee opponents; (2) crackles of electricity, which arc to the nearest enemy within 10’ and cause 1d6 damage; (3) aura of frost, which causes 1d4 cold damage to everything within 10’ and automatically snuff torches and lanterns in range; (4) cloud of ash, which the wizard can see through but obscures the sight of all others within 5’; (5-6) instead of determining effect at time of spell acquisition, roll 1d4 each time the spell is cast and compare to above results. I roll: 4. Cloud of ash. Heh.

The second roll is 58, -30, so 28. Odd growths. Strange growths appear in immediate area whenever spell is cast. Roll 1d6: (1) toadstools; (2) pools of slime; (3) flowers; (4) black fungus; (5) crystals; (6) fields of wheat. Still very appropriate for Enlarge! I roll: 5. Look at the pretty crystals! Any of them valuable?

Cathbad turns to her companions to tell them the good news.

[beermotor]

Wait, how are you getting a -5 for Luck? Isn't it -10% for each -1 of Luck modifier?

[Raven_Crowking]

Wait, how are you getting a -5 for Luck? Isn't it -10% for each -1 of Luck modifier?

D'oh! You are right of course! I'll fix that.

EDIT: Fixed. Do you want the MM variables rolled each time, or is Cathbad always the Creator of Ash and Crystals? In any event, she has been luckier with these rolls than she has a reason to expect!

[beermotor]

Dunno, it's your rules...!

I would think you should roll the MM effects per the learn-on-the-fly rules each time you attempt to learn a spell on the fly, wouldn't you?

[Raven_Crowking]

Dunno, it's your rules...!

I would think you should roll the MM effects per the learn-on-the-fly rules each time you attempt to learn a spell on the fly, wouldn't you?

That's not what I meant. I meant, with this particular spell, now that it is learned, should I roll the MM variables (what type of energy burst, and what type of growth) each time, or do you rule them "fixed" once rolled? The intent of the Slippery Slope rules was that, when you first succeeded, you didn't know exactly what would happen, but the MM roll results are persistent once learned. Whether or not variables in the MM are persistent isn't, I don't think, explicit in the rules.

(Of course, as the judge, you may do whatever you wish! )

[beermotor]

Oh... I think it's fixed, isn't that implied by the 5-6 result on the MM table? If you roll a 5-6, then you check each time you cast, right? So I think she's always creating ash clouds and crystals. Basically it's like somebody opened up a full Dyson vacuum and shook it.

[Raven_Crowking]

lol

I had more of a "volcanic ash and geode-like crystals" image in my head!

Seriously, though, Cathbad will examine these crystal growths. How large are they? (Their size or the number may be tied to the spell check result?) I don't expect that you are going to let Enlarge turn into a "create money" spell, but they might be salt crystals or something useful. Also, depending upon their size, Cathbad considers whether or not using Enlarge on the crystals might be an effective way to create a quick barrier if needed.

[GnomeBoy]

I'm late to the magic party, but Darrow could do a LoH for Cathbad... A 14, and Cathbad's Neutrality means she gets 1HD of healing.

Meanwhile, Chendriss pipes up, on his way to visit Bypeld, "Hey! That glassware is highly valuable -- you can't just strew it about as an alarm! And why not use some of the other furniture, rather than the bed? We are going to rest, are we not? We have wounded that could benefit from a bed. We'd be much better off with some of the other furniture there, and one or two of us keeping watch. That glassware won't hear anything treading up the stairs -- besides, we've already seen plenty of things that wouldn't even use the stairs...

"Now, Bypeld, my friend, did I hear something about you finding a key....?"

[beermotor]

As Cathbad dabbles with unpredictable forces, there's a poof! of ash around here and a strange clinking, cracking sound as dull, irregular crystals begin to grow from the walls, floor, and ceiling. They are small, about an inch or so in length, somewhat sharp, but firmly affixed to the landscape. It'll take some effort to pry them loose. They don't look valuable. Watch your step, though... falling on them could hurt.

[Assuming Bypeld hands over the key...]

Chendris, the key fits the lock. Dare you to open it?

[Raven_Crowking]

Cathbad gains 2 hp, bringing her to 4 (out of 5). She thanks Darrow graciously, and swears her loyalty to his god.

[Sveden]

Bypeld hands over the key and agrees with Chendriss, "Oh yes those glass containers are worth some gold. Best to find something else as an alarm. Clever idea nonetheless!"

/ooc where is the lock its going to be used in?

Bypeld watches in pure wonder as Cathbad tries her hand at magic.

"My my my... the power of it all. I've always dreamed about such power. Truly amazing. Cathbad, you are a wonder."

Tonunt wonders, "Can you do anything against spirits, Cathbad?"

[beermotor]

The lock is on the snakeskin-bound tome that was found in the "prison" room below, with the black blade that Fritz now carries.

[Sveden]

/ooc Did anyone pick up the "rod" Jerkface the invincible was wielding?

[beermotor]

No, it went down the stairs with the spectral form, floating in the air (a la Poltergeist)...

[GnomeBoy]

That fool Chendriss, while he might try to hide his excitement, can't possibly *not* try the key in the book. He's a devoted alchemist, but what's in the book may take him beyond that...

Shall I just make a roll for a Saving Throw and list his respective modifiers, and let you take it from there, beer?


Darrow to Cathbad: "Rudra would be glad of your arm and your devotionl, I'm sure, but I suspect he is content to know we are on the same side of things, you and I..."


Hector has started to doze off in the 'bed' room.

Flavia is still in the northern part of the hall, and considers herself on first watch...

[beermotor]

The lock clicks softly as Chendris turns the key, and the latch falls open. Unable, or unwilling, to resist, Chendris opens the book...

Inside, the pages are filled with cramped sigils and glyphs, seemingly arranged in neat vertical lines, painted onto the paper in a dark indigo ink. Just inside the cover is a large sigil, perhaps the author's name? Chendris doesn't know. It's not a language he's familiar with. It seems to be very, very old... in places the pages are stained with what looks like blood, perhaps, and the edges are nicked and ragged. A few consecutive pages, he notices while flipping through, is scorched by fire, such that the sigils are all unreadable. Curiously, however, he notes what looks like a humanoid thumbprint on those sooty pages.

[Sveden]

If Chendris allows, Bypeld will be reading over his shoulder.

"Truly your destiny has changed this day, my friend. Books such as this are spoken of in tales. I had no idea the sigils could be so beautiful. I am not wrong, am I? Look how they flow."

Orastes rolls over in his sleep, pulling his cloak over his head.

[beermotor]

Just to be clear... the writing in this book is much different from the writing in the dark blue book / gilt runed book that Cathbad now carries. The former has very unusual vertical almost geometric looking sigils, while the latter is written in an unusual, very likely personal script, in a more normal mode (left to right or right to left, not sure yet).