Acqua Alta Finale Discussion

[Umiushi]

This post complements the fourteenth Acqua Alta Finale main post. Players' posts in either thread are due by 11 pm, Saturday, April 21st. The next OOC main post will appear by 11 am, Monday, April 23rd.

Today I'm going to try to clarify how diagonals work. The game offers a lot of leeway concerning diagonals, but there are some cases where it is stricter. In terms of calculating range for targeting and movement, diagonals always count as 1, which is very convenient. Also, diagonal squares always count when determining whether things are adjacent.

Where diagonals are not as convenient is when it comes to corners. I was a little generous with corners on this map, but that may have actually been the source of some confusion. Most of the time, when it comes to moving around a corner, diagonal movement is not accepted; a character has to move at right angles to navigate the corner.

I have made an exception when it come to the relatively thin corners with broad openings between the hallway, the library, and the southern reception room. However, the broken windows on the eastern wall of the reception room are not so forgiving. They cannot be passed through with diagonal movement. To move outside through the windows, the square directly west of the window has to be crossed, and the square directly east of the window has to be entered. Thus, Thug #7 is effectively blocking passage onto the boat.

Another item to note is that while the central and southern window on the eastern wall have been bashed open, the northernmost window is still intact, and cannot be crossed freely. It may have been hard to see this on the map. This window is significantly large, cannot be normally opened, and has the following statistics:
AC: 5
Fortitude: 10
Reflex: 5
Willpower: n/a
HP: 15
Unaffected by attacks that target Willpower.
Immune to necrotic, poison, and psychic damage.
Immune to most healing effects.
Resist 5 cold.

If the window reaches 7 hit points, a character may squeeze through, but must make a DC 10 Acrobatics Check (or Dexterity Check) to avoid taking 5 points of damage from cuts. If the window reaches 0 hit points, characters may pass through it without squeezing and without risking damage.

The other two windows are effectively at 0 hp.

This is going to affect Noxias the most, so we won't yet have to break our current run of potentially-revised actions for him. Since Noxias and the sphere haven't wound up in the intended squares, some different locations may be in order. Otherwise, it's a little late for Marc, but Zephyr may wish to step out of the way.

Now, at least I'm on the boat so I get rid of 7 and then somehow paddle back? Worst comes to worst I take my pack off and grab the rope out of it and toss it to Zephyr? Also, did you indicate which way the water is naturally flowing?

I did not, because it is not immediately obvious. By now, Yrisz can determine that the water does not have any particular current.

Map:

Round Ten Summary
Konstansz (Initiative Count 28)
Expended: Starfire, 1 healing surge
Hands Free: none
Held: rod, everburning torch
Status: Shadow Walk
4 temporary hit points

Move Action: move towards the closest window. (Cost 4; shadow walk - 2xS, SE, E. Konstansz gains concealment.)

Fate of the Void: Konstansz adds +1 to her Eldritch Blast attack.

Standard Action: cast Eldritch Blast at the thug. (Ranged Rod -4 vs. Reflex with superior cover at distance 3 - misses with a modified result of 7.)

Yrisz (Initiative Count 27)
Expended: sun rod, 2 healing potions, Channel Divinity (encounter), Cure Light Wounds, Exacting Utterance (encounter), Healing Word (encounter - once), 1 healing surge
Hands Free: one
Held: everburning torch, holy symbol (worn)
Status: non-lethal attacks
4 temporary hit points

Move Action: head to northernmost window. (Cost 5; normal - S, SE, S, SE, E.)

Minor Action: look carefully out the window. (Perception Check.)

Standard Action: cast Sacred Flame at thug. (Ranged Radiant Symbol -5 vs. Reflex with superior cover at distance 2 - misses with a modified result of 4.)

End of Turn: Yrisz is no longer weakened.

Rogur (Initiative Count 26)
Expended: 7 crossbow bolts, 23 sling bullets, 1 healing surge
Hands Free: one
Held: sling
Status: non-lethal attacks
4 temporary hit points

No Actions

Marc (Initiative Count 13)
Expended: 1 healing surge
Hands Free: one
Held: longsword
Status: non-lethal attacks
3 points of damage
3 temporary hit points

Standard Action: pursue the gang member. (Charge. Cost 4; normal - 2xS, 2xSE. Melee Basic Heavy Blade -1 vs. AC with cover - rolls 16 modified to 22. Hits - rolls 5 modified to 10 points of damage against thug #7.)

Zephyr (Initiative Count 9)
Expended: rope, sun rod, Acid Orb (encounter), Action Point (encounter - none remaining), Arcane Prodigy (encounter), Escalating Violence (encounter), Flame Spiral (encounter), Life Thane Rage, Roar of Triumph (encounter), Savage Growl (encounter), Second Wind (encounter), 2 healing surges
Hands Free: none
Held: heavy war pick
Status: non-lethal attacks, Rage of the Life Thane
19 points of damage
8 temporary hit points

No Actions

Noxias (Initiative Count 6+)
Expended: Shield
Hands Free: one
Held: staff
Status: sustaining Flaming Sphere
13 points of damage

Minor Action: sustain Flaming Sphere.

Move Action: move towards the nearest window. (Cost 2; normal - SW, SE.)

Move Action: move sphere towards thug. (Cost 4; normal - 2xE, 2xSE.)

#7- Matchless Gang Thug (Initiative Count 6)
Expended: 3 quarrels
Held: punting pole
Status: cursed
17 points of damage

Start of Turn: Thug and the punting boat each take 7 points of fire damage from the Flaming Sphere.

Standard Action: undo mooring.

Minor Action: get a hold of the punting pole.

Move Action: cast off. (Cost 2; piloting - NE, N.)
Marc's Opportunity Interrupt (trigger - thug leaves a threatened square) Melee Basic Heavy Blade -2 vs. AC with cover - rolls 9 modified to 14. Misses.)

PC Results Summary
Konstansz has cast Starfire (daily).
Konstansz has spent 1 healing surge.
Konstansz is using Shadow Walk.
Konstansz has 4 temporary hit points.

Marc has spent 1 healing surge.
Marc is using non-lethal attacks.
Marc has taken 3 points of damage.
Marc has 3 temporary hit points.

Noxias is sustaining a Flaming Sphere (daily).
Noxias has cast Shield (daily).
Noxias has taken 13 points of damage.

Rogur has expended 7 crossbow bolts and 23 sling bullets.
Rogur is using non-lethal attacks.
Rogur has spent 1 healing surge.
Rogur has 4 temporary hit points.

Yrisz has used a sun rod and 2 healing potions.
Yrisz has cast Cure Light Wounds (daily), Healer's Mercy, and Exacting Utterance.
Yrisz has used a Healing Word.
Yrisz is using non-lethal attacks.
Yrisz has spent 1 healing surge.
Yrisz is weakened.
Yrisz has 4 temporary hit points.

Zephyr has used his length of rope and a sun rod.
Zephyr has cast Acid Orb and Flame Spiral.
Zephyr has expended Arcane Prodigy, Escalating Violence, Life Thane Rage (daily), Roar of Triumph, Savage Growl, and Second Wind.
Zephyr is using non-lethal attacks.
Zephyr has spent 1 action point (none remaining).
Zephyr has spent 2 healing surges.
Zephyr has entered the Rage of the Life Thane.
Zephyr has taken 19 points of damage.
Zephyr has 8 temporary hit points.

Enemy Negative Effects Summary
Matchless Gang Thug #1 is dead.

Matchless Gang Thug #2 is dead.

Matchless Gang Thug #3 is dead.

Matchless Gang Thug #4 is unconscious.

Matchless Gang Thug #5 is unconscious.

Matchless Gang Thug #7 is cursed.

Matchless Gang Thug #8 is dead.

Matchless Gang Thug #10 is dead.

Matchless Gang Thug #11 is dead.

Roszroon is dead.

Roti is dead.

Enemy Damage Summary
Matchless Gang Thug #1 - slain by 37 points of damage

Matchless Gang Thug #2 - slain by 21 points of damage

Matchless Gang Thug #3 - slain by 9 points of damage

Matchless Gang Thug #4 - unconscious from 12 points of damage

Matchless Gang Thug #5 - unconscious from 56 points of damage

Matchless Gang Thug #7 - 17 points of damage

Matchless Gang Thug #8 - slain by 6 points of damage

Matchless Gang Thug #10 - slain by 7 points of damage

Matchless Gang Thug #11 - slain by 6 points of damage

Roszroon - slain by 75 points of damage

Roti - slain by 59 points of damage

[Ithelryn]

Does the North window being whole have any baring on Yrisz last action, not that it really matter as she missed quite soundly...

Well, I think Yrisz will try to blast open the window for others and then she will move out of the way, not that really matter in game mechanics as anybody can pass through an allies space, but dramatically that is how I think it would play out.

Standard: Sacred Flame Window

* Sacred Flame vs Windows Ref *

* Sacred Flame Damage *

Move: SW, S, S, SE, S (the last south only if somebody else looks like they want that window, she'll just peep her head out next to them then)
Minor: Perception Check (or Insight) trying to read or understand more about the hooded people. You know, body language such as are they involved or perhaps towns people (all wearing the same traditional flooding cloths), or the sinister cultists.

Sacred Flame: (Divine, Implement, Radiant), Standard Action, range 5, one creature, Wis vs. Ref, Hit: 1d6 + Wis radiant damage, and one ally you can see gains temp hit points Cha + 1/2 level or can make a saving throw.

[Umiushi]

Does the North window being whole have any baring on Yrisz last action, not that it really matter as she missed quite soundly...

Well, I think Yrisz will try to blast open the window for others and then she will move out of the way, not that really matter in game mechanics as anybody can pass through an allies space, but dramatically that is how I think it would play out.

Standard: Sacred Flame Window

. . .

Minor: Perception Check (or Insight) trying to read or understand more about the hooded people. You know, body language such as are they involved or perhaps towns people (all wearing the same traditional flooding cloths), or the sinister cultists.

If that window had been open, the thug wouldn't have had superior cover.

Sacred Flame can target objects, but the secondary effect of granting temporary hit points to an ally will not apply when the primary target is an object, in most (but not all) cases.

Yrisz has probably learned what she can from Perception. To answer your latest questions, Insight will be the skill to use. That will be a minor action as you surmised, just like Perception.

[yukonhorror]

I can move out of the way. I am just slightly confused. Why are we trying to sink the boat? I can see Noxias is a bit of an aggressor, but are we just attacking them for attacking us? If they ran away, I am ok with letting them. That's a victory in my eye. Metagaming, that is usually a victory in a DM's eye in terms of XP.

Honestly, Zephyr is anxious to talk to his new pals about what the heck is happening, if Dolon (is that the owner's name?) and his wife are ok, and where he can sit down and have a beer.

[Umiushi]

You know, that reminds me of an important observation I wanted to mention during this posting period. I was trying to get the posts out before dinner, so I was a bit hasty. This is the sort of thing that is probably clear to the characters, but not to the players, so it's my duty to explain.

This room is the first room of this floor. Past it, the stairs lead down to the ground floor, which is mostly underwater. Around the room is all the evidence of scribes' materials hastily moved up from the lower floor. This is the very room where Konstansz and Marc were dealing with the inhabitants of this tower when the Matchless Gang attacked and they were forced to flee. That would have been, even allowing for some narrative license, no more than five minutes ago.

[Malk0lm]

Thanks for the update on the corners thing. I'm not sure how to picture it, but I think it makes sense.

Noxias will keep the sphere going as long as possible. It's for the encounter, so please let me know when the encounter is officially over.

I think we are trying to recover the boat and get rid of the Thug. Not trying to sink the boat.

Nox's turn

Move sphere farther away from folks. Farther south into the room is fine. Just enough so that it is not adjacent to anyone. Move Nox a few south to be adjacent to the table and chairs. Minor: Sustain.

[Isrealjacob]

So it looks as if Marc can't do much this round, so he can use lay on heads on Zephyr who looks like he's taken the most damage.

So..Spend one healing surge for Zephyr.

[Ithelryn]

If that window had been open, the thug wouldn't have had superior cover.

Sacred Flame can target objects, but the secondary effect of granting temporary hit points to an ally will not apply when the primary target is an object, in most (but not all) cases.

Yrisz has probably learned what she can from Perception. To answer your latest questions, Insight will be the skill to use. That will be a minor action as you surmised, just like Perception.

I took for granted that Sacred Flame secondary effects would not come into play, for that has the risk of being abused quite quickly especially if I could apply that same property to Astral Seal (though that kind of abuse I try to refrain from even in solo play video games).

You know, that reminds me of an important observation I wanted to mention during this posting period. I was trying to get the posts out before dinner, so I was a bit hasty. This is the sort of thing that is probably clear to the characters, but not to the players, so it's my duty to explain.

This room is the first room of this floor. Past it, the stairs lead down to the ground floor, which is mostly underwater. Around the room is all the evidence of scribes' materials hastily moved up from the lower floor. This is the very room where Konstansz and Marc were dealing with the inhabitants of this tower when the Matchless Gang attacked and they were forced to flee. That would have been, even allowing for some narrative license, no more than five minutes ago.

I take from this that Marc and Konstansz would know of the fate of the Tower's occupants if we were to just ask them as they would have most likely been between the tower's occupants and the Matchless Gang members being the heroic types they are. Thus rendering my earlier (already seeming considerably unlikely) line of conjecture regarding the hooded people possibly being hostages from the tower, fallacious (which I'm fine with).

I think Yrisz will keep on the path I set for her earlier, even though it will provide un-needed damage to the poor abused tower. My thinking is that she is paying more attention to the 'outside' situation then the inside, and also such disconnects are pretty common under stress anyways.

---------- Post added at 05:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:58 PM ----------

p.s.

I can move out of the way. I am just slightly confused. Why are we trying to sink the boat? I can see Noxias is a bit of an aggressor, but are we just attacking them for attacking us? If they ran away, I am ok with letting them. That's a victory in my eye. Metagaming, that is usually a victory in a DM's eye in terms of XP.

Honestly, Zephyr is anxious to talk to his new pals about what the heck is happening, if Dolon (is that the owner's name?) and his wife are ok, and where he can sit down and have a beer.

If you were talking about Yrisz, she doesn't need Zephyr to get out her way, as Zephyr and Noxias were the primary people she thought she was softening the window for. As stated earlier, she thought a rescue might be needed, and that we would have secure the small vessel that our MG friend was escaping in.

Also, Duvek is the shop owner, Iniusy (an elf I think) was his wife, and Polon was their half breed son.

[Palpatim]

Likewise for Rogur, he's more interested in finding out what's going on than tearing off after a bunch of thugs. No particular actions this round, so I'll just make a brief in-game post.

[cutopia]

I was attacking because I was under the impression the last of the boats were taken by the thugs. Are there still enough boats for us to leave the tower? If we have sufficient boats, then I'd be more inclined to partake of the normal post combat looting

[Umiushi]

This is the fifteenth Acqua Alta Finale main post. Players' posts in either thread are due by 11 pm, Tuesday, April 24th. The next main post will appear by 11 pm, Thursday, April 26th.

I try not to contradict facts already established in a player's narrative post, but I hope you will bear with me on this one. Although cloudy, it is neither windy nor raining outside. There's a hint of mugginess in the warm air.

It's not as bad as it was right before the last storm, but it's not a day you would want to wear armor or a heavy cloak if you had a choice. Of course, lots of people do just that for protection or to hide their identity. If it's a question of individual choice, though, why choose the same, cheapest, roughest clothing available? One or two people might be so thrifty, but three?

AC: 5
Fortitude: 10
Reflex: 5
Willpower: n/a
HP: 15
Unaffected by attacks that target Willpower.
Immune to necrotic, poison, and psychic damage.
Immune to most healing effects.
Resist 5 cold.

If the window reaches 7 hit points, a character may squeeze through, but must make a DC 10 Acrobatics Check (or Dexterity Check) to avoid taking 5 points of damage from cuts. If the window reaches 0 hit points, characters may pass through it without squeezing and without risking damage.

Hitting at 8 points of damage, the Sacred Flame spell did enough damage to shatter open the window, based on its statistics. Characters can now squeeze through that window, but must make Acrobatics Checks to avoid take damage from the remaining shards of glass.

I think I should further clarify my earlier post. Konstansz and Marc saw Lywthast and the scribes in this room. Then the Matchless Gang showed up and they were forced to flee. The only exit from this room leads to the flooded first floor. Neither Konstansz, nor Marc, nor the rest of the party has since encountered Lywthast or the scribes, so where are they now? They are unlikely to be swimming by the stairs or hiding in the library that the Matchless Gang was clearly aware of.

Ithelryn mostly got it right. Duvek is the elf, and Iniusy is his elderly, human spouse.

To address Cutopia's question, she is correct that there are no further unoccupied boats in view. In terms of boats elsewhere in the tower, Palpatim's earlier reminiscence was accurate.

This latest round doesn't look to me like it calls for a map or formal combat summary. I hope the following will do:

Round Eleven
Yrisz

Standard Action: Casts Sacred Flame at the window. (Hits for 8 points of radiant damage, shattering the window.)

Rogur

Minor Action: stows his weapons.

Marc

Minor Action: Lay hands on Zephyr. (Marc spends a healing surge and Zephyr recovers 12 hit points.)

Noxias

Minor Action: sustains the flaming sphere.

Move Action: moves the flaming sphere out of the way.


Experience for this combat will be rewarded momentarily. Before that, I am interested in finding out what the party's stance is. While the possibility remains that I have forgotten to address something, I believe I have now provided all the information that can be obtained from the current situation.

[Palpatim]

Although cloudy, it is neither windy nor raining outside. There's a hint of mugginess in the warm air.

Sorry, I clearly made a bad assumption about either a) how long we were in the Feywild, or b) how long the Acqua Alta lasts. I'll correct the post.

For his part, Rogur is ready to listen to the two newcomers' stories, perhaps while we actively search for the bookseller, his wife and the scribes. A short rest would seem in order first, however, since that will give us the opportunity to heal and recover encounter powers.

--T

[Malk0lm]

Nox will continue to sustain the sphere until the encounter officially ends. And root around in his pack for the Tenser's components.

Should the party consider another truth post? We can establish some stuff, and we can get on the same page with cutopia and IJ?

[Palpatim]

Truth posts are useful for confirming data we have, but not for guessing digging up new info. Make a series of self-contained, very specific statements in a bulleted list and Umiushi will turn them pretty colors with DM's Perspective of Greater Knowledge (Level 32).

Out of curiosity, what are you going to use the Tenser components for?

--T

[Malk0lm]

I don't plan to cast it yet, but I do plan to use it as a boat for myself, or at least my stuff if I have to swim. Maybe your stuff too if I'm feeling generous.

For the benefit of Zeph's player, the post is meant to be read as one wizard to another. For example, Noxias could not say "between us wizards, how do you do it" but that is the essence of the conversation he is trying to strike up. I'm sure Zephyr will interpret it as he see's fit (or misinterpret it as he may).