Against the Dragon: An ECL 20 Mini-Adventure

[PhoenixRivers]

ok, so a 1 2 punch from me and Seto, fine.

But, how do we lure her out?

@Contingency countering:

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Most characters here have enough spellcraft to know that contingency spells are CAST when contingency is, and merely come into EFFECT when the trigger occurs. As such, they're not counterspellable.

Moreover, there's no casting motions, nothing to spellcraft until after the fact, so no trigger to react to (counterspell trigger is: "If xxx starts casting". For it to work, you need to be able to detect the casting.)

[Superglucose]

Ok. Ready a Disjunction for when she contingencies.

yay chain order!

[Toliudar]

Thanks for taking the lead on this, Mostlyharmful.

ok, so the major problems I forsee centre around the preparations she has magically prepared combined with her mastery of the environment. When I disjoined her the effects she'd set in place teleported her out although that shouldn't happen next time if we strike now... perhaps we should set up a few plans, based on whether we want to return immediately or after repreparing spells/preparations.

I would strongly recommend against acting right away. Contrast a modest expenditure of her spells against a fairly significant expenditure of ours - including our two arcanists' contingencies. If we spend tomorrow doing 24 hour buffs, and then come quickly back to the doorway the next morning, with tweaked spell lists, we'll be better prepared for battle on our own terms.

So, I suggest to combat both we attempt to lure her out of her carefully controlled environment into neutral ground. The most obvious way would be to either terrorize, or make a good showing of terrorizing, that town. Clearly I would like alternate plans to scaring random people for the greater good but it's the first thing that comes to mind.

Or, we could try to FORCE her out, either by systematically destroying her lair or by offering her incentives backed up with impeachable character references, the offer of 100,000 gold for a guranteed true resurrection afterwards with a good god standing surity might turn any wyrms head....

I don't think that, after we tried very hard to kill her, she's going to be any more likely to listen to negotiation than when we came to her rendezvous point naked.

I do, however, like the systematic destruction of lair suggestion. Perhaps if the three of us able to shapechange whale away with beholder disintegrate beams while the others stand guard, we can have an impact. Remember that we don't need to actually empty the lair of sand, just make it less than 15' deep so she can't move around undetected. Alternately, disintegrating a large amount of ceiling does almost the same thing - it allows us to treat the ceiling as a kind of floor, a relatively safe surface against which to operate.

Now that we've seen the advantage that burrowing in sand gives her, and have seen that her defenses are primarily summoned (or else dispel wouldn't have gotten rid of them) monoliths, a set of protection from evil spells will render us effectively immune. It would also be useful to find out whether there can be more than one of the monoliths at a time - if so, ignoring an arbitrarily large number of elementals in our area is dangerous, since our protection is dispellable.

I'd argue that superior invisibility does us no good against this opponent, unless we're burrowing/hiding, because she has true seeing. All it does is prevent us from communicating with each other.

Ensuring that we have enough flying, burrowing, blindsight and tremorsense for everyone will go a long way.

My solution for the contingency, if the readied counterspell doesn't work: multiple disjunctions. She'll only get the get out of jail card of contingency once, and if we're still in her home, obliterating sand, she either completely cedes home court advantage, or eventually faces Torvin's magic hammer a second time.

Clearly, I need to memorize more greater dispels. I think in the whole combat, Theda had one round with a shot at the dragon, but I should have used it to contribute to the dispelling effort.

[Superglucose]

She's not evil. She's probably good.

[Toliudar]

I wasn't clear. The protection spells weren't against Eolestrix, but the summoned elementals. If we all have protection from [alignment of your choice] active, we can effectively ignore them, since they can't touch us, and I don't think elementals have ranged attacks.

[Superglucose]

So it does. It also stops avorals from healing us... hmmm...

[PhoenixRivers]

Ok. Ready a Disjunction for when she contingencies.

yay chain order!

You need a visible trigger, and a way to identify it as an activated contingency.

Contingency produces no visible trigger to react to.

So it does. It also stops avorals from healing us... hmmm...

Third, the spell prevents bodily contact by summoned creatures. This causes the natural weapon attacks of such creatures to fail and the creatures to recoil if such attacks require touching the warded creature. Good summoned creatures are immune to this effect. The protection against contact by summoned creatures ends if the warded creature makes an attack against or tries to force the barrier against the blocked creature. Spell resistance can allow a creature to overcome this protection and touch the warded creature.

[Toliudar]

Could you ready an action for when the dragon makes a rude gesture?

[PhoenixRivers]

Could you ready an action for when the dragon makes a rude gesture?

Yes, you could, were that her trigger.

[Toliudar]

So it does. It also stops avorals from healing us... hmmm...

Unless we use protection from evil, since good-aligned summoned creatures are not blocked.

[Superglucose]

Ready action: if the dragon visibly responds to the Disjunction in any way.

[Toliudar]

Yup. Although I think that Torvin is the only one of us who can cast Disjunction, so it becomes problematic to ready an action that is triggered by your own standard action.

[Superglucose]

Timestop, Dimensional Lock, something else, ready action to disjunct when timestop wears off.

[Toliudar]

If you like, although in that scenario, there's nothing stopping the dragon from doing anything OTHER than activating its contingency. Like moving 20' and dimension dooring. I'm not saying that there aren't other combinations that will help. I'm just saying that since Disjunction seems to be a very useful thing against the dragon, maybe we should prepare multiple copies of of it.

[PhoenixRivers]

OpFor(2):

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Fort:(1d20)[10] 2+ passes.

Move towards Center, Slam on remaining avoral.

Slam Attack: (1d20+22)[34]
Damage: (6d8+30)[53]
If threat: (1d20+22)[35]
If Crit: (6d8+30)[63]

Kagrenac's Avorals
(OpFor)
(OpFor in the Wall)
Ghrem

Removing those that have left from initiative order. Inform me if you intend to return.

@Kagrenac:

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How many HP did your Avorals possess? I'm pretty sure it was more than standard, near the 80's range.

[PhoenixRivers]

Timestop, Dimensional Lock, something else, ready action to disjunct when timestop wears off.

@Torvin:

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The dragon had numerous Dimensional Locks in its lair, and a Dimension Door contingency. Perhaps it had a means of dealing with Dim Lock.

[Tehnar]

Ghrems actions:

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Move (burrow) Silently Full speed 60 ft north (using 2 move actions to do so), which should put me at I6, 10 ft deep.
(1d20+27)[42] first move action MS roll (-5 penalty included)
(1d20+27)[34] second move action MS roll (-5 penalty included)

End turn.

OOC discussion:

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Though I don't really want to dictate anyone's tactics or spell choices, this is the way I see it could go down. It takes a concentrated effort though.

Wish (dispel Efflugent Epuration) / Disjunction -> Targeted Greater Dispel magic -> some sort of a grapple attack -> Shooty / Stabby Action.

The first time we try that in a day, the dragon will probably contingency out of there. So you prepare double the spells.

Also additional ideas include spell immunity: dimension lock; not casting mindblank but using morale effects to boost up saves (conviction etc..).

A control weather would be nice also so Ghrem can shoot, at least a little.

[PhoenixRivers]

Kagrenac's Avoral
(OpFor)
(OpFor in the Wall)
Ghrem

Turn progresses.

EDIT:

@Kagrenac:

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3 Avorals got ripped to shreds by something they didn't see.

The fourth it trapped in the whirlwind at the center of the room, and got hit pretty solidly by an Earth Monolith. Total of about 76 damage, after DR, and factoring in the buffeting damage earlier from the wind.

[Superglucose]

They have no real options for escape except to die. So any that are alive are likely to commit sepuku to flee back to the Celestial realm from whence they came.

[PhoenixRivers]

Fair enough.

OpFor:

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Dragon casts miracle: duplicating Summon Nature's ally 7, for 1d3 Average Xorn. (1d3)[3] Placement and actions will occur momentarily.

Xorn 1: H9, 5 feet under.
Xorn 2: H13, 5 feet under.
Xorn 3: L9, 5 feet under.

All within 30 feet of one another, per spell description. Blanketing the room in Tremorsense.

Xorn 1: Move to H6, -10.
Xorn 2: Move to H5, -10.
Xorn 3: Move to J6, -5.

Turn not over.

[PhoenixRivers]

@Ghrem:

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You hear three creatures burrowing through the sand towards you, not at all quiet. One appears to end slightly to the Northwest, one appears due west, and the third appears to your east.

Two attacks come in:

Attack: (1d20+12)[29] vs flat footed AC
Miss chance: (1d2)[1] 1 misses
If hit: (4d6+3)[15]
If threat: (1d20+12)[31]
If crit: (4d6+3)[17]

Attack: (1d20+12)[19] vs flat footed AC
Miss chance: (1d2)[2] 1 misses
If hit: (4d6+3)[20]
If threat: (1d20+12)[23]
If crit: (4d6+3)[17]

Also, you're entitled to another listen check.

Observers only:

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Dragon Moves silently to H7-L11, -25 feet.

MS:(1d20+30)[34] -5 for high movement = 29.

[Tehnar]

Attack misses.

Listen check:
(1d20+29)[35]

[PhoenixRivers]

@Ghrem:

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Shifting sand, to the south... Very, very close.

[Tehnar]

When his action comes Ghrem will use his helm of teleportation to get to the safe house.

teleport mishap roll:
(1d100)[64]

[PhoenixRivers]

And poof! You're gone.

For the rest of the group: Ghrem appears at the safehouse.

Observers only:

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Dragon begins reshaping lair in a few minutes.

PaO's are dispelled in key rooms, hallways are flooded.

Treasure gets a PaO (1 piece into a large satchel, remaining treasure piled in).

Dragon abandons lair, Travels to secondary location.

Persistent Image, outside lair.

[PhoenixRivers]

All party members are out of hostile zone. Please Inform me what you are doing, and what your intended actions are.

[mostlyharmful]

As I understand it we're waiting and renewing slots. correct me if I'm wrong.

Torvin's new slots to follow,

[Superglucose]

New slots for me are ready:

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1: Longstrider, Divine Favorx3 (+3 luck to hit/damage), Remove Fear, Protection from Evil, Protection from Law, Sign

2: Remove Paralysis, Ghost Touch Armor, Hand of Divinity, Silencex2, Find Traps, Aid, Invisibility, Bear's Endurance

3: Anti-Dragon Aura (+5 Luck bonus to AC/Saves), Invisibility Purge, Grace (+2 dex), Magic Vestment (+5 armor), Greater Magic Weapon x2 (+5 weapon), Mass Conviction (+5 morale to saves), Fly, Dispel Magic

4: Assay Spell Resistance, Freedom of Movement, Dismissal, Spell Vulnurability, Mass Shield of Faith (+5 Deflection), Wrack, Dimension Door, Divine Power (+6 enh to strength, +1 hp/level), Lesser Infernal Transformation (gives me the beard attack and sizes me back to Medium without removing size bonuses).

5: Life's Grace, Divine Agilityx2 (+10 enh dex), True Seeing, Teleport, Revivifyx2, Righteous Might (+4 size to strength, +2 size to con, -2 size to dex)

6: Dispel Magic Greaterx2, Healx1, Harm x2, Word of Recall (predetermined safe-house), Heroe's Feast, Mislead

7: Summon Monster VII, Greater Teleport, Greater Bestow Curse, Greater Plane Shift, Stormrage, Holy Transformation (+4 sacred to STR, saves), Infernal Transformation (+4 profane to STR, CON)

8: Dimensional Lock, Widened Wall of Stone , Quickened Divine Power, Quickened Dimension Door, Mass Death Ward, Polymorph Any Object (Become Horned Devil), Veil of Undeath

9: Quickened Righteous Might, Time Stop, Miracle, Summon Monster IX, Extended Holy Transformation, Extended Infernal Transformation

Man I made so many scrub mistakes when first making this character that I'm surprised I'm still alive. Wasted well over 100k in gold (close to 125k) in worthless magic items that I'm seriously considering using as bartering chips. Any chance I can stop by the local magic item mart to exchange them for things of half value? I do have access to Plane Shift and the Teleport line so I could pop over to Sigil

EDIT: Also I accidentally caught a glimpse of the power of Polymorph. What a deliciously overpowered fourth level spell that is. It's worth it to use it from an 8th level domain slot, that's how damn good it is.

[PhoenixRivers]

New slots for me are ready:

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1: Longstrider, Divine Favorx3, Remove Fear, Entropic Shield, Sanctuary, Sign

2: Remove Paralysisx2, Ghost Touch Armor, Hand of Divinity, Silencex2, Find Traps, Aid, Invisibility

3: Bestow Curse x2, Dispel Magic, Invisibility Purge, Blindness/Deafness, Remove Curse x2, Remove Blindness/Deafness x1

4: Assay Spell Resistance, Freedom of Movement, Dismissal, Greater Magic Weapon, Spell Vulnurability, Mass Shield of Faith, Wrack, Dimension Door, Divine Power

5: Break Enchantment, Plane Shift , Slay Living, True Seeing, Teleport, Revivifyx2, Righteous Might

6: Dispel Magic Greaterx2, Healx3, Word of Recall (predetermined safe-house), Wind Walk

7: Destruction, Greater Teleport, Greater Bestow Curse, Greater Plane Shift, Stormrage, Holy Transformation, Infernal Transformation

8: Dimensional Lock, Widened Wall of Stone , Quickened Divine Power, Quickened Dimension Door, Mass Death Ward, Polymorph Any Object, Summon Monster VIII

9: Quickened Righteous Might, Time Stop, Miracle, Summon Monster IX, Extended Holy Transformation, Extended Infernal Transformation

Man I made so many scrub mistakes when first making this character that I'm surprised I'm still alive. Wasted well over 100k in gold (close to 125k) in worthless magic items that I'm seriously considering using as bartering chips. Any chance I can stop by the local magic item mart to exchange them for things of half value? I do have access to Plane Shift and the Teleport line so I could pop over to Sigil

EDIT: Also I accidentally caught a glimpse of the power of Polymorph. What a deliciously overpowered fourth level spell that is. It's worth it to use it from an 8th level domain slot, that's how damn good it is.

Yes, you can 1/2 price items to swap out.

And be careful. PaO has some significant differences over polymorph, namely in the mental attribute section.

[Superglucose]

Yes, yes, I switch my int.

I'm off to do some shopping! Yaaaaay, shopping!