DrK Mortals vs the Gods OOC

[Chambers]

I'm not entirely certain what your plan is concerning them. Are you going to refuse buffs from them as well, or just me, because I only have an ethical alignment and not a moral one?

No other plans at the moment, Lanharath just does not vibe with your character. It's not a big deal.

[Aegis013]

Wind Walk already provides some cover from onlookers, but the added fog cloud will likely help lower the chances of undesirable interference.

Camilla is clearly not concerned about Henry's aura. He came to the meeting about safeguarding mortal-kind, that shared objective is sufficient reason for her to work with anybody given the stakes. She's simply more concerned with keeping people safe than proving herself or testing her mettle. In this case though, keeping people safe is going to involve battling the gods, so their interests are somewhat aligned.

[Auranghzeb]

A 50`x 50' cloud of smoke moving at high speed is highly conspicuous, therefore Nehemsek will not use it. I like the phantom steed/ravens idea and some dispersal in the flight, less clustering but wind walk is pretty cool too.

[Kaouse]

No other plans at the moment, Lanharath just does not vibe with your character. It's not a big deal.

Eh. That's perfectly fine. I don't really know what your plan for combat is, though. I was under the impression that we're both shapeshifting melee attackers, so maintaining that kind of distance might be a difficult endeavor...

...but not impossible, given potentially increased size and reach on both of us. I think I can get up to a 30 ft reach or so, on select turns or in select forms.

Of course, you can get up to Colossal size, so you should have similar reach all the time. That gives us about 60 ft to work with between us. More than enough to keep you out of Darkskull range. Depending on the opponent's size, I might still even be able to protect you with Cut/Smash From the Air, which I will probably continue to do regardless of if you want me to or not, lol.

A 50`x 50' cloud of smoke moving at high speed is highly conspicuous, therefore Nehemsek will not use it. I like the phantom steed/ravens idea and some dispersal in the flight, less clustering but wind walk is pretty cool too.

A smoke cloud in the sky just looks like a storm cloud. The average cloud can move anywhere between 30 to 120 miles per hour. They look slow cuz they're so far away, so the distance they travel looks smaller than it is.

60 mph seems pretty decent for a cloud, I think. It'd be pretty difficult for somebody to tell the difference unless they were really, really smart and really, really observant.

[Chambers]

Sorry, I should have been more clear. I didn't mean he'll avoid being around him all the time, just for the role-playing of travel. In combat, it is what it is, that's part of working together despite the differences.

[Aegis013]

A 50`x 50' cloud of smoke moving at high speed is highly conspicuous, therefore Nehemsek will not use it. I like the phantom steed/ravens idea and some dispersal in the flight, less clustering but wind walk is pretty cool too.

A smoke cloud in the sky just looks like a storm cloud. The average cloud can move anywhere between 30 to 120 miles per hour. They look slow cuz they're so far away, so the distance they travel looks smaller than it is.

60 mph seems pretty decent for a cloud, I think. It'd be pretty difficult for somebody to tell the difference unless they were really, really smart and really, really observant.

Also, if the math for Wind Walk keeps, the Phantom Steed will travel overland at 10mph for the 20 hours, going 200 miles, expiring somewhere over the Mediterranean Sea and dropping those without Windwalk or some other personal method of flight into the water to drown. The Phantom Steeds would have to go around the Sea, which would inevitably add a lot of travel time.

[Ancient]

There are some shennanigans I could pull to get the range to ~590miles (haste, song of marching), but I am not particularily wedded to any strategy, whatever works best for the party, the Daughter of Wind has no problem traveling by cloud, though some Invisibility and Anti-Scrying should be included in any solution, I feel that when one challenges the gods, humility is a wise strategy.

[DrK]

To be clear, this has the effect of nerfing stances by requiring the use of a swift action at the start of combat in order to enter it. It also has a weird interaction with certain stances. As a simple example, Riven Hourglass Stance grants a +4 to Initiative; if you can't be in the stance when combat starts, this bonus is useless. How should we reconcile these?

In this case, Nefer-Horsif is specifically using Luckdrinker Aura in his role as a protector, in order to be aware of any magical effects which approach his Queen Nefertiti.


On bonuses he's giving out, I will note them in his little OOC stat block, but the Soul Candle currently in Nefer-Horsif's space will give, to allies within 15 feet:

• +12 elemental damage to weapon attacks of whatever his active element is (let's say Electricity currently);
• untyped +12 to all skill checks and caster/manifester level checks; and
• fast healing 12.

Please select Insight or Competence for the skill bonus

In the case of stances that impact initiative you just move the initiative tracker when you enter the stance. It’s easily done. PoW gains many benefits, suggesting that it’s hard to maintain a combat stance for hours on end whilst doing mundane things like eating, talking, toileting doesn’t detract from the usefulness of the stances and is the same as the Style feats

[Kaouse]

I chose option 1, stay and fight.

Well, investigate, to be clear.

If we can draw the enemy's attention, then we can presumably save a number of lives.

I'm rolling to take note of the secret passage in case I need to make use of it later.

Perception Check: (1d20+50)[70]

I can also use this to investigate, if you wish, or I can make another check for investigation purposes.

[Kaouse]

Knowledge (Nature): (1d20+20)[24]

--> Aiming to know Giant Damage Reduction primarily, then Vulnerabilities, if any, then resistances.

Knowledge (Religion): (1d20+20)[40]

--> Aiming to know any specific info about Hel herself, that might be useful information in this situation.


Knowledge (Planes): (1d20+30)[49]

--> Aiming to know the effect of that Rift, bad idea to travel/Flickering Step through it or not?

Spellcraft: (1d20+40)[48]

The flaming attacks being sent through, are they ranged attacks or AoE moves? I can block one, but can't really block the other. Also, the effect that hid this place from the gods... I presume that such a thing is down by now, no? I do believe my goggles grant my Arcane Sight, if it matters.

[Kaouse]

A nat 20 perception and a nat 20 on the religion check about Hel, nice.

Also, I suppose I should roll initiative.

Initiative: (1d20+20)[38]

[DrK]

Knowledge (Nature): [roll0]

--> Aiming to know Giant Damage Reduction primarily, then Vulnerabilities, if any, then resistances.

Knowledge (Religion): [roll1]

--> Aiming to know any specific info about Hel herself, that might be useful information in this situation.


Knowledge (Planes): [roll2]

--> Aiming to know the effect of that Rift, bad idea to travel/Flickering Step through it or not?

Spellcraft: [roll3]

The flaming attacks being sent through, are they ranged attacks or AoE moves? I can block one, but can't really block the other. Also, the effect that hid this place from the gods... I presume that such a thing is down by now, no? I do believe my goggles grant my Arcane Sight, if it matters.

Yes, the curtain of violet rain has gone. It needed the many chanting priests to maintain the effect and as a significant number of them have now been slaughtered its collapsed - the rift is outside of wher the effect was in effect (hence why its a good few hundred feet from the temple rather than opening inside the temple.

The rift appears to be a genuine Gate into Nifelheim (one of the nine realms of the norse outer realms. This one is Hel's realm, so a mixture of negative energy effects and freezing cold).
You could go through if you wanted, you'd be vulnerable to the planar effects within there and if the rift closed you may struggle to get back. But who know's how long she will hold the door open.

As for Hel... she's a charmer.

Hel is the goddess of the ignoble dead, and receives the spirits of those who die by disease and old age, hosting them within her banqueting hall behind the impregnable walls and gates of Niflheim, the land of mists. Hel is the daughter of Loki and the giantess Angrboda and is fated to one day lead an army of the dead against the walls of Valhalla come Ragnarok. Hel can cause plagues and pestilence with a wave of her hand. Any mortal looking upon her face will fall ill with a debilitating disease, suffering a permanent loss of health until a cure disease spell is cast on them. Even after the cure, the victim will never recover from the effects of the illness. Hel is surrounded by an aura that afflicts any being that approaches too close to her, causing them harm. She cannot be harmed by any material weapon, and her kiss causes death. She has the power of undeath and cold and is a mistress of magic.


The boulders are just really big boulders that some of the giants hurled that were enchanted and explode. So nothing overly fancy, just big fiery rocks that the Temple disagrees with

[Auranghzeb]

Rolling for init, Thugh I understand that you ruled Nehemsek to be further behind.

(1d20+7)[26]


and then the pertinent knowledge checks for when he sees anything.

Religion (1d20+36)[54]

Nature(1d20+36)[38]

[Aegis013]

Initiative (1d20+2)[18] Camilla isn't exactly fast. Nor does she have the knowledge to identify any of the enemies.

[Kaouse]

So...

Dumb idea I was kind of thinking about.

Like, really, really dumb.

I can free action Shapechange back into a Cerynitis, with 180 move speed.

I can free action activate Boots of Haste for an additional 30 move speed.

With 210 move speed, I can use Flickering Step + Dimensional Dervish to teleport a maximum of 420 ft.

Would it be possible to teleport through the rift into Nibelheim, Hit Hel at least once, then teleport back to the other side of the rift?

She can't be harmed by regular weapons, but my Soulsight Goggles allow me to damage even incorporeals with non-magical weapons at half damage, and full damage with magic weapons.

Moreover, my weapon is Phase-Locking. My estimation of the situation is that it might be of paramount importance to stop Hel from coming through the rift. So if I can hit her with a Phase-Locking Weapon at least once, she'll be barred from entering the portal, thus giving the spellcasters on the team time to dispel/destroy the rift.

Of course, this will also definitely subject my character to a pseudo-incurable disease, so I'm wondering if it's worth it to try this out, with the information I have available.

Furthermore, it'll only slow her down for one round, since Phase-Locking only lasts 1 round. Is that enough time to bring down the rift? Can my allies take out the rift before she goes through even without my crazy plan?

And for the GM, does Hel even look like she's preparing to come through the rift, or am I making a mountain out of a molehill?

[Auranghzeb]

Do your items have wilding clasps to work when Shapechanged?

And the googles just allow you to hit incorporeals, that may not be even relevant here. And if you are a Cerynitis (I alwo think you may be using the 3.5 version of Shapechange) then you can't hit Hel with your weapon, because you'll be a Doe...

[Kaouse]

Do your items have wilding clasps to work when Shapechanged?

And the googles just allow you to hit incorporeals, that may not be even relevant here. And if you are a Cerynitis (I alwo think you may be using the 3.5 version of Shapechange) then you can't hit Hel with your weapon, because you'll be a Doe...

As part of Haagenti's Sentinel boons, all of my gear and equipment works in whatever form I'm in.

The Cerynitis is a Large Magical Beast, and thus a viable target for Beast Shape IV, which is part of base Shapechange. As per polymorph rules, you gain the base speed of the creature you transform into. Only additional movement speed modes (i.e. climb, swim, & flight) are capped to any degree in Pathfinder polymorph.

I don't know if the Goggles are relevant here, but that's part of why I'm asking to begin with. Hel is the goddess of undeath, so it's not exactly a reach to think that her immunity to mortal weapons might work on a similar basis to that of incorporeal undead.

[Aegis013]

Of course, this will also definitely subject my character to a pseudo-incurable disease, so I'm wondering if it's worth it to try this out, with the information I have available.

I've got a couple of copies of Heal prepared. It explicitly heals disease, but who knows if it will overcome whatever divine disease you might contract.

[Chambers]

Initiative for Lanharath [roll]1d20+8/roll]

[Ancient]

Initiative for Runa: (1d20+9)[22]

Knowledge Nature (Giants): (1d20+41)[49]
Knowledge Religion (Hel): (1d20+41)[49]

[Chambers]

Goofed up the roll tag.

Initiative (1d20+8)[24]

[Kaouse]

I'd really like the GM to weigh in on whether or not my stupid plan has any merit.

Really, I just want to know if the situation is as I've surmised - Hel is about to come through the rift if not otherwise stopped.

I'm not sure how much distance the others can travel, but this should presumably buy us at least one round if successful, correct?

If we're planning on taking on the Gods, we probably shouldn't be fighting on their terms, with them taking the initiative.

[DrK]

From his perspective she seems to be standing there watching the giants and has just consumed some priests with dark fire
It’s hard to say what’s she is doing but she’s not posed like she is running forwards. Also not sure phase locking would stop walking through an open gate way?

[Kaouse]

From his perspective she seems to be standing there watching the giants and has just consumed some priests with dark fire
It’s hard to say what’s she is doing but she’s not posed like she is running forwards. Also not sure phase locking would stop walking through an open gate way?

Thank you for dissuading me from this idea.

I'm guessing the best thing I can do is to get as big as I possibly can, then try and deflect attacks from the Giants.

How big is the rift, btw? I guess it's at least gargantuan, if the Giants are coming through.

[DrK]

The rift is about 100ft wide and 50ft tall so its more like a curtain into Nifelheim

[DrK]

As a heads up I’ll post the bad guys IC tonight just to keep forward progress in the timing

[Aegis013]

Sounds good. Camilla's initiative was too low to act first (18 exactly). Once they've acted I'll post Camilla's actions.

[Da'Shain]

Initiative: (1d20+24)[31]

I suppose his bonus makes most sense as an insight, so every ally w/in 15 feet of Nefer-Horsif gains a +12 insight bonus to all skills and CL/ML checks.

[Da'Shain]

Forgot to roll for his granted maneuvers, as it'll change whatever he decides to do. Just rolling d100 for each, highest 7 are granted.

Spoiler: Maneuvers Granted

Show

Disrupt Essence (1d100)[73] - granted
Elemental Destruction Ring (1d100)[35]
Cascade of Elemental Wrath (1d100)[58] - granted
Festival of Shadows (1d100)[39] - granted
Sunstroke (1d100)[91] - granted
Decree of Purity (1d100)[34]
Elemental Breach (1d100)[39] - granted
Reflected Blade Style (1d100)[20]
Temporal Body Adjustment (1d100)[37] - granted
Noblesse Oblige (1d100)[69] - granted
Plagiarism (1d100)[29]

EDIT: Kaouse, if you want to try hitting her, Nefer-Horsif gave Henry Sunstroke for his next attack with 4 essence invested, meaning he can make one attack at a range of 1240 feet and may choose to halve his damage to make it hit targets in a 20 ft burst instead. That way you don't have to risk teleporting in.

[DrK]

@ ALL

Please can you indicate whether you accepted the Raging song from Runa or not?
- Just I guess for my knowledge, how do they avoid the spellcasting and AC limitations? Skald capstone, found my own answer

@Da'Shain For Path of War's more untyped bonuses please treat the
- Speed bonus as Enhancement as standard for nearly all spells and increases
- AC and Save bonuses as Morale bonus