The Gossip Board

[Carthrat]

Certainly agreed that a plan is needed for any abyss-related journeys.

Would like to find some way of combining our objectives, though. I will have to think on this. A war is one option but possibly not the only one, we must secure a method of travelling through Baator sooner or later, and we already know Mari's sister is involved in the Blood War- like it or not, issues between devils and demons are pinging at the edge of our scope right now.

[VySaika]

While we're in the abyss, I'll need a constant disguise. Thankfully, I have Disguise Self as an at will SLA. I'm thinking Kobold for my disguise, since they're on the small end of Small and Adail is on the big end of Tiny. Shouldn't be that much of a stretch. Also I'll blame any Detect Goods that pick us up on the fact that I have Protection from Evil up(I'll pretend I'm a Kobold Sorc/Monk or something), which is fairly reasonable for anyone to have going in the frikking ABYSS.

That sound good?

[Dracos]

Well, really if we can get some non-detectable going that would probably be better.  I mean, sure you can shapeshift, but Kam would detect easily enough as well.  Really don't know any reasonable way to do that, but that'd be the best bet for a generally stealthy take that doesn't have us flagging target signs.

[Anastasia]

In due time, Kamvakua receives the weapon promised to him: Heaven-Stroke:  Large Dwarven Warpike+1, holy.

---

Mari's shapechanging becomes 2/day now. Further, if she wishes to pursue it, she can take the following PrC.

This is an altered master of many forms, as you may gather on reading it. I'm not gonna hide it. <_<

Master of Forms

Prerequisites:

Special: Shapechanging ability.

Feat: Alertness, Endurance.

Hit die: d8.

Class skills: Climb, concentration, craft, diplomacy, disguise, handle animal, hide, jump, listen, spot, swim and survival.

Medium BAB, good fort and ref saves.

Shifter's Speech (Ex)

At 1st level, a master of forms may speak normally regardless of it's form. She can communicate with others of the creature type she changed into, if they can communicate with each other normally.

Improved Shapechanging (Su)

A master of forms learns how to assume other forms as she advances. At first level she can transform into an animal. At second level she can assume the shape of a giant, a monstrous humanoid at 3rd level, a fey at 4th level, a vermin at 5th level, an aberration at 6th level,  a plant at 7th level, an ooze at 8th level, an elemental at 9th level and a dragon at 10th level. In addition, she may change into a large creature at 2nd level, a tiny creature at 4th level, a huge creature at 6th level, a diminutive creature at 8th level and a gargantuan creature at 10th level. She also gains another use of shapechange every even numbered level of master of forms(2, 4, 6, 8, 10).

Generally, when turning into a non medium sized humanoid, her gear melds into her new form. As with before, you need to be familiar with a creature(usually by encountering it) before you can transform into it. (Mari, if you do take this class you'd probably want to make a list of all the various monsters Mari's ran into.)

Fast Shapechange (Ex)

Starting at 3rd level, shapechange becomes a move action instead of a standard action.

Extrodinary Shapechange (Ex)

At 7th level, the master of forms gains all the extraordinary special qualities of the form it changes into.

Evershifting Form (Ex)

At 10th level the master of forms becomes immune to any transmutation effect unless it allows it to affect it. In addition, she no longer takes penalties for aging, though bonuses still accrue. She still dies when her time is up.

[Sierra]

Fun. Prereqs mean I can't access it for a while, of course, but at least there's nothing else I was just dying to get for my next feats (GTWF isn't accessible for ages anyway due to the BAB required).

[Anastasia]

You could retrain feats, but yeah.

[Anastasia]

Okay, there's been a lot of discussion on what your next plan is. Have it figured out and decided on by gametime, be it lich hunting or abyss ridin' or gold hunting or whatever else.

[Zephyrus]

I'm not sure where we are on equipment for our trip to the Abyss, but I'm for a money run if needed.

If we don't....I think that the Phylactery should be our top priority. As I remember Kam remarking, it would be awesome if we killed the Lich and she respawned in the Bebilith's pit and pwnd. However, if she gets even more baddies on her side by battling her way out of the Abyss...that'll come back and bite us in the ass.

So either way, I think a trip to the Abyss is on our agenda.

[Dracos]

I believe our plan is Abyss Ridin'.

That said, there are two things to resolve that we do not have.  Both of them are in my earlier post.  Kam would like to ask around about both of those to get an idea before session if possible, but if not then yeah the first objective during the session is information gathering.

Personally, I'd rather start the session with getting toward the abyss myself, but I don't have either a "How do we intend to get from start point to finish point" or a "How do we intend to leave afterwards".  I botched knowledge on it.  Glad to just ask any eladrin willing to talk on abyss trips.

Also does Endure Elements work against the Acid Rain?  It kind of says it doesn't, but there's no other spell I'm aware of that's good for low tier persistent environmental damage.  A proper Resist last minutes not hours and is more geared towards serious 1d6 or higher tier acid damage.  if not, um, is there something?  Again, a question to more experienced abyss raiders from the Eladrin.  Surely they've got folks here who've made abyss side trips and can advise on basic 'duh' protections amidst regaling us with their own epic heroics in the abyss.

Tl;dr: I want to go to the abyss, but I just want the basic 'duh' prep covered first.  Where we going, how we leaving, what kind of raincoat do we need to be wearing.  I'd prefer handling this pre-session to in session.

[Dracos]

And yeah, if we find that the answer is "There's duh prep, but we can't afford it" then it's go money hunting instead.  But I'd prefer abyss really.

[Anastasia]

I believe our plan is Abyss Ridin'.

That said, there are two things to resolve that we do not have.  Both of them are in my earlier post.  Kam would like to ask around about both of those to get an idea before session if possible, but if not then yeah the first objective during the session is information gathering.

Which ones are these? I've answered a lotta questions, humor me and post them again?

Also does Endure Elements work against the Acid Rain?  It kind of says it doesn't, but there's no other spell I'm aware of that's good for low tier persistent environmental damage.  A proper Resist last minutes not hours and is more geared towards serious 1d6 or higher tier acid damage.  if not, um, is there something?  Again, a question to more experienced abyss raiders from the Eladrin.  Surely they've got folks here who've made abyss side trips and can advise on basic 'duh' protections amidst regaling us with their own epic heroics in the abyss.

Endure Elements wouldn't stop acid rain. Certain planar protection spells would, such as Avoid Planar Effects in the Spell Compendium.

[Dracos]

I believe our plan is Abyss Ridin'.

That said, there are two things to resolve that we do not have.  Both of them are in my earlier post.  Kam would like to ask around about both of those to get an idea before session if possible, but if not then yeah the first objective during the session is information gathering.

Which ones are these? I've answered a lotta questions, humor me and post them again?

Sorry I confused, though I did ask them again just below the part you quoted.  The three questions to general Eladrin that Kam cares about is:

A)How does one travel between layers in the abyss and what is a good suggested starting route to go from wherever we are being gated to where we want to go?

B)How does one exit the abyss back into any other normal/relatively safe plane?  Are their any exit points near to our intended goal and how would we use them?

C)What are the basic protections one should have readied to travel on that plane?  It sounds like Avoid Planar Effects is one of them.

Also does Endure Elements work against the Acid Rain?  It kind of says it doesn't, but there's no other spell I'm aware of that's good for low tier persistent environmental damage.  A proper Resist last minutes not hours and is more geared towards serious 1d6 or higher tier acid damage.  if not, um, is there something?  Again, a question to more experienced abyss raiders from the Eladrin.  Surely they've got folks here who've made abyss side trips and can advise on basic 'duh' protections amidst regaling us with their own epic heroics in the abyss.

Endure Elements wouldn't stop acid rain. Certain planar protection spells would, such as Avoid Planar Effects in the Spell Compendium.

I have not books in front of me.  Is this a cleric spell or a wizard spell?  Is it on the paladin list by any hope?  If not cleric or paladin, how much does it cost to get the spell so that Nikki can learn it?

Thanks.

[Sierra]

Mari has a couple thousand gold she can throw towards getting that spell if more cash is necessary. Sounds it would help to have it, at least.

Basically agreeing with everything Drac's said about hopefully handling prep stuff beforehand if possible. We have quests, goals, scary places and entities to visit! Looking forward to seeing them and not bogging session down in minutiae that could be sorted out pregame. Can knowledge: planes be applied to any of the questions in Drac's last post, or has our exploitation of that reached the limit for this particular mission? Talking to eladrin for info beforehand isn't really too objectionable if that's our only option; better than going unprepared and dying because of it. And I'm highly skeptical of our chances of getting reliable info from locals once we're there.

I should note that Mari will likely be nagging people to go to Baator as soon as possible, because I can't see her being patient about that at all. It's not me trying to steer things in a different direction! It's just the only way I could see her acting right now. She'll still abide by group decisions and all that. I personally am in agreement with going to the Abyss since we'd decided a while ago to take care of Nik's stuff next and, really, Baator's just as dangerous anyway (the first thing the first devil we talked to on Magma did was try to mind control us into joining the Blood War. Visiting a whole plane full of people like that? Ew. Some form of diplomatic protection sounds like a good idea there; while Knight's old boss can possibly provide it, it defeats the point if we have to go there to find him before we can even count on not getting mindraped in the streets. Find some way to contact him remotely later, maybe?)

[Anastasia]

Sorry I confused, though I did ask them again just below the part you quoted.  The three questions to general Eladrin that Kam cares about is:

A)How does one travel between layers in the abyss and what is a good suggested starting route to go from wherever we are being gated to where we want to go?

B)How does one exit the abyss back into any other normal/relatively safe plane?  Are their any exit points near to our intended goal and how would we use them?

C)What are the basic protections one should have readied to travel on that plane?  It sounds like Avoid Planar Effects is one of them.

Nah, it's cool. I've just answered so many I'm trying to keep straight what I have and haven't.

A) The most common way is to head to Pazunia, the first layer of the Abyss. From there you can find portals to almost any other layer, which are deep sinkholes you leap into. Some layers have portals to other layers, but this is more erratic and less reliable. There are other methods, such as sailing the River Styx, but navigation is difficult as the chaos of the Abyss can often change currents, directions and generally fuckwith ship-riders. If you want to pursue this angle, talk to me.

B)  There are various exit-portals dotted over the Abyss. They are never to the Heavens(With very rare exceptions beyond the scope of this situation), but often other evil realms, the elemental realities, and the Astral. The Styx can be used this way as well to leave to other evil planes bordering the Abyss. You guys can make an K:P check to determine if the 36th layer has any such portals or Styx-ways. Post results in this thread.

C) Avoid planar effects or variants thereof are always good. Beyond that it varies wildly from layer to layer of the Abyss. Acid protection sounds obvious for the 36th layer.

I have not books in front of me.  Is this a cleric spell or a wizard spell?  Is it on the paladin list by any hope?  If not cleric or paladin, how much does it cost to get the spell so that Nikki can learn it? Thanks.

Cleric and wizard, spell compendium. See also: Attune Form.

[VySaika]

> roll 1d20+8 lets all watch Adail fail another Knowledge roll
<Kobot> Gatewalker rolled 1d20+8 lets all watch Adail fail another Knowledge roll --> [ 1d20=7 ]{15}

I don't really know why I still bother.