Random DM nagging.

[Corwin]

Also, how much would two more ironwyrm golems cost us? Since our mage force has grown so massive and we're conditionally splitting it up into three corresponding parts, we might as well get one for each (or three for the combined force).

[Ebiris]

Just their presence is enough to be noted. Full details are in the mechanised post if they're ever needed.

[Anastasia]

The next two days are going to go as follows:

Friday:

Ithea&Afina: Finish her current adventure and return.
Muirfinn: Vivantha and the lillend.
Jaela: Misc. Jaela depends the most on how the rest goes, since I'm trying to set up Saturday.

Saturday:

Group session. You'll find out what's happening tomorrow.

[Anastasia]

Bonus material, version Abigor.

I won't post his full sheet for awhile since it needs a bunch of cleanup. I had to change around things when he lost the Duke of Hell template, but various notes below. I'm a little dazed so coherency may be all over the place. Alas.

Abigor didn't have proper divine traits. He had a tiny bit of the spark, but he wasn't close to there yet. Mechanically he had maximum HP per HD and kept the +3 profane bonus to armor class from the Duke of Hell template. That's it.

Pit Fiend 40//Fighter 10/Cavalier 30: I used a basic pit fiend, advanced it to 40 HD and changed its body shape. Abigor lost most of his natural attacks from this, but that's fine since he's a 'civilized' warrior. His high level explains his heavy resistances - and in a straight battle he'd have more to hit and a bunch more AC, as he'd be properly enchanted. He could have been easily the climatic boss of the campaign in better circumstances. Even a 'mere' Duke of Hell is an epic level threat.

Speed: 50ft, fly 70ft (average) - Abigor can fly on his own power, but it wasn't relevant in this battle. It's mostly a surprise in case someone tries to dismount him from his flying mount.

Abilities: Str 44, Dex 27, Con 38, Int 26, Wis 26, Cha 26 - Abigor didn't have permanent stat boosters in place, save for a +6 con from his armor. He generally relied on his servants to enchant him up instead. If he'd had more time or perhaps escaped to a different hiding place, he would have gotten at least a belt of magnificence+4.

Abigor's Charge

Base is as follows: Ebon Sunder+71 (2d6+23 plus 2d6 lawful plus 3d6 unholy and 1 negative level (12d6 and 4 negative levels on crit) plus plus 6d6 on crit 19-20 x4) x5 with deadly charge. Up to x6 with valorous. Up to x7 with dire charge. Up to x10 on a crit. Thus, 14d6+161+2d6+3d6 and 1 negative level on a normal strike and 20d6+230+2d6+3d6 and 1 negative level on a crit. Of course, this doesn't take into account PA or the +2 to hit for charge. Let's assume -20 PA is his base charge routine. Therefore: Ebon Sunder+53 (14d6+301+2d6+3d6 and 1 negative level) (20d6+430+2d6+12d6 and 4 negative levels on crit). Note that this includes no enchantments or other boosts. Odds are his to hit and damage would be even higher. Note that Ebon Sunder has the ability to negate miss chance.

I'd made a point to hint at this all game. Fighting Abigor in a straight up charging battle is suicidal, full stop. From the beginning the flavor text was meant to reinforce this. A vision of fear clad in immaculate armor, Abigor wasted no time in ending any hope of victory. On his dark horned steed did he go, seemingly at every point of resistance in mere hours. Each time he came, his charge shattered all defiance. From the Story so far... information post before the start of the game. I usually frown on this level of charge shenanigans, but I decided to make an exception and make it a plot point. Technically he can make a full attack at the end of a charge, but I was ignoring that. 500+ damage charges is enough for a threat without making it silly. I gave him a bonus feat in place of it.

The epic feats Armor Mastery and Epic Heavy Armor Optimization came from Abigor, as did Epic Cavalier.

Abigor's SR was 52. By the time you'd fight him as a climatic end boss, you'd be able to deal with this. Be it SR boosters, levels or SR: No spells, I was anticipating you'd be able to work around it. Battling him early did take away his greatest weapon, but it did present difficulties like this.

Abigor having quickened Superb Dispelling was standard for mid-high epic creatures that get a racial greater dispel. Again, this was extra potent because you fought him early. It still would have been highly effective later on, but not 100% odds of dispelling anything you could throw out. Generally, mid-high epic threats find greater dispel magic worthless, so I upgrade it. 3.5 casting is potent as all hell, so I have a vested DMing interest in ensuring they can take counter measures.

Abigor's plot came out in such a way that his failures were presented fully. However, his countermeasures never came to light, so Auril's revelation about his divine seed was a surprise to everyone. Back in Balmuria 1, Abigor was embarrassed (like basically everyone in Avernus at the time) by Zquujaj's invasion. This fiasco cast failures on the entire military structure of Avernus. While the relatively recently ascended Bel could blame his predecessor and her military appointments, the rest of the command structure wasn't so lucky. This was strike 1. 

So now on the back foot, Abigor tried to recover by soaking up some glory. Romiel, Alicia and Seira's crusade to eliminate the Shar-tainted Agares was coming around. The plan was simple - let the two forces meet and then be in position to slaughter the winner. If Agares wins, march on in and finish the job. If the crusade wins, let them come out and engage them in a battle of annihilation. It was a good plan and it was one with good odds of success. Unfortunately for Abigor, he got dicked over by Beezlebub. The Fallen has no love for true devils and an interest in Alicia, so he provided the crusade a safe out from Avernus. Suddenly his plan became an unmitigated disaster, as he allowed a successful en masse heavenly incursion into Avernus. This was strike 2.

This more or less stewed for 20 years. As you know, at this point there were rumblings within Hell's military about replacing him. You saw the upshot of this and how Gathgorian was urged to take Abigor's position. Simply and sidestepping some spoilery material, Lifasa was a chance for Abigor to save himself. However, Abigor's no witless fool. He'd been preparing contingencies for twenty years, including safe havens and several deceptions in the mortal realms. Long ago Abigor had found a way to empower a faint few mortals with a fraction of clerical might. Disguising himself as 'variants' on local deities to witless mortal patsies, he began to attract worship. Now there's a lot more to divinity than just worshipers and collecting prayers, but the various plots were enough to gain some few shreds of divine power.

Anyway, Lifasa was glory followed by mounting embarrassments. Aurora's growth and continued success fell in Abigor's lap, and what's worse? Aurora was showing lots of chaotic leanings! Slaad influence! Courting the eladrin! Bad things. It's one thing to court celestial help against a diabolical crusade. It's expected, really. But when they also go chaotic? Unacceptable. Abigor was aware of the plots against him. He had plenty of "loyal friends" in Hell and particularly in the Dark Ministry. When Aurora used the notes of Marshal Dagos and Prince Lixer against him, he was prepared to move. It may hearten you to know that he narrowly avoided decapitation at Gathgorian's hands and only because he had a potent escape prepared, one that was able to circumvent the expected dimensional lock.

He had several potential allies to take refuge at, of varying power and reliability. For the sake of fairness I rolled the result randomly. It was pure luck that the Auril hint 27 gave was the one that happened.

As for Abigor's personality, I was aiming for WW2's Erich von Manstein. He had a quote about the Jews that had a deliberate reference in Abigor's rhetoric: When asked about the concentration camps, von Manstein replied, "They're just Jews." Abigor was a political opportunist and survivor, much like von Manstein. They're just mortals, after all. His personality didn't have much time to shine. Auril wasn't fooled by anything he said, which further undermined his chance to play this up. In a different situation, he'd casually dismiss all of Lifasa's horrors are 'overeager troops' and thus he is blameless in these horrors.

Incidentally, Auril really had no way to lose in this entire affair. She had her bases covered extremely well and circumstances played into her hand. Her role in your story is minor at best, but it's a profitable one for her.

[Anastasia]

Spell preview, circa Auril.

[spoiler]

Frost Armor
Conjuration (Creation) [Cold]
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 hour/level (D)

You conjure armor of ice around your body. This armor does not inhibit or harm you nor does it melt. This armor grants a +4 armor bonus to armor class and resistance to fire 10.

Material Component

A handful of snow or a fragment of ice.

Greater Frost Armor
Conjuration (Creation) [Cold]
Level: Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M

This spell functions as Frost Armor, except as noted here. Greater Frost Armor grants a +6 bonus to armor class and resistance to fire 20.

Material Component

A white opal worth 50 gold.

Icedawn's Armor
Conjuration (Creation) [Cold]
Level: Sor/Wiz 11
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 hour/level (D)

This spell creates a full body suit of icy, form-fitting blue armor on you. This armor does not inhibit or harm you nor does it melt. This armor grants you a +15 armor bonus to armor class and immunity to fire.

Focus

A miniature breastplate made of blue ice that costs 10,000 gold.

Great Northern Wind
Evocation [Air, Cold]
Level: Sor/Wiz 15
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100ft + 10ft/level)
Area: One 1000ft cube
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Fortitude partial
Spell Resistance: Yes

This spell conjures a massive windstorm of sub-zero cold and frigid snow. This deals 25d6 points of cold damage to all creatures within the area of the spell except for the caster. A Fortitude save halves the damage and negates the following two effects. In addition, creatures that fail the save are knocked prone by the force of the wind. Further, the numbing cold inflicts a -10 penalty to Dexterity (cannot go below 1). Creatures immune to cold are only subject to possibly being knocked prone. Flying creatures that would be knocked prone are instead blown to the southern end of the cube.

Material Component

A handful of snow.

[Anastasia]

Todo list for the next few days.

1. Golem stuff+unarmed book stuff.
2. Finish up Auril. She's about 95% done, it's all little stuff now.
3. Mirajane. Her build is going to involve favored soul on one side and the other side to be determined. I have notes for the choices she's made and the directions she's been influenced in, but that doesn't equate to a full build.
4. Posting Yuth's log from today since Cor wasn't in there. Whoops.
5. Essays if time permits or profile topic.

You can blame Tales of Graces for the backlog.

[Anastasia]

We have a hellish super storm coming this way. If I vanish any time from tomorrow to Tuesday I may be gone up to a week. I hope it doesn't happen but we're gonna get hurricane-hammered up here.

[Anastasia]

Unarmed Mastery

This book is about unarmed technique. When read, it explains how to use unarmed strikes in detail, showing all manner of tricks, techniques and skills. The exact benefit varies on how skilled the reader is with unarmed strikes. See the table below.

Non-proficient: Gain Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat.
Proficient: Gain Weapon Focus(Unarmed Strike) as a bonus feat.
Proficient+Weapon Focus(Rapier): Gain Karmic Fist.

Karmic Fist (Ex)

As a full round action while fighting unarmed, you may make a single attack at your full base attack bonus against a single target. If you successfully hit, you deal extra damage. For each 10 points of damage the target has dealt to you or your allies in the past round, you deal an extra 1d6 points of damage (to a maximum of 30d6 extra damage).

This book can only be benefited from once before the mysteries within it fade and it becomes an ordinary tome.

[Anastasia]

Todo tomorrow: Distribute the material from Auril's post.

[Yuthirin]

Unless anyone has WF(rapier), Ill use the book.

[Anastasia]

Oh, typo. That's supposed to be Weapon Focus: Unarmed Strike. I forgot to change that when I copy/pasted the rapier book.

[Yuthirin]

Done!

[Ebiris]

Also, how much would two more ironwyrm golems cost us? Since our mage force has grown so massive and we're conditionally splitting it up into three corresponding parts, we might as well get one for each (or three for the combined force).

Sorry I missed this!

Ironwyrm Golems are 56,250gp a pop. Also they're not that good for the mage forces since they're slow and can't fly and the only range stuff they have is a powerful (but fiery) breath weapon. One's okay to have a mage babysit for Fly and such, but I dunno if we need more.

[Anastasia]

Sometimes an idea doesn't bear fruit. I've had the idea of spells tailored to augment fighter bonus feats for some time. Imagine a stout warrior that's picked up a bit of spellcasting or a charismatic fighter with a bit of sorcerous dragon blood granting them magic. Sounds good, right?

Nope. There's a whole raft of flaws with the idea. First of all, it reinforces the assertion that the only way to help fighters is to have them learn spells. Second of all, there's really not many feats that are fighter specific. Outside of the weapon specialization line, there's maybe two or three in the entire game. That's not much design space to work in. Finally, any good ideas here would be better off as an actual feat for fighters to take.

I present this here as a curiosity. The idea hasn't been proofread at all and won't be furthered developed.

[spoiler]Fighter Feat Spells

This category of spells are the result of a fighter's battle acumen being augmented with arcane magic. These are spells known by warriors with a dash of arcane ability, such as a brave melee brawler that has picked up the basics of spellcasting or a man at arms with a bit of supernatural blood in his veins. These spells are denoted by the Feat descriptor in the spell. Each Fighter Feat Spell requires a feat to cast and gain the benefit from the spell, noted at the bottom of the spell. A character that does not possess the appropriate feat cannot cast that Fighter Feat spell or gain any benefit from the spell.

Weapon Attunement
Transmutation [Feat]
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, F
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Personal
Target: You
Duration: 1 hour/level

When you cast this spell, you instantly shift your talents to another weapon. Select a weapon that you possess weapon specialization with. You may change the weapon for that feat and any related feats to another weapon. For feats that apply to an entire category of weapons, such as melee weapon mastery, you may choose to change them if your new weapon would not be eligible to benefit from them.

Focus

The weapon you wish to change your feats to.

Fighter Feat Required

Weapon Specialization

[Anastasia]

If y'all want anything from the Aurora shops, go ahead and post about it now in loot. You won't officially buy them until you get back, but this lets me sort things out ahead of time.