Random DM nagging.

[Yuthirin]

Kitty!

[Anastasia]

Correct.

I may do a Behemoth Tiger, just so pounce can be on one. It fits how they're energetic and trample + wild frenzy encourages them to move a lot.

[Anastasia]

Expect possible slowdown over Easter weekend. That being said...

1. The next and probably last sample Behemoth will be a dire tiger. Blame Iddy, he suggested making a behemoth Serith. You're welcome, Iddy.

2. Ideally I get that and part two of the Fall of Bel out over the weekend, but see above. It will be a family weekend so who knows?

3. I have a few half done projects I'll try and get out soon.

[Iron Dragoon]

Expect possible slowdown over Easter weekend. That being said...
1. The next and probably last sample Behemoth will be a dire tiger. Blame Iddy, he suggested making a behemoth Serith. You're welcome, Iddy.

Serith was a Smilodon.

[Anastasia]

Expect possible slowdown over Easter weekend. That being said...
1. The next and probably last sample Behemoth will be a dire tiger. Blame Iddy, he suggested making a behemoth Serith. You're welcome, Iddy.

Serith was a Smilodon.

Close enough for government work. Though actually I think saber toothed tigers are in Frostburn.

[Anastasia]

Quick notice since Cor reminded me of it in PM: In the event B3 PCs or NPCs are used in the future, they will need to become compliant with the current gestalt rules for BAB and saves, rather than the grandfathered ones. Some rejuggling and adjusting for this is expected and perfectly okay.

[Anastasia]

Iddy asked me if anyone planned against Surru.

Of course.

Now granted with a disclaimer: Surru was late to the game, and as such, had less exposure and reasons to be prepared against. This is purely a matter of him coming in later, while people like Jaela and Afina had more exposure and chances to be prepared against.

Lixer: Had some plans against Surraruthru, but mostly flexible ones that boiled down to over powered dispels and ganking him. He though Surru was a considerable tactical asset for Aurora, but less so in battle. It's more of a problem you eliminate so next time is easier, but it doesn't win you the battle you're in right now.
Gathgorian: Was disinterested in him, but he planned to overwhelm him in a brief assault and leave him a broken corpse. Okay that's not much of a plan, but Gathgorian knew that if he fought Surru, it would be with enough boosts to cancel out or exceed Surru's (in theory, anyway), so it comes down to him doing what he does best. Sometimes you just have to play to your strengths and execute.
Mephistopheles: While not a part of the Aurora mess in general, Mephisto has dealt with war/grand weavers before and has tactics to stop them cold, including personalized spells that attack through the tapestry and all the people connected to it. He had fairly established plans to sort Surru out and eliminate him if he or his top agents ran into him. Generally even if you do nothing else but retreat, destroying and capturing the soul of a war/grand weaver saves you headaches in the future and can be counted as a win.
Mystra: A surprise here and not really an enemy. An enterprising one or two grand weavers have tried to make their own Weave by expanding the idea of the tapestry hugely. She usually shuts them down pretty hard. It can range from a gentle warning to utter obliteration, depending on a variety of factors. As a grand weaver, Surraruthru was added to that list and with plans readied.

[Anastasia]

I hope to get the second behemoth up tonight, but tomorrow probably won't see much.

[Anastasia]

Serith's up. Had a decent Easter, but note to self: Don't schedule doctor's things the day after Easter. Never really works out well.

[Anastasia]

Okay, game two has solidified into Iddy and possibly Yuth for the moment, though I could expand it as needed. It's going to be something focused on a mage and his dragon familiar right now in a dungeon survivalist situation.

[Anastasia]

A preview of the second part of the Fall of Bel.

Yes, mercane, honor and your word are the one thing we own in this world. Fools like the dogs of Kabath toss it aside, while Umberlants and Aurilites use it only as far as it is useful to them. Wretched things, pitiable things, following winter breezes and ocean foam. I follow something much stronger - the unmistakable solidness of iron and the burning purity of fire. Mark those words and mark them well, for Baator turns oaths and honor into blades of iron and armor of steel, strong indeed.

[Anastasia]

The Fall of Bel, part 2

You must understand the gravity of the situation. My faith does not approve of my methods, hidebound and traditionalist fools that they are. There must be absolutely no risk of my name being connected to this inquiry of yours, mercane.

Pretty words, beautiful words, wonderful things to put on my crypt should you not keep your word. Yes, I insist on a contract. Nay, I demand one.

This is acceptable, the money is adequate and the lore will suffice. I have no further objections - but know this, those who are oathbreakers will die. It is our way, one of the few things my countrymen and I agree on.

In my many and sundry researches, I sometimes summon devils and exchange various goods for aid. Vainglorious things that they are, yet powerful to match and they appreciate the value of an oath that is taken seriously, rather than as something subject to the whims of change. A vile thing such liberty is, mercane. The dogs of Kabath know such things, barbarians more concerned with their whore of a queen than any concept of honor.

Yes, mercane, honor and your word are the one thing we own in this world. Fools like the dogs of Kabath toss it aside, while Umberlants and Aurilites use it only as far as it is useful to them. Wretched things, pitiable things, following winter breezes and ocean foam. I follow something much stronger - the unmistakable solidness of iron and the burning purity of fire. Mark those words and mark them well, for Baator turns oaths and honor into blades of iron and armor of steel, strong indeed.

Don't think I missed your feeling of exasperation, mercane. You are an open book to one as well trained as I. You think this tedium, the self indulgent words of a wizard. The know this, not a single devil I have summoned has ever failed before this.

Fine. I will deign to lower myself and 'get to the point', as you so barbarously put it. The summoning was as any other. The sacrifice was laid out and the spell circle was correct, as well as the pentagram within. In this case I sought to contract with Maladramar, a skilled erinyes war sorcerer of no little power. I assure you that the summoning was precisely correct - Baator values preciseness.

What happened was...catastrophic. The circle burst into flame as I heard Maladramar screaming. I was taken beyond, away from my workshop through magic dread and unknown. To this magic the nine gates opened with a tremendous scream of iron and the snapping of chains. In that moment Maladramar's screams were drowned out. It is only my skill and foresight that allowed me to cast a spell to keep planar energies at bay, for I was surrounded by green hellfire.

Yes, green.

I routinely have that spell ready whenever I contract, in case of unexpected situations or unplanned planar travel. Only a fool would do otherwise when dealing with things beyond reality, mercane.

A sea of green hellfire, in which the vast armies of Perdition waged war on one another. I could not look away from it and there are no words for such a dreadful thing. Strength! Such strength in them! Spinagons fought one another in smoldering sky, while barbazou rent each other asunder with a ferocity that bordered on the orgiastic. Cornugons clashed, steel against steel and claw against claw.

Such a battle was incalculable. Incomprehensible. It stretched from horizon to horizon, yet my eyes were drawn to one thing.

Maladramar lie on the ground, broken yet breathing, war raged around him. His wings were melted to ash, as if by fire or perhaps acid. A leg was gone and his blood stained him, yet he lived. Only the iron strength of Baator could explain it, a lesser creature would be dead a hundred times over. His gaze found me and he tried to speak, but no words came over the din of battle. His voice was heard in my mind, but was incoherent. I merely watched as he slipped into death's looming embrace, surely dying but not yet dead.

I know because had he died, I suspect whatever sorcery or fluke that brought me there would end. So I watched, unable and strangely unwilling to think of my own ways to escape this. My mind was...placid. Horrified and yet unresisting, a degree of which I cannot adequately explain other than the result of the same force that brought me to that hellish battlefield.

It was then I saw the tide of the battle turn. From the green hellfire the living dead emerged. Skeleton and zombie, ghoul and ghast, vampire and lich. They attacked one side exclusively, cooperating with the devils. And...my eyes were drawn to a few of those winning devils now. I saw them emaciated, withered things. Ill fed or perhaps sickly, with wands aglow with green radiance. To them the living dead fought with relentless strength and unstoppable vigor, crushing the resisting devils between them to the last. How long I watched that massacre I cannot say, for I grew empty of mind, watching without thinking.

I awoke.

I awoke by my summoning circle, whole and returned whence I came. I dared not summon Maladramar again, knowing him as surely dead...or worse. Other summons since them have been normal, but none have been willing to speak of what happened or why, even on pain of the final death or compulsion magic. I know not why or how, but Hell's strength is marvelous, a unity that can resist spell and threat both.

Yes, that is all.

Yes, Maladramar was from Avernus. He served in a Blood War unit under the Lord of the First, the 323rd Spell Support Battalion.

Very well. At first, the two forces fought with the same coordination. Lines and rows, symmetry even as warriors on both sides fell. Orderly, rigid. In this both sides were matched, until the living dead fanning out and using the varied tactics of them. The skeletons and zombies attacked as shock troops, while stronger forces engaged past them. Oh, the other devils adjusted. I heard cries of, "Orcus formation!" from the various commanders, adjusting, trying to funnel the undead, using fire even more against them, sweeping the undead away. Yet they were caught in a devil pincer, the hammer of the other devils smashing them against the anvil of the undead.

No, nothing of the sort. My mind is stronger than that, mercane. Nightmares are the domain of the weak and undisciplined.

No, no sort of sickness or wasting disease. My studies into magic have rendered me beyond mere illness. Let the weak waste away under the yoke of the Adversary's illnesses. Baator fears no disease, nor do I.

Is that all? Very well.

...

...

Wait.

There is one more matter.

Before I chose to focus on summoning magic, I learned a few simple necromatic spells. Trivial cantrips, spells foreign to me after the ritual to focus my magic towards conjurations. Were I to try and read those old spells, I would be unable to make sense of them. Such is the sacrifice to master a single school of magic, mercane. Now....three days ago I reviewed my first spellbook and glanced over those spells.

They are no longer foreign to me. They read as easily as any other spell in my spellbooks, nay, more. As easily as summonings...which...grow more complex to me, less comprehensible.

But that is impossible. Not even Mystra could change such a wizard's dedicated focus once chosen and practiced. Yet...

I know not what happened on Avernus and now I fear to ask.

[Anastasia]

Okay, chain spell and telekinesis is coming up due to Iddy's MotUH build. Lemme do some pasting from a conversation last night that we had.

<Iddy> So.
<Iddy> From what I've seen, people are arguing that because the TK spell entry doesn't designate *target* it's not legal for Chain Spell, however the use of it that's used for wielding the weapons does target weapons.
<Iddy> The other argument is that it infers targets as in combat victim targets, which would let you get an additional +20 attacks for a single TK'd Weapon vs +20 TK'
<Iddy> TK'd weapons.
<Iddy> And then there's the argument that it doesn't apply at all.
> Okay. How does each affect your build?
<Iddy> Okay, well, +20 weapons gives me a total of 21 weapons that I can attack with. Now, since it gives Full Attack Telekinesis, you'd have to rule if Full Attack applies to each weapon, just the first, or none at all.
<Iddy> If Full Attack applies to all, it's something like 80 attacks per round. If it applies to just the first, it's like 25 attacks per round.
<Iddy> If it applies to none, it's just 1 attack per for 21.
<Iddy> If it's so that it's an additional 20 attacks for a single weapon, then it's sorta the same thing as #2. Winds up being like 21 attacks, or if Full Attack still applies, 25 attacks.
<Iddy> If it doesn't apply at all, then I get 1 weapon at full attack which is like 5 attacks, I think.
<Iddy> http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?382320-How-does-Chain-Spell-Telekinesis-targeting-REALLY-work
<Iddy> That has the jist of most the arguments for/against.
> Well, I meant how does it change your build and tactics?
<Iddy> Well if it doesn't apply at all, there's no real point to taking Chain Spell since I'd only have one weapon anyway. It'd free up that slot for something else. Tactics wise, I'd just have to treat myself as an equal level fighter, sorta. I'd just have the one weapon.
<Iddy> Well, and spells.
> Okay, I'll sleep on it and get back to you tomorrow.
<Iddy> Coolio. Thanks.

Chain spell is weird with TK, no doubt about it. It falls into that hazy realm of DM discretion as there's no definitive ruling or opinion of how they interact. Now let's be real, a nova situation of having 80 attacks per round simply isn't going to happen. I know it, you know it. I'm not that sort of DM and yeah, that feels like the sort of rules situation that needs a DM sanity check.

So I'm going to rule chain spell doesn't apply to the attack all segment of TK, save us all some headaches. However, I have no real problems applying it to other parts of it, like shenanigans with the class capstone or throwing a bunch of weapons in a pseudo radius attack.

[Iron Dragoon]

So I can only TK wield 1 weapon but I can toss multiple people or violent thrust multiple people?

[Anastasia]

Yeah, we'll try it like that, see how it goes.

I don't wanna disable the entire interaction because of one interaction that gets out of hand.