daryen / Skeeve

Since I don't want to clutter up too much on the other threads, I will note these items here.

When Skeeve gets back to the Base, he wants to do the following:
1) Talk with Phlan. He wants to get a library token and a city matrix token. He also wants to convince Phlan to call the base New Paphos and to take the title of Mayor. (Or whatever is appropriate. Mayor seems the least threatening to any powers around them and recognizes his administrative role thus far. He can claim whatever noble title he wants later when he has a better chance to make it stick.) Hopefully this will give Phlan enough confidence in him to tell him what is happening on the larger stage (and what we found going on at the other two Remnants).
2) Talk with Fiznik to let him know what he has found and make a copy of his new map for his use. (He'll actually make two copies. See below.) He'll also turn in his spell storing gem and tablet. He will ask for a new spell storing gem with just a single charge as a step-down replacement.
3) Spend some time with Ishzu and Baun. He wants to make sure they know how to use the Matrix Node, how to use the gem with the Matrix Node, and that they have the V-pattern memorized.
4) He will remotely check in with the Seer and send him a copy of the city matrix node he found, and give him some updates on what he has learned thus far. He'll also ask how the refugees are doing.

Phlan is wiling to accept the name change once the expeditionary base has residents besides adventurers, guards, and researchers. Which should be within the year. I can do some narrative manipulation to speed that up but it won't be instantaneous. As noted in the story any tokens they have found are inactive and so useless. Yes you can get one, Yes I already gave hints, yes you can ask for more info, in game.
There are other map making items, similar to the one Ander had if you want to buy one or can convince the expedition you are worth the loan. The tablet and spell storage device are restricted for matrix explorations due to their use. If you want a single charge item it will cost 500 GP. Loans are as needed. Your current assignment does not merit the cost/risk.
Working with Fiznik and Valpip to tutor the two should accelerate things and be worth the time to the artificer and wizard.
The city matrix is a closed system, Seer can file it but has no way to interact with it. The refugees are doing well. There is much work to get a summer crop in so the manor does not need to pay for all the food needed for the next winter.

@daryen updated

I thought Phlan would be able to create new token for whomever he pleases. I know old found ones are useless, but if Phlan authorizes it (and I have no idea of how that is done), then the new token should be good. That's the direction I was trying to go in. With a network access token (a subway pass?), it should be easier to explore more of the remains of the city.

Also, he does want to ask Phlan about what was going on in those other Remnants. Can the base work with whatever cooperative the goblins are running? Who were the armored defenders in the other Remnant? He is very curious about that.

And I don't expect you to fully answer anything here. This is just to give you an idea of what Skeeve is trying to do and find out.

Sory, if you walk into an abandoned US city and declare yourself mayor you don't instantly have access to all computer systems. Now if someone becomes mayor and gets help being recognized by whatever remains of their magics, that's a different story. You have yet to find/recognize a civic authority. I can fast track this line of though in the story thread since I agree it will make some things quicker and get rid of mindless trekking.

He will definitely responde so suche questions in story. I know many preferer to do much/all in character but some times query lists and data dumps are much quicker for PbP. Skeeve talks with xxx and as they talk he tries to learn more about yyy, with specific question on zzzz. Your are pretty good at it but others dont think of it or care to use that format. shrug

If we were F2F, I'd want to do it more "in character". But with PbeM or PbP, I like to make sure my intentions and goals are all laid out so that things don't have to get bogged down in a whole bunch of back-n-forths. That way the parts that can be advanced more quickly can be, and you can slow it down whenever you need to.

And, obviously, if the situation changes, then I will adjust Skeeve's goals and actions. Also, I thought Phlan already had the authority. Now that he knows that isn't the case, Skeeve will focus on fixing that first.

Phlan is the head administrator of the expedition base sent from outside. The city has abandoned since at least the Shattering. But I will fast track the civic reconstruction. It's been heading that way for a while now anyhow. I will do another Phlan dump for public consumption to try to tie up lost threads and things I missed tonight. Let me know any points I have missed so far it you want more info on

OK, I have no idea when this will be needed, but I am thinking Skeeve will be working to get one more Archmage Trait. Skeeve should be able to get one more Trait, plus an extra Heritage Trait. For the Heritage Trait, I plan on limiting him in that it can't be an Archmage Trait, only a standard Trait. (That just make most sense to me.) But there is still room for one more Archmage Trait.

For that Trait, I want to do something around illusions. I figure one of the four abilities should be combat focused, but that is not my primary idea for the illusions. I want them to be more general-use so that Skeeve can trick both individuals and large groups of people. I can go look for some example D&D spells, if that'd help for what I'm thinking of. One item would be to disguise himself or someone nearby, up to an including making the target invisible. (But they wouldn't actually be invisible; those watching would think they were simply not there.) Another one would be to make larger-scale illusions, like an imaginary scene. Not creating a whole forest or castle or anything. But making a gate look like a blank wall, or making a blank wall look like it had a door present. Or making a hut look like a fort, or a fort look like a cabin. Or making a big fierce looking dragon. The dragon would look impressive, breathe fire, and whatnot, but it wouldn't do any real damage, as it isn't actually real.

Anyway, would something like that work? Obviously, there is no immediate urgency to this. But, that's why I'm asking now, so it could be ready for when it is time to use it.

Illusion is possible. Are you leaning into the mental aspect or sensory manipulation? It may not matter but it would affect how I think about it. The mechanical things I can think of involve forcing disadvantage or granting advantage for some actions but I will think on itl

Which do the fae do? That's the experience he'd be drawing on. I'm thinking something that is kinda a combination of both, really.

The main thing is that I am looking for something along the lines of:
- Change the way someone or a small group looks (up to and including invisibility).
- Change the way terrain or surrounds look. (Sized up to at least a large room or large hut.)
- Some kind of attack. Have to think on this one.
Not sure of the fourth item. Maybe setting up a repeating presentation that lasts for a while after set up. Should be able to at least be as big as an elephant.

Ideally, it would include visual and audible effects. Smell and taste would be good, too. So, for example, a set of rations could be made to look, smell, and taste like a fine meal. However, it can still only do so much. If the food is bad, there is an immediate save to detect it. If it is poison, likewise, there is a save to avoid it.

The whole idea is that no one with a reason to not believe would initially take the display at face value. Depending on what it does, they'd either get a save to disbelieve or just find out it's fake to begin with. So, for example, if a door is covered up to look like a continuous wall, anyone not familiar with that door and wall would just assume it's a wall. Anyone who is familiar with it gets an immediate save. A fake bridge would get an immediate save when they tried to use it to see if they figure out the illusion before falling. (If they are running to cross it, the save is at disadvantage. If they are being cautious, they get advantage.) Things like that. Same for the disguise/invisibilty.

This would only work on something with a "mind". This includes animals, but not anything that is considered "mindless".

Fea use both depending on the type.
I will have to think about invisibility. I know some systems have it as a low level power but I think it is a bit more than that. Is invisibility uses in any of the Tiny systems?

From what I have seen so far...

In Tiny Super heroes: invisibility appears as a Power. As most powers, it has 3 levels, getting better each level. Accessible from the start.

In Tiny Frientiers: there is no specific Invisibility power, but DM can create it's effects under the Xenotech technological items. Accessible from the start, subject to DMs approval.

In D&D: Invisibility is a 2nd level illusion spell. Accessible for wizard from 3rd level characters.. so not starting level, but very low level.

In D&D terms I was trying to combine the 2nd level spell Invisibility and 1st level spell Disguise Self, which are both illusions. (There is a 2nd level Alter Self, but it is a transmutation and makes an actual change to the target's form. I'm trying to stay with illusion.)

I'll dig through my Tiny archive again to see if there is any invisibility there ...

Lesse ... Looking through things, but focusing on the Tiny Dungeons side of things ...

In the base rules, the description of Spell-Touched states outright that the user "can produce small illusory objects, make small objects turn invisible, conjure ... phantom sounds from nowhere". So, with Spell-Touched, invisibility is already baked in, though only for something very small scale. However, since this is an Archmage ability, it wouldn't seem out of reason to increase the size of the target to human-sized (i.e. a character). Obviously, it all stops when an attack or other spell is made.

There are two references to invisibility in the Micro Settings. In the Spirit World, one of the Spirit Offerings is "Invisible for 1d6 turns", which can be invoked at any point until midnight. In Streets of Fey, the antagonistic Fey get to be invisible at will until they attack. No roll; no trait. That's just how they are. In both cases, there are no other qualifications on the invisibility.

So, in the case of using the Disguise Self ability, I figure that it would give advantage for Disguise. In the case of Invisibility, it would give advantage to Sneaky. (I figure even if you don't move or breathe or anything, the roll is still necessary so they don't accidentally run into you or whatever.)

In the Tiny Compendium, I see two items that are "invisibility adjacent".
An Archpsion power (equivalent to one of the four entries for Archmage) is:
- World of Illusion: With a successful test with Disadvantage, you can altogether change the perception of a targeted create. You tailor every sense, filling their mind with whatever you wish. Any damage to the target breaks the illusion.

A Necromancer power (equivalent to one of the four entries for Archmage) is:
- Made of Shadows: With a 2d6 test, you can meld with a shadowy area, such that no non-magical attack can harm you. This effect lasts until you make an attack or leave the shadows. You cannot be healed or interact with any solid ojbect while in this state. You have advantage to all Stealth rolls while made of shadow stuff.

And in Destiny of Tides, I see two more items in the general vicinity of invisibility.
In Amethyst Magic, there is:
- Hidden: You and any allies touching you become instantly camouflaged. The skin takes on the appearance and texture of your surroundings, making those affected very difficult to notice. This also happens to held objects, clothing, and possessions. It ends the moment anyone moves.

Also in Destiny of Tides, in Aquamarine Magic. there is:
- Inkcloud: You release a sudden blast of ink. Underwater, this creates a black ink cloud, blinding anyone within it. Outside of the water, this creates an oily jet that makes surfaces slick and objects too slippery to hold, stain cloth, paper, or other surfaces, or blind a specific target by spraying their eyes.

I still need to look it over by here is my first take
+ Mask : change the appearance of 1 creature to normal senses
+ Veil : change the appearance of an area. Creatures in the area that you attempt to conceal can not move of the veil is ruined.
+ invisibility : you become invisible
+ Cloak : you create a barrier that hides creatures, rendering them effectively invisible
+ Mute/Inundate : You weaken/overwhelm one sense of a creature. The world around them is overridden with false information making it nearly impossible to use that sense.

How about something like this:
Mask: You may change the appearance, to any degree, of any one person or object, and it will appear as that object to anyone observing it. If the disguised thing or person moves or speaks, roll at Advantage to avoid suspicion. If failed, someone will know something is wrong, but might not know exactly what or figure it out immediately.
Invisibility: You may make any one person or object invisible. Anyone trying to find them is at disadvantage. All attacks on an invisible target are at disadvantage. If someone is invisible, they can make their first attack at advantage, but the invisibility is then broken.
Image: You may create an image of anything no larger than a dragon. It can move, make sound, and have smell. It may simulate a living creature, or an inanimate object.
Phantasm: Roll a standard attack. If successful, the target thinks you are the most terrifying thing they have ever seen or heard. They are at disadvantage for all actions until they make a successful save test.

Ok, what this does is basically take your Mask and Invisibility and given them mechanical effects. But they are just a disguise ability and invisibility. The disguise one can also provide glamor effects, as the presentation is still what people see, even if they know it isn't real.

Image basically splits Veil and Cloak. I need to come up with the mechanical effects for it. I'm not sure on that one. But the thing it can be is literally anything, including a wall, bridge, door, whatever. Really, this isn't a great combat ability. Its primary utility is to avoid combat before it gets to that point. Or to cover an escape as long as sight can be temporarily broken. The main thing is determining how long it lasts. I'm thinking like six turns after concentration has ended, Also, even if someone knows it is fake, it's still what they sense until it goes away. So even if they can walk through the wall, they can't see through the wall. They have to go through to see the other side.

For Phantasm, I thought it should have one combat related effect, so there it is. Functionally, it works exactly like poison. It doesn't cause damage, but rather is a debuff.

Mask is ok
Invisibility is self only or cloak for any ranged effect that work on others. That's why I listed both above
Image Projection : just to not infer it to only be visual. Size is limited to 1 large creature (about 10' radius) and confined within 1 zone, Dragon size is vague and setting dependant.
Phantasm is ok

I was thinking that invisibility could work for one object/creature, not a group. Self or other. If that's too much, so be it.

For Projection, I want it to be either a creature or a feature. Since you like 10 feet, how about if it can be up to 1000 cubic feet (10x10x10). It can be pretty much anything and is visual, audible, and can have smell. Again, a big function for this is to hide or distract or divert. It doesn't do harm and isn't really there. But it sure looks, sounds, and smells real!

Also, I'm trying to make sure I limit it to four entries only, so that the Archmage format is maintained.

OK, I have some questions on my Words and Talismans.

The Sunburst scroll is kinda like a fireball, but it doesn't set things on fire. Maybe it would do something extra to undead (or not), but that doesn't matter here. So, it is a nice big AOE attack. I'm still not sure if it does two or three damage to the targets. I assume two; one if they Save.

On the Tremor scroll does structural damage, but how much. If I cast it one the corner of a building, what happens? How about a wall? How many does it take to make the side of a structure crumble? How about if I cast it on a ceiling? In this case I am going for structural damage; damage to the occupants is nice, but secondary.

And, I have a third Word I have yet to use: Mind. If I use a one-Word rune, how powerful is that effect? How about a two-Word rune? I am looking to do something like "confusion" (they do something random for a couple rounds), "suggestion" (compelled to do a specific action), "charm person" (automatically like me), "dance" (compelled to dance for a couple rounds) or "stupor" (they do nothing for a couple rounds). "Dominate" would be cool, too, but I assume that is more than two Words.

Basically, I have an infinite number of hobgoblins to circumvent, and I am trying to figure out what runes and talismans I can use to give us the best chance of success. But to do that, I need to make sure of the scale.

Sunburst is 2, or 1 with save

Tremor can break 1 section of wall/door, or damage/crack something larger. The Remnants are old so likely more susceptible to damage. 2-3 should affect a large enough area to be dangerous around here. 1 might do something if you are lucky

Friend/charm/suggest/scare would be 1 word, Hold/fear(area)/confusion(area) would be 2 words, dominate 3 words

Thanks!