Red Hand of Doom 3.5 OOC Thread III

[Saintheart]

Welcome to the Third OOC thread for my Red Hand of Doom campaign!

(The current IC thread can be found here (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?651281-The-Red-Hand-of-Doom-3-5-II&p=25630884).)

(The first IC thread can be found here (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?624626-The-Red-Hand-of-Doom-(3-5)&p=24863610).)

(The first OOC thread can be found here (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?624412-Red-Hand-of-Doom-3-5-OOC-Thread#post24857402).)

(The second OOC thread can be found here (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?636124-Red-Hand-of-Doom-3-5-OOC-Thread-II).)

Feel free to discuss anything relating to the campaign, or anything semi-relating to the campaign, right here!



Player
Character
Class


Metastachydium
'Mess' (Mikolt Karabek) (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2592039)
Winged Dark Lesser Zenythri Knight 6


Alhallor
Calyd (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2691843)
Human Paragon 3 Wamage 3


Aracor
Vokon Giantbreaker Nugalatha (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2363071)
Goliath Warblade 6


danielxcutter
Arendi Marthebar (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2364699)
Human Cleric 4/Crusader 1/Ruby Knight Vindicator 3


Lioslaith
Athelras Duskrun (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2763606)
Centaur Ranger 2


aurangzheb
Pareto (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=2763595)
Fire-Souled Half-Janni Strongheart Halfling Spellthief 1/Arcane Swordsage 5




The Unofficial Loot Bag, as maintained by the generous Aracor, can be found here (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xe_BJB0axv5sbIqJQsBoQtK9OoVBZiZW3QN5Ig1O07s/edit?usp=sharing).



The map of Cannath Vale:

https://images2.imgbox.com/99/e6/pz0D8J8l_o.jpg

Hex Grid map of Cannath Vale:

https://images2.imgbox.com/89/8d/DeRojgln_o.jpg

Hexes are at a scale of 12 miles to a hex, i.e. 2 hexes for 24 miles of travel, i.e.e. a default day's travel assuming no terrain or other effects are in play.

Map of Drellin's Ferry:

Here's the town map:

https://images2.imgbox.com/2a/0d/XCheQZtY_o.jpg

Key:

Red dot: you are here
1 - Checkpoints
2 - The Green
3 – Town Speaker’s Home
4 – The Green Apple Inn
5 – Morlin’s Smithy
6 – Shrine of Lathander
7 – House of Sertieren the Wise
8 – Old Toll House
9 – Town Armory
10 – The Old Bridge Inn
11 – Jarrett’s Sundries
12 – Delora’s Livery Stable
13 – Iormel’s Warehouse
14 – The Ferry
15 – The Ruins of the Dwarfbridge
16 – Gausler’s Brewhouse
17 – Jendar’s Warehouse
18 – Sterrel’s Provisioning
19 – Grove of the Old Ones

Thought this was the simplest way to help you guys orient yourselves - if you need short clarifications of these locations let me know, though fuller descriptions will follow as you explore as you see fit.


Map of Shaareach Forest:

https://images2.imgbox.com/05/ef/seT1fF4s_o.jpg

Koth's Map from Vraath Keep:

https://images2.imgbox.com/15/1f/DBzvPn4J_o.jpg

Koth's Notes from Vraath Keep:
The Red Hand horde was indeed gathering at Cinder Hill. They had several thousand – maybe as high as ten thousand – goblinoid warriors, under the command of fanatical priests of Tiamat. It contained dozens of hobgoblin, goblin, bugbear, and ogre tribes from the Wyrmbones.

Skull Gorge Bridge was a key site in the plan of the horde’s descent from the mountains. Destroying the bridge would certainly delay the Red Hand’s march by several days. The notes and plans also confirmed that Drellin’s Ferry was the first target of the horde. No real resistance to the full weight of the Red Hand was expected at the Ferry, and the plan of battle was to carve a straightforward, bloody path of destruction up the Dawn Way at least to the city of Rethmar if not beyond.

Indeed from the look of it Koth – or his agents -- had spied out the muster of about every town and village from here to the far end of Cannath Vale. Jim was no military expert, but going by the numbers recorded he couldn’t disagree with Koth’s assessment: the only place where there was any slim hope of making a stand against a force of the Red Hand’s size might have been Rethmar, the largest city in the Vale and then only because it was the only place in two hundred miles that had a substantial battlement around it. And then only if there enough men to man the walls. Heartbreakingly, these notes were only copies – Koth’s scrawlings indicated the intelligence had been passed back to the Red Hand at least two weeks ago.

Koth had intended to personally lead the first attack on the Ferry. However, given the naked jealousy and sarcasm oozing from some of Koth’s notes, it seemed there’d been some sort of political realignment of late, and that Ozyrrandion or some other chieftain or champion was going to lead the assault. Either way, it appeared obvious now that there was no hope of saving Drellin's Ferry solely by killing the leader of the hobgoblins here in Shaareach Forest.

It seemed the circus was fighting a hydra, so to speak. Koth was only one of four Wyrmlords leading the Red Hand. The three others were a goblin ranger named Saarvith; a hobgoblin bard named Ulwai Stormcaller; and a hobgoblin – Koth termed him a Knight of Five Sorrows -- named Hravek Kharn.

The Wyrmlords, in turn, were ruled over by a High Wyrmlord. This creature, named Azarr Kul, was a powerful cleric of Tiamat. This ruler lived in a massive temple somewhere in the heart of the Wyrmbones, but the exact location wasn’t apparent from the notes.

As for the other Wyrmlords, Saarvith had been sent to the ruined city of Lhesper on a special mission – its nature unmentioned -- and Kharn was commanding the horde itself. There wasn’t any word about where Ulwai was. There were also passing references to a ‘master spy’ abroad in Cannath Vale, but even coded notes in Infernal seemed not to have given Koth enough reassurance about the possibility of revelation.

Worse still, several dragons served Azarr Kul as advisors and subcommanders. Koth had only had contact with one of them: a green dragon named Ozyrrandion. The names, colours and sizes of the others weren’t mentioned.


Houserules:

Thanks to long and bitter experience of a standard-ish D&D combat taking the better part of months to finish out by the book, I handle initiative during combat a little differently to the standard. If combat starts, here’s how I handle the rounds:

(1) Everyone including the opposition has initiative rolled
(2) Anyone who got a roll higher than the monsters is put in one group
(3) Anyone who got a roll lower than the monsters is put in a second group
(4) Those who get initiative results higher than the monsters have 48 hours from the time of the DM’s update to post their actions. If someone in this group doesn’t post in that time, they are automatically shunted down to the group who acts after the monsters. Actions will be resolved in order of people’s posts.
(5) I then update taking account of people’s posts and provide the monsters’ actions
(6) Those who got rolls lower than the monsters (or who have been shunted into this group) have 48 hours from the time of my update to post their actions. If there is no post within 48 hours, the character is deemed to remain where they are and go on total defense for the round – no exceptions. Again, actions otherwise are resolved in order of posting.
(7) Actions commencing in one round are resolved at the time of your post in the next round.

Edge cases may well arise (especially if stuff like Incite or Inhibit are used), but these will be resolved on a case-by-case basis.

For the purposes of overland travel, the default is that you can cross 24 miles in a full day’s travel, regardless of whether the party has mounts or not. That’s based on the rough idea that you’re travelling about 8 hours per day, at 30 feet per round (travel can be pushed into the twilight/nightfall hours for another 4 hours or so). While mounts help you maybe have more carrying capacity or assist in combat, because you’re generally in trackless if not rugged wilderness they generally don’t help that much to increase the party’s overall travelling rate. Think of it as similar to why despite an Enlarge Person spell your movement rate doesn’t change ;)

As said, the default is that you can travel about 24 miles in a day. However, terrain factors may affect whether you actually cross a full 24 miles in the day. As such, journeys are better thought of in terms of the number of days taken to reach the intended destination.
When you travel from one place to another, your group gets to pick a travel pace for the day: fast, normal, or slow. Each has benefits and drawbacks as follows:

• FAST:
o The party gains 1.5 days on the route.
o The party can’t forage for food at all on the way.
o The party takes -4 penalty on all checks to perceive dangers and on navigation checks.
o Hostile creatures get +4 on checks to detect or track the party.

• NORMAL:
o The party gains 1 day on the route.
o The party can forage for food on the way, but at a -4 penalty.

• SLOW:
o The party gain 0.5 days on the route.
o The party can forage for food normally.
o The party gets +4 to all checks to perceive dangers and on navigation checks.
o Hostile creatures get -4 on checks to detect or track the party

Notice, then, that terrain factors may affect your pace. For example, due to heavy snowfall, a route that normally takes 1 day to cross in fact takes 2 days (heavy snow halves movement). The party could still elect to counter this increased time by travelling at a fast pace, but they ultimately still only gain 1.5 days on the route, they only travel 1.5 of the 2 days required to cover the distance. Conversely, if they travel at a slow pace in this terrain, then they’ll only get about one quarter of the way to their destination.
As for foraging and navigation and how they work:

Foraging:
At the end of a day of travel, everyone rolls a Survival check against the appropriate Resources DC of the terrain:
5: Coastal or urban areas
10: Forests or hilly regions
15: Grasslands, swamps, open sea, and underwater
20: Arctic tundras, mountains, or the underdark
25: Deserts, and most planar locations
If a character fails their check, the player marks off one use of their rations. If the players have no food, they can survive (3 days + their Con mod) travel days without food, or twice that if they decide to spread their food thin. After that time runs out, they start taking starvation.
If at least one player succeeds on their foraging roll, all players obtain water and can refill their waterskins. If a player has no water or are starving, they become fatigued (-2 STR, DEX, can’t run or charge.) and start taking nonlethal damage. They remain fatigued until they find water, no matter how much they rest. (Certain spells creating food or water or similar are adjudicated case by case. There are no such things as Everfull Mugs or Everlasting Rations.)

Navigation:
Each day, whoever has the best WIS check, or someone with a good navigation ability (i.e. survival), is subject to a navigation roll. This is against the Navigation DC of the terrain they’re passing through on that day, and is checked by the DM in secret. Failing a navigation roll means the party is off target from its destination, i.e. got lost at some point, whether in a totally wrong direction or just a few degrees off course (which can still mean you're miles off course). The difficulty of this roll depends at least in part on the route you’ve chosen.

Of course, you might be able to realize you're lost before the navigator passes a roll.
- If there is a major landmark, like a river, that your character is aware of, you might run into it and realize you’re going the wrong direction.
- If your days spent travelling exceed the planned days of the route, you’ll certainly figure out you’re lost. For example, if you're expecting to reach a location in three days given the pace you set but the journey stretches into four for no reason, you would immediately deduce that you're off target if not outright lost.

Once you know you’re lost, you have three options:
- Pick a direction and travel that way until you hit a landmark (river, edge of forest, etc)
- Find high ground and try to locate a landmark you can orient yourself by
- Backtrack until you hit a landmark you know.

No matter what option you choose, it’s treated as a new journey.

In summary: every day spent travelling, you all roll a forage check and at the end of the day your navigator gets a navigation check. This determines whether you’re on course for the destination you're going to and whether you get fed that day.

Wait, what about wandering monsters and other encounters?
Encounters may well occur even if you're totally on course. Your choice of route to the destination – and there are always more ways than one to get somewhere – may affect the frequency, and depending on where you want to go and how fast, you might choose to accept the risks of such a journey. And of course the pace you move at will have an effect on your capacity to meet those encounters as they arise (if they are combat encounters at all.)

Time flies, and waits for no orc. This rule is essentially a way of reflecting the time and to some extent the risk and danger that might be taken on a task.

Whenever players spend a meaningful amount of time on a task, a d6 die is added to the Complication Pool. These are an abstraction for time passing; they could represent anything between 5 and 15 minutes, or indeed hours in the case of travel, or even months, depending on the situation.

But the dice also serve as the relentless advance of ill fortune, or karma; as such, a dice may be added by the DM if a party member does something that in the DM’s view is reckless or risky.

When there are 6 dice in the Complication Pool, the Pool is rolled and cleared. If any of the dice roll a 1, there is … a Complication. A random encounter might happen, your horse might step in a hole and break his leg, your torches might blow out, you might discover a mouse has eaten all your rations.

Also, the DM may in his discretion add a dice and roll the pool before it contains 6 dice, if a character does something exceptionally risky. In these circumstances the pool is not cleared. One ill turn deserves another, as someone once said.

The Pool is there to remind you that you are always against the clock, always daring Lady Luck. Your only grace in this respect is that you always know how many dice there are in the Complication Pool.

Note: Multiple '1' results on the rolling of the Pool do not mean multiple Complications arise; it is only if there is at least a 1 result that a Complication is triggered.


And it's here that we need to talk a little bit about meta, because in my experience while scouting is an entirely legitimate and practical thing to expect characters to do in real life, it can be a royal pain in the seating area to run PbP or even FtF because it's a longrunning party split which drags the posting speed down while the DM interacts with the scout on their lonesome and the rest of the party sits back cooling their heels waiting for something to happen. And when combat does happen, it becomes mostly the scout fighting for their life while the party maybe spends whole rounds just running towards the fight. I have historically found this to be Awkward To Run as a DM, even moreso when the scout (as often happens to scouts) gets slaughtered IC with the rest of the party then having to walk right into the ambush none the wiser. But I love the idea, and I love running scouts and recon! So: absent large protests, how I plan on handling recon and scouting by Keda/Mikolt will be as follows.

If Keda/Mikolt detects something:
I'll advise the same in-character. Keda/Mikolt will be taken as having warned the party about the potential threat in their path. You can then, OOC, discuss as a party what you want to do about this thing that has been seen/heard/whatever - no IC is required. Whatever the party's decision, Keda/Mikolt can then act consistent with it. If that option includes the rest of the party sneaking into strike range, then it will certainly require Move Silently checks or similar. And if the creature detects anyone walking up, it detects everyone - see below what happens there. Note the option of avoiding the encounter will generally be on the table too, but that will have consequences: it'll add a Complication Dice to the pool each time you avoid an encounter, it will also consume some travel time since the party is working its way around the creature, and it will still require a Move Silently check so the scouts can break contact with the enemy and catch up with you. (And note that if that Complication Dice hits 6/6, a complication will occur, which may include the enemy detecting you anyway, irrespective of the result. That's Complications.) Which brings us to the next possibility:

If something detects the scout:
If it's the sort of wild predator that immediately attacks, as is very likely in the wilderness, then when combat starts the rest of the party will always be 30 feet from scout's position. This is a deliberate abstraction; it's my way to try and make sure that if combat starts, four out of five players don't just post about how they're running through the jungle for the better part of a week. The scout's awareness will be that of the party, i.e. if he's surprised by the enemy, then everyone's surprised.
If it's the sort of opponent that sets ambushes, then it'll be taken to be aware of the whole party at once, not just the scout, and it may well wait for the right moment to properly spring the ambush on all of you. Combat will still be a case of the scout being 30 feet out from everyone else in the marching order.


I just wanted to spell it out so everyone's on the same table before we start. In terms of why I've chosen this set of working rules - my working theory as a DM is that it's best to let people have meaningful choices where they can and smooth out realism issues in order to keep the game going. I'm hoping this strikes the right balance. Happy to hear suggestions on it if need be (maybe by PM just to avoid clogging this thread) if you've DMed yourself and you've run situations where one PC is an outrider scout. This is just my way to work the issue.


Original Big 16 (for reference):
1. What game system are you running (D&D, Call of Cthulu, Palladium, GURPS, etc.), and if applicable what edition (Original, Classic, Revised, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 10th, etc.)?
D&D 3.5

2. What 'type' or variant of game will it be (i.e. "Shadow Chasers" or "Agents of Psi" for d20 Modern)? What is the setting for the game (eg. historic period, published or homebrewed campaign setting, alternate reality, modern world, etc.)?
Forgotten Realms. The particular part of the Realms where the adventure is set is southeastern Faerun, so it’s certainly open to more exotic choices such as characters from Calimshan or possibly Kara-Tur (i.e. OA if you feel so inclined).

3. How many Players are you looking for? Will you be taking alternates, and if so, how many?
4-5.

4. What's the gaming medium (OOTS, chat, e-mail etc.)?
Right here on OOTS!

5. What is the characters' starting status (i.e. experience level)?
Level 5.

6. How much gold or other starting funds will the characters begin with?
Standard wealth by level for level 5.

7. Are there any particular character classes, professions, orders, etc. that you want... or do not want? What are your rules on 'prestige' and/or homebrewed classes?
No homebrew and no psionics – I have no experience with them.

8. What races, subraces, species, etc. are allowed for your game? Will you allow homebrewed races or species? 'Prestige' races or species?
No homebrew. To make the choices more interesting, you can ignore level adjustment for the purposes of choosing races … subject to your choice of class and my approval. To be more explicit about it, for at least spellcasting classes like mage and cleric, LA will operate as normal because it just adds more power to classes that don’t need it. On the other hand, mundane or martial classes will most likely have LA ignored because I can account for it or it just gives a little more oomph. If you plan on some sort of gish then please raise your concept or build stub with me so I can set the appropriate LA (if needed). Also note: racial hit dice functions as normal even if LA is ignored. Also also note: bear in mind you’re going to be adventuring in relatively civilised areas for at least part of the adventure, so don’t necessarily assume that Half-Minotaur Illithid you’ve always wanted to try out is going to fly.

9. By what method should Players generate their attributes/ability scores and Hit Points?
For each stat, roll 4d6 and take the best three numbers that come up (in dice code I think this is done by 4d6b3 if I remember right.) Generate three sets of 6 numbers using this method and take the set that most suits you. Sorry, no point buy available on this, put your trust in the RNG. 

10. Does your game use alignment? What are your restrictions, if so?
It does use alignment. I disallow all characters with alignments of Lawful Stupid or Chaotic Idiot. If you’re going to create an evil character, make sure s/he’s a sociable one, although really I’d prefer good or neutral characters if we get right down to it.

11. Do you allow multi-classing, or have any particular rules in regards to it?
No particular rules on multiclassing.

12. Will you be doing all of the die rolling during the course of the game? Will die rolls be altered, or left to the honor system? If players can make die rolls, which ones do they make, how should they make the rolls, and how should they report them?
Largely the dice rolling will be done here on OOTS, but I reserve the right to make DM rolls offline and indeed in secret in order to get combat updates (and updates generally) done faster.

13. Are there any homebrewed or optional/variant rules that your Players should know about? If so, list and explain them, or provide relevant links to learn about these new rules.
I do have some variations about how I handle group initiative, overland travel, and the passage of time, which I set out further down.

14. Is a character background required? If so, how big? Are you looking for anything in particular (i.e. the backgrounds all ending up with the characters in the same city)?
I take the view that character is mainly formed through what that character does during the adventure, so don’t feel like you have to write long, involved character backgrounds. Also don’t feel constrained to set long-term character goals as such, the campaign runs from roughly levels 5-10 or so. The main thing is that everyone’s going to wind up as part of a small adventuring company, so you need not all come from the same place, and you’re all going to be strangers to the place you’re going to be adventuring. After selection I will also give people the option to twine some of their character backgrounds together if they want, so it doesn’t have to be completely set in stone, it just has to be interesting for reasons other than being an edgelord’s backstory.

15. Does your game involve a lot of hack & slash, puzzle solving, roleplaying, or a combination of the above?
It’s mostly hack and slash with some roleplaying. It’s not an intrigue adventure by any means. Mostly wilderness, don’t expect long dungeoncrawls here.

16. Are your Players restricted to particular rulebooks and supplements, or will you be allowing access to non-standard material? What sources can Players use for their characters?
No homebrew and no psionics, but otherwise pretty well all rulebooks and supplements are open, including un-updated stuff from 3.0. Yes, Dragon magazine is open. Yes, Tome of Battle is open and I like it a lot. I will consider isolated pull-outs from Pathfinder on a case-by-case basis. The only items I disallow are Everfull Mugs, Everlasting Rations, and any other items which give you a limitless or automatically replenishing supply of food and/or water.

On the subject of flaws: you may take up to two flaws. You may also take a [Regional] feat for free if you otherwise meet its prerequisites.

[danielxcutter]

Well, I hope we're getting a lot of bonus XP for this at least.

[Aracor]

Can Vokon even take actions right now?

According to my math, he's at 0 dexterity until/unless the entanglement is taken care of.

[danielxcutter]

Y'know, the average Dex damage on Shivering Touch is 10.5. Combined with the Entangle the one who set it off was almost guaranteed to be completely neutralized.

[Metastachydium]

Probably worth clarifying here that any other Shivering Touch rune out here won't touch Mikolt even if it triggered. It's a single-target spell, i.e. the poor chap with a 'G' in his alignment who triggered the rune. The reason you've got a green blob all over the field is because Entangle fires as an area effect; Vokon was unfortunately just the centre of the green blast. Those from the deeper end of the alignment pool likely will not trigger off any other runes out here, although they might be caught in an area effect ... assuming there are any more Entangle runes out here.

[EVIL laughter!] Cool. (Relatively speaking.) I mean, I doubt they'd put an Entangle rune (or anything indiscriminate) on top of their own tower, right?


Guess he'll have to fly in and see, won't he?

Don't do it, Alhallor! It's a trap!



Can Vokon even take actions right now?

He should be, I think, as long as these actions don't require him to move (any part of his body).

[danielxcutter]

Don't you have to be able to move to use maneuvers?

[Alhallor]

Don't do it, Alhallor! It's a trap!


But... The runes... They look so very... Enticing!

On another note, from the SRD.

A character with Dexterity 0 is paralyzed

Paralyzed = A paralyzed character is frozen in place and unable to move or act. A paralyzed character has effective Dexterity and Strength scores of 0 and is helpless, but can take purely mental actions. A winged creature flying in the air at the time that it becomes paralyzed cannot flap its wings and falls. A paralyzed swimmer can’t swim and may drown. A creature can move through a space occupied by a paralyzed creature—ally or not. Each square occupied by a paralyzed creature, however, counts as 2 squares.

And From ToB

To Initiate a maneuver or stance you must be able to move... Welp

[danielxcutter]

Well, even if he can use it with a mental action, it's only one source of a condition at a time.

Then again, RAW of IHS means he can annihilate the Entangle via IMMENSE BICEPS FLEXING, which is probably good enough for more than one reason.

[Alhallor]

Do I have line of sight towards the eastern ogre or does he have cover because of the palisade?

[Saintheart]

Do I have line of sight towards the eastern ogre or does he have cover because of the palisade?

He has cover from whee he is.

[danielxcutter]

Immense Bicep Flexing Energy


Immense Bicep Flexing Energy Makes Plants Scared Of Vokon

*sniggers*

Also preemptively making my bison's Reflex save: [roll0]

[danielxcutter]

...Oh boy, that's just barely not enough is it?

[Saintheart]

I'm afraid Immense Bison Flexing Energy is not as impressive as Immense Bicep Flexing Energy, no.

[danielxcutter]

Well, phooey.

Also that's definitely a rare sentence.

[Saintheart]

Well, phooey.

Also that's definitely a rare sentence.

It should be, I steaked the whole thread on it.

[danielxcutter]

It should be, I steaked the whole thread on it.

You did NOT just.

[Saintheart]

You did NOT just.

Certainly not, I used a jus.

[danielxcutter]

*internal screaming*

[Dexam]

Inviting Saintheart puns is just oxen for trouble.

[Saintheart]

Inviting Saintheart puns is just oxen for trouble.

Good thing I'm the cow-ardly sort.

[Aracor]

Awww, I was hoping that the plants being scared would have actually completely annihilated the entangle effect itself.

But then I would have missed out on these puns. They don't seem to be well done, and they may have made danielxcutter a little salty.

[danielxcutter]

Aw, looks like Immense Bison Flexing Energy really isn't as good as Immense Bicep Flexing Energy after all.

On the other hand I am going to have fun mining the area between me and Keda and the gate with spells.

Edit: Etu, Aracor?

[Metastachydium]

IRON HEART SURGE for the win! (Things are starting to look good-ish, actually.)

[Saintheart]

(Things are starting to look good-ish, actually.)

Yyyyeah, um ... about that ...

[Aracor]

Arendi has the Travel domain, which kicks in automatically, right?

Oh. That probably doesn't help against the dexterity damage. Crud.

[Saintheart]

Arendi has the Travel domain, which kicks in automatically, right?

Sure, it'll help with the Entangle effect (and I forgot he had it), but Travel domain doesn't help with 10 DEX damage, unfortunately.

EDIT: Yeah. Um. *ahem*

[Aracor]

Okay. We definitely can't risk triggering the last runes except maybe with our bison. Another shivering touch will almost definitely disable Vokon, and will badly damage and still MAY potentially disable anyone else who triggers it.

Vokon and bison are WAY out of position to help with that new group, which may be why they decided to head out north rather than south.

What are the chances that Keda could grab Arendi and get back around the tower? Our best option may be to try to force them to come to us. They'll probably get slowed down and potentially disrupted by the entangle effect, same as us.

Vokon COULD try to smash the south door. Good news: That would give him access to the tower. Bad news: That would give him access to the tower, which is now full of damaged and likely pissed off ogre.

Vokon would still be quite willing to be "boinked" by Alastor anywhere that he's useful, up to and including into the other entangle spell just to get Arendi out of there.

[danielxcutter]

Oh why do I even bother. :smallfrown:

[Aracor]

@Alhallor

Isn't hail of stone a one round cast time like a summon spell? So you start it now, but it doesn't go off until the you come up on initiative again?

And if so, do you want to risk a spell like that when you're in the air and an easy target?

[Alhallor]

@Aracor:

It is. I'm bad at reading spell descriptions. Can I change my action or am I stuck?

[Metastachydium]

Yyyyeah, um ... about that ...

…
Me and my optimism will be here in the corner, shutting up.


@Aracor:

It is. I'm bad at reading spell descriptions. Can I change my action or am I stuck?

You sure you need to change it? With the archers outside, Mikolt's going to do the prey migration thing before they could act again and her shtick is kind of good for jamming ranged attackers. I mean, that 21 is a pretty good no save damage there.

[Aracor]

…
Me and my optimism will be here in the corner, shutting up.



You sure you need to change it? With the archers outside, Mikolt's going to do the prey migration thing before they could act again and her shtick is kind of good for jamming ranged attackers. I mean, that 21 is a pretty good no save damage there.

He may still need to. I mean, even discounting the fact that he'll be a floating target, the other problem is that he'll need to target it again and they very well may split up by then. Not sure if there's a better spell available in his repertoire.

[Metastachydium]

Hrm. True enough, sadly.

[Alhallor]

I would tend to use ice knife for aggressive debuffing and/or some area damage (probably just enough that Mikolt can oneshot everyone.)

[Saintheart]

On this occasion, yes, one change is okay. Just edit the previous post if that's what you want to do.

[Dexam]

Arendi triggered both a rune of Shivering Touch and Entangle when he hit 30 feet out from each
Yikes... runes turning touch spells into ranged spells is nasty, especially on an already powerful spell like Shivering Touch. Also, is that auto-hit, or is there still an attack roll required by the rune? If the former... yeah, not a fan.


Although it’s obscured, the wall of the palisade is still clear and unimpeded if he’d rather try to get out from there.
Does this mean that Keda could climb over the wall? What about standing on the wall? If he stands on the palisade again, would he be clear of entangling plants?

Would the other side (inside the palisade) be unaffected by the Entangle? Reading the rules for spread effects, I'm guessing the walls block it?

As much as I want to get Arendi out of there, I'm also aware that Keda has the Wild flaw - he'll panic if he fails a save vs the Entangle.

[danielxcutter]

Yikes... runes turning touch spells into ranged spells is nasty, especially on an already powerful spell like Shivering Touch. Also, is that auto-hit, or is there still an attack roll required by the rune? If the former... yeah, not a fan.

Yeah, the closest equivalent would be Reach Spell. Which is a +2 metamagic and therefore means I got slapped with roughly a 5th-level slot even before the Entangle.

[Alhallor]

Did delete my previos post and made a new one. I'll make sure to really exactly look at the spell descriptions.

[danielxcutter]

And of course you rolled max damage when your attack roll was a nat 2. :smallsigh:

[Alhallor]

Needed to repost that, because I made a typing mistake... But it's really not much better.

[danielxcutter]

We better be bloody well getting boatloads of XP for this, Saintheart!

[Saintheart]

Also, is that auto-hit, or is there still an attack roll required by the rune? If the former... yeah, not a fan.

No, they're not auto-hit; whoever triggers the rune becomes the target of the spell placed in it. But given it's a melee touch attack, it wasn't hard to fire it on big guys like Arendi and Vokon.



Does this mean that Keda could climb over the wall? What about standing on the wall? If he stands on the palisade again, would he be clear of entangling plants?

Would the other side (inside the palisade) be unaffected by the Entangle? Reading the rules for spread effects, I'm guessing the walls block it?

Yes to all of those questions and statements. The entangling effect is basically at ground level, if Keda's on the top of the wall he won't risk being entangled, and if inside he'd be clear of the plants too (horrible blobby green effect within notwithstanding.)

[Alhallor]

We better be bloody well getting boatloads of XP for this, Saintheart!

Though it is a really interesting first battle, I have to say.

[A.A.King]

Sorry guys, despite the many pieces I have on the board at the moment, I somehow find myself away from all the action. Hopefully, a combination of Alastor, Aeric and the wolf summon should be able to get Arendi out of a though spot and back on his feet (if not this turn then the next).

[danielxcutter]

Unless you can heal Dex damage, I might as well not even bother posting for the rest of the fight.

[Aracor]

So if I remember correctly, the walls are 10 feet high and the tower in the middle is 20. If he did a high jump (keeping in mind Goliaths always count as running for the purposes of jumping) next round, would he be able to get far enough to use his Anklet of Translocation from midair to appear on top of either the watch tower or just over the wall and plop down inside the compound?

[Saintheart]

So if I remember correctly, the walls are 10 feet high and the tower in the middle is 20.

Correct.


If he did a high jump (keeping in mind Goliaths always count as running for the purposes of jumping) next round, would he be able to get far enough to use his Anklet of Translocation from midair to appear on top of either the watch tower or just over the wall and plop down inside the compound?

I'd rule if he jumps enough to hit the 10 foot mark, he'd be able to get a grip on the top of the wall enough to then teleport so as to be standing on the edge of the roof of the watchtower, or down into the compound inside the stockade. He wouldn't be able to teleport into the lower level of the watchtower blind since there's no line of sight, but he could get to the roof of the tower or inside the compound as said.

[Aracor]

Correct.



I'd rule if he jumps enough to hit the 10 foot mark, he'd be able to get a grip on the top of the wall enough to then teleport to the edge of the roof of the watchtower, or down into the compound inside the stockade. He wouldn't be able to teleport into the lower level of the watchtower blind since there's no line of sight, but he could get to the roof of the tower or inside the compound as said.

Hmm...10 feet is DC 40, so that's not realistic. He would probably be able to make a single jump as a move action, blip himself up another 10 feet, and then use a second move action to climb up to the roof.

I guess it'll depend. Maybe he'll get lucky and an angry ogre will open the door on his side!

[Dexam]

Crud, failed the initial Climb check to get up the wall. Not sure if I can try again, or if that means Keda ends his turn dangling from the top of the palisade?

[Saintheart]

...um, I think that means the rest of your actions will go off just fine. The palisade's 10 feet high, a DC 40 Jump check is enough to reach that height. I'm inclined to rule he lands on the top of the palisade and then continues with his actions as written.

EDIT: That said, I think Neraph Camoflage is only 1 per enemy per encounter. Keda already threw at HC A with his readied attack.

[Dexam]

...um, I think that means the rest of your actions will go off just fine. The palisade's 10 feet high, a DC 40 Jump check is enough to reach that height. I'm inclined to rule he lands on the top of the palisade and then continues with his actions as written.
Jump DC's require a 20' run-up; without that the DC's are doubled, so with a 40 from a standing jump he gets 5' off the ground. Being 6' tall and with 2' arm reach he easily grabs the top of the palisade - it's the DC 15 climb to pull up the rest of the way that he fails (by 2).


EDIT: That said, I think Neraph Camoflage is only 1 per enemy per encounter. Keda already threw at HC A with his readied attack.

You are correct that it's once per target per encounter, but the readied attack wasn't a Neraph Camoflage attack, just a regular attack - I was assuming that the target was most likely flat-footed anyway due to Keda trying to be stealthy.

[danielxcutter]

Don't goliath always count as running for Jump checks?

[Saintheart]

Don't goliath always count as running for Jump checks?

Goliaths do. Neraphs, no :( My mistake. :( :(

[Dexam]

Goliaths do. Neraphs, no :( My mistake. :( :(

So what's the ruling? Do I get a reroll to see if Keda can end up perched on top of the wall? Or is he left dangling? Even if I do get another Climb check, if it's <15 he's definitely left dangling.

[Saintheart]

So what's the ruling? Do I get a reroll to see if Keda can end up perched on top of the wall? Or is he left dangling? Even if I do get another Climb check, if it's <15 he's definitely left dangling.

Have another Climb check, just because I'm feeling nice. If it fails he's left hanging on the wall (but isn't entangled.)

[Dexam]

Climb: [roll0]

Aaand the fates decree that Keda is wall-art for the remainder of this round.

[Saintheart]

Climb: [roll0]

Aaand the fates decree that Keda is wall-art for the remainder of this round.

I guess you could frame it that way.

[Metastachydium]

Man. The heck are we doing here? Also, Aracor: please DON'T have Vokon jump on top of the tower. There's one more Shivering Touch rune active up there.

[Alhallor]

At the beginning I thought "huh we really have this in the bag, right? One ogre melted, the other wounded, no problem."

And now it's more like "..."

[Saintheart]

Man. The heck are we doing here? Also, Aracor: please DON'T have Vokon jump on top of the tower. There's one more Shivering Touch rune active up there.

https://i.imgflip.com/128lvv.jpg

:D

[danielxcutter]

At the beginning I thought "huh we really have this in the bag, right? One ogre melted, the other wounded, no problem."

And now it's more like "..."

I do assume Saintheart has finite space in his lower intestine though.

I can’t really do anything for the rest of the fight though, so feel free not to mention me until either it’s over or we’re all dead, since I believe none of us have any way to heal ability damage.

[Metastachydium]

I can’t really do anything for the rest of the fight though, so feel free not to mention me until either it’s over or we’re all dead, since I believe none of us have any way to heal ability damage.

Aeric can Lesser Restore all day.

[Aracor]

Man. The heck are we doing here? Also, Aracor: please DON'T have Vokon jump on top of the tower. There's one more Shivering Touch rune active up there.

I thought that other rune was on the FRONT of the building. It's at the top of the tower?

[Saintheart]

I thought that other rune was on the FRONT of the building. It's at the top of the tower?

It's on the corner of the building. So sort of both. Still needs line of sight and line of effect, though.

[Aracor]

It's on the corner of the building. So sort of both. Still needs line of sight and line of effect, though.

Okay. I thought the way you described it, they were at ground level, basically facing out toward the front of the clearing. But it's at the top corner?

[danielxcutter]

Still not going to bother posting IC until I at least have to make a save or something.

[Saintheart]

Okay. I thought the way you described it, they were at ground level, basically facing out toward the front of the clearing. But it's at the top corner?

Yes, sorry, you're right. If you were on the roof you'd have cover from it until you got to the very edge of the roof on the north side.

EDIT: And if there's a question - while inside the watchtower you'd obviously have cover from the rune too.

[Metastachydium]

DEATH! (No, seriously, we are all deep in the manure now. ([Crying!] Where's Chatty when we need her the most?))

[danielxcutter]

I have a sinking feeling that unless she snuck in and murdered the entire keep she'd probably be just as bad off.

[Metastachydium]

Eh, I've read through the battle at the bridge; she got boxed in by a close formation in heavy armour and with tower shields. We all know who died a lot in the end.

[danielxcutter]

I was thinking about the Entangle actually. Though she wouldn't have been setting off the runes I guess.

[Alhallor]

Do I have line of sight to the ogre? It looks like I have but I'm not sure if there isn't a wooden wall.

Lets see if I can kill the ogre with the remaining acid, it would change my action if he still lives: [roll0]

I also read through Chattys battle but this time there are crusaders which could worsen everything.

[Saintheart]

Do I have line of sight to the ogre? It looks like I have but I'm not sure if there isn't a wooden wall.

No. The South door is still closed, so no line of sight.

[Dexam]

Busy weekend, so I haven't had a chance to post anything - something will be up in a few hours.

In the meantime, a Move Action Climb check to see if Keda makes it onto the top of the palisade: [roll0]

Edit: made it, so I'll decide what to do with his Action and post later.

[danielxcutter]

Jesus Harold Christ, 66 damage before hardness? Unless the door is made of solid steel it's probably toothpicks now.

[Saintheart]

Jesus Harold Christ, 66 damage before hardness? Unless the door is made of solid steel it's probably toothpicks now.

You're not wrong, and for bonus points, since the Hammer of Selune is an adamantine weapon, it ignores hardness up to 20. Even if the door was made of inch-thick solid steel Vokon would have broken it down with the first hit. That door's not toothpicks, it's basically been turned to paper.

This would be one of those situations that deserves a Schwarzenegger one-liner, you know, like, "Knock knock", or "Pizza delivery!" or "Oo, your insurer is not going to be happy", or "And for an encore, what I did to the door I'm now going to do to the stuff dangling between your legs". Or so on.


In case it matters to Calyd: no, he still doesn't have line of sight on the ogre from where he is because he's 40 feet up, the tower is 20 feet high, and the ogre's inside. If he shifted altitude and position he might have more luck.

[danielxcutter]

Oh yeah adamantine. The Mountain Hammer line's still good for ignoring DR and the bonus damage, but there's nothing really like adamantine weapons coupled with high damage for smashing most things. Even high-ish level objects don't tend to have 20 hardness unless they're heavily fortified with magic and/or made with comparable or even stronger materials than adamantine themselves, I think.

[danielxcutter]

Wait, I'm an idiot, I forgot about my celestial bison. Has it broken free?

[Saintheart]

Wait, I'm an idiot, I forgot about my celestial bison. Has it broken free?

It didn't last round - didn't make a STR 20 check and Arendi went down in that same round. So it could act this round. Remember Entangle doesn't actually paralyse you, you just can't charge and you can't move at more than half speed. The bison is at the edge of the effect and as such could move out, but wouldn't be able to charge this round.

[danielxcutter]

Hmm. Okay then, having him moooove now, since Vokon's broken the door down. That's okay right?

[Saintheart]

Hmm. Okay then, having him moooove now, since Vokon's broken the door down. That's okay right?

Yes, on your initiative count, i.e. give it 24 more hours and then post up. Albeit the 48 hours deadline has passed, it looks like it's been a busy weekend around the place and some people have indicated they want to finalise their actions.

[Saintheart]

...and to my surprise, that's actually a kill on H1. Solely because Neraph Camoflage locks out DEX bonus to AC, a total of 13 is dead on the hobgoblin's AC since it can't have a longbow and a shield equipped at the same time, and it was already injured from Calyd's ice damage earlier.

[Dexam]

...and to my surprise, that's actually a kill on H1. Solely because Neraph Camoflage locks out DEX bonus to AC, a total of 13 is dead on the hobgoblin's AC since it can't have a longbow and a shield equipped at the same time, and it was already injured from Calyd's ice damage earlier.

https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/874/569/852.gif

[danielxcutter]

Obscure abilities FTW!

[Saintheart]

https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/874/569/852.gif

The archers aren't adjacent to the Crusaders, which means they don't benefit from stuff like Allied Defense or Phalanx Fighting. And 10+3 (Studded Leather) = 13, no DEX bonus to AC because Neraph Predator, and no shield bonus to AC because they're using longbows.

https://25.media.tumblr.com/ac9460ab13097518797fcb29aef88a5b/tumblr_mjm2sqMSJF1rkipago1_500.gif

[Alhallor]

Not gonna shift my altitude, I saw what these longbows did to the group in the beginning and try to get the other guy down. (I hope my post is still ok, if not I have missed the deadline)

Also ice damage for the win!

[Metastachydium]

This is not a post and isn't even here.

[danielxcutter]

Don’t jinx it!

[Metastachydium]

Nice shots, guys!

[Aracor]

I almost should edit in a one-liner, but that's okay. I'm glad he was able to open the door. Maybe that will help distract the hobgoblins. It will almost certainly get the attention of the ogre!

"Excuse me. The landlord gave a 24 hour notice, and you are not allowed to bar my entry. There's a plumbing issue."

[Metastachydium]

Alright. Plan B: survive 'til next round without being Stone Vised again.

[danielxcutter]

Y'know, I think that bison was still well spent. It was basically bait so the ogre wouldn't go straight for Vokon or anything.

Granted, I wasn't expecting it to yeet it at Vokon, but at least we know that it can do that.

[Saintheart]

Granted, I wasn't expecting it to yeet it at Vokon, but at least we know that it can do that.

I find this remark quite ... a-moosing.

[danielxcutter]

Oh, you're going to milk it for all the puns it's worth aren't you Saintheart.

[Metastachydium]

Hm. It would seem that when Bison graced that tower, that might have been the most important day of its life; but for the ogre, it was Tuesday just another 19 Mirtul.

Also, Alhallor: please don't move to J11. There's still a Shivering rune active on the tower.

[Alhallor]

Isn't it at L17 or something? Well it's a bit late to retreat now (and I have already taken back an action.) Let's see how it turns out.

[Metastachydium]

It is, but the one on L11 got Arendi where he is.

[danielxcutter]

Hopefully he doesn’t fall and break his neck.

[Metastachydium]

Eh, he'd live. We just really don't neecd a helpless squishy in that general area right now.

[Alhallor]

I mean... Would I fall down? I'm currently under a fly spell when it's canceled the spell states that I slightly float down. When I have 0 dex... Do I float unmoving in the air?

[Saintheart]

I mean... Would I fall down? I'm currently under a fly spell when it's canceled the spell states that I slightly float down. When I have 0 dex... Do I float unmoving in the air?

If it came to that you'd float in the air unable to move until the spell expired.

[Aracor]

Hmm...Sorry, been busy for the holidays.

So Vokon is lying prone. Can I use my anklet of Translocation to stand up again as a swift action? Need to figure out how to actually use my actions here.

[danielxcutter]

You could always do it the other way. Use normal move action to stand up, use anklet to get closer, use standard to hit face.

[Aracor]

You could always do it the other way. Use normal move action to stand up, use anklet to get closer, use standard to hit face.

Hmm...do I have the range for that? Either anklet or Chronocharm are limited to 10 feet, and it looks like the ogre is 15 feet away from him.

Never mind. I figured it out! I'll just use White Raven Tactics to cheat an extra turn out of this.

[danielxcutter]

Cheeeeeeeeeese.

[Metastachydium]

But it's our cheeeese! Now stop complaining and get ready to crusade these sods into the cold, hard warm, marshy ground!

[danielxcutter]

Oh true, DEUS VULT

[danielxcutter]

Okay, anyone have any idea at all what to do? I don't think most of my abilities can do jack from where I am. Maybe summon something with flight to go attack the ogre or something...

Edit: Also, what the heck is that ogre smoking?! 32 damage on an AoO?!

[Aracor]

The damage is mostly because of two things.
#1: Vokon's AC isn't good.
#2: He used power attack the previous round with Shock Trooper - so his Knockback feat sent Vokon flying back.

@Saintheart - Since Vokon still had plenty of movement left, is there a specific reason why he couldn't continue his charge and still make his attack attempt? As far as I can see, there's nothing in the Knockback feat that prevents further movement.

[Saintheart]

@Saintheart - Since Vokon still had plenty of movement left, is there a specific reason why he couldn't continue his charge and still make his attack attempt? As far as I can see, there's nothing in the Knockback feat that prevents further movement.

On my interpretation, charging requires a single forward movement in a straight line. Which Vokon didn't have after he was hit with the Bull Rush under Knockback, he was pushed back 10 feet. Or, more generally, nothing can hinder your movement during the charge, and getting literally pushed back 10 feet I would count as hindering the movement. And you can't charge more than once per round.

[Aracor]

Hmm...would I be allowed to just move up instead then? If I'd known that, I wouldn't have charged. If not, I guess I'll treat it as a lesson learned.

[Saintheart]

Hmm...would I be allowed to just move up instead then? If I'd known that, I wouldn't have charged. If not, I guess I'll treat it as a lesson learned.

Are you sure you want to move into full attack range for the ogre this round, with half hitpoints total?

[Aracor]

Are you sure you want to move into full attack range for the ogre this round, with half hitpoints total?

Hmm... Fair enough. Probably not the best plan. Especially since I'd be losing a significant chunk of damage without the charge.

[Saintheart]

Also,


Oh true, DEUS VULT

I technically think that's DEUS MORTIS VULT ...

[danielxcutter]

I'm starting to think that this encounter is either massively under-CRed or purposely overtuned.

[Metastachydium]

I technically think that's DEUS MORTIS VULT ...

AYE!


I'm starting to think that this encounter is either massively under-CRed or purposely overtuned.

Now, now. I hope it's the latter. You see, half their team, including an ogre and all four archers (who only managed to pump out, like, two arrows, none of them supercharged) is down and out, three quarters of their crazy defensive runes are spent and we know not to go anywhere near the rest. On our side, everyone's up and about, mostly at full or near-full health and while the remaining ogre looks scary, if Arendi somehow drags himself through the greenery, it'll be outnumbered three to one with two of its foes capable of striking it from a distance.

If this was above our pay grade, we kick some serious ass. Also, that means XP. Don't forget about the XP!

[danielxcutter]

Wait, are all the archers dead already?

[Metastachydium]

Wait, are all the archers dead already?

Unless someone's still hiding inside the first floor, yes. Mikolt killed the two on watch duty early on and Calyd/Keda one-shotted the two that came out last round-ish.

[danielxcutter]

Oh yeah, @Saintheart since I wasn’t able to move anyways, do I still have my full rounds of Travel Domain Power?

[Saintheart]

Oh yeah, @Saintheart since I wasn’t able to move anyways, do I still have my full rounds of Travel Domain Power?

Yup, no problem with that.

[danielxcutter]

Okay, so there are any runes left on this side of the battlefield? I think I can make it to the gate thanks to Longstrider, but I don't want to get slapped with another spell that completely invalidates my presence again.

[Aracor]

Okay, so there are any runes left on this side of the battlefield? I think I can make it to the gate thanks to Longstrider, but I don't want to get slapped with another spell that completely invalidates my presence again.

None on the south.

[danielxcutter]

Hmmmmmmmm. I think I should have line of sight to the ogre through the gateway if I move 50 ft. straight to the east. I kinda want to Ice Slick the ground under it, but knowing our luck it'd probably have five ranks in Balance. Maybe Shadow Garrote this round and move + standard action strike next round?

[danielxcutter]

Oh come on. One point away from hitting(at least on a baseline skullcrusher ogre)?!

[Dexam]

Oh come on. One point away from hitting(at least on a baseline skullcrusher ogre)?!

Doesn't the Bardic Inspiration bonus (+2) apply to the attack?

[danielxcutter]

Doesn’t that require concentration? Aeric did just cast a spell on me…

Edit: Oh, it lasts for five rounds after the bard stops playing. In which case DEUS MORTIS VULT

[danielxcutter]

Saintheart, I think that having to pull out the "take permanent penalties to NOT DIE" card three times just might be an indication these fights are kinda overtuned?!

[Alhallor]

Wait a moment, I though Vokon wasn't in full attack range? Because of the discussion before.


Are you sure you want to move into full attack range for the ogre this round, with half hitpoints total?


Hmm... Fair enough. Probably not the best plan. Especially since I'd be losing a significant chunk of damage without the charge.

I may be wrong here (I only skim the OOC posts after all).

[danielxcutter]

And also I have Close Wounds. So unless the first hit dropped him to under -16 he wouldn't have kicked the bucket. And yes, that's explicitly allowed by that spell.

[Aracor]

And also I have Close Wounds. So unless the first hit dropped him to under -16 he wouldn't have kicked the bucket. And yes, that's explicitly allowed by that spell.

Unfortunately, the second hit dropped him far enough down that even a max roll from Close Wounds wouldn't have saved him...However, I probably WOULD have tried harder to continue my charge if I was vulnerable to a full attack either way.

[danielxcutter]

It still didn't sound you would have been in full attack range from the way he worded it.

[Aracor]

It still didn't sound you would have been in full attack range from the way he worded it.

I agree with that.

[danielxcutter]

Would the first attack have killed him even with Close Wounds? I kinda doubt that.

[Aracor]

Would the first attack have killed him even with Close Wounds? I kinda doubt that.

Unlikely. He didn't give me the individual damage totals, but based on the description, the first attack didn't even actually knock him down - but likely left him in single digit hit points. Which means the second attack basically took him from hurt but alive to dead dead DEAD dead.

[Saintheart]

It still didn't sound you would have been in full attack range from the way he worded it.


I agree with that.

Have a look at the two map images. Post 32, Post 34.

Five foot step by the ogre puts him at 10 feet. Ogres have a 10 foot reach. Full attack takes place.

[danielxcutter]

Yes, but the way you said that very much implied that Vokon moving closer would put him into full attack range and would be safe otherwise. If it wasn't for that I think Aracor might have used that remaining space to move behind a box or something.

[Metastachydium]

(Looks like there's something of a conflict of expectations going on here. For my part, I will let it be known (full disclosure!) that at the get-go, this game appealed to me more than most for two reasons:
1. we get to be overtuned, what with the free LA and the greenlight on all manners of wacky things – that the challenges themselves get cranked up one gear is something I understand to be a direct consequence of this; and
2. this game is in hard mode – there are stakes and an actual risk of death that is far from cheap.

I came here fully aware that my crazy template heap of a character I liked building and love playing might die and I'm perfectly fine with that. Worst case scenario, I get to build some other unhinged crazy something something. Best case scenario? We'll soldier through this and I'll be proud of the achievement.


♣

Meanwhile: lesson of the day: a 20' reach is only useful insofar as the person with it can actually hit things.)

[Aracor]

Yes, but the way you said that very much implied that Vokon moving closer would put him into full attack range and would be safe otherwise. If it wasn't for that I think Aracor might have used that remaining space to move behind a box or something.

There is at least something to that. I would have definitely asked to activate a movement mode if I'd realized that I was effectively within melee range of it (or as I said, pushed harder to continue my charge and attack).

I'll definitely admit that I have some responsibility for this as well though. I could have double-checked the map state and realized that Vokon was still too close.

[A.A.King]

Risk of death certainly exists. Alastor has already died once but was basically saved by a minor miracle. Part of the reason he kept his distance for so long. I have been waiting for an opportunity to jump in with Cyzar, but all the action keeps being too far away from him. I'm sorry he hasn't been able to do much more than provide inspire courage via his cohort Aeric and heal up Arendi from 0 dex.

[Saintheart]

I certainly understand the way people would be feeling; if in that situation I'd likely feel the same way.

I don't take it that anyone is suggesting I made some sort of deliberate implication that Vokon was safe for a round. That certainly was not my intention if that implication was left in place.

But I do take feedback into account, so rest assured I certainly will be following the outcome of this, good or bad.

I mean, I try not to go like this:

https://c.tenor.com/aMTuSOHkjOsAAAAC/tenor.gif

And I will try and aim more for this:

https://media2.giphy.com/media/ifY68xd8NDMjtGJ9PY/giphy.gif?cid=790b7611b587d1321a964adca9a01e366812 8fa652c4ebf5&rid=giphy.gif&ct=g

And look forward to being able to say this in response to your future efforts:

https://64.media.tumblr.com/398a5d9efe4dba237e3c37b8bb605c42/tumblr_oldtimMRzz1u2ragso3_500.gif

[Dexam]

Did Calyd's attack drop the Ogre? Depending on if it's still standing or not will impact what Keda does next: if it's still standing, he'll withdraw west into the compound and attack the ogre; if it's down he'll head out the southern entrance and attack a hobgoblin.

[Saintheart]

Did Calyd's attack drop the Ogre? Depending on if it's still standing or not will impact what Keda does next: if it's still standing, he'll withdraw west into the compound and attack the ogre; if it's down he'll head out the southern entrance and attack a hobgoblin.

In short, yes. It was enough to take the ogre down.

[Alhallor]

At least that worked out.

https://www.thoughtco.com/thmb/9LvZVjg-1kINrXZSOoYh6RtV4F0=/1897x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/finger-smoke-88992398-573899e85f9b58723d638a6e.jpg

[danielxcutter]

Well, we’ve probably won. So there’s that.

Also I have got to look into a way to getting rid of those penalties. Maybe my god has an idea for that.

[Metastachydium]

No falling damage and a critical threat! Let's see: [roll0] to confirm for [roll1] damage.

[Metastachydium]

Neat! Can I redirect the second attack (hopefully unneeded and it wouldn't connect with a 19 anyway) onto (checks map) H3?

[Saintheart]

https://media.tenor.com/images/40702eb4b7ef2398ab44d214e689f6ad/tenor.gif

[danielxcutter]

Is that our first crit that wasn’t from Chatty?

[danielxcutter]

Wait, crap, that catches Mikolt in the range again.

To be fair, I'm kinda salty Vokon got ****canned for pretty much existing. Arendi is absolutely livid.

[Metastachydium]

Wait, crap, that catches Mikolt in the range again.

To be fair, I'm kinda salty Vokon got ****canned for pretty much existing. Arendi is absolutely livid.

WHY DO YOU HATE HER SO MUCH? (The first one was good accidental RP though, as is this one. I just hope the two M. attacked are dead, because she can't really attack them on the ice without violating her code. And so much for AoOs too, I suppose.)

Also, Balance: [roll0]

[danielxcutter]

Oh god I totally forgot the Knight code of conduct was even dumber than the Paladin of Slaughter’s.

[Metastachydium]

No flanking, no FF is not as harsh as it could be on a high reach AoO build, but yeah. It sometimes causes… Issues.

[Aracor]

I mean, the difference is that if the Paladin of Slaughter doesn't kick every puppy and burn down every orphanage they encounter, they just lose their powers forever.

At least a Knight only loses a use of their Knight's Challenge for the day, and then takes a penalty if they run out.

[Metastachydium]

Yup. That also helps. And anyhow, it's not like having weird compunctions about stuff doesn't fit Mikolt, so I'm mostly good rolling with it.

[Alhallor]

I don't know if that like... Breaks the plot or anything, but Calyd can actually speak Goblin (because of that old children story, Simon and the Wolf and the goblin.)

I can change that if it comes a bit out of left field (and if we let someone live I'd vote for one of the soldiers, the Crusaders are probably too zealous.)

[A.A.King]

It will still take Alastor a bit to run around that entangle spell, which make it unlikely he would be the person to react. So I'm kinda waiting to see what people closer to the carnage will do as regard to the hobgoblins and Vokon and will react to that (unless everybody ends up stunned in silence long enough for Alastor to walk around the overgrowth)

[Saintheart]

I don't know if that like... Breaks the plot or anything, but Calyd can actually speak Goblin (because of that old children story, Simon and the Wolf and the goblin.)

I can change that if it comes a bit out of left field (and if we let someone live I'd vote for one of the soldiers, the Crusaders are probably too zealous.)

It doesn't break the plot if Calyd knows Goblin, that's very much okay! ... however, everyone except the crusaders is dead :)

[Dexam]

It doesn't break the plot if Calyd knows Goblin, that's very much okay! ... however, everyone except the crusaders is dead :)

The question is: will they surrender? Or go down fighting?

[Saintheart]

The question is: will they surrender? Or go down fighting?

One of them at least is outright going to die if he doesn't get healing in a round or so, since he only escaped death from the critical due to steely resolve. As to the rest: who knows? :smallsmile:

[danielxcutter]

Hold on, +14 to Diplomacy? Is it a class skill for you?

[Alhallor]

It was for some levels in Human Paragon it's actually ceases to be one in later levels (if we play with once a class skill always a class skill which I don't remember if we do it will stay one which would be nice) and... Well... 22 Charisma does the rest.

[danielxcutter]

Jesus Harold Christ.

[Saintheart]

It was for some levels in Human Paragon it's actually ceases to be one in later levels (if we play with once a class skill always a class skill which I don't remember if we do it will stay one which would be nice) and... Well... 22 Charisma does the rest.


Jesus Harold Christ.

Diplomacy: why waste steel or spells when you can talk them to death instead?

[Metastachydium]

Diplomacy for the win! (And you were worried Calyd won't keep up, Alhallor! Even if he weren't pretty darn good at the whole flying artillery piece business, that alone would make him a force to reckon with.)


♣

Meanwhile, it's a good thing that Mikolt's bound by various oaths to other factions, because she is impressed. Like, "would consider presenting her resume to the Red Hand, were she not already happily employed" impressed.

[Alhallor]

The fly was really, really useful!

Though I'm still unsure if a Fireball or two may have helped more than the other spells.

[danielxcutter]

Blasting is underrated on this forum. Especially when there's a bunch of mooks to fry. But really in general, being able to shell enemies from afar with nigh impunity is very strong. I'm certainly not regretting using that domain slot for this.

[danielxcutter]

Oh sweet I think I leveled up.

That being said, even considering that I've got a very big head start thanks to basically soloing a level 9 NPC on my own that's a lot of XP. You sure these encounters aren't a bit over the top, Saintheart?

[Dexam]

That's enough XP to level up Keda... do we level now, or wait until our rest?

I'm assuming that the blockade will be thoroughly searched, bodies stripped & looted, prisoner interrogated, and the structure burned/destroyed. What's the plan for the prisoner? Bring him with us? Or interrogate and then dispose?

Also, there was nothing in Saintheart's post re: Vokon responding to Arendi and Keda, one way or the other. Or is that for Aracor to post?

[Saintheart]

That's enough XP to level up Keda... do we level now, or wait until our rest?

I'm assuming that the blockade will be thoroughly searched, bodies stripped & looted, prisoner interrogated, and the structure burned/destroyed. What's the plan for the prisoner? Bring him with us? Or interrogate and then dispose?

Also, there was nothing in Saintheart's post re: Vokon responding to Arendi and Keda, one way or the other. Or is that for Aracor to post?

It's for Aracor ultimately to post about whether his character is alive or not.

You can go ahead and level right now, that's all good!

As for the rest - well, that's up to you guys.

[Aracor]

Sorry, I didn't actually see the post where Keda had tried to heal him. I updated now.

[Metastachydium]

Oh sweet I think I leveled up.

That being said, even considering that I've got a very big head start thanks to basically soloing a level 9 NPC on my own that's a lot of XP. You sure these encounters aren't a bit over the top, Saintheart?


That's enough XP to level up Keda...

Looks like it's a brand new level for everyone, [sigh] barring us new folks. (I know, I know. Me and my ECL 9 equivalent madwoman should protest less.)


I'm assuming that the blockade will be thoroughly searched, bodies stripped & looted, prisoner interrogated, and the structure burned/destroyed. What's the plan for the prisoner? Bring him with us? Or interrogate and then dispose?

Fair warning that Mikolt will quite vehemently oppose killing the PoW in cold blood. She's also expressed an interest in honouring the fallen with a proper burial or cremation.

[Dexam]

Keda is levelled up - taking Master Thrower which gets me:
+1 BAB
+2 Ref saves
6 skill points (2 Climb, 2 Spot, 2 Tumble)
Quick Draw bonus feat
Thrown Weapon Trick: Doubletoss
and HP: [roll0] Edit: really?! :smallsigh:

[Alhallor]

I'd say we plunder the place (and burn it down or destroy it somehow.)

And we should let the guy go. It would probably kick us later, but it would also show that we have the moral highground.

Oh and Calyd would still translate what the others wanted to say (I just forgot about the burning or burial because I was too occupied to give Calyd a weird goblin accent.)

[danielxcutter]

Well, my third level of RKV is going to be... uneventful. Though my fourth level is going to be much more interesting; a new spell level, another maneuver, and a new feat.

Also, I vote that we should do all of the stuff suggested, given that not burning down the blockade would mean that they'd just send more soldiers to man it.

[Metastachydium]

Yup. Plus destroying the blockade and disposing of the evidence in a way that doubles as a proper funerary ritual is pretty comfortable. Speaking of, do we assume Calyd relays the hob's answersm or should we wait until he explicitly does so?

[Saintheart]

Yup. Plus destroying the blockade and disposing of the evidence in a way that doubles as a proper funerary ritual is pretty comfortable. Speaking of, do we assume Calyd relays the hob's answersm or should we wait until he explicitly does so?

To advance things I'm happy to assume Calyd does relay the answers, that's essentially the point of the discussion.

[Alhallor]

I'm also totally okay if you just assume Calyd tells you what he finds out. He doesn't want to hide anything from discussions like these.

Also do the runes count as scrolls? If yes I could give them a look over with UMD (which would just take a minute per rune).

Definitely would like to make a giant pyre out of the barricade and I'll ask some more questions of our prisoner.

Also I have no other ways of finding out about magic items (Calyd's spellcraft is pretty bad and no Identify for the poor Warmage. Probably because Identify doesn't destroy anything)

[Saintheart]

Also do the runes count as scrolls? If yes I could give them a look over with UMD (which would just take a minute per rune).

Hmm.

https://c.tenor.com/YPUiCWGaB4YAAAAC/tenor.gif

[Metastachydium]

Okay, so Mikolt's happy and ready to roll back into camp somewhere else once the ceremony's wrapped out. I, on the other hand, can't shake the felling that (no reading what follows, Saintheart!) we've been outwitted by some no-name mook lieutenant and sending some kind of signal to someone we don't like.

[Alhallor]

Calyd was thinking about what the hobgoblin had said in response to his queries. He had casually replied that they had ended those travellers who had come south down the trail, and such of their goods that had been recovered - mostly trade goods - had gone back with an emissary from Saarvith to the Wyrmlord's base, which was somewhere deep in the mangroves well off to the west. The hobgoblin didn't know its precise location - none of the blockade's occupiers had, as a security precaution - but Saarvith certainly would not be alone therein.

Wait... Didn't you guys found some trade goods in some spellwarped bats? (I read the thread to know what I would get into and it's a really good read). It's all connected! I need a board and a lot of red string...

Well what are we gonna do now? Do we try to contact the possible partners behind the barricade or do we get towards Rethmar? (Or send a messenger-Mikolt towards possible allies?)

For now I vote for a rest (Calyd needs his spells or he'll flay around rather embarassingly.)

[Dexam]

Given that it's sunset, I say we get a couple of hours travel in while it's relatively cool, then rest. Plus, that bonfire could potentially attract some unwanted attention; best we put some distance between us and it.

[Saintheart]

Well, I'm not seeing a tremendous amount of objections either way here, so we'll take it from here that the circus transfers a couple of hours down the road before turning in. What are you doing with the hobgoblin prisoner? Is he being let go?


(Also, we'll rule that Aeric uses his artificer's monocle on the remaining magic items that haven't yet been identified. This brings the full sets of gear recovered to the following:)

12xRune of True Strike
1xRune of Haste
3xRune of Conviction CL 6
1xRune of Divine Favor CL 9
7xRune of Cure Moderate Wounds
3xRune of Hunter’s Mercy
1xPotion of Cure Serious Wounds (Arendi recognises this without a check.)
2xRestful Armor Crystals (these were on the ogres' armor)
2xSpiked Half Plate (Large)
2xMorningstar (Large)
2xMasterwork Broadblade Shortswords
6xHandaxes
6xLongbows
2xCalled Full Plate +1. Called armor is armor that can be donned as a standard action a la Tony Stark's suits in Iron Man 3. Unfortunately, Aeric also discovers that these two sets of armor are specifically ensorcelled to only function for a hobgoblin wearer, meaning it's otherwise just plain old Masterwork Full Plate (and kind of chafes in the ... uh ... lower hips area, too). Which is to say that if sold it won't fetch full price that a normal set of armor would.
6xStudded Leather Armor
2xHeavy Steel Shield (Large)
2xHeavy Steel Shield
6xHeavy Wooden Shield
2xCloaks of Resistance +1

6xBedrolls
Inedible hobgoblin rations
Flint & Tinder
8xWaterskins
Mundane knife x4
3 rocks

[Metastachydium]

What are you doing with the hobgoblin prisoner? Is he being let go?

We absolutely shouldn't and M. will vehemently object if anyone suggests that – for whatever that's worth; as you put it yourself earlier, she's so stupidly Lawful that she'll pretty much accept what the Circus in general and Alastor in particular decide. There is, perhaps, a related, broader and more pressing point of contention: where's the party even headed now? Onwards after Saarvith or onwards to Rethmar?


12xRune of True Strike
1xRune of Haste
3xRune of Conviction CL 6
1xRune of Divine Favor CL 9
7xRune of Cure Moderate Wounds
3xRune of Hunter’s Mercy

Neat! Can I have some of the CMW runes? Mikolt's Fussy flaw means that she mixes poorly with potions.


1xPotion of Cure Serious Wounds (Arendi recognises this without a check.)
2xRestful Armor Crystals (these were on the ogres' armor)

Hah! I told you guys the ogres sleeping in armour is good news for us!


2xSpiked Half Plate (Large)
2xMorningstar (Large)

Do we have any reason not to sunder these and throw them into the bog?


Inedible hobgoblin rations

Can the hobgoblin eat the inedible hobgoblin rations?


3 rocks

I assume we're keeping these?

[Aracor]

You can certainly grab some of the runes. The way Saintheart rules, you're allowed to activate multiple runes with the same standard action, so it's definitely advantageous to grab at least a couple of them.

[danielxcutter]

And you don't need UMD to activate them either. They're more like potions, not scrolls.

[Dexam]

Just a head's up: I will be away on holiday for a few days and I don't know if I'll have internet access where I'm staying. If I don't post before then, everyone have a happy new year :smallsmile:

[Saintheart]

Well folks, I hope the season was merry and featured lots of eating. :)

So getting back to this, whilst I can proceed on the basis that the party basically wanders back down the road for a couple of hours before camping for the night, what's going on with respect to:

(a) the hobgoblin prisoner you've got (yes, he can eat his own rations. No, 'inedible hobgoblin rations' does not mean the hobgoblin is edible under normal circumstances, but let's not raise that possibility again... and
(b) what are you doing now, i.e. are you heading back to Rethmar or going to try and find Saarvith, as some suggested further up?


Once we've got a general sense of what people are doing with this, I can move on more fully.

[Metastachydium]

Well folks, I hope the season was merry and featured lots of eating. :)

Why, yes, more than it should have, even! Allow me to express the same hopes!


(a) the hobgoblin prisoner you've got

Drag the feller along all the way back to civilization, I say!


No, 'inedible hobgoblin rations' does not mean the hobgoblin is edible under normal circumstances, but let's not raise that possibility again...

Well, the ones we roasted might be a tad overcooked at this point anyway.


(b) what are you doing now, i.e. are you heading back to Rethmar or going to try and find Saarvith, as some suggested further up?

For the record, Mikolt would advocate backtracking for at least as long as a Rethmar patrol who can take over the prisoner is met. And, of course, she still wants to reach Rethmar as soon as possible for reasons (still, do note that in the strictest technical sense, her oath only binds her to the Circus until their shared destination is reached; we might need contingencies in place for that).

[danielxcutter]

Arendi doesn’t like the hobgoblin but isn’t going to murder him in cold blood either, especially since Mikolt wants to drop him off with the authorities(who will likely execute him anyways).

He’d say Rethmar first, then go hit the other gobbos if necessary. Don’t Mikolt and Vokon still have major Wisdom drain?

[Metastachydium]

Don’t Mikolt and Vokon still have major Wisdom drain?

Yes, they still have their Wisdom drain, although only Vokon's is what I'd call major; Mikolt's four points lost are manageable.

[Aracor]

Vokon is cool with murdering him in cold blood. He tried to kill us. He lost. And he admitted that he'd try again if and when he gets back and gets re-armed.

[Alhallor]

Merryment and food has been had all around.

Regarding the prisoner: Calyd would kinda like to let him go, giving us kind of a morale victory. We are so powerful we can just let him go and don't have to worry about him, which may plant a seed of doubt in him when he have time to ponder getting back to his army. Though he may just be way to indoctrinated to harbor doubts.

Let's throw him to the nearest authorities, it's probaby easier that way.

Getting towards Rethmar is probably the faster approach, perhaps we can even find someone there that can get a message towards Saarvith.

Also what are the inedible hobgoblin rations? What does that entail? (rotten meat? Strange mushrooms?)

If no one has any objections Calyd is gonna bind our prisoner (he just takes 10 for a 15).

[danielxcutter]

I thought the joke was that "hobgoblin rations" meant eating him.

[Saintheart]

Okay, given what's been said I'm going to assume the hobgoblin at least makes it with you to your campsite for the night without being executed. This will be a couple of hours back southward down the trail.


In terms of procedures and housekeeping:

(1) Arendi prays for spells at sunset, so will need to pick his incantations again. Any other spells to be cast in the meantime, let me know.

(2) The party forages for food, but that's kind of tough to do in the nighttime hours. Even potable water's unable to be found: everyone fails their foraging rolls, meaning waterskins are emptied (Alastor has 2 of them, which goes to 1) and everyone consumes 1 trail ration. I make the ration counts after that to be:
Keda: N/A
Arendi: 7
Alastor: 45
Vokon: 15
Calyd: 1
Mikolt: 4

All waterskins are empty, as said.

(3) Whatever else happens, during the night the Complication Pool ticks over again, and so it's time to roll ...


[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]



EDIT: Oh dear. '1' result, so a Complication happens. I'll go and do an update now ...

[Metastachydium]

…
Oops, I suppose? It's a good thing Alastor's loud as all nine hells.

[Dexam]

Hmm... Keda doesn't need to sleep, though he does need to rest; did he notice anything?

[Saintheart]

Hmm... Keda doesn't need to sleep, though he does need to rest; did he notice anything?

Not the hobgoblin's efforts to free himself, but we can say he's awake and sort-of meditating or similar and thus at least ready to go when the hobgoblin is first heard crashing through the trees beyond the campsite. So, yeah.

[danielxcutter]

Alright, rolling for health... should have done this earlier, but was preoccupied.

[roll0]

Say, has my Dex been healed since?

[Saintheart]

Aeric I think healed you for 4 DEX damage if I remember right, but since he doesn't pray for spells at sundown that's likely all you get until sunup, absent natural healing that is.

[danielxcutter]

Ah. I believe the proper response is "buggrit".

Hey, do I get my spells refreshed?

[Saintheart]

Ah. I believe the proper response is "buggrit".

Hey, do I get my spells refreshed?

Yep, sunset passed so make new spell selections by all means.

[Metastachydium]

Has anyone seen King lately, by the way?

[Saintheart]

I'll reach out and see.

In other unrelated news, the next monster you'll be facing will be called the HasbroWOTC, with a OGL 1.1 attack carrying a +200 bonus, doing 600d8 damage, and with an AC of "We want to create a fun and inclusive space where we can monetise the snot out of our userbase."

[danielxcutter]

I'll reach out and see.

In other unrelated news, the next monster you'll be facing will be called the HasbroWOTC, with a OGL 1.1 attack carrying a +200 bonus, doing 600d8 damage, and with an AC of "We want to create a fun and inclusive space where we can monetise the snot out of our userbase."

https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/542757174007431178/1061002771597373450/IMG_1366.jpg?width=537&height=634

[Metastachydium]

In other unrelated news, the next monster you'll be facing will be called the HasbroWOTC, with a OGL 1.1 attack carrying a +200 bonus, doing 600d8 damage, and with an AC of "We want to create a fun and inclusive space where we can monetise the snot out of our userbase."

We should be fine. They have an incredibly thick skin, which is natural armour, so touch attacks should bypass it alright.

[danielxcutter]

Yeah but they also have a lot of money, so in legal courts they have an effect that duplicates Scintillating Scales and converts it into deflection.

[Saintheart]

In other news involving something other than the potential obliteration of entire ecosystems of third party publishers, I haven't had any response back from A.A.King as yet, and he hasn't been online since early December by the look of it. Won't do anything dire just yet, but shall I take it from the group response that it's likely Keda will alert everyone, and go personally chasing after the hobgoblin into the jungle?

[danielxcutter]

...Probably?

[Alhallor]

Calyd is ill equipped with following Keda and will ready himself when woken up. (He doesn't sleep in his armor should it come up, but if he's waken he puts it on). He then draws his glaive and casts a light spell on it, puts it in a blanket (to dampen the light) and waits.

[Metastachydium]

Let's do that for now, I say.

[Aracor]

I think Keda and Mikolt are the best equipped to actually chase him down at night.

[Dexam]

Won't do anything dire just yet, but shall I take it from the group response that it's likely Keda will alert everyone, and go personally chasing after the hobgoblin into the jungle?
Oh definitely. If Keda spies the prisoner fleeing, he'll bolt after him, track him down, and tackle him to the ground if possible.

[Metastachydium]

I think Keda and Mikolt are the best equipped to actually chase him down at night.

Well, apparently waking her is not on the schedule.

[Saintheart]

We can take it on the basis that you're woken up pretty quickly after Keda departs - if anyone's keen to try and follow him that is.

[Metastachydium]

We can take it on the basis that you're woken up pretty quickly after Keda departs - if anyone's keen to try and follow him that is.

Neat! A few quick questions remain:
1. how much of a headstart Keda has (taking into account that he accelerated gradually); and
2. how densely overgrown the area the PoW crossed is (i.e. does following Keda and the hob from the air help or hinder pursuit)?

[Saintheart]

Neat! A few quick questions remain:
1. how much of a headstart Keda has (taking into account that he accelerated gradually); and
2. how densely overgrown the area the PoW crossed is (i.e. does following Keda and the hob from the air help or hinder pursuit)?

1. Superior low-light vision gives Mikolt just enough vision that she can catch up with Keda relatively quickly. Certainly enough that she catches up with him before he comes across the thing he notices jammed into a tree branch.
2. Yeah, it's overgrown enough (and the night overcast enough) that the only real chance to catch up with Keda let alone the hobgoblin is on foot.

[danielxcutter]

Okay the ginormous penalties are a thing yeah, but the rolls themselves are also... oof.

[Metastachydium]

Okay the ginormous penalties are a thing yeah, but the rolls themselves are also... oof.

Yeah. I just found it funny that even after a -12, she still had a positive modifier and so I couldn't not roll. BUt right now? I hope those rolls will never get relevant.

[Saintheart]

(Psst, everyone, it's okay to meta-discuss whether you should send the two scouts onward into what seems to be a chuul's territory, although obviously it's up to Dexam and Meta whether they ultimately want to put their characters at risk. As more or less always, I'm okay with metagaming.)

[Alhallor]

On the one hand I'd say leave the guy go if he survives whatever is there he can fight us again he's gonna be a badass.

But (if Calyd also has regained spell slots) I do would like to fight whatever is in there, it's gonna be glorious and probably very cool.

[Saintheart]

Well guys, no response from a.a.king, so if you have anyone who'd like a spot, we can start exploring it.

On other issues - sorry, Alhallor, your spell slots don't come back until tomorrow morning I'm afraid. They won't switch back on at midnight.

And at the moment it's looking like the overall vote is for letting the hobgoblin go. That the size of it?

[Metastachydium]

Well guys, no response from a.a.king, so if you have anyone who'd like a spot, we can start exploring it.

Huh. That's not ideal. Storywise, that fat hobbit's the one thing holding this crew together (and Aeric is super-useful).


And at the moment it's looking like the overall vote is for letting the hobgoblin go. That the size of it?

It's not like anyone but Keda can really even hope to pick up the hob's trail, so…

[Aracor]

It sucks, but yeah.

Next time Vokon is just going to crack their skulls. Just...FYI.

[Saintheart]

Noted :)

As to Alastor and Aeric, I'll put them in NPC territory and run them myself for a while. We can see where we go from there. Won't ask for new recruits just yet, but if you've got anyone interested, it's not a bad time to hit them up.


Update coming shortly. I'm going to assume the party's heading to Rethmar since Witchcross (the village you came to on the way here) seemed on your initial inspection to be very small and not containing an immediately-apparent temple that could seriously help with Mikolt and Vokon's injuries.

Journey details:
I'll assume fast pace unless circumstances dictate otherwise since I'm presuming you're looking to at least get back to civilisation as quick as possible. When you set out it'll be daybreak on 20 Mirtul. It's about 70 miles to the city following the trail and roads, which at fast pace would get you there after dark on 21 Mirtul, with you travelling about 12 hours and into the night hours to make that happen. You'd be following trails or roads, so you won't get lost. However, things have a better chance of ambushing you.

It's going to cost everyone (except Keda) and all animals 2 days' worth of rations and feed since there's no time to forage locally for food. You'll be able to take just enough time to refill your waterskins at Witchcross's well, so though your skins will be emptied by the time you reach Rethmar's gates, there won't be the need to forage. Beyond that, it's seeing how the journey progresses and what if anything jumps out as we go. As for the weather, the next 2 days at least the temperature is easing somewhat, so there's no need for Desert Clothing or other forms of mitigation against the heat.


Some suggestions for thinking ahead of time:
You're coming to a major city, and there are a few bits and pieces that turned up during the campaign so far that I might remind you about, which might be followed up on getting to the city gates:

-Selling the stuff you've picked up:
-- Trade Goods, Gemstones, Artworks from Jarrett’s Sundries back in Drellin's Ferry
-- Selling the rare herbs and gemstones found in the jungle on the spellwarped bats
-- Appraising and selling the nugget of silver Vokon recovered from the dead bulette's teeth
- Shopping for items or maybe looking up Kai Quessillir (the Crinti contact that Morlin Coalhewer named, who's an Armorer to the Lions of Rethmar)
-- You still have dragonhide, dragonbone, and dragon claws to make into weapons from Ozyrrandion's corpse
-- You still have the spellwarped bat leather.
- Going to the Temple of Yondalla to drop off Kellin Shadowbanks’ commission
- Looking up Immerstal the Red or some other arcane master in relation to identifying more about the locket and the jade sphere recovered from Jarrett's Sundries.
- Seeing to your ability injuries
- Going to find more information about the Ghostlord.

Just putting this and any other things out there for thought, as well as any other more personal errands your character might have in the city. Happy if you want to discuss, but no need to make decisions immediately.

[danielxcutter]

Well, I suppose I shouldn’t be shocked. Warklegnaw and Avarthel dead, Jorr probably dead. But not, I hope, lives futilely spent.

Also, they have a red dragon. Not surprised, really.

[Metastachydium]

Meanwhile, here I am pondering that Mikolt would probably get along swimmingly with this Kharn guy. And this Skather fellow intrigues me (maybe I'll finally get to see a Viletooth lizard in action?). I think I might be doing something wrong.

(No less pertinently, I'm all for fast pace and selling loot in Rethmar.)

[Alhallor]

Not Warklegnaw! (I really liked reading about him and would like to know exactly how much they let the army bleed. But I fear no one of us has Oneiromancy for some visions.)

You painted a really great visual Saintheart.

Nothing more to add despite getting to Rethmar and doing all the usual adventuring stuff.

[Saintheart]

Just a note here that if you stop to get your stuff to dry out, it's going to push back arrival at Rethmar to a minimum of sunrise on 22 Mirtul, since there's only so far you can risk pushing in the dark even at fast pace. Lighting fires to help dry things out will cut the time period to the minimum, certainly. I'll leave it for another day or two in case anyone has a different view, otherwise take it by majority verdict that it's a stop at Witchcross and delay arrival at Rethmar until 22 Mirtul.

One point being, at the risk of overdoing the obvious: Drellin's Ferry is already burning. The Red Hand therefore has at least arrived there and it won't be long before they begin their march up the Dawn Way, presumably staying on the schedule that Koth's notes indicated (albeit your characters themselves wouldn't know that, but as said I'm okay with meta'ing this.)

[Alhallor]

Actually... Could we see the fires or the smoke? Could Mikolt when flying? If I see it correctly there's a mountainrange in between us and Drellin's Ferry which means probably not I just wanted to ask just in case.

Calyd's not that much hindered by his wet dusts it's annoying but not threathening. I'd say we should probably march on (perhaps getting some of Mikolt's equipment to other people in the party to keep marching on.) Not being able to use the scrolls is of course a hindrance but we should be able to keep going on it without.

Definitely going to buy a wand of Prestidigitation when we're at Rethmar, it would probably be a sound investment.

[danielxcutter]

And an Endure Elements wand. Like seriously that one is eating way too many of my slots.

[Saintheart]

Actually... Could we see the fires or the smoke? Could Mikolt when flying? If I see it correctly there's a mountainrange in between us and Drellin's Ferry which means probably not I just wanted to ask just in case.

Calyd's not that much hindered by his wet dusts it's annoying but not threathening. I'd say we should probably march on (perhaps getting some of Mikolt's equipment to other people in the party to keep marching on.) Not being able to use the scrolls is of course a hindrance but we should be able to keep going on it without.

Definitely going to buy a wand of Prestidigitation when we're at Rethmar, it would probably be a sound investment.

Drellin's Ferry stands roughly a hundred miles as the crow flies from Witchcross; it's roughly down the other end of Cannath Vale. Even flying, physics says you have to be about 10,000 feet up to see something 100 miles away on the horizon. Or the reverse: to see a plume of smoke 100 miles away, it has to be about 10,000 feet high to be seen from the horizon. There's no mountain range between you and Drellin's Ferry (check the maps at the front of the OOC thread), but even then you'd have to be way up to see the smoke rising/

[danielxcutter]

Even flying, physics says you have to be about 10,000 feet up to see something 100 miles away on the horizon.

Against all known laws of aviation - (*gets smacked*)

Seriously though, how much of a head start do we still have again and how much faster are we than the army?

[Saintheart]

Against all known laws of aviation - (*gets smacked*)

Seriously though, how much of a head start do we still have again and how much faster are we than the army?

Probably the better way to answer that is to pull from Koth's notes and the OOC maps at the front of the thread:

Hex Grid map of Cannath Vale:

https://images2.imgbox.com/89/8d/DeRojgln_o.jpg

Hexes are at a scale of 12 miles to a hex, i.e. 2 hexes for 24 miles of travel, i.e.e. a default day's travel assuming no terrain or other effects are in play. Normally players don't get scale maps from a medieval period as a matter of verisimilitude, but this might help. As you'll remember, a default normal pace gets you through about 2 hexes per day on normal roads. Fast gets you 3 hexes per day, slow gets you 1. You're at Witchcross right now.


Koth's Map from Vraath Keep:

https://images2.imgbox.com/15/1f/DBzvPn4J_o.jpg


Your efforts in Shaareach Forest and bringing down Skull Gorge Bridge bought the Vale about six days or so. Koth's map allows you to estimate that from the day the Red Hand attacks Drellin's Ferry until it arrives at the gates of Rethmar is about 30 days. Meaning it's due to show up on or about the 20th of Kythorn, technically next month, virtually midsummer.

[danielxcutter]

Wow we really do not have much time left to prepare for an actual army. Then again, Rethmar probably knows about the army at this point... I hope.

[Metastachydium]

(Well, technically and by RAW, it would only take Mikolt about 4 minutes to reach an altitude of 10000' assuming she succeeds on the CON checks to keep running (and she does have Endurance to help with that), but I do recognize just how stupid that is, even by 3.5 standards.

Anyhow, I really don't know why she has a fishing net, so…)

[Saintheart]

(Well, technically and by RAW, it would only take Mikolt about 4 minutes to reach an altitude of 10000' assuming she succeeds on the CON checks to keep running (and she does have Endurance to help with that), but I do recognize just how stupid that is, even by 3.5 standards.

If it's any balm, the trip down is a lot easier than the one up!

[danielxcutter]

Wait, does anyone in the party have Feather Fall?

[Metastachydium]

If it's any balm, the trip down is a lot easier than the one up!

Hm. How much would you allow her to drop as a free action before she'd have to make Fort saves against being burnt up in the atmosphere?


Wait, does anyone in the party have Feather Fall?

You, technically (it's built into Fly, if memory serves)?

[Alhallor]

Even if they know about the army I guess it would be good if we help with preparations somehow (or rally more people into Rethmar. Give inspirational speeches, etc.)

[Metastachydium]

I think dealing with Saarvith would probably help at least as much as a good speech, once the more urgent orders of business are attended to, actually. Plus we have this Ulwai person to find. And Skather. And something about ghosts.

[Saintheart]

Picking this up, I'm taking it that the group wants to try and get into the city incognito at least over the first day. I will also assume that the 500 gp sought comes out of Alastor's share, so that can be passed to Mikolt at next update.

In terms of what you want to do with the day, we'll likely split it out into separate scenes depending on who goes with who. I think we can see what Mikolt's going to be doing, which would be its own thing, and I'll fiat it that Alastor intends to find a place for everyone to stay and then head over to the Temple of Yondalla to drop off the letters you've been carrying for Kellin Shadowbanks, but does anyone else have anything they'd want to do? As a reminder of potential ideas:

-Selling the stuff you've picked up:
-- Trade Goods, Gemstones, Artworks from Jarrett’s Sundries back in Drellin's Ferry
-- Selling the rare herbs and gemstones found in the jungle on the spellwarped bats
-- Appraising and selling the nugget of silver Vokon recovered from the dead bulette's teeth

- Shopping for items or maybe looking up Kai Quessillir (the Crinti contact that Morlin Coalhewer named, who's an Armorer to the Lions of Rethmar)
-- You still have dragonhide, dragonbone, and dragon claws to make into weapons from Ozyrrandion's corpse
-- You still have the spellwarped bat leather from the Witchwood.

- Looking up Immerstal the Red or some other arcane master in relation to identifying more about the locket and the jade sphere recovered from Jarrett's Sundries.

- Seeing to your ability injuries.

- Going to find more information about the Ghostlord.

Following up any of these issues will be time-consuming, since it takes a while to ask around on the subject, and would advance the Complication Pool of course, though as always doing stuff simultaneously cuts the 'cost' somewhat.

What say you?

[danielxcutter]

I’m going to look into the ability damage fixing first.

[Alhallor]

Calyd would like to accompany anyone who sells the goods (or sell it himself if that's alright)

He can even chip in some expertise about some more elaborate stuff. (Like the weird leather and things)

If it's possible he would also like to ask innocuos tourist questions like the most interesting sights, latest happenings, who is the worldly, spiritual and militaristic leader, etc.

Rolls in case it's needed.

Diplomacy: [roll0]
Gather Information: [roll1]
Knowledge (Arcana): [roll2]
Knowledge (History): [roll3]
Craft (Sewing): [roll4]

Should I have forgot something: [roll5]

[Metastachydium]

Poor Mikolt. With everyone heading to various temples, she might end up having some trouble finding one where she can be all ominous discreetly.

[Saintheart]

Okay, so at the moment we've got the party basically splitting out as follows:
- Alastor and Aeric looking for an inn, then over to the Temple of Yondalla
- Calyd goes shopping, sightseeing, and information gathering
- Arendi goes looking for someone who can cast Restoration.
- Mikolt goes on her personal errand. (Alastor will hand over 500 gp out of his funds as she requests.)

That leaves Keda and Vokon unassigned. I understand from other threads it might be a busy time of year for people, so I can adjust if they indicate otherwise soonish, but unless they come in anytime soon I will assume:

- Keda goes with Calyd since they're both new visitors to this part of the world and thus interested in what there is to see out here.
- Vokon, since he's the one most heavily smashed by ability draining outside Mikolt, will go with Arendi.

I'll post up in next couple of days absent anyone having any thoughts otherwise.

[Aracor]

Vokon will go with Calyd and act as sherpa. He'll trust Arendi to figure out a solution to the wisdom drain.

[Saintheart]

Hi guys, sorry about the delays, there's a fair bit of information to go into the next post, so it's taking a bit of time. Soon as ...

[Metastachydium]

Well, when we split a party this big, that's sadly par for course.

[Saintheart]

Finally got the damn update out. It was a biggie mainly because I wanted to try and cover as much as I could about the obvious stuff that I thought you'd be looking to sell, and because of the map. :smallcool:

I left out the dragonbones and dragonhides seeing as they're more things you'd need to take to a weaponsmith to make into something than items that are easily saleable on the streets.

And immediately I can see I missed a couple of items, such as the bat leather, the nugget of silver, and the bag of saffron recovered from back in the Witchwood. And on that score, in addition to what's here:

- The nugget appraises for 30gp, and Vokon gets an offer of 25gp for it.
- The bat leather is too exotic and specialised for a regular street dealer to pick it up; you'd need to find a more specific merchant to hock it, and Red Magic and Sundries is one such place.
- The bag of saffron appraised for about 1,000gp, and Calyd gets an offer of 600gp for it.


If there's anything in the party's inventory I missed or you want offers on aside from what's already out here, let me know.

[Alhallor]

That is really a lot of things to consider!

I'd say we sell the garlic for 9, the wool for 50, the grain for 25, the corked wine for 1 (because we don't have enough baking powder to improvise a bomb) the good wine as a payment for Calyd.

The chalice for 1500, the scales for 80, the abacus for 100, the flute for 70, the nugget for 30.

For a total of 1865 and then bring the bat leather and some other stuff to the wizard, we can also ask him what he can generally do against dragons? And perhaps he can make some of the armor also be more wearable by other people than goblins?


ALSO I have a weird idea, let's sell the usable weapons and armor but for 1/4 the price, if the buyer can make sure that citizens get armed to garner some goodwill instead of just glares because we are an excentric bunch.


Here are things that I may want to do but I'd like to put on hold for now I just wanted to write it down somewhere to get back to it later. Visiting the stone Wyvern (perhaps the red hand wants to destone it? How intelligent are wyverns? Could we use it against the Red Hand in exchange to destoning it?)

I would also like to visit Valorian for casual banter and questions, establish a good relation with the local entertainer.

Talk to both Jarmaath and Lars Ulverth and basically ask them if they are things we could do to make the preparations go smoother.

I'm not sure if we should poke the hornet's nest that are the nobles, Calyd would probably like to do it, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea.

Edit: If any of my musings should trigger rolls for additional knowledge, roll for me Saintheart.