Ruins of Azlant OOC

[u-b]

Then I will take off my armour, drop the rope and take 10 (for 15 in total), climb down and put the armour back on.

I mean, leaving the campsite is not problematic. The problem is, your target is a (semi-)underwater cave on the other side of the rock that is mostly surrounded by the sea. So, you will be getting from the top of the rock down to the cave entrance. It might be expected that the action starts as soon as the first person is down. I did not mention approaching the top of the rock from the land because it is not problematic, but down below you probably won't have much time to don the armor. Or maybe you will.

[farothel]

I mean, leaving the campsite is not problematic. The problem is, your target is a (semi-)underwater cave on the other side of the rock that is mostly surrounded by the sea. So, you will be getting from the top of the rock down to the cave entrance. It might be expected that the action starts as soon as the first person is down. I did not mention approaching the top of the rock from the land because it is not problematic, but down below you probably won't have much time to don the armor. Or maybe you will.

Then I'll best go first and Henri covers. He can take 10 for 15 with his armour on. And with the rope, the DC will be a lower so I can take 10 for 14 without problem. And I'm quite good to hide out.

[Farmerbink]

...And with the rope, the DC will be a lower so I can take 10 for 14 without problem.

I get the impression that using the rope was an alternative to skill checks. Unless something notably complicates it, climbing a rope with a wall to brace is DC 5. Almost anyone can take-10 it (also assuming take 10 is an option). Obviously, if we start getting attacked immediately, taking 10 will be out of the question, but DC 5 is still practically too low to *fail so badly that you fall*. Unless your net modifier is negative.

At any rate, climbing seems obviously a better choice for us than swimming. I'm fine with Laurelata or Henri being the first down- and Jessica has plenty of heals to go around if things go south.

[farothel]

perception check Laurelata: (1d20+8)[26]

[DaOldeWolf]

Yeah, lets go down. I suppose it would mean both Lightburn and Hewitt go down almost at the same time.

[u-b]

Would Lightburn try to use the rope somehow or just try DC 15 climb check?

[DaOldeWolf]

Would Lightburn try to use the rope somehow or just try DC 15 climb check?

Using the rope, of course.

[SanguinePenguin]

Between Aquakinesis, Ocean's Kiss, and Waterdancer, Taz is basically as comfortable in water as on land. Depending on the answer to the next question, she would either adjust her bouyancy to keep her head and shoulders out of the water, or adjust it to sink and swim/walk along the bottom.

Rules question: Darkvision underwater? It's hard to see underwater because A) particulates spoiling clarity of water, B) currents and overdensities cause bending effects that result in distant objects blurring, and C) difficulty of light to penetrate water. Dark vision should completely resolve C, I suspect since dark vision is clearly not light-based that B would also be a non-issue, leaving just A. I would think then darkvision in water would work like normal vision in fog with visible distance set by clarity of water. If you have a different interpretation, let me know. Is this water pretty clear? If so Taz would likely just be underwater. If not, she would make herself float.

[farothel]

As scuba diver I can probably give some explanation on this. Your head is only a foot or so under water, it's only A that really comes into play and that depends on the soil more than on most other things. If it's solid rock with no sand on top, there is little that can be in the water and it will be clear. If it's soft mud, the fact that we walk through it means you won't be seeing a lot (if anything) under water and neither will the grindylows.

[u-b]

The rock is largely rock and the beach near to it is largely sand, so I rule the water should be clear enough.

I assume the rocks in cave F3 are climable?

Yep. Let's rule it is DC 10.

[DaOldeWolf]

Well, Lightburn is definitely the fastest here. So, if I am understand correctly, we can trigger the trap and then move on, right? Or do we need to disable it? Just trying to make sure I understood everything correctly.

[u-b]

Well, Lightburn is definitely the fastest here. So, if I am understand correctly, we can trigger the trap and then move on, right? Or do we need to disable it? Just trying to make sure I understood everything correctly.

No need to disable. Lightburn should be able to tigger it just fine and then you can pass through it safely.

[Farmerbink]

No need to disable. Lightburn should be able to tigger it just fine and then you can pass through it safely.

I was having trouble visualizing the situation. If this works without threat to any of us, I'm totally on board!

[farothel]

Just to let you know, I'll be on holiday from this Friday for a week. I should have Wifi but as I'll be doing touristy stuff, I might be slower in reacting.

[Farmerbink]

I think DarkOne accounted for the bless bonus.

I'm pretty sure everyone else left it off.

You've all got 9 more rounds of +1 to hit and +1 to saves vs fear

[farothel]

Overall a +1 Longspear is as much damage on a non-crit as Henri's bec de corbin. On a critical hit the bec de corbin is much more damage, though. I will take it if no one else wants it, but won't argue at all if someone else would like it.

On the other hand, if Henri is to be the frontline, the Amulet of Natural AC +1 would be very welcome. Does anyone else want it?

For me it's okay if you take both, especially the amulet. I've already taken most stuff from the last mission, so I'm going to refrain for now. The gems and others stuff we can divide later.

[u-b]

I'm not sure how to do this, but I'd really like something graphic to help us imagine what the explored portions of the island look like so far. Can we get some help here, u-b? Can you link an image of the map with the unexplored areas spoilered or something?

Basically, you have explored and mapped everything that can be explored while returning to the willage by the evening. Well, except the main crater itself, but you don't expect there to be anything. Further exploration will require staying in the wilderness overnight.

[DarkOne-Rob]

Thank you, u-b, that is a great start!

So, the colony is along the coastline of the bay on the lower left (southwest?) of the island? Roughly speaking, where are the noteworthy items we've found? The goblin village, ruins, ettercap nest, grindylow lair, etc...?

[u-b]

So, the colony is along the coastline of the bay on the lower left (southwest?) of the island? Roughly speaking, where are the noteworthy items we've found? The goblin village, ruins, ettercap nest, grindylow lair, etc...?

Okay, now with (G)oblins, (G)rindylows, (E)ttercap, (R)uins and your (V)illage marked.

[DarkOne-Rob]

Thank you so much! That helps visualize things a great deal!

[DaOldeWolf]

So, before we move on, can we vote about who to tell what? Just so we are all on the same page.

[DarkOne-Rob]

What do we hope to accomplish by telling people? A ghost’s testimony is suspect at best, IMO, and (not to meta-game too much) the NPCs won’t win this for us. It’s on the PCs to save the day, so I’m inclined to keep this close to the chest and tell as few as we can. Every choice is risky, so take the risk that keeps the knowledge in our hands. That’s my discussion on the vote.

As for a specific vote, I say we tell no one, or at most two or three trusted NPCs.

[farothel]

I agree to tell as little as possible, but we will have to tell the priests at least something. We have talked to the ghosts and they know it and they will at least want to know if they can use the chapel again (which we actually didn't ask the ghost now that I think about it ).

Perhaps we can tell them that we need to find the body of this Arkley dude and that we're going to search for it during our regular exploration activities. And we'll have to get away from the colony for a longer time I think to search for those ruins and indeed, the ankhegs.

[u-b]

...and indeed, the ankhegs.

That is assuming there are ankhegs anywhere nearby. It is not guaranteed that previous colonists failed to address every problem they have encountered, at least to some extent, and you've already dealt with one momma ankheg and its spawn here near the village. Of course, there might be more ankhegs elsewhere on this island, so, if you are inclined to, go ahead and search.

[SanguinePenguin]

IC - Taz thinks we need as many people as possible to be aware. In her mind, Ramona needs to be informed (chain of command and all), but she also thinks Ramona is the most in danger of succumbing to whatever this is. If Ramona starts acting a little odd, having this in the public mindset would ultimately help to get control taking away from her. Also, if the danger is known, people might be more suspicious of odd commands. She also thinks that we could become compromised by this influence at the ruins and endanger the colony. The best way is for eveyone to know of the danger and for no one to know that anyone else knows.

OOC and Metagamey - Taz doesn't want to cause a panic, but lacks the foresight to realize that is exactly what her plan would do. I think that telling some would be useful, as an NPC could tip us off that someone is acting odd. I think having Ramona know who we told is a bad idea, as they would almost certainly be targeted (that is if whatever Ramona knows would be known to this controlling influence). Also, OOC worry about the colony if we all become compromised is pretty pointless. I'm on the fence as to whether it is valuable to tell Ramona OOC, but I can't see good IC reasons not to tell her.

[DarkOne-Rob]

Also, if the danger is known, people might be more suspicious of odd commands…

… I think that telling some would be useful, as an NPC could tip us off that someone is acting odd.

There’s no reason to expect NPCs won’t tell us when someone is acting oddly. The only difference here is the degree of paranoia our discussions inspire.

The best way is for eveyone to know of the danger and for no one to know that anyone else knows.

I think I just went cross-eyed…

This is the sort of overly complex plan that never works as well as intended and frequently blows up in everyone’s faces. I think we tell as few as possible to avoid exactly this sort of hampering-complexity.

[SanguinePenguin]

I think I just went cross-eyed…

This is the sort of overly complex plan that never works as well as intended and frequently blows up in everyone’s faces. I think we tell as few as possible to avoid exactly this sort of hampering-complexity.

I completely agree that the full realization of what Taz would want to do here is incredibly complicated and ultimately very stupid (hence the IC and OOC division). This sort of looming witch trial has terrified her into concocting terrible plans.

It will be difficult to persuade her that we should not tell anyone at all, because she wouldn't want to become a danger to the colony after visiting the ruins. She also thinks telling just Ramona is too dangerous. So telling Ramona and a few others is her ultimate vote.

[Farmerbink]

We never did find any more chokers, either. I imagine they have to reproduce somehow....

And I feel like most of what we have so far is speculation. It makes sense to me, but it's not at all concrete yet.

At any rate, I vote for the priests and Ramona, and if we want to keep Marius as a thing, him.

[DaOldeWolf]

We never did find any more chokers, either. I imagine they have to reproduce somehow....

And I feel like most of what we have so far is speculation. It makes sense to me, but it's not at all concrete yet.

At any rate, I vote for the priests and Ramona, and if we want to keep Marius as a thing, him.

I agree. At the very least, we should inform Ramona on the details. I dont think Hewitt would like the idea of lying to probably the most influential person in the colony. So, my vote goes to doing the same.

[Farmerbink]

Jessica would not be talking: (1d20+18)[27] "bluff"

(1d20+8)[27] sense motive