DrK Way of Wicked Take 2 OOC

[Farmerbink]

Depending on details regarding the bonus wisdom, Stvari could hypothetically memorize a few new spells to make dealing with them today more reasonable.

Speaking of special loot, did we ever decide what to do with the big ol' horse? I'm seriously bummed just leaving it metaphorically on the table...

[Gyrfalcon]

None of our are really mounted characters. Akhmathi Set might make best use of it for the cheese is 'mount keeps moving while I can take full rounds to cast'?

Otherwise we find a cart and we can use the horse to help move our ill-gotten gains.

Also, nice to see the Knot come together in their polytheistic glory. I'm pretty sure the Golem isn't going to make a DC38 will save.

[DrK]

Let’s have a roll on that Will save (1d20)[12]

Edit: You appear to have a new pet

[Starbin]

I didn't want to jinx myself, but one of the things I have a hard time with in most D&D / D&D adjacent games is how a 1 is always a fail and a 20 is always a hit. It means no matter how good you are, no matter how powerful you are, you always have a 5% chance of failure. And no matter how weak, or crappy or uncoordinated you are, you have a 5% chance of success. That just seems high to me.

Anyhoo, off my soap-box. Yay, we did a thing!

Also, I got the impression that Oghash was considering using the horse later. I thought we had hidden it for now in anticipation of a raging rider who might one day impart some of that rage into her steed.

[DarkOne-Rob]

The mounted rager is still a possible thing - not conclusively yet, but I'm considering it. The only thing I need to decide is how I'd get there, if I got there, and when to "pull the trigger" on that decision.

[Farmerbink]

I would love to see/help make that happen. I personally struggle to ignore thematic boons, especially when they're notably mechanically, as well. I don't know how closely you've looked, but there's really not any class features that can *make* a mount as good as that one would be.

It would be something very much like a truly unique boon for a ranger or cavalier.

[Gyrfalcon]

I didn't want to jinx myself, but one of the things I have a hard time with in most D&D / D&D adjacent games is how a 1 is always a fail and a 20 is always a hit. It means no matter how good you are, no matter how powerful you are, you always have a 5% chance of failure. And no matter how weak, or crappy or uncoordinated you are, you have a 5% chance of success. That just seems high to me.

An important thing here is that only applies to combat rolls - if you have a DC25 check and roll 20 on 1d20+1, you still fail. The same as if you have a DC15 check and roll a 1 on 1d20+20, you still pass. Mostly saying this because I see a common misapprehension floating around that people think the 1 fails, 20 succeeds thing applies to everything.

Personally I don't mind it much in combat - 5% can be a bit high, but it represents a combination of people getting lucky/unlucky in the heat of combat. It does tend to stack up with flurry builds though, which is why I will always avoid games where the DM thinks fumbles on a 1 are a good idea.

Also, we have a super horse? edit - found it back.

THe saddle has a worked silver thread name on it of "Bartheron" - a name that Ahkmathi and Stavri recognise as the as name of of Mitran Saint famed for his strength and loyalty. Good name for a stead.

Treat it as a light warhorse with +2 HD (with all the benefits that brings) and +4 Str/Con and +2 Dex

It looks to be an Advanced Horse with two extra HD. Overall a really good mount for lower levels, though we'll need to figure out ways to buff and advance it in the future if we want Oghash to ride one at Lv20. (If she doesn't want a bloody skeleton gold dragon as a mount at that point. :P)

edit 2 - I was looking at the Flesh Golem entry, but apparently Anton can also 'heal' it by casting Jolt on it over and over. Every 3 points of lightning damage will heal 1 HP for it. Jolt does 1d3, so it only works 33% of the time, but we can time-skip after a battle and Anton spends 30+ minutes [Jolt]ing the golem until its back to full.

[DarkOne-Rob]

It looks to be an Advanced Horse with two extra HD. Overall a really good mount for lower levels, though we'll need to figure out ways to buff and advance it in the future if we want Oghash to ride one at Lv20. (If she doesn't want a bloody skeleton gold dragon as a mount at that point. :P)

Um, yes please! Though the horse sounds fun too, in the meantime.

[DarkOne-Rob]

Resurrecting our list, with some edits.

Also, for reference: Here is the Summary of Town from DrK.

Spoiler: Old List, for reference

Show

Tomorrow (Day 6)

1. Take out the priest's entourage via subtlety so we can fight him solo. I am least concerned about this- I intend to have a Death knell active from the alchemist, and suspect we will easily overpower anyone without a name.
2. Ambush and capture the priest.
3. Sacrifice him to empower the flesh golem.
4. Engage in "Other goals" from the list below if time allows

Day 7 ("overmorrow")
Try to sabotage the dwarven tunnel repairs? Impersonate the Priest to get inside the Keep? Use CAPT Eddarly to get inside the Keep? Work on the brothel? Work to sow despair, especially with ripe targets like Kaitlyn? I like impersonating the priest, and perhaps the leader of the Dwarven team.

Two days later (Day 8)
The bard arrives in town - how do we intend to use this for our advantage? The next patrol should be leaving sometime around this day...

Day 9
Release the Golem as a distraction while we infiltrate the keep?

Other goals

1. I still want to take over the brothel, by force if necessary. Alicia and Bellam Barthold need to be pushed out of control of the girls, removed from positions where they could discover our subterfuge, or something similar. We've got a variety of ways to do it - just need to succeed somehow.
   
2. Timon Meadery: will it be worth doing anything here? Poison/drugs in the alcohol? Or just burn it down? Meh
3. General Store and Smithy: burn them down. Make it big enough to be difficult to put out, maybe pick off individuals as they try to fight the fires...? Yes
4. Graveyard: resources for a Lesser Animate Dead spell or two? With enough time, easy peasy
5. Dominik Vallison, village reeve: break into his home one night, kill him, rob him blind? Or try to Charm him and use him to get into the keep?

The reeve may be easier access than impersonation- none of us are good at face skills XD

Notes

1. We still need to kill the commander of the keep and maximize the death/destruction we accomplish.
2. Beef stew for the keep (poison it?)
3. Smithy?

Spoiler: OoC from Starbin's Last Post

Show

---

OOC - Suggest we chat this out in the discord or OOC, but here's some thoughts.
Rando stuff

• To delay discovery of the priest's death, Anton could pretend to be the priest, perhaps with Stvari as a single bodyguard. Go to the local church (or wherever he was setting up shop) and mention being tired or wanting to prepare some sermons. If any asks about his guards, he can tell them he sent them out to investigate some recent rumors.
• Oghash warns the ladies to get out of town. Once the city falls, they don't want to be here when the bugbears arrive, so if they start leaving now, departing in twos and threes, they can head to southern cities and start to set up a network. Make sure we give them a code phrase (nothing too overtly Asmodean, but something no self-respecting Mitran would say)
• Is the Bard coming soon, and are there opportunities there to either disrupt festivities or implicate him in a plot?

Ways ahead

• Go to the tower on the outskirts of town and kill the few guards there. Ring the bells that call a group of troops from the keep. Ambush them with Kamos to reduce combat power at the keep. Alternatively, we get the guards to respond while we attack the keep.
• Head to the keep via the underground passage, leave the golem hidden with instructions on when to unleash hell (ideally when we want the distraction).
• Go after the dwarves with Kamos and kill them all. Sabotage what we can.
• Swing by and add some poison to Old Lady WhatsHerName's soup ... and maybe Timon's ale. Lower some stats before we fight?
• Start another fire, this one at the armory. Attack the keep after troops arrive to help.

Key concerns

• The keep commander ... I think he's a bad ass.
• Getting the gates open for the bugbears
• Time

Today, this morning (Day 6)

1. Take out the priest's entourage via subtlety so we can fight him solo.
2. Ambush and capture the priest.
3. Sacrifice him to empower the flesh golem.

- Done, and done well, if I do say so myself! We even have the afternoon to work and a good deal of our resources still available.

This afternoon

1. Impersonate the Priest - we just killed Father Donnagin (I think), so if we handle Brother Justin we could use the church as a new safe-house, if needed.
   

   6. The Church of St. Alden
   This is Aldencross’ local Mitra church. This small country church has been rebuilt only twenty years ago after a fire but is built on ancient foundations. The caretaker of the church, Brother Justin of Travismere is not a spellcaster. Instead, he is imply a humble devotee of Mitra, well-skilled at keeping the place in fine working order. The real authority at this church is Father Donnagin, the chaplain of Balentyne. Brother Justin is frankly in awe of the man and defers to him on all matters of any real substance. Still, Father Donnagin is rarely at the church save on holy days. The duties of the watchtower simply keep him too busy.

2. Sabotage the dwarven tunnel repairs - I think this will likely start with deception (impersonating dwarves?) and then lead to a brawl where we kill all the dwarven workers. I am so, SO down for this!
3. Scout the tower proper - probably in disguise as Father Donnagin? We should definitely do this before mounting a full frontal assault - knowing the layout ahead of time will be GREAT for us.

Tonight - We feast on Bellam and Alicia Barthold with the whores, finalizing their conversion to Asmodeus-bondage/worship and their service to us. We then arrange for the ladies to manage the inn for a couple of days since the couple "suddenly, and without warning, left town." Finally, we explore the tunnel to the keep and see if we want to enter the keep that way. Alternatively, we send the golem that way to distract while we enter via another entrance.

Tomorrow

1. General Store, Smithy, and dealing with the Reeve - These could be good activities for tomorrow morning. Collect the last resources in town while the golem distracts the keep? Then, while the soldiers are trying to recover, we begin the assault for real.
2. Graveyard: resources for a Lesser Animate Dead spell or two? How soon can we execute this? If it takes too long skip it, but if we can do it tonight or tomorrow, before we start the full assault, than it could be worthwhile.
3. Begin the attack at nightfall?

Two days later (Day 8)
The bard arrives in town - how do we intend to use this for our advantage? The next patrol should be leaving sometime around this day...

- I think we either scrap this or it is the last day outside the keep. The bard may or may not be a big deal, I don't really know, but I don't see him as much more than a distraction. If we kill him, great (Oghash is bloodthirsty and I enjoy these combat scenes), but if not we don't want him leaving to spread word that the town and keep are in trouble. I think "Go-Time" is tomorrow, because of his arrival.

If he arrives to find the town and tower a smoking heap, that would be a great way to spread the word after it is too late. Talk about free propaganda!

Other Goals
Prevent any call for help from the tower?

Victory Condition
Kill the Lord Commander of the keep and maximize the death/destruction we accomplish.

[Gyrfalcon]

Alright, let’s throw some thoughts together on what we can do.

I think from what the others are saying its worthwhile to have Anton impersonate the priest – the others can come disguised as guardsmen from his entourage. Make an appearance at the chapel and eat kill and eat Brother Justin. Not that he’s a caster himself, but then the church goes entirely quiet and we can indeed relocate and use it.

Before doing so, we’d need to interrogate him as much as possible so that we know as much about the Priest as possible. We can then go ahead and visit the Tower and get an idea of the layout, defenses and defenders as much as possible before its go time

Tonight we finish the plotline with the girls for now. I agree with Starbin that they need to get out of town soon, preferably right before we make our big move.

I’m categorically against throwing the golem away by sending it in to die. If we want to unleash it alone, then we want to attack as a group from another direction at the same time and force the defenders to split their attention and numbers. We also don’t want to just let it attack and then do nothing – such an event would force the defenders to try to send an alert. If it’s a messenger on foot or horse, we might be able to do something. But there are plenty of magical options and we don’t have any way to stop that.

My ideal endgame is that we keep the golem as a powerful minion for now – especially since it can take plenty of hits for the party and we can basically heal it for free given enough time out of combat.
Sadly, unless you guys have scrolls of animate dead kicking around, we’re not raising anything yet. Unless the graveyard has a naturally occurring undead problem. In that case, Anton can dominate them, and we can use them in the attack.

So now to organize that a bit
I think we want to do the following:
Afternoon – visit and secure the church, visit the tower and figure out defenses and defenders
Evening – Red Feast, scout the tunnel and insert the golem there to wait
Tomorrow morning – Finish the last stores and deal with the dwarves or tower.
Tomorrow night – infiltrate the keep, kill as many defenders in their sleep as possible. Once we’re discovered, go loud with the golem and rip and tear.

[DarkOne-Rob]

I think from what the others are saying its worthwhile to have Anton impersonate the priest – the others can come disguised as guardsmen from his entourage. Make an appearance at the chapel and eat kill and eat Brother Justin. Not that he’s a caster himself, but then the church goes entirely quiet and we can indeed relocate and use it.

Before doing so, we’d need to interrogate him as much as possible so that we know as much about the Priest as possible. We can then go ahead and visit the Tower and get an idea of the layout, defenses and defenders as much as possible before its go time.

Totally agree - solid details.

Tonight we finish the plotline with the girls for now. I agree with Starbin that they need to get out of town soon, preferably right before we make our big move.

I think the night before, or of, our attack we should send them out. Give them as long as possible for indoctrination and ensuring they remain corrupted, at least, if not faithful.

I’m categorically against throwing the golem away by sending it in to die.

100% agree - I think it's damage reduction will do a ton to ensure it lasts.

If we want to unleash it alone, then we want to attack as a group from another direction at the same time and force the defenders to split their attention and numbers. We also don’t want to just let it attack and then do nothing – such an event would force the defenders to try to send an alert. If it’s a messenger on foot or horse, we might be able to do something. But there are plenty of magical options and we don’t have any way to stop that.

My ideal endgame is that we keep the golem as a powerful minion for now – especially since it can take plenty of hits for the party and we can basically heal it for free given enough time out of combat.

Again, you are absolutely right. No reason to throw out a powerful boon due to laziness or negligence. That's bad tactics, bad strategy, and definitely isn't ambitious (i.e., in accordance with the teachings of Asmodeus). We need to ensure it survives the battle.

Sadly, unless you guys have scrolls of animate dead kicking around, we’re not raising anything yet. Unless the graveyard has a naturally occurring undead problem. In that case, Anton can dominate them, and we can use them in the attack.

/nods. Seems this is off the table, then. No big deal - I think we've enough resources here.

So now to organize that a bit...
I think we want to do the following:
Afternoon – visit and secure the church, visit the tower and figure out defenses and defenders.
Evening – Red Feast, scout the tunnel and insert the golem there to wait.
Tomorrow morning – Finish the last stores and deal with the dwarves or tower.
Tomorrow night – infiltrate the keep, kill as many defenders in their sleep as possible. Once we’re discovered, go loud with the golem and rip and tear.

I like it.

[Farmerbink]

Sadly, unless you guys have scrolls of animate dead kicking around, we’re not raising anything yet. Unless the graveyard has a

Just to be clear, as a cleric 3, Stvari can absolutely prepare up to two castings of lesser animate dead.

Based on your timeline, I don't know that it'll be feasible. We'd need almost an entire day worth of 2nd level spells (not counting the domain spell). I'd really rather not do the infiltration in earnest virtually tapped out. BUT if we can weasel one more day between today and the infiltration, we could trivially have a pair of zombies or skeletons on hand- for whatever that's worth.

Relevant detail, and question for @DrK: Would a Desecrate spell do the same for lesser animate dead as it does for the regular spell (in this case, doubling the production rate to two critters per cast?). Or does the lesser part of the animate dead spell override the significance of a (potential) desecration?

[DrK]

Post your interrogation of the Solider after the massacre at the Cabin I'll let you see the map of the Keep



The town of Alden Cross lies to the West so you enter through the gates on the lower level. Some salient things that the guard would have mentioned

Lower Level:
Areas 10-13: Kitchen, dining rom, stores etc...
Area 9: Main barracks for the soldiers
Areas 3-7: Rooms for the 4 1 Captains
Areas: 14-17: The Holy Father and his assistants quarters
Area 2: Armoury stores
Area 18-19: Bridge of the ravine and gatehouse with double portcullis

Area 1 (the Vault): More armoury and stores (under Area 2). Currently as far as you are aware this is where the seceret passage from the Inn will end up

Ground Level
Area 24/24: Roof of bridge, murderholes over portcullis
Area 30: Stables
Area 26: The Chapel to Mitra
Area 31: The great Hall

Keep Level 2: Area 35 The jail cells
Keep Level 3: Area 40-41 The magister (also dead) quarter
Keep Level 4: Lord Captain's Quarters

[DarkOne-Rob]

We've already done quite a nice job of clearing out some of the most dangerous defenders.

@DrK What do we know about the upper levels of the tower? Above the Dwarven Vaults and Armory storage?

[DrK]

General training and storage or office space apart from the top floor which is the rookery with the messenger crows

[DarkOne-Rob]

Oooh...messenger crows. Methinks we should go through the tunnel tonight and up that tower to the top, kill the messengers...

[DarkOne-Rob]

Plan

Spells
0: resistance, acid splash, detect magic, detect poison, read magic, dancing lights, flare, light, ray of frost, spark, ghost sound, mending, haunted fey aspect, mage hand, message, open/close, arcane mark, prestidigitation

1: mage armor, grease, obscuring mist, protection from good, enlarge person, color spray, silent image, feather fall, snowball, shield, mount, magic missile, alarm, sleep, expeditious retreat, charm person

2: bull’s strength, flaming sphere, hideous laughter, invisibility, resist energy, create pit, glitterdust, Darkvision, euphoric cloud, summon monster II

Formulae
1-enlarge person, shield, expeditious retreat, cure light wounds, heightened awareness, targeted bomb admixture, touch of the sea, identity, abjuring step, blend, illusion of calm

I like the following plan:

1. Kill the messenger and the ravens.
2. Keep going
3. Leave the golem to guard our rear as we go up to the upper levels ASAP
4. Mop up anything still alive after fighting the golem

Since we're out of order, time-wise, in our posts now, I figure we should make the decision here and then progress forward with that assumed plan in our IC posts.

As for spells...

0 - Don't think they matter much, but I'd say Acid Splash, Detect Magic, and Message need to be included.
1 - Game changers like Grease, Obscuring Mist, Silent Image, and Sleep
2 - Create Pit, Glitterdust (AOE blind), Euphoric Cloud (if skipping Obscuring Mist), and Summon Monster II

Formulae - whatever buffs you want for yourself. Heightened Awareness is powerful and flexible...

[Starbin]

I like the following plan:

1. Kill the messenger and the ravens.
2. Keep going
3. Leave the golem to guard our rear as we go up to the upper levels ASAP
4. Mop up anything still alive after fighting the golem

Since we're out of order, time-wise, in our posts now, I figure we should make the decision here and then progress forward with that assumed plan in our IC posts.

As for spells...

0 - Don't think they matter much, but I'd say Acid Splash, Detect Magic, and Message need to be included.
1 - Game changers like Grease, Obscuring Mist, Silent Image, and Sleep
2 - Create Pit, Glitterdust (AOE blind), Euphoric Cloud (if skipping Obscuring Mist), and Summon Monster II

Formulae - whatever buffs you want for yourself. Heightened Awareness is powerful and flexible...

I was planning on some spells to help with misdirection and the like (invisibility, ghost sound, mage hand), but some of those lose utility once we go loud. I'm wondering if sleep is still a good spell, since the soldiers we have been facing are increasingly hardier (i.e. 2+ HDs, which means one or two soldiers per spell). Definitely improves the value of spells like grease (especially on the stairs) and euphoric cloud. Glitterdust can be pretty sweet too, unless they get lucky on saves.

For the Formulae, I have the infusions discovery, so I plan on one extract for Stvari to grow big ... the rest depend on what we need. Heightened Awareness is on my list right now ... maybe expeditious retreat, too.

I threw some thoughts down on discord as well (I just can't access that from work), so see what you think of that option, too.

[DarkOne-Rob]

I was planning on some spells to help with misdirection and the like (invisibility, ghost sound, mage hand), but some of those lose utility once we go loud. I'm wondering if sleep is still a good spell, since the soldiers we have been facing are increasingly hardier (i.e. 2+ HDs, which means one or two soldiers per spell). Definitely improves the value of spells like grease (especially on the stairs) and euphoric cloud. Glitterdust can be pretty sweet too, unless they get lucky on saves.

For the Formulae, I have the infusions discovery, so I plan on one extract for Stvari to grow big ... the rest depend on what we need. Heightened Awareness is on my list right now ... maybe expeditious retreat, too.

I would say anything with a saving throw needs to either have an effect even on passed saves and/or be area-of-effect so you can catch multiple enemies in it. That's the best way to be sure it will actually matter. Also, anything that will end precipitously (like Invisibility after attacking) strikes me as short-term gains when in this particular "dungeon" we need to last a bit longer...

The concern about Sleep is fair - I don't have a good counter argument except that it can really swing a combat if you're lucky.

Regarding Infusion, I don't remember if spells like Shield work - they don't in Potions - and even if they do I would only suggest ones that qualitatively improve our odds or are really, really significant numerically. Enlarge Person definitely fits the second category.

[Gyrfalcon]

Infusions do allow you to pass self-only spells to others and is one of the big draws of alchemists (and why you take infusions) - things like false life, shield and others can be passed around.

[DarkOne-Rob]

Oghash's Initiative: (1d20+3)[10]. If she does well, she will be moving with all haste towards the fight!

[Gyrfalcon]

initiative - (1d20+4)[24]

Anton’s first turn is to double move back towards the fight.

[Starbin]

I'd say Ahkmathi is in the same boat ... although all things being equal, he will let Anton get there first.

Initiative - (1d20+11)[13]

EDIT: Oooh ... a two.

[Farmerbink]

I'd say Ahkmathi is in the same boat ... although all things being equal, he will let Anton get there first.

[roll0]

EDIT: Oooh ... a two.

"let"

*snicker*

[Gyrfalcon]

Dragon goes *zooooom* anyway, but he’ll be gracious about his companion letting him blood his claws first.

[Starbin]

"let"

*snicker*

He’s very gracious

[DrK]

I see much running to the fight. thats easy to handle

[Starbin]

Just in case Ahkmathi can have how roughy these guys are (I.e, approximate HDs/levels for sleep or color spray)

KS Local - (1d20+14)[34]

[DrK]

Just in case Ahkmathi can have how roughy these guys are (I.e, approximate HDs/levels for sleep or color spray)

[roll0]

The guards are probably < 4 HD, the captain i higher level

[DrK]

Will save (1d20)[13]