The leather, yeah.  He doesn't have the STR to wear the splint mail without being encumbered.  I inferred from your earlier description that the two guys in the leather were less experienced, so that's the direction I took in building his current temporary persona.

As we close for battle, there's a third option we failed to explore.  We've got a cell block potentially populated with at least some allies that might allow us to take the keep from the inside.  I mean, the hard parts done, we're in the walls.

Just an idea

Saaaay.

Is Corros proficient with thieves' tools or is Nic the only one of us?

Corros can use thieves tools

Sweet. Yeah, let's bust out anyone else who Overmark didn't lock up before the takeover.

For ease of reference:



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This message was last edited by the GM at 01:45, Sat 23 July 2016.

Tentative plan:
Remove guards and get keys and try to secure door for a few minutes

Release Overmark and the FA dude

Get Overmark to help us ID allies

Storm out of cell level and make our way to the southwest tower.  We can escape there if we have to, or attack up or down.  I'm thinking up to maybe find more weapons or supplies and maybe get to the Albino, but no telling if we can take him or not.  Otherwise we hav to fight to the gate and secure that before the numbers get worse.

Comments, concerns, critiques?

Personally I think I'd prefer to try and get out of Dodge as quickly as we can after we've rescued the prisoners, either back the way we came (if possible) or through the sewers (if not possible). If we go looking for the albino and then get into a fight with him that's going to take up time, during which Bloodforged reinforcements could be piling in. I think the longer we stay the longer we ride our luck.

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Also, re this:


I think we should start calling ourselves the Ravens. Yell it out in the Keep when the Bloodforged can hear. Let the four prisoners go (well away from the safehouse) and have Nicolai or Gronk use extreme menace to tell them to spread the word that the Ravens are coming for them all. Etc, etc.

I can go either way.  We should definitely free every potential ally that isn't a total scumbag.

I like the whole "Ravens" thing.  We're watching Red Dawn at the firehouse this evening, it seems to fit well.

I guess the more direct question for right now is: do we get with the bluff again or do we proceed directly to the stabby?

I think my answer partly depends on how Jenna gets loose, which probably needs Rae to rule. Can she slip the manacles unaided or will someone else have to release her? And if the latter, can she and the person releasing her do anything else this turn or is that their action used up?

What I'm thinking is that we have the advantage of surprise at the moment. So best case scenario Gronk and Nic go for the guards, Corros releases Jenna. If they both still have actions left Corros and Jenna then launch offensive magic spells to support Nic and Gronk. If they don't have actions left that needs to wait until next turn.

Since the manacles aren't locked, unfastening will count as an "other activity on your turn" (p. 190) and won't count against any movement, attack, or bonus actions. As I imagine it, it's really just a matter of a little wriggling. Even if the rules stated that it should count as an action, I would've overruled them.

As for the gaolers and bluffing, your perception tells you that these guys are already sure that something is amiss. You can still try to bluff them, but, if you fail the roll, then you won't necessarily get a first attack (that will depend on rolled initiative).

That help?

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This message was last edited by the GM at 18:54, Sun 24 July 2016.

It does, thanks.

OK, I vote for attack - Nic and Gronk with melee and Jenna and Corros with spells. Jenna will recover her hammer / shield afterwards.

If majority decision is to bluff that's fine too though.

I'm good with spells and closing the door (or vice/versa) for Corros.

Closing the door would be good.  We want to try to keep it quiet as long as possible.

Due to his talent for lying and his stupidly high initiative, I am assuming Nic is on point, yes?

Rae, do we know what (terrain/doors-wise) is between us and the trash compactor privy shaft?

Yes, I imagine Nic, Gronk w/ "prisoner" Jenna, and Corros bringing up the rear, but you guys can arrange it however you'd like.



Nothing really. It's a straight shot from the SW to the SE tower, across the width of the guardroom. There's just a table with a few chairs and a wardrobe-type piece of furniture occupying part of the space.

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Gotcha.  I'm going for a non-noisy resolution if possible, hoping that I can help Gronk's Intimidate to give him advantage as he releases Jenna and gets in the first gaoler's face.

If they try to fight or sound the alarm, first attack is a +1 dagger with feint on the gaoler who's about to draw his sword.  Attack is +7 with advantage; damage will be 1d8+2d6+1d4+4.

Keys - can Corros spam Mend on the door to delay a breakthrough?

Rae, will this work?

To some extent, yes. It'll repair a 1'x1' section of the door at a time. I suppose you could play whack-a-mole with the mercs trying to bash it in.

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Every time Jenna casts Spirit Guardians it makes me think of the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark, when they open up the ark.

OK, so the plan is...

Free Overmark and... (who else?)

Barricade the door as long as possible, then...

Try to fight your way up or down the stairs, or...

Try to escape down the privy shaft?

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I think the stairs are a losing proposition.  We don't have the cumulative hit points to break out that way.  The privy shaft sounds like the easier (relatively) option.

Priority for getting people out of cells is:

1. Overmark
2. Mazz
3. the monk Overmark pointed out
4. any other civilians Overmark indicates
This message was last edited by the player at 10:39, Thu 28 July 2016.

In reply to Nicolai Romanelli (msg # 70):

I'd agree with all of that.

I like that better than my mental image of the Ghostbusters containment unit shutdown.  :)