The place for all out-of-character discussion.

Don’t magic-users get one level three spell at fifth level?

Hello all.  Amvehi from the last game, but recast as the party thief-Jarder.  Looking forward to counting with this crew.

Cheers!

Hello all!  Orin here, still the gruff old dwarf from last time  :)

Jarder - love the Grey Mouser approach!

Indeed they do. Thanks for catching that. I’ve updated the character creation instructions accordingly.

Hey, everyone! Greyband the Iron Man is back for more adventures!
This message was last edited by the player at 08:07, Mon 03 June 2019.

In reply to Orin Starshine (msg # 4):

That is the look I'm going for-although I'm not going to be so small...  Just started rereading them again- just put down the first book (Swords against Deviltry) and starting book two (Swords against Death)

Hello everyone! Hey again Greyband! Who else is here from the last module?

I was Amvehi,but wanted to play a thief going forward.  Since we should be getting Grimmond, and Celevar was leaving I went this way.

A quick note for all of the newcomers that took the time to apply to the game.

First and foremost, thank you for your interest in joining in. I ended up with a lot...a lot...more RTJs than I anticipated receiving, and every one of them looks to be of high quality. So, I intend to spend the next day or so reading over everyone’s submissions, and I should have responses out to all of you by Wednesday at the latest.

Once again, thanks to each of you for applying. I’ll be in touch soon.

Long live the OSR!

Jayanti, Orin is here again as well *waves*

ORIN! GREYBAND! We're bringin' the BAND back together, Man!

It's the Gem-Smashers! Or is it the Jewel-Breakers?

The Band, Elwood!!! The Band!!!

Hello all!

Looks like a fun group.  Let's go kill things and take their stuff!

Welcome aboard

Word on the trail is that this group needs a healer, someone to keep your butts alive.

Well, life is a riddle... and a mystery.

Patch is just trying to figure it all out.

Jewel-breakers sounds good.  So long as we don’t go too far with it and literally start taking a lucern to the jewelry we loot.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:57, Fri 07 June 2019.

Question for all: I am aiming to start the game proper next Wednesday. Would that be workable for everyone in terms of getting characters finalized, or is additional time needed?

I'll pretty much done.

I'm just agonizing over a name (which is par for the course for me).

Do you want AC, THAC0 and HP listed in Biographies?
This message was last edited by the player at 16:14, Fri 07 June 2019.

I am also done.

Mostly done. A few questions via PM regarding some gear.

Really looking forward to this game with all of you!

Wednesday sounds good.

Wednesday sounds good to me as well.  Think my character is all done.

As for the party think this is what I see

Jarder:    Thief
Greyband:  Fighter
Orin:      Dwarf
Jayanti:   Elf
Neuken:    Magic-User
Patch:     Cleric
Killian:   Elf
This message was last edited by the player at 23:00, Sun 09 June 2019.

Seems right. And Wednesday would be great!

Jarder, your breakdown of the party’s composition is correct. It’s a really good mix of classes and, for those that came from Palace of the Silver Princess, there’s a lot more magical firepower on hand. In my estimation, in light of some of the challenges that lay ahead, that’s a good thing.

I'll be out of town working in the boonies w/o internet for most of this week. Should be able to check in on Thursday or Friday. Sorry for the timing at the start of the game like this.

I'm all up to date, I believe.  And no worries Patch.  I'll watch yer ale for ya!

So it looks like a few of you are using characters from Silver Princess game?  That's neat.

Will the old group start together and the rest of us get added in?

What’s actually going to happen is that each of your characters will initially answer a summons from Argenta, Princess of Haven, where the monarch will ask for your collective help. Some of those called will, naturally, recognize a few of their fellow adventurers.

Interestingly, on the whole, there are more new characters than established ones. Although several players returned from Palace, only three retained their original characters. So, there’s a lot of new faces. :)

Fantabulous. Looking forward to it!

Do you want us to put our AC and HP in our bios?

Also, in the equipment provided is their any extra gold for future needs/bribes/etc..?
This message was last edited by the player at 01:47, Mon 01 July 2019.

Actually, that’s a great idea, if it’s no trouble. It makes it easy for yours truly to find those important stats at a glance.

I’ll say that Gylharen provided the party with an additional 150 g.p. for purposes of bribing weak willed soldiers and purchasing necessities.

Noted! I'll throw the money on my character sheet for keeping.

Question: what quality of horse are these? Are these light or heavy riding horses, if the difference makes a difference?

Mr DM, just for the record, I'm asking about whether we attack the border guards when they are out of immediate earshot.  I do not want to give them a chance to get away if we decide to attack.

I had assumed as much, but I appreciate the clarification.

Thus far, it appears that there’s a vote of 3 (Killian, Patch, Orin) to 1 (Neuken) in favor of ambushing the disguised Denagothians. I’ll keep the discussion open for another day or so, then move ahead with whatever turns out to be the will of the majority.

Traveling for work; I should be posting steadily, but if I disappear for a day this week, don't be shocked. And thanks for keeping the discussion open for those of us who were away!

Okay, it appears that the will of the majority is to ambush the disguised lancers. So, barring objections, I will set the stage for the battle this evening.

Works for me. Ran out of time to post today, will update tomorrow (Friday).

Just a quick note to avoid any potential confusion: The distance from the tree line, where the party is concealed, and the campfire is around forty feet. The characters will be easily able to cover that ground and attack the Denagothians all within the space of a single round.

I am a speedy guy for a plate-mail wearer. All right, then!

You’ve got a long stride. :)

LOL, this is a great way to start a new campaign Nuke'em!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qfs_rRdpnH0

Edit:
https://i.imgur.com/7xWR5k5.png
This message was last edited by the player at 20:44, Mon 22 July 2019.

Hell yeah.

Btw, I can’t wait for level 6!  Fireball followed by Haste, baby.  Three Magic Missiles at a time...

Since we rested, I’m assuming I have my spells back?

Still waiting for Jayanti's answer, for my part.

Honestly I don’t know how to answer. I and a couple other players got the notice about the light, but looking back over the terrain description it looks like rocks and burnt out vegetation. So I need to defer to the DM on what the terrain is like where the ambush is hiding.

We may also get an answer on Orin's attempt to signal back, assuming the flashes of light were on purpose.

You know, like an arrow to the chest or other acknowledgement  :)

That’s correct. You do.


I may have not been descriptive enough, so allow me to correct that. The road itself is leading northward and it becomes narrower through the stone that surrounds it. To the east and west, flanking the road, are tall rock formations. Slopes on each formation would make them easy to climb. The rocks are jagged and uneven and vegetation is sparse. Only a few trees and shrubs are thriving amongst the stone. The formations are between fifteen and twenty feet in height.

At the top of both formations are a number of stones and loose boulders that could be used for hiding and cover.

@DM - any response to the signal? I think we need that input in order to continue our planning.

Apologies. I wasn’t certain if Greyband might have any further input prior to proceeding. Sorry for the delay!

Nicely played, Orrin!

DM, can Greyband shoot an arrow at these guys and then advance up the rocks at them part-way?

Absolutely.

I don't remember there being saving throws against the Sleep spell?

You are absolutely correct. It was my error. I misremembered. Sincere apologies.

When the spell is cast, the DM rolls 2d8, which determines how many hit dice of creatures are affected. In this instance, I filled a nine. As each of the brigands have a single hit die, all but one went down.

I won’t even have to roll for Neuken’s follow up.

Something I’ll need for this, and subsequent nights that the company is journeying through the wilderness, is a watch schedule, so I’m aware of who is standing guard at what time.

Renia is accustomed to such duty and will be willing to take whatever hours are assigned to her.

How many watches do we require?

Best to put a demi-human on each watch too I'd imagine.

There's eight of us including Renia, so we could split into four watches of 2 people for 2-1/2 hours?  That's 8 hours of sleep for everyone and 10 hours total.

By my count we only have three demi-humans: Jayanti, Killian and Orin.  Correct me if I've missed someone.  So that would mean one shift gets no inbred night vision.

I'll take one of the two middle watches; it's up to you all which one you want me on.

Patch will take the first watch. That way he can cast Speak with Animals and still be able to rest to recover spells by morning.

Watch Order

1st - Patch, Jayanti
2nd - Greyband
3rd - Killian, Jarder
4th -

Any preferences?
Jarder?
Jayanti?
Neuken?
Orin?

I'm thinking 4th watch has false dawn and dawn so 2 Humans on that one.  Orin and Jayanti should be on 1st or second.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:13, Wed 21 Aug 2019.

I'll join on first.

I'll take one of the last ones

That puts me with Greyband then.  Mutt and Jeff to the rescue!  :)

Watch Order

1st - Patch, Jayanti
2nd - Greyband, Orin
3rd - Killian, Jarder
4th - Neuken, Renia

Look right?

Looks correct!

Sounds good to me

Just checking: If I’m picking up on things correctly, it appears that the majority favor traveling the northwest road, which reportedly does not lead to any kind of dragon. I know the last couple of posts seem to question that course, so I don’t want to step on any toes and move things forward if the matter remains undecided.

Patch is a pot-stirrin'. He's made up his mind already. NW.

That's what my character wants-Avoid the dragon and stay on task.

No dragon for me.

To the northwest, and leave the drake be.

Concur!

Will I still be able to memorize my Sleep again if I take a watch, or did I not even cast it?

I vote for dragon, but I’m obviously in the minority.

Good RP Greyband, but let's handwave taking another whole week for everyone to post "Aye!" ;-) We just did that in this thread.

DM, would you mind moving us along, then? :-)

In reply to Greyband (msg # 76):

All in favor say "Aye"...


sorry, couldn't help myself.

https://tenor.com/view/quin-la...ol-laugh-gif-5908888

Supah busy this weekend, moving and traveling. Be back Monday evening. I have no idea if I'll be able to post in between tonite and then.

I'm back from vacation.

Dwarf Fricassee

Wait, what?

Tasty, tasty dwarf....

I'm ne for staying on the main quest; my understanding was their was no way around this tower.  So it sounds like we are going to head up an deal with the Giant and his pet wolves.

I'm blanking--who are our scouts again? Jayanti and?

I just assume that I am one, since I'm a rogue.

Sorry, I figured the same folks that scouted earlier counted as the scouts.

I've uploaded a map of the portion of the tower which has been explored by the scouts as the Main Game Map.

I'm a little lost. Are we ALL in the building? Or just the scouts?

My understanding was the scouts were ahead (say 90' or so) and the rest of us were trailing behind, so we could rush to their aid if necessary.  At least, that was Orin's plan, because he wasn't going to leave them at the mercy of a giant!

That is how I am envisioning this

Orin’s description summarized my understanding of the current situation: that the scouts would be going ahead and that the remainder of the party would trail them, in the event they encountered trouble.

Sounds good.

Are we waiting for the results of the Web?

I assume that missile fire is the safest way to finish them?

Can I pull out my bow and pepper them?

That's what I assumed. DM, how many arrows should I mark off--3-4?

Given the number of adventurers that lent a hand to the effort, I’d say anyone that participated in the shooting would need to mark off three arrows/bolts.


Don’t worry too much. I’ll grant that the next trap in line is the equivalent of a land mine on steroids (2d100 damage to everything in a sixty foot radius), but after that, the tower’s free of mechanical hazards. ;)

Har de har ;-)

To add some clarification to the current IC discussion: None of the adventurers, neither the scouts nor the rest of the party, sees any evidence of any sort of mechanical trap in the area. This isn’t because they don’t perceive the presence of traps. There literally aren’t any traps present.

Head down the hall, then?

Yes-put the sacrificial thief out front.......

Hey gang, I'm finally taking my last load in my move tomorrow morning (12 hr drive) and I start my new job on Monday. Found an internet solution which is supposed to be installed on Monday, so depending on how things go, I may be a little spotty in posting for the next few days.

Good luck.

Thanks, I made it and got internet again. Should be more consistent now...

Just checking in.  I have nothing to add, but I am paying attention.

I'm on a business trip. I expect to be able to post daily, but if I miss a day unexpectedly, that's why.

500th Post!!!

wooT!

I'll IC tomorrow, super tired tonight and not able to think...

Question for the DM: How hard would it be for humanoids to man/operate this place if we took it from the giant? In other words, is the place "giant-sized" so that we couldn't open doors easily etc.?
This message was last edited by the player at 11:36, Wed 30 Oct 2019.

Good question. I assumed it was a former human habitation since the tunnels we're in (I presumed) are standard width.

The tower was clearly a home to human sized creatures earlier in its history. Without spoiling too much, you’ll find that the upper floor has been modified somewhat to accommodate its large inhabitant. But it could be easily repopulated by individuals of medium (human/demi-human) size.

I know this has come up previously, but if the party were to offer the dwarf to the giant, with say, a side of potatoes, this would likely not be an issue.

All right, now you're just being insulting!  Everyone knows you pair dwarf with fava beans and a nice chianti!

We'll have to find the wine cellar first then, and we'll probably need the dwarf for that.

For those that celebrate-Hope you have an enjoyable Veterns Day or Remembrance Day.

Cheers!

*nods*  Lest we forget.

I hope everyone had a good holiday. We owe a great deal of thanks to those who have served.

I want to make certain that I’m on the same page with the rest of the group, in order to avoid accidentally moving things forward in an unwanted direction. Am I correct in understanding that, at the moment, the party is deciding whether to explore the current chamber to search for valuables, or to ignore the contents of the room for now and proceed directly to the stairs?

The only reason I can see why we should search that room is if there is a secret door or other exit that helps us flank or avoid the Giant.

As that is probably a low probably I'd say we just skip it.  Why use resources with a probable fight with rats if we can help it?

I say move on.

You are precisely correct. The vote is coming down to closing this door and moving on.

Have we exhaustively searched this floor already, DM?

You have. The chamber where the party finds themselves in now is the only room on the tower’s first floor that the company hasn’t explored.

Sorry, afk until Friday ish... NPC me as needed.

Same here.  This will be a busy week.

For those in the U.S., Happy Thanksgiving! Everyone else, hope you enjoy your Thursday. :-)

Computer is on the fritz.  Will be posting via phone so please forgive the formatting.

Help me out here OOC, guys--where are we looking to go? Should we be asking the giant for safe passage, directions, or what?

Our goal was to kill him, but he seems reasonable.

As a player, I'd say free passage into Denagoth should be our goal.  We don't want to get too greedy - don't forget we killed his pet wolves downstairs, which he will figure out sooner or later!

As a character, you can't trust a giant farther than you can kick a fire beetle!  He'll likely ambush us as soon as our backs are turned and then grind our bones to make his bread!  See how his eyes are set so close together?  A sure sign of nefarious and evil intentions!  And he smells!  Bah!

I think Orin makes a good point.  Although my character would be inclined to kill and loot everything-he is a thief after all.

The over arching goal is to get to Denagoth

Shutting down this passage to the Denegothans by allying the Giant (if this is possible) would be a great secondary goal.

My first draft of the giant’s response. :)

"I knew it!  Didn't I say so?  I knew it!"  Orin crossed his arms over his chest and blew out his moustaches, giving a satisfied nod to emphasize the point.  Overly tall folk (outside Greyband) were never trustworthy...

(LOL  Good one, really!)

"Done!" Killian picks Orin up by the nape of his neck and the trousers and hauls the tiny man to the giant "Where's the cauldron and when do we eat?"
This message was last edited by the player at 02:50, Fri 06 Dec 2019.

Ha!  Just try it, elf!  ;)

nice.....

Greyband scoffs. "Dwarf in stew? Come on, now. Anybody knows that they're best roasted with thyme." He coughs. "Not that I would know, I mean."

Out of town till Tuesday.  NPC me as necessary.

More from me tomorrow.

As a reminder, the village of Geron is where the adventurers expect to meet with King Gylharen’s spy.

Very convenient.

;-)

What does Patch know about Denegothian customs? Will this group stand out like a sore thumb, or will our mercenary idea have a likely chance of working?

Traveling for work and doing much entertaining in the process. Update from me Thursday or Friday this week.

I'm on vacation starting Friday afternoon, out of contact most of the week. Happy Holidays!

And to you!  Safe travels!

On travel through Sunday.  NPC me as necessary.

Has the giant led us to our horses yet? Sorry to be thick if I missed it.

Yes, the giant waited in the tunnel while the party retrieved their mounts, then led them through the cavern to the bridge.

Thanks :-)

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone.  Enjoy!

Merry Christmas to those that celebrate.

I will be out of town 27-31 DEC.  NPC me as necessary.

Cheers!

Merry Christmas to all of you who do Christmas.

Hope everyone has had a great holiday!

Going to be tied up a bit today, so update from me tomorrow! Happy New Year.

Happy chaotic evil New Year!

Lol, I find it ironic that Neuken didn't get this post... 666!

That is irony. 668 now, thank you :-)

Sorry, I never addressed this question.

This is the kind of reception that Patch would anticipate receiving at the Denagothian village:



Kidding aside, yes, the mercenary story would likely pass muster at Geron, the village beyond the woods that the party just traveled. Unlike Wendar, the forces of Denagoth are quite open to making use of the services of bandits, brigands, and other dangerous sorts. Some well travelled mercenaries are utilized as scouts by the Denagothians.

Also, a quick reminder, so no one has to go searching through the old thread for the information:

Who's got the highest CHA in the party?

Anybody beat 6?

;-)

I have a 13

Looks like Jarder is elected?

13 CHA for me as well, except when treating with giants...

Do we know whether the Denagothans would react poorly to a dwarf? I'm comfortable with either Jarder or Orin, for my part.

In reply to Greyband (msg # 160):

I thought they didn’t like any Demi human?

To the best of the party’s knowledge, there is no reason to suspect that the Denagothians would have any immediate hostility toward dwarves.

To further clarify, the human Denagothian leadership is largely willing to traffic with anyone that might further their cause. However, as much of the Denagothian forces consist of humanoids (orcs, goblins), one would certainly expect that long standing hostilities harbored by such creatures would still exist.

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 162):

Aaah that’s what it was thinking I think

If they traffic with humanoids that pretty much meant to me that they would be hostile to Demi humans

Can I go back and amend my last comment?

Sure. Feel free to edit.

You're elected. CHA of 8 here.

I'll go with that, based on the demi human bias...

You da man, Jarder!

What is my prize?

You won a Denegothan necklace, you just have to go into the village to pick it up...

Happy 700th post! Contribution from me IC tomorrow.

As an experiment, just for a week or two, I think the company should let Neuken serve as the caller/primary decision maker for the party, just to see how things turn out.

I lived that hell in middle school playing AD&D; don't need to live that again ;-)

Makes for a quick game...........

On a different note sound like I'm the 'it' to approach and talk to the village?  Just want to make sure before I post.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:42, Fri 10 Jan 2020.

Yes, you're it Jarder.  I can back you up, but we're concerned my demi-human heritage will negatively influence the Denagoths.

Confirmed. You're "face" in the Denagothan village for now, Jarder.

Busy in RL--can post IC by end of week.

If we're not going to scuffle or shuffle in this scene, let's retire to the bunkhouse and chat about how we'd like to proceed toward our goal... unless Jarder's already decided...

If that’s the will of the party, just let me know, and I’ll move the company over to the bunkhouse.

I vote for bunkhouse.

In reply to Jayanti (msg # 179):

Bunk house with a watch.

Bunk House Sounds good to me.

Bunkhouse, but Orin wants lower bunk!

Bunkhouse is all right by me.

Bunkhouse, with watches!

In reply to Killian Hawkfire (msg # 180):

Lol, for some reason my mind saw that as 'bunkhouse with a wench' and I had flashbacks to my mid-ninteen-eighties Jr. High days playing this game... ;-)

Bunkhouse with wenches works for me too.

Let's move through the night, shall we?

DM, we are ready for you to move the story along :-)

Why are we seeing the sheriff again?

I don’t wish to misspeak, but as I understood it, the idea was that the adventurers would speak with the Captain of the Denagothian forces stationed in Geron, who is using the Sheriff’s Office as a headquarters, in order to establish their cover as mercenaries seeking employment.

I believe that speaking with a tailor in town, as well as the departing trapper, was also discussed, as it was felt that they were likely covers for the Wendarian spy that the company is supposed to meet with.

Those were my thoughts. Will post tonight.

Sorry for my absence, been under the weather. Should start catching up tomorrow.

Do we still want to go talk to the tailor, guys, once we're done with the trapper?

In reply to Greyband (msg # 193):

This guy knew the code.  There’s no reason to talk to the tailor now.

A quick note: I need to prepare a map to fully answer the most recent round of (excellent) questions. I anticipate having that completed this evening, at which point I’ll move things forward. Apologies for the slowness.

Thanks, DM, I love maps of any sort in games, helps a lot.

No hurry.  Looking forward to the maps.

I’ve updated the key to the Map of Geron to show the location of the Temple of Idris.

What do we know about Idris?

Idris is a goddess that is widely worshipped in Denagoth. She is a goddess of the night and dark sorcery. She is said to grant considerable power to select followers that she favors, but she is fickle, and quick to bring those who displease her to ruin. Her primary symbol is the figure of a black dragon.

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 200):

So a take on Hecate, basically.

Pretty much. :)

So basically, she’s Taylor Swift.

Lol, that was good Nuke'm!

Also, thanks for the map DM, that helps us visual types! ;-)
This message was last edited by the player at 00:30, Fri 21 Feb 2020.

You associate Taylor Swift with a black dragon? I had her more pegged as a succubus.

In reply to Greyband (msg # 205):

I've seen Swift in her videos as a snake girl (medusa? yuan ti?) and as a cyborg (Shadowrun 2020 or whatever they call it).

Okay, I want to check with the group before moving the game forward.

It appears that the strategy discussion has reached a halt. At this point I am assuming that:

• One of the spellcasters is going to attempt to put the temple guards to sleep.
• Jarder intends to try to unlock the southern temple door so that he and some of his fellow adventurers can grab the high priest.
• Should the sleep spell not work on the guards, Greyband and Renia are prepared to attempt a distraction.
• Killian has offered the use of invisibility to assist in the high priest's capture.

Do I have that correct? If so, is everyone good with me moving the game onward to the temple at nightfall?

Works for me.

One revision:

• One of the spellcasters is going to attempt to put the temple guards to sleep.
• Jarder intends to try to unlock the southern temple door so that he and some of his fellow adventurers can grab the high priest.
• Should the sleep spell not work on the guards, Renia is prepared to attempt a distraction. Greyband will stand by and cover her retreat.
• Killian has offered the use of invisibility to assist in the high priest's capture.

There should be more than one spellcaster to cast Sleep, in case all the guards aren't conveniently grouped together.

"Who gets the Invisibility spell?"

I could.

Posting will be even more sporadic in the future.

Hope things stabilize soon. We’ll hold your spot at the table.

Was the plan for Greyband to stay outside? That's what I seem to remember.

Still here--hanging tight ouside.

Hey gang, still here. Super busy with sick baby calves in cold, wet weather.

Patch has Silence and Hold Person. He'd make the priestnapping much easier if he went along on the inside. Sorry for not speaking up sooner, I'm just now catching up on the game.

No worries! I’ll “retcon” things to include Patch in the group entering the temple. Hope the calves get better soon!

Hey all! Excited to be joining your group and taking over the role of Killian.

I'll take time this weekend to read through the game history to get a feel for where you are, what the group is trying to accomplish, as well as get a general feel for the type of character Killian has been. Sure, I will have my own spin on his personality, but I don't want him to go from being Ned Stark and then suddenly becoming Ramsay Bolton overnight. Those things take time... lol

Welcome new Killian!

Other new guy but actually a middle-aged guy who has been playing D&D for as long as that suggests.

Former English teacher (Thieves Can't -> Thieves Cant on Jarder's sheet), currently a stay-at-home community-outreach social worker.

Ditto what K. said about this weekend. Agreed that the world doesn't need more Ramsay Boltons.

And like K., I'm happy to be here and plan to provide J. with stable, long-term housing.

Welcome new Jarder too!

Uh... Isn't that Thieves' Cant?

:-P


Welcome to the new players! I kinda feel like I've been disconnected for a while, so maybe some of you think I'm new as well. Just been swamped (somewhat literally) and eager for some sunshine and springtime!

Welcome new-Jarder and new-Killian.

Yes. And prob "cant" instead of "Cant".
This message was last edited by the player at 23:58, Fri 03 Apr 2020.

Okie. I think I'm all caught up. The Fellowship of the Elvenstar journeyed north, heading towards the lands of the Easterlings Dengothians, slaughtering a few them along the way and debating the fate of ensorcelled other ones. Mengele Patch suggested breaking all of their bones and then setting them crookedly.

The fellowship wisely avoided the dragon and instead chanced upon a giant's tower. At the top, they parleyed with Treebeard the isolationist giant, and he led them to a shrouded bridge.

Eventually, they reached a village on the borderland where they found their contact, a trapper, who provided much intelligence. A high priest of Idris knew the location of the Elvenstar--but how to extract him from the temple and, later, presumably, the information from him? It is believed that Sauron the Shadow Lord conceals the gem within a stronghold.

So far things have all gone according to plan but something seems a little off about the burglar and the elf...

So it looks like Jarder's a workmanlike fellow who pays his union dues. But stress and trauma have a way of altering a person...

Kept busy this weekend, so just now got a chance to read through the adventure so far. Great summary Jarder :)

Now to dust of my BX rule books...

Hmm, not sure what to do.

Hear Noise doesn't equal Eavesdrop, I take it.

(A) Jarder could try to move silently into the room and eavesdrop for real.

(B) He could try another one of the doors. Prob the oak one as the other prob leads to another area of the temple.

Highlighting this question for the DM, as it's a really important one.

My apologies, everyone. I had a spike in work related concerns that over took me during the past week and weekend, which led to me being a bit slow here. Fortunately, everything has settled down now. I should be back to posting regularly from this point forward. Again, sorry for the delay.


The tree line is relatively close to the temple building. I would say that the group that is outside is approximately fifty to sixty feet from the main entrance.

How long would it take us to reach the sleeping guards and drag them back into the brush?

I think J. needs to hear a little more of this conversation before he can form some proper conclusions.

The apprentice has been dismissed so she should take her cue. After that, does J. signal the others? I don't recall reading about an agreed upon signal. A piercing whistle should be in his repertoire. Or does he backstab him? J. doesn't have anything like a sap in his inventory. But if Raymond Chandler has taught me anything, J. just needs to smack him in the back of his head with the pommel of his dagger. How does that work in this system?

Jarder, I think our bigger problem is the apprentice blacksmith is going to leave the room into the hall where Orin, Patch and Neuken are standing in plain sight right now.

But that's just my perspective...you know, it's all about me!  :)

My plan right now:

1) Traitorous apprentice exits the room.

2) J clocks the high priest on the back of the head.

3) J whistles most magnificently.

For the attack roll: d20+4 (backsmack) + 1 (str) + 1 (enchantment)?

Magnificent whistle kind of defeats the purpose of all the sneakery I'd think... ;-)

I think sneakery can only get one so far. Maybe the one hit drops him like Philip Marlowe was KO'ed so many times. Maybe he's more high level bureaucrat than priest. But if it doesn't drop him, J. will need immediate support.

There is also the standard chance that a sleeper wouldn't hear a whistle or wake briefly before falling back asleep. Those already awake might dismiss it. A noise has to be repeated before people really take notice. At least that's what my reading of horror fiction tells me.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:36, Sat 18 Apr 2020.

I think we're still forgetting the blacksmith will have to leave the priest's quarters and walk right into Patch, Orin and Neuken.  That's probably going to cause more noise that the whistle!

I leave that (0-level?) NPC to you.

Not worried about damage, just noise.

Silence 15' Radius?

Do I wait for the results of N's charm spell before declaring my action? Or do I just stipulate that it occurs before N's action?

Update from me tomorrow. Don't take that as an IC hesitation on Greyband's part, please :-)

DM, is Greyband still holding the unconscious guard when this new guy comes out or no?

No. He, Killian, and Jayanti have carried the two unconscious guards back into the woods and put them down by the time the new sentry appears.

I see 3 options for us outside:

A. Let him go and see what happens
B. Try to kill him from here, knowing that at least 1 more will join
C. Try to attract him over to our location (maybe he will think we are the missing guard?) and take him by surprise away from the front door.


My vote is C, but not much time to decide before A happens by default... :)

Sorry, got swamped with company this weekend. Will post tomorrow.

Repeated blows to the back of his head has time-honored appeal.

As far as the lured man outside, DM, do you need anything special from rolls to knock him out versus kill him? I was thinking of pommel-of-the-sword stuff.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:51, Mon 27 Apr 2020.

I would still need a “to hit” roll from anyone who is trying to subdue him. The guard has an AC of 5. I’m working on the assumption that blunt weapons (or blunt portions of weapons) will inflict 1-4 points of damage on a hit, modified by Strength and any magical bonuses the weapon used possesses.

Happy 1000 posts!

Thank you, we moonlight as special ops.

How do we track party loot?
This message was last edited by the player at 02:44, Fri 01 May 2020.

...and level-ups? :-P

I was born level 5 and I will be level 5 the day I die :).

I wish I knew enough British underworld slang to talk like Terrance Stamp in The Limey.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:08, Sat 02 May 2020.

Or the entire cast of Snatch (excepting Brad Pitt).

I will set up a separate thread in the coming week, dedicated to cataloging the party's earnings.

With regard to a level increase, I've been giving serious thought to bringing everyone forward a level in advance of entering the Shadow Lord's keep. I'll communicate those details soon, once the journey to the big bad is underway.

FYI: Once I have a read on whether the majority of the party wants to take the high priest up on his offer or not, I’ll move things forward. As well, after that question is decided, I’ll transition the party to the Lothenar Forest for the next leg of the journey.

We should move along. Greyband will almost certainly whine about this, but he's out-voted, and his player wants to get back to the action :-)

Poke not the DM who nameth the dragon, lest the dragon find ye the most appealing morsel upon first engagement ;-)

Wise beyond your years, lad.

Is Dave Cook running this campaign? Was the dragon unnamed in the module? Or did our DM rename the dragon? I must know!

This.


Sorry, no. Though I’m admittedly a fan of the man’s work.


The dragon’s name comes straight from the module, so credit for the serpent’s moniker has to go to Stephen Bourne, the author of the adventure. As to whether it has some similarly colorfully named siblings, I’m afraid that’s a mystery the writer left unaddressed. :)

..which I would have known had I read to the end of the credits.

The only reason the name caught my eye is that it reminds me of the types of names that characters might have had in a medieval allegory: Prudence, Temptation, and Sloth (and so forth) in which concepts and ideas masquerade as characters. I could well imagine Vitriol on stage with them. You probably remember from your ancient school days the stories of Hawthorne; he wrote a few partial allegories ("Young Goodman Brown" among them).

Prior to heading out, I’ve updated my list of memorized spells.  It’s on my sheet.

RL was a beast today; update from me tomorrow

Nothing to add presently.

quick point of clarification.. who took which weapons from the elf spirits?

To my knowledge, the quiver of arrows was taken by Jayanti. Greyband and Orin each took one of the spears. The third spear has not yet been claimed by any of the party members.

DM, I think we were going into the swamp after the dragon. Is that the path you just described?

It is. The water where the path ends appears to be the previously described moat that surrounds the dragon’s island.

Okay, cool. Will add my two cents IC tomorrow when I'm sober. :-)

I'm loading the van full of 1d10 children, my wife and a bunch of snacks and heading to a weekend reunion. May or may not have internet. Happy Independence Day!

Please do load the vans with masks as well, Mr. Patch.

Agreed. Please stay safe.


They don’t. :)

Jarder's not that bright; he does lose the thread occasionally :P.

Just to avoid any potential confusion:

From what the party can see of the island across the moat, there are no structures there. Nothing like a fort, stronghold, or even a house is visible. Only several gnarled cypress trees and knee high swamp grass are present.

I'm so confused. Are you saying we don't need to build a siege engine? Could we get away with just a set of scaling ladders?

It sounds like one large rubber ducky might be all we need  :)

Even if it fails, it will at least make bath time lots of fun.

I'm just worried I might become awfully fond of him.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:25, Tue 07 July 2020.

I will be away this weekend; look for more from me Monday.

Nice one, Jarder! Good time for some low rolls.

9% chance for succeeding at both.

Power outage at home today; will update later today if I can get power back.

I know that some are ready to move into the scrap that awaits within the cave, but I just need to make certain that I understand what’s in play before the group steps into the serpent’s lair.

Is it right for me to presume that invisibility spells have been cast on both Jarder and Patch prior to the party’s entrance, or is that matter still being debated?

Also, to verify: Greyband, Orin, and Killian are carrying the enchanted spears. Jayanti is bearing the quiver of magic arrows. Is that correct?

I just want to be sure that I have a firm grasp of the party’s preparations before the dragon wipes them all...I mean, before they face the dragon in battle.

That's correct on my end.

Sounds accurate to me.

Best laid plans....

Yes. Roleplaying out the plan IC.

I agree.  My comment about casting any extra Invisibilities after the fireball/lightning bolt barrage was exactly that, for any extra Invisibility spells we had.  Didn't want people Invisible only to become visible casting those barrage spells.  We might not have that many Invisibilities anyway - I lost track.  Orin only has so many mustaches to count with, after all...

The problem is once you attack you're not invisible anymore. I was thinking we were going to sneak in while invisible so we could surround the dragon wolf-pack style and barrage it from all angles.

I don't know that we have enough Invisibility castings to do that, Jayanti.

Invis for Jarder for his one backstab attempt.

Look, I wasn't trying to complicate things so much.  Sorry about that.

Let's just cast Invisibility on Jarder for sure, on Patch if he can still heal and stay invisible, or otherwise on as many of the Fireball and Lightning Bolt casters as possible.  That way they can all get within range and let loose, with Killian, Greyband and Orin charging in with our spears afterward.

I believe Patch can do healing and remain invisible. He's got good AC to boot. Once his healing spells are expended, he can fight as well.

OK, so how many invisibility castings do we actually have? I know I have one.

Killian did not prepare it today.

Should we camp out and give everyone time to arrange their spell lists?

I'd say no, the dragon is asleep now, it might not be if we rest....

Invisibility on the cleric, first and foremost, I say.

Agreed. We need to go now and strike quickly. The elven spirits said the dragon has grown complacent over the years and chances are it is may be sleeping, or at least less alert. It is likely not expecting a full on assault in its own lair. Besides, I don't think having 2 instead of 3 invisible will have much affect on the outcome of our siege of the dragon's lair.


If it is alert, I can cast a phantasmal image of a giant or something on the opposite side of the room as a distraction.

Alright, I know we had a plan but how about I kick this off with a backstab and then try to retreat to the back of the cave?

Remind me: am I going in flanking or straight up? I seem to remember the latter.

There are supposed to be fireballs incoming, so probably best to stay out range until they detonate. Killian was waiting for people to spread out a bit before unleashing his, and hopefully in close unison with the other big openers.

Ok, waiting on detonations then.

Is there enough room in here to fireball the dragon?  And what happens if two fireballs are cast at the same time?

A single fireball’s blast radius, according to the Expert Rules is twenty feet. So, if two were cast simultaneously, I would treat the effective radius as doubled to forty feet. Damage for each fireball would be rolled individually. Were any characters caught in the explosion, I would arbitrarily decide, likely with a dice roll, which portion of the room was affected by which fireball.

In addition, with regard to all things combustible, I feel it’s important to reiterate the following:

Jayanti will prepare a spot at least 100' away to cast his spell, in the off chance the bolt reflects back towards him.

I know this is terrible, but your description of the dragon waking up reminds me of the part in the Zapruder film in which JFK starts looking around because he heard a shot and knows something’s wrong.  Maybe Oliver Stone should co-DM this.

Oh, wow :-)

Sorry for this, but can't update tonight--update from me tomorrow.

Is Jayanti...non-binary?

Pretty much :D

Everyone has basically one free heal for the day from Patch's staff... wanna use it now?

Yes, please :-)

I agree.  I think it's night time anyway.  Healing now and then the potential for more tomorrow (if needed) seems wise.

BTW DM, That. Was. Awesome!

I told my older boys about one of the greatest dragon defeats I've been a part of. Most excellent my fellows! Most excellent!

Concur. That was tremendous fun :-)

Thirded!  Excellent post all around  :)

I’m glad everyone enjoyed the ill fated dragon’s demise. And the clearing of the swamp.

I’m also really happy that none of the adventures got vaporized in the explosion.

*whispers* "You're supposed to be detached to their fates...but thanks!"

Biography updated, Patch. One CLW should do for him.

Things have gotten busy for me at work--next substantial contribution from me on Friday or Saturday.

I think Jarder's worse off than Greyband, so heal him up first, Patch.

Just verifying: Is the party camping for the night on the island?

That is the plan, yes.

Okay, I know that Orin and Renia are taking first watch. Presuming we’re working on the idea of four “shifts”, who will be taking the remaining three?

Jarder will take #2.

Jayanti can take third shift.

Greyband started the conversation by stating his desire to be on watch #2.

We've already been over this... with reasons including darkvision and so forth...



Not to stir the pot, but let's not reinvent the wheel eh? ;-)

Very good. For purposes of what comes next, I’ll utilize the previously agreed upon schedule.

Splendid!

FYI: Saturday through Tuesday I'll be driving my daughter to college or driving back. I actually expect to have time to post, particularly Monday-Tuesday when I normally would, but if I disappear for a day or two, don't be alarmed.

Love it!  Now I have this vision from Mulan (the animated version) where Greyband imitates Eddie Murphy and holds up black dragon's head from behind some bushes and starts pretending to be this other one's brother!  "I am the great Black Dragon!"  :)

Lol, holy smokes! I think I need to check my pants...

Where's Tasslehoff when we need him?

I'm tied up until late Saturday night or perhaps Sunday with work. Will give me time to think... o.O

I haven’t been able to shake this image since you posted this. I’ve laughed every time it’s come to mind.

Brothers in the service of darkness. :)

Waiting to charge the thing once everyone else has gotten their magic in. Who's left on it?

Patch, since I'm an unarmored fool right now, I'm gonna need your help :-)

I'm with Greyband.  As long as he feels he's still undiscovered in the ditch, Orin will lay low and let the pyrotechnics run their course.

Killian, how many fireballs do you have?

In reply to Greyband (msg # 338):

just the one.

I guess no sharing them for everyone in class then...   ;)

The last time I shared it with everyone people got scattered across the landscape, ending up in trees, battered against rocks, etc....

True, but Greyband got a dragon's head out of it!  :)

Tryng for a pair, now, should he survive this :-)

DM, can Greyband move in and attack this same round?

Neuken may also have a fireball. Not sure though.

Yes, if you were to charge with the spear, or even your sword, I would say you could reach melee range and make an attack.

Orin, you could as well.

Waiting for results of Fireball.  Don't want to be in the middle of that conflagration!

Agreed, waited to see what happens to the dragon after the fireball and Silence spells.

Question: do I have to spend an action to make my sword break into flames, or can I move, activate the flaming element of the sword and then attack?
This message was last edited by the player at 18:41, Fri 28 Aug 2020.

A move silently check to trigger the backstab attempt?

See Jarder's question, DM, as well as mine just above it.

You can activate the sword’s flames as you move, then make an attack with it on the same round.


I’m not going to require that at the moment. With all of the chaos of the various spells and dragon’s breath tearing across the island, Jarder should be able to use that as cover to move into position.

If those who have lost characters are interested in continuing, let me know here or via PM. I have a plan for bringing new characters into the fold after the battle with the dragon.

That's a tough first round. Hopefully we get some favorable rolls going forward.

Rules question.... Does the effect of silence remain if the caster dies?

So far as I know, yes. The spell will remain in effect for the full 12 turns.

Thanks for the answer! Substantial post from me tomorrow.

Sorry for the delay!

Here's the equipment Jayanti was carrying. I've crossed out what I assume would be destroyed by the lightning.

Equipment Carried

Magic Items:
Potion of Clairvoyance
Wand of Magic Detection


Normal Items:

Chain Mail +1
Shield
Longbow
Quiver with 20 Arrows
Quiver of Denolas (20 magic arrows?)
Normal Sword
Backpack
Oil
1 Week of Iron Rations
Waterskin
Torch (2)
Flint/Steel
Spellbook

Money and Treasure:

8gp

I think magic items get a saving throw versus such destruction?