Manny munches his roll thoughtfully, then replies to Terza absent-mindedly.
"Actually, they aren't so much against us as just following a leader blindly. Like lemmings off a cliff. But a crazy crowd like this, it's not just enough to cut off the head of the snake. You have to give them a new head. Give them another leader, and they'll simply follow the other direction."
He looks at his dry roll with a mournful expression.
"It is my belief that replacing any head will be impossible while Dagon continues his hold over this deluded village."
He bows politely to Terza.
"It I may suggest, it would be safest if you and your remaining guards locked yourselves in your rooms. Should the call come again, your progress will thus be slowed. We propose to enter the caves at low tide this evening and there to end the abominations doubtless to be found within."
He looks at Grafire and Seram, stuffing their faces.
"My comrades are preparing. You may wish to take sandwiches and other refreshments to your room. The wait may be a long one. Should we succeed, we will return and release you. Should we fail, it is unlikely that you or any of us will be alive," he concludes stoically.
"Madam, I am an investigator and a realist. I am offering you best advice I can under these difficult circumstances. May I make you a flask of some warming drink to take to your room?"
Extended rest? - you have enough time until your planned expedition and enough time has passed since your last one. Although you may think that too risky. It's up to you.
Akahale is on full hp and surges and hasn't used any daily powers. He can keep watch. The downside to that is that he's been lured by the Call of Dagon twice already and can be assumed vulnerable. On the other hand, he's probably no more vulnerable awake than asleep.
Manny is full HP, and hasn't used any Daily powers today, and I think he's good on surges. (Having full surges doesn't help Manny DURING a fight, only after) SO he's good to go. I was just,... being Manny :)
So, to rest or not to rest? It seems that most of you have plenty of surges and still have Dailies. Your characters didn't get a full night's sleep either, what with their excursion to the shrine. Did you have an extended rest after that. Apologies if I have forgotten. If you have, then the question is moot anyway.
We did get an extended rest after the midnight jaunt to the church. Then we got up, ate breakfast (a lot) and went into the village, there to meet with mud and cultists :)
"Akahale, does anybody in this god forsaken place know what these caves look like? I certainly would like to contrive some sort of plan before we enter the caves just willy nilly. Clanking our blades on the wall beconing the the deamon lord of the seas to come out and play."
Grafire looks over to Seram "Even though the outcome would be swiftly decided, of course in our favor." A grin creeps across the Dragonborns face. "Eye to eye is how we like to battle, but that may not be prudent in this case. Every upper hand must be utilized for us to bring this deamon lord to his knees and beg for release from this plane of existance."
Grafire pulls a half burnt stick from the fire and begins to roughly draw some imaginary cave entrence upon the floor in anticipation of ideas from the group.
Akahale riffles through his trusty notepad for any help he can give and finds little.
"The caves will be guarded. Doubtless by those repellent - and I use the word with precision - fishmen. Their offensive aura is such that neither you, nor IT nor Mr Zal can operate effectively. Should we encounter them, Mage Mandrake and I are possibly best equipped to remove them."
His eyes whirl happily as he plots mayhem.
"As you will all recall, Mr Zal proved unexpectedly efficacious at finding traps. Father Rowan displays a similar facility, with a less practical bent. Their initial efforts might profitably be turned to identifying such lures and dismantling them by whatever means seem most appropriate."
"The tentacles of Dagon are long and I doubt he will take kindly to our incursions on this village. When the opportunity offers, we should try to cut off the head. It is my belief that once the main threat is removed, the followers will likewise diminish. It is there that you, Mr Zal and (with Mage Mandrake's consent) IT should concentrate their resources."
He thinks a little longer and adds, "I think it highly likely that we will not survive this assault. Certainly we will not do so without planning."
'Hm,... WHuzzat?" <smack, smack,...> "Whut did I eat? An why is it still here?" Manny mumbles semi-coherently.
"Hm, IT go for the head? OF course!" He declares, after splashing water in his face. "And I can of course help remoce those stinky fish men! I don't have a deoderizer, but if I can find the right enchantment,... We know that cold doesn't bother them,... where is that fireball spell?!? DId I forget to pack it,... again?" He mumbles, digging thru his backpack.
WHat daily should I memorize? I have Acid Arrow, Freezing Cloud, Sleep, Bigby's Icy Grasp, Stinking Cloud, Web to choose from, I get two. (One from the first 3, 1 from the second 3.) If I remember right, cold didn't faze them.
I'd tentatively suggest going for Acid Arrow and Web. You haven't used either yet. Bigby's is another cold spell and both the clouds will make life tiresome for the melee boys as they'll be affected as well.
Akahale's problem is that nearly all his best powers dole out necrotic and they're either invulnerable or resistant to that. He may end up using them for any useful secondary effects, but he can't do much beyond blast and hope. Let's vary it up as much as we can and try to force flanks with any movement powers.
The real key thing here is that we need to concentrate on one foe at a time. If we do that, we can usually take a fishbod down in two rounds. Our worst fights have been when we all target a different enemy. I think as well that we can count on not being able to roll at full strength if we're outside because of the blasted rain and the chances are also good that the terrain will be a pest in some way. Just going by experience ...
"Ey, tis a good plan. I love to flank, chop and simmer over low heat to make them nice and supple. Oh wait that was dinner 3 weeks ago before we got here." Grafire looks over to the Ol' Mage. "Manny your rubbin off on me. But then again I think this place will make ones mind wonder about. Must keep focused, must keep focused."
I have a positioning at-will to help enable flanking, And a some what usefull rooting at will to keep them from shifting.
" I BEG your pardon!" The mage sniffs disdainfully.
"My mind never wanders! It goes on vacation,... from time to time,... but it doesn't wander!"
Sound like we have the beginning of a plan! And I agree, we need to gang up on them, at least 2 at a time to their 1, and our fights will go much quicker. :)
Sorry, guys, my error. You CANNOT take an extended rest just yet, as not enough time has passed since your last one. You'll need to wait until 6pm to gain the full benefit. It's currently about 2pm.
So, we can either try and take more of the village apart, or wait until low tide keeping watch on Terza and any left over guards. Something like that anyway.
"I propose to spend the rest of the afternoon/evening devising strategies, eating and drinking grog until the low tide is here. However we should be prepared to meet more of those stinking fish foes on our way to the caves tonight."
Evening comes around and you have all eaten and drunk your fill. Short rest
You are all in the common room of the Smooth Sailing, relaxing as best you can. Even Terza has relaxed, and has even been able to laugh, and the various other strangers to the town have cheered to the stories of your victories.
As you are making your preparations... a horribly familiar cry comes from across the waves...
Attacks vs Will on Akahale, Seram Zal, Grafire, Manny, Rowan and It.
Akahale and Manny are the only party members not affected!
Suddenly Grafire, Seram Zal, Rowan and even IT get a glassy look in their eyes and start making their way to the door, in an attempt to walk into the sea.
Horribly, Terza also makes to go with them as do 4 guards...
"Awww,... Snap!" Manny mutters as he hastens to join Akahale at the door.
"Mother wanted me to be a cleric, but Noooo,..., I hadda be a wizard!" The old man mumbles complainingly. But his gaze is steady and his grip on his staff is firm as he levels it at the group stumbling to the doorway.
"One wake-up call, coming up!" The mage waits until the group is on to of them, crowding around the doorway. And right before they begin to physically push them, he lets loose with a rainbow blast from his staff,...
Color Spray, Encounter power, 5 range, vs Will, so hopefully will get most/all of them as they are crowding to the doorway. 9 rolls total to hit, right?
IT takes 12 radiant damage but is now not dominated. Rowan, Grafire and Seram Zal are still affected. Everyone else is no longer dominated.
Manny's light display obviously kickstarts a circuit in his manservant, who comes back to his old self. The guards and Terza are stunned back into wakefulness and look in horror as Seram Zal, Rowan and Grafire try the locked door...
"Here fishy, fishy I wil join you yes I will play with you in the pool.... What huh...who where. Why am I standing at the door. Ouch my scales, they are burnt. What no not me!! I have the will of a stone mountain, [cough]or maybe not?."
"Egg-brother, your help is urgently needed. Mr Zal and Father Rowan are attempting to sacrifice themselves to Dagon. My apologies for the damage to your scales. I have some nourishing ointment upstairs which will promote regrowth."
Seram Zal tries the door and, finding it locked, turns around, as does Rowan. The two of them shove past the stunned guards and make for the back door in the kitchen.
"Akahaaale,...!" Manny says nervously, pointing at the two adventurers making their way to the back.
I don't want to hurt them! I can either 'evil eye' one (vs Will), or try my force sphere (vs fort), primary att on one and secondary att on the adjacent if it hits. What do you think Ak & Gra?
Grafire is thrown off by Seram, and Manny's attack has no effect either, but Akahale's well-placed foot trips the party's priest, who falls to the ground and comes to.
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