Aubrey's Other Eberron Campaign - The Unbinding (Inactive)

Game Master Aubrey the Malformed

Cole complies, leaning his longspear on the wall to help the group get quickly up onto the balcony.

The DC to Aid Another is actually higher than the actual DC. How often does that happen? :/

Are take 10's viable here, because that would make it an auto-pass. Otherwise, I'm not sure how to most efficiently roll PbP's for every person's attempt. Is this a situation where it just makes more sense for people to roll Cole's AA attempt as they roll their own climb check? I'd be fine if we can do that ... I just don't want to bog the game down on a fairly simple climbing check.

Let me know how you want to handle it, Aubrey. I'm good with whatever.

Taking 10 is fine - no one is trying to kill you right now.

Cool.

Cole helps the team make the short climb (free +2's for everyone!). Then, he hands his longspear up and follows along.

A take 10 will get Cole topside with or without help, so we're good.

Retrieving his longspear, he nods his readiness to Rehil once more.

will take 10 and aid, not a good climber at all

Nalverren takes his time ascending to the balcony, utilizing Cole's aid as Rehil had.

After everyone is up, Rehil .

"Give us that head start. Then follow slowly."

Rehil begins moving down the tunnel with Ashshar in tow.

any other high stealth characters coming scouting?

Ashshar Stealth: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
Ashshar Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

Rehil Stealth: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31
Rehil Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12 +1 more v traps

Do badly lit torches = dim light?

stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23
perception: 1d20 + 7 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 7 + (5) = 13 +1 vs traps

I will scout with you if you like.

The scouts find after about ten feet that the passage from the balcony divides - one ramp/stairway heading up, and another going down.

Yes, dim light - advantageous for an elf.

At the intersection, Rehil glides smoothly toward the uphill ramp.

Aubrey, cool. Thanks. Let me know

Tenro, with a +10 mod how could I turn you down? Always good to have support. Marching order Rehil Nalverren Ashshar OK? Ashshar can hang back 20-30 feet to link us with the main party?

really just here for middling combat support if you run in to problems. i am at half visual acuity due to the lighting conditions, hah

OK, so I am assuming that Cole, Wultram, Vaard and Otto are hanging back while Nalverren, Rehil and Ashshar push on ahead.

The upward ramp spirals for about twenty feet. Ahead the scouts here voices - high-pitched and hissing, like those of poisondusks.

Rehil lays a finger to his lips, then whispers that Ashshar should wait here to prevent the others from making noise and coming too close.

"But if you hear a fight, then come quickly and bring them."

With a head jerk up the passage to Nalverren, the elf resumes the ascent.

Take 10 if I can , but just in case we're too close to the enemy for that...
Rehil Stealth: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24
Rehil Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20+1 more v traps

Try to approach cautiously and get a head count.

Nalverren will wait, and listen for sounds of fighting.

OK, so I am assuming that Cole, Wultram, Vaard and Otto are hanging back while Nalverren, Rehil and Ashshar push on ahead.

Yep, Rehil's plan sounded good, so Cole's following along as instructed.

Aubrey the Demented/Malformed wrote:

OK, so I am assuming that Cole, Wultram, Vaard and Otto are hanging back while Nalverren, Rehil and Ashshar push on ahead.

Yep, Rehil's plan sounded good, so Cole's following along as instructed.

Indeed.

The head jerk was to invite you along, Nalverren.

The head jerk was to invite you along, Nalverren.

oh i will follow in that case

The two adventurers creep up the slope. It opens out to a larger, circular chamber. Three poisondusks stand about, talking quietly. From the ceiling hangs a rope, at the end of which dangles a large lizard-like dinosaur about seven or eight feet long. Crawling over the unforunate animal are half-insect, half-bat creatures - stirges. They seem to be attached to the beast, probosces digging deep and drinking their fill, while being supervised by the poisondusks. The only other exit from this room is a small hole, about a foot across, in the ceiling.

Rehil looks at Nalverren and shakes his head. Then he reverses direction and glides quietly back down the passage.

Rehil Stealth: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24
Rehil Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29 +1 more v traps

Meeting Ashshar and perhaps the others at the junction, Rehil quietly and without eleaboration tells them about the three Poisondusk and the stirges.

Aubrey, about how many stirges and were they all looking bloated?

Then he's off down the other way.

About half-a-dozen stirges, looking fairly slim.

The other way leads down quite steeply, more a stairway than a ramp. It ends at a T-junction, with another passage heading left and right.

Nalverren follows Rehil without a word. He hangs back, only needed should combat erupt.

RIght. Leaving Ashshar to direct traffic as before.

Stealth checks for Rehil and (assuming he is following) Nalverren.

stealth: 1d20 + 10 + 1d6 ⇒ (8) + 10 + (6) = 24

using 1 point of inspiration

Sorry. An excess of brevity.

Rehil Stealth: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (14) + 11 = 25
Rehil Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12 +1 more v traps

The two scouts move forwards along the passage. Ahead they find a larger chamber. Pallets are set out on the floor and four Finback warriors lounge about sleepily in the torchlight.

Dead end or other doors ?

Two exits out of this room.

Sorry guys. Work is crashing down. DMPC me or let Nalverren take lead if I hold things up.

Rehil turns to Nalverren. "We're adding enemies on our backside fast, but we should also leave these be and look down the other passage."

I want to go back to the left-right split. Tell the others about these four. And then try the left passage before forcing a fight.

i can report back, but i am kinda confused on the actual physical setup of all of this (basically need a map to be able to understand, myself)

To save time and aid decision-making:

Rehil checks out the last passage - it heads back to the meeting chamber at ground level. He reports back to the others with Nalverren and Ashshar about what he has found.

It's supposed to be a bit windy and confusing - and that's before my personal confusion between right and left. But you can draw your own map if you want - it might be right.

Otto wonders in a hushed voice: "So there is no passage to the chief's chamber?!"

"It's either concealed or past those Finbacks. Since they're there, I wonder how well Irret made sure there'd be few guards."

We're going to need an alpha strike against them I think. Especially good if we can keep it quiet. Can any of the casters djinn up silence?

"If we can get into good enough position, we might be able to convince them of sitting this one out. Other option is to surprise attack and hope we do not attract attention and if we do things are over fast enough for us to have moved on." The mage suggests.

No here, best I could manage is to use summon as distraction.

"Both options sound less than ideal, but I don't have another suggestion to offer."

Rehil frowns. "If negotiations don't work we'll be starting the fight at a disadvantage."

"Starting at a disadvantage?"
The cold sun scoffs,
"how is that different from every other fight we have been in lately?"

"It would be nice to fight on our terms for once."

"We outnumber this group 6 to 4, I am pretty confident in my ability in scaring them off especially if some of you have enough skill to back me on the intimidation front and if we have suitable set up. That is a high risk high reward solution however. Other option would be to try to reason with them on account of tradition dictates we are owed change at retaliation and they have nothing to do with it. The attack is the lowest risk but it also means we are just minimizing losses instead of gaining anything." Wultram notes.

After a bit the Karn adds. "Rehil and Nalverren, how confident would you be in sneaking to the other side so we have flank on them?"

Got a plan?

Naverren thinks on the terrain of the room, and considers if he would have enough cover to sneak around to the other side. depends on the cover of the room if we can sneak over. no map, so i as a player do not know

Naverren thinks on the terrain of the room, and considers if he would have enough cover to sneak around to the other side. depends on the cover of the room if we can sneak over. no map, so i as a player do not know

There is no cover, so sneaking through the room without them noticing will be impossible.

Plan? This isn't really a very complicated situation...

Cole shrugs, then gives his own thoughts in a low, monotone whisper. "I'll be no help if we try to talk to them. Also, they've seen us fight. And unless these four are much better warriors than what we've seen from the finbacks before, we will win. The real risk is them signaling others of our approach."

He shrugs, "I say we hit them hard and fast, and try to keep them from retreating through the far door."

"Either way is fine with me."

Was just mostly an afterthought that it would be nice to have someone blocking escape routes.

Must we go single file into the room? By twos? By threes?

"Lead with Vaard and Ashshar. They might fool the guards for a heartbeat. Then Cole. "

About how big is the room? Are we all going to fit?

Cole nods and prepares for the assault.

"Very well, elf."

At Rehil's suggestion, Vaard steps forwards to the front.

"Ready? Then keep your mind focused and your heart true, for it will be of it as for your aim." Whispers Otto, modulating his voice carefully to match ancient resonance in the heart of his companions.

Inspire courage +1 hit and damage and some saves.

"He's right. Very little cover. I am ready."

Nalverren takes up somewhere behind Cole but in front of Otto in the lineup, and draws his swordcane.

Rehil counts his comrades and the Finbacks. He checks that his sword and dagger can both slide freely from their sheathes. He feels for the arrows in his quiver, finding the iron one and marking its location by touch.

Now I think we have a plan.