"That works for me." Zane says with a nod.
"I will accompany you. Iam familiar with the area, at least as far as scouting patrols have gone so far." Sylvianna says calmy looking at both Liz and Zephram.
Liz gets her equipment and heads out with the others.
Zephram nods, "That seems wise. I imagine your first-hand familiarity will be quite useful -- many things often do not appear on maps."
He drinks his extract of false life, then starts to reach for his mutagen... then replaces it. Not yet - not until we're in striking range. I would imagine that all the excitement should happen within the next seven hours... but maybe not the next seventy minutes.
He asks, "Can someone keep a message spell on us?"
Sylvianna pulls out her personal sectional map and starts discussing with you your approach to the Library.
I think south is a solid idea, the paths are no doubt watched pretty well.
As they move forward, Sylvianna listens the the other two, assessing their knowledge. "The plan for the main assault is to approach from the west, but do not fear the gates. They were destroyed long ago. This way the main force can attack directly."
"The dark elves appear to be using the library as their guardpost against approaches from the west. There are usually one or two patrols that go in and out, plus whatever forces may be garrisoned inside. From our scouts, we do not believe the library holds more than a score of drow, including the patrols, and perhaps as few as ten. This is why the post needs to fall before the main force moves. Approaching from the south is sound." the ranger says quietly.
"Sounds as if the west will be the most heavily watched. I'm fine with approaching from the south." Zane says thoughtfully.
Zephram says, "I suspect that coming from the south would give us the best chance of hiding our approach, though the same cover might be used by sentries or a small patrol. I concur with the approach, but suggest that we be cautious."
Well it looks like we are decided, I am ready to head out.
"Yes we should be about it. The main force will attack in the daylight, hampering the drow's vision and ability to respond." Sylvianna says curtly. "The initial assault planned for noon. We have four and a half hours."
The trail used to come up on Celwynvian from the east was in fairly good repair for the first quarter mile or so, then quickly degenerated.
Sylvianna guides you to split off into the woods. She is confident that you would have plenty of time to get into position for the raid.
Circling around to the South West, there were no trails, and you had to make your way through the forest's undergrowth in the faint light of the early morning. It took an unexpected two hours or more, but finally the top of the library was in sight in full daylight.
Leaving the ancient forest behind, the ruins of Celwynvian loom out of the morning fog like ancient bones. Gnarled trees and dense vines cover many of the crumbling structures, making for a strange landscape of leafy walls and verdant towers. Not far beyond them, a mostly intact library stands in the center of the road.
It looked exactly as it had been described to you, and from the sketch on the map; a two story building that looked as if an egg had been fused to a sphere with a short hallway between.
THE LIBRARY OF DUST
TACTICAL OVERVIEW
Each square is 20 feet on a side.
White squares are clear terrain.
Light green squares are tall grass, brambles, blackberry vines and such that are Difficult terrain and give .
Dark green squares are trees and overgrown construction that are Impassable terrain. They require a climb check to go over and give .
Sylvianna, you may start your party at any square in the "T" column.
Liz swooshes over to 16-T
Taking point, Sylvianna moves effortlessly through the overgrowth and brush, leading the group in a circuitous approach, her passing almost unnoticeable..
Far from the most stealthy of the group, Zane fights his way through the dense foliage the best he can.
Zephram takes a moment to consume his mutagen, grimacing slightly as his tendons and ligaments shift and stretch, giving him a strange, unnatural grace. "Let's go."
He points to the cover more to the west, then points to himself, taking a moment to ensure there's noone to see him before sneaking carefully to cover.
Liz sneaks over to N-12.
With effortless grace, Sylvianna slips through the forest to stop beside Liz.
for a possible damage plus poison (Fort DC13 or sleep).
for a possible damage plus poison (Fort DC13 or sleep).
Round 1___________
Players take their turn in order of posting. Enemies will go last.
As the sudden pain of two bolts slamming into him registers in Zane's mind, everything else is banished to darkness as the fog of sleep washes over him. Barely able to utter more than a grunt, the wizard collapses.
Sylvianna sees the shots streaking toward the wizard before the first even hits. "They're firing from the roof of the library!" the ranger announces in a sharp whisper.
Liz moves over to Zephram and drags him over to N-14 so he is under cover.
Zane: You're out for one minute. Then another Fort save DC13 or you'll be out for 2d4 hours.
Sylvianna: You cannot see them directly, they have total concealment. But anyone who made the DC20 Perception check (You and Zephram) know what square they are in. That means you can attack the square and there is a 50% miss chance, if they haven't moved.
Zephram tries to keep under cover and watch where the shots came from, his swift mind trying to calculate all the possible actions, and how they might change if the drow saw him or not. He whispers, "Careful. We know that they saw Zane, but we might still be a surprise to them. Especially if they might send someone out to retrieve or interrogate him.... or if we can have a distraction that lets us get to the roof."
"There is at least one squad of six stationed up there, occasionally even two. The question is where are the rest of them." Sylvianna whispers. "I can take the shot but it will give away our position. You advise that I hold?" she says looking at Zephram.
"If the drow remain true to form, they will get impatient and come looking for us soon. Probably try to flank us." Sylvianna says quietly. "We need to get your friend on his feet."
Drink up Zane! *gives him the stuff*
As Liz force-feeds him the anti-toxin, Zane wakes up coughing. Groggily sitting up, the mage takes stock of his surroundings. "Thanks Liz, bastards got me pretty good."
He quickly casts a spell bending reality around him to create armor made of pure force, before getting up.
Zephram nods, "Given that, we should be able to ambush their flankers before trying to raid the building itself. "
So we conceal ourselves and ambush the ambushers?
Zephram nods, "Always best to use the enemy's preconceptions against them... We could even leave a 'sleeper' as bait to lure them where we'd like them..."
Sounds good to me, Zane seems the best choice since he was hit by a bolt.
"Thanks, Nakoda." Zane says gratefully. "That idea works for me." the mage says thinking.
"Let's set the trap properly shall we?" drawing out a scroll he quickly reads the incantation, summoning the magic within as a silent image of himself lying unconscious with a pair of bolts stuck in his body appears where he fell. "Sylvianna? How long do you think before they come looking?"