DM Fang Dragon’s Ruins of Adventure (Inactive)

Game Master FangDragon

Braccio shakes his head sadly, "I only got a short glimpse but the rough layout was a long table along one edge, a central table, a cage in one corner and chairs and cushions for the bidders. Security was tight as you might expect.

The one thing we do have maps of is the gate and the mechanism room which is housed above the gate with entrances on both sides. You probably walked under it! We'll have a copy made and sent to you."

They're talking about sending 65000g with you.

Looks perfect, Ishta! :)

Excellent, thank you. The maps should help us know where we're going.

Since they aren't leaving tonight, Azarra asks if she can stay with Talia (since they said if she makes it through tonight she'll probably be okay, she wants to stay in case there is anything she can do to help).

Since it seems they've agreed on everything that could be an agreement, Ishta asks for permission to visit the library and study some spells to help the group in this endeavour.

I will give them a final revision and provide a list and rolls of all the new acquisitions.

Now would be a perfect time to invest in some potions. I'm not sure how much goldies we got to spend, but potions that come to mind are Fly, Gaseous Form, Protection From Evil, and other utility/protection vs suck spells that might come in handy.

Knowing well he won't be of much use until things go wrong, Kardas avoids a sulky mood by drafting a list of potentially useful potions. If there ever was a moment to arm the group with drinks, now is the time.

Ser Armithia goes along with whatever decisions are made by the professionals.

I can be the muscle.

He smiles.

A runner arrives and hands you a hastily copied map.

A note attached explains that the gate house complex consists of four levels. The top most walkways which lead to an inner gatehouse. The gatehouse is serviced by a pair of spiral staircases leading past ready rooms where guards wait to the winding room where there's a pair of small windlasses to control the portcullis and a big one which opens and closes the massive gates. A pair of barracks border this room. Estimated to have ten guards within at all times.

[ooc]Something to be aware of before we begin... those hats allow us to alter self, which allows us to disguise ourselves as individual members of any humanoid race. We might be able to pull off the gate part just by pretending to be specific high-ranking people... if we can find the right ones, and then ordering them to raise the gates--who knows, but just wanted you guys to remember the hats in case we need them.

The forum ate my edit (even though I reposted, ahh!), so here's my edit: the opportunity cost you'd normally pay for consumables is a non-issue now because this is a literal do-or-die scenario. Expensive pots and scrolls that can help us achieve victory should trump static bonus items.

The meeting seems about ready to break up. Let me know what preparations you want to make.

@Azarra yes you can watch over Talia.

Ser Armithia stands ready.

I am guessing that he could Disguise Self/Alterself via the Hat as a slave bodyguard? Change race to ?

You certainly could. Should you? Shrug :P

I think maybe Zane was keeping track of loot in this game? Am I remembering right? In any case, Kardas... just tell us what consumables you want. Even if we don't have the money (which we might), we can always draw on the 65,000 they are sending with us (as long as it isn't too much... we have to be able to win the auction, or at least have enough to show our wealth and maybe buy some slaves). Also, if we're going to try to steal the orb from whoever does buy it, we might need some spells/items to jack my dexterity higher. I only have a +8 on sleight of hand.

Yeah, and we'll probably need to boost your Disable Device too.

The next morning, Ishta walks to Mantor's library quite early, looking for some spells to add to her book.

Once some of them are ready and the ink is dry, she meets her companions for lunch, discussing the plan. During the conversation, she introduces a new factor.

"So, guys, I've been studying some new spells, and I think we should go have a look around the castle. I'm planning on going this evening, without noticing, and try some probes at the magic defenses. We certainly want to know what we can or cannot do once we're there." She tries not to sound too dramatic. "I just want you to know, in case you find out I'm not in my room... or... in case I don't come back to sleep." She procceeds to explain her plan to her comrades.

Do you want some backup?

"I don't know. What are you thinking of?"

I just wasn't sure if you wanted to go in alone... stealth missions are sometimes safer that way... but happy to come along if you want help.

Ishta smiles.

"Sure. I've never done a stealthy approach before... I'll be glad to have some help."

The two girls discuss the plan, and hopefully reach a common approach.

Lol, last post I forgot to change the avatar before hitting Submit Post...

So, is it the next day already? Is Talia okay?

Since everyone is talking about shopping yes lets assume it's the next day...

During the night Talia took a turn for the worse and was delirious with a high fever and hallucinations. Nothing could be done to help her till the morning and it was touch and go several times. Braccio awoke the hour before dawn and began his morning prayers. After a spartan breakfast he got to work and stared on a powerful casting to remove the curse attached to the poison before working on removing it entirely and finally curing her wound. After this process Braccio was left exhausted and Talia was left sleeping peacefully, no longer in danger but still weak as a newborne.

Azarra gets some sleep after she is sure that Talia is going to be okay.

To Ishta she says

What's the range on your Arcane Eye? If it is far enough, we probably don't even need to sneak in... you can just have it look around.

Kardas has no utility spells for this sorta stuff :(

"The range truly depends on how much you want to explore and examine. Say she uses two minutes of its duration to approach the damned place, she'd need to be some odd hundred and twenty yards away from the place."

Can't she just manifest the arcane eye from the quarter that we've already cleared? I'm pretty sure that you can put one of those things anyplace that you can see. so there is no need to approach closer than sight. I don't know the spell myself, but that's what I understand. For instance, if I knew the spell I could pop it up to the top of a mountain, because I can see that far... but after that of course, it might be slow moving it around.

Still here. Will post an update once the plan has been nailed down.

Unfortunately, these types of planning is not in the knight's reportior.

"I could put the eye anywhere within my sight, and then move it at about 300 feet per minute" Ishta answers. "The point was to probe the wall's magic defenses, since the cousellors said they were trying to Scry and couldn't." She meditates for a bit. "We could use the Eye from afar, and then get closer to try Detect Magic or whatever. That would give us room if our first attempt is discovered, and time if I need to change any of my spells."

We might not want to put them on high alert the night before we go in, so the less invasive we can be about it, then better. Some of it we are going to have to do on the fly, when we are there after the auction. I don't think we can afford to break in there twice. Do you just mean the outer walls, or are you wanting to cast detect magic on the gate mechanism inside that we need to open for our "invaders"?

"I was thinking both." Ishta has to agree that a failed attempt might alert them unnecessarily. "Yes, we must not risk much, but at least we need to have an idea..."

The problem I see is that Detect Magic, Greater Detect Magic, Aura Reading, etc all of them just give you which school, but not which spell, and I see no way of getting this info.

"Do we agree then on trying with the Eye first and then casting Detect Magic on the wall and on the door?"

What door are you talking about? Do you want to sneak through the gate and check the doors on the guard towers... or do you mean the gate itself? (See the map linked in my tagline.)

The gate, sorry. Stupid Spaniard... :P

Certainly, if you think it will help. We'll just have to time it well, in between the rounds of the guards, and go invisibly.

DM, is that enough of a plan for the scouting mission? Ishta will use Arcane Eye to check out the building while I time the guards, and then when we have a good opportunity based on timing, we'll go invisible and stealth up to the gate to examine it with detect magic. ... Then back off again before the guards/dogs come back.

Invisibility, stealth and Nondetection, just to be sure.

Sounds like you're good to go, one last question do you want to do this during the day or wait for nightfall?

I was thinking night, but let's see what Azarra says. She doesn't have Darkvision, I think.

Night is fine. As long as it isn't moonless, Azarra's low-light vision should be enough.

With a plan to probe the castle's defences, the watchers of dawn resolved to wait until sundown. The light of Selune while not full would be sufficient for Azarra to see where she was going. They decided to initially hide just within Civilised Phlan crouching low behind a tree overlooking the canal and the castle walls behind it. The busy sounds of the town at day slowly wind down to the night time hush and then it was time. Sitting crosslegged, Ishta chants the words to her spell and a dim purple radiance forms in the palms of her hands.

Perception: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (6) + 17 = 23 (pass)

After Ishta is finished observing with her spell, she and Azarra go closer, both invisible (but also wearing orc disguises underneath in case anything goes sideways.) They do this during the middle of the 5 minute lull between guard patrols so that Ishta can get close enough to cast additional spells, and Azarra keeps watch and keeps track of the time while she is doing so, so that if someone gets too close or the patrol comes early that she can pull Ishta away.

Timing it so you move in between the patrols the pair of you swim invisibly across the short stretch of water. Hunkering down near the brooding gates you drip and shiver as you plan your actions, it seems a patrol is coming...

Map updated, and I'll need stealth rolls or some plan to deal with the scent ability on the hounds.

Why did we swim? Didn't I just walk across last time? Also, we aren't waiting around for another patrol. The plan is cast the spell, focus for less than 3 minutes to see what Spellcraft can tell Ishta about the defenses, and then we leave.

Stealth: 1d20 + 14 + 40 ⇒ (14) + 14 + 40 = 68 (invisibility while stationary. -20 while walking.)

However, if a patrol does get close before we're done, then Azarra will quietly conjure up another skunk or three (let me know if I need to roll for that).

Ishta feels a bit hurried by the arrival of the patrol.

Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

She tries to avoid the dogs and their scent sense, but stays at the ready to change her plan.

If it seems like they detect her, she will change Nondetection (which is already cast on both her and Azarra) to Fly thanks to Mnemonic Vest and fly up until our of range.

Add 20 walking/40 stationary to Ishta's stealth roll, since she is also invisible.

We're both invisible and nondetectable.

Right, but nondetection doesn't have a bonus to stealth. That's all I was pointing out. I think nondetection just works against scrying, not physical senses.

Yeah their perception shields can't take firepower of that magnitude. The dogs have scent mind you which is another matter. BTW I'm sorry if I accidentally railroaded here you here, wasn't my intention. However since you've decided to hide lets play this one out.

After a nervous wait, you hear gruff voices from above and the clanking of the mechanism as the huge doors are opened. This is the first time these doors have opened tonight and first out are vicious looking hounds the size of ponies with strangely sunken features as if they where half staved. They strain at their leashes and their handlers, huge looking orkish brute can barely control them. It's only with much cursing and lashing of whips that the dozen strong patrol gets going and it seems they are intending to perform a counter clockwise sweep.

As you watch the patrols sets off and the gates start to clank closed.

I owe you a map update, I'm a bit tired and will try to do that tomorrow. You have a few options here: You could try to slip in now before the door closes, although there is some risk of detection if the wind blows in the wrong direction (there's currently a soft breeze heading south); You could wait and try to sneak in after them in - that worked before; You could be cheeky and follow them to see what they get up to; Or do something I haven't anticipated xD

Right, but nondetection doesn't have a bonus to stealth. That's all I was pointing out. I think nondetection just works against scrying, not physical senses.

I know, I know. It was just a reminder in case someone tried to cast something. I wasn't adding the bonuses from Invisibility because the real threat here is Scent, which I think ignores it.

Hold on... why are we waiting? I thought we were casting detect magic/spellcraft at the gate in the 5 minutes that we had, and then leaving? What am I missing?

I assumed you wanted to sneak in and explore the gatehouse, but NP if not!

Thanks for being open to that, but I think we decided to wait and explore the gatehouse when it is time to raise the gate, and we at least have some backup. Too dangerous to do alone, or risk doing more than once. :)

Azarra takes a look at the magical energies to see if she can assist Ishta in figuring out what protection spells are up.

Knowledge Arcana (aid): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
Spellcraft (aid): 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (8) + 12 = 20

Ishta shakes her head to try to recover from the impact. "Oh, my... such power..."

Kn Arcana, Aid: 1d20 + 19 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 19 + 2 = 32

"For the Holy Robes of Mystra! This is..."

Spellcraft, Aid: 1d20 + 18 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 18 + 2 = 25

"Azarra, this is such a powerful place, it can only be a Mythal! There are strong wards protecting it, and we have tu assume we'll be on our own..."

Ishta details the wards to Azarra, thinking at the same time how can she bypass such a defense (see spoilers above).

"We must go back and inform the Counsellors!"

Azarra goes back with Ishta.

When they get back into friendly territory she says

Well, as long as we can open the gates, that gets around all of those enchantments, right? And if the army takes over, then those enchantments are suddenly working for us rather than against... or at least I hope so.