DM NomadSage's Curse of the Crimson Throne (Inactive)

Game Master nomadicc

"Yes, justice will be done. But I hope you are right about it never being too late. I don't know what I'd do if.... Can't think that way. Have to focus on taking Lamm down."

"Thank you for listening. I haven't had anyone to talk to since it happened. The guard aren't the most social bunch."

"Yes," Absinthe agrees. "A good time to go back. The dog -- some drugged meat can do for the dog." The tiefling starts to row back to the place where she originally cast off.

As the rowboat departs, Seren heads back as well ... thinking of ways to get by the dog and perhaps get a chance to see in.

We'll assume you all (including Rosa) make it back to Zellara's place within an hour, bringing the current time to about 9 PM.

We could use a boat to get up on the dock, but I am nut sure that buys us much. Only saw one way in. How close were you before the dog alerted? And was it only one dog?

"There is an old barge there, the Kraken's Folly," Absinthe notes in her soft voice. "It could be used as a beachhead; if we ferry all of us onto the barge, we can lair up there and look for the opportune moment to strike."

"Wonderful; it is good to have you all back," says Melianthe. "Did you see an entrance from the Folly into the fishery? And which side was the dog on? If I am within a dozen paces, I can send it into slumber without even seeing it. Of course, we still have to move quickly, as anyone could shake the dog awake."

"I was maybe 20-30 feet from the building when the dog started barking. Seems like he does it a lot, there was a voice that shut him up, called him Bloo, if that's of value. If you could make it sleep without seeing it, that would be our ticket in. How about we land on the boat, muster up and maybe have Mel swim up close and KO the dog, Then we all regather and head in."

"There was no entrance on the dockside that we could see," Absinthe murmurs. "Stealth will be required, at least to start with. I would advise against sending anyone in alone at any stage of this hunt."

"I'm not much of a swimmer," Melianthe demurs. "If the ship is docked, there must be a dock or pier that extends from it to the waterfront...although I suppose that's on the opposite side of our dear little Bloo."

"If anyone has a grapnel, we may climb aboard the barge from the water level," Absinthe offers. "We would need a bigger rowboat to get everyone there, of course."

"I'm afraid I don't know how well I can swim that far either," Rosa says cautiously. "And I've never done anything like climbing a rope before. Although I'm somewhat more willing to try that." She thinks again. "That dog may be an issue as well. If it reacts to the grapnel, all this would be for naught. Perhaps...how high is this other entrance from the water level again?"

"Yes, it seems the dog may be the biggest obstacle.
I can climb up there, knock out the dog and then help pull some of you up if you want since I can climb fairly well. But you are right, that we need a bigger boat to hold all of us."

"And no one will drown on my watch either."

Did you all get the map I sent out a few days ago? The dock wraps around the outside of the barge... you don't need to climb aboard it from the water, you can hop on the dock and then onto the boat. Also, a couple mentioned one visible entrance, but there are three - the front door, the loading dock, and another door in the side-alley.

Just making sure you're all working with the correct info. If you didn't get the map, I'll re-send it.

I got it, but was trying to be IC with these scouts. ;)

Seren quickly describes the layout.

"The dog is inside the building as far as I can tell, so knocking it out, physically, probably isn't an option. How about this: let's shuttle everyone to the other side of the barge, move forward quietly and once we identify the dog, have Mel put it to sleep ... through the wall if she can do that. Second, I think we should wait until after midnight to ensure folks are as sleepy as possible. It would be great to get in the building without being noticed and try to keep it that way as long as possible."

"Sounds like a decent plan to me. I have no objections to it."

How many trips to shuttle everyone? Are we really buying anything going by boat?

Using the same rowboat from before, you could bring everyone across in two trips.

Is this "the plan", or are you still discussing?

Looking at the map its hard to see where the loading doc opens out to. Is it doc? Dry land? And which door did the dog alert at? The front?

we are still discussing. I also would like to know where that darn dog is. Coming in by water, we aren't seen from the street, which may be advantageous, and there may be less defense in the rear.

I never got a map. :-\

I'll resend the map. The loading dock goes onto the street, which is along the bottom (west) of the map. The dogs were alerted from when Seren approached the front entrance, along the street.

East is up, to make it slightly more confusing.

So we could try to approach from either the side door or the loading dock. Both could avoid the dog(s) depending on the internal layout. I am good ferrying people to the dock and trying the side entrance on the South. Lets go with that. Segang will go in the first group and be first off the boat.

Squishy casters in the middle, although when it comes to dog-hexing, I can get up to the wall and hex right through it.

Hexes do not require line of sight or line of effect? I have never read up on a witch.

I'm pretty sure they require at least LoS - targeting typically does.

Answering in the Discussion Thread so as to not muss up gameplay!

So how do we get poisoned meat to the dog. Any thoughts?

Lets try that side door. We did not hear the dog barking when we paddled close to it. Two trips by boat and we are there. If we loose surprise, then we do.

"That sounds like the best way in then. We'll have to take our chances."

"We have not studied the chances of cutting through the roof and dropping in from above," Absinthe notes. "Any chances there?"

"We'd have to go on the roof to know. Though I doubt there's a skylight for us to drop a rope through, since its a fishery."

I think not. It would be hard to be stealthy, even if there were hatch in the roof already. And I we have no reason to think there is

"The quietest saw makes vibration and sawdust, and we don't know what sort of attic that building has. I'd use the door..."

Unless there's any objections or add-on ideas, I'll plan to press ahead with the 'boat shuttle - side door' option.

None here.

-gets on the shuttle bus- Is there a disco ball on the rowboat?

Fingers crossed. Here we go!

Works for me. Having some trouble thinking of something to add at this point.

"What did you buy, Rosa?" Melianthe inquires of the priestess.

"Oh, just something to help us out at the expense of Lamm, his thugs, and their own methods over the years," Rosa replies with a lazy smile, a rather large pouch at her hip.

The Back Alley

With a general plan of attack in hand, you leave Zellara's shop and make your way through the benighted streets. A cold drizzle begins to fall, bringing another element (no pun intended) of dreariness to the trip. At the quay, you again hire the small rowboat and begin the shuttle to the old fishery, further down the dock.

With the cover of rain and a low fog on the water, your approach to the fishery is unnoticed. As the first three leave the boat and climb onto the boardwalk, you find the surface slick with ancient brine, crusted in barnacles, and rather badly aged. With just two of you side-by-side, the planks groan and creak alarmingly.

Was never said, besides Segang rowing the boat, but who's in the first group (2 plus Segang) and second (3)?

For map reference, assume you're being dropped off by the dinghy on the boardwalk.

On the planks, movement greater than half-speed will require a DC 10 Acrobatics check.

First group should be Segang, Seren, and probably Melianthe which would leave me, Rosa, and Absinthe.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19 So close.

Stealth: 1d20 - 4 ⇒ (13) - 4 = 9

Edit: Added Stealth not that it matters a whole bunch

Also, if you're trying to be stealthy, please include the rolls in your post(s).

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10 +2 mo' due to Alertness
Stealth: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20

Wish I'd reversed those rolls.

I believe Segang was to be the first off. He has no boat skill and was only rowing under the guidance of Absinthe. She should be the boar handler for this exercise. [/ooc]

The barbarian gets off the boat and looks around, trying to be quite.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

Stealth: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (19) - 1 = 18

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8
Stealth: 1d20 - 2 ⇒ (2) - 2 = 0

As Rosa steps off the boat and onto the dock, she trips and falls flat on her face in a rather ungraceful display for a servant of the Savored Sting...but worse is the rather loud THUMP it causes.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

Seren whispers to his crew, "Don't get in the water. Sharks ... seriously."

Melianthe helps Rosa up. She peers at the water and considers hexing each shark in turn, but thinks better of it--one sleeping shark might get eaten by the rest and cause a frenzy.

This is a fascinating question--what happens when a shark is slumbered? Pelagic sharks keep swimming even when asleep, or else they would die due to lack of oxygen exchange over their gills. Other sharks would force oxygen through via their spiracles (and sink or float). What kind of sharks are they? Would other sharks eat them? I'll let all these questions go unanswered on WILD OCEANS OF VARISIA.