DM Talomyr's Kingmaker

Game Master Talomyr

With Wulfric's reconnaissance completed and the blinds constructed you are as ready as you are going to be for this plan. Only one consideration remains. It was nearly dinner time when you arrived and by time you have completed construction of the blind you are well into the night. The question is do you make you assault now, or do you wait until morning?

If waiting until morning, where do you wish to make camp? (Unless you are choosing to really rough it, and just sleep in shifts without setting tents and whatnot)

"They might go look for the trolls who didn't return.
If they find them, they can follow our tracks to wherever we camp.
And we could be attacked in the night while asleep.

I recommend we don't wait. Unless we have some way to effectively erase our tracks."

"That's assuming we attack the trolls, then decide to camp. What does everyone think, lure the trolls and strike now, then decide our next steps between another night battle or waiting to continue until morning, or wait until dawn to lure the trolls into our ambush?" Rhiannon asks looking to their other companions.

I would rather fight in the light, since I can see to shoot much farther, but whatever is more advantageous for the battle is fine. You would know that better than I.

"That's assuming we attack the trolls, then decide to camp."

"Sorry if I was unclear. I meant the ones we have already killed. They might be found. And tracks from that fight lead to us here."

"You mean the trolls we killed yesterday, before spending the better part of a day travelling here? I'd say the odds of them being found,and us being tracked here and attacked within the next few hours to be incredibly unlikely. I agree that we operate better in the light, and also vote that we use the lure and attack the trolls at dawn." Rhiannon replies.

I'll take your word for it. I am not understanding how far apart things are here.

I would say let's kick things off after dawn and start the morning refreshed. It could be a rough day.

For tonight, let me cast Keep Watch on everyone and we can utilize one of the blinds in rotation for a bit of extra rest. Rhiannon, tomorrow I'll save a barkskin for you.

"Sounds like a solid plan to me." Rhiannon replies with a nod, moving to set up an impromptu camp that wouldn't draw undue attention, behind the blind.

"If you are planning to cast Keep Watch, Garethane, then I formally retract all of my concerns about resting in enemy territory."
2 castings to cover the whole party? Great spell, didn't realize you had it.

Wulfric will not take any extra rest in the blinds nor even lay out a bedroll. Keep Watch obviates the need.

"If you can spare a Barkskin for me tomorrow then I will fight on the front lines. Otherwise I will prepare spells to fight from the back ranks."

I'll have enough castings of Barkskin for all three of us, Wulfric."

"Excellent. Thank you, Garethane.
Rhiannon, would you wish to be the size of a giant in combat? The spell has its advantages and its disadvantages. It would be your choice.
I can also magically bolster your strength and agility."

Happy to prep spells so that I can load Rhiannon up with Enlarge Person, Bull's Strength, and Cat's Grace if that would be useful.

With judicious use of the keep watch spell the party is able to stay awake through the night, watching cave mouth. Half-way through the night, two more trolls show up to relieve the previous two who had been standing guard at the cave mouth.

Morning is here. Take care of your preparations and we can kick this thing off. I assume the plan is still to lure the trolls away and them handle the cave itself?

"That would definitely be beneficial, and much appreciated, Wulfric." Rhiannon replies. "There's no doubt room enough in the cave that it won't be a problem."

Tove will prepare her spells, dropping Divine Favor to pick up two castings of Sun Metal (including one in her usual open slot), and dropping Trial of Fire and Acid to pick up Resist Energy, Communal.

Azen wakes up and quickly gets ready, making sure that Celebeth is also awake and ready to go before the plan goes into action.

Celebeth sits up, groggy, when Azen wakes her up.

"Uuugh fragmented sleep is the worst. Especially when you're jumping from dream to dream as you go in and out of sleep."

She groggily tidies up and gets ready to help with setting up the hunting blinds.

Survival: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

She is too groggy to be of much use, constantly dropping things or accidentally tying things together.

We didn't sleep at all, did we? Isn't that the point of the Keep Watch spell? To not sleep and yet be fully rested. I kind of feel like I am missing something here.

Wulfric prepares his spells for the day.

Once everyone is ready for the ambush, Garethane will cast 3 Barkskins, a Longstrider, and go into beast mode.

Is there a boar equivalent of "fly casually"?

We didn't sleep at all, did we? Isn't that the point of the Keep Watch spell? To not sleep and yet be fully rested. I kind of feel like I am missing something here.

Wulfric prepares his spells for the day.

** spoiler omitted **

I thought keep watch was just to make sure we always had someone on guard just in case. If I had it incorrect, ignore me!

With preparatory spells cast, Garethane takes the form of a wild boar and heads off toward the cave mouth and its troll guardians.

Arriving at the cave mouth, the Garethane-Boar begins digging at the ground as if looking for food. Shortly thereafter, the pair of trolls take notice of the boar and start to head toward Garethane, intent on a bit of breakfast. Having successfully lured the trolls, Garethane takes off, pulling the trolls from the cave entrance.

What is everyone's next move?

As the sound of Garethane and his pursuers drawing close to the blinds hits them, Tove reaches for Rhiannon’s estoc and casts Sun Metal.

Sun Metal
One Minute remaining: When Rhiannon hits with her estoc, it deals an additional 1d4 points of fire damage. This damage is not multiplied in the case of a critical hit.

Azen readies her bow, waiting for the signal to ambush the guards.

Wulfric is uncertain of what the plan for the trolls is, or where he is supposed to be, but he will go where he is directed.