Defense of Brookside

Game Master caster4life

Does the hatch swing up to open or down?

"Huh," Melia says quietly. "How odd. That's a pretty fair drop if someone was trying to get down it, and quite a scramble going the other way."

"Bloody hell." Kazador muttered. "Doesn't make any sense. Be there any illusions here?" He asked, as he peered down as best he could. "People don't build these things for nay reason, right?"

"I wonder what Hal is learning," Melia says. She eyes the small dragon. "I don't suppose you've heard from him?"

”Right, down I go.” Kazador said. Innaction would be the death of this entire adventure. There was only one way to go and that was forward!

The shaft goes up. We've opened a hatch in the ceiling.

@Brookside GM: I believe the draconic ally is with the party
The little dragon perks up suddenly and speaks quietly and urgently "I can hear him right now! Bit fuzzy... He's saying... that you should give me a snack for my hard work."

With a wry smile, Melia gives him a bit of trail bread from her pack. "Yes, naturally. But what has he learned about the house?"

Kn Eng: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32

"Oh, and I think this is basically an escape chute. It's designed for someone to leave in a hurry, not for easy access."

"Not much... tunnel comes out in the kitchen. He managed to get outside. What should I tell him?"

"Uh ... keep looking, I guess."

Ugh! Another post eaten. My clarification was that the sewers had a secret tunnel leading to the cellar. The cellar had non-secret stairs leading to the kitchen on the ground floor, which is the way Hal went. The cellar also had a secret trapdoor in its ceiling connecting to a secret chute that leads from the upper level down past the ground level and into the basement. Any questions? Can I help clarify anything else?

that helps, and matches what I thought, but Hal doesn't know it is a chute... though I guess there is no reason the Draconic Ally cannot share that...

Does bird-Hal have any ability to detect or see magic?

"Certainly good to know this is here." Kazador said. "Both for us if we need a quick escape, and if we need to stop someone from escaping."

No - this is something that will need to be rectified if this trick is tried again.

”Right. This is getting dangerous. Should we meet back up with Hal? We be lucky that was just a cat we bumped into.” Kazador said in a low voice.

"I agree. Let's get back down to the basement and he can meet us there."

She glances at the tiny dragon. "Could you relay that to Hal, please?"

Once they're back down in the basement she peers up the secret escape chute. "I guess we try going up there. I wish we had some better notion where we were going. But at least it's somewhat concealed."

The rest of the party regroups in the basement and looks up at the ceiling. Getting up into the chute looks tricky but, once you are there, it seems quite climable.

DC 10 climb once you're up in the chute since you can push against opposite walls. The cellar ceiling is only six feet tall so it's probably not THAT hard for you to devise a way to get up into the chute to start climbing.

"Time's a wasting," Melia says.

She focuses for a moment, adjusts her hairband and tugs on her sleeves. The illusions around her squirm and shift, leaving a mousy, brown-haired maid with muddy hazel eyes in an innocuous uniform.

Using my Hat of Disguise, glamered armor and sleeves of many garments to adjust my disguise. Also activating my Comprehend Languages SLA, which should be active for an hour and forty minutes.

"Boost me, would you?" Melia says to Khaz. She waits till he's braced, then uses the boost from his cupped hands to launch lightly up into the chute and begin climbing.

It's a DC 24 check to leap six feet straight in the air. If I take 10, I get 23. So with an Aid Another from Kazador, Mel can just get up there. She can also take 10 on Climb and get a 16. And here's a stealth roll for doing it all quietly:

Stealth: 1d20 + 27 ⇒ (16) + 27 = 43

Bear in mind she's got Fast Stealth and also halves penalties for moving while stealthy thanks to her skill unlock.

Mel launches upward into the escape shoot with extreme stealth. From there, it is not too hard to climb up to the top.

DC 10 climb.

Taking 10 on that Climb check for a 16.

"There's a door," Melia whispers down to the others. "It's latched. Hold on a sec while I take a look at it."

Perception: 1d20 + 20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 20 + 10 = 35

Note that the final +10 there is from Hal's Tears to Wine spell.

Up in the chute, Melia hears the scritching of a pen and turning pages in the room the chute connects to. Then the creaking of floorboards and a book is hurriedly closed and you hear a rapid rustling sound. Then the door in the other room opens and you hear Beaumont's voice "Ah Winston. Are our guests here? I will come down now. Please ensure the mead is ready." Then a voice, which Mel's incredibly precise ears can tell is coming from the doorway "Very good, your grace." Then the floorboards creak and the door closes as both leave the next room.

"I think we're in business," she whispers down. "Whoever was in the room above just left. I'm going to try and open the latch."

Bracing herself against the walls, Melia fishes some tools out of her sleeve and makes an attempt on the latch.

Hey, look at that! Mel has a rank in Disable Device and actually bought concealable thieve's tools a while back! Let's see how this goes.

Disable Device: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (4) + 11 = 15

I mean, there are three whole numbers lower than that, right?

She glances down, holding a pick in her teeth, mumbles something, then takes the pick out and says quietly: "Maybe let Hal know it's time to get back in his own body? We're not going to be able to haul him up this chute."

The little dragon nods, and concentrates.
Down in the sewers a comatose man awakens, shudders, and begins to make his way towards the others.
Brookside GM - is this okay? Does he need rolls?

Hal is welcome to rejoin the group. It's DC 10 climb once you're up in the shaft. But I will say that DC gets significantly higher if you are trying to climb past an ally. XD Mel can retry the disable device or let Hal try to climb up and do it. Failures will take some time and make a little noise that might be heard if someone enters the room you're attempting to get into.

"I've almost got it," Melia says gamely (and quietly). "I think."

Disable Device: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29

If that doesn't do it then I'm going to climb back down and let Hal have a go.

Kazador truly wished that he was able to assist Melia, but he knew that he would only get in her way if he tried. So he kept watch, to make sure that nothing surprised her while she concentrated on the task at hand.

Hal finally gets to the shaft, and looks up. Given the need for stealth he gives a single whispered "Here" to let the others know he waits at the base of the shaft.

Hmm. Paizo decided I didn't deserve notifications this weekend.

Mel manages to turn the latch from the wrong side of the secret door and opens it just enough for you all to climb into the room, which turns out to be Beaumont's study, unsurprisingly. There you see shelves of books, several fine armchairs, maps on the walls, and Beaumont's desk with a high-backed chair behind it.

Melia's eyes drain of color as she silently starts seeing magical auras. She searches the place, paying particular attention to the books.

Perception: 1d20 + 20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 20 + 10 = 42

Activating my 1/day Detect Magic SLA. I heard a book being hastily closed, any of those look slightly askew like they were put away in a hurry? Plus whatever else we can find.

Mel detects a few magical knick knacks a wealthy man might own, such as an ioun torch set in the ceiling, but nothing more suspicious. She does, however, determine that the book case is certainly too neat and clean for any book to have been put back on it in a hurry. That is what incredibly sharp eyes can get you!

Okay, let's search the desk.

"I heard a book being closed in a hurry, but these shelves are too neat. He probably took that with him, whatever it was," she relays in a low voice.

She checks the desk, being careful not to touch it until she's looked for traps thoroughly.

Perception: 1d20 + 20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 20 + 10 = 35

Hal does his best to scamper up the ladder quietly.
climb: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
He slips in through the narrow entranceway and joins the others, hissing "What'd I miss? Target's prolly 'hidden away, not on display', right? I've got a spell that'll let me look through stuff for a few ticks. I'll use it ta look for lead if ya reckon it's worth burnin' here?"

As he waits for a response he habitually glances around, casing the area for ways in and out, checking any doors for hinges to see which way they might open, and looking for anything even resembling an alarm.
perception: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (17) + 16 = 33 higher for traps and invisible

Which room on the map is this please, I have gotten lost

"This is apparently Duke Beaumont's private study," Melia says in a low voice. "He was here a couple minutes ago and is now entertaining guests of some sort. He had a book open, but I don't think it's any of these." She gestures at the shelves.

"So we keep looking. And if he comes back, we take him down, threaten him, and make him give us what we want." Kazador suggested.

I have placed an unrealistically large, to make it easier to find, Hal token on the second floor to show the room. It is near the northwest corner. This is a good reminder to me that I probably did not mention that the escape "chute" has a sizable lateral job. Mea culpa.

Hal is pretty sure there is a small alarm spell near the doorway into this room, which you thankfully have not tripped. He also starts looking around for secrets and notices that the arm chair is still warm. Apparently the Duke had been sitting there, rather than his desk chair.

And did Mel find anything of note in the desk?

Mel finds no traps on the desk! The drawers are locked and there are only basic writing supplies and knick knacks on the desk itself, it would appear at first glance.

"Stay away from th'door - there's a bloody alarm spell set up... I reckon he was in the armchair, not at 'is desk. Hang on while I check it for a secret pocket or somethin'. If that fails then I'm gonna try ta see if there's lead in the room. Failin' that I'll try to get a read on what's in the desk, and start crackin' the lock." he pauses for a second and continues "If he's usin' this book e's still gonna need ink, right? Pen too, maybe even blottin' paper. Makes sense it'd be near the desk."
the token helps, thanks :)
Actions as above. perception: 1d20 + 16 ⇒ (4) + 16 = 20 for the chair. if that fails he'll burn See beyond for 5 rounds of x-ray vision. Odds are wherever he's got the book is shielded (to stop other divination spells) and lead is cheap and non-magical, so looking for lead or thick metal. If he's got time he'll look through both rooms, and try to save a round or two to look inside the desk. Will hold off lockpicking until gets the okay from the rest of the party as there is a decent chance that'll go bad.

Indeed there are plenty of writing utensils and ink on the desk (as I sort of implied but did not outright state). Hal thinks the chair seems a little funny but can't quite name how then he uses he spell and sees that the back of the chair is hollow and there is a book inside it! Now maybe someone more perceptive can find the mechanism for opening it...

For the sake of forward movement I'll assume Hal conveys that info.

Seeing Hal peering intently at the back of the chair, Melia raises her eyebrows and moves over to check it out.

Perception: 1d20 + 20 + 10 ⇒ (17) + 20 + 10 = 47

Sorry, yes...
"There's a bl... book hidden in the... chair. Can't work out how ta get ta it though." Hal complains quietly.

Mel quickly spots the mechanism! Pressing a small knot of wood on the arm rest causes a piece of wood in the chair back, which seems to be all one piece, to pop out of place, revealing a slot with a book inside it.

"Nicely done! Check it out first though." cautions Hal

Large sounds good!

Also on the map, the white are elevated fortifications?

Captain Brolin and Kelian are not fully healed. The Captain is down 6, so it's probably worth zapping him with the wand. There may be some "wasted" healing, but I'd rather have that action in combat. And a dead hero stabs no orcs.

Kelian's only down 1, so that's probably not worth it.

GM, I'd like some more description of the fortifications, please? It's very abstract at the moment.

Oh, and I think Kelian would also like to be large. Reach and increased weapon damage would be good.

Point of order, Fyrtor -- you've been rolling 2d8+5 for the Cure Moderate wand. It'd be 2d8+3 since magic items are assumed to operate at the lowest possible caster level for the spell.

Lots of people have trouble remembering how many dice and what modifier for canned Cure spells. I have a note stuck on the inside of my GM screen that says:

Cure:
1d8+1 (max 5) Light
2d8+3 (max 10) Moderate
3d8+5 (max 15) Serious
4d8+7 (max 20) Critical
1d8+9 (max 25) Light, Mass
2d8+11 (max 30) Moderate, Mass
3d8+13 (max 35) Serious, Mass
4d8+15 (max 40) Critical, Mass

Where the first bit is at minimum caster level, and the (max X) bit is a reminder of where the bonus from caster level caps out.

My life Oracle with Enhanced Cures laughs at the table, spending a lot of level 1 slots to heal 1d8+14 HP each :)
That said, it IS possible to create items at a higher caster level, with the adjusted price increase. For Cures, definitely not worth it, so they are usually at minimum level making the table correct - unless one has one of the gimmicks that let you use your own caster level and or ability score modifier for spell completion items of one or more types.

But it becomes relevant regardless, in that we have no idea what Caster Level the Wand of Enlarge Person has.
If it is minimum level, we're talking a single minute of enlargement per cast...in that case we'll want some advance intel, to time the casting.
Reinforcements are coming, but they may be a couple minutes away still - we could waste the entire wand before they show up only for the spells to run out when melee is joined.
At the same time, once they ARE visible, Túrion has more powerful effects than enlarge person to use.

But with Buff spells, it is not completely unusual to up the caster level - for example, it triples the price, but having a buff last 3 minutes instead of 1 can make a huge difference.
Basically what I'm getting at: We'll need advance warning of some sort, THEN I can enlarge people pre-battle - because the buff will likely only last 1 minute.

@Loot: I will update...but do take note that Nelly does not have a Ring Slot courtesy of type. I could have trained her to do so but she insisted on Blindfighting. The Ring of Protection was for me. Belt and Cloak for her.
@Flavoring: As said, she already has some basic leather barding to protect vulnerable/exposed parts. Integrating the magic items with that in some way would be much preferable. So the barding gets a 'cloth cover', and I don't have a Wolf with a cape dramatically dancing in the breeze -

@Fortifications: The ramparts have arrow slits that allow you to fire from improved cover if you crouch behind them. The wall is 15 t high and a DC 25 climb check without a ladder, grappling hook, rope, etc. Do you have more questions?

Algric placed up north to provide a crossfire. Kazador is enlarged and ready to hold the line.

@Mel oops, fordruids CMW is level 3 spell. I know that it isn't for everyone else, but when I was deciding the min caster level got confusled. I shouldn't think so hard late at night lol.

I think Fyetor will stand behind the wall for this fight, at last at the beginning. His barksjin should be worn off by now so he's going to be squishy.

Okay. Is there a ladder there currently?

Are the arrow slits between crenellations at the top of the wall, or built into the front? That is, is it like this:

| <- archer here
-----
|□□□|
|□□□| <- solid
|□□□|
-----

Or like this?

| <- Melee defenders up top
-----
|
|<- archer here
|□□□ <-- raised floor
-----

Do our melee types have to stand in front of the wall in order to engage?

On the defender's side of the wall, how do you get from top to bottom and vice versa?

How many arrow slits are there?

Is the wall crenelated?

Does it have machicolations?

Are we talking about the big wall slightly up to the north, or the one blocking the corridor that we're emerging from?

I learned a new word! machicolations = awesome

I am afraid to block their path, we need the outside place. In which case I seriously hope they don't decide to simply block our exit in response and wait for the reinforcements of the reinforcements...That said, Nelly will sit this one out. She can't climb battlements, and sending her into the open is an invitation to get swarmed. So she'll protect our way back.

I've got reach, so for now I'll just stand right behind Kazador to attack over his shoulder/give passive buffs/aid another, on account of having no real ranged option.

The question is, stand where?

If the wall is 15 feet high, having ten foot reach is less useful from the top, but if you stand in front of the wall you're, well, up against a wall.

EDIT: Also, GM, is there actually a structure of some sort in the middle of the wall? If so, what is it? A gate? A tower? A house in the midst of a wall?

The question is, stand where?

If the wall is 15 feet high, having ten foot reach is less useful from the top, but if you stand in front of the wall you're, well, up against a wall.

Ah, that's problematic. I hadn't really visualized the battlefield. I'll go down another round of Spirit Dance to have cast fly right after longarm.

The arrow slits are between the crenelations at the top. The wall is solid beneath. There is currently one 17 foot ladder on each side of the wall. No machicolations. Big wall up to the north. The structure in the middle of the wall is the gatehouse. It is 5 ft higher than the rest of the wall and you can ascend/descend between it and the wall along easy steps. The gate in the wall is 10 ft across and very, very sturdy with a big fat lock on it. The orcs haven't seen fit to mess with it but have just used ladders.

How's that? More questions?

That's the wall to the north yes?

Hmm. More of a battlement than an arrow slit then. That's fine, they're probably mechanically identical in game terms. Thanks for the clarification.

So, basically, in order for our melee types to be in melee, they have to forsake the protection of the wall.

How does enlarge person interact with the fortifications? For example, would a Large size creature standing on the top gain only partial cover?

I suspect the orcs will either have more ladders or ways to get up the face of the wall. Like it or not, I'm inclined to think we should all stay on top of the wall. Let's see:

- Mel: is an archer, of course
- Kelian: has a bow and can use it even if he's not specced as an archer
- Algric: is an archer
- Kazador: isn't specced as an archer, but I believe he's proficient
- Fyrtor: proficient from swashbuckler level?
- Túrion: proficient because he's an elf, but may have other tricks that would be better
- Brolin: no idea if he's proficient or not

We've got plenty of bows, I believe. Mel, Kelian, and Algric have their own. That orc lieutenant had a mwk composite longbow with a +5 strength rating (!). And Mel has a spare mwk composite longbow with a +2 strength rating. I think we probably have enough regular arrows to go around?

Basically, the longer we have to pepper them with arrows, the better. Standing outside the wall would make it possible for our melee types to get into melee -- but you know what? They'll get melee if the orcs manage to get to the top of the wall. And if the orcs fail to get up the wall, then we can shoot them with basic impunity.

Fyrtor has a bow of his own and I plan on using greater flaming sphere for half my actions this combat. I have some special arrows as well as 10 durable arrows. We picked up 20 normal ones from the last fight as well. I also have a sling for somebody. It's not a great weapon, but for high strength charaters they work remarkably well (I'm looking at you Kazador)

Kazador has a mwk throwing ax (from first orcs, though it may have been forgotten).

Mediums by default aren't proficient with bows, but can use them when channeling the Champion. Muse don't have a high enough STR for a +2 rating composite bow, though. He's carrying a shortbow, but if there's a longbow without a composite rating he'd gladly swap for that - it's not a huge deal either way, one point of damage on average.

Speaking of channeling the Champion - while doing so I give everyone within 30 feet +4 to hit and damage! So, consider the lot of us specced for archery. (Do you know what would be awesome? A party with a Medium and a Bard in it.) But our mobility isn't so limited as to have to choose between standing on the wall or not - today I've cast two third level spells, chain of perdition and fly. While channeling the Heirophant or Archmage, I've got the spells per day of an eigth level Mesmerist, and I've enough Charisma to get a bonus spell, so I have one third level spell left. I don't know if Kazador has any flight spells left today, but if he doesn't Muse can give him flight.

With Kazador enlarged, he could hammer away from ten feet above their heads, getting the damage he's specced for without getting swarmed and while having an escape route.

@Mel: The arrowslits are in the merlons. There are plenty of them for you to all have one.

We could also have Kazador use the potion of fly we just grabbed. We slotted it for Mel because usually it would be better for an archer to have, but in this case the archers should be pretty safe on the wall.

So what I'm hearing is:

1) We enlarge Kazador and give him the Potion of Fly, so he can rain blows upon the heads of our unfortunate foes.

2) Mel gives Brolin her own bow, which has the Adaptive property and therefore resizes its STR rating to match its wielder's STR modifier.

3) Mel uses her own backup bow, which of course she built to match her own native strength.

4) Brolin channels the Champion and adopts a position near the center of the line so everyone can benefit from his very nice +4 attack/damage.

5) Everyone else either has a bow already or is more likely to be using magic.

6) Everyone except Kazador takes a merlon and gets that lovely improved cover bonus (+8 AC, +4 Reflex saves, +10 Stealth bonus).

We wait quietly till the orcs show up, and then we rain arrows down upon them while Kazador plays whack-a-mole with their skulls.

Yes?

EDIT: Oh, and I suggest we make use of our longbow's 110 foot range and start attacking them at about 80 feet. Kazador, don't get too far from the wall, we want to be able to get to you if we have to.

Sounds good to me. I also can cast spike growth to damage foes as the come or go if needed, but I am going to try to save that if I can.

Setting up spike stones before they get here would discourage them from attacking at all, I think, which is not what we want. We want to lure them in.

However, if they decide to retreat it's got a pretty vast area and range, so you could easily fill their escape route with spikes they can't really avoid, which would slow them down (time for more arrows) and damage them in and of itself.

My druid player, Verdessa, once took down most of a werewolf pack with Spike Stones. She caught them in the middle of a rage-fueled charge, and they were too out of their senses to stop. The DR/silver would have helped if I'd, err, remembered it ...

True, but we just need to delay them right...? If they run away successfully we're ok. Not that I am opposed to removing orcs.

True.

I might as well cast the spell on Kazador and save the potion - I'm at that point where I've got so few spells left that I can't see myself channeling a spellcasting spirit in combat, so those slots are best used for prebuffing.

Great, then Mel will keep that potion after all.

So I think we've got a plan unless Túrion has some objection. I'll post put in a pre-battle post in just a bit here.

Just to double check, GM, those squares on the map are five foot squares, yes?

No objections.
Except, of course, on how to deal with the ladders. We'll either want someone melee-capable positioned on top of the wall with them, or have someone kick them over if that's possible(I believe we can manage to jump down and survive after...)

If we draw them up or remove them before the battle, the reinforcements will notice, and our element of surprise is lost.
Unless they have something better to do, maybe Brolin and Kelian want to kick them over as their surprise actions?(if possible).

Also, don't assume familiarity with Bows based on racial profiling.
Túrion was too rash, too reckless, and too impatient for weapon training - his education was focused on different topics as a result.
I have an alternate racial trait replacing weapon familiarity - also because abysmal strenght makes a crossbow a superior choice for him. Túrion even has a Masterwork one, but as you say, when the caster starts shooting with mundane ranged weapons, that's a cue for getting some rest or a last resort.

The absence of the ladder tipping them off hadn't occurred to me. But you know? I think I'd rather risk it and not leave a ladder they could use to get to us.

Also, I ... uh ... did a thing. It's a very different style from the last one, but it is in a 4:3 aspect ratio, so hopefully it woudn't get squished too much in Google Slides. I sure hope not, anyway, that axonometric grid would look weird if it got squished.

You know, leaving the ladders is not necessarily bad...climbing means no AC-bonus, extra damage if they fall, and we have high ground plus only one can approach.
I'd leave it up to those people who would usually be in melee, but since they did not mess with the gate itself yet, that means going over with ladders is their only real way...they may opt for a different path altogether...or worse, fetch someone with magic to help them breach the place. *shrug*

Also, sorry, no illusion :)

And nice map ^_^

Yes the map is awesome. I'm going to put it up once I get to my computer.

And yes, 5 ft squares.

Digging the 3D map. Very nice. Mel, what software's are you using to generate your maps? Just curious.

The first one I made for this campaign I did in Photoshop CS6. Took about an hour.

This one took about four hours, and I hand drew it in Inkscape.

Wow, that's dedication. I assume you hold onto the files for future use of course, but still. That's a lot of time. Thanks :)

Wow indeed! 4 hours...by hand.
I figured you had some kind of mapping tool as well.
My "nice map" now seems like an insulting understatement -_-

I could probably have done it faster if I was totally focused on it, but I had Critical Role going in the background, and that distracted me.

Ah Critical Role...

So, I have a conversation wishlist lol. I have a few conversations I'd like to have in character with some poeple that I'm going to list. I'd be interested in seeing other player's similar lists of you guys want to share.

- Speak with the psychic imprint of Fyrtor's father in his sword again.
This will require GM and Brolin both to some degree. THe first time it got cut short because we were about to have a big fight which was completely appropriate, and we've kinda been on the run since then. I think we're going to have some in game downtime soon though once we finish up here in Kazad Gravr and it would be appropriate in character to bring this up again.

- Speak with Kazador/others about Fyrtor's frontlining. Fyrtor has the overprotective drawback and part of roleplaying that is getting into the thick of things to keep others from falling. That said he's endangered everyone on several occasions because he's been TOO protective/aggressive. A "chat" about Fyrtor's proper place as a solid spellcaster needed to keep people alive and how he needs to work on taking better care of himself so that he can do his part would be good and fun I think. This is one that could happen while we are still on this quest.

- Speak with Brolin, Kelian and Kazador individually about their religious beliefs.
Fyrtor has the conversion domain and likes to talk about the merits of Sarenrae. He had a conversation with Mel and I think it went well, though I don't think Fyrtor is completely convinced that Mel shouldn't reconsider. Right now probably isn't the best time, but sometime would be nice.

That sounds great, Fyrtor. You're right there will be a little break in the action after Kazador Gravr.

Also, it looks like I won't get to my computer today. Will update battle when I can.

Has Algric leveled or is he still 6?

Is this tunnel lit? I don't know how either group can see each other if not, but at the same time I don't know that there is a reason for it to be lit...

Seconding the darkvision question. Mel's got it at the moment, but generally it only functions out to sixty feet, and same on the orcish side.

Super-glad I bought that potion of darkvision, by the way. I may need to invest in couple few more of those, they're handy. And a single pot lasts 3 hours, which is quite a long time when you think about it.

Also, why is Algric standing on the ground outside the wall shooting at people when he's got a perfectly good defensive merlon to stand behind?

Dwarves don’t have light sensitivity so there must be some natural light in their holds.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.reddit.com/r/tolkienfans/comments/4m3zi9/h ow_could_a_vast_dwarf_realm_such_as_moria_be/

“"There used to be great windows on the mountain-side, and shafts leading out to the light in the upper reaches of the Mines. I think we have reached them now, but it is night outside again, and we cannot tell until morning. But if I am right, tomorrow we may actually see the morning peeping in."

“and on pg 318.

He woke and found that a dim light was falling on his face. High up above the eastern archway through a shaft near the roof came a long pale gleam; and across the hall through the northern arch light also glimmered faint and distantly.

Frodo sat up. 'Good morning!' said Gandalf. 'For morning it is again at last. I was right, you see. We are high up on the east side of Moria.'”

And one person’s answer:

“Moria is described as having vast caverns, so not such a small space. Like modern tunnels, which have to deal with car exhaust, Moria likely had ventilation shafts. And sufficiently lit may to Dwarves, habitually dwelling and working underground, be rather dim to us. I suppose the large halls, with lots of volume as a buffer against smoke buildup and oxygen depletion and with lots of low-tech but well-crafted ventilation systems, would be brightly lit on festive occasions.”

So low-light conditions would be prevalent in many areas, but the main halls would be well lit during the day. Darkvision needed to get around outside the main areas and the mines. But! For the wealthy...

“The light of sun and star and moon, in shining lamps of crystal hewn. Undimmed by cloud or shade of night, there shone forever fair and bright"

——-

This also explains why Deurgar have light sensitivity, they are too far down for the above

Still level 6.

Good question, Fyrtor. No it is not lit unless you had the means and inclination to light it ahead of time.

Well, we didn't really have the time. So I'm inclined to think that we're stuck engaging at 60 feet, max. If Túrion or Fyrtor would like to cast light on somebody's arrow so that it'll light up the area where it lands, that'd be handy.

For my post please assume that it is when they come into sight

So should the orc's be closer then before we all see each other?

Well, we didn't really have the time. So I'm inclined to think that we're stuck engaging at 60 feet, max. If Túrion or Fyrtor would like to cast light on somebody's arrow so that it'll light up the area where it lands, that'd be handy.

I was planning on doing just this be then I wasn't sure if we could see each other or not

I'm going to hold off on shooting that light arrow until I know whether the orcs had to close to a 60 foot range before seeing us or not.