Doug M's Way of the Wicked (Inactive)

Game Master Douglas Muir 406

If we can also drop one of the oil balls onto the rookery tower, and then hit it with a fireball, the inferno should eliminate the rookery and any weapons they may have up there.

I want to make sure that there is nothing on the lower level. Then, if there are enough rounds of Darkness/Flight left, I want Morsum and/or Grumblejack to carry a few of the oil/tar balls and drop them in front of the main gate.

There are no oil/tar balls left. They all went into making the inferno that's now consuming the northern part of the roof. The soldiers had flammable stuff strewn around a bit carelessly, because they had to switch the catapult around to attack the Keep, and they were running fast and a little sloppy. (If you're a war nerd, think the Japanese carriers at Midway.)

We have greatly weakened the defenses, we have taken the gatehouse, we have disabled the trebuchet, we have eliminated the main mage and cleric. If the bugbears cannot take the fort now, they never will.

I do have to point out that you haven't opened the gate or the portcullis yet.

The portcullis is in the gatehouse and the main gate is in the main keep correct? Also, the drawbridge is in/operated from the gatehouse?

If this is not correct, then I have really missed something somewhere along the way.

There are three defenses: the portcullis (19a), the drawbridge (18a), and the gate (8a). As far as you know, the first two are controlled from within the gatehouse. In fact, the room Morsum is standing in has lots of machinery in it! Could there be a connection?

Is there any oil or other chemical items in the gatehouse? There appear to be a ton of murder holes. If so, I would assume that there would be a fair amount of oil or some similar substance to dump on those below.

Jax goes down the stairs and tries to figure out what works what.
Perception? 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

Is there any oil or other chemical items in the gatehouse? There appear to be a ton of murder holes. If so, I would assume that there would be a fair amount of oil or some similar substance to dump on those below.

Well, where in the gatehouse are you looking? There's the roof (in flames), the upper floor (Morsum and two dead soldiers, smoky) and the ground floor. You haven't really looked at much yet.

Cуровую will help where she can, looking for anything that may prove useful, but will keep and eye out for anything useful as well as that Pain in the Monk.

'Keep an eye out of the Monk, she moves fast, see's well in the dark and likes the shadows.'

DM, you said we were traveling for twenty rounds in the air, I have marked off all the spells that ended, that was enough time to learn what potions we found and distribute them.

DM just reminding you we are keeping an eye out for the inevitable heroes arrival, and that we used Detect Magic to find out what potions and items we found.

Where would be the best area to spot the good guy reinforcements?

Is there any oil or other chemical items in the gatehouse? There appear to be a ton of murder holes. If so, I would assume that there would be a fair amount of oil or some similar substance to dump on those below.

I was thinking along those lines too, I assume that where they had the defensive stockpiles.

Odd that there were less defenders though, Moma Kolo's stew must have done its job.

Edmin mentioned flying ponies, while I don't have that I have a Scroll of Mount, Communal though not sure what good that would be in a defensive position.

Jax goes down the stairs and tries to figure out what works what.

Perception? 1d20+6

Disable Device?

Morsum is looking for anything flammable. If there are no readily visible stockpiles on the second floor, he will open one of the trap doors and go to a lower level. Remember that he still has darkness on him.

Lets get down and secure the door from the catwalk. We do not want anyone to do what Morsum just did.

The Judge follows Dren down into the main level and immediately looks for any way to secure the doorway from the catwalk - a bar, some way to barricade it with items on the level, etc.

BTW, the two potions were Jump and Spider Climb.

And Barhold had no potions right?

Disable device 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21

Judge ordered/asked Grumbles to retrieve Xen from outside the wall, did he?

Yup, that I did. I figure that the gatehouse should provide almost complete cover from any archers since Xen fell after we lit up the north part of the gatehouse and we were coming in from the east side of the south, outside the gatehouse.

And Barhold had no potions right?

Correct.

The portcullis is shut, and the drawbridge is up -- as you'd expect, given that the Tower has been placed on alert.

Jax, it takes several rounds of staring at the equipment to realize what you're looking at here. (We can fast forward a bit, because nothing much happens for at least the next three rounds.) You have to squint through the smoke -- darkvision doesn't help here. But: it looks like everything is counterweighted so that it's super easy to drop the portcullis and raise the drawbridge. One person could do both as a standard action! Pretty sweet.

Reversing the process, OTOH, is quite deliberately made much harder. One, there are locks on the machinery -- one each for the drawbridge and the portcullis. If you want to do anything, you'll have to get past those. Two, there's some sort of lever-system that has a suspiciously dwarven look to it; you don't know what it does, but you don't like the look of it. And three, the counterweights are set up so that it will require a lot of pulling and heaving on a massive winch to raise the portcullis, and then more pulling and heaving to lower the drawbridge -- both will require four men (or three plus Grumblejack) and at least three FRAs each, and that's assuming you make the necessary checks.

Put another way: the damn things were specifically designed to prevent one or two spies, or some bribed, disgruntled or enchanted soldiers, from getting in and just flinging the doors open. Those of you who are lawfully aligned may feel a just a moment of grudging admiration for the defenders of Talingarde. They may be hypocrites and weaklings, but they're not complete fools; this shows a level of care that, in the service of the Dark Lord, could be turned into productive, healthy paranoia. Those of you who are not lawful are just cursing under your breath.

Because of the smoke, spending more than three rounds inside this area requires either holding your breath (which you can do for rounds equal to your Con) or making a DC 13 Fort save.

Also: this area includes two large kettles. Examination shows that they are sitting on gratings above small but efficient coal ovens. They are full of sand, which has been heated to a toasty glow. The defenders could also pour down flaming oil. Unfortunately, this was stored on the rooftop, where it is currently adding a great deal of heat and light to the festivities.

The shelves here also hold a couple of buckets of caltrops, presumably for sprinkling through the murder holes to add to the fun.

(We can fast forward a bit, because nothing much happens for at least the next three rounds.)

DM in those three rounds can we as a group prepare some defenses and make preparations? Be it place oil on possible areas of approach or load crossbows or set up spells.

Also have Grumble scoop up Xen.

I'll ask one more time to the group, while this is happening, could Cуровую with a Flying Morsum or Grumblejack deal with the Rookery? A single targeted Fireball and we give them another diversion to deal with.

To be honest is Fly was on Cуровую directly I would have gone for the stables and the Rookery while the rest were coming to this rooftop.

The shelves here also hold a couple of buckets of caltrops, presumably for sprinkling through the murder holes to add to the fun.

So this we could litter all around the possible ways of reaching our area in a defensive pattern correct?

Actually, you seem to be in a superb defensive position at the moment. Other than flying or climbing, the only way to reach you is across the upper bridge. The lower bridge is impassible with the drawbridge up.

climbing

So were keeping an eye out for the Pain in the Monk, I assume we are in danger of missile fire (small and large) as well.

What can we do to prepare for an attack?

So were keeping an eye out for the Pain in the Monk, I assume we are in danger of missile fire (small and large) as well.

The top of the gatehouse is certainly within range of archers on the walls. Nobody is shooting at you yet, though.

What can we do to prepare for an attack?

You tell me!

Helen, drop that climbing potion over the edge to me.

Xen whispers as he hits himself with another wand charge

1d8 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

Jax can hold his breath for 18 rounds right now (Bear's Endurance) so he'll get to work unlocking the device and avoiding the dwarven one. disable device: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24

Would Knowledge:Dungeoneering help identify what the dwarven device is?
1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

I have already asked Grumblejack to go down and get Xen.

Did Morsum find anything in the two lower rooms? The ones that appear to be adjacent to the main entrance?

Edmin waits for someone to do violence on.

Helen, drop that climbing potion over the edge to me.

Xen we had four rounds to send Grumblejack or Morsum to Fly to you, which should be enough time to get you up here.

Your welcome to the potion but dropping it is not a good idea you probably catch like a girl.

Quote:

What can we do to prepare for an attack?

You tell me!

Can we start peppering the area around us with caltrops and oil in the four rounds we have?

DM can Cуровую make a raw Intelligence check to see where the Monk and others would make their assault, or what they have planned? Maybe a Perception to find out where they will be coming.

Intelligence check 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23 or +10 for Perception

Edmin waits for someone to do violence on.

Edmin will you please help with setting up a defensive blocking area (Cуровую has oils and alchemists fire and we found caltrops) and keeping an eye out or making some rolls to assist?

To Cy and Edmin, Lets us prepare what defenses we can while the others try to raise the portculis and gate.

I will see if I can delay them for a while. The flames are not real but they will look it. If someone else has Ghost sound tell them to cast it as well.

He then casts Ghost sound and a raging inferno sound starts. He then casts Silent Image and a 10' high wall of fire extends across both walkways to the gatehouse. It is about 15' from the doorways of the gatehouse, also blocking the view to the doorways.

Dren will continue to concentrate until something happens.

He then casts Ghost sound and a raging inferno sound starts. He then casts Silent Image and a 10' high wall of fire extends across both walkways to the gatehouse. It is about 15' from the doorways of the gatehouse, also blocking the view to the doorways.

Dren will continue to concentrate until something happens.

Niiice. Okay, mark off Silent Image (how many spells do you have left now) and I'll assume you're concentrating until further notice.

Xenfal wrote:

Helen, drop that climbing potion over the edge to me.

Xen we had four rounds to send Grumblejack or Morsum to Fly to you, which should be enough time to get you up here.

Grumblejack is willing to go down and get Xen. "Huh." The ogre looks bemused as he jumps off the parapet. He wobbles a bit, like a person walking on ice. He's clearly ambivalent about this flying thing: it's weird and unnatural for an ogre, but on the other hand... "You could drop stuff on people, couldn't ya. Rocks. Big rocks." Looking thoughtful, Grumblejack wobbles down through the air to roughly where Xen is. "Oi! Hat boy! Where are ya?"

Douglas Muir 406 wrote:

Quote:

What can we do to prepare for an attack?

You tell me!

Can we start peppering the area around us with caltrops and oil in the four rounds we have?

Look at the map. What area around you, exactly?

He then casts Ghost sound and a raging inferno sound starts. He then casts Silent Image and a 10' high wall of fire extends across both walkways to the gatehouse. It is about 15' from the doorways of the gatehouse, also blocking the view to the doorways.

NICE!

We can pile a mass of caltrops and flammable oil underneath and behind the illusion so that is they disbelieve or go bravely through it they have other problems.

"could drop stuff on people, couldn't ya. Rocks. Big rocks."

Any rocks? Oh we have hot sand right? We turn Grumblejack into a bomber!

Look at the map. What area around you, exactly?

We are in area 25 right?

Cy, get one of the others to cast the fire sounds again in about 20 seconds if you can,I would like to keep the sound going without losing the spell.

Down to 5 first and 2 second level spells after casting the illusion spell.

Xen moves over and waves to grumbles and uses another charge

1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Jax have any luck with disabling the locks?

Locks: that first roll failed. You can make two tries per lock, so you may want to get some help the second time.

"Hurry up! We will be overrun soon!"

Xen is a little bit better at this so maybe you want to wait for him?

Or I can give you my MW tools and do an inspire competence i guess

Edmin lends Jax a hand trying to get the locks open.

Assist: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Xen arrives and attempts to pick the lock

Move aside Jax, give me a hand doing this I am just a as good as him, and done have to waste my BP

1d20 + 14 ⇒ (11) + 14 = 25

Yeah, Jax would wait for Xen and assist him 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24