Hell's Rebels AP - Down with Thrune! (Inactive)

Game Master GM Red

Completely understandable - sandboxy sections are probably one of my least favorite aspects of a game from both the player and GM perspective (and obviously have nothing to do with my players and/or GMs), so I definitely get it. No worries and no rush. We'll be here when you're ready to resume :)

No worries GM Red. Take all the time you need :)

PH's Round 1 glitterdust blinded the white ogre, I think.

Although, '[e]ach round at the end of their turn blinded creatures may attempt new saving throws (Will DC16) to end the blindness effect.'

Did he? I'm seeing a roll of 16 by that ogre here, so he just made the save.

Sorry, it was the yellow one. And Victor just killed him.

My oversight.

I'll let Victor wait a bit to see what everyone else does and work off that. Don't want to get tangled up with someone's AOE, nor do I want to be stupid and get in over my head.

PH and Rosebud are ready to act in Round 3, after observing the effects wrought by everyone else in Round 2.

I might have made PH's icon too transparent, so much so that you couldn't see him either.\

I think he'd get an OoO when the ogre chief casts its spell.

Ah, I see him now. You're right, he does get an AoO here!

And if it hits, his invisibility ends.

Sneak attack damage and flank bonus was added. The only attack I didn't was the crit confirm damage since sneak attack doesn't multiply on crits.

Thanks to all those hit and damage boosts from the team we just MIGHT get out of this alive!

Oh, I see. I didn't see the sneak attack damage on the critical hit (and people were talking about Spiritual Weapon, not Spiritual Ally) so I assumed you didn't apply flanking.

In which case, stabby stabby!

Seriously, Rosebud doesn't expect to get any of the loot, but if there's something no one wants, what's girl gonna do, right?

I have no problem giving Rosebud any of the spare gear, although I suspect the boots would be better with Victor.

I have no problem with making sure Rosebud gets some gear too, especially since she's an active participant in our battles! I'd say the same for any other followers anyone happens to pick.

I could swap the Headband of Alluring Charisma. I have a +2 one, but that's the one Thrune gave us.

I'd love a ring of protection.

Thoughts:

Boots of Speed - Victor or Geoffrey?
Falchion +1 - sell
Amulet of Natural Armor +1 - Victor or Geoffrey?
Belt of Mighty Constitution +2 - Victor or Geoffrey?
Headband of Alluring Charisma +2 - ??
Ring of Protection +1 (x3) - Rosebud claims 1, Issil claims 1
Greataxe +1 (x2) - sell
Large Masterwork Full Plate - sell

Geoffrey already has an Amulet and Belt, and he will defer on the Boots. If no one else takes the last Ring then Geoffrey will. Everything else looks good Padraig.

^The above sounds good to me too~

Ooo loot breakdown, very helpful. Thanks P

Victor has a ring, belt, and headband, and spider climb boots. I would be very agreeable to the ammy of nat armor +1.

I'd say the boots would be better suited on someone else, I'm pretty partial to spider climb.

Rosebud's CON is only a 12, so she'd appreciate the belt, but I thought the folks who get up close and personal in melee ought to have first dibs. Issil maybe?

If Victor doesn't want the boots, doesn't it make sense to give them to Geoffrey? The free action to activate them and the extra attack from haste would be a big boon for him and the team, I think.

PH could use them, but he's not a major factor in melee. The extra speed would make it easier for him to get into a position to flank enemies for Victor and Geoffrey.

That makes sense Padraig. If no one else wants the Boots then sure Geoffrey will pick them up.

Sounds like we've almost settled on loot! Geoffrey will take the boots. What about Issil? Does she want the belt, or will Rosebud use it?

Belt, a ring and swap the headband?

Why swap the headband? They're identical, aren't they, except that Throne gave you the one you're currently wearing? Or did I miss something?

They're identical. I just want to reject gifts from Thrune. Down with the man.

12,500 gp weighs 250 pounds. Placed in a few handy haversacks, that could easily be reduced to ~12 pounds, so no big concern. Good call on leaving other misc loot behind, I don't think you'd be able to carry much more, and perhaps you can come back for it on your way back.

I'll move us ahead soon. We'll arrive at the mountains tomorrow in-game.

I have a ring of prot +2. I don't need the prot +1.

I'll take belt and swap the headband though.

If no one else wants Issil's used headband of alluring charisma +2, Rosebud would like to use it.

Hrm, Rosebud using Issil's sloppy seconds... Victor would definitely smirk at that!

Here you go, Rosie! Sorry about the mark of Thrune.

All in favor of Victor trying to kill the guards right quick with a little sneaky shocking grasp surprise?

Dunno if we have a way to really keep them quiet other than a quick strike.

Maybe we ought to let the Signet take the lead here. Wouldn't be appropriate for PH, a halfling himself.

Might be smarter to get a look around before we get crazy stupid.

If they attack us first, then go ahead and unleash the crazy!

I agree with Padraig H here. Our job here is not to slaughter these guards but to figure out a way to close the Menador Gap here. Now if hell breaks out (literally!) then all bets are off.

Yeah, we're definitely going to have to take care of them very soon one way or the other but I'm in favor of waiting to see what our Carnelian Signet wishes to do and following that accordingly.

Ah, it's a joy to be the center of attention.

We know where the prisoners are held, that's good.

We know where the leader is, right?

So all we need to do is look for some kind of structural weakness.
Failing this, we can find somewhere quiet to take out these guards and buy us some time. Maybe we can ask for a layout of the fort?

Just wanted to refresh your memory on another slightly important tidbit Octavio had told you:

"When the keep was constructed, a failsafe - an engine of self-destruction called the Anvil of Unmaking - that could destroy the keep and close the pass was added. The ancient dwarves reasoned it was surely possible to rebuild what they’d already built once, so being able to destroy a structure to deny its use by enemies in the meantime just made good sense."

"It lies in a hidden chamber above the keep, which is itself built into an arch of stone that hangs above the pass. If the device is triggered, not only would the keep be destroyed in a massive landslide, but the gap would be erased in a cascade of rock and stone, closing the path to landbound traffic for years—perhaps even decades—before the damage could be repaired."

Good point. Let's find that anvil!

I say we figure out a way to ditch these nerds, free the prisoners, and then nuke this place from orbit.

Anyone has a quiet way to take out these guards, so we have a way to take 'em out without setting off alarms?

I'm not quite as organized as GM Ladile that I'd have a Google Doc describing an SOP (that's a compliment), but it sounds like we want to have Victor approach a door, and listen for sounds. If there are no sounds, Victor opens the door with Geoffrey behind him. Oh, and Vic has attempted to disguise himself as a Menador soldier. We'll go one door at a time.

The stairwell behind the secret door leads up, but is pretty cramped, forcing you to travel up single file. Sounds like we're taking the same stairs Vic took first though, so I'll get us going in that direction.

^If I did not have that SOP in a Google doc I would absolutely forget parts of it, heh. I write myself a lot of notes when I do adventure prep for similar reasons.

Anyhoo, the above sounds good to me. Morv can do Detect Magic scans (or help Padraig with them) as we hit each room, once we're sure that it's clear and safe.

There's going to be a slight delay on updates, but probably only a day or so, if that. For some reason, they have not yet turned on the air conditioning in my apartment building, and the temp. is going to be close to 100 with humidity for the rest of the week up here. I'm heading to stay with my parents in their air conditioned home before I melt.

Sounds like you should file a complaint for a one week refund for whatever you pay on stuff... unlivable conditions!

Lol. Negative points for the whole 'being a baddie' thing but bonus points for dunking on his own men.

They said he was haughty and arrogant, so I made him haughty and arrogant :)

I hope you guys will enjoy this fight with Lucian. We are entering high level play (or maybe we're already in it), where power creep is very real, and ensuring the party is met with a level of challenge that is both fun and a little dicey becomes trickier.

This is where melee rogues typically go splat. Their HP pools and saves just don't cut the mustard.

It'll be a challenge for sure.

I gave you a flank buddy so it's Rocket Tag time! First one to 0 HP wins!

Just curious: What feat/ability enabled the wyvern to avoid an attack at 40 with a Ride check of 26?

I should probably have read the full text of the Mounted Combat feat before ruling that it didn't hit since, obviously 26 < 40.

Thanks for checking. It is a hit. Will update the tracker.

It looks like Geoffrey went the non-lethal route, but the spiritual ally went lethal. Sooo.. Do we want him dead, or knocked out?

It looks like it comes down to who acts first in the initiative round =P