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Basically you never see heroes in movies or books picking over their dead foes for their ten sets of masterwork platemail and +1 shields to take somewhere and sell and so all that stuff that you could have taken, but didn't turns into an amount of nebulous treasure (call it karma) equal to what you would have gotten had you sold it all, that you can cash in at certain points in the game (when you are given a reward, or loot a dragon's horde, etc....) for actual treasures that you want. You can horde the dough for something special or blow it on potions and fine china. It's your call.
Oh, she got plenty of Elven Pride :)
The main part of her frustration is that she was too weak, and now has to depend on someone else to resolve the situation for her.
Imagine it like that. Despite the best care given, the baby was thrown down the well by some monstrous waterdemondwarf.
Now hostage negotiations depend on the hedonistic joker with ulterior motives that was missing for a while :)
(Oh, she holds you in high regard, but...)
Baby is down there crying. And Mummy has to wait. And some unknown undergrounddemonmushroom now says "hey, you get back this baby for something of equal value", which she just KNOWS must end up in a mess because there's probably not a single folk story out there with such a deal that ends well for both sides.
So yeah :) she'll calm down but for now there's agitation. Sleep is out of the question, just saying I'll restrict myself to pacing around, abandoning plans of a solo-journey to the dark god for the time being.
I love the bank idea. You are right that scrounging and bartering isn't very heroic or literary for the most part.
Sounds great.
Durgan would like another scroll of Invisibility Purge but otherwise saving up.
Zokon will probably get a bunch of small items or a efficient quiver maybe a masterwork buckler..
I guess it's time to look into magic equipment, eh?
Or at least some mithril chain shirt armor.
Oh, she got plenty of Elven Pride :)
The main part of her frustration is that she was too weak, and now has to depend on someone else to resolve the situation for her.
Imagine it like that. Despite the best care given, the baby was thrown down the well by some monstrous waterdemondwarf.
Now hostage negotiations depend on the hedonistic joker with ulterior motives that was missing for a while :)
(Oh, she holds you in high regard, but...)
Baby is down there crying. And Mummy has to wait. And some unknown undergrounddemonmushroom now says "hey, you get back this baby for something of equal value", which she just KNOWS must end up in a mess because there's probably not a single folk story out there with such a deal that ends well for both sides.So yeah :) she'll calm down but for now there's agitation. Sleep is out of the question, just saying I'll restrict myself to pacing around, abandoning plans of a solo-journey to the dark god for the time being.
Hedonistic Joker...the most R-rated the Joker has ever become!
On track for the story though, I do enjoy this fun moment and yes he sighed in that well when given the offer as, the way he saw it was bring the sword back to Alia soon (and potential brownie points) or retreat and claim a weird mushroom man was down there, claiming that the sword was in such darkness no one could reach it, especially as he notes no one here appears to be an aquatic creature and poor Alia would be suffering with it gone, not to mention he'd be afraid that she would blame him for not trying hard enough.
I was worried Alia would climb down and solo the dungeon herself to get the blade back. Or kill my brother and toss his favorite pointy stick down a well in revenge.
Durgan would offer to accompany Alia, but he would also defer to her if she wanted to go alone as a matter of pride.
I know, I know, "Don't split the party," so OOC it would not be my first choice of the course of action, but it actually can work okay in PbP. And in-character he would be fine with it.
Aye, split the party is seldom a great idea. But sometimes, there's pressing matters and it would be pure metagaming not to split up.
To be honest, if Zokon and Durgan had not spoken up, Alia had planned exactly that, go down alone and retrieve her blade, then make it to SOME semi-safe place down there. Same if Posh had failed to secure a deal(that I am still not convinced was a good idea).
Regarding the shopping list: One thing to keep in mind is that we'll get some downtime after Staggie is down.
And that starting Level 5, Alia can craft Magic Arms and Armor.
Feel free to take it from Bank now, but if you can wait a little longer, that's effectively a 50% discount on weapons, shields, bows, and armors.
Just saying.
Serena is banking her money, with the intent of doing so shopping after business is taken care of.
Aye, split the party is seldom a great idea. But sometimes, there's pressing matters and it would be pure metagaming not to split up.
To be honest, if Zokon and Durgan had not spoken up, Alia had planned exactly that, go down alone and retrieve her blade, then make it to SOME semi-safe place down there. Same if Posh had failed to secure a deal(that I am still not convinced was a good idea).
Regarding the shopping list: One thing to keep in mind is that we'll get some downtime after Staggie is down.
And that starting Level 5, Alia can craft Magic Arms and Armor.
Feel free to take it from Bank now, but if you can wait a little longer, that's effectively a 50% discount on weapons, shields, bows, and armors.
Just saying.
Not interested in anything for the moment, bit difficult to think up something to improve Posh's combat ability. Perhaps muleback cords to become the party mule or a bag of holding. Maybe armour instead.
Oh. There is plenty to be done there to improve combat capabilities. What do you see Posh do? Support our frontliners with his crossbow? Move along behind them, harassing opponents with a whip? Be a battle-glad gnome wielding a polearm and imposing some area control and backline support?
No matter, you have the vision, we figure out how to get there - trust in your Elven Soul Forger™.
I can think of a couple ways to improve Posh's combat versatility.
A Crossbow
Touch Spells
Armour or defensive spells
The whip is great for aid others
Your not supposed to be that combative, your versatility is your strength, for a Bard it's support, just make it so you contribute in various ways.
So Serena is DEFINITELY saving up for all that downtime that Alia is DEFINITELY not going to have anymore (don't worry girl, Scarlet's doing a fine job running the country in your place), Durgan wants a scroll (375 gp, Alia if you're not too busy, could you hammer one out for us?), and Lady Luljeta is thinking Wait until I tell dad! I saved the castle for the price of a piece of expensive stationary!
Anyone else want anything before we move on? I saw a lot of maybes.
I'm ready to move on.
I don't have the necessary skills to engrave stuff on stone plates. But I could hammer a nice little sheet of metal with magical runes on it I guess? If it counts as a craft check, it's not even a problem I don't know the spell since I can simply raise the DC to skip that prereq...
That said, WBL for Level 5 is around 10k - if we are really closing in on that XP-wise, then I'll not waste any cash on anything but crafting materials.
@Posh - you might consider a Page of Spell Knowledge. The bard spell list has lots of very useful spells at Level 1 and you never get enough spells known.
A few of my favorites:
Alarm (wasn't the party ambushed while camping once?)
Cure Light Wounds
Ear-Piercing Scream
Liberating Command
Moment of Greatness (combos well with Heroism)
Saving Finale
Timely Inspiration
(and Vanish, which you have)
@Posh - you might consider a Page of Spell Knowledge. The bard spell list has lots of very useful spells at Level 1 and you never get enough spells known.
A few of my favorites:
Alarm (wasn't the party ambushed while camping once?)
Cure Light Wounds
Ear-Piercing Scream
Liberating Command
Moment of Greatness (combos well with Heroism)
Saving Finale
Timely Inspiration(and Vanish, which you have)
A wand of CLW will be fantastic in the last fight.
I'd be down for splitting a Page of Spell Knowledge: Cure Light Wounds with you Posh if you want. That way we could help heal up the party a little every day!
For Illthir I'm considering a Sinner's Wage at it's always a fun thing to have around.
And maybe a bunch of Hex Nails. Though there's always a risk that they'll be used up by Erevenywg's shenanigans...
Okay so a lot of hedging, and one (1) actual scroll of invisibility purge. As soon as I get another post in on Gameplay Durgan can consider that a done deal.
Now that that is settled, where would you like to go next? As you have headed off the threat of having the bandit lord's forces reinforced by a small army of dwarves (redundant, I know) it might be time to shut the Stag Lord down, especially considering that you have to travel that way to get back to the outpost anyway.
As for Numalar, for now, we will leave him behind at castle Vsevolod until I get more clarity on Peet's situation.
Well, it's Stag Lord time.
Wait, first we need to retrieve Alia's blade, right? Assuming mister Spooky keeps his end of the bargain, it's time to go for the Stag Lord. Sounds like we should try to restock at the Outpost (assuming bureaucracy hasn't ruined it yet.)
So Posh didn't get the Miles room?
Umm weren't we coming here to get mercenaries because we didn't think we could take on the 100 or so of the stag lords mewn.. has that situation changed?
So Posh didn't get the Miles room?
What if he comes back?
Umm weren't we coming here to get mercenaries because we didn't think we could take on the 100 or so of the stag lords mewn.. has that situation changed?
You haven't been that way for a week but you would not assume that situation has changed much since the last time (i.e. a lot of bandits camping in a number of small camps around the ruined hilltop fort where you would guess the Stag Lord is quartered). The only difference now is that there aren't a 100 trained and outfitted mercenaries being added to the mix.
If you are looking for an army of your own at this point there are a few options though they would all involve some time. Mivon is well known as the place to hire mercenaries from in this quarter of the River Kingdoms, but is probably off the table just now given what just happened. Conceivably you could round up a small army of fighting men down in Galt, or back up in Brevoy, or down in one of the other River Kingdoms.
However a hundred or more desperate men out in the middle of nowhere will quickly hunt all the nearby game and might be forced to move against the farmers and/or Oleg's outpost to sustain themselves before you return, so time is not on your side there.
Besides you have Durgan and Serena now, I'm sure they can hold off the bandit army while the rest of the group infiltrates the fort.
Well, it's Stag Lord time.
Wait, first we need to retrieve Alia's blade, right?
If we really must.
Assuming mister Spooky keeps his end of the bargain, it's time to go for the Stag Lord. Sounds like we should try to restock at the Outpost (assuming bureaucracy hasn't ruined it yet.)
Depending on how you travel the outpost is actually on the far-side of Stag Lord's fort. Currently the party is several miles to the east of the city of Mivon (off the bottom of the Region map. Remember North is not up on this map). So you could avoid the bandit fort (by various paths, including going back around the long way), sneak past it (though it is difficult to know where you might cross some of the rivers), or attack the fort (again assuming you can get across the rivers--though Blue seemed to have a plan for that).
As for restocking, well there's the 2,000 gp bank to draw upon. And Old Bokken owes the party some potions as well. Other than that there's also Mivon, but there are probably a lot of angry people who know what you look like there.
A few scrolls of 3rd or 4th level spells could go a long way towards letting the party fight 100 bandits on their own (if there are in fact that many).
We don't have to kill 100. Just enough to make the rest rout. Maybe 20-30?
Fireball, Haste, Good Hope, Invisibility Sphere, Clairvoyance, Scrying - lots of options. Generally I see the keys to punching above our weight as information, preparation, and consumables.
We might also not have to fight any of the mooks. Finding a way around them is probably the easiest way. I doubt bandits have much discipline so slipping past the guards (if any) probably isn't too hard. We just have to make sure to not screw up after that : )
I doubt that the common bandit has much will to fight if we wave the stag-lords head around.
@Bandit Food - Might be something we could exploit. Pose as Hotspur's grunts and bring them some new tasty rations? Maybe laced with something fun? Doesn't have to be deadly, just enough to make them unwilling to fight.
Maybe just enough booze and food that they eat themselves into a food coma or drink themselves under the table? You know the classic feast n stab :P
This point depends on the Stag Lord not yet being aware of the Hotspur's failure but if we move quickly we should be able to stay ahead of the news right?
@Loot - Illthir will go with:
1x Sinner's Wage
5x Hex Nails
0.5x Page of Spell Knowledge: Cure Light Wounds*
In gold:
500+20*5+500=1100gp
So 900 into the bank!
*If Posh does not want to share this item at the moment, Illthir will simply earmark 500gp of her bank-share and get it the next time we get a bank-reward : )
If we can Bluff our way in that may be a good idea. Hotspur's still here, right? If he made deals and he thinks the Stag Lord will betray him, then we can get the disguises and stuff correct.
If no one objects I'd like a wand of cure light wounds and, unless I have one, a spring wristsheath.
Heads up tomorrow and Tuesday (at least were I live) I'll be out running pre-holiday errands and might not be able to post.
I'll get back to everyone's bank goods and black blades soon.
If we can Bluff our way in that may be a good idea. Hotspur's still here, right? If he made deals and he thinks the Stag Lord will betray him, then we can get the disguises and stuff correct.
Hotspur (both of them) have left the keep.
I will need to know where everyone wants to go next.
@Bandit Food - Might be something we could exploit. Pose as Hotspur's grunts and bring them some new tasty rations? Maybe laced with something fun? Doesn't have to be deadly, just enough to make them unwilling to fight.
Maybe just enough booze and food that they eat themselves into a food coma or drink themselves under the table? You know the classic feast n stab :P
This point depends on the Stag Lord not yet being aware of the Hotspur's failure but if we move quickly we should be able to stay ahead of the news right?
It looks like we are heading for the climax, so figure out how you want to proceed.
To the Stag Lord, then!
Uh, so we're Bluffing our way in?
Sounds like it...
Don't worry you have Posh on your side! What could possibly go wrong?
Actually...the Stag Lord still has groups acting for him and doing his will through the stolen lands, and many small groups camping outside and around the Fort.
We could assail some of these small groups during night, take prisoners, learn how they communicate, possibly draw out one or two LT's with fake correspondence, or because they were sent to deal with us.
Maybe leave wrong leads, such as the Aspis Coins(arranged hanging over a pile of bandit corpses), or one 'survivor' running south to Mivon while dropping Mivon gold pieces.
Basically things that will get Morale to drop. Heck, take one of the LT's prisoner and promise he can go into exile if he helps incite a rebellion, then tour a few more camps with him in tow.
A few more 'raids' before the final showdown might serve to push us to Level 5 before high noon, AND it may grant us additional intelligence, weaken our enemy, or force them to come and fight on our terms.
That said, for 25 GP(+10GP writing cost), I want a scroll of Keep Watch that I can add to my spellbook.
Yeah there might be better ways.
I'm just thinking that Hotspurs screw-up might be a good opportunity. If we can do something with it : )
Hmh. In a less classical reference Zokon's current predicament reminds me a lot of that archer episode with snowmobiles.
Good luck : )
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Hmh. In a less classical reference Zokon's current predicament reminds me a lot of that archer episode with snowmobiles.
Good luck : )
Legal! Age of consent matters!
Legal! Age of consent matters!Hmh. In a less classical reference Zokon's current predicament reminds me a lot of that archer episode with snowmobiles.
Good luck : )
Poor archer in that episode.
Legal! Age of consent matters!Hmh. In a less classical reference Zokon's current predicament reminds me a lot of that archer episode with snowmobiles.
Good luck : )
Also, is Alia going to respond to Posh or will he have to find her in the dark and let the hot chocolate go cold?
Snowmobiles?
Oh, I missed that. I figured you and Scraps...er...nevermind.
Will respond later.
Oh, I missed that. I figured you and Scraps...er...nevermind.
Will respond later.
I'm sure doing something with a humonculas would break many laws. Not just nature, but love to an inanimate object and it looks like a dog so potentially bestiality.
Also, loved what Archer said there.
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Scraps has snowmobile parts too. And when Scraps' muzzle seams open to reveal his complicated articulated camel-spider-like mouth parts, well....
I'm sure doing something with a humonculas would break many laws. Not just nature, but love to an inanimate object and it looks like a dog so potentially bestiality.
In the stooped man's wake there scuttles a small aberration of some sort. It seems to be a crudely sewn together pastiche of every creature ever put in an bestiary, a sort of collected crib note of fauna-kind. If ever you needed a remembrance of some mammal, insect, crustacean, reptile, or cephalopod you need only look at this thing for a hint.
I am sure the Stolen Lands have seen worse than Gnome/Homunculus love. Those laws these lands have, I doubt deal with that...and if there are any, I doubt they are enforced.
So don't let that stop you, Posh!
That said, while I love Archer quotes, never quite understood that one.
14-15 seems very reasonable, but then that's what I grew up with.
I am sure the Stolen Lands have seen worse than Gnome/Homunculus love. Those laws these lands have, I doubt deal with that...and if there are any, I doubt they are enforced.
So don't let that stop you, Posh!That said, while I love Archer quotes, never quite understood that one.
14-15 seems very reasonable, but then that's what I grew up with.
I agree. In the UK the age is 16,but I've had female friends that, when they were 14,would sneak into clubs to hit on men in their 20s.
Scraps has snowmobile parts too. And when Scraps' muzzle seams open to reveal his complicated articulated camel-spider-like mouth parts, well....
I'm sure doing something with a humonculas would break many laws. Not just nature, but love to an inanimate object and it looks like a dog so potentially bestiality.In the stooped man's wake there scuttles a small aberration of some sort. It seems to be a crudely sewn together pastiche of every creature ever put in an bestiary, a sort of collected crib note of fauna-kind. If ever you needed a remembrance of some mammal, insect, crustacean, reptile, or cephalopod you need only look at this thing for a hint.
If I was playing my warpriest of Lamashtu I'm sure he wouldn't mind, but only if such a creature could procreate.