Apologies if I threw a wrench in the plan. My take was that we were going to get close enough to the lookout to take him out quickly and then head into the cave. With you all in position around him, Athalis got in and cast Daze to give you all a round to knock him out so he couldn't give warning.
Chalk it up to a soldier's assessment (as well as having a strong hatred toward the Aspis), and not necessarily what you all were thinking. Perhaps we should have discussed OOCly what our plan was beforehand? Going forward, seems like a good thing to do.
That would definitely be good for this scenario. I've avoided rolling initiative until everyone can chime in on this, but at this point I will let you know that despite the save I rolled, the Daze spell actually failed.
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Not seeing much in the way of discussion, I'll go ahead and kick it off.
Based on what was spoken by characters and in OOC comments as we approached:
"I should mention that the council expects you to stop the thieves, not replace them. Commandeer their equipment, but leave the relics where they rest."
"I be havin' the right trick for this! I'll play the drunken dwarf routine to distract the man and you lot can come around behind him."
So it seems as though we are charged with stopping those in the cave, taking their equipment and leaving the relics where they are. Considering that someone could come out of the cave at any moment, I was under the impression we were taking out this driver quickly, then headed into the cave to stop the Aspis thieves? Or are we headed in a different direction?
Again, apologies if Athalis' action aborted some plan to gather more information than we we already had, but based on the driver's reaction to Borox it looked like things were going to head south fast. I was hoping to give us an extra round to stop the fellow from shouting an alarm. Though shouting loudly about a spellcaster out here might have done just that anyway.
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I am perfectly fine with the Daze spell. I thought it was a good use of the spell. I am wondering what the bird is going to do, but unless we planned on killing it outright there isn't much to be done. I am hoping to find something in the wagon so that when we confront the guy with it and our badges we get him to talk a bit.
If you guys want to continue trying to influence Chauncey, you're welcome to make skills checks towards that end to avoid combat. If everyone wants to jump the guy, I can start initiative. I just wanted to give everyone a chance to discuss.
Edit: I believe I should also add a mea culpa, you could possibly sneak around behind, but the drop from the higher stretch of the path complicates matters.
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Was definitely thinking we knock him out, if possible. Though if he fights with lethal blows, we should have enough cause to claim self-defense. And Athalis hopes that any Aspis agents in the cave are going to fight with lethal weapons...
As to crossbow bolts, some lethal damage to soften him up and then go non-lethal works for me. If Daze didn't take effect, he's either too high level or something else is at play here.
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As with Agraic, I will be gone to convention this weekend. I intend to keep up responses throughout but may be a bit delayed. I intend to move us into the cave tonight unless anyone has further business outside.
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As an aside, I found the song being sung outside. Sorry it didn't get included at the start!
To the tune of Generic Irish Drinking Song (similar to 'Lola the Pug' verse pattern).
Oh Cayden Cayden Cayden Cayden Cayden Cailean~
One night Cayden was drinkin'
In Absalom's fine bars
With friends and strangers near him
Beneath the shining stars
And then his friend said "Cayden
With strength and wit like thine
A god you should have right to be -
Here have some more fine wine"
Oh Cayden Cayden Cayden Cayden Cayden Cailean~
Then Cayden downed his tankard
and wiped up with his sleeve
"My friend is that a dare for me?
Your challenge I receive."
The gathered then at once moved out
To the Test of Starstone
And through the gates with drink aloft
went Cailean alone
Oh Cayden Cayden Cayden Cayden Cayden Cailean~
On the morn his friends awoke
Hungover through and through
They looked for their friend Cayden
Then realized what's true
"We've sent him to his death!" they cried
"No other fate for him
For only two before have lived
And neither drunk as sin."
Oh Cayden Cayden Cayden Cayden Cayden Cailean~
// slower
His friends, they mourned for three days
So sure that he had died
When suddenly burst from the doors
Cayden Cailean alive!
"Is this real?" he friends did ask.
"Why, do you think it's odd?
// a tempo
Chin up, me lads, the drinks on me
'cause I'm a bloody god!"
Oh Cayden Cayden Cayden Cayden Cayden Cailean~
The drinks were poured and tables set
For the festivities
And through it all his friends inquired
to his divinity
How did he pass such trials that night?
"I'm 'fraid I can't recall
The whole three days a hazy blur
account my drunken thrall!"
// with finality
Oh Cayden Cayden Cayden Cayden Cayden Cailean~~~~
Apologies, I should have reminded Agraic he was up when our Roll20 game fell through last night. If he doesn't get a chance to post by the time I get home I will put him on delay. Thokzazt can post actions and I will adjust as needed.
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Still confused by the mechanics here, unless this is a special ability of our foe. I had thought that once you made a ranged attack from a place of concealment, you reveal yourself? Even if it has some sort of ability to hide again immediately (like using Sniping from the Stealth description, which allows one to do that at a -20 penalty), wouldn't we have a better idea of where the attack originated than 'somewhere to the left'? Like toward the back corner, or somewhere in the middle of the wall, or just behind the magical barrier?
I'm finding this battle a bit frustrating as we are being hammered with arrows and spells and no idea of where they're coming from, despite the fact we're watching for attacks.
Greater Invisibility is very difficult to deal with if you can't locate the enemy quickly. What has really helped you is that you have all stayed out of sneak attack range except for the individual with Uncanny Dodge. (Then the wall preventing non-Unchained sneak attack damage.)
I didn't want to give away too much, but I totally get a fight being frustrating rather than challenging. The encounter is written with some conflicting assumptions, so I'm trying to keep as true to the spirit as I can.
Is anyone pressed for time on these characters? After this fight, we are effectively at the mid-point.
This fight is just about to get a lot easier. The next part will either run really long or really short depending on how the party handles it. I would recommend letting the next table know you aren't likely to make it.
I will be leaving for Disneyland tomorrow night but should be able to post an update in the evenings after we're back at the hotel for the night.
We did, even though the Halloween party got rained out.
This is why I wasn't sure how much longer we will be. You can spend a lot of time working out your approach, as it is pretty freeform. And if it goes bad, the scenario can quickly come to an end.
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Adding in here that you guys know you are on the clock with the alarm raised. I will be tracking time elapsed, but you don't need to rush decisions, as I will be giving you leeway for the medium making coordination difficult. Finding evidence in the building will take time and skill checks, generally in minute increments. Wolfgang can keep his perception check from before if he wants to take time searching the warehouse when he has a chance.
If fighting this out is not an option and that's clear to us then Wolfgang will just start searching the place.
Solstice Scar C ran late tonight, update coming in the morning.
What option is Athalis using to cast enlarge person as a standard action?
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Apologies, forgot that was a 1 round casting time! I won't move then, as I'm guessing I can't take a 5' step west with that table in the way? I'll treat it as difficult terrain next round when I move into the room. Anyone moving in there, try to leave me space to fit my giant body inside so I can maximize my reach.
Have fun!
Agaric is out of power due to weather, I will not as needed.
No problem, I tried to give you the benefit of the doubt where I could. The scenario is pretty rigid about what you have to do and say, so you have to make wiggle room where you can. My team went in undercover as merchants and tipped off the clerks without realizing it. Ten minutes later Sloan shows up and we have nothing to pin on him.
Please roll your day job checks, unless you are comfortable with me rolling them instead.