Here's the list. Some of the odder alchemical stuff (Liquid Ice) or the stuff that might draw attention while being made (Brewed Reek) we should probably stay away from, but I've been crafting for 16+ hours a day since we got here. If we want to drown Balentine in Tanglefoot glue, I can probably do that.
Infernal Healing
Animate Rope
Charm Person
Create Treasure Map
Spiderclimb
Glitterdust
Animate Dead
Infernal Healing might draw attention, seeing as how the caster needs to be a worshiper of Asmodean. I thought about asking the little halfling if he can get"special items" but if things go wrong, we will draw a lot of attention to ourselves. Fargo is a pretty good liar, so if you want, I can try it.
@ Mark
I approve of your definition. It reminds me of Aslan:I call all times soon.
I did say Wish List. :)
Okay, I'm putting together my list of items for Xanos Enterprises to churn out. :D
But more importantly, I'm looking at that (rockin') calendar Xzaral made for us. (Thanks for that, by the way). A couple of observations.
We got the bulk of a week between the delivery of the stew and the bugbears being ready. I had initially assumed we could do all the damage in one short run (poison them, get in, kill off any remaining officers, fight our way to key points and hold/destroy them, and then simply hold out for a day or so for the bugbears to get into position).
How long can we hope the poisoned stew will keep the soldiers/priests/officers of the keep off-balance or lower than full power?
Just to verify a few things on that.
The bugbears will be in position on 31 Pharast.
They will be ready for two weeks before Sakkarot won't be able to hold them together 14 Gozran
The stew is delivered every Moonday.
You guys signal the attack by the firework you have. They'll be in sight of Balentyne within the hour.
Does the main keep tower have windows or arrow-slits? Same question for the rookery tower.
Gonna be making up a similar list. I was wondering about the rookery myself, Wondering if Teon should go up the side.
Yah, i was hoping we could do something similar with the main tower. Get up into the main officer's chambers and work our way down (using the chokepoints to our advantage). An enlarged, Invisibled, Spider-climbed CAin and Teon could carry an additional person or two up there (either the rookery or the main keep) and plant an assault team up on the top level.
Though if we take the tower first, there's a good chance Cain could simply have a few grappling arrows and a few hundred feet of silk rope. Then, if we secure that tower, CAin could simply fire a line across and climb across the chasm (again, possibly with a few people in tow).
But i only just now considered that there may not be windows or arrow-slits. Seems like bad design to me, but it is possible.
Rookery hs to have some way for the birds to get out.
Would make it somewhat pointless otherwise, huh?.
I also cannot imagine a keep that uses flames for lighting and heating not having regular open-air vents or windows. Secondarily, I can't imagine a keep – generally built on redundant defensive systems and fall-back tactics – not having arrow slits in the big, fortified vertical structure in the center of the walls. Seems like an ideal place to have a bunch of murder holes and archers shooting the mass of bugbears who've overrun the front gate and walls.
I'm hoping both are true and we can pick our approach and prioritize our targets based on our own needs. I'm waiting to see what Xzaral says about them, though.
Room 38 is an archer's strongpoint. The entire room is laden with arrow slits.
Room 43 has windows for the entry and leaving of ravens.
Level 1 of the keep has no windows but the other levels do, as well as shutters on the windows and arrow slits.
How long can we hope the poisoned stew will keep the soldiers/priests/officers of the keep off-balance or lower than full power?
A number starting at 1 day and ending at whatever amount of ability damage is the max for whatever we're using. 1 day per point, so max-1 days until the damage isn't doing anything and only on unlucky people.
Why are we shimmying across the chasm in the night when we can just take the secret tunnel to the armory? I'm hoping I can see the Balentyne Complete map-- it sounds like you rolled in on room 2 judging by the fact that it has a floor trap door and is a circular room with a door in the west. No one goes there at night. Let's go there at night disguised as Talirean soldiers.
I'm thinking we hit them hard on the day they're poisoned. Invisible character uses sturdy nails or arcane locks to close the doors to their barracks from the outside (trying to think of a way to start a fire on the inside to take care of the common soldiery). We roll hard into the rookery (priority target because of distress calls?) and then just descend down and, in order of priority, kill everyone.
Oh, here's a good idea-- scroll of wall of fire. Cast wall of fire on the inside of the barracks and then close the doors and leave. It'd have to be a caster who doesn't mind spending their entire time concentrating on it though. Then, most anyone who tries to break out just dies.
I figure we'd want to start with the captains and then move on from there. Priest dude sounds like a good next person to ace, followed by whoever is higher up the chain than him. No splitting up. We just roll around like a combat unit giving them hell.
But then again, why are we killing the Captains there... I want to go in full gypsy danger mode if we're going in and lure Eddarly and Mott into an ambush somehow. I'm thinking we use his wife as a lure. Either that or we spread the rumor and let, in Timeon's words, Mott "do not nice things" to him. Just do something about it instead of sitting on our hands, you know?
"Last Captain Varning. He likes horses, makes many trips north of wall. Knows land very well, take Timeon once. Have nice campfire."
Why aren't we finding out where this guy is? He secludes himself in the woods for us. Let's go kill him. "There's a creature out in the woods that's killing villagers, please send help!" and we lure soldiers into ambushes until we get Captain Outdoors to come along.
We should probably all disguise ourselves as Talirean soldiers, and then when we've killed the captains, steal their identities.
Just some thoughts.
I have taken another look at the iron circlets and the disguise self spell and I realized that it should not work when Toen is summoned.
I pretty much agree with all of your suggestions and observations, Alaric.
Rolling in hard as one big spec ops group is what I'd prefer, too. It's how we did it in the prison (for the most part), and it ensures we can apply the most force on any one problem (as well as respond to unexpected problems as a group).
I think killing off as many of the captains/officers before the big event is ideal. That being said, I'd be concerned with what kind of security measures would go into place if officers just started dying left and right over the course of a week and a half. If we could arrange to do any early-officer-murders over a day or two leading up to the big event (on Starday the 31st and Sunday the 1st), that'd be ideal. The deaths of the sons of the Lord of the place just seems like events that would trigger birds being sent off and a Talingarde spotlight being shone on us right as we're trying to pull this thing off. I'd prefer we avoid that.
It's still worth doing fi we can manage it, though. Taking Varnig out beyond the walls and arranging an 'accident' is smart. Planting a note from the wife to lure Eddarly and Mott into an ambush is smart (especially if we can get them there alone… 2 vs 6 is just greatness, even if they're both potentially really dangerous by themselves). I can't remember if we have any additional angles, but that's 3 of them down… which would be nice.
So what if we did this. Let's head through the secret tunnel, all dolled up like soldiers. I actually like the idea of starting a fire in the Lord's Dalliance at the same time. Get the attention of the keep… maybe draw some of them out while we're sneaking in. Then, we destroy the rookery. I want to do the 'burning the men alive in the barracks first' bit, but if they start screaming, realize they're being attacked, and send birds off before we can slaughter the rookery… not good for us. So we slaughter the rookery stuff.
Then we send off the signal to the bugbears as we move on the front gates. We have an hour from that point to make sure they can gain entrance. And if we don't, a horde of bugbears slamming into the front gate should create somewhat of a diversion for us. Hopefully we can kill our way to the winch, open the gate, and invite some bugbears into our little game. If we fired the Lord's Dalliance, they have a town fire behind them and a raging band of berserking bugbears in front... and, ya know, the real threat – us – right in their midst.
From there, if we can manage it, I say we go head-hunting for the main Lord of Balentyne. Cut the head off this snake, sneak our way out, then give Thorn whatever signal it is he gave us from a safe distance.
Why are we shimmying across the chasm in the night when we can just take the secret tunnel to the armory? I'm hoping I can see the Balentyne Complete map-- it sounds like you rolled in on room 2 judging by the fact that it has a floor trap door and is a circular room with a door in the west. No one goes there at night. Let's go there at night disguised as Talirean soldiers.
This, to me, is more of a way to be prepared in the event that we need to get up into the rookery by a secondary path. Or if we do decide to go after whoever's in the top of the keep tower itself. Being able to bypass all those stairs and chokepoints heading up through the tower keep would be really, really nice. So getting to the top of either the rookery and being able to climb across to the other and get in through a window would be awesome.
It's not cause I necessarily want that to be the primary plan.. more of a backup so we have options when things inevitably go sideways a bit on us.
Thoughts?
Everything you said sounds solid.
We'll need to chew through like a hundred guys so I'll figure out what I need for that. What can I get for 120gp...
Those are great. Particularly, stealing the captain's identities.
I'd be fine taking wall of fire duty. I could cast Invisibility on myself as we reach the barracks, and then just follow the group and maintain concentration. I have plenty of Move Action options that I can do while maintaining concentration.
Most of my buffing scrolls Fargo can cast too, so i could pass that duty onto him while I'm maintaining the wall.
Of course, this assumes we can get ahold of a wall of fire scroll.
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Everything you said sounds solid.
You should have heard the things I didn't say... absolutely mind-blowing. :P
Deodorizing Agent 15
Acid x4 20
Stubborn Nail x3 150
Elixir of Hiding 125
Updated Teon's appearance. I forgot to do when I leveled him, but I do not think it matters since he has not really appeared since then. Remember, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
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So, let's see.
Xanos is 6'7"
Teon is nearly 7'
Alaric is 6'6"
Then we have Shulme at "tall" and "thin" and "wiry"
and Cain at "a bit over six feet"
… this is a freaking NBA team. :D
I wouldn't say any of those spells would be illegal per se. It's how you use the spells that matter. Now asking about purchasing them will draw attention. Particulary Infernal Healing and Animate Dead. Either would require good stories to not draw some kind of suspicion. Charm Person may ask a few questions. Spider climb, how many of us would like to walk on walls to clean the gutters, or some kind of equivalent?
Infernal Healing
Animate Rope
Charm Person
Create Treasure Map
Spiderclimb
Glitterdust
Animate Dead
Gold before purchases: 3623.49g
purchasing in town (Cain is looking to do some local rock climbing):
2 potions of Invigorate: 100g
Ioun Torch: 75g
Grappling Arrows x10: 10g
Mwk Climber's Kit: 130g
200ft Silk Rope: 40g
from Xanos:
4 stubborn nails: 200g
3 smokesticks: 20g
6 tanglefoot bags: 100g
6 Tinderwigs: 2g
After purchases/crafting: 2946.49 (or 294p 6g 4s 9c)
----
if no one sees any issues with this, I'll udpate my char sheet. I'm assuming the climbing gear stuff is stuff Cain could just go pick up over a couple of days.
Does Fargo have Charm Person?
If not, I can get Charm Person on one day, learn it, memorize it and make a scroll the next day and give the scroll to Fargo so he can go back and get the higher profile spells.
I do not have it and it is not on my list. Not sure if I would need to make an emulate ability score check because the scroll would be crafted by a wizard and I do not have a high enough intell. Either way not sure if he is gonna just stand there while I use a scroll on him.
Hmm. I though it was on the summoner list.
Anyone have a decent UMD, or am I going to need to come out of my hole and do this myself?
I have started something that might help. My UMD is an +8, but that is not great.
Yeah, that's not good odds on a DC 21 check.
I'll come do it myself. I'll need you to procure the initial scroll for me. I can learn and copy it that day, memorize it the next and go back with you for the eyebrow raising spells.
Mark, how would you like to handle this?
Alaric, is there anything you'd like to have for the festivities from Xanos's list? If you're short on GP, I'd be happy to cover some expenses so you can kit out a bit for the keep assault.
Alaric, is there anything you'd like to have for the festivities from Xanos's list? If you're short on GP, I'd be happy to cover some expenses so you can kit out a bit for the keep assault.
I feel like I'll be alright. The kind of stuff I'd buy for a big, angry fight like this would be 300gp minimum (potion of barkskin), so I'll do without.
Sadly, despite me having a host of ideas, I don't think Alaric is the prime go-to guy for pitching or setting out to complete any of the ideas. I think Price should spread the rumor and find out where Varning is going to be, tell us, and then we can all go find him and jump him at night-- when he's got one of Timeon's "campfires" going.
Then we can come back to see if he's "done bad things" and take them out with a lure if they haven't.
Okay, so it looks like we have somewhat of a general concensus on the over-arching plan for the next week. I'd love to hear from Shulme and Price, though I know Stormraven (Price) has a lot going on personally right now.
There are a few things we might be able to move forward with, regardless. Do we have another way to get our hands on a few more soldier's uniforms? Seeing as I'm itching to take Cain and Alaric out for a short spree of violence, it sounds fun to lure those three soldiers (that Cain gambled with) out on a hunting/climbing trip in the next few days. Then we can let Alaric show us all what a bad-ass he is with that sword of his (as well as some of his stealthing skills), and have three more uniforms.
Obviously this could be problematic if people start wondering where they've gone, so i'm open to other suggestions.
Other than that (or whatever other idea someone has to nab us those uniforms), it seems like the Varnig ambush is our next step.
Hopefully the step after that is setting up the death of those two officers through the ruse of the wife's wandering eye.
Hey guys, I'm somewhat back. Let me just throw out some thoughts from skimming the posts above.
1. Price is a seamstress and her job is fixing uniforms currently. :) I'm pretty sure that means I can get my hands on the materials to kit everyone out in the livery - if not the actual armor.
2. I'm in favor of letting Mott and Varley kill each other - or at least cause rifts in the castle crew themselves. Two officers 'disappearing' may get birds sent. But a lovers triangle causing spilt blood would be a statement on the Lord's ability to run his own keep, i.e. something he isn't likely to broadcast to the King. Also, if even one of those guys die... his men are going to be pissed with the other Captain and his crew. Gotta love internal strife. Now if Captain Ranger Rick goes missing.... well, its a dangerous world out there. :)
3. I think getting to the front door, opening the gate, and securing it open should be a priority. If we set alarm bells off early while cutting our way through the guys in the main keep and the barbican crew are able to bar the door on the upper parapet - the only way into the gate controls I think - then we could be in a world of hurt. The bugbears will be stopped and we'll be against a wall.
Since we have a week, Price will use it to gather intel and cozy up to the chicks and soldiers in the castle. I want to know how and when our star-crossed lovers meet... because that will let us set this deadly lover's triangle in motion. Also, I want to get eyes on the captains, the half dozen priests, and the mysterious Chamberlain and Lord. If they ping my Detect Alignment, we'll be able to get some rough levels on all of these clowns. Forewarned is fore-armed.
1. Price is a seamstress and her job is fixing uniforms currently. :) I'm pretty sure that means I can get my hands on the materials to kit everyone out in the livery - if not the actual armor.
I like this, but if we only have half the look – and we're not sporting the "standard issue kit" including armor – will it raise eyebrows? I assume we could cover taht with our circlets, but that won't hold up under closer inspection. But I guess we should be trying to avoid closer inspection in general.
2. I'm in favor of letting Mott and Varley kill each other - or at least cause rifts in the castle crew themselves. Two officers 'disappearing' may get birds sent. But a lovers triangle causing spilt blood would be a statement on the Lord's ability to run his own keep, i.e. something he isn't likely to broadcast to the King. Also, if even one of those guys die... his men are going to be pissed with the other Captain and his crew. Gotta love internal strife. Now if Captain Ranger Rick goes missing.... well, its a dangerous world out there. :)
That would indeed be easier for us (and less likely to get us in trouble), but how do we know they'll actually kill each other? It's far from a sure thing. is there a way we can make it a sure thing without it drawing the same suspicion we would have gotten simply for doing it ourselves? The reason I liked using this as a way to lure them to a place of solitude is that - if they do anything short of killing each other – we can finish the deal ourselves and doctor the scene the way we want.
3. I think getting to the front door, opening the gate, and securing it open should be a priority. If we set alarm bells off early while cutting our way through the guys in the main keep and the barbican crew are able to bar the door on the upper parapet - the only way into the gate controls I think - then we could be in a world of hurt. The bugbears will be stopped and we'll be against a wall.
I agree. is it more important than neutralizing the bird tower? I was hoping we could hit the bird tower, then use the walls to move around to enter that eastern gatehouses from one of the upper stories, then work our way to the control mechanisms from there.
Since we have a week, Price will use it to gather intel and cozy up to the chicks and soldiers in the castle. I want to know how and when our star-crossed lovers meet... because that will let us set this deadly lover's triangle in motion. Also, I want to get eyes on the captains, the half dozen priests, and the mysterious Chamberlain and Lord. If they ping my Detect Alignment, we'll be able to get some rough levels on all of these clowns. Forewarned is fore-armed.
Agreed. And we have some time over the next week to do so. I'd say any info you can get us regarding Varnig and his rangers in the short-term would be ideal, too. But it sounds like you're already on that... which means I'll just have to check my bloodlust until we can make his 'accident' come to fruition.
So, should we be concerned about the fact that the letter-carrier will never have come back? Seems to em that they're going to get concerned about that rigth as we're ramping up to prepare for the Monday poisoning (and midnight romp).
3. I think getting to the front door, opening the gate, and securing it open should be a priority. If we set alarm bells off early while cutting our way through the guys in the main keep and the barbican crew are able to bar the door on the upper parapet - the only way into the gate controls I think - then we could be in a world of hurt. The bugbears will be stopped and we'll be against a wall.
I agree. is it more important than neutralizing the bird tower? I was hoping we could hit the bird tower, then use the walls to move around to enter that eastern gatehouses from one of the upper stories, then work our way to the control mechanisms from there.
Unless I'm reading the map wrong, the only entrance to the Barbican that controls the gate is through the door on the upper parapet and the rookery is on the other side of the river from it. So whether we are wall-crawling or walking - we have to take the exposed upper parapet. I'm not sure how fast help will arrive if those birds are sent - but it would have to be a few hours at least. If we can commando in, incapacitate the soldiers (nails and whatnot), kill the birds, take the barbican, and signal the bugbears then maybe we can work our way back through the castle, polish off leaders, and wreak havoc to ensure the bugbear success. A riskier gambit would be dividing our forces a bit - sending a few folks to deal with the birds while the majority of the assault team takes the barbican. But I think our success hinges on getting the bugbears through the front gate and hopefully into the keep proper. Even if Talingarde does send forces, we'll have a rampaging army of bugbears roaming around. The birds are a headache to our plans for mayhem, but the keep could dispatch riders as well if things go really wrong. I wonder if they have a warning bell to summon help from Aldencross? Calling up the local militia?
Yah, that's why I wanted to fire the Lord's Dalliance as we go into the tunnel the night of the assault. Hopefully it will catch and become a full-fledged roaring bonfire... with the obvious hopes of keeping townsfolk and militia dealing with that (and hopefully moving the attention of the tower's guards/watchmen that way) while we begin our bloody work.
I say we keep the group together. Let's just decide now if we want to go after the front gate or the birds nest first. I guess it's unlikely that the keep can get backup within the couple of hours it would take the bugbears to answer the call and over-run the keep.
So the birdsnest becomes a secondary target to the front-gates.
So we move through (strategically using nails if we want to in an attempt to break up the troops organizing once they realize something's up), and head straight for the front gates. Take it. Open it. Then send the signal. Then we need to hold until the bugbears gain access. Then we can go head-hunting or go after the birdsnest (whichever we think is a higher priority in the moment).
How's that sound?
I like it.... particularly since if we do it right, all the leaders will rush down with their troops to face the bugbear menace and we can attack them from behind. >:)
Fair fights are for wussies!
Information Price could glean from the servants
First off, I'm assuming at least a couple days are spent on this.
1) Captain Varning is to head off for a five day trip on 2 Gozran, to return on 6 Gozran.
2) On 7 Gozran, the famous Bard of Barrington, William Marcus Marlowe is to play for Balentyne. He will arrive on 29 Pharast and will have his men setting up before that time.
3) Mott's wife, Kaitlyn, was an arranged marriage. While there is little in the way of affection between them, Mott is an honored driven individual with a violent temperament. He would find such an affair to be highly insulting to his honor.
4) Acquiring guard uniforms would be little issue, there's a definite surplus of them. The accesories (such as armor) would not be so easily disappeared without notice, but the armory does have quite a few pieces of armor in it.
5) This is a list of the major players in the keep.
- Lord Thomas Havelyn - Strong aura of Good and Law
- Tacitus the Magister (not often seen) - Faint aura of Law
- Father Donnagin - Strong aura of Good and Law
- Acolytes (5) - Faint aura of Good and Law
- Captain Eddarly - Faint aura of Chaos and Good
- Captain Mott - Faint aura of Law
- Captain Barhold - Faint aura of Law and Good
- Captain Varning - Faint aura of Law and Good
I'm actually trying to find mention of this chamberlain that was discussed.
6) Tacitus has a 'something' in his lab that was claimed from the north lands. No one is quite sure what it is, and that area is off limits to Milla.
7) Mad Martin attend the rookery and the rumors abound that he talks to and has named every raven.
Good it sounds like things are shaping up. Glad you are back Price. Is Shulme alive?
Thanks, Fargo.
Mark, I think the Chamberlain is Tacitus... maybe you wrote Magister somewhere and I thought Chamberlain. Sorry for the confusion.
That is an awful lot of auras... i.e. characters leveled high enough for me to notice. My Black Widow Spidey senses are tingling.
Just a note on that. I'll be leveling you up to 5 right before the night of your assault. So consider on that as well (lots of story xp awards)
Lol. Seriously? Woot!
Do you want us to hold off on actually doing that until we're getting ready for the assault itself? THere are a few things we had wanted to do before then is why I ask. (the Varninng thing, the lover's tryst thing, etc)
I'll choose to be both pleased and dismayed (for meta-gamey reasons) at that news. :p
Guys, here is my guess at what we are facing:
Lord Thomas Havelyn - Strong Good and Law - Pally 5-10th
Tacitus the Magister - Faint Law - Wizard? 5-10th
Father Donnagin - Strong Good and Law - Cleric 5-10th
Acolytes (5) - Faint Good and Law - Cleric 1st
Captain Eddarly - Faint Chaos and Good (archers/seige) - fighty 5-10th
Captain Mott - Faint Law (halberds) - fighty 5-10th
Captain Barhold - Faint Law and Good (infantry) - fighty 5-10th
Captain Varning - Faint Law and Good (rangers) - Ranger 5-10th
If 'Magister' indicates ol Tacitus is a caster - we need to be prepared for 3rd or 4th level spells.
Mark, have I gotten eyes on Mad Martin? He seems like an unknown at this point. Also, with this Bard coming to town... is there any sort of party planned?
Yes, please hold off until the final assault. It's a little spoilerlish for me to mention that, but figure this way you all can at least consider how you all want to level. Remember at level 5 you do start to give off aura's yourselves (well, except Alaric who already does).
Also, a move to level 5 would produce a host of gear purchases for Cain. Would the change happen early enough that he'd have enough awareness to purchase spell stuff?
I'm mostly thinking of a Wand of CLW, a pearl of power, and a handful of choice scrolls... all to boost Cain's tactical flexibility and "buffability".
You have not seen Mad Martin. A servant brings him his meals and he basically lives in the Rookery. He is an odd character.
For his performance of Ye Merrie Men in Balentyne, it will draw all the officers, most of the soldiers and most of the named NPCs, as well as the Mayor of Aldencross and a few members of their council, including Mother Ryanne, head of the church in Aldencross itself.
Also, a move to level 5 would produce a host of gear purchases for Cain. Would the change happen early enough that he'd have enough awareness to purchase spell stuff?
I'm mostly thinking of a Wand of CLW, a pearl of power, and a handful of choice scrolls... all to boost Cain's tactical flexibility and "buffability".
I wouldn't be opposed to that level of forethought. I'd consider it the training done between days. Kinda like purchasing power tools while studying carpentry, or something like that.
For his performance of Ye Merrie Men in Balentyne, it will draw all the officers, most of the soldiers and most of the named NPCs, as well as the Mayor of Aldencross and a few members of their council, including Mother Ryanne, head of the church in Aldencross itself.
Gentlemen, start your conniving...
I wouldn't be opposed to that level of forethought. I'd consider it the training done between days. Kinda like purchasing power tools while studying carpentry, or something like that.
Very cool. Thanks.
: Runs off to look at all the new cool toys :
Will the performance be outdoors, or in a performance hall?