Nice, so we will raise a level,
Quick question folks. Do we meet with the monks and try and talk them into joining us with Safi being a free city? Or do we heed the Zebracorn warning of great evil and just send a spy in to see how to sneak into the monastery and take them in their sleep? Or do we just storm the blasted thing and hope none of us die?
I would like to try and figure out how to kill the evil ones, and let the good or neutral ones decide to join us or leave. But I don't know if that's possible. I don't think Wulfgar can handle taking a level in 'paladin' just to get 'detect evil' :-)
I don't know the layout of the ribāt. Did we pass through it going from the docks to the inland, or does it set beside the road?
So I'm assuming from your Two latest posts that we had to pass through it.
What descriptions can you give us concerning the interior, that we would have noticed when we passed through?
I don't know the layout of the ribāt. Did we pass through it going from the docks to the inland, or does it set beside the road?So I'm assuming from your Two latest posts that we had to pass through it.
What descriptions can you give us concerning the interior, that we would have noticed when we passed through?
From your previous experience passing through the monastery, you recall that the monk guards ushered you through quickly, with few words and allowing you very limited access to the interior.
You passed from the docks at the quay through an outdoor bazaar that was small compared to the sprawling bazaars of Anfa and later Marrakech, to the postern gate, where two monk guards briefly interrogated you and searched each of you for any contraband (poison, unholy symbols, written orders to spy on or otherwise act against Safi, etc), charged a modest gate toll of 1 silver shekel per PC, and granted you entry.
Inside, you passed through an interior central hall, escorted by 12 monk guards, and out across an open courtyard, and out through the main gateway, a great arch (pictured in the most recent diorama) with a raised portcullis. This set you on the road to Marrakech, alongside which lay three long stables (where your party purchased mules for the journey), and a small shanty town of artisans, laborers, and merchants who serve the needs of the monks and travelers passing through Safi.
So, in theory, we could go around the fort and approach the beach and docks from there.
So, in theory, we could go around the fort and approach the beach and docks from there.
Absolutely.
Ah her distrust of Arabs and especially with the warning form the Zebracorn Mwikali is not going in there with those monks.
Ah her distrust of Arabs and especially with the warning form the Zebracorn Mwikali is not going in there with those monks.
Good instinct, wise witch! :-)
Well done, Lord P! Lol! The littlest Desert Jackal saves the day (night?), preventing his friends from being trapped inside the courtyard with the bloodthirsty monks!
BTW, is blood sucked from neck wounds Halal? Lol... Oops! I've said too much...
Mwikali will have to cast fly to leave the place
Mwikali calls on the spirits of Africas' Sky and raises off the ground. With speed bore on ancient wind, she burst from the ground and sped away from the fort with a glare.
OOps that was supposed to be in game play
Well done, Lord P! Lol! The littlest Desert Jackal saves the day (night?), preventing his friends from being trapped inside the courtyard with the bloodthirsty monks!
BTW, is blood sucked from neck wounds Halal? Lol... Oops! I've said too much...
I have not read the latest posts, when did we enter the courtyard?
I have not read the latest posts, when did we enter the courtyard?Well done, Lord P! Lol! The littlest Desert Jackal saves the day (night?), preventing his friends from being trapped inside the courtyard with the bloodthirsty monks!
BTW, is blood sucked from neck wounds Halal? Lol... Oops! I've said too much...
After the monks recognized you, they opened the portcullis and gates and beckoned you to enter... as they would only speak with you inside the courtyard, I assumed you’d follow them in. My apologies for assuming! ;-)
It was a short little ride on the GM choo choo express lol
Anyway, you get out in time, Lord P having prevented them from trapping you with lowered portcullis, so no harm no foul, and some extra XP to boot!
Eeep! Need to level up before combat! I'll get on to it quick smart.
These monks shall be burned
Yup, it’s worthwhile for everyone to level up before this battle... lol
I’ll wait... ;-)
Within this flickering illumination can be seen the grim faces of guards posted atop the towers and outer battlements, most armed with bows or crossbows, but some, including two gatehouse guards flanking the main gate outside the monastery, are armed with glaives, or even apparently unarmed. All wear turbans and scarves that cover the lower halves of their faces...
The two gatehouse guards, armed with wicked-bladed glaives, call out loudly in unison, in Arabic: HALT!! WHO GOES THERE!?
The Desert Jackals and their companions and beasts are granted entry through the great main gate, and through the torchlit open courtyard, where a dozen monk guards posted along the settlements above watch them pass below...
The front door of the monastery keep proper is unlocked by a door guard, who silently bids the adventurers and company to enter...
So were charging out through a gate house under a barrage of at least a dozen archers?
So were charging out through a gate house under a barrage of at least a dozen archers?
Correct lol... unless you’d rather stay under the cover of the gatehouse and watch the gladiators and harem girls get the barrage...
I still need a feat. Got Fly and Lighting Bolt as spells...hmmmm To the Feats
how about 'turn back time' that would be a feat
how about 'turn back time' that would be a feat
Lol
how about 'turn back time' that would be a feat
Sounds like a 9th level spell instead of a feat lol
The Desert Jackals and company can probably avoid combat at this point, if they prefer... Lord Perpireen has effectively escaped the two bloodthirsty vampire spawn monks in the gatehouse, and the dozen-or-so monk guards on the upper battlements seem to be watching the caravan, with no indication that they are about to start firing bows or crossbows at this point...
Or, you can bring on the battle!
so need a new feat but not sure what to go for
Extra Hex: Flight
Hey MJ66, is it obvious to everyone that saw the guards that they are vampire spawn or just to Lord P, due to their proximity?
Hey MJ66, is it obvious to everyone that saw the guards that they are vampire spawn or just to Lord P, due to their proximity?
I will say that everyone sees the monks on the battlements watching them ride by with eyes that glow red in the torchlight like a feral beast’s eyes... That’s enough to know they aren’t normal humans...
So Altin has Stealth +11... I've been kinda building him for sneaking and recon, but what with Lord P's crazy scouting abilities and now these NPCs I never really get a chance to use Stealth. If there's ever a chance to use it proactively rather than just to avoid bad stuff or surprising enemies , that'd be awesome. It's kinda like having a big attack bonus but never getting a chance to hit anything.
Conversely, I could just stop investing in it.
So Altin has Stealth +11... I've been kinda building him for sneaking and recon, but what with Lord P's crazy scouting abilities and now these NPCs I never really get a chance to use Stealth. If there's ever a chance to use it proactively rather than just to avoid bad stuff or surprising enemies , that'd be awesome. It's kinda like having a big attack bonus but never getting a chance to hit anything.
Conversely, I could just stop investing in it.
So Wulfgar stands corrected, Altin needs to lead the team of sneaking human types assaulting the fortress!
Ok bring it on :) I did my best not to sound whiny about it, but I'm not sure I succeeded! I only had 5 minutes during a break, I'm going to blame that. Now let's watch Altin screw up the Stealth rolls for the sneak team ;)
Ok bring it on :) I did my best not to sound whiny about it, but I'm not sure I succeeded! I only had 5 minutes during a break, I'm going to blame that. Now let's watch Altin screw up the Stealth rolls for the sneak team ;)
No were cool, usually I read everyone's page, I don't remember if I read yours and overlooked it or not. I don't like relying on NPC's for normal adventure stuff so I'm glad you pointed it out!
The fewer NPCs that go in to fight the vampires, the more XP the PCs get, but also, the harder the PCs have to work for it... I will let you all consider that for a bit, then you can decide which NPCs besides Achiko and O’Reilly go along to share in the XP and loot...
I'm good with all the NPC's staying on the boat. For that matter, if Achiko and O'Reilly just help get the door open; with Altin we can take over from there. That way minimizing the NPC usage.
So in the morning we check the bazaar and see if it has silver weapons for sale? Or a wand of fireballs... or a rod of magic missiles
Mwikali made a good point in-game, no money!
We need to sell some or all of the animals. Questions to consider.
Are we each keeping one mount? Horse or camel? Are the NPC's keeping mounts or are they staying here or going on the boat? Are we using all the money to buy wands for the group or are we dividing up the amount and each buying something smaller?
I’m having trouble finding the final number of animal that we brought with us but rough estimates:
Here
There are two score camels, three dozen combat-trained light horses, 10 ponies, and 30 mules stabled in the royal stables.
Alas, the harrowing battle against the bulette has left the party with two less mules than they started out with, but this is a small inconvenience compared to the abundance of edible bulette meat and impressive trophy they can now harvest.
I count five players that will use mounts (Sorry Lord P) assuming the Zebracorn doesn’t hang around. Then eight ‘gladiator’ NPC’s and a dozen harem girls, so twenty five mounts needed, one of which can be a pony… so if lost two mules, keep two dozen horses and one pony; that means we sell 40 camels 12 combat-trained light horses, 9 ponies and 28 mules.
Everything at half value: 40 Camels @ 3.000 gp. 12 combat trained light horses @ 780 gp. 9 ponies @ 135 gp. and 28 mules @ 112 gp. For a total of 4,027 gp.
We should buy silver weapons and wands…
I’m having trouble finding the final number of animal that we brought with us but rough estimates:
Here
There are two score camels, three dozen combat-trained light horses, 10 ponies, and 30 mules stabled in the royal stables.Alas, the harrowing battle against the bulette has left the party with two less mules than they started out with, but this is a small inconvenience compared to the abundance of edible bulette meat and impressive trophy they can now harvest.I count five players that will use mounts (Sorry Lord P) assuming the Zebracorn doesn’t hang around. Then eight ‘gladiator’ NPC’s and a dozen harem girls, so twenty five mounts needed, one of which can be a pony… so if lost two mules, keep two dozen horses and one pony; that means we sell 40 camels 12 combat-trained light horses, 9 ponies and 28 mules.
Everything at half value: 40 Camels @ 3.000 gp. 12 combat trained light horses @ 780 gp. 9 ponies @ 135 gp. and 28 mules @ 112 gp. For a total of 4,027 gp.
We should by silver weapons and wands…
You are correct on your estimates.
Right it's over to you lot now, Lord P Has done his bit.
Yep Lord P don't want any loot, and he can carry healing for you in his wee magic bag.
did anyone claim the magic short sword? One of us should carry it just in case we need magic, we can put it back in the group kitty later, if they don't want to keep it as part of their 'cut'
Could help Altin, although he's not much chop (pun intended) with melee weapons... I'd do better with some magic ammunition. Is there still any chance to grab some on the way through the market, GM?
If no one's claiming it, I'm going to nab a cloak of resistance for now. My Will save sucks.
I'm going to a family reunion for the next three days, my posting will be spotty and I will be posting at irregular times. Please 'bot' me as necessary.
@ Altin, since I will probably only post once a day for the next couple, why don't you lead the crew into the fort!
@ Mwikali and Giovanna, please refrain from killing the gypsey thief, he reminds me of Beni :-)
so are we going in the trap, eyes wide open?
Is the thrall right, we can't go over the wall?
Do we want to use our breath water potions and try and go up the well?
We may as well do something...
i say in through the out door...let's be Navy Seals...lol
So Colonoscopy on the fort to purge Vampires
That's my vote, walk into the trap with eyes wide open.
As for the well, I'm not sure how one swims up a well... It would just be a hole in the ground inside that fort that goes down to ground water, yeah? There's no getting into the well, except from the top. Unless anyone has powers of excavation?
Also, I took one of those cloaks of resistance. Now, were there still magic weapons unclaimed? As I recall, they weren't particularly well suited to Altin, but a magic weapon is a magic weapon when you're fighting vampires.
GM, I'm going to deduct coin for some silver arrows, thinking 20, that okay?
So we go in where the trap is laid, lets send lord P ahead and see if he can draw them into an open area where we can kill them.
I thought Altin had the + 1 shortsword
Okey doke, sounds good, shortsword it is :)
Okay, sorry to throw yet another delaying idea out there, but I just remembered I have slippers of spider climbing. I could possibly sneak up a wall like Spiderman, sneak in, and attempt to open either the main gate of the postern gate, accompanied by Lord P. Or possibly die. Just a thought.