Heh. Harvard's Law giving you problems again? ;)
Oh you have NO idea. Was supposed to be my day off as well :(
Question: the area around Forest Gate, sandwiched between the Viglunders and the Beornings, seems to be its own thing. the collection of settlements there, including Rowanhold, are said not to owe allegiance to Beorn, and are resisting Viglund at least for now. IMO, a region like that should ahve its own name, but I can't think of one. Any suggestions welcome.
What about the Free Steadings? Does what it says on the tin.
Eh, that works. Thanks.
Looks like there's three possible things to do
Faem suggested moving on right away.
Ólneth suggested staying on a night. This would give you a long rest but obviously means you lose another day.
Agnar suggested going after the goblins, which you'd have to do right away, not even a short rest or 10 minutes to do healing.
I'm good whatever so let m e knw what you decide as a group.
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Agnar suggested going after the goblins, which you'd have to do right away, not even a short rest or 10 minutes to do healing.
It looks like we can go right away, since Lorgan the Undying lead our stalwart lines. (=3) But, why is that necessary? I mean, what I meant was that we could follow their tracks, which with this much Survival skill in this party, it shouldn't be too hard to follow tracks an hour old made by panicking goblins.
My thought is that if they have too much head start on you, they are going to go back to their lair, take what they can and run in serach of a new leader or warband. Staying in the same place with the numbers they now have is unlikely. Delay too long and you will find their tracks go into Mirkwood. Following that woudl be suicide (the goblins aren't tuough but they have a climb speed which helps against anyting that isn't a spider).
What time is it? If it's still the middle of the night, then I vote against hunting down the goblins. If it's dawn or close to it, then I could go either way.
My main priority is spending at least one night in Rowanhold. Long rests are hard to come by, and both Lorgan and I have used all of our Gift Dice until we get one.
The more I think about it, the less I'm in favour of hunting down the goblins. We got lucky here in that the warg was fierce, but it was only making 1 attack/round. GM rolled badly for all 3 rounds and that was that - we focused our fire and took it down. If we're facing, say, a dozen or so goblins - on their home ground, no less - then that's a lot more rolls every round. How lucky are you feeling?
We're still only 1st level. I say take the win and don't push it. Also agree with Ólneth that a Long Rest would be really nice to have.
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So, I was examining my thoughts about why I keep thinking that this 'pursue the goblins and take their stuff' idea kept coming up as so imperative.
I realize that we may have been making rookie mistakes, and introduced a miscommunication.
@GM: Was there any stuff on the Warg? Or on the goblins at the dwarf fight?
I realized that I had become so accustomed to just being told what loot there is on fallen enemy bodies, that I don't know if any of us specifically said we were looting the bodies.
I think I assumed that my action about cutting out the arrows for retrieval would have carried an intrinsic request for that data, but I can see how that might not have been construed. (At the same time there wasn't a description of the goblin weapons as either 'plain but serviceable' or 'rusted beyond care and almost unusable" to give a hint as to if they'd be worth salvaging and selling later, but again I didn't specifically ask.)
Anyway! That means that we'd been fighting, but have been fully shut out of any filthy lucre or battlefield spoils. Indeed, even this CR2 fight we just won seemed to be free of any reward.
Not that I'm complaining, mind you, but this character is on a path that seems rich in RP options, but has some equipment needs, and sooner rather than later.
Hence, since this is a module that advocates kidnapping a party as a prelude to a boss fight, it might also be the kind of module that simply forgets about monetary reward, as some modules tend to do. Thus, I was trying to come up with an outside-the-box solution to see to it that our efforts were rewarded.
Okay, so, yes, Lorgan, what you say is true. At the same time, when we fought against goblins with the dwarfs, we killed about a dozen of them, and didn't take much damage ourselves. Since the goblins now are more thinking about saving their own skins and getting out, than making a stand and attacking, it's reasonable to think that we'd face light resistance.
So if you still don't want to that's fine (though we've yet to hear what Faem thinks), but I think we've got a good opportunity to tip some scales here.
What time is it? If it's still the middle of the night, then I vote against hunting down the goblins. If it's dawn or close to it, then I could go either way.
My main priority is spending at least one night in Rowanhold. Long rests are hard to come by, and both Lorgan and I have used all of our Gift Dice until we get one.
I think it's morning. We were abducted overnight and then all this happened.
Faem does not have any kind of treasure/reward motive. If she can't eat it and it's not an improvement of something she already owns, or doesn't have specific utility (like the riddle pipe), then she isn't going to work too hard for it. Therefore, she sees pursuit of the goblins as not being worth any amount of risk, as they are no longer a threat to these people.
Yeah, if Lorgan eventually agrees to hunt them down it won't be for treasure - it will be to stop them regrouping and eradicating a threat.
Generally speaking, in this game looting bodies will get you Shadow points and not much in the way of loot. That's the way I'm running my LOTR game anyway and that's the way the GM guide suggests it should be played.
What time is it? If it's still the middle of the night, then I vote against hunting down the goblins. If it's dawn or close to it, then I could go either way.
It was dawn by the time you got to Rowanhold because you could start to see through the hoods you had on. You were kept for an hour or so. It's early morning, aroudn 9 a.m.
@GM: Was there any stuff on the Warg? Or on the goblins at the dwarf fight?
I realized that I had become so accustomed to just being told what loot there is on fallen enemy bodies, that I don't know if any of us specifically said we were looting the bodies.
I think I assumed that my action about cutting out the arrows for retrieval would have carried an intrinsic request for that data, but I can see how that might not have been construed. (At the same time there wasn't a description of the goblin weapons as either 'plain but serviceable' or 'rusted beyond care and almost unusable" to give a hint as to if they'd be worth salvaging and selling later, but again I didn't specifically ask.)
Anyway! That means that we'd been fighting, but have been fully shut out of any filthy lucre or battlefield spoils. Indeed, even this CR2 fight we just won seemed to be free of any reward.
This isnt D&D, it doesn't work like that. The goblins aren't carrying anything of value, they'd keep it at their lair if they ahd anything at all. The weapons they carry aren't suitable, they're gobln size and bent and just feel wrong when you hold them. There's no resale value at all. As for reward, you have teh friendship of Gailavira which equals free accommodation and a long rest whenever you stop by. It also means that she will sspread word about what you did to the rest of the Free Steadings. That may end up being importatn. or not. Let's wait and see.
And yes, looting dead bodies is a misdeed.Perhaps if say the goblin chief had been wieldeing a sword that clearly wasn't his, perhaps stolen from a looted tomb and bearing the marks of Westernesse or Elven craft then you'd be justified in reclaiming that. But if that every happesnn I will be sure to tell you.
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Generally speaking, in this game looting bodies will get you Shadow points and not much in the way of loot. That's the way I'm running my LOTR game anyway and that's the way the GM guide suggests it should be played.
Ah! Okay, fair 'nuff. Good to know.
So then, how do PC's...acquire...stuff?
Like, one of the features of the scholar class is that they get to do nookie things with herbs. But herbs are expensive. It's entire premise seems to be built on having some kind of generation mechanism whereby the herbs are constantly acquired.
And if they're never acquired, then the power doesn't exist. The feature is only as useful as the rarity of the herbs.
(It seems like this would be ripe for a kind of situation where, like, every day I can make a Nature roll and, depending on the success, I can find X number of herbs? Or somesuch?)
Same thing with a shield or a sword. How does one get those things? It seems that 40s is a princely sum without a combat = money mechanic.
I acknowledge that this is a minor issue. I'm sure that, like the rations thing, I'll be quiet about once I understand. =)
And yes, looting dead bodies is a misdeed.
Um....should I stop saying that I'm retrieving arrows? It seems like that might fall under that preview, and we haven't really been asked to keep track of it, so that whole thing might be a little too D&D here?
I think retrieving your own arrows counts as good tactical sense :)
Agnar, those are good questions. If you get enough treasure from somewhere you can obviously buy things like in standard D&D. One of the things that makes this game different though is that it works on a patron system. You spend a fellowship phase to acquire someone as a patron, then they give you things to do and you get nice things in return. Of course, if you do something nice for someone they might reward you anyway. Gailavira for example is giving you food and shelter and a long rest. Radagast lest you stay in Rhosgobel and enjoy the hopstitality of the Foresters there. The Axe gave you something to do despite the fact she isn't (yet) a patron. Rewards probably won't be money, but could be something more valuable.
The main way to get something is to remind me that you need it :) I'm still getting to grips with teh game system and I had fortotten that scholars can do clever stuff with herbs. I will try and makes sure you are rewareede with stuff you actually want!
Lorgan is right about arrows. I would add that as long as you track hp, shadow points and exhaustion levels I am not so interested in arrows. We can assume for example that the grateful vilagers of Rowanhold aer more than happy to resupply you all. If you get lost in Mirkwood for any lenth of time that is a different story of course. Try not to let that happen to you.
One more thing, taking down Greymuzzle HOb witout suffring injury is a famous deed. Everyone gets Inspriation. I'm going to be fairly generous in handing it out so do use it :)
I've come down sick with something the last few days (I don't have covid, it's just a stomach bug). I'm up and a little better but haven't been up to posting. I should get some posts up this evening or Saturday.
How are you feeling, GM?
Thanks both, better now but swampted with work that built up while I was out of it. I will get us up and running tomorrow and then try to keep us to our previous posting rate. Sorry for the lack of posts till now :)
Concerning Wood-elves.
They differed from the High Elves of the West, and were more dangerous and less wise.
I'm taking this and running with it. When Sauron was defeated, the elves of Mirkwood understood that the Ring was not destroyed but lost, meaning that Sauron would retrun. After all the cost in lives they paid, this was a defeat as far as they were concerned. They returned to Mirkwood and decided to eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow (as elves measure time) they would die. This led to a baby-boom of sorts, and most of the wood-elves now living were born in the Thrid Age. It also means that most of them have siblings, sometimes even two or three. Ólneth hasn't mentioned them but she has a vast number of cousins!
Many of these younger elves are still good hearted (including Ólneth, we hope) and there are older elves in Thranduil's court (including Thranduil, obvs) who are more like the High Elves. But the further out you get from the court, teh deeper into North Mirkwood, the wilder the elves get. Whether the wildness of Mirkwood makes them wild, or thye're in the wild of Mirkwood because they're too wild for the court, is not my problem. The older wood-elves call them the Wayward Elves, presumably to try and shame them a bit inot behaving themselves, but it's a name they have taken on themselves with pride. They aren't bad exactly, they are fierce enemies of the Shadow, but they aren't your friends either. The high elves of Rivendell might laugh a bit at vistiors ("don't dip your beard into the water, fatehr! It's long enough as it is!") but anyone who makes it into Rivendell is safe. That isn't true of the Wayward wood-elves. Mortals aren't really people to them. They aren't vermin like orcs and spiders, but if you lead a few of them off the path and something happens to them, well, they were oging to die soon anyway, right? What's the fuss?
[before you ask, yes, this gets them Shadow Points]
Having got that out the way, I am very aware of the implications of "put them to sleep and have some fun with them." I don't intend to take it any further than it currently has, but if anyone is uncomfortable then let me know and I will make sure not to go there again.
EDIT shuold add, that the onlyp erson who knows all this is probably Ólneth. Agnar might have a bit of knowlege about wood-elves, he is a scholar, but Lorgan and Faem don't know any of this unless Ólneth tells them.
This was meant to be a chance for Ólneth to show her stuff, but I don't want to wait much longer. I hope she is still around. I will post something later today.
This has happened to me and it cost me a game I really loved running. Best advice, if you got players giving you good stuff, count your blessings and keep the story moving, improvising if need be.
You give good advice and I will take it :)
There is literally no end to spiders in Mirkwood. It's like going out of the way to kill one company of orcs in Mordor. We passed by plenty of elves that could do the job if they can get themselves organized. Seems like an unnecessary risk.
Lorgan to break the tie...
As I understand it, we're being asked to show them to the trouble, not to fight it with them. In pure metagaming terms (if I may for a moment) this is a high-level NPC with a magical bow while we are 1st level peons. I don't think she's asking for our aid in the fight.
GM, let me know if I've misunderstood, please?
LOrgan is right, you're not being asked to fight just to guide.
I'm back, sorry everyone. (Particularly GM Sarah, who set up an encounter to showcase Ólneth right as I disappeared.) A combination of illness and U.S. election stress kept me off the boards for a while.
I'm back, sorry everyone. (Particularly GM Sarah, who set up an encounter to showcase Ólneth right as I disappeared.) A combination of illness and U.S. election stress kept me off the boards for a while.
There's no need to apologies to me, I get that life is stresful right now, esp if you live in the US. I hope you are feeling better.
Agnar: I'm not tracking XP, I don't have the patiendce for it. I'll level you up at intervals.
I've been having to post from my phone today. I'll get a longer post up tomorrow when I'm back at my computer.
I#'m going to tell you now that was a reaaly bad roll to fail. You have woken something that is CR 3 or 4 or more, I haven't really decided yet, so staying to fight is not an option unless you get very, very lucky. Its only real weakness is it only moves 20 feet so you can run away from it.
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Um, if I might posit an option....
If it can only move 20 feet, and we, all of us, are at 30....
That means every -other- round we can attack.
1) We double-move {60}, it double moves.{40}
2) We attack {60 = 30 = 90}; it double moves {40 + 40 = 80}. It's still 10 feet behind us.
Repeat.
I think we all have ranged weapons, so with 4 arrows a round, we could whittle it down in short order.
I have motivation enough, IC, for this. Agnar has chaffed at his status of being but a feather-in-the-wind, tossed about be events and orcs and elves as a lowly plaything. To use his intellect to enact a plan to get some payback at a Giant Of Evil would be a very fine dish to serve.
Edit: I see that hobbits have a move of 25, which means she couldn't attack as much, maybe every third round, but that still puts her out of danger and doing damage. I call this strategy "Infinite Range".
In an open plain the infinite range strategy would work. In Mirkwood? When the forest has already been turning us in circles, and both Faem and Agnar were literally just tripped and sent crashing to the ground? I think we're more likely to end up cornered.
OOC I think it's possible, but it would require a lot of luck. IC Ólneth isn't going to leave anyone behind, but she's not going to be happy with any plan that requires fighting a creature that eats elves for breakfast.
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That is a just and fair point. Indeed, I recognize that I've probably lost this before it began. ^_^
On the other hand, will a headlong run away from the danger treat us any more kindly than a purposeful kiting? By fighting, we only have to watch our steps one round at a time until its dead. By running, we may be hurling ourselves forward for a full day, perhaps more, casting all caution to the wind and we might trip ourselves more.
I've thought about the range thing, and it seems that we've had elves aplenty watching us and firing arrows, so it can't be so tough to get a straight line of sight. Also, we're on a path. If we stick to the path, we have clear ground. If it goes off the path, that would slow it more.
Also, for as much as an elf would hate fighting such a beast...would it not be sweet to kill one? =3
Also also, I don't see how any luck is needed. We keep shooting and moving and it can chase us and die, or run. And it doesn't look like it would run away, therefore....
Lastly...are we fated to just keep running from everything?
I agree with Ólneth. Like a plan that only works for spherical chickens in a vacuum, that strategy sounds great on the Infinite Plane of Uniform Density. In Mirkwood, in a place that's so blighted by Shadow that even the trees hate us, I think we run. Those spiders move a lot quicker than we do, and they're dead. This thing warped the Elf-path to draw us here. If it can do that, we don't have much of a chance realistically.
Lastly...are we fated to just keep running from everything?
Isn't this our first retreat from a fight? We fought the grim-hawks (Faem nearly died), we fought the goblins and we fought the warg (the warg lost).
I'm sorry for the lack of posts. I've had a craapy week and needed some 'me time' this weekend. i'll come back to this on Monday with a clear head :)
WW, your DM-fu is strong and the dice still bend to your will rather than mine. But I will master them yet and turn them against you, old man.
I think Agnar is using his bonus action to attack with an off hand weapoin: he hasn't added his Str or Dex bonus to damage for that attack.
I need one of Agnar or Ólneth to post, I'm happy to "bot" one of them but if 2 characters have dropped off the radar then that suggests a bigger problem.
I think Agnar is using his bonus action to attack with an off hand weapoin: he hasn't added his Str or Dex bonus to damage for that attack.
That seems very un-Scholarly, but I'll take this as an opportunity to learn something. This must be a 5E rule and not a AiME rule, then. Ok, I'm finding unspecific references online to that effect. Whoa, just found this: "Yes, everyone can fight the battle with two weapon fighting as there are no specific classes or proficiency disadvantages." Seriously, wow. Why aren't we all dual-wielding??
Edit: found it. "When you take the Attack action and attack with a light melee weapon that you're holding in one hand, you can use a bonus action to attack with a different light melee weapon that you're holding in the other hand. You don't add your ability modifier to the damage of the bonus attack, unless that modifier is negative."
Faem will be immediately acquiring another light weapon.
2-weapon fighting in 5e seems reasonably balanced to me: it costs you your bonus action and you don't get to add ability modifiers to damage for the off-hand attack, plus you have to be using a light weapon in both hands, not just your off-hand.
And of course you can't use a shield. Without that extra +2 to AC I'm pretty sure Lorgan would have been eaten by the warg. Or the grim-hawks.
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2-weapon fighting in 5e seems reasonably balanced to me: it costs you your bonus action and you don't get to add ability modifiers to damage for the off-hand attack, plus you have to be using a light weapon in both hands, not just your off-hand.
And of course you can't use a shield. Without that extra +2 to AC I'm pretty sure Lorgan would have been eaten by the warg. Or the grim-hawks.
This is completely correct.
Indeed, Faem is still more effective with just her broadsword than I am with twin daggers.
It's just a way for characters that are pretty much useless in combat to at least be less useless.
And, yes, the action economy balances it all out. Usually there are things that you want your bonus action to be doing, and if you have nothing better to do than take another attack that does NOT get your ability bonus, then its because you are a lowly frog that needs all the help you can get. ^_^
Suffice that once I'm able to get martial weapons I'll drop this act and get a shield...
...so I can be more like Lorgan the Undying! Lorgan the Unblooded! =p
Indeed, Faem is still more effective with just her broadsword than I am with twin daggers.
Broadsword - I wish, but regardless, I don't think that's true. Two attacks without a penalty to-hit is always better than one, and the tradeoff for an extra point or two of damage from a non-light weapon does not make it worth it. There is literally no drawback for low level characters that don't have bonus actions to begin with. I'm not complaining; this rule needs to be abused.
Faem will be looking to buy another short sword as soon as the party gets to Lake Town.
Busy week. You're out of combat now. I will post more tomorrow.
I've heard from Sarah - she's come down with a vomiting bug and is just now getting over it. She should be back with us today/tomorrow.