And in Tarn's mind, the fact that the smugglers were armed and fought them is all the evidence he needs that they were pirates. The fact that he is Int8 and Wis8 further drives home that he doesn't need more in the way of evidence.
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HAHAHAHAHAHA! Now I'm picturing a courtroom, where the lawyer says,
"Your honor, I'd like to point out that my client has an Int and Wis of 8. Surely that's evidence that--from his perspective--there's no meaningful difference between pirates and smugglers."
You’re not too far off. Mens rea and mental capacity is a defense.
Badger's a cop. Lots of assumptions can be made. Might not work in court but they didn't give us much to go on to discover the nuance.
apologies for not posting more frequently. These RP posts take both time and mental sharpness...and I'm in a very busy stretch at work at the moment, so both are at short supply.
Just in case we are not all talking past each other which can easily happen in text.
I have no issue with her holding us or Saltmarsh responsible for her lost stuff or people. I could see her not taking any responsibility and pushing it all on us.
A few of us asked her to state that they weren't obtaining the weapons to use against us.
Several times she avoided answering that direct question.
So it would naturally follow that either, she was unwilling to say for her own reasons which we might not understand.
Or was purposely leaving it on the table either to project strength or openly own that she views Saltmarsh not just untrustworthy but an enemy or a target.
She wouldn't even leave it at if you leave us alone we will leave you alone which was directly what Badger was fishing for.
Yet she is letting us go. Possibly because we implied Saltmarsh would see it as an act of war.
Yeah, some OOC discussion is probably good right now.
I was really hoping to get her to say what she wants them for. In some ways, I respect that they didn't just make something up...but still, it's hard to ignore that they won't give ANY assurance that they aren't hostile to Saltmarsh.
Dru had suggested a way to earn their trust. I personally feel like it's hard to imagine doing a favor for them if they won't tell us anything about their intentions...but I'm open to being persuaded otherwise. Dru, or others, does anyone think we should try that again?
Otherwise, I think we leave. We could certainly talk to the council and see if there's anything they can/would offer. We can also see if there's some scholar/library where we can learn more about Lizardfolk culture, or someone who knows more about how long they've been there. If we see a window, we can send a written message with an offer after we talk to the council. That's my tentative vote now, but I'm VERY open to hearing other suggestions.
I think if we stay at this point it will be a fight here and now.
Yeah Badger was hoping by pointing out there might be something driving them out of their home shortly after you mentioned doing something to help them might at least tell us if they left to get away from something in the swamp versus came closer to us to attack Saltmarsh.
Once we get out of the cave. Badger is gonna suggest scouting. Cause our 'diplomacy' has basically uncovered what we will have to report as likely a threat. Saying nothing about how big the tribe is, how large the village is and so would be basically us returning home and saying, "We didn't get any of the info about the Lizardfolk you wanted but we know they hate us and we angered their queen.
Asking bimz what the leader is thinking/intending might be interesting... though i don't know if that involves any detectable contact. Wouldn't want her to know you were putting into her mind!
Do we have access to invisibility yet? Cause if we get caught scouting at this point its gonna be a fight.
Badger will stay ashore sneak around and walk home himself if that's the group's choice.
I am sure this will come up in gameplay but he saw the mandate as size up the lizard folk and understand the danger.
We have failed at diplomacy and don't know if the tribe is hundreds or 30.
Well we saw 12 lizard folk aside from the queen and a couple kids in some tunnels. . . oh and we pissed off the queen. Yeah that's the full report boss.
I didn't take Invisibility as a spell
No worries. I am sure we will find it in a Spellbook somewhere.
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It was the 2 guards you left in the boat in the cave who saw monsters in the water.
You haven’t arrived at the Ghost yet. Not that that’s a problem.
From what you saw, you estimate between 50 to 100 lizardfolk. Could be more that you didn’t see.
Great idea. Bring it up IC
RP posts are winding down. I don't know what you want to do.
I think there are two options.
Go home now and warn Saltmarsh.
Circle back and scout around and find a peasant lizard folk and see if they will talk more.
I'm for looking atound
OK I've got 2.5 votes to look around. I'll start prepping and will post when I get over half.
cheers
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Let’s explore then! What’s the worst that could happen?
On the map in the link, you can see point A from the Sea Ghost as a trailhead into the marsh from the beach.
Do you want to land there? Or further down coast? Or somewhere else?
Unfortunately, Badger is not familiar with this coast area.
Badger would suggest. Moving back toward Saltmarsh by sea but rowing in once we believe that the lizardfolk couldn't see the boat. Then moving through the swamp back toward the village looking for a lone or small group of lizard folk.
I like that idea, Badger. Move a little up the coast towards Saltmarsh, and then start to make a circle around the lizardfolk mound. If we find some we can engage with, great. Otherwise, maybe we can figure out what it is that has them feeling the need to arm up.
If we want to know what drove them toward Saltmarsh and the shore. We would need to strike aways inland and search a very large swamp. That would likely take weeks. Simply because the have left traditional lands further away and deeper in the swamp to come closer. This is more a way to get someone to talk to us and/or scout the village.
Not that we couldn't strike further into the swamp but that would take more time and we would likely still want easier info first and to report to Saltmarsh.
I agree with Badger’s plan. It is the most reasonable course of action.
Sounds good to me. I (player, more than Argyri) am nervous about being seen/reported back to the Lizard Queen and so *really* burning a bridge with them...but Badger's plan seems very "precautious", as my daughter likes to say.
I think that too. LOL.
Though we gave her every opportunity to simply say she won't attack us without provocation. There isn't much bridge to burn.
Also whether they are hostile towards us at the moment or not. We haven't fulfilled our mandate. Which was to actually size up the threat. The assumption is this is a threat. We were supposed to figure if that threat was immediate or not and how big a threat.
If we go back now we can say yep they don't like us. They might not attack, but they do hate us pretty strong.
Just to be crystal clear, we're sailing back to Saltmarsh to report now?
Report in is my personal lean, though i could go along with a cautious scouting mission too
I shared this a few weeks back but it's still my perspective:
We could certainly talk to the council and see if there's anything they can/would offer. We can also see if there's some scholar/library where we can learn more about Lizardfolk culture, or someone who knows more about how long they've been there. If we see a window, we can send a written message with an offer after we talk to the council. That's my tentative vote now, but I'm VERY open to hearing other suggestions.
Just to be crystal clear, we're sailing back to Saltmarsh to report now?
Badger is suggesting sailing part of the way back. NOT returning to Saltmarsh but getting out of eyesite of the lizard folk. Going a shore and heading back toward the lizardfolk to scout and as Blackrock suggested find one of the lizard folk to speak to.
Can someone count the votes and get consensus. Thanks
I think there are two options.
Go home now and warn Saltmarsh.
Circle back and scout around and find a peasant lizard folk and see if they will talk more.
1
I'm for looking atound
2
Yeah, exploring should be awesome since we have a vanilla ranger in the party. Badger has swamp terrain so expertise on survival checks to track down lizardfolk without being slowed/lost. From the map it looks like we really just need to scan about a hex worth of swamp for the area east of Dunwater river.
3
Let’s explore then! What’s the worst that could happen?
4 I think Tarn at this point might have suggested something else but is willing to go along.
I agree with Badger’s plan. It is the most reasonable course of action.
Sounds good to me. I (player, more than Argyri) am nervous about being seen/reported back to the Lizard Queen and so *really* burning a bridge with them...but Badger's plan seems very "precautious", as my daughter likes to say.
5 Though I think this is more a willing to go along if that is what people vote.
Report in is my personal lean, though i could go along with a cautious scouting mission too
I shared this a few weeks back but it's still my perspective:
We could certainly talk to the council and see if there's anything they can/would offer. We can also see if there's some scholar/library where we can learn more about Lizardfolk culture, or someone who knows more about how long they've been there. If we see a window, we can send a written message with an offer after we talk to the council. That's my tentative vote now, but I'm VERY open to hearing other suggestions.
A better explained would prefer to go back to Saltmarsh but willing to go scout if needed.
Thats a firm 3 to 2 scout and find a lizard verses go back to Saltmarsh first. With the other 2 willing to go.
Please, please, please, if I am misunderstanding folks speak up. I just wanted to move us if we are ready.
I could be wrong I thought that it was all swamp based on the hex map.
Will Badger's favored Swamp terrain apply here? 'Marsh' isn't a terrain option for that mechanical thing, right?
yep
I think marsh is equivalent to a swamp
I have access to Disguise Self if given time to rest and relearn my spells
I can focus on Non Combat spells save Mage Armor and Shield. So I can make some of us Lizard Folk
I don't know if you have charm but that can actually help getting people to talk without hurting them.
OK team. I plan to put you on shore at the intersection of where the marsh ends along the coast about 7,500 yards toward Saltmarsh from the lizardfolk lair, which is at the mouth of the Dunwater River. Please see page 4 map in the link in my profile.
Need to know a few things:
1. Are you leaving the jolly boat on the shore? Or are you getting dropped off?
2. If leaving the jolly boat on the shore, will you leave two guards to guard it?
3. What are your orders to the guards of the jolly boat and the Sea Ghost? Meaning, how long do they wait for you before returning to Saltmarsh?
thanks
I would say dropped off, so 2 is moot. Have the Sea Ghost come by the drop off point every other day and look for a signal. Maybe mirror flashes?
I like that.
Dropped off is always great.
Okay so do you want me to rest and redo myspells or we just gonna go into this cause I can do either