Mission 4 - Lost Shipment (Feb 16)

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Re: Mission 4 - Lost Shipment (Feb 16)

Postby Zanaikin » Thu Jan 11, 2018 8:04 pm

Goodberry notices that Shurya has 4 Strength, 2 Dexterity, and 4 Constitution damage. She thanks you as Body Purification heals her legs enough that she can walk without a limp.

Koko produces a spare travelers' outfit (that she use as disguises) for Shurya. It certainly beats her half-torn clothes.

Shurya also thanks Gorin for the armor. If nothing else, it'll make her feel safer, which is an emotion she had not had for days.

(as usual: all your help towards aiding Shurya recover will provide bonus opinions later ^^)


...


By the time the party comes out from the cavern, the sun had mostly dropped off the horizon. Shurya and Koko bid the rest good luck as they begin their trek back to Stormreach, along the side of the road for some concealment without making things too difficult.

The rest of the party begins their journey towards the mines. With the maps to guide you, the journey takes about three hours. Thankfully the night sky was clear and the moon was bright, as there were no lights from civilization out here.

At least, there was no light until you made it to the mines.

It was as Shurya said: the dragonshard mine was very dug in.

Its location was a flatland region between tropical forests, where House Tharashk built a stripmine into the land. But on the edge of the strip mining facility was a fort: 15ft high stone walls ringed by a wooden palisade fence. A single timber gate controlled in and out. Four elevated guard towers provided lighting, though none of it was directly atop the walls where only shadowy sillouettes patrolled.

"Halt!" The party gets challenged as they approached the gate.

Those with darkvision notices a battle-scarred gnoll standing behind the battlements of the adjacent tower. In front of him was the sharpened steel of a ballista bolt ready to launch.

"Identify yourselves!" He shouted in the common tongue.
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Re: Mission 4 - Lost Shipment (Feb 16)

Postby Sajuuk » Thu Jan 11, 2018 8:32 pm

Ahz sighs, hating this part of being a marked heir to a dragonmarked household. Raising his arm, he lets his sleeve slide down to reveal his dragonmark. "Lord Ahz Velderan d'Tharashk and his entourage would like to speak with the supervisor of this mine on behalf of Lord Kurn Velderan d'Tharashk and Lady Shurya Velderan d'Tharashk," he shouts back at the Gnoll.

(Diplomacy: 1d20+15 = 32)
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Re: Mission 4 - Lost Shipment (Feb 16)

Postby Zanaikin » Thu Jan 11, 2018 10:13 pm

The gnoll leans over the tower's crenellations and stares at Ahz for a minute, then takes out a spyglass to stare a minute longer, before looking back into the tower. Ahz heards a conversation in Gnoll for a moment, before he shouts down:

"We're opening the gates! Do not step inside or your life will be at stake!"

It takes a few minutes from the timber gate swings aside and the gnoll steps outside.

"The Gate is warded, Milord. Password," he turns about to face the gate and announces: "Vulkoor is a degenerate hermaphroditic five-copper lover of cock."

He gives the party a head-tilt: "Our wizard, likely ex-wizard's sense of humor. Please say it as you enter, lest you wish experience choking on your own vomit."

He then leads the way into the fort.

"I'm temporary Overseer here; supervisor was escorting the wagons back when... never heard from them. Also our whole security detail, except me and two warriors. Since you're here -- Milord -- it must be over their business. I got no idea how them dragonmark courtesy works, so excuse if I seem rude."

He then points at one of the gnolls by the gate and shouts something in their racial language. The gnoll nods and runs off, likely to gather the other laborers.

( Ahz gets the feeling that this guy didn't actually recognize his dragonmark. )
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Re: Mission 4 - Lost Shipment (Feb 16)

Postby Sajuuk » Thu Jan 11, 2018 10:29 pm

Ahz breathes a silent sigh of relief. In a situation like this he'd honestly rather work without having to go through the whole rigamarole of Dragonmarked House etiquette. "No worries, in a situation like this having to go through the dragonmark courtesy routine all the time would just be a danger. Your suspicion is correct - the caravan was ambushed by drow. House Tharashk sent an inquisitive to investigate the situation, and then they sent us to go and look into her disappearance - more drow ambushes. She's on her way back to Stormreach now, but we're here because of what she learned. The drow who captured the inquisitive are planning to raid the mine itself either tonight or tomorrow night."
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Re: Mission 4 - Lost Shipment (Feb 16)

Postby Zanaikin » Fri Jan 12, 2018 2:10 pm

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Re: Mission 4 - Lost Shipment (Feb 16)

Postby Squall255 » Sat Jan 13, 2018 4:53 am

[OOC planning suggestions]:
Ahz use his repairs for the day fixing the Firedrake. The enemy intel should have it as broken, so having it not be will throw a wrench in any of their plans. We should keep it hidden as long as possible.

2 Gnolls use the Bestow Weapon Proficiency to man the ballistae.

Stabilized Alchemic Bomb-grenades should be used for harassment before the Drow arrive.

Goodberry's telepathy net reaches 150ft. He has 6 slots, 4 are used by the party (Ahz, Adoett, Leah, Gorin). First thoughts are either the two Ogres, or the two Ballistae users as those are the two things I think will be the largest targets and thus the most in need of emergency healing/support. Telepathy net BARELY reaches (~20ft freedom) all 4 outer towers if Goodberry is in the central tower (measured from the 'x' label). This will also allow good communication in defending a two sided assault. note: this means thanks to pythagorean theorem, as long as all members stay within or on the stone walls, they will be within range, and won't drop out of the collective.

Goodberry can spend 10PP (~1/4 of his daily allotment) to make his collective immune to poison for 5 hours.

Adoett's primary use as a wall should probably be used to help protect one of the siege engines. If the Flamethrower is going to be mobile, he volunteers to help keep whoever's using it safe.

Side note: looks like we have 4 siege engines, and the potential to only have 3 trained users.

I leave the distribution of troops to those with more knowledge in that area.
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Re: Mission 4 - Lost Shipment (Feb 16)

Postby Kadi » Sat Jan 13, 2018 8:10 pm

Leah decides to keep out of the troop placement/commanding business. That's never been her kind of beef and the military folks are much better suited.

Concerning her role in the battle, she can lock down an entrance or a breach for a while via Astral Constructs, but not too long. Her other powers generally have low range, too, so she won't be sniping anybody...

Also, the Gloves of Dexterity from earlier should be useful for her, if they're still unspoken for.
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Re: Mission 4 - Lost Shipment (Feb 16)

Postby Sajuuk » Sun Jan 14, 2018 8:02 pm

[PCs Currently At - Sailing The High Seas]
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"No matter how difficult or absurd you make a puzzle, your players will find an even more impossible and preposterous way of solving it." - http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=680
Titles: He Whose Hand Shapes What Is, Epic Destroyer of Loot, Creator of the Elemental Plane of Bishoujos.

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Re: Mission 4 - Lost Shipment (Feb 16)

Postby Sajuuk » Sun Jan 14, 2018 8:28 pm

[PCs Currently At - Sailing The High Seas]
TODAY: Arodus 28, 4711
PARTY BUFFS ACTIVE: None










"No matter how difficult or absurd you make a puzzle, your players will find an even more impossible and preposterous way of solving it." - http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=680
Titles: He Whose Hand Shapes What Is, Epic Destroyer of Loot, Creator of the Elemental Plane of Bishoujos.

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Re: Mission 4 - Lost Shipment (Feb 16)

Postby Zanaikin » Mon Jan 15, 2018 12:59 am

(250gps isn't enough to hire a mercenary squad from Stormreach [they generally come in groups]. You could arrange for a few dock workers or thugs if you really want extra numbers.)

Ahz's Lay of the Land reveals to him that the drow could really come from three different directions: both the north and west have large sections of jungle that may mask their advance, the west slightly better as the trees advance to ~100ft of the fort itself. The south also see sparser patches of jungle that run along the road. Only the east is very unlikely, as the strip mine not only left a large depression on the ground but also left the terrain difficult to pass through.

Ahz's engineering knowledge was enough to discern that something was wrong with the Firedrake's firing mechanism, but not quite enough to figure out the details. He starts casting Repair Light Damage on it, and took 2 spells to fix due to his lack of understanding.

The Overseer comments that Watchful Eye didn't sound very useful considering they can't just watch the road or any one direction; however, Mind Eye sound good if they wanted to investigate a sound or something without leaving the fort.

As for the siege engines, he also comments: "trouble with the Drow is their guerilla tactics. You donno if they're just poking-n-prodding or if they're attacking for real until they're upon you. Those potions (Bestow Weapon Proficiency) only lasts 3 minutes. Also something you'll have to consider for any short buff."

For troop placements, he notes: "my suggestion would be to leave 3 workers in each tower, 3 on the keep to help the springal, and as the... treeforged says my rangers may be the best manning the 2 ballistas. That leaves 12 workers and the 2 ogres who can stay mobile. I think I'd be best heading for whichever ballista closer to the action and take 2 with me."
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Re: Mission 4 - Lost Shipment (Feb 16)

Postby Mr_Praetorian » Mon Jan 15, 2018 10:08 pm

Gorin volunteers to lead the remaining Gnolls and the Ogres. He also begins training them in mobile tactics.
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Re: Mission 4 - Lost Shipment (Feb 16)

Postby Squall255 » Wed Jan 17, 2018 3:03 pm

They are better archers than we are right? and have better vision when we expect them to attack? Then maybe we should hide behind the walls and pretend that we aren't here. The increased enemy caution should buy us time when they come upon the apparently abandoned walls. This should also help draw them close to negate some of their range superiority. At least for the first round of harassment.

We expect them to arrive with just numbers, poison, and bows right? They shouldn't have siege equipment to actually harm our siege weapons, so leaving them "apparently undefended" isn't a big deal, because the enemy's counter to them was going to be shoot the crew manning it. Or, Gnolling it as the case may be.
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Look! He's a brainless, life-sucking god of death. At sunrise he'll vanish like a bad dream. ~Jigo (Princess Mononoke)

<Tal> Our chem teacher said it didn't really matter how we titled the graphs and tables in our semester prac
<Tal> but i still lost marks for having a Table of +2 Undead Slaying and Graph of Destiny :(

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Re: Mission 4 - Lost Shipment (Feb 16)

Postby Zanaikin » Wed Jan 17, 2018 3:53 pm

"Them drow shoot better than they fight up close, yes. And their darkvision is double ours. Take cover behind the walls until they get close is definitely best. I question if we can fool them that we're not here; but might be worth a shot."

(note: the battlements facing outside along the walls/tower grant Hard Cover [+4 AC/+2 Reflex]; crouching behind them grants total cover)

He sneered to the second comment: "Those darkdwellers barely know what 'fortifications' are. Siege equipment from them? Ha! I don't expect fliers either. No, they'll have to assault us the hard way."

-----

Current defense distribution:

Gnoll overseer (GNO): patrols around the walls with 2 gnoll laborers; heads to nearest ballista when action starts

North ballista tower: 1 gnoll ranger (with Bestow Weapon Proficiency potion), 3 gnoll laborers

South ballista tower: 1 gnoll ranger (with Bestow Weapon Proficiency potion), 3 gnoll laborers

Eastern tower: 3 gnoll laborers

Western tower: 3 gnoll laborers

Central keep: 3 gnoll laborers + Arrow Springal, Ahz, Goodberry

Reserve force: 10 gnoll laborers, 2 ogres, Adoett, Gorin, Firedrake (can be pushed by the 2 ogres into position; but need 3 laborers to crew it)

Remaining checklist items:
(1) Is Leah just staying with the mobile reserve or elsewhere?
(2) Distribution of darkvision pots, see invisibility pots, and grenades.
(3) Ahz's Brilliant Planner use.


Edit: updated both ballistas and springal to +1
added to Misc rules - Siege Engines: Direct-fire siege engine attacks resolve as touch attacks within 1st ranged increment; they also ignore Cover bonuses to AC unless the cover is made of mostly stone or metal. Indirect-fire siege engines can only inflict critical hits on structures.
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Re: Mission 4 - Lost Shipment (Feb 16)

Postby Kadi » Sat Jan 20, 2018 5:37 pm

Leah decides to stay with the reserve for the moment. Even if an Astral Construct can plug the gate for example, doing that without backup still sounds too foolhardy. You have to be alive to have fun, after all...
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Re: Mission 4 - Lost Shipment (Feb 16)

Postby Squall255 » Sun Jan 21, 2018 1:33 am

Considering the West is probably the most likely direction to be attacked from, and the only one with no Authority posted there, Goodberry suggests Leah command that tower.

He also suggests the see invisibility potions be given to spotters on the north and west towers. The gate should be well enough covered.
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Look! He's a brainless, life-sucking god of death. At sunrise he'll vanish like a bad dream. ~Jigo (Princess Mononoke)

<Tal> Our chem teacher said it didn't really matter how we titled the graphs and tables in our semester prac
<Tal> but i still lost marks for having a Table of +2 Undead Slaying and Graph of Destiny :(


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