Action Thread 19

[dmw71]

At the suggestion, Jeloon will secure four flasks of the flammable alcohol. "Me vote goblins," she offers.

[Alethan]

Once they are back out of the rat king's hole, Till takes a general assessment of the sector they are in. Aside from the entrance into the middle circle, is there any other way into or out of the sector without having to climb walls?

[rredmond]

I put a map of Shard in the maps thread here: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=351&p=93054#p93054

This section is pretty much demolished. There used to be some sort of gate into the center zone, which looks covered in rubble. There is the walkway to the outer tower, but you'd have to climb that as well.

[Alethan]

"Well," Till says, after everyone stares at each other blindly for what seems like an eternity, "I think we're done here. Unless we can figure out some way of gaining easier access to this section to make it a base of operations, I don't know how useful it will be to us."

Till heads back to the ropes that will return them to the druid's sector so they can begin planning an attack on the next goblin raiding party.

[Argennian]

"I agree, and was thinking the same thing, Till. Best if we are not observed, especially coming and going to Melissa's zone. If no one knows the rat king is dead, they should continue to stay away from this place. Meanwhile, we keep it clear and utilize it as we need. Since we enjoy the druid's protections while in her zone, it would seem the more comfortable and perhaps safer choice. We can ask that her rat friends keep an eye on things here when we aren't around..."

Yosef keeps his sharp elven eyes and bow at the ready while the party closes up the temple and falls back to the rope. "If we can remain hidden until enacting the next phase of our plan, we nurture and maintain the element of surprise. With help from Melissa's birds and other animal friends, we would enjoy current updates on what is happening here in Shard in addition. It would seem we have plenty of time to draw up a detailed map and begin discussing tactics. And we heal up and train in the interim..."


OOC: did we discuss training time/ available resources previously? Are those that leveled required to allocate time In Game to make it official?

[rredmond]

OOC: did we discuss training time/ available resources previously? Are those that leveled required to allocate time In Game to make it official?

One of the stipulations in the module was that you'd be allowed to level. I think we can say it's permanent. Does everyone want to fast forward to entering the goblin sector when they are out?

[dmw71]

Does everyone want to fast forward to entering the goblin sector when they are out?

This would be my preference, but I'm fine to dawdle the consensus of the rest of the group is to stay and play out the wait.

[Alethan]

We dawdle too much, good sir. Time to use some of those new executive powers and fast forward a day or two.

Maybe you can just get us all together on AF1, Ron?

[rredmond]

Hmmm, "Air Force 1"?

[Alethan]

Ummm... Yeah. I'm sure your boss isn't using it ALL the time, right?

[Argennian]

OOC: did we discuss training time/ available resources previously? Are those that leveled required to allocate time In Game to make it official?

One of the stipulations in the module was that you'd be allowed to level. I think we can say it's permanent.

OOC: So noted!

Does everyone want to fast forward to entering the goblin sector when they are out?

OOC2: No problem with the fast forward, Ron, would just want to be sure of a few things:

- Do what we can in regards to maintaining an ongoing recon on not just the goblin slice but what else is going on in Shard, and document that timeline. Melissa's animal friends would be huge for helping with this, if she'll agree to employ them, as well as making sure things remain clear in the rat king's our new slice next door!

- Yosef wants to use the down time to study the magical items they've acquired to date and learn everything he can about them (if gleaning anything further in that regard is even a possibility?) This would include the party's unidentified loot from the abandoned outpost (where we left Derek, IG).
Note: knowing how much Melissa despises magic, we should keep that stuff on the DL as much as we can. If there is any usage/experimentation needed, we could use the temple. In fact, if Yosef thinks he would have to try out the new wand to be able to know exactly how it functions and what it does, he'd be likely to do so in the caverns below the temple, not wanting to alert the other denizens of Shard.

- Obviously go over our assault plans well and often. I know we've been told not to launch our attack directly from Melissa's slice, so as to preserve her appearance of neutrality & non-complacency. Thinking we should launch a two-pronged attack, say from our temple slice and mayhap even the outside wall as well? It would be rad to use the Helm of Sight to make sure there aren't any secret or hidden doors going in and out of the goblin slice from the outside wall, if possible. In fact, a complete circle of the city with the helm would be beyond rad! Guessing that would have to occur during a night op/pre-dawn mission?

- Retro anything we forget to mention atm!

Ummm... Yeah. I'm sure your boss isn't using it ALL the time, right?

Dude! There has to be more than enough room to game on that thing, right?

[Alethan]

That would be another wasted use of the helm, since Bruard has already done that. It is how we found the Druid's entrance.

So are we then talking about attacking the goblins that stay behind? Or the ones that go out and raid?

I was thinking... If we do the former, then when the latter comes back, their chief may be able to gather up other forces from the city to help attack us in the goblin sector. But if we go after the raiding party, away from the city, then we stand a better chance of not raising any kind of alarm with the city.

[Argennian]

That would be another wasted use of the helm, since Bruard has already done that. It is how we found the Druid's entrance.

OOC: Hmm, maybe I'm not remembering it right but I was under the impression that had not been done around the entire outer wall of Shard, just on the north side between the eastern and westernmost points when we initially arrived at the city that night? Apols if I missed that, just wanted to make sure is all.

So are we then talking about attacking the goblins that stay behind? Or the ones that go out and raid?

Definitely hitting the goblins that remain in the sector when the raiding party goes out! Otherwise, we'd have to tangle with most of the gobbies and all their worgs, iirc.

I was thinking... If we do the former, then when the latter comes back, their chief may be able to gather up other forces from the city to help attack us in the goblin sector. But if we go after the raiding party, away from the city, then we stand a better chance of not raising any kind of alarm with the city.

True, but I was thinking that if they're gone on their raid when we hit their slice, we stand a better chance defeating their lesser numbers present and could then lay a trap and be ready for them when they return if all goes well. If it doesn't we simply fall back to the temple slice. If we try and follow and attack the raiding party, we'd need to do so with a very effective ambush and terrain advantage to pull it off. Even with our new powers/items, I wouldn't want to attack a force of goblins and worgs in the open or with nowhere to fall back to.

Of course, this is all predicated on the hope that the other denizens of Shard would be indifferent to "internal" conflicts between other city occupants, as Melissa told us they usually are or at least have been in the past. Supposedly.

[dmw71]

Jeloon considers the potential courses of actions: Attack the raiding party once it departs, or the goblin slice of the shard once the raiding party departs. "Me say we wait 'til they leave and attack what's left. Wipe out their home."

"Once cleared, we can search and secure the area while we wait for the return of the raiding party... then take them out, too." she says with a toothy smile.

[Alethan]

Till shrugs, "Works for me. But I don't like the idea of splitting up. Or of going into that center sector just yet. I'd rather they not know we're here for as long as possible."

OOC: Looking back, it appears he only scanned walls 5 and 6. I thought he'd gone all the way around. So it might be worth doing. We'll need to figure out a way of getting in the goblin sector, in any case. I'm opposed to using the entrance from the middle sector, though.

[rredmond]

Ummm... Yeah. I'm sure your boss isn't using it ALL the time, right?

Coffee meet monitor!

[Alethan]

Ummm... Yeah. I'm sure your boss isn't using it ALL the time, right?

Coffee meet monitor!

Hmmm... possibly I misread your promotion.

[Argennian]

Yosef considers his companions' thoughts on the matter as he enjoys a drink of fresh water and a nibble of trail rations. "I too vote we ambush the ones remaining within their slice once that raiding party departs. It could be tactically advantageous to hit them from two directions, if we could figure out how to do so effectively. It would hopefully cause confusion and perhaps have them guessing about our true strength and numbers. But you are right in being cautious of that center section, Till. I agree we should not disclose our presence to the other inhabitants of the city until ready to do so on our terms, if we can help it...
"Mayhap we could use the Helm of Sight to reconnoiter their outer walls under cover of darkness, say in the pre-dawn? Finding a secret door or other hidden means of entry, if there is one present, would surely be a boon to our plans. I also say we continue to ask Melissa to have her animal friends obtain regular status reports and updates for us, from not just the goblin slice but also the others here in Shard. What do you think, friends?"

[rredmond]

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Day 21 – Waiting out the Goblins


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Fortunately, or unfortunately, there isn't that much time to think or plan. Melissa's birds alert you that last night a couple goblins on worgs, coming fast, gain entrance to the outer tower of the goblin sector. Then they must have climbed the inside, because they exited the tower on the elevated platform. Then followed the platform into the sector and then down into the underground compound of the Red Stone Goblins. Which Melissa can tell you is unusual, normally they head out at regular intervals. They rarely get visits.

The next morning about a score, mayhap a few more than a score, of goblins on worgs head out. This too is unusual since they just returned from a raid. But 20+ goblins is a large percentage of the goblin compound, so they must have been summoned for some warlike reason.

Everyone had a good night's rest. Everyone is at full hit points. Spell casters can choose their spells now. Options, options folks. What will you do?

HPs: Jeloon - 29/29; Till - 36/36; Yosef - 13/13; Bruard - 19/19
WIH: Till: short sword (15' radius light); Jeloon: Longsword (20' radius light), shield; Yosef: bow and arrow; Bruard: Mace, shield; Van: +1 ogre spear, shield; Eyman: +1 Battle Axe, shield
MO: 1- Jeloon; 2- Till; 3- Bruard & Eyman; 4- Ancor, Rosin, DAMs; 54 - Yosef ; 5 - Van
Consumables: Lantern - (Bruard) continual light 60' radius; Torch, 50 minutes (Yosef), 40' radius; Torch, 60 minutes (off), 40' radius.
--------Spells: Yosef: 1-2/2, 2-1/1; Bruard: 1-5/5, 2-4/4
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[dmw71]

Jeloon grins at the news. "Sounds to me," she starts, "that cleaning out the compound just got easier."

"Do we move now, or wait for cover of night?" she asks impatiently.