Utility Detail - Thoril, Sabyllos

[ravenn4544]

Sounds like a plan - no armor, grab weapons, and go. We should be ready to fight a group of guards when we exit. I'll throw a coil of rope around me though in case our comrades are in trouble.

Thoril hears the commotion and drops the armor - time is of the essence and perhaps surprise is on their side! He throws a coil of rope over his head and shoulder and grabs a few swords. He heads down when Syballos gives the signal - ready for anything.

[Pulpatoon]

And we're off!

Just in case:
Eldritch Blast: [1d20+5] = 14+5 = 19, Damage: [1d10] = 1

[drpete]

Ok, I think I understand the plan, but not totally sure...

You want to have Sabyllos and Jimjar "distract" the guards by attacking them so that Thoril can cross the bridge toward the cells, then cut the bridge behind him.

It sounds like you might need to start this off with a stealth roll to see if you draw the attention of the various guards. For a group check, half of you need to make it to succeed, so lets try your npc comrades first:

Jimjar: [1d20+4] = 14+4 = 18
Shuushar stealth [1d20] = 14

Ok, so please both of you give me stealth rolls?

[Pulpatoon]

I don't think Thoril should cross the bridge, because then he'd be stranded. The plan is to keep any Quaggoths still in their cage from being able to engage. I'm assuming the cell is empty, and all the prisoners are on work detail. If this is not the case, then I suppose the plane should instead be to go back to the cells and hack at the bridge that connects them to the Quaggoth cave.

Stealth [1d20+2] = 4+2 = 6

Oof. Good thing I'm the distraction.

[ravenn4544]

Stealth Dex (13) [1d20+1] = 9+1 = 10

[drpete]

To be clear... the space between the quaggoth den and the cells is a narrow stairway, not a rope bridge.

On the map, you guys are at G, and are talking about crossing over to the "quaggoth side" of the bridge and isolating yourselves from the drow on the quaggoth side, by cutting off your retreat back to G, right?

[drpete]

Waiting for a signal from Jimjar, you quietly rush down the stairs and across the bridge without being noticed by the Drow guards gathered at the other rope bridge. This gives you enough time to get across to the landing by your cell.

From this perspective, you can dimly see what the commotion is about.

Flying through the air below you, near the quaggoth cave, there are several large flying creatures engaged in some sort of aerial battle.

You see a pair of large (8 feet tall) bat-winged creatures with sharp beaks seem to be fighting several giant (9 feet long) mosquito looking things in the open space of the large cavern. The buzzing sound that you have been hearing seems to be coming from the mosquitos. As you watch, one of the bat-winged creatures emits a loud shriek and dives at one of the mosquitoes, slashing it with a talon.

If you would like to cut the rope bridge, please give me attack & damage rolls. Since you've removed your restraints, these are just regular (non-disadvantaged) rolls.

[Pulpatoon]

To be clear... the space between the quaggoth den and the cells is a narrow stairway, not a rope bridge.

On the map, you guys are at G, and are talking about crossing over to the "quaggoth side" of the bridge and isolating yourselves from the drow on the quaggoth side, by cutting off your retreat back to G, right?

Nope, we are trying to keep the quaggoths from making it to where we and the guards are. I figure we have a better shot of taking out the guards if they don't have quaggoth backup. We definitely do not want to trap ourselves over by the cells with a bunch of angry quaggoths.

[drpete]

Ok, soooo... you want to stay in the guard tower near the guards and cut the bridge?

Alternatively, you could go, I dunno... down, using a rope?

[Pulpatoon]

Raven, the DMs incredulity is making me question the plan. What do you think?

Am I correct in thinking that the cells are empty, and everyone is out on work detail?
Am I correct in believing that the main body of quaggoths are in the cave, but have been summoned by the alarm?

If both are the case, then I still think it makes sense to chop down the bridge.
However, if there are people back in the cell, it makes more sense to go free them, chopping down the bridge after us is there are signs of pursuit.
And if the quaggoths aren't in their cave, then there's no point in trying to cut off access to their cave.

Also, are we about to be overwhelmed by stirges?!

[drpete]

Im just trying to check what you meant... there was talk about going across the bridge, then cutting down the bridge, but it seemed like you were imagining a second bridge.

As for the quaggoths, your quaggoth guards are conspicuously absent, at the moment.

The cell was cleared out, and from the edge of the bridge, you can see a *few* quaggoth on the other side, down near the quaggoth cave. They are watching the aerial battle away the moment...

[Pulpatoon]

Given what we've seen, I'm inclined to sneak back to the armory and don that armor, and take some time getting properly equipped. I think our captors are about to be very busy. What do you think, raven?

[ravenn4544]

I’m fine with that. We seem to have an opportunity for that. The next few rounds may offer us up a better option.

[Pulpatoon]

Sabyllos tries not to draw any attention as he heads back to the armory. If he makes it, he'll motion for Jimjar to join Thoril and himself, and then pull the ladder up after them. He will then take the necessary time to don armor.
Stealth [1d20+2] = 15+2 = 17

[ravenn4544]

Thoril dons armor and tries to put some lighter armour and weapons in a sack to take with them.

"what next? we don't want to be trapped on one of this island rocks"

[drpete]

After sneaking down and seeing the aerial battle, you sneak back up into the armory to finish putting on the armor. Shushar and Jimjar join you in this.

As you are doing this, the drow guards race across the guard room below to the bridge you had considered, apparently rushing toward the aerial battle.

ok, so you can assume you get leather armor on.

Can you make a list of the stuff you want to take?

[Pulpatoon]

Chain shirts
Studded Leather
Shields
Hand crossbows
Bolt cases
Shortswords
Daggers
Bags of caltrops
100 foot coils of rope
Building hammers
Bags of iron spikes

Okay, let's go shopping!
Sabyllos outfits himself with studded armor and two daggers. In one sack, he puts two coils of rope, two hammers, two bags of spikes, and two bags of caltrops. In another bag, he puts two set of studded leather, two shortswords, and two crossbows with bolts.

I'm very vaguely estimating what is an appropriate weight. The intention is to be able to sufficiently equip two companions, but if he can handle more, he'll take as much as a he can without becoming grievously overburdened. That is, encumbered, but not heavily encumbered. His plan, when he runs into trouble, is to drop the sacks at his feet and fire off eldritch blasts.

He gestures for Jimjar and Shushar to do similarly. "The moment you encounter one of our fellow inmates, give them the weapons bag! We can distribute the other items when we catch a moment's respite."

[ravenn4544]

Thoril also tries to maximize the load but not at the expense of defending himself - it wouldn't help if he couldn't get the arms back to the group.

He'll armor himself and use a less preferred sword until he can get his axe back and put daggers, rope, spikes and a hammer into the bag for escape.

[drpete]

You hastily shove equipment into bags, hoping to balance usefulness with weight.

As you work, you hear the sound of the battle, especially the horrible droning from the giant fly-things, grow significantly louder. Down below, you hear screams from some of the guards below you. While you are somewhat shielded from the sound in the armory, it causes intense discomfort. Several horrifying shrieks fill the air.

The sound moves away, then moves closer... whatever is going on out there, it doesn't seem to be going away.

The sound comes closer, and you hear the sound of a snapping bowstring and the screaming of several guards. The rope bridge leading back over to the barracks has been snapped, and the guards on it have fallen!

[ravenn4544]

Thoril eyes his companion. “We go now, yes?”