Following Lothar's single hex move, all four of the root creatures immediately move forward a similar distance. Moreover, strands of root extends outwards between each of the two creatures on either side, across hexes 0609 and 1009, forming a tenuous sort of fence.
But none of the creatures attack or act in anyway except to block Lothar's way ~ perhaps malevolent, perhaps not.
The players may decide upon the movement of their characters.
48 comments:
I advance to 0713. (1AP) Then I hold fire.
We want to test going around the barriers guys? They may be attracted to the lamp but their movement is symmetrical so far; whether by coincidence or intent I can't say.
"Let's leave; recuperate first."
Your movement, Pandred, seems to have no effect. The "attitude" of the creatures all seem literally bent towards Lothar.
I'm for leaving now as well. So long as they don't try to follow us we don't have to hack through them right now. We can come back and experiment with them when we've all got our HP back.
I back up two hexes.
On hold.
Question: Can I have my shield equipped simultaneously with handling the sling?
As you back away, Lothar, you see no change in the position of the root-creatures. They seem "rooted" in their places.
Engelhart,
That is an interesting notion and I think you may have hit upon why a sling has a benefit over a bow (it doesn't do more damage, it isn't fired faster). Yes, is my answer. You can use a shield and a sling at the same time.
Very well.
But not just that, and correct me if I'm wrong, a sling may also make mitigated use of improvised ammunition of the most easily available sort: stones.
Revising my "on hold" comment, I'm all for leaving and striking camp. I'll back away with the rest of the party, keeping cohesion.
That's three of four. Allow that you all retreat from the room, returning to the surface. What is the next move?
Striking camp, as mentioned.
I set out seeking a place to set up a comfortable camp site.
There is a place of open, dry ground near Store Stokka, sheltered and with good access to a spring near the lake. It is about a quarter mile from Mimmarudla.
Perfect. Presuming Lothar consents to guide us, I ask Petar and Willa for their help in setting up our small and large tents for folks to sleep in this evening at the campsite.
The followers and characters apply themselves to setting up a camp and it is soon the late afternoon. Any other details or discussion before a put up a post for 6pm?
I've got precious little to add, other than that I'll collect my things from the area, like my fur coat.
Do you have a plan for what to do if you a) return into the room with the well or b) return to Stavanger? Or is there some other agenda you'd like to pursue?
I do not. Pretty sure we'll test the lamp some more, Lothar is still best equipped with his exceptional hp to be its bearer.
If folks want to return to Stavanger for a resupply, I'm up for it. We could see about getting something incendiary to deal with the root-golems.
We might be able to move the large statue with the ol' rod-and-roll method, but that sounds like it would take days of effort, assuming it even works in this terrain. I imagine the statue would be, based on size alone, worth a decent sum.
I personally want to get back into the barrow ASAP though.
Bergthora will rush to counsel Pandred on the use of fire underground. "Good Lady, let me be sure first of all that the air is healthy and good; if there is naphtha in the air, as there often is, we'll ignite ourselves as well as these things you describe."
Because the statue is actually in a gully, it wouldn't be possible to roll it anywhere except down the gully and towards the sea.
I'm good for heading back to the barrow. I cast Cure Light Wounds on Embla as soon as is practical.
I ask Bergthora if there is a way to (safely) test the air, and what she needs for such a test.
I concur with returning to the barrow quickly.
Alexis, how weaponizable are our torches? Even if little, might they be souped-up with additional oil for express combat purpose?
That would be as soon as you sleep and re-memorize the spell, Engelhart. You must sleep for at least six hours.
Bergthora has spent so much time underground, since she was a child; she will simply need to smell the air.
As for torches being weaponizable, they're just not heavy enough. They're only half the weight of a club, about as heavy as a wrist band that we'd use for working out. They're flimsy and would break if used as a weapon. Too, you wouldn't know how to 'soup' them up; they're already soaked in wax and oil to the densest degree they can be.
That said, a torch should be able to do 1-2 damage if the burning end can be held against someone's skin.
Here are my thoughts.
1) What is the state of our supplies? How much food do we have? What do we need to get from town? How many of the beetle glands do we want to keep, and how many do we want to sell?
2) If anyone has full HP, or close enough that Engelhart can split his Cure Light in the morning with enough to bring Embla back to close to fighting strength, that person should make a run to town in the morning while the rest of us take it easy, in accordance with the requirements for Resting.
3) We should compare notes/ideas on how to tackle the well room before we go back, and have a solid game plan that everyone agrees to before we go in.
I'm concerned the glands won't last forever, or even much longer.
I can be our runner to Stavanger if need be. I've got nothing in terms of food supplies, so we'll have to inventory our rations. I don't know what else we'd want.
In terms of the well room: we're either killing the roots, or we're seeing if they can be ignored. Without exploring deeper into the tomb, I have no guesses what their destruction would mean for us. Same time though, I'm apprehensive about leaving them intact behind us.
I tentatively suggest we open with a full volley on one of them, and see where that takes us.
I've got nothing either in terms of rations. I was running on donations at the time of the first party wipe and personally gained zero coinage since then.
I'm all for attacking the roots, too, though. If we keep to the bottleneck + missiles plan, it feels like a sure shot that we can take them out with relatively little harm done.
If you do run back to Stavanger, make sure you bring back a Pike you can work with (for the second rank from the stairway) and maybe an armour upgrade, money permitting.
I was wondering if we could have a time frame to work in.
1) Are you going back downstairs before nightfall. If not, can I begin with the next morning?
2) Are you going back downstairs before the return of Pandred and his trip to Stavanger. If not, can I begin with the next evening, or perhaps the morning of the 29th? Today as you make camp it is the 27th, tomorrow is the 28th.
Decisions?
I have 3 bags of potatoes and some cheese.
My vote is for morning on the 29th.
Yes, let it be 29th. Out of the question descending while the party is not at full-strength.
That seems fine, Embla. That's around 70 lbs., though it is dull fare. If that is all you have, the followers will grumble somewhat.
Good, but more/better food would be better. I still support Pandred going shopping.
I'm good with the 29th as well.
We can have Pandred sell all but 4? 6? of the bladders so we can use them ourselves. Also the eggs if they haven't hatched yet. That money can fund groceries and perhaps some lanterns and a quantity of oil. And maybe a coat for me, since it does get a bit cool at night yet.
Since we are going to pick up on the 29th, you had better tell Pandred NOW what you want (as Lothar has started). You won't be able to tell him once he's in Stavanger.
Should Pandred take ALL the bladders/glands? I will remind you that you're right now a quarter mile from the eggs, which I don't remember anyone picking up. Did someone and I missed it?
How much money will Pandred take with him?
Alexis, Pandred is a she...
We may have forgotten to pick up the eggs... oh well, a quarter mile is nothing since we have a day and a half to burn away.
I started with some shopping recommendations (Pike) but it's hard, not having the faintest as to how much our organic loot might fetch.
We can invest in a liberal amount of oil, that we may douse these critters with it since they're unresponsive and then burn them down handily and with nary a sword raised?
Take the chance while we're there egg-hunting to have the mining-savvy sapper sniff the air for surprises, too?
That was my thought, Engelhart.
I suggest that we sell all but 4 of the bladders. If, after selling the bladders and buying some greens and meat and other necessities, I would request the following be purchased:
For the group - 2 lanterns, a gallon of oil, a felling axe, cotton bandages
For myself (assuming my share of the remaining coin after food purchases will admit, in order of preference) - a bear fur coat; a longsword, belt and scabbard; a small wooden shield
Sorry, Miss Pandred.
There is another issue that matters, since it's intended that Pandred will be spending the money gained from the bladders.
The bladders are "treasure." I had intended trying the rule that x.p. is awarded only for treasure that is SPENT on personal needs and luxuries, specifically the creation of usable assets (buying fifty handaxes would not be "usable" unless the player had fifty followers/hirelings to supply). I've always wanted to try the rule, as it interests me and I'd like to see how it plays.
I still can play it this way as Pandred spending the money but the players still enjoying the experience once they RECEIVE the assets. I think it will play out all right, but I was going to bring it up when you next returned to Stavanger and because of this change I'm bringing it up now.
If you walk the quarter mile and climb into the barrow, you're not resting and you won't get hit points back for resting. Just so that is clear.
All right, Pandred is elected. I'm going to write the next post, with Pandred going to Stavanger. Willa will volunteer to go with her. Any objections to either of these?
No sir.
But she will be getting the eggs to go with; sacrificing 1 hp for that is trivial.
(Moreover, I was completely unaware that we got x.p. for treasure, is this a totally new addition?)
Oh, and we could do well with more healing salves, of course.
I've given experience for treasure since 1979, when I first began playing D&D. I've never not. I would still be giving for treasure, but I want players to spend the money first [but it is an experiment].
I recommend blankets for each of us - the 4PCs. Would you like to take the donkey? I also volunteer 100gp to assist in the purchasing.
Unless Pandred has experience with work animals, she cannot take the donkey; she can't manage it any better than the real me could. It would also take her longer to make the trip.
I was going to say, so long as your CLO is 2.45 or better, you're not in danger of taking damage out here in the wilderness. Remember the tent adds 1 CLO when you're inside it.
[Ah, I understand, it's the x.p. for beneficial expenditure that's the novelty then, understood.]
Perhaps I'm being overly cautious, but not hearing from Pandred since this morning, I am still waiting for confirmation that there is no problem with Willa going with Pandred, or that Pandred is going to Stavanger.
[Okay, in lieu of an answer for the time being, I'm going to close down for the night. Tomorrow, remember, is my day off, so I will be back on Saturday, about 7pm EST. Until then]
Alright. Just got back from work, lot to catch up on.
1) I am going to Stavanger with Willa. I have experience as a teamster and can drive a donkey, so I will happily do so if it won't elongate my journey by more than an hour or two.
2) I am buying food. Alexis, you mentioned Embla's million potatoes rations would cause grumbling among the hirelings: please advise how to avoid that. Do I need to break out my nutritional pyramid?
3) I will also get blankets, and some bandages, a felling axe, the lanterns and oil, and the rest of Lothar's goodies if able.
4) Engelhart, I can't use a Pike. If someone here can I'll get one, otherwise I'd rather not spend the money. I agree on the weapon in principal, I just don't think the extra encumbrance for a weapon that will be used, at best, at a -2 penalty is good for us right now. Pretty sure most of the party has a higher non-proficiency penalty than that.
5) With Embla's cash, that's 167gp and some change. I don't know what our treasure will net us, but I -think- I can manage everything we've asked for.
With our esteemed DM taking his day off, we've got another day to think on it, so please let me know any last minute changes or concerns.
I'm here, working on the next post.
Pandred, I hope you've just gone ahead and priced things on the Stavanger table you have, so that you can pick up with things when returning on the morning of Friday the 29th.
The next post is up.
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