Oh yeah, for sure, I'm not trying to lure you guys into a death trap.
The point of the scene was to impress upon the heroes that caverns are crawling with enemies. You guys saw nearly thirty at the entrance when some deliveries were being made. It's safe to assume that more were inside during this exchange.
I get it, I get it. And I remember you saying in the beginning that if you happen in an area where you shouldn't be in your level, it's probably your own fault. Just joking around.
The area is not off limits or anything but it won't be as simple as four guys with swords walk up to it, announce their presence, and then clear it room-by-room.
I can think of a few ways that getting deeper within the caverns would be possible within our narrative (but a frontal assault is not among them).
The area is not off limits or anything but it won't be as simple as four guys with swords walk up to it, announce their presence, and then clear it room-by-room.
I can think of a few ways that getting deeper within the caverns would be possible within our narrative (but a frontal assault is not among them).
Oh me too, just fooling around, that's it. I'm just a sufferer of a serious case of main character syndrome, so I'm just trying to keep myself at bay and not spit out one idea after another. Anyway - don't take me too seriously in OOC chat.
^^ From what the group has seen so far, nothing about the caverns seems to be worked stone. That is, the part that reaches the surface world is a completely natural cavern system.
The area is not off limits or anything but it won't be as simple as four guys with swords walk up to it, announce their presence, and then clear it room-by-room.
I can think of a few ways that getting deeper within the caverns would be possible within our narrative (but a frontal assault is not among them).
Oh me too, just fooling around, that's it. I'm just a sufferer of a serious case of main character syndrome, so I'm just trying to keep myself at bay and not spit out one idea after another. Anyway - don't take me too seriously in OOC chat.
That's okay. I can be the same way. I also have been told that I overuse animal characters, so you know...expect ever-present tressym fun lol.
[As we continue to learn more about the caverns and its inhabitants ... I will post in the OOC. I'll hyperlink that post on the first post of the OOC as well, so that later, when folks want to refresh their memory ... they won't have to scour the entire OOC thread.]
Grimgnaw — An unusually smart goblin that has pressed a warband of goblins, bugbears, and even some ogres into his service.
Ghoulwall — An [item?/location?/monster?] referred to by the Goblin King in one of his missives. As in, 'you better shape up ... or I'll send you to the depths and feed you to the Ghoulwall!'
Nox — A kobold wizard allied with Grimgnaw. Adept with magical traps and rumored to be subjecting goblins to his cruel experiments.
The Rat King — A being referred to in reverential tones. Currently supports Grimgnaw and some believe that this is the only reason that Grimgnaw has enjoyed any amount of success.
Roderick* — A human seen negotiating on Grimgnaw's behalf. Seems to speak for Grimgnaw and enjoys a rank/privilege within the warband higher than the goblins & ogres.
Nomadic Merchants — A troupe of oddly accented human & halfling merchants. Seen delivering supplies to the cavern. Their relationship appears completely transactional in nature and they do not appear to be strongly allied.
*I meant to let you guys know the name of this NPC in Toadstool's reconnaissance post and I forgot to. In any event ... his name is Roderick.
Thanks for the clarification, DM. In these types of campaigns, we can go anywhere, but we can't be guaranteed to survive anywhere, especially at low levels. So, good job of posting a giant warning sign.
Heading off to warn that village does seem like our next best course of action.
Not all of us were here for the last one but it went very poorly for the heroes (the NPC went from friendly to hostile in short order).
For me, roleplaying social encounters fall on a spectrum (I like to think of it as a spectrum of how much & when the rules intersect with the posted content)
Some DMs prefer to run a social interaction as a completely free-form roleplaying exercise, where dice rarely come into play. (not me)
Other DMs prefer to resolve the outcome of an interaction by having characters just make Charisma checks. (again, not me)
Most games — like this one — will fall somewhere in between. That is, I would like to roleplay this social encounter, and also use the dice to help shape which way the encounter goes.
So ... when you post ... I would like to focus first on the actual post and then we will figure what to roll later.
When you post:
Describe your character's emotions and attitude.
Focus on your character's goal/intent and how others might perceive it.
Provide as much embellishment as you feel comfortable with.
After a post that contains something 'actionable' for the story ... I may call for a roll.
If we get to a definable goal — a decision point where the story will hinge one way or the other depending on how the social encounter plays out — I may upgrade this social encounter and resolve the goal acquisition via a skill challenge. We're not there yet, as this social encounter is essentially just a meet & greet and gather-info session (and you guys don't necessarily need this encounter to play out one way versus the other). But I did want to throw it out there as a possibility.
For the purposes of starting attitudes, the Vistani merchants will begin the encounter as indifferent, along with with an as-yet-unknown ideal, bond and flaw.
[DMG, pg 244 — An indifferent creature might help or hinder the party, depending on what the creature sees as most beneficial. A creature's indifference doesn't necessarily make it standoffish or disinterested. Indifferent creatures might be polite and genial, surly and irritable or anything in between. A successful Charisma check is necessary when the adventurers try to persuade an indifferent creature to do something.]
Geez don't remind that one please....... I go to sleep and everything is fine, I wake up and suddenly the mayor of the town has banned us from anything remotely fun..... I guess good that those players ain't here anymore.
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Oh yeah, for sure, I'm not trying to lure you guys into a death trap.
The point of the scene was to impress upon the heroes that caverns are crawling with enemies. You guys saw nearly thirty at the entrance when some deliveries were being made. It's safe to assume that more were inside during this exchange.
Insight check the DM :D
I get it, I get it. And I remember you saying in the beginning that if you happen in an area where you shouldn't be in your level, it's probably your own fault. Just joking around.
The area is not off limits or anything but it won't be as simple as four guys with swords walk up to it, announce their presence, and then clear it room-by-room.
I can think of a few ways that getting deeper within the caverns would be possible within our narrative (but a frontal assault is not among them).
Rinn and Rachael would prefer to not die. Plus, he was just curious if it’s possible that there were other entrances.
I think finding and warning the village would be top priority.
I’ll respond in IC. Just wanted to give some clarity
Oh me too, just fooling around, that's it. I'm just a sufferer of a serious case of main character syndrome, so I'm just trying to keep myself at bay and not spit out one idea after another. Anyway - don't take me too seriously in OOC chat.
It's certainly possible. This particular section of cavern has quite a large opening to the outside world.
There may also be smaller entrances, crevices, and vents.
^^ From what the group has seen so far, nothing about the caverns seems to be worked stone. That is, the part that reaches the surface world is a completely natural cavern system.
That's okay. I can be the same way. I also have been told that I overuse animal characters, so you know...expect ever-present tressym fun lol.
What We Know of the Shadowfang Caverns
[As we continue to learn more about the caverns and its inhabitants ... I will post in the OOC. I'll hyperlink that post on the first post of the OOC as well, so that later, when folks want to refresh their memory ... they won't have to scour the entire OOC thread.]
Grimgnaw — An unusually smart goblin that has pressed a warband of goblins, bugbears, and even some ogres into his service.
Ghoulwall — An [item?/location?/monster?] referred to by the Goblin King in one of his missives. As in, 'you better shape up ... or I'll send you to the depths and feed you to the Ghoulwall!'
Nox — A kobold wizard allied with Grimgnaw. Adept with magical traps and rumored to be subjecting goblins to his cruel experiments.
The Rat King — A being referred to in reverential tones. Currently supports Grimgnaw and some believe that this is the only reason that Grimgnaw has enjoyed any amount of success.
Roderick* — A human seen negotiating on Grimgnaw's behalf. Seems to speak for Grimgnaw and enjoys a rank/privilege within the warband higher than the goblins & ogres.
Nomadic Merchants — A troupe of oddly accented human & halfling merchants. Seen delivering supplies to the cavern. Their relationship appears completely transactional in nature and they do not appear to be strongly allied.
*I meant to let you guys know the name of this NPC in Toadstool's reconnaissance post and I forgot to. In any event ... his name is Roderick.
I say we befriend the merchants, climb in boxes, get delivered in and then wreak havoc.
Thanks for the clarification, DM. In these types of campaigns, we can go anywhere, but we can't be guaranteed to survive anywhere, especially at low levels. So, good job of posting a giant warning sign.
Heading off to warn that village does seem like our next best course of action.
I agree. I think we should warn the village, though the merchants we can probably get information from, at least.
Looks like folks are leaning toward meeting up with the merchant caravan once they are safely away from Shadowfang.
Then heading toward the village after.
I'll get a scene put together for the caravan folks.
Toadstool as a doggo is such a cute mental image =)
Toads takes requests regarding wildshapes :D
Hey - noticed that the ring of jumping is with Toads and it's attuned. I don't really care who has it, but we should decide :D
That is my fault. It should be with Rinn.
We have a social encounter, gang!
Not all of us were here for the last one but it went very poorly for the heroes (the NPC went from friendly to hostile in short order).
For me, roleplaying social encounters fall on a spectrum (I like to think of it as a spectrum of how much & when the rules intersect with the posted content)
Some DMs prefer to run a social interaction as a completely free-form roleplaying exercise, where dice rarely come into play. (not me)
Other DMs prefer to resolve the outcome of an interaction by having characters just make Charisma checks. (again, not me)
Most games — like this one — will fall somewhere in between. That is, I would like to roleplay this social encounter, and also use the dice to help shape which way the encounter goes.
So ... when you post ... I would like to focus first on the actual post and then we will figure what to roll later.
When you post:
After a post that contains something 'actionable' for the story ... I may call for a roll.
If we get to a definable goal — a decision point where the story will hinge one way or the other depending on how the social encounter plays out — I may upgrade this social encounter and resolve the goal acquisition via a skill challenge. We're not there yet, as this social encounter is essentially just a meet & greet and gather-info session (and you guys don't necessarily need this encounter to play out one way versus the other). But I did want to throw it out there as a possibility.
For the purposes of starting attitudes, the Vistani merchants will begin the encounter as indifferent, along with with an as-yet-unknown ideal, bond and flaw.
[DMG, pg 244 — An indifferent creature might help or hinder the party, depending on what the creature sees as most beneficial. A creature's indifference doesn't necessarily make it standoffish or disinterested. Indifferent creatures might be polite and genial, surly and irritable or anything in between. A successful Charisma check is necessary when the adventurers try to persuade an indifferent creature to do something.]
Geez don't remind that one please....... I go to sleep and everything is fine, I wake up and suddenly the mayor of the town has banned us from anything remotely fun..... I guess good that those players ain't here anymore.