(Time to use the new Map combat feature for the first time and see if that speeds things up).
Gudrunesteps back around the corner into the hidden portion of the passageway as stealth is not her forte, ready to dash in if any of their foes are foolish enough to enter the passageway. Broma stands there with her, silent as an anatomists' workshop, while Caponemoves to stand beside Jason, the little sorcerer focusing on the Bugbearnearest to him, ready to contain him while the others aim at their cruel overseer.
The stage is set, now all that is left is noise and conclusion.
(Lorken will wait, and if a hostile creature moves towards the party, Lorken will move to place himself between that creature and the party, still within the corridor.)
Two arrows fly true, one taking the drow just below the neck and piercing through. With a gurgle of surprise, the man falls to the ground. Even as he dies, his skin shudders and writhes, his limbs lengthen and suddenly there is no longer a dead drow on the ledge overlooking the bugbears but, instead, a dead Doppelganger.
The Bugbearsturn towards the sound of the collapsing overseer, unaware of where the arrows were fired from.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Jayson says stepping forward 10ft to the edge where the cavern starts, "My friends and I have killed your guard. My friends and I are interested in chatting with you to get some information."
(A natural one, oof. Does anyone wish to try and intimidate or deceive the Bugbears, before Jayson stumbles his way into this? They're pretty socially solvable a situation. DC 10])
Sensing that Jayson has perhaps not got off on the right tack, Lorken takes a more direct approach.
"Yes, as my friend says, we have some questions." Lorken unshoulders his axe. "Of course, if you don't feel like being helpful... well, we DO so hate loose ends."
The bugbear further from you backs up against the shale pile that it was digging in, while the one closest to you throws down the axe it was using as a chipped and pitted pick.
“Blow this,” says the closer, its deep voice unusually shrill. “Ain’t dying for Drow, nor human.”
(It may answer some questions about what lies beyond in the final room, and what it was looking for, if you promise to let it go. If you’re happy to not kill/harm it then initiative order is over.)
Gudruneapproaches the Bugbears, scaling down from the passageway and corralling the two larger creatures against the outcropping of stone, gesturing to them to rest on their haunches, their weapons abandoned down below near the watercourse.
"I follow the Brightaxe and the Gemfather, treat fair with me and I'll treat fair with you. I'm guessing that the Drow Overseer wasn't kind to you, but I'm also guessing that he wasn't alone. What did he have you digging for? What else is down here in this mine lurking for us in a place that they've no claim to?"
The Bugbearsgulp noisly then talk over one another in an effort to provide the party with more information than their companion, and so secure your good graces. It makes it harder rather than easier to pick out what is useful but eventually you puzzle together everything of use from the pair.
At the bottom of the twenty foot rift below, hidden amongst the rubble, the Spiderhas divined that there is another magical item from the time of the Forge's greatest days.The Bugbearsdo not know exactly what the item does, only that they are gauntlets, last known to belong to a dwarf.
The Bugbearsshare their knowledge of their compatriots and masters, and those hazards that they have encountered so far. Though some passageways hold secrets they have yet to uncover...
Jayson, says, "We should make sure we don't get boxed in or caught between two groups. Fight small numbers as we move along possibly. If we can surprise them, that would be even better. Find a way to make use of our skill without taking too much damage along the way."
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Levi Flint - DM - Mad Mage; Korvin - DM - Tyranny of Dragons; Player Lucan - The One Breath, Player Gildor Surion - Balder's Gate-Decent;
The little sorcerer Caponetwirls and tugs at the strands of his long white beard as the party brain storms in the watercourse. "If the bugbear reinforcements are a corridor away then perhaps your spell could be just the magic we need,Jayson," he says. "Another Silence could prevent the Bugbears from hearing any call from their masters and let us draw them out into the corridor. ThenGudruneandLorken can give them a close up view of their big weapons while we stand just outside the zone of silence and give them the old cantrip until they agree it would be better if we all just talked it out!"
The little sorcerer Caponetwirls and tugs at the strands of his long white beard as the party brain storms in the watercourse. "If the bugbear reinforcements are a corridor away then perhaps your spell could be just the magic we need,Jayson," he says. "Another Silence could prevent the Bugbears from hearing any call from their masters and let us draw them out into the corridor. ThenGudruneandLorken can give them a close up view of their big weapons while we stand just outside the zone of silence and give them the old cantrip until they agree it would be better if we all just talked it out!"
Jayson replies to Capone,, "I won't be able to cover them both with the spell I can place it so it covers 20ft radius in front of the hallway we are in but not touch the hallway. That way after they walk through it and get to the entrance to the hallway they can hear us again. The other option would be to cast it on one of an item one of them is carrying, but then it will move with them all the time until the discard it in the cavern. Thoughts?"
Jayson will cast it in the best option they feel gives them the best chance of success.
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Levi Flint - DM - Mad Mage; Korvin - DM - Tyranny of Dragons; Player Lucan - The One Breath, Player Gildor Surion - Balder's Gate-Decent;
Jayson signals everyone to follow him back into the stoned pathway hall.cast silence on the cavern part but so it overlaps just enough to ensure no sound escapes westward, but it will leave sound able to travel southward possibly.
"I'll silence the area westward my friends but we can talk in the hallway here. Let's have a chat...Perhaps you can help us gather some friends along the way as we move through the complex here. If you can tell us or know some other bugbears we can free that might help our cause all the better. You go free in the end and we get some help. What do you think?"
Jayson cast silence.
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Levi Flint - DM - Mad Mage; Korvin - DM - Tyranny of Dragons; Player Lucan - The One Breath, Player Gildor Surion - Balder's Gate-Decent;
On returning to the larger space before the final enemies, Jaysonspeaks to the Bugbears, to entreat with the reinforcements they speak of to the south and perhaps encourage them all to leave or to fight their bosses and reap the spoils... but they're gone.
With the eyes of the band removed from them, the two cowardly bugbears have fled the cavern by some other means. To brave the dangers of the mine and escape, or to double back and inform their allies if they have the time? You can't be sure.
(Happy with the silence placement, or did you mean somewhere different?)
OOC - Can we pull the silence spell back towards Gudrune just at the edge of Gudrune? We go south to see if the bugbear's will help us from the lower section quickly. 10 min on silence so no more than 5 min wasted on talking to them. (We can skip this if we want and just go straight to the main room.) We'd have verbal spells once through the silence spell. We'd charge in once through the spell. Melee's first then spell casters in the back and range attackers.
Jayson comments on a possible plan, "We all go in from the silence area, Lorken and Broma moves in from the lower area melee attack Lestheris and lightning launcher bonus attack, Alaina, Capone and me in the back come in with Alaina using Arrows and hail of thorns, Capone fire bolt cantrip, and I'll eldritch blast. Lorken and Broma focus on Lestheris and the rest of us on goblin spinecleaver at first. Then we move to next available targets. Thoughts and counter suggestions to be factored in and adjusted accordingly."
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Levi Flint - DM - Mad Mage; Korvin - DM - Tyranny of Dragons; Player Lucan - The One Breath, Player Gildor Surion - Balder's Gate-Decent;
(Got it. More like this? Moved Gudrune after moving the circle.)
Jaysonapproaches the door behind which the Bugbears hide. It is solid stone and easily barred from the outside. Perhaps some old sort of holding cell? A clever joining of stone allows an eye hole to be opened, also from the outside, and Jaysonpulls it opens. Inside are six large Bugbears in various states of unreadiness.
What do you say to them? Roll a Persuasion or Intimidation check, depending on what you feel is most reasonable.
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(Time to use the new Map combat feature for the first time and see if that speeds things up).
Initiative - Round 1:
1.
Gudrune, Lorken2. Bugbear Roughneck x2 (Surprised)
3. Alaina, Capone, Broma
4. Vhalak (Surprised)
5. Jayson.
(Lorken will wait, and if a hostile creature moves towards the party, Lorken will move to place himself between that creature and the party, still within the corridor.)
Alaina opens up with two arrows sailing at the surprised drow.
AC 25, 33 force damage,
AC 18, 23 piercing damage.
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain
Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards.
DM - The Old Keep
Jayson says stepping forward 10ft to the edge where the cavern starts, "My friends and I have killed your guard. My friends and I are interested in chatting with you to get some information."
Jayson uses persuasion skill. Jayson Persuasion: 18
Signature
Levi Flint - DM - Mad Mage; Korvin - DM - Tyranny of Dragons; Player Lucan - The One Breath, Player Gildor Surion - Balder's Gate-Decent;
(A natural one, oof. Does anyone wish to try and intimidate or deceive the Bugbears, before Jayson stumbles his way into this? They're pretty socially solvable a situation. DC 10])
Sensing that Jayson has perhaps not got off on the right tack, Lorken takes a more direct approach.
"Yes, as my friend says, we have some questions." Lorken unshoulders his axe. "Of course, if you don't feel like being helpful... well, we DO so hate loose ends."
(Intimidation: 14)
Jayson bows to Lorken whispering, "Uh..All yours my friend. I'll back you up thanks for the assist."
Signature
Levi Flint - DM - Mad Mage; Korvin - DM - Tyranny of Dragons; Player Lucan - The One Breath, Player Gildor Surion - Balder's Gate-Decent;
"So should we try to get these gauntlets, and use them against the foes, or try to strike fast and hard?"
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain
Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards.
DM - The Old Keep
OOC - Based on the map provided.
Jayson, says, "We should make sure we don't get boxed in or caught between two groups. Fight small numbers as we move along possibly. If we can surprise them, that would be even better. Find a way to make use of our skill without taking too much damage along the way."
Signature
Levi Flint - DM - Mad Mage; Korvin - DM - Tyranny of Dragons; Player Lucan - The One Breath, Player Gildor Surion - Balder's Gate-Decent;
Jayson replies to Capone,, "I won't be able to cover them both with the spell I can place it so it covers 20ft radius in front of the hallway we are in but not touch the hallway. That way after they walk through it and get to the entrance to the hallway they can hear us again. The other option would be to cast it on one of an item one of them is carrying, but then it will move with them all the time until the discard it in the cavern. Thoughts?"
Jayson will cast it in the best option they feel gives them the best chance of success.
Signature
Levi Flint - DM - Mad Mage; Korvin - DM - Tyranny of Dragons; Player Lucan - The One Breath, Player Gildor Surion - Balder's Gate-Decent;
Jayson signals everyone to follow him back into the stoned pathway hall.cast silence on the cavern part but so it overlaps just enough to ensure no sound escapes westward, but it will leave sound able to travel southward possibly.
"I'll silence the area westward my friends but we can talk in the hallway here. Let's have a chat...Perhaps you can help us gather some friends along the way as we move through the complex here. If you can tell us or know some other bugbears we can free that might help our cause all the better. You go free in the end and we get some help. What do you think?"
Jayson cast silence.
Signature
Levi Flint - DM - Mad Mage; Korvin - DM - Tyranny of Dragons; Player Lucan - The One Breath, Player Gildor Surion - Balder's Gate-Decent;
(Happy with the silence placement, or did you mean somewhere different?)
OOC - Based on circumstances with the bugbears the silences location is perfect.
Jayson says softly to the group, "Do we have a plan?"
OOOC - I'll come up with a plan since you are the DM. I'll need to review the PC's stuff.
Signature
Levi Flint - DM - Mad Mage; Korvin - DM - Tyranny of Dragons; Player Lucan - The One Breath, Player Gildor Surion - Balder's Gate-Decent;
OOC - Can we pull the silence spell back towards Gudrune just at the edge of Gudrune? We go south to see if the bugbear's will help us from the lower section quickly. 10 min on silence so no more than 5 min wasted on talking to them. (We can skip this if we want and just go straight to the main room.) We'd have verbal spells once through the silence spell. We'd charge in once through the spell. Melee's first then spell casters in the back and range attackers.
Jayson comments on a possible plan, "We all go in from the silence area, Lorken and Broma moves in from the lower area melee attack Lestheris and lightning launcher bonus attack, Alaina, Capone and me in the back come in with Alaina using Arrows and hail of thorns, Capone fire bolt cantrip, and I'll eldritch blast. Lorken and Broma focus on Lestheris and the rest of us on goblin spinecleaver at first. Then we move to next available targets. Thoughts and counter suggestions to be factored in and adjusted accordingly."
Signature
Levi Flint - DM - Mad Mage; Korvin - DM - Tyranny of Dragons; Player Lucan - The One Breath, Player Gildor Surion - Balder's Gate-Decent;
(Got it. More like this? Moved Gudrune after moving the circle.)