Updated the Main thread with the progress your party made. I need to do a couple things, which will be time consuming before continuing on:
I need to update the final encounter difficulty since Orubis is no longer a participant in combat (and you're all fresh...)
I need to go back into the history of this game and remind myself of what happened early in chapter 1 to wrap things up.
All this to say, I need a bit of time (not at work) to do this. Feel free to RP in the meantime.
A good topic for the RP would be Orubis being drawn back into the Underdark by the Mushroom Prince (his deity). Having found the surface mining tunnel, he bids farewell and good luck to the party.
Hey... I'm going off on a tangent here in order to get my thoughts and facts straight. I've been re-reading the main thread from the beginning and I'm going to summarize who is who and their histories here to give Quasimodal, myself and the rest of you who were not here during the first chapter, some idea of what has transpired.
Chapter 1 started with 6 player characters:
Valthana, a female goliath Fighter, played by user DirtyDogP
Delmae, a female human(?) druid, played by user CoffeeNoise
Beegred, , a male halfling Ranger, played by user Quasimodal
Xilyra, a female half drow Warlock, first played by user Nekraen
Tozer, a male dwarf Barbarian, played by user Jack_Joke
Narstin, a male dwarf Cleric, played by user VanderLegion
There were also 10 NPCs:
Eldeth, a female dwarf Scout from Gauntlgrym
Stool, an infant Myconid
Buppido, a Derro from Gracklstugh
Derendil, a Quaggoth who thought he was a cursed elf prince
Sarith, a Drow
Ront, an Orc
Topsy and Turvy, brother and sister Deep Gnomes from Blingdenstone
Jimjar, a Deep Gnome, also from Blingdenstone
Shuushar, a Kuo-Toa
Timeline:
Main thread created Nov 5, 2018.
Delmae/CoffeeNoise was the first to disappear after making only one post Nov 6th.
Delmae was sacrificed to Giant Spiders in post #77 on Nov 12th.
Introduced a new PC on Nov 12th:
Ferriman, a male Halfling Monk, played by user AlphaLyrae
Valthana/DirtyDogP leave the campaign after making their last post on Nov 26th.
Xilyra/Nekraen leave the campaign after making their last post on Nov 30th.
Ferriman/AlphaLyrae leave the campaign, making their last post on Nov 30th.
Xilyra becomes Xilyrah, taken over by user boldaslove1970 and begins posting Dec 13.
Topsy and Turvy (NPC's) jump off Velkinvelve platform into water below and are never seen again. Post #540, on Dec 28.
Shuushar (NPC) splits from party on Jan 14.
Ferriman the character dies to severe acid damage from oozes in post #705 on Jan 23, 2019.
Ront (NPC) is killed by Jorlan (Drow NPC) in post #709 on Jan 24, 2019.
Buppido (NPC) loses the party's trust and is forced to leave in post #1015, on Mar 7, 2019. Buppido continues to hunt and stalk the party for some time.
User boldaslove1970 takes over Tozer for Jack_Joke on Apr 4, 2019 (they are a couple in RL)
User boldaslove1970 and Jack_Joke disappear after boldaslove1970's last post Apr 18, 2019.
Introduced two new PCs on May 23rd, 2019:
Krizzibond, a male dragonborn fighter, played by user ArgentTheWise
Rodolfo, a male rock gnome Wizard, played by user Winenose
Valthana (NPC) dies in a rockslide, in post # 1329 on Jun 5, 2019
Krizzibond dies a brutal death in post # 1632 on Aug, 19, 2019
Introduced a new PC on Aug 22nd, 2019
Skameros, a male Bugbear Barbarian, played by user ArgentTheWise
Stool (NPC) is returned to the Myconids at Neverlight Grove around the same time, Aug 20ish, 2019.
Sarith (NPC), Tozer (NPC) and Xilyrah (NPC) succumb to Zuggtmoy's spores and become hostile Spore Servants, attacking the group. See post #1858 on Sep 26, 2019
Derendil (NPC) was killed in post #2088, by the party after he became overly paranoid, delusional and violent , Oct 31, 2019.
Eldeth (NPC) joins a Gauntlgrym scouting party, leaving the party near Blingdenstone. Post #2260, Nov 25, 2019.
Jimjar (NPC) just ...disappears once the party arrives at Blingdenstone. Post #2712, Mar 30, 2020.
Narstin/Vanderlegion leaves the campaign. Their last post was on Apr 5, 2021.
Narstin (NPC) leaves the party to stay in Blingdenstone and help with their predicament.
This is not exhaustive. There have been other NPC's and PC/Players that joined and left after Chapter 1. But I needed to remember what happened to the original crew. So there it is, accurate, I hope.
So it's two priestesses and a bunch of (elite) guards?
And they are clearly and fully blocking the one and only way out?
Rodolfo would like to assess how bloodthirsty they are - as in is it going to devolve into fighting immediately or in five minutes?
That you can see. High above, maybe 100 or 200 feet, there is a shaft of light piercing the darkness. But between where you are and that shaft of light, is pitch black. The slave train came down out of that darkness to be presented to your party. Who knows how many more are up there?
“Methinks yer overmatched ‘ere, little lady. Free these people n’ Go back to yer spidey hole and let us pass, or suffer the consequences.” Thurnir says. He uses BA channel divinity vow of enmity on the drow priestess, and casts bless on himself, Beegred, and Skameros. His lizard mount advances forward and snarls at the drow.
Any of these actions would have to be done in Combat, after initiative is rolled. Doing any of these things will trigger combat and end any kind of RP that may be possible. Which is fine by me if its fine with everyone else.
(Don't need to worry... both parties are aware of each other. There will be no surprises, and initiative order will dictate any possible combat activities)
So it's two priestesses and a bunch of (elite) guards?
And they are clearly and fully blocking the one and only way out?
Rodolfo would like to assess how bloodthirsty they are - as in is it going to devolve into fighting immediately or in five minutes?
To fully answer, the drow appear supremely confident. They are not expecting to have to resort to combat. They are here to collect their property and be on their way. As Ilvara has said, she is in a hurry and wants to be on her way.
(Ok- well thurnir is unlikely to want to negotiate with them.. as foolish as that might be but he could be talked out of it. He will hold on that unless you guys want to go ahead with a fight..)
Yes.
Or.. what's the other option?
Before you found the Grease, it was a group survival check instead of a group DEX check.
OK. I'm assuming Skameros gets Spider Climb, so please mark that in Rodolfo's spell slots.
1 of 3 progress checks to climb out of the Silken Paths:
Group DC 10 DEX Saving throw check:
One progress success.
Group Stealth or Survival check vs. Encounter DC 16:
2 of 3 progress checks to climb out of the Silken Paths:
Group DC 10 DEX Saving throw check:
Two progress successes.
Group Stealth or Survival check vs. Encounter DC 16:
Your gnomish scout rolls to break the tie (using Orubis's stats):
3 of 3 progress checks to climb out of the Silken Paths:
Group DC 10 DEX Saving throw check:
Three progress successes.
Group Stealth or Survival check vs. Encounter DC 16:
Updated the Main thread with the progress your party made. I need to do a couple things, which will be time consuming before continuing on:
All this to say, I need a bit of time (not at work) to do this. Feel free to RP in the meantime.
A good topic for the RP would be Orubis being drawn back into the Underdark by the Mushroom Prince (his deity). Having found the surface mining tunnel, he bids farewell and good luck to the party.
Hey... I'm going off on a tangent here in order to get my thoughts and facts straight. I've been re-reading the main thread from the beginning and I'm going to summarize who is who and their histories here to give Quasimodal, myself and the rest of you who were not here during the first chapter, some idea of what has transpired.
Chapter 1 started with 6 player characters:
There were also 10 NPCs:
Timeline:
This is not exhaustive. There have been other NPC's and PC/Players that joined and left after Chapter 1. But I needed to remember what happened to the original crew. So there it is, accurate, I hope.
So it's two priestesses and a bunch of (elite) guards?
And they are clearly and fully blocking the one and only way out?
Rodolfo would like to assess how bloodthirsty they are - as in is it going to devolve into fighting immediately or in five minutes?
Skameros is gonna pull her legs off
Skameros - Bugbear Barbarian - Out of the Abyss - By Kerrec
Follow your Arrow where it Points - Tabaxi Monk - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy)
Citron Pumpkinfoam - Fairy Monk - Project Point: Team Longsword
That you can see. High above, maybe 100 or 200 feet, there is a shaft of light piercing the darkness. But between where you are and that shaft of light, is pitch black. The slave train came down out of that darkness to be presented to your party. Who knows how many more are up there?
Any of these actions would have to be done in Combat, after initiative is rolled. Doing any of these things will trigger combat and end any kind of RP that may be possible. Which is fine by me if its fine with everyone else.
(Don't need to worry... both parties are aware of each other. There will be no surprises, and initiative order will dictate any possible combat activities)
To fully answer, the drow appear supremely confident. They are not expecting to have to resort to combat. They are here to collect their property and be on their way. As Ilvara has said, she is in a hurry and wants to be on her way.
(Ok- well thurnir is unlikely to want to negotiate with them.. as foolish as that might be but he could be talked out of it. He will hold on that unless you guys want to go ahead with a fight..)
I went and read the chapter again to refresh myself, and it says your party should be level 8 when facing Ilvara.
So level up guys. I will be creating the encounter based on a party of 4 level 8's.
(But I am not ruling out a non-combat solution. I just don't know what a non-combat solution may look like.)
Oh ok! That helps..
this is a situation where role playing a stubborn dwarf might get us into a TPK!
OOh - a feat or ASI
Hmmm
so many options
Skameros - Bugbear Barbarian - Out of the Abyss - By Kerrec
Follow your Arrow where it Points - Tabaxi Monk - Baldur's Gate: Descent Into Avernus (by Pokepaladdy)
Citron Pumpkinfoam - Fairy Monk - Project Point: Team Longsword
I went with bringing thurnir’s dex to 20. Boring, I know…
I noticed we really don’t have many magic items for 8th level- Thurnir has none- so our CR may be a bit lower than average.