For mechanics, as an earlier check had revealed a route to the Harpy nest, it is indeed going to delay travel by 1 day to clear out the nest and then get back on course.
There is a path branching off from the course to The Knuckle, and the best approach to the Harpy nest involves a steep hike followed by a 60 foot climb. As noted before if someone has a climbers hit and sufficient rope - multiple ropes can be combined - a single climber can go ahead and affix the pitons into the wall, and prepare the climbers kit harness for others, who would then not stand any risk of falling and taking damage. The harpy nest appeared to be another 50 feet past the climb, but the sound of someone falling is likely to alert them.
The lead climber would be required to make a DC 13 Athletics check. Proper climbing gear will provide advantage on this check. Subsequent climbers are in theory making the same check but as they have no risk of falling or altering the harpies after the harness is secured, as a practical matter they do not need to roll and will automatically be able to succeed.
Alternatively the group could elect to free hand climb without any gear, which increases the DC to 18 and removes Advantage. Or they could elect not to use the harness of the climbers kit and maintain the risk of falling. There is no practical reason to do so, just noting it is possible.
Climbing at night without a light source (it is daytime when you arrive) would be much more difficult, and with a light source almost certainly to alert the harpies.
(( most people have rope; we could potentially use some of it to create a harness; Taravan has pitons and hammer I think; Evan seems to be the most Athletic(!), follower by Nanoc ... whoever goes should get multiple guidance, if that's permissible...if Evan goes he might need to remove some armour(?), but he would be better suited to knowing when he needed guidance, lol ))
(( most people have rope; we could potentially use some of it to create a harness; Taravan has pitons and hammer I think; Evan seems to be the most Athletic(!), follower by Nanoc ... whoever goes should get multiple guidance, if that's permissible...if Evan goes he might need to remove some armour(?), but he would be better suited to knowing when he needed guidance, lol ))
Evan has been trained to climb in full plate armor as part of his training - due to 5e mechanics mainly they do not impose penalty to Athletics, only to stealth.
Evan has been trained to climb in full plate armor as part of his training - due to 5e mechanics mainly they do not impose penalty to Athletics, only to stealth.
They bread 'em tough in the Church of the Dragon Gods!
For full awareness, should the check fail and the harpies are alerted, the group is currently positioned on a narrow 10 foot path of difficult terrain, and the harpies would have ample opportunity to rain down spears or possible lure party members off the cliff side using luring song. Full transparency on the risks vs reward. Up top your prior checks showed a flatter plateau, with plenty of cover to approach the nest from.
I was thinking two spells if he needed to make more than one climbing roll.
I see, I will be handling it mechanically as a single check, know that the most difficult portion is the end, a failure would entail a 60 foot fall and triggering the harpies.
OK, so maybe that means we need a silence spell at the start...
Here's a plan:
- silence spell - Nanoc climbs (to reduce risk of loss of silence spell) - Climber carries 100' of hempen rope and 100' of silken rope and the pitons - the hempen rope is just carried - the silken rope is looped around each piton to reduce falling damage, if he falls - when he reaches top, he ties off hempen ropes and drops end down...
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Evan:
"If Olladra wills it, I will succeed with the climb. For the sake of the dwarves and the horses, then, hand me the climbing kit and I will begin the ascent," says Evan, adding, "but just in case I am not up to the task, plug your ears with something so you won't be lured to your deaths." With a smile, Evan begins.
Athletics with Advantage: 23
Add Guidance: 1
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
OK, so maybe that means we need a silence spell at the start...
Here's a plan:
- silence spell - Nanoc climbs (to reduce risk of loss of silence spell) - Climber carries 100' of hempen rope and 100' of silken rope and the pitons - the hempen rope is just carried - the silken rope is looped around each piton to reduce falling damage, if he falls - when he reaches top, he ties off hempen ropes and drops end down...
This could also be done to mitigate risk and falling damage if the group is carrying sufficient equipment and the climber is a strong character, given the amount of gear they would be carrying. In this scenario I would factor in heavy armor - again, I am not using encumbrance, just case by case judgments. I would add disadvantage for carrying heavy armor in addition to the gear and the two lengths of rope in the climb, which would cancel the advantage to a standard roll.
"If Olladra wills it, I will succeed with the climb. For the sake of the dwarves and the horses, then, hand me the climbing kit and I will begin the ascent," says Evan, adding, "but just in case I am not up to the task, plug your ears with something so you won't be lured to your deaths." With a smile, Evan begins.
Athletics with Advantage: 20
Add Guidance: 4
The climb is done, a success. Evan leads the way, pounding in pitons using the climbing hammer and snaking the rope between them, he secured the climber’s kit harness at the end. The others can now follow without checks needed.
Nanoc is only going to do this if Okkar is going, and even then he'd prefer to stay and guard the horses (which would also allow me to do the work I'm supposed to be doing at the moment).
From Nanoc's point of view, we are the trespassers here and the harpies were only protecting their territory.
[OOC: Good luck, but count me out.]
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
---
Tyrus Mountson: Lvl 3 Dwarvish Bard; Waterdeep Campaign (Dragon Heist) Nanoc the Younger: Semi-retired Lvl 2 Rogue / Level 2 Barbarian Human; The Knuckle, Mror Holds, Ebberon. The Honourable Jaden Fellan: Level 3 Human Eldritch Knight; Band of Sunswall
AKA: Phillip Berrie: writer, editor and academic thrillseeker—a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
At the top Evan’s passive perception if 13 or higher makes out a series of jagged rocks and boulders, a wide expanse of 50 by 40 feet with frequent cover, at the end of which the cliff top narrows to an area of 20 feet by 20 feet, which contains the Harpy Nest at the other edge of the cliff, which seems to hang out over a very long drop below.
Evan also would see a total of four harpies meandering about at the end, squaring amongst themselves and going through coin and baubles. The leader, a 5th Harpy, is distinctively different. She makes an imposing figure, setting atop a crude throne of sticks, rocks and bones, animal and dwarves alike. She has a visible massive scar across her throat and makes no sound. She wears a suit Half Plate Armor, with an array of spikes jutting from the shoulders that seem to blend in with her own wings. She has a set of goggles currently resting at her neck, on a strap. The harpy leader has a longbow on her back, and two battle axes at her sides.
The area the group climbs out at emerges behind the cover of several large jagged stones, so they are unseen as they climb up. If you are quiet you can likely prepare magical defenses prior to engaging the harpies (4 standard, one custom harpy leader), or attempt a stealthy surprise attack.
((ooc: We should probably proceed as far as getting an idea what's up top, then if we think melee will occur, wait for Ilecerys...at least to know if he's coming... ))
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
For mechanics, as an earlier check had revealed a route to the Harpy nest, it is indeed going to delay travel by 1 day to clear out the nest and then get back on course.
There is a path branching off from the course to The Knuckle, and the best approach to the Harpy nest involves a steep hike followed by a 60 foot climb. As noted before if someone has a climbers hit and sufficient rope - multiple ropes can be combined - a single climber can go ahead and affix the pitons into the wall, and prepare the climbers kit harness for others, who would then not stand any risk of falling and taking damage. The harpy nest appeared to be another 50 feet past the climb, but the sound of someone falling is likely to alert them.
The lead climber would be required to make a DC 13 Athletics check. Proper climbing gear will provide advantage on this check. Subsequent climbers are in theory making the same check but as they have no risk of falling or altering the harpies after the harness is secured, as a practical matter they do not need to roll and will automatically be able to succeed.
Alternatively the group could elect to free hand climb without any gear, which increases the DC to 18 and removes Advantage. Or they could elect not to use the harness of the climbers kit and maintain the risk of falling. There is no practical reason to do so, just noting it is possible.
Climbing at night without a light source (it is daytime when you arrive) would be much more difficult, and with a light source almost certainly to alert the harpies.
(( most people have rope; we could potentially use some of it to create a harness; Taravan has pitons and hammer I think; Evan seems to be the most Athletic(!), follower by Nanoc ... whoever goes should get multiple guidance, if that's permissible...if Evan goes he might need to remove some armour(?), but he would be better suited to knowing when he needed guidance, lol ))
Evan:
Evan will give Guidance to the lead climber. He is also willing to climb if people would like (His bonus is +5).
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
Evan has been trained to climb in full plate armor as part of his training - due to 5e mechanics mainly they do not impose penalty to Athletics, only to stealth.
Also two bless spells do not stack.
They bread 'em tough in the Church of the Dragon Gods!
Does he get advantage with the gear we have?
Absolutely.
I was thinking two spells if he needed to make more than one climbing roll.
For full awareness, should the check fail and the harpies are alerted, the group is currently positioned on a narrow 10 foot path of difficult terrain, and the harpies would have ample opportunity to rain down spears or possible lure party members off the cliff side using luring song. Full transparency on the risks vs reward. Up top your prior checks showed a flatter plateau, with plenty of cover to approach the nest from.
I see, I will be handling it mechanically as a single check, know that the most difficult portion is the end, a failure would entail a 60 foot fall and triggering the harpies.
OK, so maybe that means we need a silence spell at the start...
Here's a plan:
- silence spell
- Nanoc climbs (to reduce risk of loss of silence spell)
- Climber carries 100' of hempen rope and 100' of silken rope and the pitons
- the hempen rope is just carried
- the silken rope is looped around each piton to reduce falling damage, if he falls
- when he reaches top, he ties off hempen ropes and drops end down...
I also have the ability to cast feather fall if he fails the check to help reduce or avoid injury.
That would make a huge difference to eliminating the possibility of both damage and altering the harpies.
Evan:
"If Olladra wills it, I will succeed with the climb. For the sake of the dwarves and the horses, then, hand me the climbing kit and I will begin the ascent," says Evan, adding, "but just in case I am not up to the task, plug your ears with something so you won't be lured to your deaths." With a smile, Evan begins.
Athletics with Advantage: 23
Add Guidance: 1
Gerrard Feldren - Human Noble in Ghosts of Saltmarsh
Kerric Brightblade - Elven Warrior in "Apocalypse"
This could also be done to mitigate risk and falling damage if the group is carrying sufficient equipment and the climber is a strong character, given the amount of gear they would be carrying. In this scenario I would factor in heavy armor - again, I am not using encumbrance, just case by case judgments. I would add disadvantage for carrying heavy armor in addition to the gear and the two lengths of rope in the climb, which would cancel the advantage to a standard roll.
The climb is done, a success. Evan leads the way, pounding in pitons using the climbing hammer and snaking the rope between them, he secured the climber’s kit harness at the end. The others can now follow without checks needed.
Nanoc is only going to do this if Okkar is going, and even then he'd prefer to stay and guard the horses (which would also allow me to do the work I'm supposed to be doing at the moment).
From Nanoc's point of view, we are the trespassers here and the harpies were only protecting their territory.
[OOC: Good luck, but count me out.]
---
Tyrus Mountson: Lvl 3 Dwarvish Bard; Waterdeep Campaign (Dragon Heist)
Nanoc the Younger: Semi-retired Lvl 2 Rogue / Level 2 Barbarian Human; The Knuckle, Mror Holds, Ebberon.
The Honourable Jaden Fellan: Level 3 Human Eldritch Knight; Band of Sunswall
AKA: Phillip Berrie: writer, editor and academic thrillseeker—a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
At the top Evan’s passive perception if 13 or higher makes out a series of jagged rocks and boulders, a wide expanse of 50 by 40 feet with frequent cover, at the end of which the cliff top narrows to an area of 20 feet by 20 feet, which contains the Harpy Nest at the other edge of the cliff, which seems to hang out over a very long drop below.
Evan also would see a total of four harpies meandering about at the end, squaring amongst themselves and going through coin and baubles. The leader, a 5th Harpy, is distinctively different. She makes an imposing figure, setting atop a crude throne of sticks, rocks and bones, animal and dwarves alike. She has a visible massive scar across her throat and makes no sound. She wears a suit Half Plate Armor, with an array of spikes jutting from the shoulders that seem to blend in with her own wings. She has a set of goggles currently resting at her neck, on a strap. The harpy leader has a longbow on her back, and two battle axes at her sides.
The area the group climbs out at emerges behind the cover of several large jagged stones, so they are unseen as they climb up. If you are quiet you can likely prepare magical defenses prior to engaging the harpies (4 standard, one custom harpy leader), or attempt a stealthy surprise attack.
((ooc: We should probably proceed as far as getting an idea what's up top, then if we think melee will occur, wait for Ilecerys...at least to know if he's coming... ))