"That's a pretty little gem, Samael," Morn says as he sees his fellow traveller looking over the stone, "I could try identifying it if we come by a pearl later on." He then turns to Horatio. "That is curious. It is possible that Frankie was taken and would explain his disappearance. A dozen soldiers you say?" Morn scratches his chin for moment then turns to the rest of the group. "What do you all think? It's a risk. But there's potential benefits. If it's not Frankie, we still have someone indebted to us. If we take out the king, we might be able to obtain his magical weapon. But a dozen soldiers might be tough, unless we can pick them off in smaller lots. Did your friend see anything else about the camp that might offer us some insight or help, Horatio?"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Horatio relates a few more details. "The tribe seems to be divided between a working class of frogmen, who are more or less in slavery beneath the King frog. As of right now, one of the three warriors who escaped us is dead, leaving two. Two more stand in attendance with the king, while three keep an eye on the servants, and then another half dozen that are on watch or patrolling in the surrounding swamp. The village has but one building - a hut of significant size. Our man is in a room within this hut. I think its safe to say this is our man - not many other humans live in these swamps, and this one seems like someone from town. Taking the weapon from the frog-King is indeed a priority, and it raises a question - where did it find such a thing? There a story to these lands beyond what our maps now tell. I say we move on the village, slaughter those who stand in our way. They may choose to execute the prisoner if we wait too long. The question is, do we take a moment to bind out wounds, or do we advance while we have the initiative? I have yet some magic in me to spend for bloodshed."
Horatio refreshes his temporary HP by casting false life. He seems to regain some of his vigor and strength. (8 temp hp for the next hour)
Trinjya stops investigating the corps and pitiful belongings of the frog creature in front of her when Horatio tells the group what he discovered. She listens with interest to his description of the populace and responds to Morn's remarks.
" Ther are a few problems here. First of all, we don't know how much resistance we would have to expect from the servants. We might be able to fight a dozen of those creatures but not twice or three times the number. As far as we know, the only difference between a servant and a warrior could be that somebody gave the latter a stick and told it to fight. There might also be an unknown number of those creatures that are not currently in the village but close enogh to cause us problems. However, I'm afraid we don't have a lot of options. We could retreat or we strike first but I doubt that we can stay in the area without having to deal with the rest of our new friends. I really don't want to see us getting ambushed in the night, I'd hat to be woke by the sounds of throats getting cut."
((Just updating the block with Horatio's new temp HP.))
((Not everyone gets slots back on a short rest, and some folks already used some HD following the pumpers, but not sure if anyone used all three. If you're talking short rest, you'd be spending the remaining hours of the day finding shelter/laying low, sleeping, and hoping that you far better in the morning, after they have a chance to rest and prepare as well.))
(OOC - are we playing the rule that a short rest returns wizard spell slots too? Because only the warlock is going to get spells back if that's not the case and that's how I've played it so far as a result.)
"If you wish to rest before we move on that village, then I suggest we find better shores," Morn says as he gestures to all the corpses, "I'd rather not attract whatever vermin reside in this swamp." He thinks for a moment, then looks to Horatio, "You say that some of the soldiers patrol the village surrounds? Perhaps we can pick off a few here and there without taking on the entire village? We can draw them out, a few at a time with..." he turns to look at the water and casts a mage hand to dive under the surface and cause small ripples on the surface of the water. "Food is rarely dangerous and so might make it easy to draw a few at a time."
((It's not an optional rule, wizards get Arcane Recovery as a base feature. At half wizard level, that would be one 1st level slot for any wizards, warlocks get both slots back, no one else regains slots, but may regain uses of other features.))
"Hm,I would have prefere attacking now while they are still distracted by figurine out what to do but only to free Frankie. A quick strike might leave a few of them dead and would gain us a potential ally for when we have to fight the rest of them. Anyways, we should come up with a plan how to deal with so many foes. I might be able to put one or two of them under my spell and have them lure some more of them out of the village but I'm hardly as effective against groups as our friend toadsi here. "
"Frankie is in no condition to join us in combat, and his room is located immediately next to the throne room of the frog-king. Any attempt to break him free will require incredible stealth, speed, and ferocity. The guards have a pattern to their rotation, I believe, so we may well be able to isolate three of the patrollers and eliminate them in silence. This may lead to unforeseeable reprisals from the king, however. Still, it is probably our best shot at freeing the man, and isolating the king for ambush. This is their terrain, but we have leveled the playing field with information of their movements. Now, it is a matter of moving the pieces successfully."
Morn nods, "Picking off a few guards at a time in isolation is our best bet. And if we can do that with several of the guards, then it will leave the king just that little more vulnerable. So, a rest then we move onto the village and start our clandestine activities?"
(but is it enchantable?)
Definitely. Might even be magic right now!
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
(keeping it then.)
"That's a pretty little gem, Samael," Morn says as he sees his fellow traveller looking over the stone, "I could try identifying it if we come by a pearl later on." He then turns to Horatio. "That is curious. It is possible that Frankie was taken and would explain his disappearance. A dozen soldiers you say?" Morn scratches his chin for moment then turns to the rest of the group. "What do you all think? It's a risk. But there's potential benefits. If it's not Frankie, we still have someone indebted to us. If we take out the king, we might be able to obtain his magical weapon. But a dozen soldiers might be tough, unless we can pick them off in smaller lots. Did your friend see anything else about the camp that might offer us some insight or help, Horatio?"
"much obliged. and we should find a safe place to rest before we pursue."
Horatio relates a few more details. "The tribe seems to be divided between a working class of frogmen, who are more or less in slavery beneath the King frog. As of right now, one of the three warriors who escaped us is dead, leaving two. Two more stand in attendance with the king, while three keep an eye on the servants, and then another half dozen that are on watch or patrolling in the surrounding swamp. The village has but one building - a hut of significant size. Our man is in a room within this hut. I think its safe to say this is our man - not many other humans live in these swamps, and this one seems like someone from town. Taking the weapon from the frog-King is indeed a priority, and it raises a question - where did it find such a thing? There a story to these lands beyond what our maps now tell. I say we move on the village, slaughter those who stand in our way. They may choose to execute the prisoner if we wait too long. The question is, do we take a moment to bind out wounds, or do we advance while we have the initiative? I have yet some magic in me to spend for bloodshed."
Horatio refreshes his temporary HP by casting false life. He seems to regain some of his vigor and strength. (8 temp hp for the next hour)
"will you sustain and endure under assault? or will a short rest do you better?"
Trinjya stops investigating the corps and pitiful belongings of the frog creature in front of her when Horatio tells the group what he discovered. She listens with interest to his description of the populace and responds to Morn's remarks.
" Ther are a few problems here. First of all, we don't know how much resistance we would have to expect from the servants. We might be able to fight a dozen of those creatures but not twice or three times the number. As far as we know, the only difference between a servant and a warrior could be that somebody gave the latter a stick and told it to fight. There might also be an unknown number of those creatures that are not currently in the village but close enogh to cause us problems. However, I'm afraid we don't have a lot of options. We could retreat or we strike first but I doubt that we can stay in the area without having to deal with the rest of our new friends. I really don't want to see us getting ambushed in the night, I'd hat to be woke by the sounds of throats getting cut."
(everyone keep in mind, short rest lets us use leveled magic again, alongside regaining hp)
((Just updating the block with Horatio's new temp HP.))
((Not everyone gets slots back on a short rest, and some folks already used some HD following the pumpers, but not sure if anyone used all three. If you're talking short rest, you'd be spending the remaining hours of the day finding shelter/laying low, sleeping, and hoping that you far better in the morning, after they have a chance to rest and prepare as well.))
Trinjya, AC14, (11/24): (Stress: 4)
Horatio, AC10, (7 + 4 /18): (Stress: 3)
Sirq, AC14, (15 + 3 /24): (Stress: 6)
Samael, AC13, (19 /27): (Stress: 5)
Morn, AC12, (14 /17): (Stress: 5)
Gandalon, AC13, (10/10):
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
(fair enough. my vote's due to the fact that a short rest lets me use my flame hands and shatter once more, since it opens up my 2 pact magic slots)
(Very well, a short rest it is - are we staying near the corpses of the frog-men? That might attract more of those pumpers.)
(we leave the area. find somewhere safe. hole up, hunker down, rest and recuperate.)
(OOC - are we playing the rule that a short rest returns wizard spell slots too? Because only the warlock is going to get spells back if that's not the case and that's how I've played it so far as a result.)
"If you wish to rest before we move on that village, then I suggest we find better shores," Morn says as he gestures to all the corpses, "I'd rather not attract whatever vermin reside in this swamp." He thinks for a moment, then looks to Horatio, "You say that some of the soldiers patrol the village surrounds? Perhaps we can pick off a few here and there without taking on the entire village? We can draw them out, a few at a time with..." he turns to look at the water and casts a mage hand to dive under the surface and cause small ripples on the surface of the water. "Food is rarely dangerous and so might make it easy to draw a few at a time."
((It's not an optional rule, wizards get Arcane Recovery as a base feature. At half wizard level, that would be one 1st level slot for any wizards, warlocks get both slots back, no one else regains slots, but may regain uses of other features.))
DM: Forged in Chaos, Spiders of the Abyss, The Sundered Way, Champions of the Citadel
Active Characters:
Breldo, Halfling Ranger | Kathryn, Wood Elf Rogue/Ranger | Kroshav, Dragonborn Paladin | T'laren Farsiel, Wood Elf Fighter | Trill, Kenku Bard | Val "Janellae", Mark of Shadow Elf Warlock
"Hm,I would have prefere attacking now while they are still distracted by figurine out what to do but only to free Frankie. A quick strike might leave a few of them dead and would gain us a potential ally for when we have to fight the rest of them. Anyways, we should come up with a plan how to deal with so many foes. I might be able to put one or two of them under my spell and have them lure some more of them out of the village but I'm hardly as effective against groups as our friend toadsi here. "
"a taxing effort, one i can only repeat after a brief rest."
"Frankie is in no condition to join us in combat, and his room is located immediately next to the throne room of the frog-king. Any attempt to break him free will require incredible stealth, speed, and ferocity. The guards have a pattern to their rotation, I believe, so we may well be able to isolate three of the patrollers and eliminate them in silence. This may lead to unforeseeable reprisals from the king, however. Still, it is probably our best shot at freeing the man, and isolating the king for ambush. This is their terrain, but we have leveled the playing field with information of their movements. Now, it is a matter of moving the pieces successfully."
Morn nods, "Picking off a few guards at a time in isolation is our best bet. And if we can do that with several of the guards, then it will leave the king just that little more vulnerable. So, a rest then we move onto the village and start our clandestine activities?"
"aye."