OOC Discussion III: Bride of OOC

[Zhym]

I'm not going to give you directions. Use the maps you have, or take the time to get new ones. I think I've given pretty decent information about the directions you've traveled and where you are. If it's still confusing, chalk it up to being disoriented while trying to escape the castle.

[Zhym]

Let me put the scene description another way: You are standing on the outer wall of the castle. It is not visually obvious which way the front of the castle lies. What is obvious is that you are at a T-intersection where a wall from the keep meets the outer wall. The castle courtyard is about 100' below you. On the other side of the wall is a drop so deep and precipitous that its depth is shrouded in mist.

[Inferno]

Ok.

[GreyWolfVT]

Here is my question on Grognardsw's map where exactly are we?

viewtopic.php?f=91&t=3014

[Zhym]

I believe you have the information to figure that out.

Like I said before: I'll provide maps if you want to move at mapping speed. If you choose not to move at that speed, you have only the descriptions I give you and the maps you already have to figure out where you are.

I don't think I'm being too much of a stickler about this. If I were, I'd be tracking who was making the maps and whether the three survivors still have access to them.

[GreyWolfVT]

Well the problem is i looked at Grognardsw maps and nothing looks anything like where you said we are. Thus I asked.

[Zhym]

I don't think the party has stood in this spot before. But you just came from a place that's on the maps.

[GreyWolfVT]

Alright so correct me if i am wrong we came from this location where the orangish fire is yes?

[Zhym]

I'll let y'all discuss that among yourselves.

[Zhym]

So, one more comment about this:

Castle walls tend to go all the way around a castle. Either path is likely to take you to the same place eventually—one just takes longer to get there than the other.

Not to discourage you from going back into the keep or anything.

[Inferno]

I'll be away and offline until January 3rd.

Please NPC my character if I'm holding things up. Thanks.

Happy winter solstice, everyone.

[Zhym]

Gragog "What about our magic user here don't you know any spells to open doors with Agax?"

Agax has used the only Knock spell he prepared for the day.

[GreyWolfVT]

lovely

[Inferno]

GW and Dram, are we ready to abandon the bears?

[GreyWolfVT]

guess so

[Dram]

I dont like leaving another possible enemy for us to fight. I am sure zombie or vampire bears will be a very difficult battle. But if it is the only way to leave the castle, yes I am ready to leave bears behind.

[Inferno]

Now that we have a ladder down we don't need a flying mount.

Zhym, how about this? Agax casts Sleep on the bears. Someone is polymorphed into a giant. He drinks Gragog's giant strength potion and fireman-carries the bears down the ladder, or lowers them down on all our ropes.

[Zhym]

Going by my post two pages back, a hippo is about 5' tall by 15' long. So stand that on its end and let's say you can polymorph into any giant that's 15' tall or shorter. That'd include fire, frost, hill, and stone giants.

A potion of giant strength would let a person pick up a bear. The potion adds 600lbs to the weight allowance, and Wikipedia tells me that the average weight of brown bears is about 500 lbs. So the weight limit isn't a problem. The size of the hole in the floor is, however. It's just big enough for a man in armor. That's not big enough for a full-size adult male bear.

I just realized I forgot to include a detail in my most recent update. Whoops. I'll fix that momentarily.

[Inferno]

Could our strongman lower a bear down the side of the wall using all our ropes?

[Zhym]

You could probably rig up a bear harness with enough rope. Assume you'll need 50' of rope just for the harness. But the drawbridge is closed (because of course it is). So lowering the bears to ground level inside the castle leaves you with the problem of opening and crossing the (rickety, rotten) drawbridge or else finding a way to lower the bears (and yourselves) a thousand feet or so to the forest floor at the base of Ravenloft.