Third Expedition - The Caves of Chaos

[KingOfCowards]

Sham nods, and beckons Kal to come closer to throw a torch into the room.
When everyone is in place, he'll throw the catch to open the door.

[GreyWolfVT]

Cormac searches the defeated hobgoblins wiping any blood and gore from his weapon on the dead hobgoblin's clothing.

[Zhym]

Ampersand Mxyzptlk Kerfuffle Humperdink Wongdoodle Biddleshaft the Third

The gnome rushes back—quietly—to warn the others of the hobgoblins' barricade.

Do you want me to post the warning now, or wait for the next update?

[Spartakos]

At Henry's direction, Sister Valentina prays over Cormac's wound, which eases the pain greatly (3 HP restored, Cormac is up to 8).
Val CLW on Cormac: [1d6+1] = 2+1 = 3
Afterward, Cormac does a quick search of the dead hobgoblins; it turns up 18 sp and 7 ep, in addition to their personal items. They are armed with spears and belt knives, and armored in scale coats similar to the ones your prisoners wore. Their garb and boots are likewise similar.

Lardo takes a sip of magic potion and vanishes while the party positions themselves, and when they're ready, Sham throws the lever on the secret door. It slides smoothly open again, and Kal throws his torch through, illuminating a section of the hidden tunnel...currently empty.

Or so it seems; as the party makes ready to step through, a quiet voice out of nowhere addresses them...Ampersand the Invisible.

Ampersand, you may enlighten your mates; after he does so, Actions?

[badams30]

Brother Henry - Priest

Henry will stay toward the back, nursing his wounds. Prior to going through the door he'll check on Kyle, Kal and the others in the back.

[Zhym]

"Three hobs are making a barricade," says the rhyming gnome. "Of crates and barrels it is made."

[GreyWolfVT]

Cormac thanks Val for the healing and pockets the coins.

[KingOfCowards]

Sham looks around for the ghostly voice of Ampersand, then faces his visible comrades. "We have to stop them before they alarm the others. Missile combat may be hard if they have better cover than us. But charging right into the barricade is more dangerous."

The age old question is how much our invisible members can do without losing their invisibility. Obviously an attack will cancel it. But does something like cutting a crossbow string or stealing an item count as an attack?.

[Spartakos]

1) Apologies, I overlooked something; 1 of those dead hobs was armed with a mace and crossbow, rather than a spear. His bolt case has 9 quarrels in it.

2) I would rule that theft or minor damage to items would NOT count as hostile action. An attack is anything that hurts, damages, physically or mentally alters, or directly hinders another creature. This would include wrestling, tripping, tying up, netting, dropping something on, etc. But something like cutting a bowstring, stealing a weapon or arrows, unfastening a belt, or the like would be ok.

[Gelatinous Q]

Lardo speaks up from his invisible vantage: "If Ampersand and I can get ourselves behind the barricade, we should be able to neutralize their bowmen." He puts a hand on his friend's shoulder and whispers in his ear, "You keep yourself out of this fight, Henry, you hear?"

His own course of action will be to cut bowstrings. If they're in dire straits, he's not against sacrificing his invisibility to make a kill.

OOC: Is the torch Kal tossed into the hallway casting sufficient light for him to do what he has to do? If not, he'll kick it a little farther down the hallway — but he doesn't want to be giving off the twinkling light effect while he's sabotaging the hobs.

[Zhym]

Climbing over the barricade to get behind the hobgoblins and cut bowstrings seems like a tall order, even for someone who is invisible.

OTOH, maybe Ampersand could take a flask of oil and pour it on the barricade?

[GreyWolfVT]

Cormac takes the crossbow and quarrels "Time to learn a new weapon, I'll try to make good use of this, it gets better range than my throwing axes."

[Spartakos]

Quick answers:

1.) The torch sheds light in a 30' radius; the hidden tunnel is (by Ampersand's estimation, passed on to you) about 60' long or so. It is currently 5-10' inside the tunnel, so it does not illuminate the far end. It is, however, reasonable to assume that anyone at the far end can see anything in the radius of the torchlight with reasonable clarity.

2.) Pouring oil on the barricade would not be a hostile act. Lighting such oil would be.

[badams30]

Brother Henry - Priest

Henry nods at Lardo's words of caution and whispers "Okay. But you be careful."

Henry will stay to the back, and as he waits he'll grab his sling and some stones in case the opportunity for some missile attacks comes his way.

[Zhym]

"I'll coat the barrels in oil, all right?" says the voice of Ampersand Mxyzptlk Kerfuffle Humperdink Wongdoodle Biddleshaft the Third. "Then all we'll need is to give it a light!"

[KingOfCowards]

Sham nods, approving of the gnome's plan. "Just be careful yerself."
Sham will ready his shortbow, and start ripping cloth to oil and attach to his arrowheads in order to light on fire.

[GreyWolfVT]

Comac "Good idea and watch yourself Amp."

[Spartakos]

While Cormac loads his new crossbow and Sham starts prepping flaming arrows, Lardo and Ampersand start trying to move back down the tunnel as stealthily as they can. Lardo gives the torch a solid kick with his foot, knocking it another 20' or so down the tunnel...they can now see the barricade, about waist-high now, and the pair of hobgoblins standing behind it with drawn swords.

They both mutter in hobgoblin, one pointing at the torch that just moved, and then they each step to the side. Two more hobgoblins, with loaded crossbows, move up to the barricade. One raises his weapon and triggers it, sending a bolt skipping off the stone floor near where the torch lies. As soon as he empties his weapon, he crouches down and yet another hobgoblin steps up with a readied crossbow. They wait, seeming tense and alert.

Most of the party, hanging back by the tunnel entrance, are now out of range of hobgoblin infravision and in an unlit room, but can clearly see the hobgoblins at the edges of the flickering pool of torchlight...they both see and hear the crossbow quarrel that ricochets off the floor near the torch in the hall. They cannot, of course, see their invisible compatriots. For the moment, all is quiet, except for breathing and a low murmur from the hobgoblins at the end of the hall.

Any actions? Or are you waiting for Lardo & Ampersand to return or give a signal?

Lardo and Ampersand:

Once up close, the thief and gnome can see that the hobgoblins have acquired more reinforcements. There are 2 with crossbows manning the barricade, ready to shoot, and the 2 with swords stand on either side. Behind them are another 4, all with crossbows; one of these is in the process of reloading when they slip up.

Lardo, you would need a sucessful pick pockets roll to cut the string on a crossbow without the hobgoblins noticing.
Ampersand, you can certainly pour the oil automatically...I will roll a surprise check for the hobgoblins to see if they notice, and since you're invisible I'll give you a bonus (surprise 1-3 on a d6).
Proceed? Give me a yes/no, and then what you're doing either instead or afterward.

[KingOfCowards]

Can the rest of the group find a vantage point by peaking their heads out from behind a doorway or something to that affect? I don't think we want to wait until the two invisible party members have returned before attacking.

Sham will wait for a sign of commotion, like he would assume from the barricade being doused with oil. He contemplates distracting the hobgoblins with arrows, but doesn't want his friends hit in the crossfire.

[Gelatinous Q]

Questions for Spartakos:

Will invisibility confer a bonus on the pick pockets attempt? If it fails does that mean I'm visible again?

The number of reinforcements they've called in has me rethinking the sabotage strategy, but I'm a little concerned that lighting things up may pose a danger to the hostages, too.