OOC I

[sulldawga]

I think we should just camp out by the entrances, in two or three groups, and have a pre-arranged signal to fall upon them once they reach a certain spot.

We might want to arrange a set-up where we have some folks with oil to throw and some folks with bows. The ones with bows will have one arrow with the tip wrapped in oil-dipped cotton. Throw the oil, light and shoot the fire arrows, move in to clean up the survivors.

Even if the fire doesn't kill them all outright, I bet they get some serious negative modifiers on their Morale rolls.

[thirdkingdom]

@rremedio. Yes, you may pick an elf-only spell.
@riftstone. Surrounded by Elves hp: (2d8=13). I'd go with a pony or a mule.

Let me know when you guys are ready to head out. I'll try and get a little sketch together so you can see what the terrain is like before investing too much time in plans.

[zebediah]

I think we should just camp out by the entrances, in two or three groups, and have a pre-arranged signal to fall upon them once they reach a certain spot.

We might want to arrange a set-up where we have some folks with oil to throw and some folks with bows. The ones with bows will have one arrow with the tip wrapped in oil-dipped cotton. Throw the oil, light and shoot the fire arrows, move in to clean up the survivors.

Even if the fire doesn't kill them all outright, I bet they get some serious negative modifiers on their Morale rolls.

+1

We shouldn't forget to try keeping one or two alive for questioning.

TK, are there chains & shackles available for sale in the city?

[zebediah]

One more question: are silver pellets available?

With that Drudsa will be done with his shopping and ready to leave.

[thirdkingdom]

Yes, silver sling bullets are available as per page 111 of the book (25 gp per 5). Manacles. Hmmm. Alright, I think we might be a bit carried a way with the shopping, assuming the plan is to make it out to the caves by this evening. Manacles are not the sort of thing that are easily found in Threshold; it's not that big a town. There are probably a couple of sets at the Guard station, some more out at the Baron's Keep, and you could have a blacksmith forge some for you. But at this point I'd like to limit the amount of shopping you guys are doing in order to leave today. You arrived in Threshold a little before noon, so between lunch, getting horses, some people buying armor, some people visiting the apothecary and the temples, etc. I think we've pretty much done everything realistically possible before leaving.

So, I know there are a couple of people we have yet to hear from. I'll wait until tomorrow morning to hear from everyone outlining their reasonable (within the above parameters) purchases, then I'll post IC detailing the trip out to the cave.

[zebediah]

Alright, I think we might be a bit carried a way with the shopping

It's the gold, it just itches!

[Finglas]

Lanny the elf

It might also be a good time to discuss a new marching order, since Ox is out and Meagnor is in. I will throw out a suggestion, but please feel free to comment. Next to each person's name I put down their AC/HP for quick reference (as best as I could figure out from the armor/shield/dex listed on the character sheets, and also including the recent hit point rolls from leveling up):

Dungeon Crawl Marching Order:

Row 1 - Thordin (AC 2, HP 17)
Row 2 - Bregalad (AC 2, HP 6), Lanny (AC 2, HP 6)
Row 3 - Tratiln (AC 6, HP 7), Meagnor (AC 6, HP 7)
Row 4 - Drudsa (AC 10, HP 8)
Row 5 - Grey Jake (AC 6, HP 8), Saul (AC 6, HP 7)
Row 6 - Marodin (AC 1, HP 11)

Either Bregalad or Lanny could step up to the front row based on the situation, depending on whether a long-distance bow strike is needed (Lanny) or another sword/shield to help Thordin (Bregalad).

Overland Travel Marching Order:

More or less the same as above, except that Grey Jake and Saul would be patrolling on horseback the areas far to the front and rear of the party.

Thoughts?

Bregalad the elf

I don't think Thordin will be able to maintain a front (in passageways) if he is only one in Row 1. Until one of us elves gets to level 2, it would be best to also have Marodin in Row 1 (with his superior AC and second highest HP). Having both of them leading us would create a very strong front for the group. If one of them should become injured during a battle, then then that person could fall back to Row 2, and Bregalad or Lanny would move up.

[frobozz]

Bregalad the elf

I don't think Thordin will be able to maintain a front (in passageways) if he is only one in Row 1. Until one of us elves gets to level 2, it would be best to also have Marodin in Row 1 (with his superior AC and second highest HP). Having both of them leading us would create a very strong front for the group. If one of them should become injured during a battle, then then that person could fall back to Row 2, and Bregalad or Lanny would move up.

I guess what I had meant to say is that there would always be 2 persons on the front row, but that it would toggle between Bregalad and Lanny, depending on the situation. Bregalad on the front row when the party is ready to engage in melee (or possible melee), Lanny on the front row when the party has long, dark corridors in front of them.

I put Marodin on the back row only because he had previously mentioned a desire to be rear guard. We could, of course, reexamine that positioning if we wish, but he still makes for a strong rear guard who can keep an eye on the entire party (including those who might fall in combat and require healing).

[thirdkingdom]

Crappy map has been uploaded to the maps section, detailing what the environs surrounding the cave look like. Please keep all comments pertinent to the map in the OOC thread. I will post IC detailing the trip to the cave in the morning, once everyone has had a chance to update their sheets, fill me in on basic purchases, etc.

[zebediah]

I've updated Drudsa's inventory and encumbrance.

purchased items:

10 silver pellets
2 holy water vials
7 days worth of dried rations
30 regular pellets
1 purse
1 antidote

edit: plus 30 gp paid in advance to the herbalist for the identification of the green potion found in the caves.

[Bouv]

Rations, dried - 15gp
purse - .5gp
small sack - 1gp
knife - 3gp (figuring it would cost the same as a dagger)
oil flask x3 - 6gp
shovel - 7gp (basing it off a halbred as I figure the same amount of time & effor will go into making one as the other)
Riding Horse x2 - 150gp
Saddle & Tack x2 - 50gp
Saddlebags x2 - 10gp

Total: 242.5gp, the rest to the moneychanger guild

Character sheet updated

[thirdkingdom]

Bouv, I'm guessing the extra horse and kit is for rremedio's character?

[Bouv]

Bouv, I'm guessing the extra horse and kit is for rremedio's character?

Yes unless of course he doesn't want one.

[frobozz]

TK - The map seems to indicate that the path ends at the small grove of trees. Does it continue on past the grove? In other words, could the emissaries approach the caves from more than one direction?

All - Reminder about the horses: We move at the pace of the slowest animal, so if everyone gets riding horses (80' per round) or ponies (70' per round), but one person gets a draft horse (30' per round), I believe we'll have to move at the rate of the slowest horse (30' per round). So my suggestion would be that we all get riding horses or ponies so that we can move up to 70' per round.

[rremedio]

Meagnor will happily accept the horse.

[riftstone]

Thordin steadfastly refuses to ride a horse. I've tried talking to him about it, but it is just no use.

[thirdkingdom]

TK - The map seems to indicate that the path ends at the small grove of trees. Does it continue on past the grove? In other words, could the emissaries approach the caves from more than one direction?

All - Reminder about the horses: We move at the pace of the slowest animal, so if everyone gets riding horses (80' per round) or ponies (70' per round), but one person gets a draft horse (30' per round), I believe we'll have to move at the rate of the slowest horse (30' per round). So my suggestion would be that we all get riding horses or ponies so that we can move up to 70' per round.

The map shows the extent of your knowledge. In other words, the path might extend past the grove of trees.

[Makofan]

Grey Jake will go along with any ambush plans. He suggests if the group does not come in the next two days, that we just abandon the ambush idea and explore the third cave opening, leaving two people behind to watch, who could easily run into the cave if threatened

[thirdkingdom]

Frobozz, answering your questions here. It is perhaps 500 feet from the grove to the cave mouth about a third of that vertical. Visibility is good, generally, from the hilltops, except the terrain is undulating enough that the path, which follows the valleys formed is generally obscured for much of the distance. You would certainly, however, be able to see someone below you before they came into longbow range. Also, don't forget that as I mentioned IC the trail west past the grove will largely be difficult, if not impassable, with the cart


And finally, the shepherd's hut is perhaps 1.5 miles away. It is a crappy map and, as indicated, not to scale.

[thirdkingdom]

While I'm thinking about it I would like a night watch order, if you please, which I shall then post in the new "Standards" thread. Also, given what you guys know about the terrain please discuss how you will go about trying to capture these dudes.