IC II

[Finglas]

Marodin the Cleric

.....Turning to Tratiln, the cleric will say, "If it truly is a troll, we'll want fire at the beginning, middle, and end of the fight. They have a nasty habit of not staying dead unless you burn them with fire or acid."

Bregalad the elf

Bregalad retrieves his spear, wiping the blood from it and from his boots.

"Aye, a sustained fire would be best. I recall the goblins' sleeping quarters had many blankets. Douse them with oil, and they may burn for a long time."

[thirdkingdom]

A search of the room is made, uncovering nothing but a gnawed deer carcass. Semele grits her teeth and guts the three lizards, spilling the contents of their bellies on the floor. They contain nothing but partially digested meat. Those so desiring fashion fire arrows out of scraps of cloth wound around the arrowheads and dipped in oil.

The adventurers make their way to the main hall to find the makeshift barricade Thordin piled in front of the double doors to still be in place, though bearing some evidence of movement, as if a great force was pushing against the doors from the other side.

Here is my ruling for fire arrows. You're going to take a -2 to-hit penalty. The arrows will still do 1d6 damage, but every other hp of damage will be considered fire-based. Therefore, if it does 1 hp that is normal, regenerable damage. If the arrow inflicts 2 hp that is one of normal damage, one of fire damage.

[frobozz]

Lanny the elf

Lanny pauses as he enters the familiar room.

"Here is where I almost met my end... and where my former comrades saw their last light. I have a personal score to settle with this troll..."

Lanny looks around to see if any of his former comrades' equipment is still there.

I believe there was 3 crossbows, 3 chainmail, and 3 backpacks.

[rremedio]

Meagnor the Elf

"Good job, my friends. I have only two flasks of oil left and I agree with the sustained fire idea. Let us assure we are well prepared when we enter that room."

how much oil do we have? I believe I remember you guys commenting that the party bought some extra oil to deal with the troll. Despite the penalties, Meagnor may fire two or three arrows if this doesn't make our oil short for the sustained fire.

[frobozz]

Lanny the elf

Lanny looks over at the warped double doors.

"I wonder if the troll is even alive anymore... It has been almost 12 days since we were last in this room, so it may have starved to death with no 'sun lovers' to feed upon. Or it may have fled to deeper depths... Can anyone hear anything?"

Lanny asks everyone to be still for a moment so that those with the best hearing might be able to pick up any sounds from behind the doors.

[riftstone]

Thordin the dwarf shakes his head, grimly staring at the floor as if recalling something from long ago.

"Trolls feed just fine on the long forgotten things that live in the dark depths, unremembered by the ages. Our legends say they gnaw on the very stone itself, aching for soft flesh and sweet blood. They are twisted by their own malice and desire. No, it is still alive. That much I know."

[Finglas]

Thordin the dwarf shakes his head, grimly staring at the floor as if recalling something from long ago.

"Trolls feed just fine on the long forgotten things that live in the dark depths, unremembered by the ages. Our legends say they gnaw on the very stone itself, aching for soft flesh and sweet blood. They are twisted by their own malice and desire. No, it is still alive. That much I know."

Bregalad the elf

"Your words hold more certainty than if I had seen the troll with mine own eyes. I believe you, Thordin."

Bregalad begins preparations for a fiery ambush of the troll. He looks for the group's playful rogue. With a gleam in his eyes, the elf asks him, "Saul, are you familiar with the game, 'cat and mouse'?"

Are there still many blankets or furs in the room?

[thirdkingdom]

The room and its contents appear undisturbed. The gear that had once belonged to the unfortunate caravan guards is still propped next to the hearth; the sleeping rags still strewn about the floor.

[Bouv]

Tratilnj looks around. "I like this cat & mouse idea. Perhaps if we were to lure it up here, where we would have the advantage. Put some oil soaked rags on the floor and ignite them when it comes up. If we do decide on this path, we should be prepared to have someone or two reblock the door in order to prevent its escape and allowing itself time to recover.

[zebediah]

Drudsa the dabbler

Sounds like a good plan, but I wonder if positioning two of us to close the door after the troll will not end up exposing those two to the flames - and to the troll. It seems safer to draw the monster to a point beyond the initial oil-soaked area, so the flames will keep him from retreating.

The mage dwells silently in his own thoughts for a minute, then adds

Listen, as far as I have read that type of creature is not only able to recover from most injuries but is able to take a lot of injury before going down. Even if we use fire I doubt we will be able to bring it down before we hit him hard a lot of times. Why don't we prepare a few traps in addition to the oil? We can use these crossbows and maybe set them in a way that they shoot once the troll enters the room while we also use our ranged attacks. Once he's in we set the oil on fire and retreat down the corridor where we can prepare one or two additional oily surprises for him.

[frobozz]

Lanny the elf

Lanny listens to his companions while he sits on the ground, quietly preparing his arrow tips with small tatters of the filthy goblin fabric.

"We'll need at least one person to be the torch bearer to light the arrows before they are fired by the bowmen. We can also use the crossbows for this purpose, even if some of you are untrained with the crossbow. I'm sure it would please the spirits of my old caravan comrades to know that their weapons brought down this troll..."

Bregalad begins preparations for a fiery ambush of the troll. He looks for the group's playful rogue. With a gleam in his eyes, the elf asks him, "Saul, are you familiar with the game, 'cat and mouse'?"

Lanny does not look up from his preparations but smiles when he hears this suggestion.

"I couldn't agree more. Saul is our quickest, quietest, and most fearless scout at the present moment. If anyone here can lure the troll from his lair back into this room, it is he... Just be prepared to run for your life once you find the damn thing," he says to Saul with a wink.

Tratiln looks around. "I like this cat & mouse idea. Perhaps if we were to lure it up here, where we would have the advantage. Put some oil soaked rags on the floor and ignite them when it comes up.

Lanny nods his head in agreement.

"Placing some oil-soaked rags in front of the double doors, and then throwing a torch at them to ignite them after the troll passes them, should prevent the troll from escaping... I've heard that trolls have somewhat rubbery skin, so we can not rely on the assumption that an oil flask thrown at the troll with break on contact..."

"Listen, as far as I have read that type of creature is not only able to recover from most injuries but is able to take a lot of injury before going down. Even if we use fire I doubt we will be able to bring it down before we hit him hard a lot of times. Why don't we prepare a few traps in addition to the oil? We can use these crossbows and maybe set them in a way that they shoot once the troll enters the room while we also use our ranged attacks. Once he's in we set the oil on fire and retreat down the corridor where we can prepare one or two additional oily surprises for him."

Lanny again nods his head in agreement.

"I like the idea of using hit-and-run attacks. I would also suggest that we use these long tables as barriacades to slow down the troll so that we can target it more easily and allow us time to move. I'd suggest leaving one table in front of the northern doors and placing the second one in front of the southern entrance to this room. We can fire arrows from behind each one until the troll starts to get close, and then we can retreat down the southern corridor where we can have more piles of oily rags just waiting to be lit. Indeed, I believe it is in the southern corridor that we will most likely be able to roast the troll, for its movements will be limited there..."

[Makofan]

Grey Jake says "I would be happy to hold a torch and light teh arrows for people"

[Bouv]

Tratiln suggests instead, "We should have Semele hold he torch. I would be willing to fire a crossbow though my experience is low with them. We should at least prep some of the bolts with oily rags just in case. I know it maybe risky Jake, but I think if you & Saul should hide out near the door and sink a dagger or two into its back, I think that should also keep it off guard. Lanny, should you have your floating missile prepped as well? We can try to put this creature to sleep though I'm not sure if it could throw off the effects of the spell. Perhaps it can be blinded somehow too...

Tratiln will start helping with the prepping of arrows and bolts with oil soaked rags. He will also help to put rags in front of the door and move tables whee others would like them.

[rremedio]

Meagnor the Elf likes the idea of blinding the troll. "This would greatly improve our odds."

[thirdkingdom]

Semele, cleric

Semele is pale but resolute. "I will hold a torch", she declares.

[Luis]

Saul was about to ask whether Bregalad wanted to be the cat or the mouse when Lanny made it clear who he thought should be the bait.

He takes on exaggerated tones, in jest, and says to Lanny: "Flatter me some more, will you? Might as well have my ego well armoured against that thing... Still, with my esteemed colleague Grey Jake feeling a bit under the weather I'm afraid I am currently the best scout this party has."

He gives a wink towards Jake, handing him his arrow bag, and pats Lanny on the back while heading towards Semele with a smile on his way out.

"Cheer up, my dear. Oh, and for the love of your immortal don't drop that torch, I'd rather not join him anytime soon."

Saul will drop everything he has save for his goggles, his dagger and his bow with two arrows. He doesn't light any of them as he lacks confidence in his aim and having to light up an arrow in the dark might be too much for him.

He puts one arrow in the notch of his bow, puts on his goggles on his brow, ready to go down if need be, and heads to the doorway. Before putting his second arrow between his teeth and heading out the door he says to the group:

"I'll be right back."

Famous last words

Feel free to use my arrows.

Don't read the rest as I have an MTG game tonight and I don't know if I'll be back in time. Just leaving some instructions in case I'm slowing down the game.



















If I don't come back - IRL - soon I'll try to find the troll, hide and fire one arrow trying to kill him. That won't do it, of course, but Saul will try because he is Saul and that's what he'd do.

After that he'll decide to move his position to where he can fire a shot safely with some distance between his target, just trying to get the troll's attention, but still be able to pop up to be seen and then run like a madman towards his friends where he'll side with Grey Jake and start firing again. If his aim is way off he'll curse his luck and start running while yelling: "Hey, festering fleabag, come and get me!"

If cornered and things look grim he'll use his knife to try to claw out the troll's eyes or die trying.

[sulldawga]

Semele, cleric

Semele is pale but resolute. "I will hold a torch", she declares.

Marodin the Cleric says, "If we can find another to light the fire arrows, Semele can bless the archers with the power of the Immortals, making them more likely to hit their target."

"Otherwise, I am in agreement with all of the planning. Just make sure you don't hit me in the back whilst I engage the troll in combat."

Semele can cast Benediction, granting all those within a 10'x10' square of her +1 to hit. But she has to concentrate on it and can't handle the torch as well.

[thirdkingdom]

There is enough detritus scattered about the room that it certainly seems possible to construct rudimentary torch holders, thus eliminating the need for a live torch-bearer.

[riftstone]

Thordin the dwarf will take out five arrows, wrap the shaft just behind the tip in cloth, and douse them with oil. He will then lay them out in front of him on the ground. His sword and shield he will lay to either side of him, for quick pick-up.

[thirdkingdom]

Okay, so it sounds like the basic plan will not change. It will take one hour to set up, during which time I will make three wandering monster checks: 2, 4, 2. Lucky. Feel free to fine tune; I wanted to go ahead and make the checks now, in case of interruption.