OOC Discussion III: Bride of OOC

[Dram]

Dam!!

[Inferno]

Dram,
Shinyah has magic leather armor and a magic shield.

He also has a magic spear for Gragog, and magic potions for Agax.

[GreyWolfVT]

Gragog has a spear +1 already.

[Inferno]

Hi,
I'm away for Thanksgiving. Back on Monday.
Please NPC my character if I'm holding things up.

Agax will advise against opening any door behind which might lurk wraiths!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

[Zhym]

I think we can safely assume that everyone's posting will be light over Thsnksgiving.

[GreyWolfVT]

fairly true.

[Zhym]

Zhym, what's the largest flying creature a polymorph self spell can manage? A dragon? Thanks.

Polymorph Self allows the caster to take a form "from as small as a wren to as large as a hippopotamus." A hippo is about two tons, 5' tall, and 15' long. The smallest dragon, the white dragon, is about 24' long at maturity according to the Monster Manual. Polymorph Self would only allow the caster to take the from of a very young, small dragon.

Basically, any available flying polymorph shape is going to be similar to the standard flying mounts: pegasus, hippogriff, griffon, etc. These can carry one person and his or her gear at a time. Two at a time might be possible depending on their size and how much gear they're carrying. The issue with gear isn't just weight (though that matters, too), it's bulkiness: two people can ride a horse if they're just wearing their clothes. It's harder to fit both on its back when they're armored and wearing large backpacks and bedrolls and such. If the mount can carry two, it will be at half speed and reduced maneuverability.

Also, you don't have a saddle or reins. I'll allow one person to ride without danger of falling if he still has his wits. If a witless PC or two at a time ride, there will be a chance of falling. I'm not sure yet how the mechanics will work, but I'm thinking an initial roll to see if a character loses balance or slips, with a 3d6 dexterity check to avoid falling. Mindless PCs would not get the dexterity check, but if one is riding with someone who isn't mindless, the non-witless PC could roll a 4d6 dex check to save the witless PC.

FYI: the castle is about 2000' from the edge of town and 1000' above it: a bit over 2200' total. It's about a five minute trip to the edge of town for one person on a pegasus or ten minutes with two people.

[GreyWolfVT]

Well I had a good guestimate there Griffon was about as big as I said though I was hoping a Roc would be allowed

[Inferno]

Thanks Zhym.

Can we use ropes in lieu of reins?

Dragons can speak. Can Agax speak when in the form of a dragon?

[Zhym]

You can use ropes. They would give a bonus to rolls if needed.

Agax could speak when in the form of a dragon.

[Inferno]

Thanks. Dragons can cast spells. Can Agax cast spells when in the form of a dragon?

[Zhym]

No. Agax learned how to cast spells as a human. Dragons cast spells differently. Human gestures cannot be made while in dragon form. Agax's material components would not be available while he's polymorphed. And although dragons can speak, their reptilian mouths form the words differently. Spells requiring material or somatic components are impossible to cast. A spell requiring only a verbal component would be dangerous to attempt.

[GreyWolfVT]

Question from potentially dragon food: Will Agax be compelled to act as a dragon not knowing the remaining party members not act upon natural dragon instincts? I.E. Trying to eat or kill us?

[Inferno]

GW: Polymorph lets the person retain their mind, memory and instincts.

Zhym: Thanks.
How about this?

We get Castran and Petyr out of their armor so they're lightly encumbered. We'll buy Petyr new armor in town.

Agax transforms himself and the heavily encumbered Gragog into flying mounts.

Polymorphed Gragog carries Bogdana and the unarmored Shinyah.
Polymorphed Agax carries unarmored Petyr, leather armored Bragar and tiny, unarmored Castran. (Is three possible when all are unencumbered and one is a gnome?)

I have no idea how to save the bears.
Undead bears will be fearsome opponents.

[Zhym]

You can try to talk Peytr into leaving his armor behind. Good luck.

Bear in mind that the duration of a polymorph potion is different than the duration of the spell.

The only way to fit three people on a mount, even if one of them is a gnome, is if they leave all their items behind except for clothes. That includes gems, gold, rations, weapons—everything.

[Inferno]

Re: Petyr's armor: These NPC henchmen, and bears, have been more trouble than they're worth.

Thanks for the DM hint, though.
How about this:

Agax casts spell on himself. Can carry 1 or 2 magically-sleeping bears, dangling from ropes, like an airlifted horse?

Gragog drinks 1/2 the potion, carries Bragar and Shinyah.

Petyr drinks 1/2 the potion, carries Bogdana and Castran.

[Zhym]

Agax casts spell on himself. Can carry 1 or 2 magically-sleeping bears, dangling from ropes, like an airlifted horse?

No. The bears are too heavy for any mount into which you can polymorph to carry.

Gragog drinks 1/2 the potion, carries Bragar and Shinyah.

Petyr drinks 1/2 the potion, carries Bogdana and Castran.

That's possible, but the duration from drinking half a polymorph potion will be only 1d4 turns. It will take 2 turns for a pegasus to fly to town with a double load. Do you feel lucky?

Meanwhile, elsewhere in Barovia, a farmer needs to get a duck, a fox, and a bag of grain across a river...

[GreyWolfVT]

A: No I don't feel lucky.

The human's armor is too large for the dwarf.

Yeah I coulda told ya that Dram.

[Inferno]

Sorry Dram. For a minute there, I forgot Bragar was a dwarf.

That's possible, but the duration from drinking half a polymorph potion will be only 1d4 turns. It will take 2 turns for a pegasus to fly to town with a double load. Do you feel lucky?

Unless I'm misreading, DMG p.125 says (4 + 1d4)/2 turns, which ends up creating a range of 2.5 - 4 turns.

But either way... While reaching town would be ideal, we just need to clear the castle really.

GW, are you saying you'd rather take the stairwell down to find a way out on foot?

[GreyWolfVT]

I was indicating that on foot might be better if i want to keep my stuff. Or am I misreading again here about having to be unencumbered and leaving all your stuff here... that'd be additional trips back and forth just to try and gather back our own items.