(4) The Ritual Isle

[Edeldhur]

Kordrak

Caradoc

"I think these are leading us into a trap. Ever heard of will-o'-the-wisps from legend? Your mother probably scared you with tales of those things when you were kids."


Suggested Marching Order:

Kordrak Lvl4 Huntsman – 33/33 FA 4 AC 3
Grae Lvl4 Death Soldier – 27/27 FA 4 AC 6 Bullseye Lantern: 50/360
Cían Lvl4 Druid – 23/23 FA 3 AC 4
Akrisios Lvl4 Mountebank – 18/18 FA 3 AC 4
Grom Lvl4 Magician – 13/14 FA 1 AC 9
Caradoc Lvl4 Bard – 19/19 FA 3 AC 5
Zosime Lvl4 Cleric – 22/24 FA 3 AC 4 Torch: 60/70

Why: based on max HP and class. Also, Grae usually carries a light source. Zosime guards the rear so the weakest members are better protected. She also adds a light source from behind.

We could say we usually move in pairs, with the last row composed of three members (Caradoc, Grom, Zosime). Let me know what you think.

Edit: Said Akrisios instead of Caradoc in the last paragraph.

Kordrak is an Archer, Longbow mastery, etc. He should not be in the frontline or he simply cannot use his best attacks, which are his strong points (and also how I would like to play him ), because he is constantly engaged in melee.
His standard AC is also 5, because he usually carries his bow in hand.

[Rex]

Zosime

The order looks good. The group is fighter light and Kordrak is easily the best melee fighter in the group (also missile but that is really irrelevant). Highest hp, best FA, without his bow he has the best AC in the group too. We could shift Akrisios to point and just keep everything else the same. Once we hit combat Akrisios would fall back and let Kordrak and Grae hold the line. If Kordrak switches places with Grae he would have to take the lantern and wouldn't be much use with the bow anyways. Any other suggestion that make sense?

[Karaunios]

Even if you want him to use his bow, that's only useful when the enemies are at a distance. Once we're in melee, using ranged attacks is a liability because of friendly fire. So it still makes sense to me that Kordrak goes first—or second, if we have Akrisios doing the scouting and trap-checking in the first line while we're not in combat. What Rex said makes sense to me.

[kalstone]

Aksrisios is fine with taking point. My only question concerns the Huntsman's Ambusher ability and if we could gain the benefit of that with a particular marching order. The Players Manual states,

"Furthermore, when outdoors, even an untrained party’s chance to surprize increases by one (+1) if the huntsman positions and prepares them accordingly."

That seems to indicate a static ambush, but you could make a case that arranging the marching order carefully could count.

[Edeldhur]

Zosime

The order looks good. The group is fighter light and Kordrak is easily the best melee fighter in the group (also missile but that is really irrelevant). Highest hp, best FA, without his bow he has the best AC in the group too. We could shift Akrisios to point and just keep everything else the same. Once we hit combat Akrisios would fall back and let Kordrak and Grae hold the line. If Kordrak switches places with Grae he would have to take the lantern and wouldn't be much use with the bow anyways. Any other suggestion that make sense?

Yep, Grae and Zosime front line. Kordrak with his bow. Cian, or Grom or Caradoc with the lantern?

[Edeldhur]

Even if you want him to use his bow, that's only useful when the enemies are at a distance. Once we're in melee, using ranged attacks is a liability because of friendly fire. So it still makes sense to me that Kordrak goes first—or second, if we have Akrisios doing the scouting and trap-checking in the first line while we're not in combat. What Rex said makes sense to me.

Yep, I know that. Plan is to shoot arrows at non-engaged foes. When there are none, then I resort to melee.
Of course this is not always possible, and in fact I have been in melee in every fight (I think maybe we all have).
If I am at the front with a bow, then if engaged, I need I don't know how many rounds just to swap weapons - stow bow, draw weapon, draw shield and eventually attack.
So it would make sense to walk with weapon and shield at the ready.
Which in my opinion gimps the character contribution to the group.

[Edeldhur]

Kordrak

All of that being said, it is really no biggie - I can take point. Maybe it will turn out well, so let's give it a try. Game on!

With a grunt, the huntsman takes up point, bow at the ready.

It also looks badass to be the huntsman at the front

[Karaunios]

Haha, thanks Edeldhur!

I think carrying the bow when outdoors, and switching to sword and shield when the environment gets tighter—like in a forest full of trees (cover), where melee is more likely—could be a good compromise.

[OGRE MAGE]

Grom returns to his place in the order.

“Stop! Hold up for a moment. This is folly! I keep hearing that we believe we are following these lights into a trap, yet we continue to follow. Why? If this is just a damn wisp, let’s ignore it!”

I don’t remember which direction they are leading us, but…..

Grom points back in the direction of the palisade wall. “Leave the deadly dancing lights be and let’s try to get on the other side of that wall again.”



I will edit Grom's idea into this post:

iMarkup_20250506_092140~2.jpg (182.13 KiB) Viewed 162 times

Using Dreary initially, he will again attempt to get around to the other side of this oddly suspicious wall. (it just seems out of place and unnecessary to me for some reason) He will command his bird to do the same thing here, flying up above the wall to search for access beyond. He will also attempt the same thing along the side of the cliff, having the bird fly out away from the island and then return beyond the wall.

If the raven still cannot access the other side, Grom will pound a stake in on this side (or just have someone hold onto it) and secure a rope around himself. Keeping his Levitation spell at the ready, he will attempt to drop down the side of the cliff, repel the ledge towards the North, before climbing back up on the other side of the wall.

If this works, we may all be able to use the same method for crossing.

[silifi]

Sorry about the delay - been a busy week after the holiday

Night, Unknown Day and Year - likely Winter

The party seems to suddenly awaken from their pursuit of the floating lights, finally convinced of their long held suspicion that they are being led into a trap, and turns in the opposite direction, heading towards the unexplored northern end of the wall.

After about a 30 minute trek, they make it out of the woods into clearer territory, and Dreary helps guide them along the coast until they arrive at the wall once more, about another half hour later.

Standing at the cliff side, Grom observes that the palisade extends to the very edge of the cliff - a remarkable feat of engineering, he thinks, somehow managing to plant massive timbers less than an inch from falling hundreds of feet down with no obvious footholds for the carpenters to place and secure it.

He sends Dreary to scout around the wall, and stunningly, he observes through the raven's eyes that the timbers seem to materialize as he flies out, extending up and down hundreds of feet. Yet again, with his own eyes, none of this is visible, and none of the rest of the party witnesses these huge logs, 300 or more feet in length, floating in mid air over the ocean.

Grom investigates the possibility of rappelling down the cliff to get around the wall, but when he gets close to the edge to investigate for himself, the wall materializes off the cliff for him as well, and timbers extend down for over a hundred feet.

Caradoc and Akrisios, hearing this description, highly suspect some type of illusion is at work, familiar with such phantasms as part of their own magical practices.

I put in the order initially posted by Karaunios with the exception of moving Akrisios up since that seemed to be what people were leaning towards. Let me know if there are other adjustments people want at any time - the list at the bottom of all posts is now the presumed marching order.


Kordrak Lvl4 Huntsman - 33/33 FA 4 AC 5
Akrisios Lvl4 Mountebank - 18/18 FA 3 AC 4
Grae Lvl4 Death Solider - 27/27 FA 4 AC 6 Bullseye Lantern: 120/360
Cían Lvl4 Druid - 23/23 FA 3 AC 4
Grom Lvl4 Magician - 13/14 FA 1 AC 9
Caradoc Lvl4 Bard - 19/19 FA 3 AC 5
Zosime Lvl4 Cleric - 22/24 FA 3 AC 4 Torch: Expired

[OGRE MAGE]

Grom agrees with the assumptions of the others.

"Perhaps the entire wall is simply an elaborate illusion? We don't have the key stones to open the gate and haven't found even one of them along our travels so far. This makes me think we either missed them somewhere back on the smaller Isle, or they don't exist.........just like this wall."

The Magician walks up to the wall again, turning his back to it before taking 5 steps straight away. "I want to try something."

He closes his eyes and starts walking backwards towards the wall again, hoping he simply passes right through the oddly placed barricade.

Not actually sure how we "disbelieve" in this system.

[Karaunios]

Caradoc watches attentively.

[Rex]

Zosime

She watches Grom with interest and concern.

"I hope this works."

[Edeldhur]

Kordrak

Watches their backs.

[silifi]

Night, Unknown Day and Year - likely Winter

The party looks onward as Grom backs towards the wall as he summons an unshakeable belief that the wall is not real.

Unfortunately, his disbelief is not powerful enough to prevent the wall from blocking his blind movement, causing him to trip over and faceplant in the dirt.

What can I say? Some things are illusions, but some things aren't.


Kordrak Lvl4 Huntsman - 33/33 FA 4 AC 5
Akrisios Lvl4 Mountebank - 18/18 FA 3 AC 4
Grae Lvl4 Death Solider - 27/27 FA 4 AC 6 Bullseye Lantern: 120/360
Cían Lvl4 Druid - 23/23 FA 3 AC 4
Grom Lvl4 Magician - 13/14 FA 1 AC 9
Caradoc Lvl4 Bard - 19/19 FA 3 AC 5
Zosime Lvl4 Cleric - 22/24 FA 3 AC 4

[Karaunios]

Caradoc

"What if we try to go through it?" He approaches the wall and touches it, pushes it.

No. He's not gonna charge into it head first

[kalstone]

Akrisios

"It may be that the wall here is real, while the wall that seeming extends out over the ocean is an illusion. Perhaps we should try to go through it there."

[Darithe]

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Grae

Grae watches with interest as Caradoc touches the wall trying to determine if it is real. Then turns to Akrisios as he suggests the wall over the ocean is an illusion remarking, "Perhaps a well-placed arrow would give us the answer."

[Rex]

Zosime

Zosime looks around for a couple of stones. If she finds them she will throw one at where the wall appears but is not currently and see what happens.

[Edeldhur]

Kordral

"I feel like we have no other alternative than to unravel the riddle that opens the gates"