[Compled] Expedition - Bromric/Demon - 30 April, 1 VC

[Marullus]

I feel we are sadly short on actual treasure... I hoped to find the basilisk hoard relatively nearby. If that's possible, he'll risk it (more than the new mystery voice). If a short search doesn't reveal it, he'd happily fast forward out. He needs to reclaim his pony, and if they aren't already fully laden, chop up some of the giant melted golden statue that was near the entrance to sweeten the group haul. We should also remember that Melvin has a sack of dragon-fire burned vengeful dwarf remains (Fangir's ashes) too. I would also request that you highlight in the summary post to identify the places we think we should return to, which helps us reform the next expeditions.

[Keehnelf]

As the basilisk was the result of a wandering monster check, you won't find its lair nearby--it crept in and got more or less stuck here.

I would be glad to have you go back via the entry route, taking some statue, and highlighting the spots that you all noted as promising.

[Zhym]

Is there any way you could quickly resolve the voice? That kind of a big fat question mark to leave us with. I'm totally behind a fast-forward, but it would be nice if we could resolve that mystery voice questions first. Especially since fast-forwarding past us is a meta over IC move. I don't see most of these characters ignoring that voice.

[Keehnelf]

My initial thought was to make the voice unreachable via the chute at this point--considering how big of a new set of issues the voice opens up is specifically what made me realize that if you guys planned to not just make a beeline back to civilization this is going to take a while.

[Marullus]

LL Basic has a wandering monsters have a 50% of having a findable lair. I was just hopeful.

If the voice isn't findable up the chute, Bromric would be willing to get the treasure out safely. Perhaps calling to it? Proper cues to return with better tools next expedition?

[Zhym]

That's still a really big cliffhanger—even more so from what you just said. Basically, it's way too cool and important to let us play with it now. But mom, I want to open my presents now!

I've seen you sacrifice smooth game play in favor of being true to your character's, well, character. So you should understand why I'm reluctant to say we'd just ignore the voice. Or have the DM fiat that the tunnel is too narrow. IMO, this game already has enough quest hooks without us coming back with another one our PCs could have dealt with by staying a little longer.

That said, I'm not sure how to deal with both this and getting the rest of the game moving. You could just start the other threads, though that would risk wonky timelines (unless you move everything up to the current no-longer-Visitor thread date. Or would that be back?). As much as that might risk crossing the streams, I think I'd prefer it to leaving the mystery voice unresolved as a Big Damn Cliffhanger when we're right here.

Or as Marullus mentions, maybe we can at least talk to the source of the voice even if we can't reach it? That would remove the Big Damn Cliffhanger factor somewhat. Maybe.

You just had to bring up that voice, didn't you?

[Keehnelf]

I don't strictly adhere to the "50% findable" rule, but every wandering monster does get a determination of whether it has a home base somewhere within the environment, and where that would be. Unfortunately, the basilisk doesn't have one of those here--so about 60-70% chance of being able to get lair loot for most encounters, is how it works out...if you plan to investigate.

[Keehnelf]

Here's another reveal that is problematic: the voice is actually the result of a random encounter roll that just opened a new path to potentially interesting things. If any one of three rolls to determine what kind of thing it is had come out different, then there would really be no issue.

If you guys insist on sticking with this exploration, then my proposed solution is this: we move THIS thread ahead to May 20, hand waving two weeks and allowing everyone else to get started.

[Zhym]

You're really not making a strong case for skipping ahead. "The random encounter roll opened a new path to potentially interesting things—how about we just skip it?"

I'd be okay moving this thread ahead two weeks.

[Keehnelf]

Well, if you went back the hook would stick around--I wouldn't be mean enough to make it disappear because of my need to sort OOC things.

[Zhym]

I know, but IC it seems sort of silly to trudge all the way back to town and back when we're here now. It's not exactly a safe trip. Besides, everyone and their third cousin is going to be trying to loot the Finger. Instead of us having a head start on them, they'll have a head start on us.

[Starbeard]

I would okay with skipping us ahead in time, too. In fact, we could easily just delete 14sp from our pocket books and say we stayed in town for 2 weeks before heading out. Say we deliberated and wasted time consulting what to do about the Visitor. There's never enough wiling away the days and weeks in Vaul, anyway.

[Keehnelf]

Ok, it sounds like advancing time is acceptable to the group in general if it means sticking around. It's now 2:10am on May 20.

[Zhym]

Now just watch. This encounter I just argued for will end up getting us all killed when we could have been transported safely to town.

[Keehnelf]

I make no promises. I think I specifically mentioned earlier that sticking around might well end in a TPk.

[Zhym]

Is it too late to change my mind? Y'know, IC, Melvin wouldn't want to risk all that fine loot...

[Marullus]

I think a more acceptable compromise is: it is fine to hand-wave getting back to town as long as we also hand-wave getting back to here. That assuages Zhym 's desire to explore this as our next-cool-thing while also handling all of Keehnelf's accounting, dropping off the NPCs, handling XP and leveling, etc.

We go up the chute and do what we can, but can't get through the McGuffin. The McGuffin is something we can handle with tools from town. We wave our way out and back, starting in a new thread with the tools in hand, back at this spot.

Thoughts?

[Keehnelf]

That's less acceptable to me than jumping ahead time-wise and continuing. Your proposal loses you nothing but gives you a free re-supply for items targeting the issue at hand. I regret having made the ask, but "free stuff" in exchange for your forebearance in helping the game get moving is problematic in terms of balance with others in the game.

[Marullus]

You don't need to reveal the actual situation, particularly if it conveys unfair advantage. I meant a new McGuffin to explain the leave/return only.

[Zhym]

I think the risk-free return to town is a more than fair offer (especially if Keehnelf isn't too strict about our weight-carrying limits ). I was actually expecting some sort of magic teleport (perhaps arranged by the Visitor) after Keehnelf said he thought we'd be done by (last) Wednesday. There's no way we'd be able to trek back through the mountain and back to town by then.

What about this: we get some clue who is up that shaft then a return to town that puts us there at the current Vaul date. I think I could live with that.