Expedition: Baxtaw - Seeking Scatha's Lair - 23 July 2021

[Jernau35]

I think you might have a point. A rest would be nice but every rest we get allows Scatha to heal too. Aren't we trying to get him while he's as weak as possible? And finding Dorbeck has tipped him off that something is going on, so we may never get the chance to catch him unawares.

I'm assuming Piers has their ropes still, but he's not keen on their choice of hiding spot ( the first place Scatha will look) so he's likely to let them go and take his own chances.

[Rusty Tincanne]

Bremen asks Father Clauson for Dorbeck's shield, then asks his cleric to take the goblin's ropes from Piers. Get out of sight and stay safe. Gag the runts for now. Kill them if they try to flee. They never showed us the door, so they haven't earned the coin or their freedom.

Bremen takes the shield and places it behind one of the structures in such a way that the dragon would need to come around a corner to find it. Then he hides a short distance away, melting into the shadows, hoping he can attack the dragon from behind when it comes. He tells the others to hide and get ready to attack.

What spells does Clauson have ready? Anything useful on goblins or dragons? A light spell at the right time would be a good start. Maybe on a stone to be placed beneath the shield?

[Rusty Tincanne]

Is anyone else feeling like the dog that caught the bus right now? And just realizing it is the spell-casting, fire-breathing, dog-eating sort of bus?

[Marullus]

Clauson spell list:

CLW
CLW
Remove/Cause Fear
Command

Resist Fire
Hold Person
Holy Chant

[Rusty Tincanne]

Maybe he can command it lie prone, like the effect of saying "die". It would be nice to see a 1st level spell help take down a dragon.

[Jernau35]

Piers hesitates momentarily before handing over the rope, remembering that he had given the goblins his word and not wanting to see them killed out of spite. But he does recall that their freedom and safety did depend on finding the door, and Bremen isn't ordering their immediate execution. However narrowly, his word still holds. He hands over the ropes to Father Clauson and turns to Rowine and Crowager.

"Spread out. Take Cover. Quickly!" Piers dashes for a safe place behind cover.

Yeah, this isn't going to end well. Damnit! I have our victory song all written too.

Piers spells
1st
CLW x3
Light cast at the spiders in the clothing room

2nd
Bless cast at Goblin Barrier
Find Traps
Resist Fire

[Marullus]

Bremen places Dorbeck's shield partway down Metalsmith Row. Clauson is handed the goblin's ropes and dissappears into the first metalsmith workshop with them. Baxtaw hides in the second smeltery, to ensure he is behind the dragon if it goes for the shield. Piers, Rowine, and Crowgar scatter, finding separate hiding places. Osuna hides in the first smelter, ready with her remaining magic missile spell.

Baxtaw? Lug?

[Dram]

Baxtaw hiding in the second smeltery readies his sword to attack the dragon.

[Marullus]

...Lug?

[Zhym]

Lug dives for whatever cover he can find—hopefully something that won't turn into a flame broiler in a moment.

[Marullus]

Lug dives into the protective cover of the stonecarver's shop on the first alleyway. Baxtaw and Bremen hide in the second smeltery on the left while Osana hides in the first smelter. Piers, Rowine, Crowgar, and Stantz scatter in other storefronts along Metalsmith Row.

Bremen places the shield partway down the second alleyway, Metalsmith Row. Clauson stands for a moment at the entrance to the first metalsmith shop, the other end of the ropes lost within as the goblins hide and he enchants Bremen, calling upon Baudh to make him resistant to fire. Bremen blunts out the last flickers of his torch and everyone pulls back into safety in the pitch darkness just as the sound of slithering becomes closer in the hallway.

There is a guttural rumbling that coalesces into gravelly speech in the darkness, the sound of a massive form slithering passing the first alleyway and smelters. "Hmmmm... a game is it? I can smell you, morsels. You, and your overgrown stink of fear and vengeance..."

Actions?

Date: 4:20pm, 26 July 2021
Light: None (-4 penalty)
Effects: Resist Fire (Bremen)
Injuries: Dorbeck (Dead), Baxtaw (Moderately Wounded), Bremen (minor wounds), Stantz (minor wound), Clouson (minor wound), Baxtaw (minor wound), Lug (superficial wound)

[Zhym]

Is Scatha past Lug's hiding place now? His head, anyway?

[Marullus]

Yes. We'll say his head is past Lug and Osana. It is even with Baxtaw/Bremen/Clauson. It is not yet to those in Metalsmith's Row.

[Zhym]

Lug waits for Scatha to slither forward a little bit more, until the wyrm's head is past Baxtaw, Bremen, and Clauson.

I figure if we're going to attack, it might as well be now. Wait for us to get flanking position, attack from behind its head, and hope our deaths will at least be glorious.

Any other ideas?

[Rusty Tincanne]

Sounds good. I'm hoping someone will cast Light as we attack. And as soon as he can, Bremen will try a backstab/hammer hit. And I'm crossing my fingers for a natural 20.

[Zhym]

Not to metagame too much—but, hell, it's a dragon; I'll take every advantage we can get—do we know if we need magic weapons to hit a dragon? I'm trying to figure out whether Lug should use Rhybek's axe or just Reason with the dragon.

[Rusty Tincanne]

No idea, but I certainly hope not. Does an ancient red dragon need any more bonuses?

[Zhym]

No. No, it does not.

Rhybek's axe does 1d8, right? (+1 vs. flying?) If so, that extra +1 to hit might be more useful than 2 pts of possible extra damage.

[Marullus]

Rhybek's axe does 1d8, right? (+1 vs. flying?) .

That's correct. (Correcting an earlier answer: yes, it is two handed for Lug as a standard battle axe.)

[Jernau35]

Piers doesn't have Light. The best he can do is light an oil flask and toss it nearby. I'm assuming it won't hurt the dragon and I don't want to hit any of us. After that he has Resist Fire and 3 CLWs.

He can toss it, cast RF on himself and run into the fight. RF would be more useful on a frontline fighter though. Is anybody close enough to benefit now? Range = 30'.