The Unseen Servant forums

Handing Baxtaw the final healing potion to use (sip by sip), Bremen suggests the magic users start resting while the others take time to fortify the room further. He starts by spiking the doors to the treasure vault, then the door to the dining room. I don't like waiting for them to reinforce, but then again, I like our odds better with more of those sleeping spells ready. Then, as Lug says, we can just kill them all.

Off the top of his head, Bremen lists the following options for defenses:
- lighting the fire for light, preventing disadvantage
- pouring oil on the floor at both doors and being ready to light them
- using the glass from the cases as makeshift caltrops in case the goblins storm in
- prepare barricades with the clothing and armor racks so we have cover.
- use the matress stuffing to make "dummy" dwarf warriors as our front ranks, strapping them to the front of the carts.
- search the room for hidden doors, since there might be another way out.
- get ready to throw handfuls of gold coin out as a distraction.

With (I think) 4 doors, he easily has enough spikes for 3-4 per door, if that gives us any advantages. Let me know and I'll deduct them.

Healing potion deducted.

Edit: does Clauson have any useful spells left?

Marullus wrote:There are two doors to this room - one to the dining room and one to the study. The room is a dwarf-built safe room and still intact. You've locked and barred the doors and activated the traps; hammering spikes into them would only make them less effective.

Ah. I had figured they would be double doors, this seeming to be a major path between a treasure vault and the dining room. That makes it a nicer choke point to defend.

If it is really a safe room, I'd like to renege on giving Baxtaw the healing potion. He can get healed in the morning. Let me know if that is possible, please.

With a realization that he cannot improve the ancient dwarf construction, Bremen notes this to the others and does not bother with the spikes. We can still plan an assault. Or ours on them after we rest. Again he admits that, without magic, they probably don't stand a chance of getting to the stairs, though he leaves the final decision to the group.

If they decide to rest, he recommends two to a watch, one on each door, and ready with flasks of oil to pour onto the floor in case the room is breached. As he searches the room for secret doors of egress, he talks about strategy. When we leave, we're bound to be stuck fighting. It might make sense to unload the carts and set them up as siege wagons.

I had a whole A-team plan for the carts, attaching the dwarf weapons and armor to use a mini tanks/battering rams, but I am doubting that is realistic. Marullus, could we flip the carts over and use them as turtle shells to get closer to the goblins? Then flip them over and attack? Stantz, Rowine and Bremen under one, and Lug, Crowgar and Baxtaw under the other. Piers, Osuna and Clauson can stay back and cast from the bedroom, then be ready to seal the door again if we need to retreat.

Thoughts?

Rusty Tincanne wrote:Ah. I had figured they would be double doors, this seeming to be a major path between a treasure vault and the dining room. That makes it a nicer choke point to defend.

Oh, I misunderstood. You're correct. There are two doorways, but four actual doors.

Marullus, could we flip the carts over and use them as turtle shells to get closer to the goblins?

Sure, if you don't mind dragon-blood on your head.

I always think of goblins going barefoot. I never considered that they might wear boots. But I like the idea of slinging glass shards at their faces. And Bremen loves it.

Bremen smiles at Piers's idea and starts gathering up ancient chamber pots and helmets to use as buckets. He offers to lead a group back to the treasure room. We can fill a few up with gold coins and launch them to the goblins, drawing them out into the open. Then we can target them with the broken glass. He listens at the back door and, if it sounds quiet, he will open it and start toward the treasure room. He also keeps an eye open for any other wooden barrels they might set on fire and roll into battle.

So Bremen's actions are:
1. Gather up helmets and chamber pots to be used as buckets.
2. Go back to the treasure room for coins and as much glass as we can find.
3. Reseal the bed chamber and search for other exits.

Baxtaw- Still has 2 magic missile spells he has not used. I could study 2 sleep & 2 magic misiles or 4 sleep. Are we able to disarm of the crossbow traps and see how many goblins are out there and they are doing thru bolt slits. If so could I use my last Magic Missiles thru them slits.

On the attack:
Lets prepare barricades for something to fall back on if needed. One our clerics able to cast light. They could cast it over the goblins which would give them a -1 to hit. "Bremen" Is it possible to set up the dwarven dummies you want to create with the cross bow traps set to fire at them when we open the doors.


Once the barricades are set he will begin studying the next days spells.

Bremen recommends that Baxtaw not aggravate the goblin siege. If we leave them be, maybe they'll do the same, and that'll give us a good night's sleep. Actually, Piers, why don't you holler to them that they'll need to starve us out. Just in case they haven't thought of it. Hetells asks Baxtaw to accompany him and some others to the treasure room. Those magic darts you've got will com in handy while we collect what we need.

Bremen doesn't know if the crossbow traps can be reworked, but he is of the opinion that, if the group needs to fall back into the bed chamber, they'll want to have the traps in tact.

I think that 4 sleep spells will be the best choice for safe departure here. Each can take out a number of goblins, whereas each MM hits one target at a time.
Osuna should load up on sleep spells, too.

I don't believe goblins get -1 with a light spell. But it does remove our penalty, so it's well worth it.

Piers helps with various tasks, like lighting the fire, extinguishing unnecessary torches, looking for containers and breaking up the glass. At one point he calls out to the goblins "Are you comfortable out there my friends? We are going to be in here a long time".

He also suggests a portable barricade. "Can we attach the wardrobe doors to a weapons rack and carry it in front? I'm sure they'll have lots of archers waiting when we open the doors".

Im thinking of taking these spells: CLWx3, Light, Bless, Hold Person. What about the last slot? Another Hold Person? Silence 15'r? Or Resist Fire so we can do the 'Fiery Lug' trick?.

The group spends an hour going back into the treasury and collecting coins and glass in the Noble's chamberpots, lighting fires in the fireplaces, and telling the goblins to settle in for a long siege.

With watches set, you pass eight hours in the safe room, then an hour while the casters study and pray and while the others make breakfast.

With everyone refreshed, you finalize you plan and prepare to spring into action...

Osana tells you she has prepared teo sleeping spells and can again offer her oracular mirror. Clauson asks, "Do you wish healing prayers now, or when things are more dire and the unconscious need revival?"

Date: 6:40am, 27 July 2021
Light: Fireplaces
Effects: None
Injuries: Dorbeck (Dead), Baxtaw (severely wounded), Bremen (moderately wounded), Lug (moderately wounded), Stantz (minor wound), Clouson (minor wound)

Bremen counsels to get as many sleeping spells as we can, between the magic users.

If the clerics have access to Hold Person, that would be a good option, as well as healing spells, of course.

Are there any peepholes to look into the dining room from here? If so, Bremen will look out and try to get a feel for what the party is up against.
How many people can squeeze beneath each cart? If we can get 4-5 under one cart, it might make sense to just use one, which will save time reloading them later.

Answering Father Clauson respectfully, Bremen indicates that the fighters are less likely to need revival if they are in better health to begin with.

He asks Osuna how her witchcraft works. What can you tell us about getting to the stairs, and if my men are still there, waiting?

He discusses the best order to act, suggesting: gold buckets, glass shards, advance under the carts and sleeping spells, ram with the weapons tied to the cart, hack and slash. He is open to suggestions though.

Searching around, you do indeed find a peephole by which the dwarf noble could look out on his dining room guests. You ppek through but see little in the absolute dark of that room. You can only discern that goblin scuffling remains and upturned tables block your view.

Clauson nods, obeying his liege and distributing the blessings of Baudh. Baxtaw is significantly healed (+5, +6), Lug is completely healed (+7), and Bremen has a little relief (+2).

Osana explains that her oracular abilities allow her to see the near future, no more than half an hour. As you are about to attack imminently, she performs her rituals over her hand mirror. "There are many of them now; over two dozen. They surprise us with two dwarven ballistae hidden behind the tables, which are devastating in their effect. We perservere and push to the hallway... Wolves. There's four of their wargs waiting in the hallway. That... That's as far as I can see."

Date: 6:50am, 27 July 2021
Light: Fireplaces
Effects: None
Injuries: Bremen (minorly wounded), Baxtaw (minorly wounded), Clouson (minor wound), Stantz (minor wound)

HP sums:
Baxtaw is -3, Bremen is -9, Stantz is -3, Clauson is -2)

Lord Commander Bremen thanks Father Clauson for his ministrations, then, considering Osuna's vision, he asks if anyone can target the ballistae with a light spell. It'll light up the room and maybe make it hard to use. Then Baxtaw and Osuna can cast their sleep spells from this hole as we break out.

"So...no one's going to light me on fire?" asks Lug.

"Darn."