On with the plan
Subject On with the plan
"That's a good idea," Salix replies reluctantly. He takes a deep breath and continues, "What do you think, guys? Wanna unload some wagons?"
From: Kevin
Subject On with the plan
"Allistair, when you go back tomorrow, why don't you ask them about these "passes" we were given. Maybe you can find out if they can track us or if we can get rid on them if we have a job."
From: Karl
Subject On with the plan
"About that," Salix says, "Weren't we told they are good for three days? How long have we been here so far?"
From: Derek
Subject On with the plan
"Did Surin or Kal end up buying any of those pearls? If you have one, I could find out right now. These passes have been bugging me for the past couple of days, and I'd like to find out without arousing suspicion. It could be disasterous if these passes can be used to track people, or worse, to listen in on conversations. If the druids we're looking for are still alive, then the mayor at least has the magical capabilities of masking or shielding any attempts to contact them. And if he can do that, spying on people with the passes would be relatively simple."
From: Karl
Subject On with the plan
(OOC- I'm just guessing, but I think passes such as these are probably a standard thing for towns trying to control entry. It seems to me that it's likely the magic is just so the guard can detect forgeries, or perhaps they change color when they expire or something else. Mark, are such things common in this world? Are these passes unusual in any way that we know of?
I'm just concerned that we're making too much of them. A pearl is a lot to waste if there's nothing special to them. If we don't have a logical reason to be overly paranoid about them, I'm not sure the group would be willing to toss away a pearl to test them. (speaking as a player and not a character, of course. /OOC.)
From: Mark
Subject On with the plan
Ally and Kal have heard of places in the world who use things like these passes. While they can be used to spy on people that usually takes special preperations. The most common type are used as Salix suggests, to show when they expire and to show that the holder has paid their fee. There are other uses but they tend to be used on a case by case basis.
Starting work at the Mayor's House
Subject Turn
I will get a turn out tonight.
I have one of my RL games tomorrow so tonight is D&D prep night, both for this game and the one tomorrow.
From: Mark
Subject Working at the Mayor's house
After a few hours of discussion Salix leans back, stretching. "Ok we are decided. Tomorrow, Surin will visit with the Mockers again and work out the details on the diversion. We will pick the date and time but you" he points to Surin " get to work out the details." The halfling nods in agreement. The druid turns to Ally, Harp and Ran. "You three get to go to the Mayor's house and take whatever job they have for you. Ally, find out about the passes and verify what you can of the layout we have. See if you can find out anything else about how the inside of the house is laid out, the basement in particular." He turns to the other three. "We four are going to try and find work with a company hauling stuff for the Mayor. Let's see what we can find out about the estate. Now since we all have to be going early tomorrow, let's get to sleep now." He looks around and only sees Mund start to protest. Come on Mund, you have had fun the last two nights and I think the earlier we get in line the better chance we have of getting taken on. Mund agrees grudgingly and they all head off to bed.
Salix wakes them all early the next morning. They are the first ones in the dinning room and are headed out the door of the inn just as the first light of morning climbs over the horizon. Surin, knowing that he would have several hours to wait until he could meet with the Mockers spends the morning learning the streets around the Mayors house. This is made a bit more difficult by the fact the the whole section of town where the Mayor lives is surrounded by an iron fence. There are several gates that he can tell would be very easy to bypass and the guards only seem to be on station during the night. He would have to ask the Mockers about that. By noon he has a fairly good sense of the streets and alleys in the area surrounding the Mayor's house.
When Harp and Ran and Ally report to the front gate of the Mayor's house a corporal is on duty. Ally steps forward taking charge. "I am Allistair. Ullen told me to report to work this morning. Sergeant Kline was also supposed to have positions for my two associates here, Ran and Hack. The Corporal goes into the guard house and checks a sheet of paper. He comes back nodding "Yes we got word late last night. You are to go to the servants entrance and report to the Ullen. He will give you the rules of the house. You two" he says, pointing at Harp and Ran "come with me." Ally heads off as told and the two fighters follow the Corporal around the back of the house to the barracks. There Ran is presented to another Sergeant, Sergeant Helborg. "OK elf" he says "your with me. You" he says pointing to Harp, "report to the teamsters in the back. We are short of loaders today and Kline said that you were to help load and unload the wagons." Harp starts to act offended when Helborg gets in his face.
"Do you want a job? Well if you don't like this one we can always use you as target practice." There is an evil grin in his face as he says this, and Harp quickly backs down, actually glad that he will be someplace new." Harp is led to a staging area in the back of the compound and is instructed to get into a wagon. The wagon is full of men, rough and foul looking, and they head out from the estate.
Ran is spends much of the morning learning how the household guard is organized and just how low he is on the shit list. He spends a good portion of the day running messages and doing crap jobs around the grounds. If the Sergeant or Corporal want a drink, Ran is the one they order to go get it. If someone needs anything, Ran is the gopher. He does learn somethings though and he is eager to report back.
OODM: I will get more written tomorrow night.
The third night
Subject Information
Ok I have sent everyone some information about the previous day in Bodentown. I am going to write up a small bit about them meeting back at the Eel and then everyone can fill in the others with what they found out.
If anyone has any questoins about what they saw or found out please let me know.
From: Mark
Subject The third night
Dusk is falling when the 8 show back up at the Eel. Several of them make use of the inn's bath house, washing the grime of a hard days work away as well trying to wash away the dirt they feel on their souls. Surin has ordered a large meal from the kitchen and by the time everyone shows up clean, the meal is ready. The food is good and the ale is plentiful. Several members have much to tell.
From: Porter
Subject The third night
"That was a really good idea for us to get a job as day laborers." Mund says "Not that they paid much," he adds with a grumble.
On our third trip out to the Mayor's estate, I saw something. It was a ways off, but I swear I saw a northern tribesman there. Well, at least he was *dressed* like somebody from back home. I tried to go check it out, but the overseer laid a beat down on me, so I didn't get a chance."
"Y'all would be proud of me, too. Despite the fact that he desperately needs a beating, I didn't even raise a finger against him."
From: Kevin
Subject The third night
"I know what you mean, Mund. I saw almost a half a dozen men whipped just short of death and left were they fell. If you can't make it, you die. There is no fogiveness or compassion.
Other than that, I didn't learn much, except that they gave us some new passes. Allistair, can you tell if these new ones are enchanted in any way?"
From: Derek
Subject The third night
"Sure, just give me a second." Allistair casts detect magic to see if the new passes are magical or not. "Hack, Ran and myself got new passes since we work for the mayor's estate now, but they all look a little different."
"I was able to look around a little bit while at work today. It turns out that the west wing and the east wing have separate basements. The west wing basement doesn't have anything unusual: food storage, laundry, a boiler, etc. As to the east wing below the family side of the house, I have no idea. If we want to check out the basement though, that is the side to look into."
"Also in looking through the documents, I found out, partly at least, how the mayor has been financing his build-up of arms and men. His men have been pillaging caravans and villages in the region for supplies and slaves. Some of these are as far as several weeks out so as not to arouse too much suspicion, would be my guess."
"As to the tribesman you may have seen, Mund, I don't think it was coincidence. I found a short reference to some item that had to be obtained in order to satisfy the head of the tribe. This looks suspicious to me. I don't know what it's all about, but we're not exactly next door the wildlands here. I think it bears more looking into."
Ragnar's day
Subject Ragnar's day
When Salix arrives early the next morning, he finds Ragnar recently awoken and ready to go. They eat a hasty breakfast and head out. Ragnar had spent the morning toying with the edges of a plan, but couldn't quite make it work in his mind. Still, he wasn't sure that he was really ready to act out Salix's plan either. He labored for Heironeous, but not for pay and certainly not for this Mayor. He had long since passed the time when he was forced to labor for mortals. But he couldn't just go off on his own either. He should really have talked to Salix earlier, but he wouldn't have agreed anyways. Even in his own head, his plan sounds stupid.
As they reach the place where teams come to hire laborers, his anxiety finally surfaces and he steps up next to Salix. Standing in line where a burly guard checks to make sure those that enter have a valid pass and pay an "admittance fee", he whispers to Salix, "I'm not sure I'll be much use here... I was thinking it might be better if I spent the day around town. Even though there are no temples to Heironeous here, there must be at least some churches dedicated to good or neutral deities. They might know something about these priests of Nerull. We need to know what role they're playing in all this."
Salix stares at him, aghast. "You want to change the plan *now*, and go off by yourself in this town? We can talk about it tonight, but..."
They are interrupted by the guard, as they've neared the head of the line. "Hey you!" he shouts at Ragnar. "Run on back to your cave, rat, we don't need your kind here." Rather than angry at the insult, Ragnar actually looks relieved. Salix starts to protest, but the guard says "If you don't like it, you can join him on the street!"
"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. I'll be back at the inn long before dark." With that Ragnar heads back the way he came, ignoring a few jeers from laborers still waiting in the line. Salix wouldn't be happy, but Ragnar could only feel relief that he'd avoided the days activity. OK, he thinks to himself, now that I'm free to wander around, how do I make this stupid plan of mine into something workable? He'd gotten the idea from Surin's meeting with the Mockers. The Mayor hadn't been here long, and surely he couldn't have obliterated all traces of organized worship. The problem would be finding it.
He spends most of the morning wandering around, getting more discouraged as the sun gets higher and higher without any hint of where to look. In the temple district at Gorn, religion came up frequently even in the streets. Bodentown was a completely different place, and the only time a god's name was mentioned was as part of a curse. He finally stumbles upon some luck when he finds an odd intersection where 7 roads come together.
Immediately across from the road on which he entered was a large, slightly imposing building that had clearly been abandoned for some time. As he comes closer, he feels drawn to it. The front door was locked at one point, but had been forced open long since. Entering in, he immediately recognizes a shrine to Fharlanghn, the God of Roads. Protector of bards, travelling merchants and other wanderers, his altar would usually hold several small trinkets donated by those seeking his favor before a journey. Ragnar can find where the altar once stood, but the altar itself is nowhere to be found. The building shows clear signs of having housed numerous squatters fairly recently, though none are in evidence now. A quick search of the rest of the building reveals nothing is left; furniture, paperwork, and ornamentations are all gone. Feeling discouraged, Ragnar heads back outside.
He spends the rest of the day searching, fearing that to ask a direct question of any of the residents would arouse suspicions. He does have another bit of luck in the afternoon; walking slowly down another street in a different part of town, a sudden feeling of revulsion makes him shudder. Glancing around, he quickly determines its source, and, finding the building once again abandoned, steps inside. The visit leaves him with more questions than answers, however. There is no sign of what deity was once worshiped here, yet he can clearly tell it was once the church of some evil deity. But why would the temples of evil be shut down? It made no sense.
Immediately accross from that building was another, this one with no doors or shutters at all, and looking inside he sees that it was once dedicated to Olidammara, the God of Thieves. This one seems as abandoned as the others. Its frustrating, knowing that with two churches right next to each other there must be more nearby, but the days are short this far north and he realizes he needs to get back to the inn or risk being out after dark. Completely oblivious to the fact that three sets of eyes follow him out of Olidammara's abandoned shrine, he heads back to the Eel.
*****
Ragnar reports "I wasn't able to find much, in truth. I was able to find abandoned shrines of Olidammara, God of Thieves, as well as Fharlanghn, God of Roads. There was another that I'm certain was once dedicated to some evil deity as well, but I couldn't determine who. None of them had been used for months."
OOC: Karl, my apologies for taking a few liberties with Salix... hopefully it was fairly in character.
From: Karl
Subject Ragnar's day
No problem. Salix would act exactly like that in this situation.
Any one else? Ran's day
Subject Any one else?
Josh, Randy, Kevin, Ashley? Anything else to add.
From: Josh
Subject Any one else
Kal speaks up "I didn't see much. Just a lot of cargo from someplace not near here. I would guess they stole it, but I really don't know."
From: Ashley
Subject Any one else
"The Mockers don't know anything about the estate, but our best bet seems to be the house at this point anyway. They also said we can name the time and day for the diversion they offered. D'you think we'll need it?"
From: Derek
Subject Any one else
"I don't know if we will or not. If we can have Hack and Ran on guard at night and myself working late, we'd already have three of us there. If Hack and Ran are in a place to let the others sneak in, maybe we could get in on our own. A loud diversion might make it more difficult to sneak in and out. However if we are discovered and the alarm is raised, a distraction would be invaluable in letting us escape."
OOC: Does Allistair think it's possible for him to stay working late on a certain night, even if it's as a punishment from his lazy boss?
From: Kevin
Subject Any one else
"Allistair, would it be possible for you to turn invisible and take a quick look at the basement on the other side of the house"
From: Randy
Subject Any one else
I'll try to get something out this afternoon. I've been swamped the past few days.
From: Randy
Subject Ran's day
"Well, I don't think they will be putting Hack on guard duty anytime soon. Kline hates orcs and from the rumours I heard today, plans to put him to work at the nastiest jobs until he dies or quits."
Ranthir clears his throat before continuing.
"I, however, will be on night duty starting tomorrow. I will be given basic passwords and I am allowed to live in the barracks. I may be able to gather some more info there but I doubt it. The general members of the guard don't seem to really get inside the house at all. I also was told that the basement of the servants side of the house is about what you would expect. Laundry, storage, cold room. Nobody knew anything about the basement on the family side. I didn't get any of this info from the Seargents though. They probably know more than they let on. They also have key rings with keys to the house on them."
He stops here and looks to the group.
"I could probably spend some time and work my way up in the ranks and hope to gain access to the house but I don't think we have time for that. I also don't know if I could resist stepping in and stopping some of the crap I have seen the guards do to the maids of the house."
His eyes darken at this thought. These people were sick and had no regard for the dignity of life.
"I think we need to make a move soon. If there are any prisoners I have no doubt that they are being tortured at the very least. I can defeat either of the seargents in combat and get us keys to the house but I don't think I can do it without getting one of them alone. A distraction might help with this but it will still be risky. I wonder if Surin could get in and steal the keys without being noticed. I haven't seen signs of magic users among the guard so he might be able to go in invisibly to do this. Once we have the keys is the time I think we could use the distraction so that more of us could get into the house and to the family basement."
Ran stops here, waiting to see what the others think of his plan so far.
From: Kevin
Subject Ran's day
Harp thinks for a second, and then asks Alllistair "Do you think your viper could find a hole into the basement (like where a rat or some such thing got in) and look around? Maybe Ran could take him and drop him off on the outside of the building and let him try to find a way in and take a look around?"
FMLA and working late
Subject E-mail
Guys,
Please remove kjenning@visa.com from any game related mailing lists until further notice. I'm going to be out on FMLA and I don't want my work mailbox to flood.
I should still be able to access emails from home: Karljennings@usa.net, so I'll still be playing.
From: Porter
Subject FMLA
FLMA -- is that the training for work you were talking about earlier?
From: Karl
Subject FMLA
No, it's family emergency leave. (I don't know exactly what the acronym stands for). I'm going to be taking care of my mom for a few weeks after she has surgery.
From: Mark
Subject FMLA
It stands for the Family Medical Leave Act.
From: Karl
Subject FMLA
Yeah, it probably helps if I get the acronym right.
From: Mark
Subject Turn
I am planning on writing something up tonight, but I need to know what the party is wanting to do.
From: Mark
Subject Working late
I forgot to answer Derek's question.
It is a bit early to tell but from the conversations he heard none of the low level scribes work late. If you do bad work you are beaten and/or fired with the word put out not to hire you. Scribes have starved to death because of the black ball treatment.
From: Derek
Subject Working late
Allistair thinks for a moment. "I could probably leave for a few minutes for a break or meal, and during that time turn invisible and scout around a bit. But I don't think I could stay late for work or anything like that. If you are too slow or sloppy, they just fire you."
"If I had couple of minutes preparation without being seen, I could even cast Rope Trick, climb inside, and then pull up the rope and close the window. I could stay inside there and be invisible for several hours. I could use that as a method to 'sneak' into the house at night without ever leaving."
OOC: Does Allistair work in a room with several other scribes, or a room by himself? How often and for how long can he get up and leave for meals, breaks, getting documents, etc.?
Also, would Surin fit inside Allistair's bag of holding? If so, would he suffocate or something?
From: Kevin
Subject Working late
Derek, do you know the answer to Harp's question about your familiar's ability to slither in and look around in the basement?
From: Ashley
Subject Working late
The rule is ten minutes or so, isn't it?
From: Mark
Subject Working late
The offices are large open areas with many, many desks. Other than going to the bathroom, Ally has almost no time to himself. Surin might fit but he would be unable to breath.
From: Derek
Subject Working late
OOC: Sorry, I forgot about that question.
IC: "I think I could just have Sysyphys slither down my leg and into the grass while I'm walking around the the back entrance. He could almost certainly make his way unseen to the wall on the east wing and see if there is some crack or vent down to the basement that he could climb down. I would just have to make sure he could meet up with me after I am done with work."
OOC: Is suffocation really a problem in a bag of holding? It isn't like the the flap/drawstring on the opening is air-tight.
From: Mark
Subject Working late
Bags of holding are not really bags, they are containers for extra dimensional space. As such air does not really go in.
I will check the books but I am fairly sure that this is covered.
From: Josh
Subject Working late
Couldn't he run a tube from the outside of the bag to the inside and breathe through it?
Bag of holding and familiars
Subject Familiar
I mean, at this level can't Allistair talk to the littl guy, tell him what he is looking for, and understand what he says when he comes back?
If a small snake can't get into that basement, we are going to have a tough time. Unless some one wants to polymorph into a mouse or rat or some such thing.
From: Mark
Subject Bag of holding
I am going to go by the rules as written.
If the bag is overloaded, or if sharp objects pierce it (from inside or outside), the bag ruptures and is ruined. All contents are lost forever. If a bag of holding is turned inside out, its contents spill out, unharmed, but the bag must be put right before it can be used again. If living creatures are placed within the bag, they can survive for up to 10 minutes, after which time they suffocate. Retrieving a specific item from a bag of holding is a move action--unless the bag contains more than an ordinary backpack would hold, in which case retrieving a specific item is a full-round action.
Unless you have way for a person to not need air/heat for more than 10 minutes, then Surin would not be able to stay in the bag.
From: Mark
Subject Familiar
His snake has a 9 INT score. He can also talk to the snake and has an empathic link that goes upto 1 mile.
He also has a +15 on hide checks, so that means if he takes 10 with his hide, the snake is +25 to hide. His AC is 21.. His biggest draw back is that he only has 1 HP.
He is about 1-1/2 to 2 feet long, the size of a small garter snake.
From: Kevin
Subject Familiar
I sent Mark a PM about the HP of Allistair's viper. Lets wait to see what he says.
From: Mark
Subject Familiar
Kevin is not right (he is never right) but he may have a point.
Here is the SRD rules for familiars
Familiar Basics: Use the basic statistics for a creature of the familiar's kind, but make the following changes:
Hit Dice: For the purpose of effects related to number of Hit Dice, use the master's character level or the familiar's normal HD total, whichever is higher.
Hit Points: The familiar has one-half the master's total hit points (not including temporary hit points), rounded down, regardless of its actual Hit Dice.
Attacks: Use the master's base attack bonus, as calculated from all his classes. Use the familiar's Dexterity or Strength modifier, whichever is greater, to get the familiar's melee attack bonus with natural weapons.
Damage equals that of a normal creature of the familiar's kind.
Saving Throws: For each saving throw, use either the familiar's base save bonus (Fortitude +2, Reflex +2, Will +0) or the master's (as calculated from all his classes), whichever is better. The familiar uses its own ability modifiers to saves, and it doesn't share any of the other bonuses that the master might have on saves.
Skills: For each skill in which either the master or the familiar has ranks, use either the normal skill ranks for an animal of that type or the master's skill ranks, whichever are better. In either case, the familiar uses its own ability modifiers. Regardless of a familiar's total skill modifiers, some skills may remain beyond the familiar's ability to use.
So the snake has AC21, 24 HP and moves 15'. There are some skills it can not use due to the fact it has no hands, so slight of hand is out of the question. :)
From: Derek
Subject Familiar
Allistair has his familiar climb out onto his sleeve, where he brings it up to his ear and hisses a few times, talking with it.
"I think Sysyphys has as good of a chance as anyone getting in and out of the basement unobserved. I'm thinking I can leave him there on the grounds overnight and let him try and find a way to the basement. He might find a vent or crack on the outside, and he can always crawl under doors to get inside if need be. What do you guys think?"
From: Derek
Subject Bag of holding
OOC: What if I filled the bag of holding with water and then cast Water Breathing on Surin and had him jump inside? Would you still limit him to 10 minutes, or would he be limited to the duration of the spell?
From: Porter
Subject Bag of holding
You cheeky monkey!
From: Porter
Subject Familiar
"That's a right smart snake you've got there, brudder. I say that if he's willing to, let's let him sneak about. Who knows -- maybe he'll find a lady snake during his overnight adventure."
From: Mark
Subject Breathing water
I hate to rain bad news on you but I would rather do it now becuase I figure that Ally would have heard about all the things people have tried and failed with in the past.
The water breathing spell assumes, at least to me it does, that the breather has access to much water. If a person breathes water for a period of time, the O2 level in the water will decline, eventually suffocating the breather.
I hope that was clear. You would need a way to reoxenginate the water for Surin to survive any period of time.
Do you even have that spell? I know Ragnar or Salix could do it easily.
From: Porter
Subject Bag of holding
Doesn't Hack have a ring which makes it so he doesn't need food, water, sleep, etc. as much? Does it affect how much air he needs?
From: Kevin
Subject Bag of holding
He does have a ring of sustenance, but it only affect sleep and food, not air. It also takes a week or so for the effects to be noticed.
I think the snake looking around would make the most sense while the rest of us get ready to break in/sneak in and rescue the Stormfather.
From: Kevin
Subject Bag of holding
I believe the term would be "Cheese Monkey" when trying to cheese the rules like that.
From: Porter
Subject Bag of holding
Hey, I thought it was really clever, and, IIRC, by going with the strict description of the spell, would work.
Not that I think it's wrong for Mark to disallow it. I would probably disallow it myself.
But still, I thought it was an awesome idea.
From: Kevin
Subject Bag of holding
Oh, I agree it was a creative idea, the problem is my brother usually only likes creative ideas when HE thinks of them.
It is funny that he is relying on basic physics (O2 level dropping as you breath) but doing it while you are supposed to be surrounded by water (that you can beath) and enclosed in an extra dimensional space. Right.
We may still need to get Surin in there, just not stuck in a bag.
From: Ashley
Subject Bag of holding
This appears to be a common cloth sack about 2 feet by 4 feet in size. The bag of holding opens into a nondimensional space: Its inside is larger than its outside dimensions. Regardless of what is put into the bag, it weighs a fixed amount. This weight, and the limits in weight and volume of the bag's contents, depend on the bag's type, as shown on the table below...If the bag is overloaded, or if sharp objects pierce it (from inside or outside), the bag ruptures and is ruined. All contents are lost forever. If a bag of holding is turned inside out, its contents spill out, unharmed, but the bag must be put right before it can be used again. If living creatures are placed within the bag, they can survive for up to 10 minutes, after which time they suffocate. Retrieving a specific item from a bag of holding is a move action--unless the bag contains more than an ordinary backpack would hold, in which case retrieving a specific item is a full-round action.
If a bag of holding is placed within a portable hole a rift to the Astral Plane is torn in the space: Bag and hole alike are sucked into the void and forever lost. If a portable hole is placed within a bag of holding, it opens a gate to the Astral Plane: The hole, the bag, and any creatures within a 10-foot radius are drawn there, destroying the portable hole and bag of holding in the process."
I was right about the ten minutes thing, but it would probably be cutting it too close for comfort.
From: Jason
Subject Fences
Sorry, I only sent this to Ashley the first time.
Mark, if I remember correctly there is a stone wall around the mayor's house and yard, right? How thick/tall was that wall?
Harp/Ran/Allistair, in your time in the house and grounds and working for the guard detail, what have you picked up about their security? Specifically, can the guards at the gate see the whole yard, or is it big enough that it needs to be patrolled? Is it patrolled? Is it lit at night?
I ask this because really, a stone wall is not much of a barrier to a cleric that can cast stone shape like 4 times a day. Whenever we decide to go in, we might be able to sneak in through the wall.
From: Mark
Subject Fences
The wall is about 6 feet high with another 10 feet of spiked iron fence on top. It is about 5 feet thick at the base. The guards at the front are not able to see the whole yard, mainly becuase of the house. There are three other entrances but those are used by those who have business with the house. If you do not have an appointment you are sent to the front gate. Patrols do roam the grounds, even at night.
Ran will get that info when he goes on duty.
From: Mark
Subject Fences
Ragnar mentions to Ran, "If you ever have the chance to wander the grounds, keep an eye open to see if there's some place that's particularly difficult to see, some out of the way corner or something. Its possible that I could bring us in through the wall, if you can find such a place (and see where it is outside as well.)" Of course if you think that won't work, we'll think of something else."
From: Josh
Subject Bag of holding
Can't the bag hold a metric assload of water along with Surin?
From: Mark
Subject Bag of holding
It has both a volume limit and a weight limit. His Type II bag has a 500 lb limit and a volume of 70 CF. 500 lbs of water would be 62.5 gallons. I am not sure how much space that would take, but then you would have to take out the volume of the halfling and the weight.
My view of the water breathing spell is that it, being a transmutation spell, transmutes the lungs into something akin to gills, or at least something that functions like gills, and allows the person to remove oxygen suspended in the water, just as a fish does. Eventually the oxygen is all gone.
From: Porter
Subject Bag of holding
Think of a typical 50-gallon tank. I could easily, but not comfortably, fit inside one. A halfling would have no problem.
You could also say that it is transmuting the water in the lungs to pure oxygen. I think you may be extrapolating reasons for the magic that aren't supported by the rulebooks.
From: Mark
Subject Bag of holding
First, the halfling will fit easily. I have no problem with that.
Second, since the spell is cast on the person and not the water, than I think I am well with in my rights as DM to say that it changes the person, and not the water.
There are other ways for this to work but the party probably does not have the equipment.
For example there is an Ioun stone that makes it so you do not have to breath. IN that case this would work. And this might work if you only wanted to keep Surin in for a small time. However, it looks like you are looking for hours of storage time.
The actual volume of water is low versus what the bag can hold. The bag has a volume of a space 2 feet x 5 feet x 7 feet high.
The SRD makes no distinction between how long a person can stay in any of the bags, even though the largest has enough space for a 5 x 5 x 10 area.
There may be other limitations on the Magic that keep people from staying in the bag for long periods of time.
From: Porter
Subject Bag of holding
That is an excellent point. I think I'm convinced.
Not that I need to be -- I'd happily go with your call even if I disagreed with it. :)
From: Derek
Subject Bag of holding
I just thought the water breathing was a cool idea, I didn't mean to open a can of worms. (Ally does have that spell, BTW) Also while we're on the subject, are there any restrictions on bringing the bag of holding into a rope trick space? I don't think it's come up yet, but it would be good to know.
From: Mark
Subject Bag of holding
I will have to check. They do mention specific combinations that cause rifts in space/time etc.
The plan for the fourth day
Subject Water weight
Regarding weight and volume, a pint of water weighs a pound. 8 pints to a gallon is 8 pounds per gallon. So 500 pounds of water is 62.5 gallons of water. Remember, though, that you have to also subtract Surin's weight from the total.
From: Karl
Subject Plan
(OOC - sorry for the delay. I was at the hospital all day yesterday while my mom was in surgery.)
Salix listens to the reports with interest, but was clearly anxious to get things moving.
"I hate these delays," Salix says to the group. He was used to moving boldly with the forces of nature and the authority of Obad-Hai. This sneaking was taking its toll on his confidence. "But once we find my people, we will likely have to make a quick retreat. I don't see how we can take on this Mayor and his forces ourselves. Ally, you should see what your familiar can find out and let us know. Harp, can you see a way for us to be ready to enter the basement and effect an escape if Ally's friend finds my people captive there?"
From: Mark
Subject Turn
Ok I am going to write up a turn this evening about the party spending the night and then tomorrow I will write up what Allys familiar finds out.
From: Mark
Subject Rope tricks and bags of holding
I just checked this.
Under the spell description for Portable hole there is a note.
It is hazardous to create an extradimenional space with in an existing extradimentional space or to take an extradimentional space into an existing one.
I would take that to mean that there may be problems with bringing the bag into the rope trick. Or at least with opening the bag within the rope trick.
I guess what I am trying to say, you might be allowed to bring the bag in but you would not be able to open it.
From: Mark
Subject The plan for the fourth day
Dinner drags on for hours as the eight discuss their day, what they found out and what they want to do the following day. Salix is even more anxious to get into the basement to see if he can find the Stormfather but Harp is able to convince him to wait one more day. "Salix" the half orc says "we now have two, maybe three, people partly on the inside of the Mayor's house. Surin here could probably get in easily enough. The rest of us could make it in quickly enough, between your control of nature and what Ragnar can do. Ally's idea of having Sysyphys go around and investigate is genius. Who would look twice at a little snake? That could give us a real insight into what we should expect."
Salix knows he is right. Charging in would like get themselves and Acer killed. "Here is my decision. We wait one more day. Allistair, you have your familiar look around while you are at the house tomorrow. I know the type of snake you have and it is not a night time creature. The daytime is better for him. Harp, you and Ran report back and do what they tell you to do. The rest of us need to get on a night time schedule. I think that it would be best if we strike at night, so I want the rest of us to stay up tonight, see if we can find anything out down in the bar of this place. Stay up as late as you like and then sleep during the day tomorrow. We may be going in tomorrow night, but more likely the night after. That way Ranthir here can get us a better idea of how the guards run things at night."
The druid looks around at them, staring each one in the eye. "The most important thing we have to do is rescue the Stormfather. Remember that." He points to Ranthir, Kal, Harp and Ragnar. "He knows where the next gem for the Crown is, so no matter how much you want to clean up this cesspool of a town remember this: If he dies, your chance of getting the gem falls to almost nothing and the world falls to darkness." Those four look at each other, remembering what their actual mission is. Each nod at the druid confirming their mission. "Ok Ally you head off to bed and discuss with Sysyphys what you want him to do tomorrow. The rest of us are heading downstairs."
Ally is woken early the next morning by the ruckus of the others returning to the room. Soon the heavy snoring from Ragnar and Harp is almost rattling his bed so he rises and cleans up for the day. He has a quick breakfast and is out the door as light starts shinning over the eastern horizon. He arrives at the employees gate, mixing in the small crowd of other scribes that are heading in for a long day at the copying table. He hangs back a bit, trying to be the last one in line, and as he approaches the servants entrance he steps off the path a bit and feels Sysyphys slide off of his leg and into the grass. "Stay safe my friend" he whispers and he barely hears the hiss from the snake as the creature moves off on his mission.
OODM: I will write more about Sysyphys's mission tomorrow. I will also send messages to any one who found out anything new.
The snake
Subject The snake
Ally's mind almost divides in two as he moves to his desk and starts his copying for the day. He sets part of his mind on autopilot; the part that is doing the copying. The other part he keeps in contact with Sysyphys. Although he could not talk with the snake through their mental connection, they had been able to communicate more and more information as Ally had progressed in power and the longer the two were connected. Ally could sense Sysyphys's enjoyment of the fresh morning air and the chill dew on the grass. The snake had spent too much time cooped up in his robes or in his backpack or in the room at the inn. He was glad to stretch his muscles and take a slither around the grounds.
The first hour or so all the snake sent back was his tasting familiar taste: squirrel, snake, chipmunk, beetle, mouse, rat. All of the common small creatures and insects. The taste of dog was also strong in many places and Sysyphys would have to keep his tongue out for those. Once he had gotten the taste of the land Sysyphys headed out for the part of the house his master had instructed him to investigate. The next hour was spent searching for a way in to the basement that was known to be there. Surprisingly Sysyphys is unable to find any man made entrances. No doors, no cracks in the foundation, at least none on the surface, and no windows to let air in. "Now what, Master?" the snake thinks the Ally. The mage thinks for a few minutes and then gives a suggestion. "See if the other snakes know of any way in." Sysyphys give a mental nod and slithers off to find the local legless wonders.
A half hour later the snake has found out what he was looking for. Another snake tells him in simple terms that the rats of the house have a way into the basement on the side away from the servants. The rats, the other snake says, are mean and cruel and vicious. They will gladly eat a snake. He gives Sysyphys the directions for the location of one of the rat holes in the yard. Sysyphys thanks his relative and heads off in the proper direction. Minutes later he is in the right area. He can taste the rats on the grass, a foul, putrid taste. Snakes liked to eat live kills, they were fresher and cleaner. Rats had no such compunction. They would eat almost anything, living or dead. Sysyphys sends the image of a nice roast chicken to Ally and the image of Sysyphys swallowing the hole thing and then sleeping for a very long time. Ally stifles a chuckle at the image and sends one of a nice warm fireplace back.
In the dark tunnel Sysyphys moves slowly, tasting the air continually. The taste of rat is almost overpowering, but so is the taste of death. Dead squirrels, dead chipmunks dead birds; the scent of death permeates the ground. For the next hour the snake works his way around the maze that is this rat warren. Every now and then he runs into a rat, but a single hiss is enough to drive them off. Eventually Sysyphys figures out the pattern and where the main nest should be. He moves with purpose, sending an image to Ally of him killing any of the rats he has seen. A few minutes later he senses the tunnel widening out into a larger chamber. It seems to be about 10 feet by 15 feet and maybe 5 feet high. He can taste the tree roots in the walls and the rat dung that fills up the nest. He smells that there are a lot of rats in here but he must go on.
Hissing to move the rats out of the way, Sysyphys slides into the chamber. He keeps to one side, trying to make sure that he is not surrounded. The rats hang back until there is a chitter from the dark corner at the other end of the chamber. It has the sound of a command and at it's sound, 10 rats rush forward, teeth barred. (Init Sysyphys15, rats 4).
Knowing that it is better to go on offense then to be overwhelmed, Sysyphys strikes first. He strikes with the speed that his species is known for but his target jumps back at the last second. The rats surround Sysyphys on three sides and attack.
A flurry of bites and one scratches the scales on the snakes side (1HP). Sysyphys turns almost back on himself and lands his fangs in the things back, the sharp teeth puncturing the rats hear (AC14, 8+6=14, hit, damage 1). The snake throws the body away as the others strike again. Again one of the rats is able to scratch Sysyphys on the side (1HP). The little snake writhes and strikes with lightening speed (AC14, 14+6=20, hit, damage 1). Another rat falls, poison coursing through its body. The rat pack attack again, another furry flurry of teeth and claws. Two more of the rats are able to claw at his scales but the snake is able to avoid most of the damage (2HP damage). Again the snake attacks, catching the closest rat in the eyes with his fangs (AC14, 18+6=24,hit, damage 1). Twisting around to keep the other rats to his front, Sysyphys draws back when six of the remaining rats try and rush him. As one runs by, he snaps again (AC14, 18+6=24, hit, damage 1HP) and breaks it's spine as it rushes past.
The little snake coils itself up again, preparing for the next rush. Again and again its reflexes save it from bites from angry rats. Sysyphys lashes out again in the dark and feels his fangs go deep into the body of another rat (AC14, 11+6=18, hit, damage 1). He feels his poison sack contract and inject the rat with the lethal mixture.
The other rats seem to hesitate but another chitter from the corner and they renew their assault. Like a whirling string, Sysyphys bobs and weaves, evading the stinking teeth and fetid claws of the rats. Now that half of them are gone, the snake is feeling a bit more confident. He bites again and rips out the throat of another rat (AC14, 18+6=24, hit, damage 1). The four remaining dash in again but Sysyphys finds it much easier to evade them now that he has more room. Four a 7th time his head moves like lightening and his fangs sink into rat flesh (AC14,13+6=19,hit, damage 1). The chittering sound from the corner comes again and the remaining three rats retreat. From the corner Sysyphys can taste another creature slowly walking forward. It taste like rat but different. It taste more wild, fiercer, wilder.
OODM: I have to go have dinner. I will write more later tonight.
From: Mark
Subject The snake cont.
Ally, still using half his mind to work on the project before him, screams in his mind. Sysyphys, get out of there! He gets an image back of a rat dragging a snake out of a hole tail first and crushing the snakes spine. Ally then gets an image of a snake swallowing a large rat. Ally gets the idea but is still distressed by what Sysyphys plans on doing. Through their connection he senses what is happening.
The snakes tongue flicks out faster and faster, tasting the chamber, getting a feel for its size and where things are. It tastes like the other rats are letting the big rat take him on its own. It was larger than he was, a good four feet long and it tasted like it was the size of one of those dogs hanging around the inn they were staying at. If he could kill the leader the rest should leave him alone, at least for a while. Deciding to take the offensive, Sysyphys slithers up and lunges at the big rat. (Init:Sysyphys 17, rat 13).
Sysyphys moves his body to the side but darts his head in at the things haunches (AC15, 14+6=20, hit, damage 1). Too late the rat realizes what the snake is doing and the fangs lodge deep in the rats rear left leg. The rat whips its head around and tries to chomp down on the scaly head attached to his leg but Sysyphys lets go at the last moment (AC21, 16+4=20, miss) and the teeth catch nothing but air. Sysyphys slithers around to the front of the rat and strikes again, this time burying his fangs in the things throat (AC15, 9+6=15, hit, damage 1). The rat claws at the snake, pulling him free and biting at the snake again as he does. For a second time Sysyphys is able to whip is body away from the vicious bite (AC21, 16+4=20, miss) and twirling himself away from the wounded rat. Circling the bleeding rat, Sysyphys makes another lightening strike but the rat senses it coming and pulls away at the last moment (AC15, 4+6=10, miss).
The rat makes a half hearted bite at the snake and miss by a wide margin. This throws the rat off balance enough for Sysyphys to strike again (AC15, 16+6=22, hit damage 1). For a third time the snakes fangs bury themselves deep in the flesh of the rat, puncturing vital organs. The rat almost bends itself in two trying to get at its tormentor (AC21, 10+4=14, miss) but Sysyphys slides his body around the back of the rat and comes up the other side biting again (AC15, 19+6=25, hit damage 1), drawing more blood. Sysyphys wonders if this animal will ever realize how out classed it is. The creature may not know it is outclassed but it does know when it is beat. It tries to move away from Sysyphys and in the instant it turns it back the snake strikes again (AC15, 12+6=18,hit, damage 1). On this strike, Sysyphys injects his poison and feels the rat stiffen even before it stops breathing.
His tongue flicking about and a loud hissing issuing from his mouth, Sysyphys tries to intimidate the other rats (DC 15, 14+1+2=17, success). The other rats pull back from the body of their dead leader, leaving Sysyphys a chance to take another taste of the chamber. It takes him a minute but he finally tastes what he was looking for. One of the paths out of the chamber has a different scent to it, a faint metallic flavor. Slithering towards that opening the rats fall all over themselves getting out of the snakes way. Sysyphys travels for another 15 minutes or so and then, from ahead, he can tell that the path ends.
He can see a dim light up ahead so he slows down. He edges himself to where the light is and he can see that the tunnel comes out in the corner of a long hallway. The hallway is made of stone but it looks very dank and slimy. There is a small torch on the wall that burns with out making any smoke. Sysyphys uses his tongue to check for any humans. Their scent is strong but not recent. He decides to wait. "I think I should go on now master? What say you?"
OODM: I will let Derek decide if Sysyphys should go on.
From: Kevin
Subject The snake
OOC: Go Sysphys!!!!
You showed that rat. I wish Harp got those type of rolls.
From: Josh
Subject The snake
Thats one bad snake.
From: Derek
Subject The snake
OOC: Great writing, Mark. That was really well done. Question: Can Allistair deliver touch spells through Sysyphys while they are separated like this? If I understand correctly, if Allistair casts a touch spell while in contact with Sysyphys, he can then have the snake deliver the touch, right? I guess it's moot right now since Allistair didn't cast anything on Sysyphys beforehand, but if we have to go back there to rescue someone we could make really good use of a polymorph or gaseous form spell to get someone out of there.
IC: Allistair is really impressed with his familiar's abilities. If he gets out of this alive, Allistair makes a mental note to give him more free time. As to whether to proceed or not, Sysyphys has done more than well already, but they haven't actually learned anything useful yet. Allistair instructs Sysyphys to go ahead, but of course to be careful. Avoid any humans out and walking around, but try and find out if anyone is being held there.
The cells
Subject Turn
I will try and get more out on Super Snake this afternoon.
From: Ashley
Subject out of town
I'm going to Arizona tonight, and won't be able to go online until next monday. Someone can cover for Surin in the meantime.
From: Kevin
Subject Turn
With SuperSnake on the case, we may not need Surin. Or the Mockers. Or any of us.
*Harp sits back grumbling about not getting to kill any rats*
From: Mark
Subject The cells
At Allistair's request, Sysyphys moves slowly out of the hidden hole. The stone work beneath his scales is cold and dank, tasting of moss, mildew and blood. The torches are placed far enough apart that there is plenty of shadows to keep to. At first Sysyphys moves to the left from the hole he has come out of. After a short period of time he comes to a door on the other wall. Glancing both ways and not seeing anyone, he quickly slithers to the other side and plasters himself into the crack between the wall and the floor. Undulating a bit forward, just until his head is even with the door, Sysyphys flicks his tongue out, getting a taste for what the door is.
This door is wooden and fairly old. Not well built or maintained, he is able to taste some of what is in the next room. Wet earth, wood soaked in creosote and stone fill the air, as well as a bit fresher taste of clean air. The snake squeezes his head just under the door and sees a set of wooden stairs heading up, into the gloom. Sysyphys backs up into the hallway and continues down further down. He soon finds the end of the hallway, the stone passage ending abruptly. The snake then heads back down the passage way, passing his escape tunnel as he goes. Several more feet down there is another door, this one made of wood bound in iron.
It is a struggle but Sysyphys is able to squeeze himself under the door, using the small gap between to flagstones in the floor. The snake spends the next hour slithering around carefully, making sure not to be seen. He sees and tastes three living guards and there is something else. There are 4 forms, tucked away in alcoves. They look a little like humans but they taste like death. Their odor permeates the air where they are found. And almost sickens the snake. Sysyphys does find another door, this one made of iron. Looking around, making sure that he is not being watched, the little snake starts to work his way under the door.
This fit is even tighter and takes even longer. He just gets his head under the door when he feels vibrations in the floor. Someone is coming! He moves as fast as he can, scraping scales off the top of his back (2HP damage) as he forces his way under the door and into the hall. As soon as the rest of him is through, he slides over to the wall where the door will hopefully open. Luck is with him. The edge of the door slams into the stone wall just in front of his face, but the rest of him is hidden by the bulk of the door. He hears several voices and the sound of several feet tromping into the room.
It seems like hours but it probably only minutes when the people leave the room. Sysyphys waits for what seems an eternity, making sure that they are not coming back, before he cautiously moves out again. This room is a long hallway with several iron doors. The whole place tastes of death and decay. He passes 4 doors on his left, and they all have the same taste, humans on the brink of death and starvation. He can taste the smell of despair and forlorn abandonment that these wretches suffer. When he gets to the end of the hall he moves to the other side and start working his way back. At the door on that side, the one furthest from the entrance, he tastes something different.
All the other tastes are there, but there is something more, a taste that takes Sysyphys a second to place. Pine. There is the faintest taste of pine coming from this cell. The snake starts to go under the door but realizes that he can not. The fit of the door is too tight. His tongue flicks under the door and more smells assault him. Burned flesh, human waste, dried blood. And pine. The snake sends an image of a snake shrugging it shoulders to Ally with the unspoken question: What now?"
OODM: What now?
From: Kevin
Subject The cells
Mark, another great write up. Who would have thought that a small snake would have been so much fun to read about.
From: Mark
Subject Touch spells
Here is the SRD on "Deliver Touch spell"
Deliver Touch Spells (Su): If the master is 3rd level or higher, a familiar can deliver touch spells for him. If the master and the familiar are in contact at the time the master casts a touch spell, he can designate his familiar as the "toucher." The familiar can then deliver the touch spell just as the master could. As usual, if the master casts another spell before the touch is delivered, the touch spell dissipates.
So you may be able to cast a spell that the snake can deliver, but it must be a touch spell, not a ranged touch, and you can not cast any other spell in the mean time or that spell goes away.
From: Karl
Subject The cells
Nice writeup, Mark.
From: Derek
Subject the cells
Allistiar asks Sysyphys if there is any kind of correlation between this 'pine' smell and the smell of Salix? Then he will ask Sysyphys to try hissing 'Hello?' into the crack at the bottom of the door, and see if he gets a answer he can understand. If he does, then find out what he can from him and let him know help is on the way. If not, then remember the smell and make his way back to the original hole to the dungeon. If he can, wait around in a well-concealed place until an hour or so before Allistair finishes work to try and find out how often someone comes down into the dungeon. Otherwise, just come back outside and wait for Allistiar until he gets off of work.
Allistair isn't sure what he can do for Sysyphys as a reward for a job well done for now, but he sends his snake a few images of nice fat hamsters and female vipers when they get the opportunity.