Making plans, polymorph, divination
Subject Making plans
Surin pipes up "Ok so do we want the diversion to help us escape? How do we let the Mockers know when we want it? Do you need me to do anything else?"
From: Mark
Subject Doors
There were three types of doors. The door that was near the stairs was an old wooden door.
The second door the snake found was a more solid wooden door bound with iron.
The last two doors, the one leading into the cell area and the cell doors themselves are iron with iron frames.
From: Kevin
Subject Doors
Mark, if this is asking for too much detail, just say so.
Does the iron frame go around all 4 sides of the doors, or just the uprights and top? Is the threshold metal or stone? The viper might know since he tried to crawl over one when they almost opened the door on him.
From: Kevin
Subject Making plans
"Salix, would it make any sense for you to change into a snake and go take a look with Sysiphys? You know, go scout the jail, make sure the stormfather is there, figure out where the rat hole is, that type of thing? I would hate to make a rush on the house and then find out the cells are actually in a building we haven't even been in yet."
From: Karl
Subject Making plans
"That is a good idea. Ally, do you have any protective spells that might help if I end up having to fight my way out?"
From: Jason
Subject Making plans
"I'm not so sure that is a good idea. The only thing we know for sure about what we're up against is that it seems capable of capturing or killing druids far more powerful than any of us. Perhaps someone else could go if Allistair can change them into a snake to follow Sysiphys?"
From: Mark
Subject Doors
The snake is not sure if it goes all the way around. It was on the bottom and both sides, at least.
From: Randy
Subject Making plans
"With all due respect, I don't think we want to waste another night scouting things out. The mayor could be back in a day or two and we want to be out of there before he gets back. I have been holding back already and I don't think I can do much more guard duty before some of the comments and actions of the guards cause me to commit violence against them anyway. I say we commit to going tonight. I don't care how we get in there, but we need to do it now! I don't care who is in the cell there, they are suffering and we need to free them. If it is not the Stormfather, we move on the estate next."
Ranthir's face is turning a darker shade of red and his brow is furrowed in anger.
"I will go along with whatever plan you choose but if we don't move tonight I cannot promise that my sword will not taste the blood of the guards anyway."
From: Mark
Subject Making plans
I love it when he gets all manly. :)
From: Karl
Subject Making plans
"Then let's hear a good plan from you!" Salix snapps, then looks away, immediately regretful. "Listen, if we have a plan that relies solely on stealth and divine/arcane power, we will fail if there is indeed a force that dampens or prevents such use. On the other hand, a forceful entry will probably kill any chance of infiltrating the estate, if we find that the Stormfather isn't in the cellar of the mansion. So either way we are taking a chance. I don't need you to say 'Do something now, but don't do *that*'. But if you have a better plan, I'm ready to hear it. We need a way to get the strongest force with the most varied talents inside as quietly and surreptitiously as possible.
As for being a druid, I'm not sure we've been singled out by this mayor except insofar as we are the closest threat. I've been here for
From: Randy
Subject Making plans
Ran takes a breath.
"Forgive me Salix. There are enough problems here that I don't need to be adding to them."
He pauses, and then adds
"Perhaps we combine the two plans. I go on guard duty as planned. However many of us as is possible to shrink down to snake size come in with me as syssyphus (sp.) did with Allistair. The miniturized people enter the house with our snake friend and do what they can on the inside. The Mockers stand by waiting for a signal so that we can make our escape when those on the inside have found their way out."
A further idea entering his head he asks,
"Allistair, can that whisper spell you cast keep us communicating with some on the inside and some on the outside? If so, those on the inside can let me know if there are problems and we can improvise from there."
Ranthir looks to Salix and adds calmly but with confidence,
"There is going to be a risk of blowing our cover regardless of what we do. I believe that if the Stormfather is alive then he is most likely in the cell that we know about and that it is worth the risk for us to do this."
From: Randy
Subject Making plans
"Salix, I also did not mean to imply that you should not be using your powers to help. I am starting to believe that the only reason the druids have been the ones to go missing is because they are the only ones who cared enough to try to end the depravity in this gods forsaken town. I may not be full of wisdom but in my opinion you are not in any more danger because of who you are than any of us are."
From: Jason
Subject Divinations
Is anyone else unable to log into sakeriver? I can log in, but then when I go to the next page I'm logged out again. I wanted to update my character sheet but haven't been able to.
IC: "I'm not sure I entirely agree that the druids have only been singled out because they were the only ones nearby taking an interest. Or rather, I'm not sure that it makes any difference to us; whatever the reasons, it is clear that Salix of all of us would be the most vulnerable if caught in the mayor's house."
OOC: Mark, I've been wondering about the divination spell recently. The way its worded, it doesn't seem that its object would be Acer specifically. That is, it seems Ragnar could ask "If we enter the mayor's mansion, will we find Stormfather Acer there," and have a reasonable expectation of it being answered even if something stops people from scrying on the dungeon. Would Ragnar know better, or would that be his impression too?
From: Mark
Subject Divinations
You have to logon twice from the character sheet page.
Since Ragnar just got access to the Divination spell he does not have any real experience with it. It looks like it might be useful in this situation. :)
From: Derek
Subject Polymorph
OOC: Can Ally can polymorph people small enough to get through the hole?
From Polymorph spell description: This spell functions like alter self, except that you change the willing subject into another form of living creature. The new form may be of the same type as the subject or any of the following types: aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, ooze, plant, or vermin. The assumed form can't have more Hit Dice than your caster level (or the subject's HD, whichever is lower), to a maximum of 15 HD at 15th level. You can't cause a subject to assume a form smaller than Fine, nor can you cause a subject to assume an incorporeal or gaseous form. The subject's creature type and subtype (if any) change to match the new form.
So does this mean Ally can polymorph people down to size Fine? According to this chart, that's 6 in. or less, so Ally's polymorph could easily make people small enough. However, it also says it functions like alter self, which limits size changes to one smaller or larger. Which is it, Mark?
Ally only has two 4th level spells, so he could cast polymorph on two people only. The duration of the spell is 1 min/level, so they would have 7 minutes to get through the hole into the basement. However, Ally also has Gaseous Form, which could get other people inside. Gaseous Form limits you to a movement of 10, but it lasts for 2 min/level, so hopefully that would be enough to get inside. That is a level 3 spell, however, and we might want a couple of Fly spells left over for the Stormfather and one other to fly out of the city as soon as we get him outside.
Ally also has Invisibility, of course, and Rope Trick at level 2.
Does Kal have any spells that can help with a stealthy entrance?
From: Mark
Subject Polymorph
Well the snake is a tiny creature and he fit just fine. You also trade off speed with size. A fine creature moves very slowly on the ground compared to a Medium size creature.
The snake said it would take about 15 minutes for him to go from the entrance to the rat warren to the entrance into the cells, and that is without any rats getting in the way.
I will look at the polymorph spell and see what I come up with.
From: Kevin
Subject Making plans
Derek, what was the spell Allistair used to talk to all of us when we first showed up in the forest when we arrived here?
From: Derek
Subject Making plans
That was 0th level Message. The spell description is here:
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/message.htm
From: Mark
Subject Message
I am almost positive that the Message spell need line of site. That was why Surin was not affected by it since Ally could not see him.
From: Kevin
Subjed: Making plans
Oh well, that won't really help us.
IC: Harp listens to everyone arguing and trying to come up with a plan. " If I can put my two cents worth in, I think trying to combine the two plans is a good idea. I like the idea of having someone on the inside when we do this. But, we have to allow us time to get ourselves prepared - Allistair and Salix may not have what we need prepared. Lets try to work out a way that we can have Salix go with Sysiphys into the cells, and then Mund, Kal, Ragnar and the rest of us can work out a way to get into the complex so we can help out if needed."
From: Porter
Subject Making plans
"How long has the stormfather been out of contact? It's been a long time. I don't think one more day of lookin' round is gonna make much of a difference for him, but it sure could keep us from gettin' killed."
"Personally, I like not dying. I've done it every day of my life so far. I don't wanna break my streak."
From: Randy
Subject Message
OOC: I think so too, but Ran doesn't know that.
From: Porter
Subject Making plans
If we're trying to magick everybody into the mansion tonight, you might want to consider using invisibility, a relatively low-level spell, on Mund. Despite what the character sheet says (It keeps messing up Mund's skills), he's got good climb and move silently skills.
Unfortunately, Surin doesn't have good climb skills, or I'd suggest doing the same thing for Surin.
From: Jason
Subject Making plans
"I can truly sympathize with the difficulties Ranthir is having associating with the other guards, but I agree with Mund. We simply don't have enough time to make a plan before Ranthir has to report back for duty.
"I am able to ask Heironeous for small, specific pieces of advice. I've never attempted to do so in the past, and it takes some preparation, but if we are willing to wait until tomorrow night, I could ask if Stormfather Acer is in the mayor's house. We could take the day tomorrow to make an actual plan, as well as getting some extra rest so that we'll be alert during the night."
From: Porter
Subject Making plans
"Let's talk about the plan. So far, we've come up with several ways of getting us inside. That's good. We're inside, we kick some butt, find the Stormfather."
"Then the mockers make a distraction for us. That allows us to escape."
"But even with that distraction, I reckon there's a good chance that somebody will be following us when we leave. How do we get away not just with our lives, but hidden again?"
From: Derek
Subject Message
It was my understanding that Message only needs line-of-sight to target the individuals when the spell is cast, and that afterwards it doesn't need line-of-sight, it only needs an unblocked path between the individuals and have those individuals be within range. (The rat-hole would be enough of an unblocked path, but the length might go out of range of the spell, not sure)
It didn't work with Surin before because he was already invisible when Ally cast Message, so there was no way to target him. If Message had been cast first and then Surin made invisible, it should have still worked.
From: Derek
Subject Making plans
Allistair nods. "That's a big worry of mine, too. Once we get the Stormfather outside, do we just go back to the inn and hope no one identified us? We can't just run out of the city since the gates will be closed. If no one's following us we might make it back to the inn, but suddenly appearing at the inn in the middle of the night will be more than suspicious, since no one goes out at night here."
OOC: Does the room we're staying in have an outside window? Could we enter and leave by that window so that no one will know we ever left?
IC: Allistair continues, "If we can get out of sight for a few minutes, we could climb inside a rope trick and hide for hours. However, if we can get out of sight for a few minutes, we might as well run away. I think hiding in the rope trick would be a good last resort if we get barricaded into a room or cell."
From: Porter
Subject Making plans
"Maybe we could run around the corner and then jump up in your tricky rope, then come down when it's day again."
From: Derek
Subject Making plans
"Like I said though, we can't just jump in it. We have to climb in one at a time, so we need a minute or so being out of sight for us to 'disappear' by using it."
From: Kevin
Subject Making plans
Harp asks "can you cast spells while in the rope trick thing? Couldn't you make yourself and the stormfather fly somewher or something as you leave there?"