More Discussion, Battle For Hill 19: Surprise Round, Master Tormin
Subject: Re: The Plan
Farron will assist Sa'id in this in every way possible.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: Sneaking up
Yes, to all those questions.
From: Mike
Subject: Re: Sneaking up
Garyth confers with Rennik and Melani for a moment, trying to get a feel for the land. Finally, he turns back to the group and begins sketching out a battle plan in the dirt.
He draws a large circle, then a smaller circle inside it and to the side. "Here's the hill, and here's the bowl within it. The alchemist's wagon is here." He draws a small rectangle on the north side of the bowl. "Rennik says there is cover up here and here." He draws some bushes on the hill above the bowl and also just outside the mouth of the bowl, to the east of the hill. "When the diversion starts, the witch will leave." He draws an arrow out of the bowl to the southwest. "We need to make sure we're out of her line of sight. We'll come in against the north side of the hill, then Rennik, Pensive, and Robert will take positions above the bowl, and the rest of us will take cover in the eastern bushes." He sketches in some more arrows indicating the party's movement. "Again, we *must* keep hidden until the witch is gone. Once she's out of sight, the upper team will start shooting into the bowl. Primary targets should be the brute or the alchemist. They'll have to come out and around in order to get up the hill; the sides of the bowl are too steep to climb quickly. When they start coming out, the rest of us will attack, at least one volley of arrows first, a second if there's time, then it'll be hand-to-hand." He looks up. "Any questions?"
OOC: I attached a sketch. It should be pretty well explained by the above.
From: Scott
Subject: Re: Sneaking up
Pensive nods.
From: Mark
Subject: Re: Sneaking up
Melani nods. This human is not to bad.
OOC: Ready to go.
Mark
From: Jake
Subject: Re: Sneaking up
Osred nods. "As soon as the brute has cleared anything that would shield him from our archers, I will appeal to Hironeous to freeze him in his tracks."
OOC: There are some other spells that Osred will want to brief Mike on before the combat begins, but unfortunately I can't access the open source rules from work, and don't have my player handbook on me, and so can't look up the particulars of the spells in question until I get home tonight. If you're anxions to get out a turn, Ty, I could retro-RP it tonight, or we could just skip it.
From: Mark
Subject: Re: Sneaking up
OOC: He already knows all about healing spells. :) That should be all we need. ;)
Mark
From: Mike
Subject: Re: Sneaking up
OOC: I don't know how kosher this is, but since I have the Open Source on my computer (and have, in fact, looked up all of the spells currently listed on Osred's sheet), we could just say that Osred told Garyth about his spells off camera and assume that Garyth has some idea of what Osred can do.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: Sneaking up
Ok. Should I write this up? :)
From: Mark
Subject: Re: Sneaking up
OOC: I say yes, but I am just a halfling.
Mark
From: Mike
Subject: Re: Sneaking up
OOC: I think we've heard from everyone but Matt. And if we go ahead now, he'll at least be able to say that it wasn't his fault that we all died horribly, at great length and in terrible pain. So I say let's do it.
From: Jake
Subject: Re: Sneaking up
Works for me. Unless Ty objects, let's do that.
One of his shield spells can be cast on people other than himself, if I remember correctly, but I can't remember whether it protects from ranged weapons only, or from both ranged and melee weapons. I also can't remember what it's duration is. Probably be a good idea to cast that on somebody before the fighting begins.
Also, am I correct in thinking that Osred can choose what to summon when he casts Monster Summoning III, as long as it comes from the list?
From: Mark
Subject: Re: Sneaking up
OOC:If it is Shield Other you needed to have a couple of rings made and given to the person you wanted to shield. Derek has used this spell on Slash in Tom's game. You have to stay with in 50 feet or so of the person you are shielding as well. It lasts for 1 hour/level or 6 hours.
Mark
From: Mike
Subject: Re: Sneaking up
Entropic Shield works only on the caster and makes all incoming ranged attacks have a 20% miss chance. Shield of Faith can be cast on anyone that can be touched and gives a +3 AC bonus (+2 normally and +1 per six levels) for 1 minute per level = 6 minutes = 60 rounds.
Actually, it looks like most of Osred's spells are buffs of some sort. Tough call.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: Sneaking up
He's right though, that hold person is the way to go. Most half orc barbarian's have shitty will saves.
Though, if he enrages prior to the casting, he gets that handy +2 bonus.
Rage, is there anything it can't do?
From: Jake
Subject: Re: Sneaking up
Mark was pointing that out too. Here's hoping this guy doesn't doesn't fly into a rage before Osred even sees him.
From: Mark
Subject: Re: Sneaking up
Well as close as we are we could let you cast your spell right as we release our arrows.
We should have surprise on our side so he would not be able to go into a rage. Now if the spell fails, then all bets are off.
You might want to consider that Shield of faith on Osred before he runs into battle. Or Garyth.
You know Garyth really should be healed up to full hit points before this starts.
Mark
From: Jake
Subject: Re: Sneaking up
Garyth isn't at full HP? Holy crap, I had no idea! Yeah, healing him should be first priority. I'll go check his sheet and see what level of spell I'll need to sacrifice in order to get him up to where he needs to be.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: Sneaking up
Everyone is at full health.
You will not be able to get Osred very close to the camp with any chance of success. He is very noisy. Osred will have to stay back further than everyone else, and run up after the shooting starts.
From: Jake
Subject: Re: Sneaking up
Okay, good. That had been my impression. How far back is "further back"?
From: Ty
Subject: Re: Sneaking up
Well, Melani can roll a move silent roll to determine what she thinks is a safe distance. I mean, really, she would be guessing based on her skill at stealth.
Basically, what will happen is, as you move toward the camp, eventually Melani will tell you to stop and wait. I will make a roll to see if she tells you this soon enough.
Then I will tell you how far out you are.
From: Jake
Subject: Re: Sneaking up
Sounds good. Are you going to need anything else from me before you write up the turn?
From: Matt
Subject: Re: Sneaking up
OOC:
Rennik's good to go.
I must also point out, though, that if the barbarian rages, he's going to be even easier pickings for archers at a distance. That whole drop in AC thing is a bitch. Oh, and if someone's held, we get nifty bonuses to thwack him. He essentially gets a Dex of 0, which is a -5 penalty. Then, if you attack with a melee weapon, you get a +4. It'd be like chopping down a tree. Or shooting at one.
Either would give Rennik a warm fuzzy feeling.
:)
From: Ty
Subject: The Battle for Overlook; Battle for hill 19 surprise round
[Initiative bowman1, bowman3, Pensive, Tichenor, Pikeman2, Pikeman1, Garyth, swordsman3, Brute, Vinchy, swordsman1, swordsman2, bowman3, Osred, alchemist, Rennik, bowman4, Robert, Munch, swordsman4, Pickle]
OOC: Initiative order is after the surprise round, of course. And you can't take a full attack action in a surprise round, so no multiple attacks this round.
Garyth lays out his plan, and it is quickly agreed to. Osred finds himself relieved to see that the young captain has a decent head on his shoulders, and isn't looking to rush his men into a glorious death. He listened to his soldiers, too. Maybe not a bad young officer at all.
The group is able to move fairly quickly to the hill, knowing now that their opponents hide in the bowl on the east side. Stealth is not required on the half mile approach. Once they are all at the northern face, Rennik calls a stop. "We should wait in the bushes here for the witch to leave. We risk her spotting us if we've moved into position before then. She has to fly several miles to the army, so we should have plenty of time to move into position after she goes." Garyth agrees, and the party settles in a copse of thick bushes to wait for noon, and the attack.
It is getting close, when Osred says to no one in particular, "I wonder how she knows when she's needed?" Sadly, Sa'id and Farron are not on hand to speculate about the possible magics that might be used.
Just a few moments later, the witch rises up above the hill, clutching something glittering like glass in her left hand. Around her waist is a leather pouch, probably full of the potions the alchemist is brewing. She yells something down at her men, but her back is to the group, and they can't hear what she says. She then turns and flies off a great speed into the south west.
Rennik, Pensive, and Robert begin the climb up the north face of the hill. Melani takes the rest of the group around to the eastern side, but stops Osred about half way and says, "You make too much noise. Wait here." He is not happy about being left so far behind, but is in no position to argue [Osred is about 100 feet from a point where he could look into the bowl. This puts him just about 2 rounds out, after the surprise round. And he will be looking into the bowl from the northern lip. He isn't any further out that anyone else, really, but hidden around the hill rather than with a view into it.].
The rest of Melani's group moves into the brush looking into the bowl from the east side. They don't move as quietly as she would like, and she is forced to keep them about a hundred feet from the bowl to avoid drawing attention. It will make the initial shots a bit longer range [crossbows and shortbows -2, longbows no penalty] than she would like, but it's better than starting to fight early.
Up on top of the hill, Rennik, Pensive and Robert spread out. Robert has already loaded his crossbow, but Pensive and Rennik take several arrows out and lay them on the ground nearby. They remain on their bellies, waiting for a sign from those below that they are in position.
Below, Garyth and Melani take out arrows, and Munch, Pickle and Vinchy load their crossbows. All take out their melee weapons and lay them on the ground nearby. Once that first barrage of arrows goes out, the witch's men will close with them fast. Melani picks out a group of bushes twenty or so feet behind their current position. She plans to fall back after the first barrage, and try to hide there. Then she can help the up front fighters with flanking bow shots, and keep herself out of the melee.
Once everyone below has set up, Melani turns her arrowhead into the sun, to flash it at the group on the top of the hill. Rennik whispers to Pensive and Robert, "Here we go?"
Surprise round:
Pensive rises smoothly to his feet, and pulls his arrow taut in his fine elven longbow. Pensive had wanted to shoot the alchemist, but he was protected by the wagon right now. What had Rennik said? Take out the brute. He shifts his aim to the half orc, leaning indolently against one side of the alchemists wagon. The thrum of his bowstring signals the beginning of the fight [Attack 11 vs AC19; miss]. The half orc should have been totally surprised, but somehow he reacts to the arrow almost instantaneously [Improved Uncanny Dodge]. He twists his body to one side, and the arrow slams into the wagon behind him. The camp seems to pause for a split second, then erupts into chaos.
Garyth fires his bow just a split second behind Pensive. He too aims at the half orc, though it is a relatively long shot for him with this new and unfamiliar weapon. He wishes he still had the fine shortbow he loaned Rennik [Attack 20 vs AC19, hit; Damage 5(-1) = 4], but his aim is still good, and the arrow he looses strikes the big half orc in his side. Unfortunately, it appears to just bounce off the brutes chain armor, and falls to the ground. Garyth hopes he at least gave the big fellow a bruise.
Nearby, Vinchy fires his crossbow [Attack 8 vs AC19; miss], but his shot goes well wide of his target.
Osred begins running for the entrance to the bowl almost as soon as he hears the first bowshot.
Above, Rennik fires two arrows at the half orc, the second leaving his bow almost before the first hits [Rapid shot used, Attacks 27, natural 1, hit, miss; Damage 6(-1) = 5]. His first arrow cuts a shallow crease across the half orc's upper arm, but the second doesn't come within five feet of him. To his right, Robert is firing his crossbow [Attack 11 vs AC19, miss] but the shot is wide right.
Munch takes his shot [Attack 16 vs AC19, miss], but has trouble with the range, and his shot falls short.
Pickle takes the last shot [Attack 17 vs AC19, miss]. His shot too is dodged by the rapidly moving half orc.
In the bowl, the Witch's men are scrambling for their weapons, and preparing to fight back.
[Next round we start the real initiative order. Full attacks are possible. Even running full speed no one should be able to reach the lower group, with the possible exception of the half orc barbarian, who will have greater than normal running speed. It would take several rounds for anyone to climb the bowl and attack the group on top of the hill. Please check in with first round actions.]
From: Ty
Subject: Re: The Plan
Unlike Master Thaddeus, you find that Master Tormin is unavailable, but should be available tomorrow. His assistant offers to take a message for him.
The temple of Pelor in Nesalin is a large and imposing structure, the largest church in temple row. Its large golden dome is visible from half the city, and more than one thief has thought about climbing the white stone walls and seeing if a bit of that gold would scrape off on his dagger. But most are afraid of angering the sun god, and for good reasons. Spiritually, because Pelor is widely agreed to be quite active in world affairs, and possibly given to smiting those who do not have the proper respect. And temporally, because his priests are vigilant, and many, and would not hesitate to give a good smiting in the name of their god.
Sa'id and Farron arrive at the temple shortly before noon, after having spent a bit more time with Master Thaddeus, and a couple hours in the college library. At first the acolytes seem hesitant to take the two wizards to Sunmaster Fellus, but once they find out that it is concerning the murder of Cadfael, all resistance ends. Sa'id and Farron find themselves in the private study of the Sunmaster moments later.
Fellus is an old and not very imposing man. Cadfael had been so big and vital, that it is hard to think of this small and wizened old man as his superior within the order. But when he speaks, all thoughts of frailty are wiped away. His voice is deep, and mellow, and immediately gives a sense of protection and comfort. It is easy to see how this man could draw many to his cause.
After greeting the two wizards, and making them sit and have a glass of wine with him, the Sunmaster says, "The acolyte said you had come to discuss the murder of Cadfael. Are you investigating on behalf of the magistrate? I do hope his killer is found quickly and brought to justice. Pelor is a merciful god, but such acts of wanton viciousness warrant punishment in both this life and the next. How can I help you? You have but to name it, and it is done."