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Post by reefwood on May 5, 2010 12:59:41 GMT -5
Post-game (Chapter 6: A Brother Lost)
Good job everyone with the latest mission! You managed to get a handle on what the orc horde is doing and even rescued some prisoners. Avoided the Rift too, and despite the fact that it turned out to not be possible the way you did it, it was still a good plan and could have also been accomplished by Hustling your horses and healing them every hour to remove the fatigue from automatic damage.
The day started at 6am with prayers and the battle in the cave took place shortly after midnight. During that time, there were 4 combats, investigations of the battalion camp and the place where most of them died, the interrogation of an orc, and your horses rode for nearly 16 hours (1 hr hustle, 7 forced march hrs). It made for a long day, but that was the point - both in making sense for the story and also to do something different. Had you stopped to rest for the night, you probably would not have accomplished what you did. The gears of war don't stop winding, and you have to keep vigilant avoid being crushed.
The make up of the party works out pretty nicely for this kind of scenario because you can all fight with weapons and cast spells, so it would be pretty difficult to run out of offensive resources. Especially at this level. Pathfinder gives a few extra tricks to use too, and even though Sahme can't heal himself with spells, everyone has access to healing items through the equipment locker/income pool, spoils, and reward packages, and there is mundane healing once per day with a Heal check too.
Anyway, I'll try to get a brief recap up soon with the list of spoils. A few things to note are:
-Most magic items have been identified (+2 breastplate, 4[?] potions of cure light wounds), but some vials are still unchecked. More on this when spoils are posted.
-It sounds like all the PCs and their mounts are at full health, but if this is not the case, be sure to maintain your current hit point status.
-The last combat was shortly after midnight. Grolton cast one 2nd-level spell (bull's strength?) in preparation for it, Brion cast two 3rd-level spells (prayer, searing light) and one 2nd-level spell (bear's endurance?) his 3rd-level domain spell (searing light), one 2nd-level spell (bear's endurance), and one 1st-level spell (divine favor). These spells slots will not be refreshed when you pray at 6am. But in case you don't know...prepping spells takes an hour, but you are allowed to leave some of the refreshed slots open, and you can fill them later as the day goes on. Slots that weren't refreshed are still unavailable, but if you don't want to set all your spells in stone right away, this provides some flexibility. The time needed to fill opens slots depends on the percentage of spells you are filling (100% = 1 hr), but it always takes at least 15 minutes. Lets say you have 10 slots total and were only able to refresh 8 slots. During the hour of preparation, you only fill 3 slots, so that leaves 5 slots open. Later in the day, if you refill all 5 open slots at once, which is half your total 10 slots, then it takes 30 minutes. If you refill the open slots separately one at a time over the course of the day, each time is 15 minutes, so that would be a total time of 75 minutes to fill those 5 open slots. But no matter what - whether you leave open slots or not - it still takes 1 hour to prepare at dawn.
-Sahme needs to rest 8 hours before he can prepare spells, but as long as he is able to get that rest and not cast spells during this time, all his slots will refresh. However, we are not at that point yet, so keep track of current slots available.
- After searching the entire cave, caring for prisoners, talking to them (info will be in the recap), and cooking the wolf, it will be 1am by time anyone can start resting. 8 hours of rest is needed to heal, refresh arcane spells, and not be fatigued the next day. Once the surviving soldiers are healed, fed, and scavenge equipment from the orcs, they feel confident and rested enough to handle watch on their own if the PCs want to rest as quickly as possible. Sahme can be rested by 9am and have spell slots prepped in 15 minutes. Brion and Grolton need to prep spells at 6am for an hour but can then continue resting from 7am to 10am to avoid fatigue. Also, only light armor can be worn while resting. Anything heavier leaves you fatigued.
Once I get all the recap info posted and answer any questions that may come up, I'll present the possible options (mentioned last night) in a bit more detail. Also, Warrant Officer Shaw is the top ranking officer among you now, and it is safe to assume that the chain of command will eventually flow through him if he is deemed fit to lead.
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Post by michael on May 5, 2010 13:40:39 GMT -5
Brion cast Divine Favor, not Prayer, so it's one 1st level spell (Divine Favor), one 2nd level (Bear's Endurance), and my 3rd level domain slot (Searing Light).
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Post by reefwood on May 5, 2010 14:04:34 GMT -5
Brion cast Divine Favor, not Prayer, so it's one 1st level spell (Divine Favor), one 2nd level (Bear's Endurance), and my 3rd level domain slot (Searing Light). My bad. For some reason I thought you cast something that affected everyone. Thanks for the correction, and I'll note it in the above post. Also, was it Brion's manacles that were left on the orc who was interrogated in the mountains and left behind? |
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Post by michael on May 5, 2010 14:40:36 GMT -5
Yeah, it was Brion's manacles. I crossed them off my character sheet.
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Post by icnivad on May 5, 2010 14:54:18 GMT -5
And Sir Grolton cast two 1st level healing spells during combat.
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Post by reefwood on May 5, 2010 15:41:47 GMT -5
And Sir Grolton cast two 1st level healing spells during combat. Does Grolton have any pearls of power that haven't been used yet? Because they can restore a spell, so it would be like the spell was never cast since the energy for it is still there, and therefore, that slot can be refreshed. Although, as a 1/day item, I'd say a pearl of power can be used once every 24 hours. Using a pearl now [Day 18, 1am] would mean it can't be used again until 1am on Day 19, but having an extra slot seems better since it would allow you to prepare 2 different spells instead of just recasting the same 1 spell an extra time. |
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Post by icnivad on May 5, 2010 18:30:40 GMT -5
I do not have any pearls of power. They are on my todo list of something to get, but I don't think we've gotten any wonderous item rewards big enough yet.
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Post by reefwood on May 7, 2010 18:15:54 GMT -5
I do not have any pearls of power. They are on my todo list of something to get, but I don't think we've gotten any wonderous item rewards big enough yet. This is true, but there have been some scattered throughout the missions. Though, some were lost or never found. And you can get one now  Speaking of rewards, if you left any items with the main army, those can be upgraded right now (b/c you will be able to put in the order when the army contacts you via the next sending) and might be ready by the time you get back. Although, I think with the alternative route chosen, everyone took all their stuff.
Chapter 7: ??Rewards have been posted, and the course you follow will determine when you can obtain them. Here are the options: 1) Go after the orc horde. You would not be ordered to do this, but you may volunteer to do so. Also, this doesn't mean you have to kill them. Just keep tracking of them and what they are doing would be useful. Slowing them down would be good too. Neutralizing or even reducing any threat they may pose would be awesome. If you do choose this option, however, please keep in mind there are only 3 of you and "more than ten tens" of them. Of course, going out in blaze of glory could still technically be a win, and I would keep this in mind when creating starting packages for new characters. But if you just die without making a dent, that's not so special. With this mission, you will have the option of taking one soldier (Ftr4 - a semi-customizable swordsman or archer) that you rescued, but they need equipment and would have to ride on your horse which would likely slow down its speed. Also, their Ride checks would receive a -5 penalty for riding bareback behind you (unless you want to give them the saddle). This course will likely lead you to Verdas in the near future, and there, you can obtain your rewards. 2) Mountain duty. The scout was killed during the ambush, and it is still strategically important to keep an eye on areas outside Verdas. You and the surviving soldiers will continue to do this important work, especially since all is not yet known about the orc horde. Are more orcs coming? Or anyone else? And what lies beyond the mountains? If you decide to go with another option, the surviving soldiers will remain here to do this job. It will take time, but you will be resupplied (which can include applicable rewards) once things aren't so hot in Verdas. 3) Return to Verdas. The siege will resume today. Swift action is even more important with the orc horde approaching, and all the best soldiers are needed. If you push your horses hard (Hustle) and are able to keep them healthy (healing), you can be in Verdas by late afternoon. This is the fastest way to obtain rewards. |
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Post by reefwood on May 12, 2010 12:20:03 GMT -5
Scheduling
The next session will be Tuesday, May 25th.
Level Up
In terms of moving forward, the first order of business I would like completed is for everyone to level up their character in the Boot Camp thread (or email me the file). Because this is going to happen no matter what path is chosen, so I want to make sure it gets done and checked ahead of time. Especially since I'm not so good at catching mistakes at the last minute right before a session.
Rewards & Spoils
Rewards cannot be obtained right now, but be sure to read through the "upgrading" and "new item" rules posted with them. Also, you do not have to commit to a particular rewards package until you going to start collecting on it. Although, you will have the opportunity to "put in an order" to upgrade any items you left at the camp, which may not actually apply if you brought all your equipment, but if you can and want to do this, you do have to select a package first.
Spoils have been posted too. 5 magic vials remain unchecked. Detect magic and a Spellcraft check can be made to attempt identification. Also, "the wise one" had a few items made of unusual materials. An Appraise or appropriate Craft check can be made to attempt identification.
Chapter 7
It sounds like players want to go after the orc horde. I suggest reading through the options in the previous post just to give them all another look, but unless something is posted to the contrary by the end of this week, I will plan for the orc horde. Feel free to discuss strategy here or amongst yourselves. The most I can really say is to think about what you know and don't know, and also, try to think in their shoes. If you want to stop someone, a good way to do it is to figure out what they are going to do. Maybe try to think what you would do, but then, apply it to what you know about these orcs.
Chapter 7 is going to start at the dawn of Day 18. I won't post anything in that thread until characters are leveled up, but you are welcome to talk with the soldiers (or each other) in Chapter 6 as the night winds down over wolf meat. Either to try to figure out more info or hash out ideas or just roleplay.
EDIT: Oh, and a double correction! The interrogated orc said the orcs would reach Verdas in "5 moons," but this is wrong on two accounts. First, I incorrectly estimated the math on the spot but double checked it after the session. Second, I flubbed on how he would say it. He would have said, "in less than 10 moons," and since I goofed on this, I at least wanted you to know that it is not 5.
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Post by Rabbit on May 12, 2010 13:47:55 GMT -5
I think reefwood has a good suggestion here to try and get inside the heads of these orcs to determine what their next moves are, and how we can disrupt them to out sides advantage.
Does this orc army still think it has the element of surprise?
Do they care? How tactical are orcs? Perhaps a head on fight is just what they want.
Do they have any other casters with them? We kind of assumed the 'wise one' was a leader but maybe he was just too old to lead the army...
What we know;
1) there is an orc army (about 200+) on march to Verdas. We can assume their intention is to aid the city.
2) The orcs will arrive in Verdas in less than 10 moons. We are not far behind them and on horseback so we should be able to catch up pretty easily, and even pass them if we want to. [edit: if they are all barbarians their speed is going to be +10ft. just a thought.]
3) We have soldiers we could take with us, but they may just end up as liabilities.
Hampering these orcs before they reach our forces could have the most effect. I have two tactical ideas;
1) if we could set some ambushes we might be able draw some smaller units into coming after us, and once separated from their larger army we might be a better match. What if we ride ahead and even set up ambush points in some valley or cliff? (using the terrain to our advantage) That might be a situation in which those extra soldiers we have available could come in handy.
2) I might still have my head stuck in my game, but there is presumably a leader(s) of this army. If we could take them out it might weaken this army’s effectiveness. That might require some recon first and even if leaders are located I am not sure if we could reach them (and get out again.)
Another thought is if we somehow decide it would be better to watch this orc army without engaging them so we can learn as much as possible. Then, at some opportune time to be decided we act. That could be shooting off flairs to give away their locations, snipping off their scouting parties, destroying their equipment, etc. Or even just sending messages back to our general regarding their precise numbers and movements could help our soldiers better prepare. Perhaps even setting up a large scale ambush of their own?
One last thought is that whatever general course we take we are vastly outnumbered so confusion and misdirection might be our best tools. Especially while surprise is still on our side.
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Post by reefwood on May 12, 2010 16:34:20 GMT -5
Hampering these orcs before they reach our forces could have the most effect. I have two tactical ideas; 1) if we could set some ambushes we might be able draw some smaller units into coming after us, and once separated from their larger army we might be a better match. What if we ride ahead and even set up ambush points in some valley or cliff? (using the terrain to our advantage) That might be a situation in which those extra soldiers we have available could come in handy. In terms of terrain... you started out on an eastward road from Verdas, cut south along a flat plain that was sparser than the rolling grasslands west of Verdas, skirted around the Thinth Forest (enormous trees spread apart without much ground growth),and then skirted around the squat Wyrmscale Mountains before eventually following the trail into them. Aside from the mountains and Rift, the map did not note any significant elevation changes (i.e. valley or cliff) in the plains or forest. I can provide a fairly to scale map if that would be useful. |
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Post by Rabbit on May 12, 2010 16:46:00 GMT -5
you mean there isn't a handy cliff's edge slightly off camera we can lead them over? are you sure?  |
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Post by reefwood on May 12, 2010 18:49:33 GMT -5
you mean there isn't a handy cliff's edge slightly off camera we can lead them over? are you sure? Hmmm....well...if you can figure out which way the orcs are going, you could try carving out a cliff ahead of them Oh, and another way to increase your numbers - albeit temporarily - could be to summon creatures. A higher level summoning spell can be used to summon multiple lower level creatures. |
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Post by reefwood on May 14, 2010 17:34:05 GMT -5
Some more stats and thoughts... What we know; 1) there is an orc army (about 200+) on march to Verdas. We can assume their intention is to aid the city. The orc you interrogated did say that the orc horde was going to help defend the city. An interesting thing about orcs in Pathfinder is that they can stay conscious and fight until they are dead (-Con score), which can make it hard to capture a live one unless you are doing nonlethal damage... unless you do so much nonlethal damage that it kills them 2) The orcs will arrive in Verdas in less than 10 moons. We are not far behind them and on horseback so we should be able to catch up pretty easily, and even pass them if we want to. [edit: if they are all barbarians their speed is going to be +10ft. just a thought.] The heavy horses move at 50 ft, or 35 ft if encumbered (medium/heavy barding or medium/heavy load). Loyal Steed II can move at 60 ft with longstrider, or 40 ft if encumbered. Orcs have a normal speed of 30 ft, or 20 ft if encumbered. Barbarians receive +10 ft as long as they stay avoid heavy armor or heavy load, so orc barbarians move at 40 ft, 30 ft, or 20 ft depending on their armor/load. Sir Grolton might be able to wildshape into a mount or other creature in order to help spread the load and/or riders, and he would be able to cast longstrider on himself as well. Also, " You move at half your normal speed while following tracks (or at your normal speed with a –5 penalty on the check, or at up to twice your normal speed with a –20 penalty on the check)." Only the person doing the tracking (and anyone assisting) has the speed restriction. Everyone else can move at normal speed without penalty. 3) We have soldiers we could take with us, but they may just end up as liabilities. You can take up to 3 soldiers (1 per PC), but you can also just take 1 or 2 if that seems better for your plan. Another thing to keep in mind is that they don't have to be with you the whole time. The PCs could ride ahead while the soldiers move on foot (30 ft w/o armor or 20 ft in orc breastplate). You could order them to Hustle or make a Forced March to catch up by the end of a day. They are pretty decent trackers too. Shouldn't have a problem following the orc horde, though, it would be more difficult for them to follow only 3 horse tracks if the PCs veer off the trail for whatever reason, and the soldiers on foot would probably have to move at normal speed (-5 to Survival for tracking) to stand a chance of keeping up. |
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Post by reefwood on May 19, 2010 17:12:37 GMT -5
I just posted the invisibility rules but wound up a little unsure of how it works with tracking by scent on a round-by-round basis. It seems like noticing a scent is easier than finding tracks because it can be noticed automatically when the source is close enough. The Survival skill says:
How does these interpretations sound for finding and following tracks on the ground?:
Full-round action in the first round to find the tracks with a Survival check. If successful, on the second round you can use a move action to follow the tracks at half-speed. This leaves you with one more action, so you could use a standard action to cast a spell, or second move action to retrieve a potion, or second move action to follow the tracks again at half-speed. An elf could move 15 ft with one move action or 30 feet with two move actions.
Full-round action in the first round to find the tracks with a Survival check at a -5 penalty. If successful, on the second round you can use a move action to follow the tracks at normal speed. This leaves you with one more action, so you could use a standard action to cast a spell, or second move action to retrieve a potion, or second move action to follow the tracks again at normal speed. An elf could move 30 ft with one move action or 60 feet with two move actions.
With both examples, we are now at the third round. You can do the same things as you did in the second round. You don't need to make another Survival check unless something makes the tracks hard to follow. Perhaps a new surface (i.e. dirt to stone) or circumstance (i.e. starts raining) or a distraction (i.e. combat or investigating something else). And obviously, we don't do a check for every mile because that would take forever over long distances. I think in the last session, I had you make a check every hour.
Anyway, how does that sound for finding/following tracks on the ground? Now that I've typed this all out, it seems to make sense. I guess it could work the same for finding tracks with scent. Although, if you are already aware of the scent (since that happens automatically within 30 ft), it would seem a bit easier. Maybe a standard action to find an already known trail with scent? What do people think about that? I'd be fine with keeping it like tracks but want to know if you have any input since you have access to creatures with scent too.
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