Chapter 8: Q&A / Discussions

[Mike]

If we're going by 1 square = 5 feet, assuming that the Merrow Down hasn't moved, it would take Syrdan 2-3 rounds to reach the ship (depending on Acrobatics checks, etc.) Again, assuming the scale's correct, the ship really shouldn't be all that far away.

Another thing to consider - do we think the "guardian" is peeved with all of us, or just whoever removed things from the Atoll? If it's the latter, Syrdan could try to lead the guardian away from the rest of the group, and let everyone else try to get back closer to the ship without a fight. I doubt we'd be able to avoid a fight completely, but it might put us in a better strategic position for a fight.

[Jeff]

Now you're confusing me. When you say ship, you mean the little skiff, the boat. Not the Merrow Down, which is a ship and is 10 minutes out. Right?

[Mike]

May 6, 2011 11:05:42 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Now you're confusing me. When you say ship, you mean the little skiff, the boat. Not the Merrow Down, which is a ship and is 10 minutes out. Right?

The skiff.

[Darren]

So, Mike, if I understand correctly, your goal would be to jump from the cliff and then water walk over to the skiff, moving it more towards the center of the island? I'm not sure there's a good advantage to that, and I think it would just split up the group. I think we should just make a break for it. We can always alter the plan as the situation changes.

The marching order, as I see it, should be Adamant up front, followed by Syrdan and Histra (side by side, if possible), then Kal and Belarin, then Streko and Shorak. Condign and the dwarf can bring up the rear. Does that work for everyone?

[Mike]

That's fine. I was more hoping to generate some discussion of possible alternate strategies, besides just marching back down the Atoll towards the monster. Devising those sorts of strategies is probably my favorite part of tabletop roleplaying - we don't do it all that much here, so I thought I'd give it a try.

But if it's something that we don't have time for, or isn't of interest, that's fine.

[Brian]

I'm always open to strategy discussions. It's just that I've been so busy these last couple weeks with work and behind-the-scenes Foreshadows stuff. But I would certainly be open to discussing options.

[Darren]

I'm with you on that, Mike. When we first got to the atoll, I figured Jeff was going to make us march around to the far side, and also figured that he had an ambush set up for us once we got there, so I considered moving the skiff to that side of the island, doing a Lightning Shift to the high side to get the bone, then jumping back down again. But Jeff let me know that it probably wouldn't work.

I'm all for thinking outside of the box, but I don't think Jeff has left us too many other options here besides moving forward and adopting a "wait-and-see" posture.

I also agree that this sort of planning is much easier to do around a table. Give and take conversations are difficult by post.

[Jeff]

But Jeff let me know that it probably wouldn't work.

Err...this is a little out of context, Darren. My reply was:

It only allows him to shift, like lightning, up to 30 feet. Since the clifftop is 20 feet up, Kal would need to be pretty close to it to do that. The distance between the skiff and the base of the mini cliff is about 14 squares (70 feet). So I'm not sure why you think this is plausible.

- As for jumping down, it's anyone's guess. If the jump goes straight into deep water, no problem. But this is a shoreline, so it's not a sudden drop off. There's shallow ground and coral just beneath the water close to the edge.

I didn't just say "that won't work." I don't discourage you guys from trying whatever you want or trying to steer you away from some action that isn't convenient for my plans.

[Jeff]

May 9, 2011 11:38:25 GMT -4 Darren said:

I'm all for thinking outside of the box, but I don't think Jeff has left us too many other options here besides moving forward and adopting a "wait-and-see" posture.

Also, this is a little unfair. For one, you've chosen to all be bunched up together at one end of the atoll. There's a lot of variables here.

Such as....oh, stuff given to some PCs when they were leaving the Merrow.

[Darren]

Oh yeah. I forget things.

And Jeff, I wasn't accusing you of anything other than being a DM. It's your job.....

[Jeff]

To be a bastard whose primary objective is to make you all miserable. I know. ;D

[Darren]

I WAS going to add "...to try to kill us," but I was being nice.

[Jeff]

If you're dead then you're immune to misery. That's not helpful to me.

[Darren]

Wow. This is a side of you I've not seen before.

It frightens me....

[Joe]

There is much to be frightened of....

[Dave W.]

I like it!! We're Immortal!!! Jeff's never going to kill us!

[Jeff]

Try me.

[Dave B.]

Okay, let's not make the DM want to kill us any more than he already does.

[Dave W.]

I don't know; when I see a sleeping bear and a stick nearby it's just hard to resist...

[Jeff]

Good timing: www.wizards.com/DnD/Article.aspx?x=dnd/4ll/20110510#74311

[Jeff]

I'll summarize my philosophy of death in D&D, just for fair warning:

I do believe in it, but it shouldn't happen easily or randomly. Moreover, death isn't a game-stopper. It's a roleplaying opportunity, something to be explored but not to the degree where everything's got to change.

So yes, you can die. But if there was ever a TPK (total party kill) it would more likely result in capture/enslavement than actual death. Just like when you drop enemies to 0 hit points you can decide (at the time of the killing blow) whether to kill them or to just knock them out, so too will I have enemies make that call.

[Brian]

Darren, I did see your post before I posted Condign's action. However, I couldn't pass up the chance to keep those skeletons back by trying to block that narrow way. That way the ranged guys can plink away while us melee types can blast them.

[Darren]

All good, Brian. Like I said, my actions are going to be somewhat dependent upon what everyone else decides to do.

[Darren]

"We should be heading for the skiff," Syrdan snaps. "If the skiff is destroyed, it won't make one bloody bit of difference whether or not we manage to defeat the skeletons following us."

The elf watches as his companions head into battle against the skeletons.

"But the die has been cast, it seems."

__________________________________

Like Adamant, Syrdan holds his ground. No sense splitting the party, I guess.

Mike, I don't know how much of this was in character frustration and how much out of it, but for what it's worth, I agree with you. Only thing is, I can't imagine the skiff can take much damage, and I think it's going to take us at least three rounds to get to it, assuming everyone does nothing but take double moves. If the bone-dragon's intent is to destroy the boat, then I think, pardon the pun, that ship has sailed. Meanwhile, if we just keep moving, I think we end up leaving Histra completely behind, which makes this whole venture to the atoll pointless. So I think we have to at least collect her back into the group before we can keep moving forward.

[Brian]

I agree that we need to get to the skiff pronto, but Condign will not abandon any party member, and that includes Histra and her grandfather. Mike, you and the others should head for the skiff and engage the bone-dragony-thingy. Like Darren said, I'll do my best to follow along and keep the skeles off you. Hopefully Histra and her grandfather will follow along; if not, then I will simply stay behind to keep them safe.

It may be that if the Guardian dies, then the skeletons will fail also.

[Dave W.]

Guys, there's no point worrying about the skiff. The terrain between us and it is all difficult terrain; it's all going to take 2 mp per square. Its going to take 6 or more turns to get there.

If the dragon is wrecking the boat then it will done long before we could stop it.

Hmmm, with one possible exception... Syrdan might make it by running across the water. But the he's going to be over there on his own for many turns.

[Darren]

And I think Jeff said the water would still count as difficult terrain for Syrdan, so it would still take him a few rounds to get there. And, as you said, he'd be on his own, meaning we might just as likely find a busted skiff and a dead elf.

[Dave W.]

Yeah, I don't see anyway to improve the odds of defending the skiff... we just can't arrive with force in a reasonable number of turns.

That said, Adamant's not going to run. Even a running double move only gets me 2 more sq and leaves me granting combat advantage. If we could get to the dragon before gets to the skiff, I might try running. At this point it doesn't get us anything.

[Dave W.]

btw, I agree with your PC Death philosophy, Jeff. I'm fine with dying. I'd rather it not be a Tasha Yar death.

Also, I'm good with you not putting in all the rolls in the combat narrative. I would kind of like to just see a note if someone gets a crit. It's silly I suppose, but I like to see the crits.

[Ken]

Yeah, Dave and I witnessed (or were part of) a number of Tasha Yar deaths in our friend John's campaign in the '90s. Not fun. I agree with your philosophy, too, Jeff. While the dice will have their way, ideally the death of a hero should have some meaning or be part of a major advancement of the plot or the remaining characters, e.g., Boromir. "My brother, my captain... my king." Sniff.