Chapter 8: Q&A / Discussions

[Mike]

"In character", I know exactly what Syrdan would/will do.

I was looking for some out-of-character group thoughts ... I don't want to further sidetrack the game and waste posts trying to rescue Lerrhana if everyone else doesn't really care if she survives.

Sorry. This is just a little frustrating to me.

[Brian]

Personally, I have no issue with trying to save her.

In character, Condign would assume nothing can be done. He's from a desert wasteland and has no real experience with seas. But hey, if you want to go in and get her, he'll be there right behind you.

[Jeff]

I don't want to further sidetrack the game and waste posts trying to rescue Lerrhana if everyone else doesn't really care if she survives.

If you're ever unsure of sidetrack/wasted time issues, you can ask me. But this is Eberron, a high action pulp setting. Don't be afraid of crazy actions, even if there are consequences.

[Ken]

Belarin is (duh) impulsive and - in his own odd way - responsible. If he gets the sense from Syrdan or anyone that Lerrhana is close by, he's probably going to dive. But at the moment, he doesn't know how much time has passed since she jumped.

[Darren]

Kal's a realist, but he also knows that this team just spent a lot of time and blood rescuing Lehranna, and he's not going to let that go easily. So while he's probably not going to jump into the ocean, he is going to try to figure out a way to save her, and he'll grab the end of the rope that Syrdan is tied to in order to try to get her back.

[Dave B.]

Since Syrdan is already tied off to the end of a rope, it seems to me he has a chance of getting to her. If he moves quickly enough he''s the only one who needs to make the leap. If Condign and/or Adamant hold on to the other end of the rope, the rest of the party can try to deal with the new potential threat.

[Dave W.]

Well, I don't think Adamant's going to be of much help. Other than holding the end of a rope. Swimming is Athletics based iirc; he's got a measly +2. and if I were gm-ing there'd be some serious penalty for the storm.

Rope holding I might manage...

[Jeff]

Just to be clear, Syrdan can absolutely go into the water, but he'll have to untie from Streko's; Streko's just isn't long enough. The Merrow's own ropes are more numerous and certainly longer. Moreover, the crew looks willing to help.

[Mike]

Then he unties from Streko's rope.

[Darren]

Quick out of game discussion here....Sem and Kal can both use the Water Walking ritual on someone, which will help greatly in trying to find Lehranna. The only problem is that it takes 10 minutes to cast it, and by then, Lehranna will probably be at the bottom of the ocean unless Captain Morsha does something to help (which it seems like she might be trying to do). So I think it's worthwhile for us to pursue that option, regardless, but we shouldn't rely on it.

[Mike]

Jul 11, 2011 23:05:01 GMT -4 Darren said:

Kal will cast Light on Streko's net. He will continue to use Ghost Sound to amplify his voice so that people can hear him. I may be exercising artistic license. I'm sure Jeff will tell me if I am violating game law.

Darren, Jeff already gave his ruling on this awhile ago.

The search engine on the boards works pretty good. Just sayin'.

[Mike]

Jul 11, 2011 23:10:33 GMT -4 Darren said:

The only problem is that it takes 10 minutes to cast it, and by then, Lehranna will probably be at the bottom of the ocean unless Captain Morsha does something to help (which it seems like she might be trying to do).

I thought the same thing, except for Tenser's Floating Disc, to use it as a makeshift platform.

But the ten minute casting time's the killer. In ten minutes (or, probably less) Lerrhana will either be dead, or rescued. So I'm not sure either would be worth it.

In 3.5, of course, both were utility spells with a casting time of one round.

I hate rituals in 4E. Especially "Drawmij's Instant Summons", which now also takes ten minutes to cast.

[Darren]

Yeah, this is why I've never really used any of Kal's rituals in the past (not that he had many that were that useful). They just take too damn long.

[Jeff]

Yup, there's a fine line between spells and rituals in 4E. Rituals are never something you can do in a moment's notice or for spur of the moment actions. But they do have their place, and they still fill a part of the game that's important. My only real beef with rituals is that they're mostly all available to anyone. (Provided you've got the Ritual Caster feat.)

So in theory, an uneducated barbarian who knows nothing about religion could take the Ritual Caster feat and create holy water with the appropriate ritual. Gah!

Well, not in my game, man.

So yeah, Darren, there's no time for Water Walking in the current scenario.

[Darren]

I believe the term "jerk" applies fully to Jeff right now.

Jeff, is this winged horse-thing close enough for anyone to target? I would assume if it's close enough to be firing crossbow bolts, it's close enough to target with spells?

[Jeff]

On a moonless, starless night in the driving rain in a neighborhood with no street lights, go out on your back porch, turn on the light, and spot something dark somewhere on the edge of your expansive lawn.

Near or perfect total concealment is what things in the sky have. Nope, it can't be targeted right now.

Horse was just a size starting point for comparison; by no means is the thing a horse.

[Dave W.]

Jul 12, 2011 9:31:14 GMT -4 Jeff said:

My only real beef with rituals is that they're mostly all available to anyone. (Provided you've got the Ritual Caster feat.)

So in theory, an uneducated barbarian who knows nothing about religion could take the Ritual Caster feat and create holy water with the appropriate ritual. Gah!

Yes and no. Yes anyone can take the feat and learn rituals and for some things that's all you need. But most of them also require a skill check in one of the following skills: Arcana, Heal, Nature, or Religion. So the Barbarian might have enough Nature skill to pull off a useful Animal Messenger spell.

But the average Barbarian is unlikely to have a good enought Arcana skill to make a challenging Arcane Lock (the DC for theives to crack it is set by your skill check).

[Jeff]

Unlikely but possible. That's what irks me. I kind of don't want some rogue from a city of god-haters to be able to create holy water just because it's mechanically possible, you know? It's the spirit of the thing.

[Brian]

You can't be serious? If I hadn't read it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it. Really, you have to tell me it's a joke!


Darren has an expansive lawn??

[Darren]

I do not.

But Jeff's point being the case, we must be facing a creature with AMAZING eyesight to have been able to make that shot.

Alternatively, the shot didn't come from the sky.

I'll let you all draw your own conclusions.....

[Brian]

For this part, I'm trying to play as realistically as possible. In that magnitude of a storm, I doubt Condign would hear Kal at all. Adamant might me some vague noises. He absolutely can not see what happened to the captain. All he knows is that Syrdan is overboard. So until someone specifically tells him--to where he can hear clearly--what we are under attack, Big Red won't know.

[Darren]

I've stopped specifically saying it, but Kal's voice is being magically amplified, so Condign should be able to hear him.

[Jeff]

Lately I've had to refresh, double-refresh, or triple-refresh to get the map to update. Not sure why. So keep trying if you don't see it change right away.

[Jeff]

but here? In the daylight?"

Whoa! It's not daytime!

This whole encounter began here, "in the dead of night," with everyone being woken up by the sound of the crewman getting attacked, presumably by Lerrhana.

That's why there's been all this darkness and swinging lanterns and talk of casting light spells by Kal and Adamant.

[Ken]

Oh hell, that's right. Okay, I'll revise.

[Jeff]

He points to the two crewmen, their red shirts stained with sweaty fear.

Not only has Brian doomed these poor two crewmen by declaring their shirts red, he's also riddled them with fear.

So whatever befalls them, Brian, it's on your conscience. ;D

[Darren]

A moment later, Adamant stands. "Kal," he says, but his attention is not on the dragon-marked human, the warforged faces aft, "would the Professor still be in his cabin? Do you suppose he is unaware of Krez? If this is Larest's expedition, wouldn't the prudent thing be to attack him?"

Larest went up on deck with Sem. I assume Adamant would have seen him....

[Jeff]

Yep, Larest first appeared on the top deck right here. So he's safe for the moment, you guys can relax. I know you'd be worried about 'Z' getting hurt.

[Brian]

For logistical usage: Condign is following the others toward the captain's cabin.

[Jeff]

Jeff, is there an available source of fire on the ship that Kal would know about?

You mean like something just jetting open flame? Not that he knows about. All the lanterns are everbright lanterns, so they're magically lit with heatless flames.