DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Fantasy SKT: The Storm King's Thunder 3T - Who ya gonna call? Troll hunters!

Zindra
She turns to Bern. "You, me, Jaliera and any of the spellcasters should definitely sneak up and find cover and then fire arrows and spells before the giant has a chance to do anything, then duck away out of range. Then, if we're fast enough, we can fire again before it can act."

ooc: I'm waiting for a better description (maybe graphical) of the cave which the fire giant and the troll are in, but the idea might be for Zindra, Bern and Jaliera (all of whom have excellent stealth bonuses can get a suprise round attack with sneak bonuses and hunter's mark. (Any guidance, blessings and inspirations hurled our way would be nice). I think Sindar could join the

If we are within 60' of the giant, many range spells come into play too. But we shouldn't waste a potential suprise round attack. Then, hopefully a few of us can roll good initiatives and add other range attacks. With luck, we'll fell the giant before he acts.

Zhu

She nods, then says to Aubric, "Perhaps place the Fire Protection on yourself or another until the first time it is needed, and then if you have another concentration spell to cast drop it. The odds the foe will use the same effect multiple times is probably low."

Sindar

"Do I dare do a song or two out here before we get set up?" He didn't want to draw too much attention but was happy to offer inspiration for their endeavors.

<Bern>

"I would welcome one of your songs", he said with a smile. "They are always welcome and inspiring", he said sounding serious.

(OOC - Don't think it needs a lot of volume to work, Pande. So should be OK I think, as long as we can heart it.)

Davroar

With his middle finger from his three fingered frog hands he struggles and slowly draws in the mud a crude map for Zindra. Explaining as he goes, "I started swimming here at the bottom, passed under this first bridge and stopped just before going under the second bridge. The large cavern opened up on my left as I swam. Last I saw them, the large X is the giant, smaller x is the troll. The circle is the fire pit. I can go back to swim further if you want me to?"

Jaliera

She asks her question again.

"Could a human travel the same route that you did?"

<Bern>

"Does anyone have Water Breathing handy", he asked.

Zindra

She's happy that Davroar asked and she croaks back "Yes, see as much as you can see and try to remember - especially counts of foes. If my spell wears off before you return, I'll cast it again."

Davroar

The water temperature was not completely unbearable for him and the current was not overly strong so he replies to Jaliera's question through Zindra, "Yes, you could. Might need to duck your head under for the bridge part."

Feeling a bit more confident that he was not spotted he tells Zindra, "I'll swim past the second bridge to check out if there is a way to approach from the top passage."

Davroar figures if anyone does approach from deeper in the cave that would probably be more surprising than from the other directions.

"Then on my way back I'll see if I can get up onto the second bridge and check out where that passage leads and see if I can make my way back on the ground."

If that leads to a dead end, Davroar will have to retreat back to the stream. His second foray away from the water will be to check out the side passage from the first bridge if he can make the jump up to it.

"Give me more time though, but start in if I'm gone too long."

Jaliera

"Good luck."

Jaliera blows him a kiss, before turning to the others.

"Attacking on three fronts would be good. Seems we have an option to utilise the water as a second, hopefully Davroar may find a third."

Zhu

Saying to Zindra, "Did we ask him how deep the water was? Is it walkable?"

Zindra

She replies to Davroar, "That's good. And if you dare delve deeper, that's fine too. Just get back here. We'll wait for you. One last question before you go, how deep is the water?"

Davroar

"Not overly deep, probably average human height. So, if that's if for questions, I'll hop to it."

Davroar

Swimming back inside he sticks to his plan swimming past the second bridge to find that he can access the northern passage which links back to the central cavern where the giant and troll have remained. Neither of them seemed to have moved so perhaps they will remain in the central cavern for the time being. Exploring the nearest passage to the troll and giant was more intense for him, but it seems he managed to scout the area without being spotted as he left the cave for a second time using the stream.

Hopping out of the water again he plops himself beside his crude mud drawing and starts adding in more detail. Hopefully he is back soon enough in that Zindra still has her spell still active so that he can explain as he draws.



"So the passage just south of the troll offers the closest attack, probably just five or six large paces away. Another best place to attack from would be just south of the second bridge. There's rocks and bushes to hide behind. Swimming past the second bridge and a few of us could also get out and approach north of the giant, but there is no cover there."

Finding a brighter shade of mud he marks five small points on his map.

"These look like torches, but are not real flames. Magic of some sort and give off a good bit of heat too."

His last mark is a crude question mark to an unexplored western most passage.

"Over here I saw some runes carved on the wall. I heard something moaning in the darkness. Friend or foe, I'm not sure. I didn't want to press my luck going in there. Everywhere else I didn't not see any other beasts or monsters."

He thinks for a brief moment to make sure he is not forgetting anything and quickly adds, "Oh, I got a better look at the fire giants staff. It definitely looks ancient powerful magic within it." A visible shudder goes through his frog body as he remembers the uneasy feeling he got seeing it for a second time.

Obviously everyones probably going to have questions so he will politely wait.


Davroar CON save for swimming in the hot water
Dugan rolled 1d20+3 and got 11

Zindra
She repeats what Davroar said for the rest of the party and then added, "I think we take Davroar's advice. I'll opt to fire from the cover of the rocks and bushes just south of the second bridge."

Pavel

"It might be possible that those five points of heat and light are also defenses of a sort. Possibly wards of some kind. Did you close in on any of them and get a good look at them?" He asked curious of the five balls of energy.

Davroar

He shifts his frog body to look at Pavel and croaks his answer for Zindra to translate.

"I didn't get too close to them to stay hidden. It's shaped like a torch and glowed. No flames, but gave off some heat."

Being a frog it is not like he could get close enough to these magical light sources even if he wanted to.

Aubric

"Wouldn't surprise me if they served as a way to keep the troll... or trolls... contained," the cleric observes, nodding toward Pavel's theory.

Jaliera

"These blacked out areas? Are they rock?"

She points to the areas she means looking at both Davroar and Zindra.

"Maybe the moaning is the troll who lost an arm?" she offers.

[ooc: Yes, the blacked out areas indicate interior walls (made of rock). I blacked out the interior walls just to be a little clearer for the players, but in the actual drawing done as a frog in the mud everything would just be lines. ]

Jaliera

"OK, we are entering from the bottom of the drawing. It might make sense for the assault to go left and enter the giant cavern from the south. But is that what you want guys? If so we could use missile fire across the stream from the right, might be a good distraction?"

<Bern>

"Seems like a decent plan. Do you want me to launch a few arrows? If so, where do you want me to be?"

Zhu

"Yes", she nods. "Just remember to spread out as much as possible."