Kulan: Knightfall's Heroes of Carnell Game [OOC]

[Knightfall]

BTW, there is one launch currently in the grotto where the PCs first arrived (except for Angus who used a special 1 use/per day ring of flying left for him by Aeron). Gareth and Quinten left with one of the launches to take the other prisoner back to Carnell.

The launch is as per p. 101 of D&D Stormwrack. Thus, it can carry up to 8 medium-sized characters and has a cargo limit of 4 tons. The launch can carry up to double to triple capacity of people for a short journey. The launch's speed with oars is 15 feet (or 1-1/2 miles/hour), which drops down to 10 feet (or 1 mile/hour) with more than 2 tons of cargo.

The island is 20 miles offshore from Carnell. The water is very shallow but can't be navigated on foot unless it is low tide when the island is connected to the mainland by a sand isthmus. Since it is in the early afternoon (I think), it is just past low tide. It will take a minimum of 13.3 hours to get to Carnell using the single launch, as long as the PCs don't overload it.

The PCs could try to make a run for the mainland, but they may not make it and certainty weighed down by tons of extra gear.

 

[Neurotic]

But we could do faster hustling through the tunnel (with the risk of running into ghouls on the way)? Or it is still faster rowing?

 

[JustinCase]

The XP below divides the XP gained between all the PCs equally and show what each PC gets for each set of enemies. While Angus came in part way through the fight, I'm assuming you guys are fine with including him in with the foes defeated before his arrival.

Cultist Acolytes [x16] (CR 4 each): 1920
Ghoul Guardians [x7] (CR 1 each): 280
---
The Prelate (CR 6): 240
Aries Zeidan (CR 7): 320
Lady Panthera [Cultist Bard] (CR 8): 480
Hirasean [Cultist Champion] (CR 10): 960
Xander [Duergar] (CR 10): 960

5,160 XP Each

32,055 + 5,160 = 37,215 XP
Needed: 36,000
Level-up!

(Gotta go back and see if I missed any XP, although that wouldn't be a lot I'm sure.)

Will level-up Caerth today or tomorrow.

BTW, there is one launch currently in the grotto where the PCs first arrived (except for Angus who used a special 1 use/per day ring of flying left for him by Aeron). Gareth and Quinten left with one of the launches to take the other prisoner back to Carnell.

The launch is as per p. 101 of D&D Stormwrack. Thus, it can carry up to 8 medium-sized characters and has a cargo limit of 4 tons. The launch can carry up to double to triple capacity of people for a short journey. The launch's speed with oars is 15 feet (or 1-1/2 miles/hour), which drops down to 10 feet (or 1 mile/hour) with more than 2 tons of cargo.

The island is 20 miles offshore from Carnell. The water is very shallow but can't be navigated on foot unless it is low tide when the island is connected to the mainland by a sand isthmus. Since it is in the early afternoon (I think), it is just past low tide. It will take a minimum of 13.3 hours to get to Carnell using the single launch, as long as the PCs don't overload it.

The PCs could try to make a run for the mainland, but they may not make it and certainty weighed down by tons of extra gear.

So... how fast can that launch go if it is pulled by, say, a druid wildshaped into a large shark?

 

[Knightfall]

But we could do faster hustling through the tunnel (with the risk of running into ghouls on the way)? Or it is still faster rowing?

Spoiler: Xander's Conversation With Maur

Xander explains to Maur that the tunnel down into the Underearth and connecting tunnel to the mainland isn't a straight shot from the island to the shoreline. It will take longer to wind through the various passages, and he doesn't actually know the way to Carnell from the island. He had planned to take the main tunnel down into the Underearth and then flee south though some passages he does know that would lead him to a ruin of an old duergar fort known as Karnthiod.

The Ghast Lord left for Carnell right after the PCs arrived on the first level of the temple, so it will take some time for him to get there. He purposely sent the patrol of acolytes against the PCs as a distraction but didn't tell them that the PCs were coming into the temple. There are two senior acolytes with Tarrak but Xander thinks there could be as many as four. They are not ghasts. Tarrak also has two zombies with him -- former acolytes that displeased him.

Xander knows there are two ways into the tunnel that leads to the Underearth. One is on the highest level of the temple and it is the one he was planning to use. There is another, secret, entrance to the tunnel on the third level of the temple, but he doesn't know where it is located since he rarely entered that area. It is mainly for Tarrak, the other ghasts, and their senior acolytes (who are better trained than Eike and the other acolytes but not as dangerous as Hirasean and Lady Panthera).

Xander tells Maur that Lady Panthera's first name is Caprasia and that she is known as a Direspeaker of Malotoch (bard/cleric) among their faithful. She is actually a lady but was cast out of her noble family. He doesn't know where her family is from, however. She will likely remain hidden in the temple and wait for Tarrak's return. If Tarrak doesn't come back, she will probably flee into the Underearth.

Going through the Underearth passage will add another 10 miles to the journey due to the twists and turns, but Tarrak and his undead forces have to traverse that distance too.

The rooks (at least a dozen) and an anathaema eagle were sent to attack Carnell at the same time as Tarrak headed into the Underearth. (Angus did not see them while he was flying to the island. He was flying low and they were flying high.) It won't take them long to reach the mainland. They have a fly speed of 80 feet (so, 8 miles in one hour).

I would say that the Tarrak and his minions have a two hour head start on the PCs. The PCs have fought three battles since arriving on the first level the temple: one vs. the acolytes, one vs. the ghast that was locked away in the room, and the fight throughout the various corridors. They spent time destroying the altar and had to break through the first door into the temple.

The rooks and anathaema eagle have already flown 16 miles. The PCs can't get to Carnell before those foes attack the village. Tarrak and his undead forces have travelled at least 4 miles through the Underearth. If the PCs hustle, they can go at 4 miles/hour based on Maur's speed of 20 feet. Maur could always ride on Angus, which would allow the PCs to hustle at 6 miles/hour.

The PCs could try to hustle through the rising water past low tide but I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[Knightfall]

So... how fast can that launch go if it is pulled by, say, a druid wildshaped into a large shark?

I'm pretty sure Caerth has sued up all his wildshapes for the day. He wildshaped into a snake vs. the rooks in the tower and once more into the eagle, and I'm fairly certain you used it a third time too, I think. Maybe the fight against the first set of acolytes. It's 3 per day, right?

(I know he summoned an earth elemental in addition to the black bears and dire boar.)

I can't remember exactly. I'll go back and check.

If I'm wrong, then Caerth can swim 60 feet as a large shark, so that's normally 6 miles in one hour. However, Caerth pulling the launch as a large shark likely won't make it go that fast burdened with the 4 other PCs (including Angus [large]), Aureus, 4 other NPCs, and 3 prisoners (Aries, Eike and Xander).

Phar does have a fly spell prepared, so he could use it on Angus since the centaur's borrowed ring won't work again during the current day. However, Angus's horseshoes of speed might let him outrun the rising tides. I have to double check the time of day.

Caerth's STR is as a large shark is 17, and if we go based by quadruped, a large shark has the following Light, Medium, and Heavy Loads: 258 lb. or less; 259 lb.-519 lb.; and 520 lb.-780 lb. I have a feeling we're looking at least a medium load with a heavy load being more likely. We don't count the weight of the boat (I think), just the stuff and people in it (like with a wagon and horses pulling it). If it's a heavy load, Caerth's speed as a large shark would drop to either 50 feet or 40 feet pulling the launch.

And I'm going to want someone to make a Use Rope check (DC 18) to make a harness to attach to Caerth and the launch.

While I'm not sure, I think it is 40 ft. So, that would be 4 miles in an hour, which means a total of 5 hours to get to Carnell. I'll check tomorrow. It's late and I'm getting really tired.

 

[JustinCase]

I'm pretty sure I have a Wild Shape use left, although I admit it wouldn't give such a big advantage on speed. It does help, however, but I'm open to other suggestions.

Do we have a way to warn the village from afar? Any magic spells? Not Caerth, but we've got several casters in the party.

 

[Neurotic]

I'm pretty sure I have a Wild Shape use left, although I admit it wouldn't give such a big advantage on speed. It does help, however, but I'm open to other suggestions.

Do we have a way to warn the village from afar? Any magic spells? Not Caerth, but we've got several casters in the party.

And we could add
a) rowing, to help with pulling
b) fly for Angus to lower the weight
c) leave NPCs (and maybe even Maur - he is slow and heavy )

Additionally, fly...we have one additional caster (Xander) who could cast fly and be left on the island - we could even free him for that service

But we need fly that lasts for 3 hours or we'll land on the water

 

[Neurotic]

Also, if ghoul lord had humans they will need rest and zombies are slow.

 

[Knightfall]

I'm pretty sure I have a Wild Shape use left, although I admit it wouldn't give such a big advantage on speed. It does help, however, but I'm open to other suggestions.

You know what, I trust that you know how many are left. I was probably thinking of the earth elemental summoning.

Do we have a way to warn the village from afar? Any magic spells? Not Caerth, but we've got several casters in the party.

Phar doesn't have message memorized and its range isn't long enough, regardless. He doesn't have whispering wind in his spellbook.

While Aureus is now a multiclassed rogue/divine bard, she only has one level in divine bard. She has cure minor wounds and resistance memorized.

Meridith has only just gained enough XP (I calculated the NPC XP separately from the PCs, as usual) to now be able to cast one 1st-level spell. She will have to rest before she can memorize any spells (but could memorize animal messenger).

Aries can cast speak with animals and dominate animal if you want to try to find other aquatic animals to help pull the launch. An extra large shark would increase the overall carrying capacity, which could make it a medium or light load. He doesn't have any spells memorized that let him send messages over long distances.

Xander doesn't have any spells like that either.

Eike would balk at being forced to cast spells for the PCs. He accepts being your prisoner, but he isn't going to help you unless someone intimidates him. Regardless, Aries tells you Eike doesn't have anything that could help.

 

[Knightfall]

And we could add
a) rowing, to help with pulling

I'm not sure how much rowing would help with Caerth already pulling the launch.

b) fly for Angus to lower the weight

The one thing I forgot about the fly spell is its limited duration. 1 minute/level isn't going to get Angus very far.

c) leave NPCs (and maybe even Maur - he is slow and heavy )

It would be tough to convince the NPCs from Carnell to stay behind on the island while their home is under attack. But, my next planned post will give another option.

Additionally, fly...we have one additional caster (Xander) who could cast fly and be left on the island - we could even free him for that service

But we need fly that lasts for 3 hours or we'll land on the water

Yes, it has to be overland flight. Basically ,that's what Angus's borrowed magical ring allows him to do but it has a limit of 1 use per day and he's already used it for the day.