D&D 5E Long Rests vs Short Rests

[Stalker0]

From the Adventure Notes, which I've fleshed out a bit:

This is your first social encounter (with some exploration by way of Int checks):

A DC 15 Insight check reveals the High Priest wants to help the PCs in their quest but is holding back on resources (in actual fact he is holding back potions of healing, in case the PCs fail, and to help the Townsfolk out should the Demon get free)
A DC 20 Persuasion check if the PCs ask for assistance, convinces the Cleric to provide the PCs with 10 healing potions for the quest. Grant advantage to anyone who made the Insight check above. PCs can also Intimidate him at the same DC, but risk falling out of favor with the Church (and angering Bob the PC Cleric) in the process.
A DC 15 History check reveals that Bargle is famous in the area as an evil-doer and powerful mage who is wanted by the local authorities, with a hefty bounty on his head (5,000gp).
A DC 15 Arcana check (by a PC who succeeds on the History check) reveals he is a failed archmage (and capable of casting 7th level spells!)

Leaving aside skill checks, is there anything you can do with your magic here?

Otherwise, I would be most inclined to say you pass both Int checks (History and Arcana) providing the PCs with the relevant Lore and info on Bargle. You likely fail the Insight (+0) and Persuasion or Intimidate checks (+3/+0) with the party 'Face' being better here.

Agreed on the skills. I’ll go ahead and ritual cast water breathing while the party face convinces the priest to provide us horses, after all with such a short timeframe expecting us to go out on foot would be downright silly. Normally I would always just have that on the party but since it was a break day we will say I hadn’t cast it yet

 

[Flamestrike]

Agreed on the skills. I’ll go ahead and ritual cast water breathing while the party face convinces the priest to provide us horses, after all with such a short timeframe expecting us to go out on foot would be downright silly. Normally I would always just have that on the party but since it was a break day we will say I hadn’t cast it yet

The church has horses for anyone that lacks them. It's roughly a 5-6 hour ride, leaving you all 3-4 hours to adventure/ short rest.

 

[Flamestrike]

@Stalker0

Waterbreathing is (ritual) cast on all PCs while you make your preparations.

Full of grim resolve, your party start riding North to the Temple to confront Bargle and stop his evil machinations.

Other than riding in formation with the other PCs is there anything particular you do on the ride to the Temple 'Wizard' wise?

 

[Flamestrike]

The terrain North of Town is craggy and heavily forested. There is little in the way of farms out here. Visibility is roughly 100' at the best of times due to the heavy foliage and craggy spires that dominate the landscape.

Occasionally you get a better view of up to 300' when the terrain opens up a bit, and in the thicker forested areas, it drops to 60'

The temple is at the base of a mountain, with a major river crossing at the midway point. Your maps reveal an ancient bridge creates a crossing, which is what you are now aiming for, following an overgrown track towards it, that then leads onwards to the temple.

 

[Stalker0]

The terrain North of Town is craggy and heavily forested. There is little in the way of farms out here. Visibility is roughly 100' at the best of times due to the heavy foliage and craggy spires that dominate the landscape.

Occasionally you get a better view of up to 300' when the terrain opens up a bit, and in the thicker forested areas, it drops to 60'

The temple is at the base of a mountain, with a major river crossing at the midway point. Your maps reveal an ancient bridge creates a crossing, which is what you are now aiming for, following an overgrown track towards it, that then leads onwards to the temple.

I will cast an augury as we get closer to see if crossing the bridge is a good way to get to the temple.

 

[Flamestrike]

I will cast an augury as we get closer to see if crossing the bridge is a good way to get to the temple.

You're not within 30 minutes of the Bridge yet (you're still around 2 hours ride away from it), but you can cast it when you are.

Is there anything else you want to do?

 

[Flamestrike]

I'll assume not.

Ok, lets continue:

After about an hour of hard riding on the trail, through the foggy forested crags, your party rounds the bend facing a large (100' across) rocky clearing, surrounded by crags on either side. The trail continues to the north on the far side.

Your galloping horses rear up suddenly bringing you to a halt, as you notice scattered in the clearing, several Hobgoblins lurk, heavily armed and armored, using the rocks in the clearing as cover.

One, more heavily armored than the rest, and with an air of authority about him, steps forward, roughly 20' in front of his companions, and (pointing at the Fighter) demands a one on one trial by combat!

What do you do?

 

[Flamestrike]

For the record, you haven't yet cast Mage Armor (presumably because the ruins were 9 hours away), so your AC at the moment is 14 (+1 Dex, +1 Ring of Prot, +2 Bracers of Armor).

 

[Stalker0]

For the record, you haven't yet cast Mage Armor (presumably because the ruins were 9 hours away), so your AC at the moment is 14 (+1 Dex, +1 Ring of Prot, +2 Bracers of Armor).

Ah good point. I think 2 hours from the place makes sense to cast it.

How many and how clumped up are the hobgoblins? Also....probably best to take this to a separate thread at this point so we don't clog this thread up even further.

 

[Flamestrike]

How many and how clumped up are the hobgoblins?

There appear to be nine of them, including the boss.

You could catch probably half a dozen in a fireball, or 4 plus the boss (he's standing forward of the rest). Fewer with a spell with a different radius.

They do have cover (aside from the boss).