(OOC) DND 3.5 The Flames of War

[doghead]

5th option is to return and report and let real soldiers deal with this. But we're not here for realism.

I am, I think. Not so much my realism, but the character's. And at this point Eos doesn't have any real incentive to put his life on the line. Maybe curiosity. Lets go with curiosity for the moment.

As for your other points, mostly I agree. We don't know what is at the farm, but I suspect more likely to be friendly than hostile given it was only a few hours march from the town and, iirc, in a settled farming area. And we don't know if there are other exits, but I was thinking more along the lines of luring them to us, which is still feasible even if there are other exits.

Splitting the party in #4 could be dealt with in two or three posts. Splitting the party in #3 is functionally the same as your last option. ie: ditch the NPC.

In the end, happy to go with the group decision, which seem to be leaning to #1/#3 (depending on what we do with the NPC). Maybe #3, with the NPC left at the entrance as a fall back position if the PC's get into trouble.

thotd

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

So, assuming that the bandits (for want of a better term at the moment) don't come out during the night, what's the plan? I can see three basic alternatives:
1. Full old school, just march down into the depths.
2. Try and draw whatever is down there to the surface, and ambush them outside.
3. Combination of the two, send two or three down, leave the other three outside. If things get too hot for those down below (probably the PC's) they bail out and hopefully draw the enemy up into an ambush at the entrance.

Actually, there is a forth option. Hold position at the entrance, keep whatever is in there boxed in. The company is about a hour travel from the farm house. Eos could leave an hour before dawn, and be back an hour or so after. There is bound to be someone there by now, drawn there by the bloody great big pillar of smoke yesterday.

thotd

Byron's original plan was to find their camp and then go back and report it. Realistically, it makes no sense to delve into a mine with two 13 year olds. We are a patrol and, despite having 'permission' to go 'off-route' to deal with issues, I'm not sure that this was a consideration.

Splitting the party seems like the best thing at this point: We stay and keep an eye on the cave and track the movements of the enemy while the other half report it. We wait for backup. Or, if we can hit them in small groups, we do that. But either way, we send someone back to report.

Also, it appears that we're resting because Byron is fatigued. I can't really see any other reason to not just turn around and find a safer camping spot or investigate further. Of course, the disadvantage of turning around or pushing is, if things go south, we're stuck in the dark. It doesn't make Byron feel any less like a git.

 

[OneCrappy DM]

Sounds like the party is ready to head back and make a report, however far the party will need to rest or everyone make forced marches. It will be 6 hours back to town. 4 hours to the scheduled camp, each is a forced march.
You are a Militia that is the protecting members of the community, every able body adult will serve their community. You are the only scheduled patrol in the area unless you don't return.

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

Sounds like the party is ready to head back and make a report, however far the party will need to rest or everyone make forced marches. It will be 6 hours back to town. 4 hours to the scheduled camp, each is a forced march.
You are a Militia that is the protecting members of the community, every able body adult will serve their community. You are the only scheduled patrol in the area unless you don't return.

We are sleeping the night at the camp we made. So, yeah, if the night goes uneventful, we are maybe heading back

 

[Neurotic]

Just in the interest of PbP speed, we should do the adventurous thing rather than the logical one. We send the kids back. We keep one NPC and we go down the hole
Ofcourse, if we in-game return to report, another farm may get hit

@OneCrappy DM hint would be helpful so we don't 'waste' a week or two of real time

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

Just in the interest of PbP speed, we should do the adventurous thing rather than the logical one. We send the kids back. We keep one NPC and we go down the hole
Ofcourse, if we in-game return to report, another farm may get hit

@OneCrappy DM hint would be helpful so we don't 'waste' a week or two of real time

I agree. Assuming we get through the night without getting attacked, we can split the party

 

[doghead]

So, assuming that we make it through the night unmolested, what's the plan?

1. What are we doing with the three NPC? I'm inclined to leave all three at the entrance. But happy to leave it to Byron to decide.
2. For those going into the mine, what's the marching order? Maybe Byron (pole arm), Eos (axe and lantern), and Edmund (bow and spare lantern (stowed))?

thotd

PS: check out this story hour thread for some of the funniest use of minor magic I have seen. I particularly like the use of the unseen servant spell. Ghourmand Vale (3.5 campaign)

 

[Neurotic]

Edmund with the bow should be in the middle, he cannot attack in melee so our backs should be covered with someone armed. The farmer maybe?

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

So, assuming that we make it through the night unmolested, what's the plan?

1. What are we doing with the three NPC? I'm inclined to leave all three at the entrance. But happy to leave it to Byron to decide.
2. For those going into the mine, what's the marching order? Maybe Byron (pole arm), Eos (axe and lantern), and Edmund (bow and spare lantern (stowed))?

thotd

PS: check out this story hour thread for some of the funniest use of minor magic I have seen. I particularly like the use of the unseen servant spell. Ghourmand Vale (3.5 campaign)

Edmund with the bow should be in the middle, he cannot attack in melee so our backs should be covered with someone armed. The farmer maybe?

Yeah, for Marching order, Byron will take point. You two will have to fight for the middle.

We could take one of the NPCs to be a torchbearer and to hold the lantern. How will they level up without adventuring? Besides, Tobias is going to be a wizard one day.

We can ask the NPCs. I'm thinking we bring one of the teens because it makes for a good coming of age story. Tobias seems less likely to put himself in danger which would make him a good lookout/torchbearer and Ethan seems more inclined to fight. I'd leave the farmer outside just because it might be good to have an adult with real-world experience to watch camp and be in charge.

Exploring and leaving people outside will, at least, guard our backs. Byron has a signal whistle to alert us to danger or we can use it if we are running away and need to warn them....whatever. As long as we know it's going to alert everyone/thing in and around the cave.

 

[OneCrappy DM]

I require two spot and listen checks each, eos as an elf you can give up to six.