This site is an online accumulation of the Post Reports for my current ongoing D&D Campaign - for anyone who might be interested in reading them.

Saturday, August 28, 2021

PBEM - Episode 515. Planning ahead

FIVE HUNDRED FIFTEEN

(I/C)

Abraxas, Wyn and Lannis conferred briefly before the Fighter twirled his finger in the air and pointed to the door. “Vamanos people. To the Labradorioriary.” The party moved swiftly through the hall (Lannis sucks) and then down the steps and Brendon made sure the coast was still clear (no roll needed), before he unlocked the door and we entered the Lab again. The Iron Statue was still brewing potions at the alembics, ignoring the group as long as they stayed away from it, Lyra getting a comforting purple pulse as she came within range again.

“Ok, peepers,” Lannis snapped his fingers. “Abnoxious has a plan and for a change, it’s not stupid.”

“Muchos Gracias,” Abraxas sighed. “Senor Wine drinks a Recall Potion here, si? Then Senor Elf goes around locking the doors to the Sanctuary and others on the west wall in the hall.” The Fighter had taken out one of the last 3 Recall potions and handed it to Wyn.

Taking it, Wyn smiled and tilted his head. “H'okay... I likin' dis strategy, but iffin Wyn gonna sneak down dere to lock de doors, I gonna need eedder anodder 'ealing potion or some 'ealing from our lovely Priestess. I feel like a well placed spear could pass me from dis life en towards, as me clan calls it, de next Great Reroll. Wyn not be ready fer dat just yet.”

“De Nada,” Abraxas also took out his healing potion and handed it to Wyn. “Drink up.”

“Merci!” (Healing potion 1d6: Orange 4 – Heal 4) “Ah! Dat hits de spot.”

“Excellente. Anyway, den Senor Schwing bikes it back to us with the Recall and we all go in through the Goblin room and clear out to to Mirabellis' room, hopefully without too much noise.”

“There are orcs in there,” Lannis pointed out. “And at least 1 of those Mongrelmen.”

“We engage them there and push the ghouls south to the Sanctuary and shut the door.”

“Ah,” Lyra frowned. “Real risky and crazy. They’re going to go nuts.”

“Si! That’s the 3rd part of the plan! Senor Delta loses connection to the Ghouls, but they go feral and attack everyone in that room anyway. Then we let the Orcs and Ghouls fight it out until it quiets down. At that point, we can go in, and Clear out whatever’s left after we kill all the orcs in Mirabellis’ room!”

The dwarf nodded, “I’m ready to rid ourselves of these flesh eating freaks before we end up on the dinner menu. I’ll order them to march right up the orcs’ assholes.”

The ghouls looked over at Kovid as he was talking. Lyra fingered her holy symbol, adding, “Yea, I’m not exactly comfortable with undead traveling companions. The sooner they go the better.” 

The ghouls then looked over at Lyra, also with some hissing and drooling, in response to her comment. Lannis, not wanting to be left out, chimed in with, "Yeah, I'm kind of over these poorly named dead guys. They smell bad. Brendon smells worse.” The Scout flipped the Magic User the Friendship finger in reply. Lannis continued, “The thing I look forward to the most is escaping this carnival of nightmare smells. Some day things will smell normal again."

Holding the Recall potion, Wyn also walked up to Brendon, hand out and pointing to the light coin in the Scout’s tunic. “Also, du Lac, 'and me dat light coin fer dis little jaunt. Want to make sure dere be no trip wires or traps along de way, en a bit o' light will help. I give eet back when I return.”

“No prob, Mike,” he said, handing it over.

“Who?”

“Wyn.”

“You said, Mike.”

Brendon frowned, “I’m pretty sure I know what I said, Wyn.” He then pointed to the dwarf, “Also, Lil Man, tell your ghouls that when the door is opened they are to run in and charge that south door to the Sanctuary. I’ll throw the Tuna Can in and Wyn can lock the doors as Doc suggested. If you say it when the door is opened the Orcs might figure out who’s controlling ghouls.”

“Not there yet,” Kovid said, “But I’ll make sure to make it happen. Just don’t miss and hit the wall with the bag of guts.” 

Wyn had Brendon unlock the door, giving the party a short salute. “Be back. Don’t start wit’out me.” Once in the hall, he drank the Recall potion right outside the Lab door, and then he went to the “T” and turned south, moving as quietly as he could (>Move Silent, Orange 9). He made headway, covering the light with his fingers, letting it shine ahead. (WMC: Red/Black 3)

He moved to the corner, peered around with infravision where he could, and made sure to travel with studied swiftness. He glanced down at his uniform and pulled the collar out. “Three,” he muttered. “I locked a door earlier today. Zut alors – dis has been a long day.” He studied ahead, thinking it out (<Int check, +2 bonus, Orange 9). “If I was to lock 3 doors, it should be the ones in the Sanctuary and de one in the hall nord o de Sanctuary.” He looked right, “Dis one is nord of Mirabellis room and if we dunt fuck up, when we get to Duchess’ room, we can block dis door den.”

He bypassed the first door and moved south, listening hard. It was slow going but he made the first door and placed his hand on it, willing it to lock, smiling as a keyhole appeared beneath the handle. “Un.”

He went next to the double doors and did the same there, getting another keyhole to appear. “Deux.”

(Sense elf, +2 bonus hatred, Black 14 – nope!)

He stopped. “Dat was weird,” he thought, “I taut for a moment dat sometin terrible was about to happen.” He moved on ,”Glitch in de matrix, I would guess.” At the last door, the one that had been oiled up and made easier to open, he performed the same act and locked that one as well, exhausting his uniform for the day. “And trios!” He took out the vial of Recall, placed it on the ground, smiled, and let it go.

Standing up right outside the Lab. “Dat was cool.” He knocked twice and the door was unlocked, the elf allowed back in. “We good,” he said with a smile, and then filled the group in about the three doors locked. There was understanding and the party knew they had to make Duchess’ room at the minimum to contain every orc from escaping south of them.

“Terrific,” Kovid said, rubbing his temple. “I can tell we’re in the swansong of this control thing. Definitely drifting under 20 minutes now.”

“Let’s go people,” Brendon led the party across the room, unlocking the south door and getting the group out the door. Kovid gave the door to the Goblin bedroom a quick check and then opened it, commanding the undead to go first, the Scout catching up after relocking the lab. The party filed in, moving across the room, the smell of burned bedding still lingering in the air. “We really fucked this place up,” the dwarf muttered.

“They can bill us,” Lannis scowled. “I heard something about running out of time with the Killjoy Five, ok? So let’s beat feet.”

They came to the south door and faintly Brendon could hear some orcish voices (no roll needed), and laughter, but nothing detailed or too close. He checked back and the party was ready – spells and swords set and prepared. He turned the knob and pulled the door open swiftly as Kovid cajoled the undead to enter and the party ran in behind, charging through the short hall and passing under the archway to Mirabellis’ chamber. (Sense party, Teal 10 – no surprise)

There were 4 orcs in here, over 6’, well beyond 250 lbs, and looking pretty confident and cool, armed and armored in a variety of decent gear. There was a mongrelman in here as well, near the south open door. He stood closer to 8 and a half feet tall, and had a freestanding coatrack about 6’ long in its misshapen hand, and was growling as the ghouls entered.

“Gah! Fuck! Grimttooth!” One of the orcs yelled standing near the door, “They’re here!”

Through the south door we could hear other orcs and the orcish leader spurring them to “get a move on!”

(Initiative Party Steel 2 vs enemy red/Black 1)

Time now is Day 11, 4:40 PM

(OOC)

Control Undead – 12 mins.

Ok –I had some turn stuff for combat from Lyra, Lannis, and Brendon – but not from the other 3 if it broke out, so I didn’t want to guess what the last 3 wanted to do. Hold person, Dart, and throw the tuna can after puncturing it through the south door and into Sanctuary certainly count. But would I expect Wyn to shoot an orc wounded from dart? Would Lyra try to HP the orcs and MongM at the south door or the closer ones by the bed and fireplace? Would Abraxas hold his double attack or charge the MongM and hit his twice? And how far would Kovid run to make sure the ghouls actually do get into the next room – and I assume he would want to run to the door and slam it closed himself – meanding he’d be within striking range of the MongM and orcs there – assuming they aren’t held. Anyway – you guys have initiative! So good damned luck!!

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