Off the Beaten Track (OOC)

'Conquest' is not about standing and fighting, it is about 'winning'. If you intend to return and conquer then I don't see Raynor blocking you here. Yeah?

I agree :)

I misunderstood, I thought there were vines growing all over the temple. But that's fine, Rook is running to the entrance. His ultimate goal is to find a place where they can't surround him, or find a way to hide from them.

How come the captain doesn't (want to) take charge? Wouldn't she have an advantage in terms of tactical ideas, even if facing an unknown foe? Is it purely a way to let the players call the shots?
I'm asking cause Albert is kinda looking at her for leadership but seeing none or hardly any.

Mainly a reminder that the players should drive the action, yes.

She is just an NPC, so use her for in fiction 'tactical ideas' if you want, but she is not the hero of the story and has just wanted to leave since the mental compulsion drawing her here was lifted.

It is important to remember that any suggestions the NPCs make is not the GM saying that that is a good solution. You can not trust NPCs for valid opinions, they have options but most of them stink.

The captain wants to leave, but she does not understand that there is hero work to be done. As player (even if not as player characters) you know that leaving is an option, but you --and the world-- will pay the price later. As the GM I don't mind either way, if you don't deal with this now, we will come up with something else you have to deal with. ;-)


I don't know what you want to do, now that you have climbed up here.
Your characters will notice that the undead don't appear to be able to leave the building. But who knows how long that will last (well, we do, it will last till the dice come up 6- and their breaking out seems apropos).

What do you do?

Ah, I see. So the PCs are the ones to take charge. It just seemed a bit odd (in character) for Albert to take charge over a literal captain. But now that undead and Raynor's tasks are involved, he'd be more than willing to do so. He also doesn't want to step on her toes.

However in terms of tactical knowledge it seems useful to asks the captain for help. And it makes sense that her ideas would be good ones. Is it possible to do a roll using her stats or something like that? It just seems odd to me that a captain would go "Well guys, this isn't my kinda thing. You go on ahead and I'll be in the back watching you make tactical blunders." if you get what I mean.

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I assumed Rook wanted to do a tactical retreat. Maybe see if the skeletons stop being animated after an amount of time. Or come up with a plan on how to handle this.
If an npc wants to leave, Albert won't stop them, but he's pretty set on getting rid of this evil. (I was gonna add "or die trying" but I don't think he's at that stage yet :p)

What's your idea, Rezart?

But, literally the "captain of the guards of a merchant's caravan" only. If you want, we can play out the awkwardness of Albert taking charge of this situation...
... especially with how out of her depth she is with all this.

Albert still needs to impress her to get a job. She is not his boss yet. :)
She is generally competent, and I try to play my NPCs like real people, so her advice is of some value, but this is not her area of expertise, so she would not have a lot of direction to provide. Once the PCs decide what they are aiming for, she can serve as an asset, either in terms of adding to your rolls, or in terms of being a better than average fighter with a much better sword than you have seen so far.
As an NPC, she does not have stats, but if you need to roll for answers, consulting her could count as being Skilled at that roll, or provide a situational bonus. But there isn't really a "what should we do now?" or "is this a good idea" style of roll in these games.
Yeah, I was trying to be subtle, with her being withdrawn and such, but also dropped hints that she had some vague thoughts, but nobody has spoken to her much. Now might be the time?
The captain has being saying since last night that she wants to leave, but she is not in charge and will follow your lead. Part of this was that I want to give Albert the opportunity to choose to be heroic here --while others are not being. She is not telling anyone to do it, but she will support whatever choice you make.

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Rook does not feel very 'heroically motivated', right? What will it take to get him invested in the quest to cleanse the temple?

Was there something in his dream that he 'just knows is down there' and is willing go after? 'Lost love' is a little hard to work in, but we can try.

In the sunlight you can see that one or two of those coins are GOLD! None of you have even seen gold coins before, and there were more in the pile, and probably LOTS more in the catacombs beneath. Just saying.

I see. Thanks, that gives me a better view of the captain. I was seeing her as an experienced veteran. I guess that's fine for Albert to be thinking up until now.
I think it's a good idea for Albert to ask the captain what her motive is and then realize she's not going to take control at all.
This might lead to Albert not being impressed with the captain instead ;)
That is true. I'll try and get her more involved.
Sounds good. He's got the resolve to step up.

Undead freak people out. She is doing rather well, all things considered. :)

... And, of course: If the players want to the PCs to be ordered into the fray, that is always an option. Just ask.

I know I shouldn't, but I did an edit to my last post cause I forgot half a sentence. Just fyi :)

Sometimes it is necessary. Just let us know so we can go back and find it if we have already read the post. I did notice the stick hanging above your head like the sword of Damocles. :)

I sure hope not :s I guess we'll find out :D

Well, it was unfinished, and therefore undecided. It is no longer that way. :)

I think he would be hesitant, and probably more afraid of meeting a dead girl than finding a live one. He hasn't liked this place from the beginning. On the other hand, he has been very motivated by coin, so seeing that gold lying around is likely to make his greed compete with his caution. And he probably feel some shame if Albert were to head down alone and Rook abandoned him, so that shame is likely to push him over into a decision that he might regret later.

Coin and shame. Both good motivators.

Maybe Rook can get a taste for heroics, later? But saving the world... out here where no one will ever know is probably not gonna give us that. :)

Ah, my gold mentions were only here in OOC.

Rezart: Go ahead and narrate Rook making this discovery when you are ready (some time before the question of who is going down comes up).

I don't think he'll ever get motivated by heroics for its own sake, or glory without a bit of fortune to go along with it. In D&D terms, Rook is def True Neutral.

Fair enough, and good to know what we should not waste time trying for such motivations.

I'm thinking, the outline of a tower that Albert sees could possibly be a floating tower or room above the temple. I've left it as a possibility in my description. That might be a cool addition to the temple?

I mostly Yes And'd Generator's stuff, let me know if you want me to add more info, or to decide what the structure actually is