Admin, OOC, and Launch Discussion

Yo, fellas.
Friday afternoon, so I'm going to follow tradition and announce a downshift.

I think we are at a decent spot. Everyone has been rocking the good planning ideas. That scene of rest was good RP by you guys, too. And creative resource spend.
X, you can send that Investigation check at your leisure on the weekend or even stall until Monday.
Ez, I need to take more time to read through your last post to see if Hinka can answer anything. have to think about what the limitations of his knowledge and accuracy are. Will do, but likely not until Sat or Sun.

I think we should wait until Monday to actually do the final swim in. On that, I know there may have been some idea of possibly NOT using the krekutil on the last stretch. Up to you guys individually on that. If that idea is fielded or tried, I know at least Hinka will strongly recommend against it, though he is not in the business of ordering people around in any way.

If things go as the guide predicts, you guys face the Great Pool Chamber and all (???) within it starting Monday. And then on we charge from there -- It's no secret that you guys are closing in on some big scenes of this long narrative.

Boards still open for casual time hang out, but no requirement. I don't want anyone to get burned out, so please take time off completely if you want/need. You won't miss anything big - we can catch up normal schedj.

Peace, Love, Dope,
J

"What's in the booooox?!"

Speak with animals only works on beasts. Beasts are normal parts of the ecosystem with low intelligence and no society nor language. Maeriks should know instantly on sight if the thing is a beast.

Aberrations are utter alien beings. Monstrosities are not ordinary and not completely natural (but natural in some way is implied). The gray trees seem like they could be either classification. We will need to obtain a genetic sample to sequence so we can place it taxionomically.

So where does this Hippo-Tool fall as far as D&D mechanics are concerned?

RP-wise, I don't anyone thinks of monstrosities as being real since magic is not real in most people's minds. Maeriks thinks of this as some rare creature trapped (a beast), but that may change when he sees it. Maybe it is some natural creature distantly related to kerutil (water filtering ability). Maybe it was spawned by the alien god to protect his king in a box. Maybe it is just a fricking monster.

Since the Tool is an aberration, let's hope nobody falls in. Our mist efficient and best move is the rope across via Hinka or Ivor. Jabes, I think Ivor has the best shot with his Merc rerolls. Once the rope is tied off I'd like to think the DC for crossing on the rip is easy. Basically 5 or something where the only fail is a natural 1. And whoever climbs the rope over can be pulled out if they fall in.

Maybe Hinka is our best shot, but we can't be sure of his level and skill.

True enough. Can't be sure, but Hinka is not a complete "x-factor". At least not to Bryn.

Bryn has lived among the Tochoans for close to a month now. During that time he has traveled with many of the hunters, warriors, scout patrols. All of the Tcho-Tcho are surprising fast and athletic for their size. And from what Brynn has seen, Hinka is exceptionally skilled even among them. Brynn has seen Hinka climb as fast as he jogs, and also carry packs and supplies all the while.

One thing to consider, I think it has kind of leaked out from X's line of questioning about the ceiling, that there are pillars the rise through the room. Just wanted to point out that this structural layout may have some impacts on the plan to shimmy around the sides, dragging a long double-length rope along the way all the while, and then guiding it back along the opposite wall to pull taunt from one balcony to the other.

Knowing the structure of the room, I can sort of picture something similar working, but it would be more like the rope angling to the side, wrapping around the last of the closest columns, stretching down across the room on that line, and eventually angling back again wrapping around the last column and the back towards the balcony on the other side.

Maybe it could still be done in theory, but it would not be a straight balcony-to-balcony rope line. Instead a balcony close- to corner column close - to corner column opposite - to balcony opposite.

Those angle switches wrapping around flat up against the columns, to me would be the tricky parts of the crossing, trying to loop around with the rope pulled flush up against a big pillar and then wrapping partially around it.

Seeing it = alarm. There is no way we're going to sneak up on this living alarm system in its own environment and scope it out. Our visual range underwater, with our lights on, is 30 feet. Something tells me it will detect us first. The only way it doesn't is if J decides to just be straight up generous and give us a freebie pass.

Going to kill it sets off the alarm. Trying to communicate with it has a high risk of doing so.

What about shooting the rope across with Kray's bow?

Also, as far as the rope being flush against the pillar, all Hinka would have to do is leave a little slack in the line so we could still get our hands on the rope to use it against the columns. Wouldn't require much slack at all.

Anyway, all in all I think the rope is the minimal risk approach here. We have the chance to completely circumvent their alarm system.

Firing across could work. Lob the shot over the rails on the other side, someone waiting to pick it up and tie it off secure? That shows some potential.

Firing it across and expecting it to thuck deep enough into stone walls on the other side to hold 200+ pound guys rope crossing? Obviously that would not work - don't think that is what you were suggesting, but just saying in advance that is a 0%. Cool on movies though, right?

And yes, seems like if you go the other route, around the walls and pillars, you could rig up something on the tauntness going around the pillars. A little slack, with the rope as high as possible so that it catches while people approach the pillar. Then enough slack there to maybe pull backwards and use feet to push back and press or "walk" around. Then pull slack tighter again in the other stretch from close pillar to far pillar. Around again at far pillar. Then taunt again to make the far pillar to balcony. I could picture the guys on both balconies helping to manage the varying optimal slack in the rope along the way.

What's in the box? If this weren't Dark Thrones, I'd be meta-game hoping we found a Folding Boat! :)

To be completely transparent, it was originally 7 folding jet-packs. They had some rapid fire dart guns and net launchers on there too. Plus could cast a House Rule Spell: Anti-Fish Shell. Pretty cool.

But since you kind of called it out in advance, at least in the spirit that it was something to help the party across the upcoming obstacle, I felt kind of frustrated for being anticipated like that. Decided to do an audible - changed it to blue gems.

Maybe blue gems are its catnip.

No worries, I'm happy to give everyone else a chance to kill something too.

Oops I missed J's posting the start of a combat encounter, and sent in Ivor's rope traverse. Save it for after combat, I guess, unless the setup changes.

Does Ivor get to act in this surprise round as well? Or is my traverse happening as the fight breaks out? The encounter is happening on the other side, yeah? I think everyone but Ivor has crossed.

I already put Kray in line, and we're crossing one at a time. Given the climb speed = rope traverse speed, we have to wait for RCranna (2 turns) then for each of us it's 6 turns to cross (80'). Of course we could dash it in 3 turns, but the smart play here would be to hope the Ambush team on the other side ices those fools quick so you and I can get back in the game.

Ha ha, CB; I pictured Thorn just getting a hand under the head and then Maeriks batting it out of his hand like a golf ball on a tee!

As the head splatters against the wall, Kray fires and arrow, pinning it into the wall.

Followed by a net/trident stab combo on the sinking body by Ivor.