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Post by Ginger on Jan 31, 2007 16:19:03 GMT -5
My biggest qualm about option 1 is that I think there is no treasure anywhere in the whole forest. Those were some poor mercenaries. I doubt the base will have anything either.
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Post by Dell on Jan 31, 2007 17:06:18 GMT -5
They're based in an abandoned fort, which means that there's probably an underground section that the bugbears haven't explored fully. This section would of course be full of ancient elven artifacts and guarded by some terribly terrible undead thing. That's normally how this sort of thing works, anyway.
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Post by Ginger on Jan 31, 2007 17:20:16 GMT -5
Well, when you say it like that... Maybe the outpost is built on the ruins of an ancient spaceship?
Strategically speaking, the Great Druid is the key to all this. If he's freed, he'll mobilize the chipmunks and such to destroy the invaders of the forest. We have to think of the big picture. Freeing the Great Druid will also relieve pressure on the Hornwood so they can drive back the Frost Giants.
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Post by Mr. Trommer on Jan 31, 2007 17:38:39 GMT -5
Strategically speaking we can't leave an enemy outpost behind the lines which means "bug" bears. That would make the elves happier and we all like happy elves.
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Post by Wolfgar on Jan 31, 2007 20:26:36 GMT -5
If we do option 1 then Herbert and the Otto's animals can stay at tree and help Eig. When we are done with that we can swing back by and pick them up with less concern for the safety of the forest. Also I think we need a good plan if we are going to Karmuk's tower.
Assuming Bugrot was the bugbear chief that escaped we could try scrying him to see where he went. If he went back to Castle Crag then it might give us some information about the forces there. We should be able to use the items from his room to help find him with a reflecting pool.
On a side note. Has Dell made his wish yet? I'm sure Winthrop would love to use the last one for Foebiter.
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Post by Dell on Jan 31, 2007 23:54:45 GMT -5
Well, when you say it like that... Maybe the outpost is built on the ruins of an ancient spaceship? We won't be going that far north.
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Post by Ginger on Feb 1, 2007 9:29:13 GMT -5
Maybe Fido could track Bugrot? However, I still don't think it's the best use of our resources to attack the castle in the forest. It's not like there still aren't a zillion mercenary bands outside the forest. I don't think it's a sure thing that Arden could keep the fort once we leave. Saving the Great Druid will dramatically tip the scales not only in the Oytwood but also in the Hornwood, which is hard pressed right now also. We have to keep the big picture in mind. Remember how we were requested to help them fight the new Frost Giant leader? There are many pressing and worthy needs. I think the Great Druid is the best.
We should be able to successfully divinate for him. Once we're in the Jotens, is Tritherion going to refuse to tell us "Where is the nearest captive held against his will?" If we get Cedrus with us we'll have the gods of freedom, nature, and divination helping us (I don't remember what Perrin's god does). That should make it a sure thing that we'll find the druid. While we're hunting, we can check out the abandoned Nerulite temple where we found Otto. Maybe they've got him stashed there.
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Post by Dell on Feb 1, 2007 10:42:50 GMT -5
We might lose Diego if we go straight for the druid - he's opposed to wandering around the mountains with no real goal. Also, going after the bugbears will provide a lower risk training mission for our newest members, to see how they integrate with the group as a whole. The XP might not matter to us, but it could get your new henchwenches to 2nd level.
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Post by venger on Feb 1, 2007 11:12:17 GMT -5
The Earldom of Sterich has fallen to an army of the undead... They massacred the Keoish army sent against them and slaughtered the inhabitants of Flen. There's giants and evil humanoids pouring out of the mountains, attacking the Yeomanry, Geoff and Longspear.. Someone, somewhere is resurrecting a long-forgotten, all-powerful Dark God. Bugbear mercenaries seem to be the least of our problems. The Tree of Rillifane is freed from evil's grasp. We put an Elven druid on the throne. Arden Prindive should be able to at least hold the forest We need some more bold, sweeping victories for the Good Guys. Kay-Tarn's Foul Pit -- An undead-spawning thing occupies the west of Sterich. The Company knows the rough location. Would destroying it be a well-struck blow? This has our name all over it.
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Post by Ginger on Feb 1, 2007 11:27:08 GMT -5
This has our name all over it. I agree. The Company of the Blue Sun, a noted adventuring group based in Longspear, was annihilated when it attempted to assault the lair of arch-lich Kay Tarn. I can see the headlines now.
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Post by Ginger on Feb 1, 2007 11:30:35 GMT -5
If we want to fight a low-level skirmish or two, I suggest we pull another White Crow style attack. Winthrop, Dell and newly-powerful Antonus can fly invisibly above a mercenary camp and rain down fire, slaying them all.
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Post by Wolfgar on Feb 1, 2007 12:40:38 GMT -5
There's giants and evil humanoids pouring out of the mountains, attacking the Yeomanry, Geoff and Longspear. Bugbear mercenaries seem to be the least of our problems. The bugbears are part of the humanoids pouring out of the mountains attacking Geoff. Taking care of them or any other mercenary bands will certainly help in the bigger scene of things. Why not help stabilize this region before doing something else that will take weeks to even reach?
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Post by Dell on Feb 1, 2007 13:31:42 GMT -5
Aerial bombardment has the unpleasant side effect of destroying all the treasure that we are supposedly trying to steal salvage. It will take very little time, and it will keep this grove safe from another attack. We clear it out, and it gives the good guys another fortified location.
I can't see any reason not to do it. Obviously they don't want the druid dead, or they would have killed him already. So what's another day or two? Also, why are you assuming we can even find the guy to begin with? There are ways to prevent or confuse magical divination methods. Taking the bugbear's base might get us more clues as to where the druid is.
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Post by Mr. Trommer on Feb 1, 2007 13:32:50 GMT -5
All we need to do is connect the red dots on Nosra's map as we go. There are three in the hill nearby (the bugbera place, karmak's tower) Then there is the the one in JOtens (likely where the druid is). That would take care of the red dots on the upper part of the map (eliminates back tracking). Unless we want to go back to the glacier to visit the ices elves we could then travel down the spine to the Fire Giant place or the other red dot between Nosra's and the giant city. After that there are all sorts of other spots in the south without mentioning any likelyhood of things underground. It would almost be like following a "linear" plo...plan of attack.
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Post by Dell on Feb 1, 2007 13:45:34 GMT -5
I'm really not a fan of the whole "attack the tower again" plan. Sure, I like revenge as much as the next guy, but I think we're just a little outmatched there. A good plan might help us, but we never follow a plan anyway.
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Post by venger on Feb 1, 2007 14:11:15 GMT -5
The "Green Tree" mercenaries might not be the complete pushovers that we think they are. They might even be comparable in strength to the Berghiem mercenaries that supposedly "outmatch" us.
"Hanuman," the unknown who dispatched Bugrot from Castle Crag to take the grove, had a Shadow Dragon at his disposal.
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Post by Mr. Trommer on Feb 1, 2007 14:23:14 GMT -5
There are some simple things that could be planned for. If we are caught outside we need Fly spells for the fighters to get in range of the flying mages (See Dell's flying udead buddy example). If we get into the tower using the Spell Immunity on folks will save some hit points more than a simple heal spell.
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Post by Ginger on Feb 1, 2007 16:10:43 GMT -5
I agree with the apprentice. Why are we here anyway? We came up to the tower primarily out of spite, not really a sense of urgency. Once we got smacked in front of the tower, we got a message from Arden asking for us to help out. We then wandered around the forest, fought some monsters, came very close to a TPK, all for very little treasure.
Either the Green Tree guys are easy, in which case, why bother? Or they're hard, in which case, why bother? Either way, I vote we find the Great Druid. Right now we're just spinning our wheels, fighting minor skirmishes.
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Post by Ginger on Feb 1, 2007 16:14:16 GMT -5
Another way to look at it. We all know the ultimate goal. This war will not end until we fight the two giant kings. King Groorg is in Tharizdun's temple and King Snurre will lead to... a different enemy. We're taking the detour to find the great druid because we wanted to wait for Cedrus to come back and because we wanted to get more knot potions before we went back into the mountains. So let's find the great druid, get our rewards, and go into the mountains to save the day!!
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Post by Dell on Feb 1, 2007 16:52:50 GMT -5
I agree with the apprentice. Why are you the leader again?
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Post by Ginger on Feb 1, 2007 16:55:34 GMT -5
I'm the leader because I can recognize wise council even when it comes from the unlikeliest of sources.
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Post by Mr. Trommer on Feb 1, 2007 17:06:10 GMT -5
The war will be over when we destroy Thirazidun and complete the Demonweb pits. Why do think the great druis is in a place where there are spiders?
Wise council from unlikely sources? Are you talking about Antonius? That may be grounds for impeachment for questionable judgement. Are we going to be able to train a Rhiannon in the mountains? It will be Dell's turn to do it. Make sure you buy the materials before we leave. I figured that after the bugbears (definately after the tower) she would be at least third level which would do for the full mountain hiking trip.
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Post by Mr. Trommer on Feb 1, 2007 18:50:17 GMT -5
Oh, well I suppose you do have to listen to all available advice. That's why I don't worry about such things too much.
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Perrin
Junior Member
Posts: 61
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Post by Perrin on Feb 1, 2007 22:49:39 GMT -5
Since I'm not familiar with these things, what's the party's record on finding people in vaguely defined locations? Finding the Druid is high reward (which is why I like it) but I'd hate to spend day after fruitless day searching.
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Post by Wolfgar on Feb 2, 2007 8:30:03 GMT -5
Not good. We did track down Lord Morgan's sister who had been taken by slavers which ended up taking us months. Since then we haven't done any find/rescue missions.
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Perrin
Junior Member
Posts: 61
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Post by Perrin on Feb 2, 2007 8:48:27 GMT -5
Months? That's an unpleasant thought.
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Post by Dell on Feb 2, 2007 9:04:27 GMT -5
We are fairly good at finding places... people are somewhat harder to track.
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Post by Ginger on Feb 2, 2007 9:23:59 GMT -5
Lady Melba took a while to track down because she was kidnapped and taken across the sea. We also have a lot more tools available to us now. We can ask the animals in the mountains if they've seen anything. We can fly around and scout ahead. We can use divination to determine our bearing.
So, it sounds like Raven and Tony are for heading straight for the Gread Druid while the rest want to hit the mercenaries here. Before we consider hitting the fort in the Oytwood, we should see what kind of intelligence Arden can provide us. He better be able to give us a map to the fort and a map of the fort, including any secret doors or anything. We also need information about how it's defended.
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Post by venger on Feb 2, 2007 9:57:02 GMT -5
I will do whatever the party thinks best. I would, however, prefer to accomplish one goal before moving on to another...
We can't chase down every band of humanoids. The entire region is in trouble and we're going to run out of time.
We saved the Great Tree.
That was good. But I thought the reason we were saving the Great Tree was because we thought it would help us find the Great Druid. Great Tree = Great Druid. Made sense. He wasn't in the tree but we finally have an actual lead as to where he might be, other than "missing somewhere to the west of the Dreadwood."
We're not just looking for one guy in the mountains, we're also now looking for a large concentration of spiders in the Jotens. Presumably huge intelligent man-eating spiders.
It's good you recovered a valuable map from an enemy leader, but there's probably not going to be a more explicit map at the mercenary camp with a BIG X that says "GREAT DRUID HELD HERE."
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Post by Ginger on Feb 2, 2007 11:53:53 GMT -5
I concur with the apprentice. I think the experts call this following the urgent over the important, or something like that. Just because we're standing here next to Arden doesn't mean we have to do it. We're only up here because we got a random message from Oaklock telling us Arden wanted us. A lot of people want us. Remember the Yeomanry? We still are supposed to smack down King Groorg.
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