[x] Plan Disrespect
-[x] (The Throne Room) "The nixie will probably be in sight the moment we go in. We go in, I immediately go to wherever she is and get her loose - it's unlikely they'll have traps beyond guards next to her - and we escape through the maze. DEFINITELY hot combat, but it also is like, gloriously disrespectful to the Bullywugs."
-[x] (Try to Scout?) Don't take an informational advantage that way - that way, they only have a couple more seconds to prepare than they'd have had if you hadn't gone in at all. This does have the risk that you're going in blind.
Lets get the advantage of surprise! Surprise and fear!
... I don't think we qualify for ruthless efficiency tho.
I'm unsure about not scouting if only because we still don't know the location of the VIP. Conversely... They don't even know our objective, actually, so their fortifications might not be as much of a problem as we expect if said VIP isn't at the center of them.
And, like, the throne room is going to have a baseline of defenses. So, yeah.
I feel like my biggest worry is if there is more than just the one nixie being held for sacrifice. I don't think any of us would be willing to have without them, and that could get us pinned down.
[x] Plan: Safety Snub
-[x] (The Throne Room) "The nixie will probably be in sight the moment we go in. We go in, I immediately go to wherever she is and get her loose - it's unlikely they'll have traps beyond guards next to her - and we escape through the maze. DEFINITELY hot combat, but it also is like, gloriously disrespectful to the Bullywugs."
-[X] (Try to Scout?) Use your same tricks as before to scout the room before going in. This would give the Bullywugs time to possibly reinforce the throne room or the exit route through the maze or otherwise better prepare for your presence.
This exchange makes me want to play along at least insofar as we don't give up our ability to escalate if things don't stay on the up and up. We still don't really have any first-hand knowledge of what their deal is.
We keep their respect (or fear, lol) through the rest of this, then there might be something more than just getting the Nixie out that we can accomplish to prevent future trouble. If we just cut and run, there's not a lot stopping them from just putting on a repeat performance with this kidnapping.
[x] Plan: Keeping our options open
-[x] (The Throne Room) "Third path is… They want us fighting, they've openly said that. So we go in swords drawn and play to their fantasy. Kick their butts enough and they'll likely surrender."
-[X] (Try to Scout?) Use your same tricks as before to scout the room before going in. This would give the Bullywugs time to possibly reinforce the throne room or the exit route through the maze or otherwise better prepare for your presence.
...but I'll take a well-scouted snatch and grab over not scouting at all.
Scheduled vote count started by NekoIncardine on Sep 2, 2024 at 2:51 PM, finished with 8 posts and 5 votes.
[X] Plan Deceitful Playing Along
- [X] (The Throne Room) Write-in: "The third path sounds good, but we should make it look like we're still wounded first. They expected to wear us down, so let's lean into the nasty surprise."
- [X] (Try to Scout?) Don't take an informational advantage that way - that way, they only have a couple more seconds to prepare than they'd have had if you hadn't gone in at all. This does have the risk that you're going in blind.
[x] Plan: Safety Snub
-[x] (The Throne Room) "The nixie will probably be in sight the moment we go in. We go in, I immediately go to wherever she is and get her loose - it's unlikely they'll have traps beyond guards next to her - and we escape through the maze. DEFINITELY hot combat, but it also is like, gloriously disrespectful to the Bullywugs."
-[X] (Try to Scout?) Use your same tricks as before to scout the room before going in. This would give the Bullywugs time to possibly reinforce the throne room or the exit route through the maze or otherwise better prepare for your presence.
[x] Plan Disrespect
-[x] (The Throne Room) "The nixie will probably be in sight the moment we go in. We go in, I immediately go to wherever she is and get her loose - it's unlikely they'll have traps beyond guards next to her - and we escape through the maze. DEFINITELY hot combat, but it also is like, gloriously disrespectful to the Bullywugs."
- [X] (Try to Scout?) Don't take an informational advantage that way - that way, they only have a couple more seconds to prepare than they'd have had if you hadn't gone in at all. This does have the risk that you're going in blind.
[x] Plan: Keeping our options open
-[x] (The Throne Room) "Third path is… They want us fighting, they've openly said that. So we go in swords drawn and play to their fantasy. Kick their butts enough and they'll likely surrender."
-[X] (Try to Scout?) Use your same tricks as before to scout the room before going in. This would give the Bullywugs time to possibly reinforce the throne room or the exit route through the maze or otherwise better prepare for your presence.
[x] Plan Disrespect
-[x] (The Throne Room) "The nixie will probably be in sight the moment we go in. We go in, I immediately go to wherever she is and get her loose - it's unlikely they'll have traps beyond guards next to her - and we escape through the maze. DEFINITELY hot combat, but it also is like, gloriously disrespectful to the Bullywugs."
- [X] (Try to Scout?) Don't take an informational advantage that way - that way, they only have a couple more seconds to prepare than they'd have had if you hadn't gone in at all. This does have the risk that you're going in blind.
...Who said I wanted to be a tiebreaker?
Ok; time for my real vote.
[x] Plan: Safety Snub
-[x] (The Throne Room) "The nixie will probably be in sight the moment we go in. We go in, I immediately go to wherever she is and get her loose - it's unlikely they'll have traps beyond guards next to her - and we escape through the maze. DEFINITELY hot combat, but it also is like, gloriously disrespectful to the Bullywugs."
-[X] (Try to Scout?) Use your same tricks as before to scout the room before going in. This would give the Bullywugs time to possibly reinforce the throne room or the exit route through the maze or otherwise better prepare for your presence.
[x] Plan: Safety Snub
-[x] (The Throne Room) "The nixie will probably be in sight the moment we go in. We go in, I immediately go to wherever she is and get her loose - it's unlikely they'll have traps beyond guards next to her - and we escape through the maze. DEFINITELY hot combat, but it also is like, gloriously disrespectful to the Bullywugs."
-[X] (Try to Scout?) Use your same tricks as before to scout the room before going in. This would give the Bullywugs time to possibly reinforce the throne room or the exit route through the maze or otherwise better prepare for your presence.
"First one, modified," you conclude after a moment or two. "Lemme scout the room - yes, that gives them a couple more minutes to prep, but compared to our coming in fully healed and rested, that's not a major worry."
Helen nods a bit. "... All three of us out first, though. In case your luck goes bad and we need to rush in to cover you or something."
You pause, then nod. "Telepathy up, though - in case they try to ambush you in the 'hallway'."
Eira nods. "Doubt they can get a drop on us, but good to plan for. After you have the information, we charge in, grab her, and get moving?"
"Yeah," you say, getting up. "We move out in ten?"
"Sounds good," Helen responds."
---
You open the door and step out. No sign of the Bullywugs.
Then… You first ethereal shift, moving 'sideways' relative to reality. This frees you to fly up and observe their throne room in the abstract.
Six cages around a stone altar, all atop an actually not bad looking worked stone structure. It's short on finer carvings besides some basic patterning on the altar itself, but it indicates they put some work into it.
Behind the altar is the throne - made of the same thick reeds as the walls, but much more worked.
To the side of it - you can't be sure how big, but it's a pile of treasure. Getting out with even some of that would be a glorious thumbing--of-nose in their general direction.
Then, you slip up, nestle atop a wall, and shift back to reality, so you can see their actual numbers.
The lead Bullywug's obvious, being the one on the throne and also larger. Four elites, two on each side of him, and they've got their weapons out. They're expecting a fight, a show of force, or both the moment you enter.
Only one cage is occupied, and that by the nixie. The bars are too tight for her to slip through, and she looks, well, terrified.
Two of the magic singers stand on either side, and at the bottom of the stairs is another giant-toad-rider.
You can handle this easily enough, you're sure wait it's looking directly at you that's its tongue-
(Dexterity save: Nat 1, the fourth I've rolled as a DM or QM in two days...)
---
{OH GOD THEY HAVE ANOTHER ONE FOUR ELITES TWO SINGERS AND THE LEADER ALSO TREASURE BUT ALSO HELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLP}
Helen and Eira show up a few seconds later, to see…
(Art by ValkyriePyra)
You manage to think to teleport before it can finish swallowing you or doing anything more serious than getting a SLIIMY WET GODSDAMNED TONGUE on you. It is still disgusting and you're still wigged out.
"A-hah!", comes the booming voice of the Bullywug leader. "You cheated! That's how you won so fast!"
Helen glares, but snaps back, "The ways your walls are built, we could've cut through them! I think that plenty more respect than you deserve, kidnapping innocents for sacrifice!"
"Pah! Our patrons will have you, too, then!", he declares. "Surrender in tribute, or die in pain! Rider and singers, attack!"
The elites aren't moving yet. So, they plan to go in waves.
(Initiatives: Helen 18, Senaz 14, Bullywug Rider and his toad 13, Bullywug Croakers 12, Eira 10)
Helen seems to realize something, aiming a hand and declaring "Sacred BLAST!" to strike the Rider (16 + 5 = 21, hit for 5 damage!), reminding you that a proper ranged spell would be good - but an arrow will be fine (18 + 5 = 23, hit for 8 damage!), as your shot knocks him right off his toad and into the water, leaving him sputtering and, realizing the toad's about to move wildly possibly, running away!
"UNVALOROUS!", the royal shouts, glaring at the injured Bullywug… But notably, not exactly terrifying him into trying to stand his ground.
The toad glances toward you… But then spins toward one of the Croakers, who dives to one side to avoid a swing of its tongue. The lord laughs a bit, even as the two croakers start in toward you - though they're just far enough that this makes them dash in, keeping them from singing yet.
Eira's shot against one of them flies wide (8 + 5 = 13, miss), but Helen dashes in, slicing into one of the two with her sword! (15 + 5 = 20, hit for 7 damage!)
You, on the other hand, recognize an opportunity to cause some mayhem - or use what's already there to get to your goal.
[ ] (PLAN ADVANCEMENT) Cast Charm Monster on the Giant Toad, and see how much turmoil it can spark in their backline!
[ ] (PLAN ADVANCEMENT) Teleport up to the altar and break the cage open! They don't know the limits or rather risks of your teleportation yet.
[ ] (PLAN ADVANCEMENT) Send the door into the cage, get the Nixie to go through, and start to scoot! (You'll have to convince Eira to accept losing the loot - maybe telling her about it was a bad call...)
[ ] (PLAN ADVANCEMENT) Send the door to the loot pile, teleport to it, and start robbing!
[ ] (PLAN ADVANCEMENT) Play their game straight and keep fighting for now!
In addition, notes on combat tactics will be accepted!
---
Obviously, I had some IRL ensue for the past while. I appreciate people's patience.
Hopefully I'll get to some longer posts soon. Suffice it to say - cheating the challenge is your best bet of winning given the encounter's total XP is like double the highest seen so far and you don't have a backing party this time.
I can't help but notice the only part of this sticking to something like the original plan is the one that pushes the nixie into the door and runs for it. Hell, the toad is already working as a distraction, it'd probably work.
And yet.
[X] (PLAN ADVANCEMENT) Cast Charm Monster on the Giant Toad, and see how much turmoil it can spark in their backline!
[X] (PLAN ADVANCEMENT) Cast Charm Monster on the Giant Toad, and see how much turmoil it can spark in their backline!
Too dangerous to open the cage yet, we don't want word of the door getting out, and treasure-nabbing can wait until after the tides have turned in our favor.
