What about these Shades make Halla so sure that they will totally overrun her?

Unlimited numbers, it seems like. It's like Troll-Men if DR was unreliable on them (spiritual damage, remember). Like, it very specifically says that any attack kills them and any defense will defend against them...the problem is they just keep coming and attack simultaneously.
 
What about these Shades make Halla so sure that they will totally overrun her?
Halla can only be in so many places at once. Halla is in no danger right now.

Abjorn, however, is.
So... is there a reason why we shouldn't just pick our husband up gently and leap into the sky? We might not want to jostle him too badly, but I feel like a bridal carry should be doable - and are we not his bride?

Okay - we wouldn't want to let anyone else see us do it, but other than that?
You can sure try!
 
[X] Plan Speedy Engagement


Classic response of a sadistic GM who has a surprise ready for the players.

Also, i was wondering.

Could Sagaseeker harm Drysalt thanks to Jotun-Skin-Splitter?

I mean, i get that normal magical weapons can't hurt him. Even very powerful ones.

But Sagaseeker is been bathed in Jotun blood, if it can harm a Jotun then it should be able to harm a very powerful Troll right?

Drysalt is not a Steelfather afterall. So it stands to reason that wounding him is ONLY very very hard, and not conceptualy impossible.
 
@Imperial Fister a few relevant questions:

1. As Skippy asked, can we get a full Stoking Engage sequence out within a TSS usage? Like, more than a few attacks? It ups Speed after all...
2. Do the shades have visible ranged weaponry of some sort like javelins?
3. Can we use Semi-Halting Vortex to defend against multiple simultaneous attacks? It seems like it would, but maybe with some cap in regards to how many? How does that work?
4. Can we tell if these are the sort of spiritual predators effected by Beaconlight?
 
@Imperial Fister a few relevant questions:

1. As Skippy asked, can we get a full Stoking Engage sequence out within a TSS usage? Like, more than a few attacks? It ups Speed after all...
2. Do the shades have visible ranged weaponry of some sort like javelins?
3. Can we use Semi-Halting Vortex to defend against multiple simultaneous attacks? It seems like it would, but maybe with some cap in regards to how many? How does that work?
4. Can we tell if these are the sort of spiritual predators effected by Beaconlight?
1. If you Rewrite, yes
2. They don't seem to, but you've only got eyes on the closest to you. The rest are formless blobs surrounding eyes.
3. Until it breaks
4. They are not
 
So here's a basic plan based on what we know. I'll obviously adjust to use TSS if that turns out to be viable with Stoking Engage. Notably, Discord conversation made it extra clear that fire may be a bad call here.

[X] Plan Speedy Engagement
-[X] Assign our 8 shapeshifting slots to Increased Lung Capacity x8
-[X] Use Sundersight to analyze our opponents weaknesses as we fight
-[X] Invest 4 Orthstirr in Hugr, 2 in Fylgja, 2 in Composure, 4 in Tactics, 4 in Scouting (-16 Orthstirr)
-[X] Unassign Heated Shroud, assign Beaconlight. Assign all Hugareida levels of Standstill to Instances (+5 Instances total).
-[X] Activate Banish the Night

-[X] 101d6 Attack (101d6 tricks)
-[X] 0d6 Defense (0d6 tricks)
-[X] 40d6 Intercept (40d6 tricks)
-[X] Draw a shield, put 5 Orthstirr each into 10 layers of Reinforce Shield each on the shield and armor before the combat begins (Total -10 Orthstirr)
-[X] Activate Stoker State 4 (-12 Orthstirr), Slipstream (-8 Orthstirr), Beaconlight (-3 Orthstirr), Mire Ward (-6 Orthstirr), and Against The Odds (-35 Orthstirr). All actions below should add the bonus from Against The Odds, but that's variable and thus not added. If we count as in sunlifght, all attacks should also add the +1d6 from Sunshine, but again, that's not clear and thus has not been added.

-[X] Put up two 40d6+7 Atgeir Bodyguards adding 1 Odr each on Abjorn (-92 Orthstirr, -2 Odr), and an Atgeir Counter-Stab prepped to make 28 3d6+7 Sharpened Basic Attacks adding 1 Odr (-36 Orthstirr, -1 Odr), having Sagaseeker take charge of one of the Bodyguards and the Counter-Stab using them himself. Draw Burning Caress. Ask Shadeclaw to guard him as well, to the best of her ability when not worn.
-[X] Set up a 120d6+7 Semi-Halting Vortex adding 6 Odr (Total -121 Orthstirr, +4 Stoked Pool, -6 Odr) set up to only be used as a rolled defense never as a Perfect, and do not use it against Fleinns
-[X] As backups, put up a 40d6+7 Sword Guard (-44 Orthstirr), and three 40d6+7 Semi-Halting Vortexes (Total -123 Orthstirr, +12 Stoked Pool) set up to only be used as rolled defenses never as Perfects, and neither against Fleinns

-[X] Make a Stoking Engage for 36 Stoked Pool, making thirty-six 3d6+7 Sharpened Basic Attacks (-49 Orthstirr, -36 Stoked Pool, +144 Stoked Pool) all followed up by 4d6+7 Sharpened Sword Strike Basic Attacks (-324 Orthstirr total, +144 Stoked Pool), then using a 273d6+7 Sharpened Stoking Cleave adding 270 Stoked Pool (-13 Orthstirr, -270 Stoked Pool) to attack all shades nearby, being careful not to harm the forest as much as possible, and making sure to release the energy as force rather than fire.
-[X] If the Stoked Engage is broken prematurely use the Stoking Cleave prematurely as well, burning enough Stoked Pool to get down well below our cap but leaving at least a few dice.

-[X] Against ranged attacks, defending should be easy and simple due to Mire Ward. If something cancels that defend the same as against melee attacks below.
-[X] Against melee attacks against Halla default to using Contested Movement (-1 Orthstirr, 12d6+7 Hamr Roll) and counterattack with Sharpened Lightning Charged Basic Attacks (-2 Orthstirr), if attacked by multiple opponents at once use the big Semi-Halting Vortex, then Sword Guard, and then the smaller Semi-Halting Vortexes and quick-drawn Shield Sacrifices (-Reinforce Shield usage or -3 Endurance on one Shield). If we fail on the opposed roll with Contested Movement stop using it, just use the other defenses in the listed sequence.
-[X] For Abjorn, always defend with the big Semi-Halting Vortex, then use the two Atgeir Bodyguards, then the three smaller Semi-Halting Vortexes, then Contested Movement and/or up to forty 2d6+7 Reinforced Hefty-Halter Chop defenses (-4 Orthstirr each) as seems appropriate. If we have to prioritize defending one of the two of us, defend Abjorn over ourselves.
-[X] If attacked with a Fleinn that isn't handled by Mire Ward do not use Guards, just go straight to using a Shield.
-[X] If needed, and only if needed, use Slowing Slog for 9 DR adding 3 Odr for duration (-81 Orthstirr, and -3 Odr) to reduce damage against ourselves.

-[X] Tactics – The basic idea here is to set up some serious defenses in depth over Abjorn especially (including asking Sagaseeker and Shadeclaw to guard him), and stand over him protectively, then go to town using Stoked Engage as fast as possible to whittle down our enemies numbers as they come to us (we should have Speed 29 for our Stoking Engage stuff), then a Stoking Cleave to really clear them out.

EDIT: Added more active roles for Sagaseeker and Shadeclaw. Added Odr to Slowing Slog if we use it.
EDIT2: Fiddled around to add One Big Semi-Halting Vortex under the circumstances
the plan looks good but since we don't need damage maybe switch ignition to giving dice just in case we need it?


also, maybe use that alloy that gives ignition sunlight? might make it safe to use AND extra powerful against the shades
 
I think it's better to just give up on fire hugareida for this encounter.

Though I gotta ask, since we perfected FBS, EWC and KS, can we cast them with Gale versions?

Gale-Blast Strike, Gale-Wind Cloak, Gale-Spinner?
 
[X] Unassign Forgefire and Heated Shroud, assign Solar Flare and Atgeir Strike. Assign all Hugareida levels of Standstill to Instances (+5 Instances total) and all Hugareida levels of Ignition to dice (+15 dice total).
....why are we unassigning our close range AoE attack that can mow down both the enemies and any shields they would use? It doesn't even require us to stay still.
Fight of our life seems better to switch for solarflare. there is also fanned flames, as we apparently try not to lit the whole clearing on fire. Or one of the sunfire tricks.
 
-[X] Put up two 40d6+7 Atgeir Bodyguards adding 1 Odr each on Abjorn (-92 Orthstirr, -2 Odr), and an Atgeir Counter-Stab prepped to make 28 3d6+7 Sharpened Basic Attacks adding 1 Odr (-36 Orthstirr, -1 Odr), having Sagaseeker take charge of one of the Bodyguards and the Counter-Stab using them himself. Draw Burning Caress. Ask Shadeclaw to guard him as well, to the best of her ability when not worn.
We can put 3 Odr each on the Atgeir Bodyguards which we should, not sure how Odr works on Counter-Stab but we can also put 3 Odr on those.

More Orthstirr on each of the bodyguards would also be good.
-[X] As backups, put up a 40d6+7 Sword Guard (-44 Orthstirr), and three 40d6+7 Semi-Halting Vortexes (Total -123 Orthstirr, +12 Stoked Pool) set up to only be used as rolled defenses never as Perfects, and neither against Fleinns
We should Odrify our Sword Guard.
-[X] Make a Stoking Engage for 36 Stoked Pool, making thirty-six 3d6+7 Sharpened Basic Attacks (-49 Orthstirr, -36 Stoked Pool, +144 Stoked Pool) all followed up by 4d6+7 Sharpened Sword Strike Basic Attacks (-324 Orthstirr total, +144 Stoked Pool), then using a 273d6+7 Sharpened Stoking Cleave adding 270 Stoked Pool (-13 Orthstirr, -270 Stoked Pool) to attack all shades nearby, being careful not to harm the forest as much as possible, and making sure to release the energy as force rather than fire.
This is like a lot of stoker dice on Stoking Clave, we will be chopping up vast sections of the forest like this. That or a bunch of Stoker Dice will be wasted. 270 Stoker Dice is like 90 damage, that's almost mini FTB levels.

Not sure how best to do it but I think you will want to split up the Stoking Cleave Attacks into multiples, like 10x 27 Stoked Dice Stoked Cleaves each or something like that. (27 os a nice number too)

Plus Quickened Sword Strikes for each Stoking Cleave.
-[X] If needed, and only if needed, use Slowing Slog for 9 DR adding 3 Odr for duration (-81 Orthstirr, and -3 Odr) to reduce damage against ourselves. We'd do the same on Abjorn if possible.
We should specify just in case we will do it immediately for Abjorn now.
 
Last edited:
....why are we unassigning our close range AoE attack that can mow down both the enemies and any shields they would use? It doesn't even require us to stay still.
cause we can't use it without causing trees to start burning. its not a mildly hot aura. its a 5 damage aura, enough to kill novice to warmain level combatants instantly, it will almost certainly damage the forest.

honestly with all respect to the Hading spirit I feel the location only makes this fight harder for us. even without her help, in a place where we could use heated shroud or firestorm this fight would be a stomp. but we can't do much about that, and we should respect the Hading
 
....why are we unassigning our close range AoE attack that can mow down both the enemies and any shields they would use? It doesn't even require us to stay still.
cause we can't use it without causing trees to start burning. its not a mildly hot aura. its a 5 damage aura, enough to kill novice to warmain level combatants instantly, it will almost certainly damage the forest.

honestly with all respect to the Hading spirit I feel the location only makes this fight harder for us. even without her help, in a place where we could use heated shroud or firestorm this fight would be a stomp. but we can't do much about that, and we should respect the Hading
 
cause we can't use it without causing trees to start burning. its not a mildly hot aura. its a 5 damage aura, enough to kill novice to warmain level combatants instantly, it will almost certainly damage the forest.

honestly with all respect to the Hading spirit I feel the location only makes this fight harder for us. even without her help, in a place where we could use heated shroud or firestorm this fight would be a stomp. but we can't do much about that, and we should respect the Hading

I'm pretty sure her Help is what's preventing the Enemy from pouring some Foemen in too, to make the situation Even Worse.
 
....why are we unassigning our close range AoE attack that can mow down both the enemies and any shields they would use? It doesn't even require us to stay still.

Because it will set everything around us on fire. Which is not good in a forest we're friendly with. Our other Fire Tricks are also dubious in many cases, but not as much as the literal heat aura.

Fight of our life seems better to switch for solarflare. there is also fanned flames, as we apparently try not to lit the whole clearing on fire. Or one of the sunfire tricks.

We're probably not using those either, it's true, and if you have something specific you think is worth grabbing by dropping them, then I'm potentially in, but the heat aura is just flat-out not happening, so it got dropped first.

If I understand the plan correctly these should be Fire Charged because we're using Burning Carress, or uncharged because we're trying not to start a forest fire.

Yeah, error from previous version of the plan. Removed.

We can put 3 Odr each on the Atgeir Bodyguards which we should, not sure how Odr works on Counter-Stab but we can also put 3 Odr on those.

More Orthstirr on each of the bodyguards would also be good.

We should Odrify our Sword Guard.

To our knowledge, the shades have absolutely zero ability to destroy our guards and as long as the big SHV is up (and that one has 6 Odr in it, remember), none of these will even get hit. Putting this much Odr into them is quite possibly paranoid, and putting this many dice is almost certainly extreme overkill already. They're a contingency and difficult to even reach.

And Odr does the same on Atgeir Counter-Stab it does on Guards...let it survive one thing that would otherwise destroy it.

This is like a lot of stoker dice on Stoking Clave, we will be chopping up vast sections of the forest like this. That or a bunch of Stoker Dice will be wasted. 270 Stoker Dice is like 90 damage, that's almost mini FTB levels.

Not sure how best to do it but I think you will want to split up the Stoking Cleave Attacks into multiples, like 10x 27 Stoked Dice Stoked Cleaves each or something like that. (27 os a nice number too)

So. The issue here is that we really want to burn off all of our Stoked Dice before the end of the round and the more Stoking Cleaves we're doing, the more likely we are to be interrupted and thus unable to actually do that. Killing enemies is great, but we mostly just want to ditch dice. Lemme see what I can do in terms of fiddling with that.

Plus Quickened Sword Strikes for each Stoking Cleave.

As mentioned, the whole point of the Stoking Cleaves is to burn away our Stoked Dice. Adding these to get more is probably not our best bet if we're grabbing several. That said, I suppose there's no real reason to not add one to a small number of Stoking Cleaves.

We should specify just in case we will do it immediately for Abjorn now.

That's what the sentence says, conditional on it being possible. I'll switch up the wording a little if that's unclear.

EDIT: Fiddled with numbers a bit to allow additional Stoking Cleaves, and reduce the total number of Stoked Pool gained (which was...excessive). Fiddled with wording on Slowing Slog usage on Abjorn (which I think doesn't work, but we'll use it if it does).
 
Last edited:
cause we can't use it without causing trees to start burning. its not a mildly hot aura. its a 5 damage aura, enough to kill novice to warmain level combatants instantly, it will almost certainly damage the forest.

honestly with all respect to the Hading spirit I feel the location only makes this fight harder for us. even without her help, in a place where we could use heated shroud or firestorm this fight would be a stomp. but we can't do much about that, and we should respect the Hading

Because it will set everything around us on fire. Which is not good in a forest we're friendly with. Our other Fire Tricks are also dubious in many cases, but not as much as the literal heat aura.
What other trees?
Eventually, the trees grow thinner and thinner as the canopy falls away. Invisible eyes stay watching, but they stay with the trees and go no further as you step into a grotto.

The faint tinkle of a waterfall catches your ears like the song of a working woman as you blink in the sudden sunlight, the only shade a gift of the truly gargantuan ash dominating the entire flower-coated clearing. It's ancient and gnarled, covered in wounds gathered over the course of what must have been thousands of years.
We are in a clearing. the only three in the vicinity is the great ash tree. and i doubt it will be damaged by us. Or the Halding, for that matter.
The Great Ash's shadow falls across the verdant grotto like a watchful parent's eye. The passage of the sun across the sky hinders not the shadow as it lays upon the grass and trickling rivulets of the waterfall. Water runs in streamlets as it feeds into the surrounding forests, the Great Ash giving freely of its strength to its younger siblings.
Abjorn has his own DR that also makes it irrelevant. At most, only the grass will be burnt, and we can estinguis it after the battle with the extinguish alloy.
 
What other trees?

We are in a clearing. the only three in the vicinity is the great ash tree. and i doubt it will be damaged by us. Or the Halding, for that matter.

Abjorn has his own DR that also makes it irrelevant. At most, only the grass will be burnt, and we can estinguis it after the battle with the extinguish alloy.

IF specifically noted on Discord that the use of fire is likely to upset the Hading. Which would be bad. The Great Ash Tree is her husband...even superficial burns on him would be potentially very upsetting to her. And she's a spirit of the whole forest, burning the grass and flowers would not be appreciated either, I don't think. It's a big risk we don't need to take.
 
Back
Top