[D&D] The Lost Mines of Phandelver

[ravenvii]

@ravenvii, since the light was on for a good time, i am guessing we could take a good look at the bridge>
how hard does it look to climb?
is it a beam/suspension/truss bridge that connects the two apertures high on the walls, so to get up we need to climb the cave walls, or is it more like a pier bridge with a timber lattice that can be climbed directly?

>>> The former. I was pure 'no comment' on the plan to get up there. I'm more than happy to roll the dice and see if you actually make it

>>> But onwards into the side passage we go! ... Yes?
[doublepost=1458071170][/doublepost]

That's an excellent point!

Anyway, I will carefully cross the stream and lurk around the entrance to the left. What do I see? If nothing I'll scout ahead a bit.

But before I do that I will switch off the lights at the rail and cast 'light' again on Claus' sword.

You absently transfer the light to Bartholomeus' scimitar as you splash across the stream and into the side passage. You see that the passage is choked with rubble. You could see that there are two escarpments, with a ledge between them about halfway up the passage. You see that it opens into another cavern on the other end, and the passage is approximately twenty-five feet deep. You couldn't be sure whether it is imagination because of the sounds of the stream, but you think you could hear shouting coming from the other end of the passage.

 

[Plutonius]

@Don't panic or @ravenvii, could you please include a rough sketched map of what we see.

 

[twietee]

Hm, not sure I fully get the picture. So I am standing in front of a a steep escarpment?

Are the noises coming nearer?

Ok, guys - I think we should scratch this. Climbing up these escarpments will make a lot of noise or require a lot of light or even both. We should try the bridge or follow the stream further north. I'd say the latter to get a better idea about how this cave works.

 

[Don't panic]

@Don't panic or @ravenvii, could you please include a rough sketched map of what we see.

same as before, just with more detail on the tunnel on the right: "You see that the passage is choked with rubble. You could see that there are two escarpments, with a ledge between them about halfway up the passage. You see that it opens into another cavern on the other end, and the passage is approximately twenty-five feet deep".
so rubble going up, flat ledge, more rubble going up, until it open into some other space

Veit, right now you have 100% sight on the entire passage going up, since my magic scimitar is on (thank you, btw).

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Hm, not sure I fully get the picture. So I am standing in front of a a steep escarpment?

Are the noises coming nearer?

Ok, guys - I think we should scratch this. Climbing up these escarpments will make a lot of noise or require a lot of light or even both. We should try the bridge or follow the stream further north. I'd say the latter to get a better idea about how this cave works.

Noises, or shouting? Either way, a most relevant question.

And yes, I am inclined to concur with your suggestion, Master Frostbeard.

 

[Plutonius]

Hm, not sure I fully get the picture. So I am standing in front of a a steep escarpment?

Are the noises coming nearer?

Ok, guys - I think we should scratch this. Climbing up these escarpments will make a lot of noise or require a lot of light or even both. We should try the bridge or follow the stream further north. I'd say the latter to get a better idea about how this cave works.

The bridge is probably not an option. DP asked for more detail on it and you will have to climb a sheer wall to get up to it (DC most likely of 20). If @ravenvii has us roll similar to the hole climb, Veit would need to make two rolls of 15+ to successfully climb with any roll of 10- a fall.

Besides, it looks like the goblins are aware of us and are coming out the side passage to meet us. I strongly urge Veit and the Count quickly get up the escarpment to the entrance of the other cavern. The rest of us should follow and prepare for battle.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

The bridge is probably not an option. DP asked for more detail on it and you will have to climb a sheer wall to get up to it (DC most likely of 20). If @ravenvii has us roll similar to the hole climb, Veit would need to make two rolls of 15+ to successfully climb with any roll of 10- a fall.

Besides, it looks like the goblins are aware of us and are coming out the side passage to meet us. I strongly urge Veit and the Count quickly get up the escarpment to the entrance of the other cavern. The rest of us should follow and prepare for battle.

I thought some of our agile and supple people (Master Frostbeard, Portia) could scramble up, and toss down ropes, - as the Count seems to have intimated not so long ago - and therefore, that even this scholar (imagining books, rather than grappling hooks, you know, that motivational imagery we are always encouraged to give thought to and create mental images of) would then ascend…….

Well, this may be something that we may have to consider later on.

Shouts? Aware of us?

The plot thickens. Or rather, maybe, it doesn't. Perhaps, something that we were always fated to face has decided to bid us a warm welcome.

 

[Don't panic]

I thought some of our agile and supple people (Master Frostbeard, Portia) could scramble up, and toss down ropes, - as the Count seems to have intimated not so long ago - and therefore, that even this scholar (imagining books, rather than grappling hooks, you know, that motivational imagery we are always encouraged to give thought to and create mental images of) would then ascend…….

Well, this may be something that we may have to consider later on.

Shouts? Aware of us?

The plot thickens. Or rather, maybe, it doesn't. Perhaps, something that we were always fated to face has decided to bid us a warm welcome.

a grappling hook is something we should strongly consider to buy when we get to town.
it would have made it possible to get the rope secured to the bridge without having to climb up first, thus making the climb a rather easy feat.
[doublepost=1458085128][/doublepost]well, according to our prisoner, there could be around 20 goblins in this hideout (not sure if that include the 6 we already dispatched), so we are bound to meet some of them sooner or later

here are the options:
- climb up the escarpment-ledge-escarpment towards the voices and the next cavern to the west.
- move under the bridge and up the main passage to the north
- try to climb the bridge and access its east-west passages

If we go west or north, we should just go, maybe giving a bit of space to Veit to scout in the dark.
if we try the climb, i should be the one attempting it, since i have the highest athletics modifier (+5). if you guys give me a push (help) it is with advantage. depending on the difficulty of the climb i would likely need a 5 (DC10), 10 (DC15), or a 15 (DC20) to succeed, with two attempts (adv.). Not impossible.

 

[Plutonius]

I suggest that we wait at the bottom of the side passage for 10 minutes before we make a decision. The count should hide his light and Syllin should keep an eye on the bridge. If nothing comes down the side passage, it's probably safe to climb the bridge wall if that's our decision. Otherwise, if we head immediately to climb the bridge, goblins may come out the side passage and attack us when the Count is 1/2 way up the wall.

 

[Don't panic]

I suggest that we wait at the bottom of the side passage for 10 minutes before we make a decision. The count should hide his light and Syllin should keep an eye on the bridge. If nothing comes down the side passage, it's probably safe to climb the bridge wall if that's our decision. Otherwise, if we head immediately to climb the bridge, goblins may come out the side passage and attack us when the Count is 1/2 way up the wall.

that's fine, although 10 minutes seems way overkill. Probably 30 seconds would be more than enough to understand if the voices Veit heard up the west tunnel are approaching or not. especially since the west passage appears to be full of rubble, so they definitively cannot sneak down without us noticing, if we are paying attention to it.

on the other hand, the more we sit around doing nothing, the more the chance that someone notices the goblin on the bridge is not there anymore, or the chance for goblins just making a round/walking by on the bridge or down the main passageway.

i say wait half a minute while ready for someone coming down the west tunnel, and then let's take a decision and go somewhere

*whispers:
>does it look like this passage is being used at all?

 

[Plutonius]

as another suggestion, can Syllin come forward in the side passage and determine what the goblins are saying ?

 

[ravenvii]

that's fine, although 10 minutes seems way overkill. Probably 30 seconds would be more than enough to understand if the voices Veit heard up the west tunnel are approaching or not. especially since the west passage appears to be full of rubble, so they definitively cannot sneak down without us noticing, if we are paying attention to it.

on the other hand, the more we sit around doing nothing, the more the chance that someone notices the goblin on the bridge is not there anymore, or the chance for goblins just making a round/walking by on the bridge or down the main passageway.

i say wait half a minute while ready for someone coming down the west tunnel, and then let's take a decision and go somewhere

*whispers:
>does it look like this passage is being used at all?

>>> at least -- AT LEAST -- a minute *cough* has passed as your banter continues on. I assure -- ASSURE -- you that no goblin is coming down the west passage -- nor the northern one, for that matter. No promises as far as the bridge is concerned, however.

 

[Plutonius]

Say to the Count: It looks clear for you to climb the wall near the bridge. Grab the rope from Portia (@Moyank24) and I'll give you a lift.

Orders: Give the Count a lift then move in case he falls back into the stream.

 

[Don't panic]

ok then, let's give it a shot
with help from Master fletcher, i attempt to reach the top of the bridge, bringing portia's rope with me.
if i get there successfully, i secure the rope to the sturdiest part of the bridge, next to the East end.
since the rope is ~50ft (i think), if i tie it in the middle there are two half that reach the ground.
one they can use to climb up, the other they can tie themselves with and i can pull them up from above (help)

 

[ravenvii]

ok then, let's give it a shot
with help from Master fletcher, i attempt to reach the top of the bridge, bringing portia's rope with me.
if i get there successfully, i secure the rope to the sturdiest part of the bridge, next to the East end.
since the rope is ~50ft (i think), if i tie it in the middle there are two half that reach the ground.
one they can use to climb up, the other they can tie themselves with and i can pull them up from above (help)

You approach the sheer wall below the bridge. As Claus gave you a boost, you scramble for purchase on the wall -- any nook or hole will do --

*** CHECK ***
Since you have Claus' help, your first roll will have advantage. The wall is sheer with barely any purchase, so it will bean extremely difficult climb, a DC of 20. You have a +5, so:

Bartholomeus: 17
*** CHECK ***

-- your hand finds a purchase. Pushing up from Claus' hands, you reach for another -- and find it. One foot finds a hole in the wall, and that gives you a boost enough to reach for another nook in the wall. And another. At one point you were hanging from only one hand, the other limbs unable to find any purchase. Suddenly, your left foot finds a tiny hole just enough to fit your toes into, and you make another push upwards, hoping against hope that you will find another with your right hand. You do. You look up, and see that the ledge of the bridge is only a few feet away. You erase the thought that attempts to calculate the distance below. You measure the distance to the ledge of the bridge, and brace. All of your limbs have found purchase, and you know there will be no better chances than this. You push off the wall and take a daring leap, and --

*** CHECK ***
This time, you have no advantage. You need to roll a 15 to succeed:

Bartholomeus: 20
*** CHECK ***

-- you grab the ledge! Using the momentum from your backlash, you attempt to swing onto the bridge --

*** CHECK ***
This is much easier than scaling the wall. A DC 10 would do it. You need a 5:

Bartholomeus: 4
*** CHECK ***

-- but the momentum was insufficient, and you lose grip with your left hand as you fall back down. You attempt to grab the ledge and avoid falling to the ground, even as the bridge swings wildly from the impact --

*** CHECK ***
A saving throw! This one is a dexterity throw, and you have a -1 modifier. This is a very agile save, so I'll give this a DC 15, so:

Bartholomeus: 17
*** CHECK ***

-- and you grab the ledge! You are now hanging off a swinging bridge, and you attempt to pull yourself up --

*** CHECK ***
You just need to do a pull-up. You're pretty strong, so that shouldn't be hard. Except the bridge's swinging, of course. A DC of 10 should do it, and you have +5 again:

Bartholomeus: 5
*** CHECK ***

-- you fail, and hold on for dear life. As the bridge slowly subsides its swinging, you hear an obscensity in goblin. You couldn't see anything, not only because your scimitar -- and its light -- is on your back, but also because your head is below the bridge's ledge. The goblin did not attack, however; you hear a set of running footsteps quickly fade away down the tunnel to your right.

>>> @Don't panic you are now hanging off the ledge of the bridge. What do you do?

 

[Don't panic]

You approach the sheer wall below the bridge. As Claus gave you a boost, you scramble for purchase on the wall -- any nook or hole will do --

*** CHECK ***
Since you have Claus' help, your first roll will have advantage. The wall is sheer with barely any purchase, so it will bean extremely difficult climb, a DC of 20. You have a +5, so:

Bartholomeus: 17
*** CHECK ***

-- your hand finds a purchase. Pushing up from Claus' hands, you reach for another -- and find it. One foot finds a hole in the wall, and that gives you a boost enough to reach for another nook in the wall. And another. At one point you were hanging from only one hand, the other limbs unable to find any purchase. Suddenly, your left foot finds a tiny hole just enough to fit your toes into, and you make another push upwards, hoping against hope that you will find another with your right hand. You do. You look up, and see that the ledge of the bridge is only a few feet away. You erase the thought that attempts to calculate the distance below. You measure the distance to the ledge of the bridge, and brace. All of your limbs have found purchase, and you know there will be no better chances than this. You push off the wall and take a daring leap, and --

*** CHECK ***
This time, you have no advantage. You need to roll a 15 to succeed:

Bartholomeus: 20
*** CHECK ***

-- you grab the ledge! Using the momentum from your backlash, you attempt to swing onto the bridge --

*** CHECK ***
This is much easier than scaling the wall. A DC 10 would do it. You need a 5:

Bartholomeus: 4
*** CHECK ***

-- but the momentum was insufficient, and you lose grip with your left hand as you fall back down. You are now hanging from the ledge of the bridge with one hand as the bridge begins to swing wildly.

>>> @Don't panic what do you do?

wow, you are a tough costumer! 3 checks! and hard too.
i slowly raise my left hand up and grasp the ledge again, then as i compensate for the movement of the bridge, i pull myself up, grasp the rail, take a breath and then with another push i get myself over the bridge

 

[ravenvii]

wow, you are a tough costumer! 3 checks!
i slowly raise my left hand up and grasp the ledge again, then as i compensate for the movement of the bridge, i pull myself up, grasp the rail, take a breath and then with another push i get myself over the bridge

You attempt to pull yourself up a second time after the sound of the goblin has disappeared --

*** CHECK ***
This time the bridge is swinging much less, so it's much easier. I'll give this a DC of 5 -- and you automatically succeed on the roll.
*** CHECK ***

-- and successfully pull yourself up and onto the bridge. You quickly turn and, grabbing the rope from your waist, loop it over the rope railing, and drop the two ends down onto the ground below.

Just as you do so, you hear a rumble.

*** INITIATIVE ***
Bartholomeus: 5 - 1 = 4
Veit: 11 - 1 = 10
Portia: 17 + 3 = 20
Syllin: 5 + 2 = 7
Claus: 9 + 3 = 12
Goblins: 14

So the turns will go in this order: Portia, Goblins, Claus, Veit, Syllin and finally Bartholomeus.
*** INITIAITVE ***

>>> @Moyank24 you go first. There are two ropes (actually one rope looped over the rope railing of the bridge) leading up to the bridge from the ground. What do you do?

 

[Don't panic]

You attempt to pull yourself up a second time after the sound of the goblin has disappeared --

*** CHECK ***
This time the bridge is swinging much less, so it's much easier. I'll give this a DC of 5 -- and you automatically succeed on the roll.
*** CHECK ***

-- and successfully pull yourself up and onto the bridge. You quickly turn and, grabbing the rope from your waist, loop it over the rope railing, and drop the two ends down onto the ground below.

Just as you do so, you you hear a rumble.

*** INITIATIVE ***
Bartholomeus: 5 - 1 = 4
Veit: 11 - 1 = 10
Portia: 17 + 3 = 20
Syllin: 5 + 2 = 7
Claus: 9 + 3 = 12
Goblins: 14

So the turns will go in this order: Portia, Goblins, Claus, Veit, Syllin and finally Bartholomeus.
*** INITIAITVE ***

how many goblins are there? where are they?

 

[ravenvii]

how many goblins are there? where are they?

>>> Unknown.

 

[Don't panic]

>>> Unknown.

then technically you shouldn't have rolled initiative yet, since the encounter has not happened yet.

we should be able to determine which direction the they are coming from (from the noise), then when they do appear, the encounter begins.
and meanwhile there should be time for another action

 

[ravenvii]

then technically you shouldn't have rolled initiative yet, since the encounter has not happened yet.

we should be able to determine which direction the they are coming from (from the noise), then when they do appear, the encounter begins.
and meanwhile there should be time for another action

>>> You'll see why soon

 

[Don't panic]

>>> You'll see why soon

ok.

is the rope secured? can a person climb on one end?

 

[ravenvii]

ok.

is the rope secured? can a person climb on one end?

>>> Yes, two people can climb up simultaneously.

 

[Don't panic]

can we tell where the rumble is coming from?

 

[ravenvii]

can we tell where the rumble is coming from?

>>> coming from somewhere in the northeast.