I might do a post something like this so as not to actually move the party into combat or move them along.:

"While the party discussed what actions they should take, the zombies and elves continued their battle. Seeing the arrows did not work, the elves switched to swords and their next attack seemed to do more damage as one zombie fell and ceased to move. However, with the distance closed, the zombies were able to strike back and one of the elves took a nasty bite. -do you join the fight or move on?-

You could post this mid week if most or all of us have posted.

Don't worry about offending me at all, I ask and accept advice at any time because we're all playing together and I want to make it as enjoyable as possible for all of us.

Concerning the pacing, I'd like to make it a bit more quicker, I'll honestly try to get posts out every day on late sunday to early monday but this week was weird because i didn't know what everyone wanted to do. Map update will be up so you guys can decide what you wanna do as well.

@keeper, that'd actually be pretty good. I'll post something along those lines, thank you

On pacing - I'm good with whatever. I usually post a lot and quickly. The biggest slow down is when we need to agree on what to do - like now. And that can't be helped. Overall I'd say move things along, we can always say "wait" if need be. But I'll work with whatever you do.

So what now? I'm glad we watched. I want to avoid Melee if possible. I'm not sure Trossach has a great ranged weapon - the sky hammer might still leave him within 5 feet.

But given that it is now 6 on 3 I'd be inclined to help. From a distance if possible. Votes? (With only 3 left I doubt the elves are a big threat to continue the quest.).

I'm inclined to agree with Nomad's assessment. Doc's not one for pointless loss of life. If they are trying to retreat maybe we can at least give the zombies something else to think about. Doc can sacred flame them to draw fire, and it's multiple rounds of free range attacks before the zombies would ever make it into range for actual combat. We should be easily able to use the range / height advantage to at least give the three remaining elves some breathing room if we assist.

I'm good with having Doc cast sacred flame since arrows had little effect. It's radiant damage so it should have some degree of potential better success.

It should be noted too if my math's correct. some of us will be out of survival rations and if not now then soon. It may be tactically sound to try and scavenge extra's from the fallen or those we save as compensation.

I think maybe i'll do what Tann says, majority rules type of thing if people don't post fast enough.

@nomad, you have a bow you can use. I might have to switch up your weapons as I don't have the stats for those. I think you got them from the 4th edition handbook so I'll have to experiment.

@kaelynn Okay that should be fine. One thing I'd like to note are clerics aren't really all too common. Warlocks who get their power from the sorcerer kings are, paladins that get their power from the elemental planes aren't as common but they're common enough that no one would report them, but clerics calling sacred flames down is beyond the ability of the sorcerer king so just be wary.

This is also another warning to Nimu.

Sorry if it seems unfair

I'll postpone update day till maybe tuesday since i posted late. If everyone posted or at least more than half, I'll just pump out another post.

I'm ready to post for Trossach - probably a "stay back and shoot some arrows" type of thing. But before jumping into combat I'd like to hear from the others. I'm not trying to be pushy, I just want to make sure people know we need to a quick discussion. If one guy stays and fights and the others post that they are leaving that might be a bit of a mess. Especially for the one who stayed, which in this case would be me.

Current vote looks like:

Leave: 2 (Ochit and Morrigu)
Fight: (Reynard, Crowe, Trossach)
Not really sure: 1 (Doc)

I am thinking Morrigu would never help the elves and Ochit is not going to get into hand to hand combat. He might throw his javalins but that is about it.

Keeper is right, Morrígu is not going to help the elves. I'm assuming dark elves and faerie elves have the same dynamic in Athas as they do everywhere else. The elves would be as hostile to her as she is to them. She might stay at a distance and throw some magic, but since that has to be a secret... If her life is in danger on the other hand she will get involved.

Also, I know there has been mention of PVP and the like. I'm playing this character a certain way but there is a line I will not cross. As a player I will go along with the group even if Morrígu throws a fit.

As to posting, all this sounds good. Once a week is standard around here. I can't commit to anything more frequent than that myself.

but as I said Doc is rational... it doesn't befit us to risk too much at the hands of adversaries at this stage in the game, and given peoples inventories.... and the 'reluctance of openly casting spells' especially divine spells apparently, that leaves me with one ranged throwing star-esque attack... which would do little, and we actually lack alot of long range options... So throw Doc up with Morrigu and ochitt in this instance.. It's not a 'he doesnt wish to help' he just doesnt think he 'can' be of help without jeopardizing more lives than those he could potentially save at this point..


I'm down for moving on and offering up a prayer and adding in some sort of .. 'this is reality, and reality is harsh' type dialogue.. too tired ot do proper in game post justice atm.. but will post before tomorrow's end.

okay i'll go for once a week then but i'll try to make them meaningful posts.

Concerning fighting, as a suggestion, you guys don't have to go all out but could rather fight from long range then press on once the elves have gone.

morrigu, you're going to be running out of survival days after tonight

Oh btw guys, I completely forgot to ask you this.
What does everyone want to do while they march? Scavenge for food, watch out for threats, make a map and some other stuff in the 5e book that I don't remember.

We've established a sleeping order

Q for the DM: How slowly are the bad guys moving? Most of the time zombies are pretty slow. Are these guys slow? In some cases staying at a distance to fight and still being able to run away if needed might be a real option. Are they that slow? likewise, are they slow enough that the remaining elves could run away?

As for the questions about travel - I would think someone should map. Who has the best skills for that? Having someone keep an eye out for food seems like a good choice given the nature of survival days. Ochit seems the logical choice for this I would think. Unless someone else has skills I'm not aware of. Trossach would likely be keeping an eye out for threats.

@nomad
2 zombies are moving fast, practically at a sprint. You judge that they are able to move at roughly twice the speed of the other zombies, so maybe about 50 feet per round (six seconds). You're unable to tell how long they can keep that sprint up for however.

Mapping is in the 5e book as a possible action. Not needed at all but if you are ever lost, you'd have advantage on all checks to make sure that you could find your way back again. I believe as a ranger in your favoured terrain you can still do other things and remain alert to danger. So you won't have disadvantage/ penalties to perception checks. If you're making a map for instance, I'd probably rule you to have disadvantage on perception checks or if you're foraging, I might do a flat negative 3 or 4 to the roll depending on the terrain.

Crowe would like to help, if only for the simple fact that there is strength in number, but if everyone else decides to leave the elves to their fate he will follow, though for how long is anyone's guess. He is after all, a wanderer.

Doc 'cant' help from range without giving up knowledge of outlawed divine magics (or close scrutiny that he is somehow empowered by the God-King thus empowering the falsehood that he is truly a "God)"
I simply lack ranged attacks and it's too early to give that info up.

As for travelling... Doc's ok with making perception checks or doing the mapping if someone else will do the perception checks.. he's a nomadic race, who already mentioned annotating the travels at night, so why not keep a map to correlate with his writings... seems like something he'd do.

And...for now.... need to post in game!.. *dashes off*