[OOC] Heart of Darkness (Part II)

[Mindsiege]

Originally Posted by secretID

I think most or all of my questions are for Tink, and of course there may be follow-ups, but I know you like to have substantial IC posts, and of course we don’t want this to take weeks. What would you like?

So, the reason I stopped the narration where I did is because I made Tink prioritize avoiding exposure over getting intel. He noticed that there are darklings, that they are stationary, and that there is a cave with similar tarp-ceiling areas as you've seen in the border outposts. And a bit cavernous topography that I'm not sure if it matters to relay in detail, hence why I left it out of Tink's relay of information.

Let's settle what questions you have for Tink in the OOC, then when we figured out the details you can give me an IC with a brief summary of what Jimmy inquired and then his decision about the next course of action. Then my next update will resolve that course of action. Sounds good?

@edit:
FYI, my previous post included a response to the shove discussion, I'm not sure if your pagination might be hiding that reply because I replied with this so quickly thereafter.

[secretID]

Hm. I guess I'd probably start with some questions for Boanagh, some of which Jimmy probably already knows. You and I haven't talked much about the details of this spot, but it was supposed to be empty, right? - i.e., abandoned?

If so, Jimmy would probably ask B if he has any explanation.

Did you decide that Tinkerbell's spider form would be noticeable and suspicious if he fails Stealth?

[Mindsiege]

Originally Posted by secretID

Hm. I guess I'd probably start with some questions for Boanagh, some of which Jimmy probably already knows. You and I haven't talked much about the details of this spot, but it was supposed to be empty, right? - i.e., abandoned?

If so, Jimmy would probably ask B if he has any explanation.

Correct. The site was supposed to be abandoned. It was one of the locations where darkling deaths happened. There were no survivors. The darklings who died were a small outing of darklings who were familiar with each other, a group of spider silk weavers who didn't want to take up shop in one of the cramped border outposts. Their equipment wasn't retrieved, and nothing suspicious that could have made them a target popped up during Jimmy's questioning in his downtime.

Boanagh has no explanation. This wasn't planned. He has no guess why anybody would have beat you to this location, or how long they've been here already.

Originally Posted by secretID

Did you decide that Tinkerbell's spider form would be noticeable and suspicious if he fails Stealth?

Hmm. Jimmy confirmed with Boanagh that there aren't a lot of insects down here. It's your choice if you want to send Tink as visible or invisible, but due to blind vision there is always a possibility of getting noticed.

[secretID]

Exactly how many has Tink seen? Any elders?

[Mindsiege]

Originally Posted by secretID

Exactly how many has Tink seen? Any elders?

He didn't take the time to count them. He'd asume somewhere between five and a dozen. He doesn't have full visual of the site and he isn't sure if there are any elders.

[secretID]

I opted for something simple. I kept him in raven form for the extra speed.

[Mindsiege]

Originally Posted by secretID

I opted for something simple. I kept him in raven form for the extra speed.

One thing I forgot to mention, through planning with Boanagh Jimmy would know that the campsite has multiple entrances. However, he's currently unaware if the choice of entrance makes a difference. Right now it doesn't appear to.

About Tink's stealth efforts as a raven, the campsite isn't nearly as big of a hollow as the outposts. He can attempt to fly as silently as he manages, however Tink could elaborate that the ceiling is lower than 30' in most places. There are a few tarps to take cover behind though not before Tink would have to fly through open space first. When you ordered him to creep, were you imagining a speedy flight approach or him crawling across the floor as a raven?

[secretID]

Crawling? I thought possibly walking/hopping. Can ravens crawl? (:

If he there's no way to hide on approach as a raven, but there is a spider, he can switch to spider. If there's nothing either way, I guess they'll go check out a different approach to the site.

[Mindsiege]

Originally Posted by secretID

Crawling? I thought possibly walking/hopping. Can ravens crawl? (:

If he there's no way to hide on approach as a raven, but there is a spider, he can switch to spider. If there's nothing either way, I guess they'll go check out a different approach to the site.

Ravens probably can't crawl. I don't know why I suggested that. Maybe they could dip their chests to touch the floor and then do something like a shuffle?

Hmm, I'll resolve it on Tink's best judgment. The tunnel is entirely open from the campsite, so he'll probably go for the less conspicuous option.

Right now I have Tink as invisible. Do you want to keep that?

[secretID]

Heh. I guess not invisible; thanks for asking.

It sounds like there are other options for approaches, so Jimmy is happy to move the party to one of those if it will help Tink's Stealth.

[Mindsiege]

Originally Posted by secretID

Heh. I guess not invisible; thanks for asking.

Roger that!

Originally Posted by secretID

if it will help Tink's Stealth.

Unfortunately, this point is unanswered by the information available.

By the way, today someone showed me this video, due to a talk about invisibility. Look at it from min 20 and then the next 5 minutes. It explicitly comments on Crawford's perspective on glitches in the game system. He doesn't make me agree with him and you probably don't need your position solidified, but now we at least know what was intended by the designers.

[secretID]

Originally Posted by Mindsiege

Unfortunately, this point is unanswered by the information available.

Er...It sounded to me like there was some question about whether Tink could approach I probably should have specified that goal.to hearing distance in hiding, i.e. whether Hide was possible at all in that range, given the terrain. If it isn't, then I would want to take an entirely different approach. Does that help?

[Mindsiege]

Originally Posted by secretID

whether Hide was possible at all in that range, given the terrain.

Right, I see. Well, in the immediate vicinity of the tunnel opening there is no obfuscating terrain and there are only a few stalagmite columns and minor rock formations available to break any direct line of sight. Given that Tink is unaware of the exact positions of anybody who could spot him, it would definitely be some kind of check to evaluate whether there is some kind of route which allows successful hiding. From Tink's current position however, he's not going to be able to get an opportunity to plan his route without at least risking exposure first. What would you like him to do?

[secretID]

My, this is complicated. (:

It's interesting that he has already seen so many darklings. About how big is the area, according to Boanagh?

I think I'll likely pull them to another approach. Might Boanagh have some opinion on the question?

[Mindsiege]

Originally Posted by secretID

My, this is complicated. (:

It's interesting that he has already seen so many darklings. About how big is the area, according to Boanagh?

I think I'll likely pull them to another approach. Might Boanagh have some opinion on the question?

1) Probably only because I was lazy with giving a full description. Well, and because it's another of those "not enough information" challenges. You might have to go with your gut.

2) The campsite is more spaced out than not. Grossly simplified it's a cavernous space with a radius of 50'.

3) Which question? Choosing another approach? Well, they are his people, but everything leading up to this has made him suspicious. He doesn't want to distrust them, and it hurts him to do so, but he doesn't know what to expect anymore. He'll fully refer to Jimmy. The dryads won't offer an opinion unprovoked, and Loch looks like he has bad ideas. But I don't want the NPCs to steer the adventure too much just because I have so many of them running around and feeling opinionated. So it's your call if you want Loch to weigh in.


If you make any changes to the plan, feel free to edit the IC and let me know.