How does Summon Insects work against Trolls?
Would they be wary of a Flame Blade?
Ghân explains the dangers of Call Lightning to the party - dangerous both to trolls and anyone within 10 feet of them!
Ghân doesn’t mind the idea of animal bait (as long as it doesn’t actually get eaten! :eek:), but would prefer to use Fang or Anca. They understand the danger of combat and can last longer than a squirrel if anything goes wrong.
Ghân will Speak to the canines and see if either of them like the idea.
Elfstan seems to be thinking hard for a minute. (Maybe the rest of the party should be nervous?)
“In the Red Book Gandalf tricked the trolls into staying out until the sun came up. They weren’t very bright. We can’t count on that, but maybe a decoy would work? We also have Gwaelur with us. Maybe he can see some way to let some light into their tower while they slumber?”
He pauses.
“How long do we have before the storm? While others prepare a trap, maybe we can still scout that house?”
With a shrug he adds, “It may hold a solution… or it may add to the problem.”
**It is just before noon. ** The storm will be starting by 1pm and it should be very dark by 2pm.
Fang is willing to try being the decoy. However remember one troll uses a huge crossbow.
Curunauth would like to know more about this Call Lightning. Perhaps that could be used as Elfstan suggests to damage the tower and let some light in before it is dark?
…Trolls. Oh, this just gets better. All due respect to the Thain Emeritus, but he had a Numenorean shortsword that was enspelled specifically against the servants of darkness, and we, on the whole, don’t. (We know that Sting inconvenienced a cave-troll of Moria.)
If we need a decoy, don’t risk Fang - I’ll go. Admittedly I’d as soon have a Barkskin if Ghan can spare one, but I am somewhat swift afoot and, as a rule, none too easy to hit - and the first troll that sees me, alone and unarmoured, may take me for an easy snack.
Curu, “Sting will bite, far better than most any other sword of its size. It was made in the heyday of Gondolin and surely for one of the nobles. Perhaps the King himself or at least a Captain.”
Does Ghân cast a Barkskin on Gil-Gandel, any other prep or spells from Ghân or Deor?
Good then elf. If you are willing and able to lure the troll to the trap, you and Thoroncir (or whoever, don’t let me volunteer you Thor) can provide cover for me while I wail away at him with my Large Magic Axe.
Lather, rinse, etc. The thing is, I don’t think I can handle more than one at a time, and I can’t use my shield with that axe, so I will be vulnerable. It’s why I need the other folks to provie me with some cover. Even if you can’t do any direct damage, the three of us can help to keep each other safe until I can hit the troll enough to bring him down.
Now we just need to figure out how to set up the trap, how to seperate the trolls, and how to keep them unaware of what is going on.
Some lightning to try to shatter the roof and let daylight in wouldn’t be a bad idea either or in addition to the other plan.
“Isn’t an elf likely to bring all four of them running? The idea with an animal was so it didn’t alarm them so bad and only one chased it. I still like collapsing the tower or at least putting a hole in a vulnerable spot. At any rate, we need to set up some trip lines at a minimum.”
DM, does [COLOR=“Blue”]Summon Insects work against Trolls? **Not at all. **
And how about Flame Blade? Nothing special, Middle-Earth trolls and not D&D trolls. These trolls actually like fire (for cooking).
*GM trick for Call Lightning, we’ll say you remember something Radagast told you. Cast the Spell, wait 10 rounds and toss your 1st lightning bolt and now you are ready for the next one so at least you can get two in consecutive rounds. *
*Ghân is of course happy to cast Barkskin on Gil-Gandel, but it only lasts 9 rounds. *If Elfstan does not talk the Elf out of it.[/COLOR]
Deor’s uncertain what to do here- his spells will be pretty ineffective against trolls, as they’re probably too strong for Sleep or Web. Sleep would probably be good against goblins, though, so he’ll load that. Magic Missile would do (effectively) 2d6 damage against trolls, assuming it penetrates their damage reduction. Invisibility and Levitate seem like good bets too. Finally, Deor will prepare Spider Climb and prepare to use it on any hobbits who’d like to have another dimension of escape routes available if the trolls are chasing them.
Deor does not have time to change spells. You did not know about the Trolls in the morning. I have to go with your prior list of spells.
What is the plan for the party.
Currently it sounds like blast the tower, hoping to damage it. If that doesn’t work use Gil-Gandel as a lure to flush out hopefully a single troll. Then bullrsuh said troll with Gwaelur and Thoroncir up front and Miron firing arrows and the Hobbits probably on slings but perhaps Elfstan using Sting. Ghân will have a second bolt ready if extra trolls come out.
Gilraen is prepared to seriously distract/stun one troll. Curu will be hanging back to help protect the spellcasters and Lorli.
Can we add in a few trip lines provided we can find a place to tie the rope? Preferrably a little away from the tower, right where we are springing our trap. Elfstan has 100’ of Elvish rope that he will use for one trip line at least. Naturally he doesn’t want to cut the rope.
It’s an entierly half assed plan, so I am hoping the lightning works well for us.
The triplines are a good call too.
The basic idea is to keep the trolls seperated and distracted while keeping yourselves safe until I can hustle over with my troll’s bane of an axe. As longs as they aren’t able to start teaming up we should be ok, I think. Keeping them seperated is important.
