Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Pyrate_Jib 03-15-08, 04:44 PM	I have a siege adventure coming up where the players are going to attack a fortified city in the company of a unit of mercenary troops. The defenders are going to have a few tubs of oil set to boiling above the gate and rain down a nightmare upon the attackers when they attempt to batter down the doors (think Kingdom of Heaven meets Lord of the Rings:the Siege of Gondor meets Flesh and Blood). Historically I know they did this and also used boiling water and super heated sand. Of course D&D is not a historical game but I like to use this element it the campaign. What would you say the damage would be from boiling oil? Ref save to avoid or take half damage (the Monk will love this since often ducks out of harms way)? What about the defenders tossing down a few tinder twigs after the hot shower of oil to ignite the whole thing? I'll look at any advice you can suggest!
Rood_Inverse 03-15-08, 05:06 PM	Treat it like lava, as far as burns and complete immersion go? No need to worry about the drowning part, though. That's just off the top of my head. Historical Factoid I heard a story that happened just around the time of the Partition of India and Pakistan. Might have been older than that, considering the story... Regardless... Those who had been forced out of their homeland had encamped at a fort on the border, but without soldiers garrisoned there. It was abandoned as part of the events leading up to this forced pilgrimage. The people hounding these "pilgrims" laid siege to the fort, and were looking at being able to storm the place. Full of civilians who had no weapons, they improvised an excellent defence against the invaders. Candy. There's a confection in the region, starts with a j... but I can't spell the whole word to wiki it... That turns into a boiling sweet syrup before it cools enough to be eaten. They loaded this boiling sweet into caulrons and poured it onto their enemies from the heights of the fort, and were able to avoid being ransacked by the soldiers laying siege. . . . I'll try to find the story when I get home and edit this to tell the whole thing properly. Point being: Indians beat a siege by using boiling candy instead of the traditional oil and water. I always thought it was novel.
Pyrate_Jib 03-16-08, 04:42 PM	Of course oil isn't as hot at lava. What about dumping it and then lighting it on fire? I liked the factiod!
NecroticBanana 03-17-08, 01:46 AM	I would treat the boiling oil as a splash weapon and that would burn like fire (d6) until smothered in dirt or washed off in water. i dont belive it's flammable, as they used something akin to cooking oil and not lamp oil...could be mistaken tho.
aikimiller 03-17-08, 07:38 AM	Just about anything based on carbon is flamable, cooking oil certainly burns- just not necessarily at a temperature that is practical. I would say that if you want to have something extremely unpleasant, light it on fire. That's some pretty significant damage though, not quite as bad as lava, but close. Don't forget the murder holes either- places where attackers can get poked by guys with spears with full cover and partial concealment.
kelvinaw273 03-17-08, 09:38 AM	Just about anything based on carbon is flamable, cooking oil certainly burns- just not necessarily at a temperature that is practical. I would say that if you want to have something extremely unpleasant, light it on fire. That's some pretty significant damage though, not quite as bad as lava, but close. Don't forget the murder holes either- places where attackers can get poked by guys with spears with full cover and partial concealment. Murder holes were used for other things, not just poking spears through: Dropping heavy rocks Shooting bows and crossbows Throwing Javelins Pouring all sorts of interesting hot liquids The main reason for NOT setting oil on fire is the smoke - it spoils the aim of the archers on the walls. Besides, once a man has boiling oil on him, it really doesn't make any difference to his survival prospects if it's on fire or not. Another classic siege technique was dropping rocks from the walls. Sounds dull? Take a look at a real castle's walls: see the bit about six to ten feet above the ground where the wall swells out slightly? That's where the dropped rock hits, and shatters, spraying shards over a wide area. And don't forget hourding on the walls. Hourding is a wooden platform and cover that actually covers the battlements completely and overhangs the walls. It gives the men on the walls a better vantage for dropping stuff on the men below, makes scaling ladders nigh-on useless and grants total cover and concealment, not just partial, while not restricting the ability of the men there to shoot and fight back. Oh, and those loopholes on the insides of walls and towers, facing into the castle are not a mistake by the architect: if the enemy breaches the gates the entire courtyard can become a killing zone.