Infiltrating the Underdark [Archive] - Wizards Community

Infiltrating the Underdark [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
JadeFox
07-23-04, 03:18 PM This is a 3.0 game
--
Our party (8th level), has been hired to make life difficult for a small drow band that's started attacking convoy's on the roads, then falling back to their underdark base.

Now obviously, if we tried to go in with spells blazing we'd die after the first large patrol. So we've decided to infiltrate. The advantage here is that since there are a good number of patrools going to and from the surfase it shouldn't be too hard for our chars to slip in.

We have a wizard, a monk, a druid, and a fighter. The wizard (me) knows the most about the underdark, so we've decided to try this.

Using Polymorph spells, Change Self, Alter Self, etc etc. Plus clothes purchased, we'll disguise ourself. The wizard will be a drow priestess, the rest of the party her escort. The basic plan is to walk in as if we own the place, and if a patroll tries to stop us we give them the "How dare you question a preiestess worthless male" routine.

Any tips on how to increase our (admitantly low) chances of success?
primemover003
07-23-04, 03:39 PM Ok how large are the raiding parties? Can you track them to a single Underdark entrance or are their many places they can slip onto the surface? Do they attack Caravans at night while they camp? If so why don't you set up an ambush? It's easier to deal with them on the surface than in their home court. I realize it'd be fun to adventure into the Underdark, but it's really dangerous.

Things to remember when infiltrating:(this assumes you have the appropriate knowledge about drow)
Do you speak the Drow dialect of Elven? How do you plan to pass scrutiny of say detect alignment, passwords, even another priestess asking you to quote a line of holy text (Know: Religion check). Do you know which city they are from? Are there any other cities in the region. Are those cities enemies? Are different Houses enemies? Have you captured any raiders and interogated them (magically)?

You shouldn't push the disguises any longer than you have to. Get in cause as much damage as possible and get out.
JadeFox
07-23-04, 03:46 PM Ok how large are the raiding parties? Can you track them to a single Underdark entrance or are their many places they can slip onto the surface? Do they attack Caravans at night while they camp? If so why don't you set up an ambush? It's easier to deal with them on the surface than in their home court. I realize it'd be fun to adventure into the Underdark, but it's really dangerous.

We tried that too, the drow caught on. They only attack when they know they can win. Also, they've started using Stoneshape Spells to drill small tunnels to the surfase from nearby caves so that we can't predict their exact exit point.

Do you speak the Drow dialect of Elven?

Of Course.

ow do you plan to pass scrutiny of say detect alignment

The wizard is CN, which is one-step away from lolth's alignement. No problems there.

passwords

We plan to ambush a small patrool and interrogate them.

even another priestess asking you to quote a line of holy text (Know: Religion check).

Kill them all. :D :D

Do you know which city they are from? Are there any other cities in the region. Are those cities enemies? Are different Houses enemies?

We dont' know.

Have you captured any raiders and interogated them (magically)?

were gonna try.
Shadowdweller
07-23-04, 08:05 PM How much do you know about Drow culture?

Well, the drow are real sadistic. They enjoy causing pain and agony, and love to torture things, but only if it will serve a higher purpose. Otherwise, they just see it as a waste of time.
Maybe have a member of the party act like a captive. Bind him and use him as a sort of prop to make your "We're a bunch of Drow" story seem more likely.

Something that might really intimidate the Drow is using their own equipment and tactics against them. Most drow carry at least one or two vials of their knockout poison on their person, so find a lone guard and kill him and take the poison.

Find a good ledge, get a composite longbow or other long-range weapon, coat some arrows in the stolen poison, and start sniping. Get in a shot or two, and when the group realizes what's happening and starts to scan the area, leave and find another entrance. Rinse and repeat as necessary. When they're all unconscious, come in and perform a coup de grace on each and every one of them. Be sure to hide the bodies.

On second thought, to avoid leaving blood puddles, find a place to hide the unconscious bodies and make it so when they wake up, they can't escape or yell for help. Toss the unconscious bodies into a ravine or something.
primemover003
07-23-04, 08:51 PM Hmmmm... sounds like the Drow know your DM and he's telling them your plans!!!

They must be using some sort of Divination or Scrying methods... is it the same Caravan or is it just the route??? Sounds fishy to me.

What kind of advance intel you have on them? Size of the stronghold, layout, troop strength???

I would still be worried about the unknown factors. Without some serious Divination you are in for some kind of surprise. It's hard to infiltrate the base of a race as paranoid as the Drow. Shriekers, glyphs of warding, alarm spells, mundane sentries...

This could be tough!

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
JadeFox 07-23-04, 03:18 PM	This is a 3.0 game -- Our party (8th level), has been hired to make life difficult for a small drow band that's started attacking convoy's on the roads, then falling back to their underdark base. Now obviously, if we tried to go in with spells blazing we'd die after the first large patrol. So we've decided to infiltrate. The advantage here is that since there are a good number of patrools going to and from the surfase it shouldn't be too hard for our chars to slip in. We have a wizard, a monk, a druid, and a fighter. The wizard (me) knows the most about the underdark, so we've decided to try this. Using Polymorph spells, Change Self, Alter Self, etc etc. Plus clothes purchased, we'll disguise ourself. The wizard will be a drow priestess, the rest of the party her escort. The basic plan is to walk in as if we own the place, and if a patroll tries to stop us we give them the "How dare you question a preiestess worthless male" routine. Any tips on how to increase our (admitantly low) chances of success?
primemover003 07-23-04, 03:39 PM	Ok how large are the raiding parties? Can you track them to a single Underdark entrance or are their many places they can slip onto the surface? Do they attack Caravans at night while they camp? If so why don't you set up an ambush? It's easier to deal with them on the surface than in their home court. I realize it'd be fun to adventure into the Underdark, but it's really dangerous. Things to remember when infiltrating:(this assumes you have the appropriate knowledge about drow) Do you speak the Drow dialect of Elven? How do you plan to pass scrutiny of say detect alignment, passwords, even another priestess asking you to quote a line of holy text (Know: Religion check). Do you know which city they are from? Are there any other cities in the region. Are those cities enemies? Are different Houses enemies? Have you captured any raiders and interogated them (magically)? You shouldn't push the disguises any longer than you have to. Get in cause as much damage as possible and get out.
JadeFox 07-23-04, 03:46 PM	Ok how large are the raiding parties? Can you track them to a single Underdark entrance or are their many places they can slip onto the surface? Do they attack Caravans at night while they camp? If so why don't you set up an ambush? It's easier to deal with them on the surface than in their home court. I realize it'd be fun to adventure into the Underdark, but it's really dangerous. We tried that too, the drow caught on. They only attack when they know they can win. Also, they've started using Stoneshape Spells to drill small tunnels to the surfase from nearby caves so that we can't predict their exact exit point. Do you speak the Drow dialect of Elven? Of Course. ow do you plan to pass scrutiny of say detect alignment The wizard is CN, which is one-step away from lolth's alignement. No problems there. passwords We plan to ambush a small patrool and interrogate them. even another priestess asking you to quote a line of holy text (Know: Religion check). Kill them all. :D :D Do you know which city they are from? Are there any other cities in the region. Are those cities enemies? Are different Houses enemies? We dont' know. Have you captured any raiders and interogated them (magically)? were gonna try.
Shadowdweller 07-23-04, 08:05 PM	How much do you know about Drow culture? Well, the drow are real sadistic. They enjoy causing pain and agony, and love to torture things, but only if it will serve a higher purpose. Otherwise, they just see it as a waste of time. Maybe have a member of the party act like a captive. Bind him and use him as a sort of prop to make your "We're a bunch of Drow" story seem more likely. Something that might really intimidate the Drow is using their own equipment and tactics against them. Most drow carry at least one or two vials of their knockout poison on their person, so find a lone guard and kill him and take the poison. Find a good ledge, get a composite longbow or other long-range weapon, coat some arrows in the stolen poison, and start sniping. Get in a shot or two, and when the group realizes what's happening and starts to scan the area, leave and find another entrance. Rinse and repeat as necessary. When they're all unconscious, come in and perform a coup de grace on each and every one of them. Be sure to hide the bodies. On second thought, to avoid leaving blood puddles, find a place to hide the unconscious bodies and make it so when they wake up, they can't escape or yell for help. Toss the unconscious bodies into a ravine or something.
primemover003 07-23-04, 08:51 PM	Hmmmm... sounds like the Drow know your DM and he's telling them your plans!!! They must be using some sort of Divination or Scrying methods... is it the same Caravan or is it just the route??? Sounds fishy to me. What kind of advance intel you have on them? Size of the stronghold, layout, troop strength??? I would still be worried about the unknown factors. Without some serious Divination you are in for some kind of surprise. It's hard to infiltrate the base of a race as paranoid as the Drow. Shriekers, glyphs of warding, alarm spells, mundane sentries... This could be tough!