So, what is the pont of the battle with Calder?

[brian 333]

I acknowledge the possibility, but I don't want it to be so!

[WanderingMist]

This is the singular random encounter they have before getting to the story relevant battle as dictated by the laws of drama and probability.

[KorvinStarmast]

This is the singular random encounter they have before getting to the story relevant battle as dictated by the laws of drama and probability.

Random? I don't think so. Calder is placed in a particular zone of the dungeon deliberately by Serini, or by Serini and other Scribblers. Calder is kept in that place via some powerful magic. The Order intended to bypass it, but based on an error made, either by Sunny or by Serini insofar as prison design or prison maintenance goes, an encounter was triggered.

The trigger was an error by the party. If we look at dungeon design and encounter design, this is a location-based encounter rather than a random encounter.

[Psyren]

Random? I don't think so. Calder is placed in a particular zone of the dungeon deliberately by Serini, or by Serini and other Scribblers. Calder is kept in that place via some powerful magic. The Order intended to bypass it, but based on an error made, either by Sunny or by Serini insofar as prison design or prison maintenance goes, an encounter was triggered.

The trigger was an error by the party. If we look at dungeon design and encounter design, this is a location-based encounter rather than a random encounter.

Less error and more unfortunate circumstance; I'm guessing the route Serini intended to take would have given Calder's chamber a wider berth - which also explains how he never got his eyes/talons on Sunny until now despite Sunny accompanying her on her inspections previously.

[KorvinStarmast]

So, what is the pont of the battle with Calder?

Not sure how familiar the OP is with corporate America, but the battle with Calder is the ultimate team building exercise for the Order of the Stick.

It's like an Off Site, except it's an On Site.

[DaOldeWolf]

So, what is the pont of the battle with Calder?

Not sure how familiar the OP is with corporate America, but the battle with Calder is the ultimate team building exercise for the Order of the Stick.

It's like an Off Site, except it's an On Site.

I suppose there is no better way to create trust between members of a team than by thrusting into the jugular of whatever issue the exercise is about.

[dxm2000]

So, several people have mentioned two of the main points that I considered(those being Calder becomes no longer an obstacle to Team Evil, and Calder wastes party resources/potentially gives levels-- which is worth remembering --), and some have brushed a sub-point(the Scribble's history-- Sunny knew enough about Calder, to draw him).

But three other thoughts occur to me, one touched upon in many ways, but not quite the one I'm thinking of, the others, unless I missed something(plausible), sort of missed:

One of them is a specific resource being used: Time. OotS assume they have days, plural before TE gets to the final dungeon, and therefore them. The entity Redcloak summoned assumes half that(possibly lessened if they already finished the last few dungeons they'd need to hit. OotS' plan involves beating TE to their destination and setting up an ambush. Last time they wanted to do so(not to Xykon, because Planar Allies wouldn't work on him, but still), they needed time to set up. If they again need time to set up, then that might take a day or more. A little problem if they have two days, not a problem if they have more, except now the current one might be burnt on recovery(and some may end out entirely out of the fight, Sunny was hit pretty hard), and the second might be too little, too late.

The second is the Paladins. Right now, they are in the water below. The party is burning spell slots. Mimi could easily die. Walls could crumble. Essentially, a situation could resolve such that the paladins(who have the most unused resources) are again split from the group, forced to take the passage the team opened(actually, the open passage could also be an issue), temporarily removing them from the narrative, because means for easily recovering them are lost. It could also create a schism, because Serini intentionally abandoned them.

The third, well, as I said, has been touched on in many ways/by many:

The point of the Calder fight, from my perspective, appears to be offering Bloodfeast the opportunity to show he's the Order's heaviest hitter once again. :D

I’ve got it. I know what the point is.

Belkar.

Calder will dominate Belkar; Belkar will have his protection from evil clasp, which shows his alignment has changed. Belkar will then have to ride the dinosaur back into the stasis circle, dragging Calder, whereupon the magic will be restored.

Belkar draws his last breath. No more birthday cake.

I'm going to make the bold, likely inaccurate prediction that this...might be it for Belkar. He jumps into save Bloodfeast and gets roasted for his trouble.

It would kinda be the ultimate culmination of his character, even more so than sacrificing himself to save one of the sapient members of the party. Belkar started out as a Ranger for purely mechanical reasons, and has always sucked at it. But along with his character growth from textbook, comical CE he's also started to do more and more Ranger-like things over time.

What would be a more fitting end to the character arc than dying selflessly to save an Animal Companion he put into danger? It even fits the recent reiteration we've had that the main character trait he never lost from the early days is his tendency to leap before he looks. He's probably gonna jump in out of pure reflex and impulse.

Maybe a last bit of snark ("Damn...rolled a 1.") and burnt to ashes; notably a form of death that is VERY hard to remedy in 3.5, as it prevents you from using normal Raise Dead.

I'm so scared Bloodfeast is going to die! I had no idea I'd grown so fond of the little fella. I can't believe it's been over 10 years since we met them

I don't think either Bloodfeast or Belkar are going to die yet.

However, Bloodfeast living creates issues of its own. Getting Bloodfeast around will be difficult at this size and liable to set off all kinds of traps. However, unringing the "Baleful Polymorph removal" bell likely isn't an option. V probably cannot afford to waste the spell slot, and that's assuming V can even cast the spell. So unless someone has an item to cast that or a similar spell, Bloodfeast is likely making any last stand being made here. This puts Belkar in the unfortunate position of having to pick his charge or his party. Considering his development, I could see a few ways that the events that follow might kill him, tying things up in a "narratively satifying" way, without introducing a one-off villain just to kill him or his pet.

[No good @ names]

Random? I don't think so. Calder is placed in a particular zone of the dungeon deliberately by Serini, or by Serini and other Scribblers. Calder is kept in that place via some powerful magic. The Order intended to bypass it, but based on an error made, either by Sunny or by Serini insofar as prison design or prison maintenance goes, an encounter was triggered.

The trigger was an error by the party. If we look at dungeon design and encounter design, this is a location-based encounter rather than a random encounter.

I thought we only ever had one random encounter per trip! There was a chalkboard and everything!

So, several people have mentioned two of the main points that I considered(those being Calder becomes no longer an obstacle to Team Evil, and Calder wastes party resources/potentially gives levels-- which is worth remembering --), and some have brushed a sub-point(the Scribble's history-- Sunny knew enough about Calder, to draw him).

But three other thoughts occur to me, one touched upon in many ways, but not quite the one I'm thinking of, the others, unless I missed something(plausible), sort of missed:

One of them is a specific resource being used: Time. OotS assume they have days, plural before TE gets to the final dungeon, and therefore them. The entity Redcloak summoned assumes half that(possibly lessened if they already finished the last few dungeons they'd need to hit. OotS' plan involves beating TE to their destination and setting up an ambush. Last time they wanted to do so(not to Xykon, because Planar Allies wouldn't work on him, but still), they needed time to set up. If they again need time to set up, then that might take a day or more. A little problem if they have two days, not a problem if they have more, except now the current one might be burnt on recovery(and some may end out entirely out of the fight, Sunny was hit pretty hard), and the second might be too little, too late.

The second is the Paladins. Right now, they are in the water below. The party is burning spell slots. Mimi could easily die. Walls could crumble. Essentially, a situation could resolve such that the paladins(who have the most unused resources) are again split from the group, forced to take the passage the team opened(actually, the open passage could also be an issue), temporarily removing them from the narrative, because means for easily recovering them are lost. It could also create a schism, because Serini intentionally abandoned them.

The third, well, as I said, has been touched on in many ways/by many:










I don't think either Bloodfeast or Belkar are going to die yet.

However, Bloodfeast living creates issues of its own. Getting Bloodfeast around will be difficult at this size and liable to set off all kinds of traps. However, unringing the "Baleful Polymorph removal" bell likely isn't an option. V probably cannot afford to waste the spell slot, and that's assuming V can even cast the spell. So unless someone has an item to cast that or a similar spell, Bloodfeast is likely making any last stand being made here. This puts Belkar in the unfortunate position of having to pick his charge or his party. Considering his development, I could see a few ways that the events that follow might kill him, tying things up in a "narratively satifying" way, without introducing a one-off villain just to kill him or his pet.

Bloodfeast is probably the most difficult resource to bring to bear against Team Evil. So it’s the smart move for the rest of the party to preserve themselves for the big fight by letting Bloodfeast take the brunt, even if it’s the death of him.