It’s one of those third-party splatbook poisons that does acid damage because “it burns in the veins” and so stone walls aren’t immune to the damage type.
Though to be honest I’m expecting this to be around the part where everything goes sideways for the Bullywugs because they aren’t the real threat, just ‘setting the stage’ that the castle’s under near-constant attack by all kinds of crazy.
The problem is you don’t just need an acid that works on stone walls. You need an acid that works on stone walls and doesn’t work on your ballista bolt arrowhead.
Also, acid (and poison) takes time to work, so in order to be in any way effective at delivering sufficient quantities, your bolt needs to stick in the target, not bounce off it.
Assuming you even have sufficient quantities to begin with. Dissolving stuff in acid generally requires as much or more acid than the stuff you want to dissolve, and a ballista-bolt-arrowhead-sized hole in a castle wall isn’t going to be enough to breach it.
There is some probability that he meant “poisson-tipped,” but if he did, he should have distributed the poisson across multiple bolts. Putting all the poisson on one bolt would be fishy.
(Exasparated) A poison-tipped ballista… These bullywugs aren’t especially smart, are they? If it hits the castle, unless it’s acid it probably won’t do much. If it hits an individual, the poison will be a minor inconvenience considering it’s a bloody ballista bolt!
That said, I love how these frogs are being portrayed as exceptionally stupid, from their poor English/common to the aforementioned matter to continuously attacking a warrior who, as Dorilys said, has been butchering their forces ‘all morning’.
Now, don’t go ballistic, my friend! These frogs are by no means green in terms of fighting, they might need a tip or two about siege warfare, but there’s no point to be so venomous about it.
Though, I’m hoping they set their terminology straight. That’s not a ballista they are using, that’s a scorpio.
It is most certainly not. A Scorpio is a torsion engine not a flexion engine. I think so is a ballista. The only historical sources I can recall seeing for flexion engines were Chinese art. I think they’re called something that translates to bed crossbow.
Considering the world they live in, there are plenty of critters that can shrug off ballista bolts, and there are some utterly terrifying poisons out there as well. And anyone who has been attacked by a rampaging gazebo knows better than to underestimate buildings!
Now, don’t go ballistic, my friend! These frogs are by no means green in terms of fighting, they might need a tip or two about siege warfare, but there’s no point to be so venomous about it.
Though, I’m hoping they set their terminology straight. That’s not a ballista they are using, that’s a scorpio.
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… how do you poison a castle?
By shooting it with a poison tipped ballista. Obviously.
OK, since the leader is green, and obviously a poison arrow frog, I suggest that his name going forward is Phyll….Phyll O’ Bates.
Either we are about to find out, or they are about to fail spectacularly.
Probably the first. The story is just starting out.
No. No we have not
It’s one of those third-party splatbook poisons that does acid damage because “it burns in the veins” and so stone walls aren’t immune to the damage type.
Though to be honest I’m expecting this to be around the part where everything goes sideways for the Bullywugs because they aren’t the real threat, just ‘setting the stage’ that the castle’s under near-constant attack by all kinds of crazy.
We’ll see.
The problem is you don’t just need an acid that works on stone walls. You need an acid that works on stone walls and doesn’t work on your ballista bolt arrowhead.
Also, acid (and poison) takes time to work, so in order to be in any way effective at delivering sufficient quantities, your bolt needs to stick in the target, not bounce off it.
Assuming you even have sufficient quantities to begin with. Dissolving stuff in acid generally requires as much or more acid than the stuff you want to dissolve, and a ballista-bolt-arrowhead-sized hole in a castle wall isn’t going to be enough to breach it.
Depends on how quick it works and how quick you can fire it off.
I mean, have we *ruled out* the possibility that the Castle is a gargantuan mimic, disguised as an unassuming piece of architecture?
No. No we have not
Obviously, he meant ‘poisson-tipped ballista’. I blame the frog of war. I mean: the fog of war.
There is some probability that he meant “poisson-tipped,” but if he did, he should have distributed the poisson across multiple bolts. Putting all the poisson on one bolt would be fishy.
(Exasparated) A poison-tipped ballista… These bullywugs aren’t especially smart, are they? If it hits the castle, unless it’s acid it probably won’t do much. If it hits an individual, the poison will be a minor inconvenience considering it’s a bloody ballista bolt!
That said, I love how these frogs are being portrayed as exceptionally stupid, from their poor English/common to the aforementioned matter to continuously attacking a warrior who, as Dorilys said, has been butchering their forces ‘all morning’.
Now, don’t go ballistic, my friend! These frogs are by no means green in terms of fighting, they might need a tip or two about siege warfare, but there’s no point to be so venomous about it.
Though, I’m hoping they set their terminology straight. That’s not a ballista they are using, that’s a scorpio.
Well, I guess they know that. Why else would they want to use poisoned ammunition for it?
It is most certainly not. A Scorpio is a torsion engine not a flexion engine. I think so is a ballista. The only historical sources I can recall seeing for flexion engines were Chinese art. I think they’re called something that translates to bed crossbow.
Pretty sure that’s a ballista. Roman scorpio would be smaller.
But this is a bullywug scorpio.
Yes, the roman scorpio was smaller; but the roman ballista typically fired stones, not bolts. Also @Atarlost, it was also a torsion engjne.
Considering the world they live in, there are plenty of critters that can shrug off ballista bolts, and there are some utterly terrifying poisons out there as well. And anyone who has been attacked by a rampaging gazebo knows better than to underestimate buildings!
Have we ruled out the castle is some form of Genius Loci? Would be on brand.
No. No we have not ruled it out. 0:)
Bullies generally aren’t known for their wit.
Perhaps these could be considered ‘hoplites’, judging by their armor. Of course. Completely ignoring their general frog-like characteristics.
Now, don’t go ballistic, my friend! These frogs are by no means green in terms of fighting, they might need a tip or two about siege warfare, but there’s no point to be so venomous about it.
Though, I’m hoping they set their terminology straight. That’s not a ballista they are using, that’s a scorpio.
Given the episode title, I believe that the Castle is indeed alive. This will be interesting.
Hmm, that’s an interesting notion. Maybe some manner of earth elemental? Or a golem-esque construct?
Presti and previously Grawlf have been itching (see 11-2.2 and 8-191.5).
The bullywugs have been trying to infiltrate the castle, but is it already infested by woolly-bugs?
The ballista has a license plate 😀
I wonder what mileage it gets!