Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

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Marullus
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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#321 Post by Marullus »

Bianca and Winnie step forward to the door; the human enchantress esorcelling one of the gnoll women while Bianca speaks in the unnervingly-high pitched sound of the gnoll tongue. Halfpint, still invisible, stands just behind.

Earc picks up and evaluates the Ellurian steel shortsword with running horse engraving while waiting for Bianca and Winnie to deal with the nursing gnoll mothers and pups. Funil, Drunil, and Olaf also remain invisible, though the steam from the hot spring pool whorls a bit giving clues to their locations. Issachar, having crushed the skulls and collected the ears of the gnolls, washes off his weapons in the water. Ms. Dash whines pitifully behind Winnie as she steps towards the hyena-scented doorframe and Pony the mule sniffs distainfully at the carnage, sniffing but not drinking the pool.

Winnie whispers soothing words, then pushes the door open. She smiles comfortingly at the gnolls, who appear to summarily ignore her. The gnolls look alarmed as the door swings open, revealing the two young sorceresses and allowing Olaf to sneak through the doorway, doing his best to not clink and jangle. The gnolls one showing the sags of middle age, the other much younger, are not fooled, narrowing their eyes and looking at the place where Olaf stopped when Bianca begins talking.

Bianca explains in gnoll, a plaintive sounding request. The gnolls respond poorly to whatever it is she said. They snarl ferociously, roughly pushing their pups out of the way behind them. The older one kicks the door closed forcefully on Winnie and Bianca while the younger one lunges at the invisible Olaf. Winnie is caught flatfooted, the door slamming closed before Bianca can intercede.

Okay, they win initiative for the first action, which shapes how this unfolds. Olaf and the younger gnoll act simultaneously in the room on round 1. (Olaf act.) The rest of the group needs to deal with a barred dwarven stone door before they can intercede.

Date: 2:10pm, 18 July 2021
Light: Torchlight in sconces
Effects: Invisibility potions until 2:20pm
Injuries: None

Initial disposition (+1 penalty for circumstance; no chance of friendly)
Disposition [2d6+1] = 3+1 = 4
Good roll - better than dubious. They're willing to listen. (CHA check is 3d6)

Olaf jangling... [1d6] = 5
They are aware of Olaf (-4 to hit him)

Int scores [3d6] = 10 [3d6] = 12
Gnoll Save vs Spell (16) [1d20] = 20
Charm is unsuccessful.

Bianca CHA Check (11) [1d20] = 12
Gnolls are not convinced of the party's integrity.

initiative: us [1d6] = 5 them [1d6] = 6

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Zhym
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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#322 Post by Zhym »

Are the gnolls armed or armored?

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#323 Post by Marullus »

Unarmored, weapons at hand (heavy flails) and usable.

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#324 Post by Zhym »

Olaf sighs heavily as the gnoll bitch attacks. He had hoped not to have to kill them. But Moradin will have his way. Olaf takes his morlock chain in one hand and lifts it—then sees the faces of the gnoll pups. That he is about to make into orphans.

Secure in his belief that the gnoll woman's attack is no threat to an invisible and as heavily armored dwarf such as himself (effective AC: -5), he stays his hand in hopes that further slaughter can be avoided.

"I don't want to kill ye," he says while backing into position to block the door further into the tower. "For the sake of your pups—keep your lives and leave."

He repeats the plea in common, goblin, and kobold.

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#325 Post by Rusty Tincanne »

Bad luck on that save roll... When I read they were 30' away (far side of the room) and busy suckling pups, I thought there would be more time to react in the event of a poor outcome. Whoops.

Winnie's jaw drops. She looks to the others, stepping out of the way. Oh dear! We've got to help him!

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#326 Post by Zhym »

BTW: stone door? How's that work?

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#327 Post by Marullus »

To be fair, you lost on the save, then lost on the CHA check without it, THEN lost on initiative. Any one would've saved it.
Zhym wrote:BTW: stone door? How's that work?
Because Dwarven engineering is awesome. And, because the dungeon generators say so. And, because if you're building a steam-bath hot tub room to last the ages, you don't want warping wood or rusting metal. :)

ETA:
Here's an archaeological example.
stone door with hinges

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#328 Post by Marullus »

The angry young gnoll Mother snarls, flailing wildly at empty space where Olaf isn't, protecting her young. Olaf shifts to guard the second exit and please with them. The words of an invisible husky dwarf-voice are less than reassuring to her.

Date: 2:11pm, 18 July 2021
Light: Torchlight in sconces
Effects: Invisibility potions until 2:20pm
Injuries: None


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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#329 Post by Zhym »

Olaf sighs again. As Moradin wills, he thinks. He strikes at the gnoll bitch with his morlock chain, trying to knock her out or entangle her rather than kill, if he can. But he doesn't know how to do that with a chain, and his aim is off.

Chain (THAC0 17): [1d20+2] = 5+2 = 7 [1d6+2] = 2+2 = 4 (Entangle on 19-20)

Here's a roll for round 2, if you want it, to speed this up:
Chain (THAC0 17): [1d20+2] = 5+2 = 7 [1d6+2] = 6+2 = 8 (Entangle on 19-20)

Ugh. This might take a while.

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#330 Post by Stirling »

looked at the stone doors pic, ... how big are these dwarves?


Issachar

"And so it ends badly, as I expected.", he takes out his ritual scythe and scrapes along the edge of the door jamb fitting to try to lift up the latch if it is shut that way. just is case a forceful shove doesn't open it. Issachar open doors roll str 13, bonus +1 [1d6+1] = 6+1 = 7

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#331 Post by onlyme »

Halfpint spends a few seconds lamenting her crowbar she hid outside of gaul to keep her weight from slowing down the team. She looks for anything that might help open door, searching for hidden levers, buttons, etc.
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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#332 Post by Marullus »

His pleas falling on deaf ears, Olaf drops his invisible protection and swings his Morlock chain. The gnolls hiss in recognition as they see the weapon and redouble their efforts to protect their young. Olaf strikes outwards once, then twice, without claiming a target. The younger gnoll is in a mad rage, flailing wildly! First she hits the older gnoll solidly (critical fumble, -7), eliciting curses from her companion. Her next blow hits Olaf squarely in the helmet, ringing his head like a bell (critical hit, -8). The older gnoll is more reserved and seems more focused on avoiding another blow from the younger mother-gnoll, her blows deflected skillfully by Olaf's shield.

Outside the chamber, Issachar tries to lift a latch with his sickle while Halfpint searches about for triggers and buttons, finding none. "No lass! This door is MEANT to secure from invasion," says Funil, telling her it is in vain. The group then tries again, trying to shoulder open the door by brute force. The dwarves lend their strength along with Issachar and Halfpint each in turn, but the stone workings emit cracking sounds while still holding fast. It is the wiry strength of Bianca, the elf maiden who's frame is shrouded in her robes, which pushes on the door and snaps the workings, causing the portal to swing open. The dwarves jaws drop in shock at the revelation that the elf maid is the strongest among them. The party sees Olaf get struck in the head with the younger gnoll's flail as he defends himself with his shield alone in the opposite corner. The gnolls beset him, the eight infant/toddler gnoll pups crouching and barking wildly in fear under the safety of the heavy benches.

Date: 2:13pm, 18 July 2021
Light: Torchlight in sconces
Effects: Invisibility potions until 2:20pm
Injuries: Olaf (Minor injury)


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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#333 Post by Zhym »

Olaf, his bell rung, is done messing around.

Chain (THAC0 17): [1d20+2] = 12+2 = 14 [1d6+2] = 1+2 = 3 (Entangle on 19-20)

I left out of my calculations that any hit a gnoll manages to land on Olaf is likely to be a critical hit.

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#334 Post by Alethan »

Earc does not enter the fight, figuring he's done enough killing of gnolls so far and it's time for the dwarves to handle it.

He does pick up the cloth-like shirt of chainmail to examine more closely, thinking it might suit Bianca very well.
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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#335 Post by Marullus »

Alethan wrote:... and it's time for the dwarves to handle it.
Fair enough. I'll expedite. :)

With the door burst open, Funil and Drunil charge to Olaf's aid, their invisibility dropping as they strike with surprise. Olaf's chain lashes the younger gnoll which creates the opening for Drunil's axe to cleave deeply into her back. Funil's axe also strikes home, laying low the older gnoll. Both of the gnoll mothers lie unconscious and bleeding to certain death on the floor in a few moments.

The gnoll pups begin to shriek and howl in terror and fear at seeing their mothers fall bloody at their feet. Funil and Drunil look back uncomfortably at Earc, lowering their axes.

Date: 2:14pm, 18 July 2021
Light: Torchlight in sconces
Effects: Invisibility potions until 2:20pm
Injuries: Olaf (Minor injury)


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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#336 Post by Rusty Tincanne »

Winnie whispers to Bianca, Let's hope the dwarfs don't make doors the way they used to. She stays out of the room, letting the more martially-inclined folks rush to the fore, shaking her head at the massacre ensuing. Bianca, tell them we just want to get inside. They don't have to die. We could hire them as guides, even.

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#337 Post by Zhym »

Rusty Tincanne wrote:Winnie whispers to Bianca, Let's hope the dwarfs don't make doors the way they used to. She stays out of the room, letting the more martially-inclined folks rush to the fore, shaking her head at the massacre ensuing. Bianca, tell them we just want to get inside. They don't have to die. We could hire them as guides, even.
You're a little late with that. ;)
"Don't ye got a spell to make them sleep?" Olaf asks Earc.

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#338 Post by Bluehorse »

Bianca

She shouts for everyone's attention and barks out the words exactly as Winnie said, the gnollish equivalent of pleading in her voice as she speaks to the pups. In Gnollese "Please, leave out and you will grow strong and hunt one day. Please, you cannot hope to stand up to these men today. This is your only chance."

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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#339 Post by Alethan »

Earc shakes his head at Olaf, "I've used those spells up during these last two encounters. I'll need to rest before I can use them again."

He waits to see if the two women can communicate with the pups, to get them to leave.
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Re: Expedition: Earc/Guhra's Tower - 15 July 2021

#340 Post by Stirling »

Issachar

Would grab a pup by the neck and mutter some vain weary prayer, but instead finds only claws are raised to scratch him instead of a doe eyed plea for mercy. His bloodletting scythe runs crimson but not the tainted blood of dog men.

:Issachar ministers mercy in melee [1d20] = 1 [1d4+1] = 2+1 = 3

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