8a. Looking for Trouble

[Zhym]

Date: The next morning
Time: 11:55 AM - Round 5
Weather: Fog
Location: The Old Svalich Road
**************************************

Despite being partially entangled, the lone beetle that is not immobilized manages to take the initiative. It forces its way forward through the grasping weeds toward Gragog, but its feeble attacks miss.

Gragog counterattacks, but a weed pulls the spear out of his hand! Lar's attack is much more effective. He brings his bastard sword up and into the beetle's chest. Petyr joins in with a spear thrust between chitinous plates in the beetle's armor. Shinyah steps up behind Gragog and pokes the beetle with his spear, scoring a hit that mostly just mars the beetle's shell. The beetle is doing quite poorly, but is still alive and fighting.

Agax rushes forward and swaps places with Scarlett behind Lar. He says a few holy words and brings Lar back to nearly full health. Bogdana steps into the woods near one of the stuck beetles (B7). She swings her staff at the beetle's head, but her blow falls harmlessly against one of the beetle's horns.

Scarlett takes off her pack and starts digging for oil. "Light them up," she says. "Fire will turn them to ash or make them flee."

"No fire!" calls out Shinyah in alarm. "Not here. The beetles are unable to attack while they are held. When the one who is free has been killed, it should be easy enough to finish the others with ranged weapons."

Forest Road.png (131.25 KiB) Viewed 697 times

B5 and B4 are heavily injured. All but B5 are entangled.

Don't forget that Gragog gets two attacks per round with the spear.

Gragog can spend the next round retrieving his spear, or he can switch to a different weapon and attack next round.

Initiative: Party [1d6] = 3 Monsters [1d6] = 6
Beetle attack: [1d20] = 5 [1d20] = 7 [1d20] = 8
Petyr (Spear): [1d20+2] = 16+2 = 18, Dmg [1d6+3] = 5+3 = 8 (S/M) [1d8+3] = 7+3 = 10 (L)
Agax, CLW: [1d8] = 7
Bogdana (Mace or Staff): [1d20] = 8 [1d6] = 4 (+1 if mace v. L)

-----
Gragog (F7): 40/49; Lar (P6): 38/40; Scarlett (C7/T5): 34/34; Agax (MU7): 45/45; Petyr (F4): 30/30; Bogdana (C3): 23/23; Shinyah (D7): 38/38, Honeynose: 28/28, Treescratcher: 29/29, Hihu: 4/4
Effects: Entangle (Shinyah), 7 rounds, Entangle (Shinyah), 9 rounds

[GreyWolfVT]

Gragog retrieves his spear or makes the efforts to.

[Inferno]

Agax the Dreamer, wizard:

The dreaming wizard circled around behind Petyr and the Druid, coming alongside Bogdana's right hand. He threw more darts at another one of the helpless creatures (B7).

Agax Darts: To hit: [1d20] = 9, S/M damage:[1d3] = 2, L damage:[1d2] = 2
Agax Darts: To hit: [1d20] = 17, S/M damage:[1d3] = 2, L damage:[1d2] = 1
Agax Darts: To hit: [1d20] = 15, S/M damage:[1d3] = 3, L damage:[1d2] = 2

[Stirling]

Scarlett will scan the combat and realise the creatures are about to be turned into beetlejuice. She will heed the advice of Shinyah and put the oil away.

[Cwreando]

Lar attacks saying, "Ohama's light shines down this day beetles."

OOC - rolls coming later.

To Hit AC0 (15) Bastard Sword +1, [1d20+1] = 1+1 = 2, Dmg vs sm [2d4+1] = 3+1 = 4 Dmg vs L [2d8+1] = 7+1 = 8

That's going to leave a mark.

[Storm11]

Could you have not just spoken to the beetles with a speak with animals spell and been on your merry way?

[Inferno]

Could you have not just spoken to the beetles with a speak with animals spell and been on your merry way?

It seems that Fighters gotta fight.

[Storm11]

innit though

[Stirling]

"But not bright enough Sir Lars." Scarlett grins and steps into melee by the side of the paladin, proudly she swings a wickedly spiked mace at the beetle striking to hit but just tapping its' armoured shell.

to hit: 15, damage 1,

"prayer and fasting has made me weak, Samar strengthen my arm as well as my character."

[Zhym]

Date: The next morning
Time: 11:56 AM - Round 6
Weather: Fog
Location: The Old Svalich Road
**************************************

Your battle with the beetles seems well under control, but the fight isn't over quite yet.

The lone free-range beetle, just impaled with Lar's sword, reacts by swinging its head wildly from side to side. The motion pulls Lar's sword out of his hand and impales him with both of the beetle's massive horns. (Lar: -11 HP)

Gragog retrieves his spear. Scarlett puts her oil away and draws her mace, but with several other people between her and the beetle, she can't get get into melee range without entering the area of entanglement. Shinyah and Peter continue to attack with spears from behind Lar and Gragog. Shinyah misses, but Petyr manages another hit. The beetle, now staggering, appears to be on the verge of death.

Meanwhile, Agax tosses three darts that barely nick the shell of an entangled beetle.

Map is the same as before. Beetles are unintelligent per AD&D, and so they cannot be conversed with using speak with animals.

Same deal for Lar as Gragog had last round: he can switch to another weapon and attack this round, or spend the round retrieving his sword.

Initiative: Party [1d6] = 3 Monsters [1d6] = 5
Beetle attack: [1d20] = 17 [1d20] = 18 [1d20] = 6
Beetle damage: [1d10] = 7 [1d10] = 4
Shinyah (Spear +1): [1d20+1] = 6+1 = 7, Dmg [1d6+1] = 2+1 = 3 (S/M) [1d8+1] = 7+1 = 8 (L)
Petyr (Spear): [1d20+2] = 18+2 = 20, Dmg [1d6+3] = 5+3 = 8 (S/M) [1d8+3] = 2+3 = 5 (L)

-----
Gragog (F7): 40/49; Lar (P6): 27/40; Scarlett (C7/T5): 34/34; Agax (MU7): 45/45; Petyr (F4): 30/30; Bogdana (C3): 23/23; Shinyah (D7): 38/38, Honeynose: 28/28, Treescratcher: 29/29, Hihu: 4/4
Effects: Entangle (Shinyah), 6 rounds, Entangle (Shinyah), 8 rounds

[GreyWolfVT]

Gragog with his spear back tries to impale the nearest living beetle entangled or not. i.e. it matters not to him an enemy/target is an enemy/target no matter it's situation as long as it is living.
Spear +1 Thac0(14) [1d20+2] = 16+2 = 18 To Hit [1d6+3] = 1+3 = 4 S/M Dmg [1d8+3] = 3+3 = 6 L Dmg
Spear +1 Thac0(14) [1d20+2] = 11+2 = 13 To Hit [1d6+3] = 4+3 = 7 S/M Dmg [1d8+3] = 8+3 = 11 L Dmg

[Inferno]

Agax the Dreamer, wizard:

Agax moved back and healed Lar again, uttering the same alien words from beyond this world.

CLW: [1d8] = 3

[Cwreando]

Lar lets out a groan as he is impaled on the horns and pulls away. He staggers a bit and loses his sword so he grabs his morning star. His ego strengthened as Scarlett seems near he musters his courage and strength to assault the beetle. He says,"Ohama has shown us the light and the truth. Let's finish these creatures."

Lars will attack the nearest living beetle he can get to in case one falls he moves to the next one where he is not entangled.

To Hit AC0 (15) Morning Star +1, [1d20+1] = 20+1 = 21, Dmg vs sm [2d4+1] = 6+1 = 7 Dmg vs L [2d6+2] = 10+2 = 12

Second roll if one is allowed for crit.

To Hit AC0 (15) Morning Star +1, [1d20+1] = 10+1 = 11, Dmg vs sm [2d4+1] = 5+1 = 6 Dmg vs L [2d6+2] = 6+2 = 8
Never mind just looked up rules and it's max damage unless it's rolled then it's doubled damage.

[Zhym]

Date: The next morning
Time: 11:57 AM - Round 7
Weather: Fog
Location: The Old Svalich Road
**************************************

A victorious end to the battle clearly in sight, our heroes grab a decisive edge in initiative.

Gragog puts the mortally-wounded beetle in front of him (B5) out of its misery, then turns the the beetle on his right. A strong hit by Gragog and mighty blows by Lar and Shinyah quickly bring that beetle down. Scarlett's sling and Petyr's bow combine to finish off the lightning-charred beetle in the middle of the road (B4). The party has no trouble dispatching the two remaining beetles with arrows and sling shots.

Agax steps forward and heals Lar of some of his wounds.

"That was a little tougher than I thought it would be, but we seem to have made it through no worse for wear," says Shinyah as he dispels the entanglement blocking the road.

Initiative: Party [1d6] = 5 Monsters [1d6] = 1
Shinyah (Spear +1): [1d20+1] = 20+1 = 21, Dmg [1d6+1] = 4+1 = 5 (S/M) [1d8+1] = 4+1 = 5 (L) Critical Hit! 9 Damage
Petyr (Short Bow): [1d20] = 10, Dmg [1d6] = 3
Petyr (Short Bow): [1d20] = 7, Dmg [1d6] = 3
Bogdana (Mace or Staff): [1d20] = 11 [1d6] = 4 (+1 if mace v. L)
Scarlett (Sling): [1d20+1] = 16+1 = 17, Dmg [1d6+2] = 1+2 = 3

-----
Gragog (F7): 40/49; Lar (P6): 30/40; Scarlett (C7/T5): 34/34; Agax (MU7): 45/45; Petyr (F4): 30/30; Bogdana (C3): 23/23; Shinyah (D7): 38/38, Honeynose: 28/28, Treescratcher: 29/29, Hihu: 4/4
Effects: None

[GreyWolfVT]

Gragog "Well the forest should be a bit safer now that those bugs are dispatched. Shall we continue onward?" the half-orc asks while wiping the beetle guts off his spear.

[Cwreando]

Lar says, "Ohama you have blessed this victory and we honor your blessings. He looks at the others. As you can see adventurers, if we combine our efforts we can do well together. Let us take heed though that it was difficult to accomplish so we must temper our skill with strategy and thought. Shall we continue on our march?"

Lar picks up his blade as he speaks and cleans it thoroughly and does the same for his morning star and examines his armor noting areas to be repaired.

[Inferno]

Agax Gryyg, dreaming wizard:

"Yes, quite. Now that we've cleared up a beetle infestation, perhaps we can return to more pressing matters."

The mercurial wizard's smile held slightly less warmth than it had in town. His demeanor was more urgent, more serious. It was as if, now that they had stepped off of "base" (the safety of town), the game was on and the stakes of his elaborate, interdimensional hobby were suddenly made real.

[Stirling]

Scarlett will retrieve some of the sling bullets. And take a look at those huge mandible horns! She has never seen their like before and would like to break one off as a trophy to give during her 'sacrificial moon dance' offering. (yeah it's that 'time of the month' for her!)."Shame to leave them here, we could otherwise strip their chitinous shells and trade with some smith to make the bits into scale armour or a fancy hide shield. My gypsy brethren would make a fortune from these remains. Samar would be pleased that their deaths provide protection for humankind from worse aberrations than giant insects.". Whilst everyone cleans themselves and their weapons she will take out a few chalk crayons and draw a winged coatyl design upon one such undented carapace. "Hmmm very Samaric, just needs a bit of colour here and there ...perhaps one of you guys could cut this piece out for me please?" she stands there looking at the heroic heroes in front of her, smiling and in a kind of little girl pose, toes pointed inwards and hands behind her back and whistling some merry tune...

[GreyWolfVT]

Gragog in speaking to Scarlett "If you know how to scavenge the shells to do so I am more than happy to help you do so Scarlett."

[Zhym]

Cool idea. A giant stag beetle's carapace is about 8' long by 6' wide. Let's say [2d4] = 4 of them are intact enough to make use of. You'd have to talk to a smith or someone else with specialized knowledge to know if the beetle's hard exoskeleton could be used to make armor or shields that are better than what you're currently carrying, and, if so, how long it would take.