Chapter 1 > Road to Adventure

[Belkregos]

Stitches will be on the wagon with his bow handy

[wordoftheoracle]

Ioriston:

"I have read much on the art and science of wayfaring. My suggestion is that those who are more acclimated in the arts of battle march at the head leaving one as a rearguard. I would also strongly recommend that those who are more adept at the arcane or thieving arts stay in a more central position. My recommendation for a marching order is as follows:

• Kelton, Our Charismatic Trailblazer
• Baer, Our Fiery Healer
• Ioriston, Purveyor of Arcane Knowledge and Utility
• Simon, Our Deplorable Resident Sluggard
• Aslaan, Our Nimble-Footed Warrior

I would assure you all that this arrangement would be in the best interest of our jovial band."

[hedgeknight]

^ Classic! Love it!!

[Belkregos]

Stitches raises an eyebrow as he hears Iorostone

" oh yea, yea, pick on the halfling....wait... did you just called me a thief! you just see a short person and assume hes a thief? trying to keep us down "
he climbs on the back of the wagon and starts rolling some smoking tobbacco
"at least im not walking"

[wordoftheoracle]

Ioriston:

"Your nefarious ways are your own, friend Simon. Let's just hope that your roguish acumen is of a higher stature than your stance. Enjoy your repose... I just hope, for your sake, that you're awake long enough to take part in the spoils should our journey come to that..."

Ioriston gives a sly and pretentious look at Simon as if he can read him like one of his books.

"And... I would never make fun of someone's stature... That is for smaller humanoids to do..."

Ioriston feels smugly satisfied with himself and fairly confident that his banter went right over Simon's head.

[mordechiyoel]

Baer will ride on the wagon.

OOC: I am out of town until Thursday morning.

[burlyjr]

Not so sure of how fleet of foot I am, but I'll take my chances at the rear.

[hedgeknight]

With Kelton, the charismatic trailblazer out front, and Aslaan the Nimble-Footed in the rear, your group moves ahead making good time on the trail. You've been on the Triboar Trail for about half a day when you come around a bend and spot two dead horses sprawled about fifty feet ahead of you, blocking the path. Each has several black-feathered arrows sticking out of it. The woods press close to the trail here, with a steep embankment and dense thickets to either side.

Dead Horses.jpg (466.82 KiB) Viewed 527 times

Actions?
Each square on the grid map is five feet.

[wordoftheoracle]

Ioriston to the group:

"I once read a tome by a Sahuagin admiral, Ackbarius, on wayfaring maneuvers. Often, in order to set up an ambush, Kuo-Toa marauders would leave deceased livestock deliberately. This allowed them to waylay their unfortunate prey. In summary, Admiral Ackbarius would say that this was a trap."

[Belkregos]

Stitches squints his eyes looking for details in the brush and scratches his testicles
"i've got an itch, doesnt seem right, a dog leg at the road's always good for an ambush

he grabs his bow and hides as he moves to the bushes to the right (down on the map) of the wagon looking to advance hidden from view, bow at the ready
stealth roll:
stealth: [1d20+7] = 7+7 = 14

[scbeachbum]

Kelton agrees, something just isn't right. He will look everything over as best he can. With his hand on his sword. Kelton will get off of his horse and look for an signs or tracks trying to see if anything points him to any sort of direction. Kelton will look to their left, but thinking the right. He whispers, "be careful and on the lookout." he points to the trees on the right.

[mordechiyoel]

"Dis ain't gonna end well," Baer says with scowl.
"Metinks this is a trap, as I have seen bandits pull dis maneuver when we put down the Black Masks in Mintarn," Baer explains as he looks around. "As soon as someone checks the horses, arrow fire from da sides, careful boys !" The dwarf shares.

[burlyjr]

Aslaan knocks a arrow and looks around the area for any signs of trouble that may be there.

[wordoftheoracle]

Ioriston:

"Well, no use delaying the inevitable. Shall I draw them out with noise?"

Before waiting for a response, Ioriston points at a sizable (4-5 pound) rock on the right side of the road near the junction between the forest and the road proper. With a hand gesture and a brief arcane incantation, the rock flies off the road and into the woods using his Mage Hand cantrip.

Ioriston continues:

"In almost every historical account in the libraries I have visited, fortune tends to favor the bold!"

Ioriston then shouts:

"We know you're there and you are likewise aware of our presence! You may proceed with your assault and we will resolve this absurd stalemate!"

[hedgeknight]

While Ioriston is making enough noise to wake the dead, Stitches manages to sneak into the woods off to the right of the trail...and to his surprise, he actually sees a creature hunkered down behind a tree, watching the trail. It is a small humanoid and looks like a goblin. He has a shortbow in hand, arrow nocked and ready.
About 10 feet further on, Stitches spies a second goblin standing behind a bush, peering out at the wagon. Neither of the goblins seem to know he is there.

Actions for Stitches?
Actions for the rest of the group?

[wordoftheoracle]

Do all of us know what Stitches knows?

[Belkregos]

managing to get the drop on the goblins, stitches doesn't waste the opportunity and sneak attacks the goblin with the bow
with out a word but expecting the noise will alert his companions he prepares to attack the second goblin

bow sneak attack: to hit [1d20+5] = 10+5 = 15 advantage roll [1d20+5] = 12+5 = 17 damage [2d6+3] = 6+3 = 9

OOC: just to verify this is how advantage works? roll 2 d20 and take the highest?

[wordoftheoracle]

Ioriston will cast mage armor and continue taunting the would-be attackers in order to provoke them into coming out of hiding.

"Based on your meager attempts at trickery, I would assume you are one of the less intelligent species of humanoids! My guess based on our current locale would be that you are either a bugbear, a small band of hobgoblins, or a small band of gnolls. In any case, if you were of any significant number or force, there would be no need for subterfuge!"

Ioriston draws his sword and uses prestidigitation to give it a blue tinge.

"I am not certain that your feeble minds can grasp the amount of trouble you have brought on yourselves! You will feel the wrath of Oghma presently!"

Ioriston hopes that his attempts to provoke the goblin party into attacking the wagon, and thusly coming into view of the party, is successful. Hopefully, there's some circumstance bonus (not necessarily a numerical one) for Stiches in distracting the enemies.

[burlyjr]

If Aslaan hears or notices that the goblins are there he will attempt to to get in a shot with his bow. If not able to get off a shot he will continue to keep a look out for any other would be attackers.

[hedgeknight]

Triboar Trail > First Blood

Managing to get the drop on the goblins, Stitches doesn't waste the opportunity and drills the closest goblin with an arrow through the head, killing it instantly! (First blood of the game to Belkregos!)

OOC: just to verify this is how advantage works? roll 2 d20 and take the highest?

Yes, I had to look it up, but you are right. You can do this once per turn provided the conditions are right. Good time to do it!

Do all of us know what Stitches knows?

No, and that's a good question. I considered to post all of that information in a spoiler tag for Stitches' eyes only, but since this was the opening combat, I figured I would allow others to see what was going on. Going forward, you can expect spoiler tags for such actions.

Sensing something is about to happen, Ioriston invokes a simple spell of protection upon his person and draws his sword, tinging it's blade blue. He continues to taunt the would-be attackers in an attempt to draw them out...and is successful.

Three goblins burst from hiding on the left side of the trail and charge the wagon, targeting those on foot (Aslaan, Kelton, and Ioriston). The other goblin in the woods on the right side of the trail, wheels around as soon as Stitches kills its companion, and lets fire with its bow, targeting the sneaky rogue. The black-fletched arrow lodges solidly in Stitches shoulder, hurting like the dickens!
Goblin shortbow: [1d20+4] = 18+4 = 22, [1d6+2] = 1+2 = 3

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Everyone roll Initiative and declare actions!

Stats:
Stitches > down 3 hp
1 Goblin dead