IC 004 - Water Never Sleeps

[Rex]

Ciarra

Ciarra signals and whispers to Gars, "Something is coming from outside."

[Enoch]

Lavin hisses urgently to the others. "Get Lars." She moves up to flank the entrance to the outside, adjusting her grip on her polearm.

[Marullus]

Are the sides of the pit sloping a bowl, or steep like a pit? Did the rope ladder lead down into the pit, or up to something above eye-level?

Once signaled, Gars comes back out. He leaves the doors ajar, rather than closing them, in case it gives an opportunity to trick someone into the pit, divide their group with the door, etc.

He hurries over to the side with Ciarra. He readies his shield and reforms the weapon into his hand back to a longsword, preparing to protect her from the unknown.

"What did you see?" he asks at a whisper to her.

Expected action, use my move action to "screen an ally" on Ciarra, which will affect up to two foes. Pasting the reference here so I don't have to try to open the book from my phone later on.

Screen an Ally - Move Action
The PC moves up to their normal Move rate towards an
ally and then physically blocks opponents from attacking
them, provided they remain within ten feet. Until the
PC’s next turn, enemies who wish to make a melee or
ranged attack against the screened ally must succeed in
a successful Str or Dex-based opposed skill check against
the PC using the combat skill applicable to their weapon;
on a failure, the attack roll is automatically directed
toward the screening PC.
A PC can screen against a number of attackers in
one round equal to their combat skill; thus, Stab-2 lets
them block the attacks of two different attackers. PCs
with level-0 or worse combat skills can’t effectively screen.
Multiple PCs can try to screen the same ally; in such
a case, the attacker’s skill check is compared against all
blockers and the lowest-rolling successful blocker is attacked.
PCs can only screen against foes and attacks they
could plausibly physically parry or block with a shield.

[sulldawga]

As Lavin moves to a flanking position by the doorway, he peeks outside and sees a truly huge snake. It is dripping wet, having apparently just emerged from the water. It seems to have sensed Lavin's movement and has turned toward the door, moving toward you. Its tongue flicks out as it approaches, fangs glistening in the sun.

It's far enough away (though not too far) that you could attempt things other than combat if you wished.

[Enoch]

If Ciarra is near the door, I will move to screen her from the snake. Either way,

Lavin steps into the doorway, bringing the butt of her weapon up under her arm, jabbing at the snake and backpedaling before bring the weapon around in a vertical circle beside her, the blade descending in a vicious strike.

Halberd strike: [1d20+6]=8+6=14, damage [1d10+5]=9+5=14

She does 7 shock if she misses.

[Rex]

Ciarra

Ciarra throws her light spear at the snake once in range (30).

Thrown Light Spear [1d20+3]=19+3=22 to hit [1d6+3]=3+3=6 damage

[Marullus]

Doesn't look like Gars got to arrive?

[sulldawga]

Round 1

The snake slithers into range of the party... and gets completely obliterated. Ciarra sinks a spear into its hide, causing it to spasm in pain. Then Lavin neatly cuts its head off with one strike! You yourselves are in awe of the speed with which you dispatched such a large foe.

I swear I am not trying to make these combat encounters easy but I rolled hit points for a 3 HD creature and it came up with only 6. It only had an AC of 13. What can you do?

[sulldawga]

Having just dispatched the giant snake, the adventurers are on high alert for any other danger. Despite the roar of the fast- flowing river, they hear the sound of someone, or something, approaching from across the way.

It's a man, wearing a buff coat and holding a bow. He waves to get your attention.

The_Wanderer, your adventure begins now!

[Rex]

Ciarra

Ciarra recovers her spear, "Good job."

She checks it over quickly for anything unusual just in case.

[Marullus]

Gars returns at the sound of the scuffle, matte-black blade in his hand. "You alright?" he askes quietly of Lavin and Cierra, then noticing the remains of the cleaved snake. "Oh. The glands on that must be huge..." He steps forward to see about vivisecting the corpse for useful ingredients when he spies the man and his wave. He pauses to respond.

"Ho, what brings you?" he asks, firm but inoffensive.

Collecting giant-sized snake spell components:
Int+Magic [2d6+3]=12+3=15

[Rex]

Ciarra

Having become overly focused on the snake, she suddenly notices the newcomer. "A good question indeed. Are you alone?"

[The_Wanderer]

Sleepy

"What? Alone?" The man looks over his shoulders left and right and returns the party's looks with a look of surprise. "Yeah, can't you tell? My name's Sleepy. Well technically that's what my mother called me. My actual name is much longer but people still call me Sleepy.

So I'm looking for somebody...well directions to somebody. Any of you ever hear of Ruprect's Rangers? I heard they were active in these parts..."

Sleepy is short with a slight paunch. He has a broad smile, is cleanshaven and his eyes twinkle with genuine happiness at finding another group out in the wild.

[Rex]

Ciarra

"We are Rupert's Rangers, or at least some call us that. Sleepy is an interesting name, you don't just fall asleep standing there do you? I once saw that happen to a village idiot, could get you killed out here."

[Enoch]

"Hate the name, but it's nice to know we're gaining renown out here." Lavin smiles at the newcomer.

[The_Wanderer]

Ciarra

"We are Rupert's Rangers, or at least some call us that. Sleepy is an interesting name, you don't just fall asleep standing there do you? I once saw that happen to a village idiot, could get you killed out here."

Sleepy
"No - but my mom always used to say that I could sleep anywhere, anytime. I also have been mistaken for the village idiot but that was only by people before they know me better. But hey - you all are the Rangers! That's fantastic. So glad to meet you. I heard you were heading out west. I will admit - I was hoping to get away from Fort Illumination and was hoping to tag along with a group of fellow wanderers.

Do you mind if I tag along for a while? I know I'd be useful to you."

[Rex]

Ciarra

" I am not opposed to you joining us as long as you are willing to put up with us being a little extra careful until we are sure of your trustworthiness. No watch alone at first, that sort of thing."

[The_Wanderer]

Sleepy

"Just because a guy's mom calls him Sleepy, you don't want to trust him to stay awake on watch?" He says this with a straight face and then breaks into a wide grin.

"...I guess I did earn that nickname! I get it...I really do. It's not my first trip out in the field so I get the need for security and trust. Any other requirements of the new guy?"

And then his eyes are drawn to the giant snake body. "What. is. that?

Sorry let me clarify. What was that?"

[Marullus]

Gars regards the conversation solemnly, but the oddly likeable man wins him over swiftly.

"Indeed. I am Ruprect. Gars Ruprect," he says smiling warmly to the new arrival. The matte-black longsword in his hand disolves into smoke and shadows, blowing away like a strange mist. He extends his now-empty hand to shake. "We're short in our number, and if you're good with that bow, your aid won't be amiss.

Turning to the others, he continues. "Beyond the door is some sort of sacrificial pit with an observation dais... its proximity here to the front door alludes to it being a main attraction for those that gather. No exits I could see, but the drain holes in the floor imply a room below, where the spilled blood was collected likely for ritual purposes. I'd say we can get out the prybars and try to go straight down as a path less travelled. Or we can go left or right from this antechamber."

As they discuss, he returns to the task of collecting magical antecedents from the dead giant snake.

[sulldawga]

Collecting giant-sized snake spell components:
Int+Magic [2d6+3]=12+3=15

Is this just for fun? In the parlance of 1e, spells in WWN have verbal and somatic components but no material component. At least not to the best of my knowledge.

You can, of course, do it if you want to. But the party can also collect monster parts for sale and/or "forage" units of food from the body of the snake.

I think the house rule I cooked up (no pun intended) is if it's a normal animal, you can do either without a roll if you have Survive-0. If it's an uncommon animal or monster, you can do either without a roll if you have Survival-1. More exotic monsters may require a roll or a higher Survival level. If you want to do both (collect parts and carve out some meat), you'd need to make a Survive roll. Failure means you do neither.