Rusty Tincanne wrote:
Oh. Marullus: we mentioned eating for the day. How many rations should I deduct? I am asking you since I seem to be feeding 2 PCs, 3 NPC farmers, a goblin, a dog, a donkey and an an owl now. [/ooc]
Oh, right. Good point. The donkey and owl fed themselves today. Deduct for everyone else.
Rusty Tincanne wrote:Are there any likely piles of rocks, boulders that could be shifted to fall onto the trail but still keep the farmers and Foxy within short-to-medium range of where we will be attacking them?
Rocks that roll are a bit hard here among the limestone and shale; there are logs, though, that would do well.
Rusty Tincanne wrote:If you get to this before i post though, Can Marullus tell us if Balex has any suggestions? He is suppoed to be sneaky.
Balex has many suggestions. Most involve cutting the legs off the horses so they fall on their riders, and then can be eaten. It is unclear if he means the horse or the human, but it is likely both. The biggest issue is the lack of supplies for any of his ideas... Balex is nervous about the hounds. He thinks the scarecrow is bizarre and boggles openly at Foxy. He suggests buckets of water in case of fire, too.
Clay Weatherwax
Upon hearing Balex's and Ms. O'Hare's suggestions, Clay pauses a moment, pretending to mull these over in his mind. Those are thought-provoking ideas, Balex, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. We need to subdue the red-robed men first. Clay then turned to Ms. O'Hare to let her know he disagrees with the idea, too. Initially, a fire would cause the riders to have caution. Then it is likely to alert the goblins. And then, considering this arid, alpine environment, we are likely to light the forest on fire. Clay lays out what he feels is a more cautious plan, splitting the group into three "teams." He will stay with Balex and Morr toward the front the circle (but to the side of the trees, hidden in the woods) to be affected by the plants, which he will ask Beith to awaken again. Foxy and Gus, and Mr. Farrow and George will scale up the hillsides on opposing sides of the trail (presumably one to the North and the other South). Those two teams will find an already dead tree and get it ready to drop on the area to be affected, hopefully crushing some of the men. Clay emphasizes the area which he can affect, explaining that we need to wait until we have as many of them in that area as possible before dropping the logs and firing arrows at the prone men.
It is not my wish to slay every creature that opposes us, but our numbers are few. We cannot afford to take chances, particularly with Mr. Farrow's daughter and her friend's lives at stake. If any of them escape the effect of the spell, that should be your focus with your arrows. I will wade through the plants and dispatch as many of these men as I can. We will try to spare the horses and hounds, as they are merely being used. Perhaps we can use them ourselves... Clay suggests each of the groups take a wolf pelt with them for warmth and to mask their scents since the red robed men have hounds. He asks the rest of the group if they have any ideas for masking their scent as well. He also cautions them to keep an eye open for anyone that appears to be casting a spell - their group can ill-afford to have Entangle dispelled.
At Foxy's suggestion, Clay sends Maurice West to see how far the red riders are, indicating that he should return to Clay within 4 hours whether he sees them or not (to the next hex - though he might be able to get farther since he is really following a trail, but that is GM-knowledge...). Please be careful. I would appreciate it if you could be back by dark to look for goblins in this area so we are not caught off guard.
If everyone is amenable to this plan, Clay will tether Asala out of sight and out of smell of the trail, but preferably where he can still see Asala. Best of all worlds, I know.
6 rations deducted because I am assuming Balex eats a half portion.)
As they sit waiting together, Clay compliments Balex on his sneaking through the mountains. It is a shame your people fight so frequently with the humans. You could make a living providing guide services, you realize. Or leading hunting trips, taking wealthy humans into the woods to hunt beasts. Have you ever thought about such a thing? You would be very good, I think.
As an aside, I have, of course, been reading the other groups' adventures and I HAVE to get Clay back to town so he can hear about the logging/scouting trip! *crosses fingers*
Foxy listens in to Clay's plan to assault the RR group. Both our plans seem to have flaws, too many. As Maurice flies off to scout she says to Clay.
"Look we need to keep this simple, really simple. We have higher ground up here, they should ride through below.We get them to stop at point X.
We use a log or rock pile that we roll down the hillside to block the trail or knock down the riders. Probably not going to be big enough to crush them but hopefully throws the riders off. You and Balex, push it down on my signal
Then us four archers ( one group so we can all fire at a specific target) kill any mage/priestly types with the arrows. We can probably fire off one rally as a surprise and another before we are assaulted. You need to save as much divine help for inside goblin HQ as you can. If these RR riders dismount, you entangle them and the farmers can ' winnow the chaff' with their flails.
Simple, so now we use time to make the impromptu 'log rock n' roll trap. Then sit, was under the pelts waiting for Maurice or the RR.....
Knowing the wizards will be mounted, the group chose a place with trees and tall brambles along the pathway instead of mere grasses. Maurice goes off to scout to the west while the group arranges standing deadwood logs, prepared to send them crashing down upon the target site. (You have three. Rolling down hill is complicated by the lack of flat, grassy plain. Clay can reach them push one over per round after the spell is cast, or Foxy can have farmers run down and do it instead of shooting.)
Clay and Morr remain close and within spell range, hidden along the trail. Foxy takes the other three archers with her up to a blind atop the hill, all going together. (-2 AC for cover) They lie in wait, ensuring they're within normal range for the shortbows to snipe at their foes.
Everything prepared, the group lies in wait almost an hour before the owl returns. He hoots to Clay, indicating that the mounted humans and dogs are imminent. About fifteen minutes later, they come into view, trotting unawares towards the spot prepared for the ambush. Four men in maroon and black robes and cloaks talk amongst themselves, riding four sturdy draft horses, plodding along steadily on the worn path. They are engrossed in their conversation and seem to be not wary of your trap. Trotting around them are three massive and frightening creatures. Large hairless dogs with blood-red skin, an evil intelligent glint in their eyes and smoke puffing out of their nostrils as they sniff the air. Morr lets out a low growl, his hackles raised.
The dogs sniff to smell the eastern wind, abruptly wary, but it is too late. They are within range of Clay's spell and he casts. The trap is sprung - long, thorny blackberry vines whip out to catch both horse and rider, trees bending to embrace with their limbs.
All four horses go down, falling to their knees or sides as vines wrap around them. Their whinnying is terrified, breaking the quiet of the evening. Two of the dogs yelp as vines abruptly attack them, clearly a threat unforseen. The third dog breathes a gout of flame, wilting and scorching the offending vines back to their root, and breaks free, charging towards where Clay hides and Morr growls. One of the Red Robes is hoisted free of his saddle by an angry spruce tree, his cries of surprise muffled by a mouthful of needles as he is trussed and suspended high above the ground. The other three Red Robes manage to leap or fall free of their mounts, beating back the vines that come at them but still retaining some mobility, enough to wave and speak and slowly escape...
(Foxy, name targets and make two sets of rolls. You get a volley during this surprise round while Clay was casting, then another volley as the next round begins. Please choose targets for both you and for the farmers. If you have the farmers release the tree(s) instead of arrows, please still make a [1d20] and [1d6], it just has the potential for multiple random targets being effected. Clay, state your action for next round and roll as well.)
Day: 03 May 2021
Time: 07:00 pm
Light source: Sunny afternoon (Sunset 8:53pm)
Temp: 56 F
Wind: 15-17 E
"oh shit, Balex, push the logs, the dogs will feast on you too!"Foxy calls then shoots her arrows. "Fire on my target guys, take down the loose mages, even nicking them will be enough to spoil their casting.".
Mages 1,2,3 are loose, 4 is spruced up. We all target m3 surprise round, then m2.( Okay I know it leaves m1 free on next round, hope the logs get him before he can cast).
Surprise round: to hit [1d20+2] = 17, damage [1d6] = 2
First round: to hit [1d20+2] = 8, damage [1d6] = 1
You made sure Balex is tied up so he cannot flee or betray you. He and Asala are safe behind the hill. Is it all three farmers shooting and no logs, then? You have up to three logs, each toppled separately.
Please do the attack rolls for the farmers. Also, post the url code that is below the roll to make it easier.
I cannot help but imagine him brushing out the creases of his robes and slicking back his hair.
Clay Weatherwax
Clay prayed in more earnest than he had ever prayed in his life, hoping that Beith would protect him and his companions this night. Hoping to keep distance between himself, Morr and the beast, He leaned hard against the tree he chose, trying to push it onto the creature before him. Seeing the creature slip out of the way, Morr charged forward to slow the creature from getting to his master.
Abysmal. But look at the damage Morr would have done with his bite if he had connected! (Don't know why I typed in d20 for that...)
Anyhow, it was great playing with you Stirling. I think Clay is about to get eaten... And I don't know what happens to his spell if he does, now that I think of it.
The surprised cries of the Red Robes is the signal for Foxy and the farmers to act. They all shoot from atop the hill, Foxy calling for volleys first on one (#3) and then another (#2). The arrows rain down amidst the chaos of trees and brambles, Foxy and George's arrows penetrating deep into the first mage. The second volley goes awry, except for Gus, who's arrow pierces right through the eye of their target. Both mages fall still in the angry vegetation, cocooned and unmoving in a chrysalis of grass and vines.
The remaining Red Robe intones a spell, still fighting away the vines that threaten him. Foxy is overcome by the smell of sulfurous fumes rising from the rocks where they hide, spending a moment coughing and shielding her eyes. She shakes her head groggily. She is fine, but the three farmers are slumped on the ground and unconscious on the hillside.
Clay shoves the standing timber, toppling it into the writhing underbrush, its heavy and unanimated stiffness is an odd contrast as the living trees bend and contort to grasp up and shake the captive Red Robe. The tree falls in the forest, and though you hear it, it does not land on any of your foes.
The red-leathery hound charges forward and Mor leaps forward, snarling to meet it. The hound clearly has the advantage of size and evil ferocity but Mor is indeterred and fearless in protecting his master. The two grapple for each other, the hound managing to get a firm bite on Mor's side. Mors is bleeding profusely but continues to stand, keeping the creature at bay.
(Next round. Waking farmers must be done individually, one round each, and they are aware enough to act the round after that.)
Spell was 80' out with a 20' radius. So, all enemies are between 60' and 100', which is the space where all plants are animated. You can move 30' in a round (1/3 of your movement rate) and still act if you want to shorten the distance. Only modifier is range, which depends on your weapon.
Lets say the standing Red Robe is at 80' from you, and so in normal range of a sling.
Faint and groggy from the gas, Foxy aims an arrow at the hell hound creature, trying to give covering fire over Clay."Push the other logs, Clay. (and kicking the nearest farmer up the backside or slapping his face), damn you men, rouse yourself and fire at the mage.".
Foxy will aim at the mage, then twist to aim at the hound, then back again, unsure of firing into the canine melee. We need the men in the fight she determines, "Fxxk"she says in 'tavern' speech and commences to slap the nearest farmer round the head with a degree of urgency. Can she do this out of view of the standing mage, ducking down over the ridge brow out of sight though not out of hearing. She doesn't want to risk being targeted with another aimed spell.
Once you roll the dice, you are committed. You did a "on the fly" roll and hit, posted it, then realized you needed to roll linked to the campaign. You rerolled, missed and hit Morrs instead, and then changed your action to not shoot.
I appreciate that you did the right thing by rerolling in the campaign. I can't let you change to not shoot after a roll, though. For this one instance I will allow the result of the original on-the-fly roll because I saw it; go ahead and roll the damage. In the future, it is what is in the roller for the campaign that will count so make sure you commit to your course of action before committing the dice to a roll.
Clay Weatherwax
Clay watched as his friend had a chunk of flesh torn from his flank. Get him, Morr!!! But he wasted no more time than that. Clay moved a short distance toward the last free mage and started chanting, hoping to see light sprout from the bastard's eyes.
Initiative [1d6] = 1 That is either really bad, or really good. I cannot remember. And as you might surmise from my recent post, I don't have access to my rule book right now. (In some ways that is really nice because I just roll and don't have any notion of whether it is a total fail. Much less stressful!)
[/ooc]
The donkey and owl fed themselves today. Deduct for everyone else.
