Expedition: Fingers/The Ghostly Trial - 16 July 2021

[Alethan]

Initiative [1d6] = 6

[Marullus]

The party breaks into a run, executing a fighting retreat as they defend against their airborne foes. While being a bowshot away from the tomb entrance seemed wise when considering emerging threats, it now seems an interminable distance as you try to fight your way across the moonlit stretch of hillside to reach its protective cover.

Fingers fires off a shot at an incoming gargoyle but misses, careful to interpose himself and protect Sprinkles, who yelps and runs next to him, inspired onward by his faithful owners fear. One of the gargoyles swoops at Fingers but he dodges away from its stony claws, the creature banking away to come around for another run.

Another swoops at Bandy - the hobbit brings around his family sword and it skips across the creature's stony hide ineffectively, but succeeding it causing the creature to veer-off early. The beast rakes him with its claws (-3, -1) but veers away from the sword blade before attempting its fangs or a more aggressive maneuver.

The largest gargoyle, a fearsome ambulatory statue standing over the height of a man, barrels down on Hengist. The stalwart cleric swings around and hits the beast squarely with the banded quarterstaff that Markd acquired from the late Bishop Cathelon. There is a concussive thunderclap as the staff makes contact, a wave of force blasting outward, felt by party members and gargoyles alike. The stony creature emits a brief howl as its entire body disintegrates into pebble-sized rocks, scattering outward and pelting those closest harmlessly. The other gargoyles are given pause, but now recognizing the dire threat that the party represents, recommit to their course of attack.

The final three gargoyles all dive at Markd. His skillful parrying deflects the first two, which bank to each side after their run at him. The third, however, barrels right through his defense - it takes a solid blow as his sword pierces its stony chest (-4), but in return grabs him with both claws and hauls him upwards into the air, sinking its fangs into his shoulder as it does so. (-1, -3, -4; critical hit: Grab effect)


Date: 10:06pm, 19 July 2021
Light: Campfire (left behind); Moonlight (-2)
Effects: None
Injuries: Markd (minor injury, grabbed), Bandy (minor injury)

initiative: us [1d6] = 4 them [1d6] = 5
[1d20] = 8 [1d20] = 5 [1d20] = 5 [1d20] = 20 [1d20] = 15
Targeting: [1d5] = 1 [1d5] = 3 [1d5] = 3 [1d5] = 3 [1d5] = 2 [1d5] = 5
Markd [1d3] = 3 [1d3] = 1 [1d6] = 4
Bandy [1d3] = 3 [1d3] = 1
Morale [2d6] = 3
Morale (magic reroll) [2d6] = 9

[Zhym]

Are any of the gargoyles in melee range of Fingers?

[onlyme]

how far up would markd be?. I assume he would be swinging away regardless

[Marullus]

They're swooping at you all - you can all find opportunities for ranged or melee as desired. Markd is barely a foot or two off the ground right now - they'll drag you upward next round (depending who wins initiative). Markd gets a +2 to hit on the gargoyle that's grappling him.

[Zhym]

"Whoa!" cries Fingers, impressed at what Hengist did to the gargoyle. Fingers sticks close to the man with the magic staff. He takes another shot at a gargoyle with Silmaril. He thinks he may be starting to get the hang of running and firing at the same time.

'Silmaril' (THAC0 18): [1d20+4] = 9+4 = 13, [1d8+2] = 2+2 = 4

Someone roll initiative, please.

Edit: removed prediction of the effect of Finger's shot. Gargoyles don't have quite as low an AC as I thought.

[onlyme]

long sword+1(2undead) (Thac0 16) [1d20+2] = 8+2 = 10; damage [1d8+2] = 2+2 = 4
long sword+1(2undead) (Thac0 16) [1d20+2] = 18+2 = 20; damage [1d8+2] = 7+2 = 9

Markd keeps swinging, feeling the 2nd pass hit something.


Initiative [1d6] = 5

[DavetheLost]

Hengist continues to smite the stoney foe: Staff to hit (THAC0 19) = [1d20+4] = 15+4 = 19, Damge = [1d6+4] = 2+4 = 6

[Marullus]

Awesome. Just Bandy left to post.

[onlyme]

(I assume Allmond does not wish to partake in any self-defensive swatting of the flying stone creatures? )

[Marullus]

He is evading with the rest of you. Allmond didn't get targeted in the first volley and doesn't have a magic weapon.

[Alethan]

Bandy swings again as he retreats, not sure if he just missed last time or if his sword is unable to affect the stony creatures...

Longsword THAC016 [1d20+1] = 1+1 = 2 Damage [1d8+1] = 6+1 = 7

... and he won't find out with that swing.

[Marullus]

Fingers snaps off another shot from his longbow, but the dim moonlight hinders his ability to aim at the dark-colored beasts and his shot just missed the Gargoyle wing.

The gargoyle barely gets Markd off the ground before his longswords goes snickersnack, gutting the beast! It crashes unmoving to the earth in a pile of flailing leathery wings as Markd tucks and rolls safely, getting back to his feet, but then being raked by a second diving gargoyle (-11).

Another large gargoyle comes in fast at Bandy, everything happening at once. He brings his longsword up but the gargoyle swats it away, the family heirloom falling into the grass to the side (critical fumble). The beast savages Bandy (-10) just as Hengeist comes to his aid, his staff blow producing another concussive wave as it reduces the gargoyle back into a wave of scattering pebbles. Two other gargoyles, now focused on Heingist as a threat, savage him as well, dropping him unconscious and bleeding to the ground (-6, -8). Allmond runs to aid him as the creatures launch for their next attack.

(three down, three left, two more rounds to reach the crypt. Round 3, go!)

Date: 10:07pm, 19 July 2021
Light: Moonlight (-2)
Effects: None
Injuries: Hengeist (dying, unconscious), Bandy (serious injury), Markd (moderate injury)

initiative [1d6] = 5
Gargoyles [1d20] = 19 [1d20] = 16 [1d20] = 15 [1d20] = 11
Targeting [1d5] = 2 [1d5] = 4 [1d5] = 3 [1d5] = 4
Morale [2d6] = 7
Gargoyles damage [1d3] = 3 [1d3] = 1 [1d6] = 6
Gargoyles damage [1d3] = 3 [1d3] = 2 [1d6] = 1
Gargoyles damage [1d3] = 3 [1d3] = 1 [1d6] = 4
Gargoyles damage [1d3] = 3 [1d3] = 2 [1d6] = 6
Morale [2d6] = 3

[Zhym]

Fingers snaps off another shot from his longbow, but the dim moonlight hinders his ability to aim at the dark-colored beasts and his shot just missed the Gargoyle wing.

Would the +1 for likely short range have made any difference there?

[Marullus]

With that +1 you would have hit, except for the -2 for low light conditions.

[Zhym]

What's everyone's relative position? Who, if anyone, could pick up the staff and attack with it?

[DavetheLost]

Hengist will bleed and gurgle on the ground.

Maybe I should have cast "Protection from Evil" on the first round instead of smacking a gargoyle? Oh, well, two of them are now gravel so that's not a bad trade.

[Marullus]

What's everyone's relative position? Who, if anyone, could pick up the staff and attack with it?

Bandy and Allmond are narratively there, so could is it this round. Otherwise it takes an action. (Bandy also has the problem of being too short - but if he aids Hengeist he could free up Allmond...)

[Zhym]

That simplifies Fingers's choices, anyway.

Fingers keeps making his way toward the "safety" of the tomb entrance. He thinks he's starting to get the hang of firing while running.

'Silmaril' (THAC0 18): [1d20+4] = 16+4 = 20, [1d8+2] = 5+2 = 7

Someone please roll initiative.

[onlyme]

Markd swats. long sword+1(2undead) (Thac0 16) [1d20+2] = 11+2 = 13; damage [1d8+2] = 1+2 = 3

And fumbles the next attempt : long sword+1(2undead) (Thac0 16) [1d20+2] = 1+2 = 3; damage [1d8+2] = 7+2 = 9