OOC & Stuff

[Computer +1]

man the hedgehog doesn't like any rats! its brutal!

And yet I think the Rats are in a safer place than the bathhouse crew!

[Belkregos]

man the hedgehog doesn't like any rats! its brutal!

And yet I think the Rats are in a safer place than the bathhouse crew!

[Computer +1]

too late Tommy tries to warn Ambergris before he goes in and starts to rummage the pockets of the black robes

they are not dead, just throw some water on one....

YALL ARE CRAZY!!!

[hedgeknight]

Okay fellers, we need to have some discussion about tactics and attacks. Since this is a PBP forum, it doesn't flow as smoothly as it would if we were sitting around the table. Thus, there seems to be some confusion on that last round in the bathhouse.

Open door > see three bodies lying on the floor with a lit torch in between them. Three players to post. Belkregos posts first:

Tommy takes in the scene
says to Lesh (Mentally) "there's something wrong here, the torch is still lit"
he looks to the staircase to the right and inspects the scene for any details (are the bodies tied? any fresh blood on the floor?)

Perception: [1d20+4]=17+4=21

in any case he sends the unseen servant ahead and keeps some cover still behind the door frame
he makes the unseen servant hold before reaching the bodies (makes the floating robe move its arms) and casts Mage Hand to pick up the torch

Before I can respond to Tommy's high Perception roll, Spearmint posts:

Ambergris

"Follow the torchlight I think." he suggests to where to explore next. He will help check over the bodies and frisk their cloak pockets. Specifically thinking they wear the some uniform or designated cultist garb. They might have identifying papers, rings and other paraphernalia associated with the death cults.

Are they actually dead? Not just sleeping? No blood from wounds pouring on the floor? Stabbed, poisoned or gassed?

I respond to Tommy's Perception roll: Looking closely at the bodies, Tommy can tell they are breathing...not dead, and there is no blood. Knowing this...what do you do?

Spearmint posts again:

Ambergris
Frisking a supposedly dead body, he is startled to realise they sleep.

I suspect this is no ordinary sleep. I don't think they have just succumbed to a 'sleep' spell or effect. Their positioning in a triangle is deliberately done, by choice. Theirs I suspect.

"While their bodies sleep, do their spirits wander?" he says. "Quickly bind them. Secure their hands and gag their mouths!" he suggests rather than just murdering them.

Then Belkregos:

too late Tommy tries to warn Ambergris before he goes in and starts to rummage the pockets of the black robes

they are not dead, just throw some water on one....

According to the description in the book, the necromites are faking death and waiting for someone to enter the room, to which they attack. I didn't roll initiative because, in my mind, they would have had surprise and gotten off some actions. Since I was challenged about those actions, I want to put it out to the group.
Should I have stopped play, rewound a bit, and had everyone roll surprise and/or initiative?
It's not too far along to do so. I'm asking...

[Belkregos]

Hey Gary, first thanks for trying to clear any confusion before there are misunderstandings

on my part i'm all for whatever keeps a fast action pace and we don't have to wait a few extra days for another post for a simple action, i get how the characters could have been surprised and if that's the call its cool, i only rolled initiative because i didn't see the damage from the initial rolls so i thought the roll you made was for initiative and not to hit (although in the description you state they attack)

on the other hand i've been playing Tommy being very careful while on point, he was using the unseen servant to trip any traps he could have missed and was trying to use mage hand to manipulate the bodies before being anywhere near enough to be attacked by surprise (unless there was someone hiding and sent a range attack/spell) but i thought Ambergris just plowed ahead and that's ok but Tommy was behind the door frame being all paranoid and think it would be hard for them to get up and move to him and attack without any reaction from him

again, i'm fine with the call you make

[Belkregos]

i guess i got confused and didnt see the damage after the d20

but just to clear a bit more on rules and such (see standing up from prone rules below) so i guess they could surprise stand and attack anyone within 15feet of them so your call on how far the PC's were when they decided to spring the attack

in any case he sends the unseen servant ahead and keeps some cover still behind the door frame
he makes the unseen servant hold before reaching the bodies (makes the floating robe move its arms) and casts Mage Hand to pick up the torch

OOC: rules for prone
You can drop prone without using any of your speed. Standing up takes more effort; doing so costs an amount of movement equal to half your speed. For example, if your speed is 30 feet, you must spend 15 feet of movement to stand up. You can't stand up if you don't have enough movement left or if your speed is 0.

[hedgeknight]

I've edited my post and moved your posts to my Notes section for safe keeping, awaiting Ambergris' surprise roll.
Thanks for helping me out, Octavio. I'm still learning the fineries of 5E and will blame any lapse in reason on the Prednisone I'm taking for my hip

[Spearmint]

Sorry guys, didn't mean to be a pain.

My thoughts in the action and chronology is that after opening the door and finding three bodies in the floor, Tommy sends in the US to explore further and he rolls perceiving the trio are not dead but sleeping. There is no blood, no sign of battle. The mage hand picks up the torch and Ambergris then goes in to frisk the sleeping trio, figuring (as he voiced in character) "they may physically sleep, but their spirits wander elsewhere".

He would be surprised therefore to see them suddenly roll over from feigning sleep but I don't think that 'Surpise' , the condition, happens as we can both see each other. Them dropping unseen from roof rafters would be Surprise. Lying down on the floor rather than just attacking physically as soon as the door opened would be the usual surprise attack if they were not perceived behind it.

Surprise, pg189 is actually DM determined but I posted in the action forum what would be Ambergris' perception vs the stealth (Dex based) check of the necrolyte.

To be fair, I have posted my initiative and action rolls and should keep to them rather than roll afresh. (Low initiative, probably missing in melee and getting in a hellish rebuke on the flail man after being injured).

[Belkregos]

this is an interesting scenario, i don't want to complicate things further and it's good to go with the regular rules but i find it interesting and want to get your opinion not necessarily for this particular action since i don't want to delay the story any further but rather for either my game table or future encounters

I think this more of a "sucker punch" kind of surprise so I'm not sure the regular perception vs stealth roll would be the best way to resolve but maybe a Deception or Performance roll vs Insight ? 

[hedgeknight]

Sorry guys, didn't mean to be a pain.

Not at all, Kris!
We need to work this out so we can be on the same page going forward. And for the record, as a DM I hate dealing with "surprise" in D&D. Hate it. I never know if I'm doing it right...regardless of the edition I'm playing!

To be fair, I have posted my initiative and action rolls and should keep to them rather than roll afresh. (Low initiative, probably missing in melee and getting in a hellish rebuke on the flail man after being injured).

No worries > I have all of he posts in my Notes thread for safe-keeping

I think this more of a "sucker punch" kind of surprise so I'm not sure the regular perception vs stealth roll would be the best way to resolve but maybe a Deception or Performance roll vs Insight ?

Interesting point, Octavio.
Thoughts on this from other DM's? Dave? Christan?

[hedgeknight]

Post is up > I went with Perception/Insight and there are no surprises. Just straight forward initiative and attack rolls.
Thanks for helping me figure out what the hell I was supposed to be doing.

[Computer +1]

But what about those brave heroic Rats, led by the noble Yarl Blacktongue?
You know, the true heroes and saviors of the kingdom, nay, the world!

[hedgeknight]

Just posted about those Rats!

[hedgeknight]

Back in the saddle and will be moving both threads forward today.
I may be unplugged for most of tomorrow.

[Computer +1]

Happy holidays everyone.
Hope the winter break is good for you all.

[hedgeknight]

Happy New Year!
I'm hoping everyone had a safe one.
Not hearing much from Doug and Dave > you fellers still around?

[Belkregos]

happy new year!

[Computer +1]

Happy New Year!

Yes I am around, haven't been online much with the holiday break.
Will update Yarl's action soon.

[hedgeknight]

Ambergris, Lesh, & Tommy:

Before I post, I want to make sure I understand where you are moving. Take a look at the map and give me a thumbs up or redirection:

Bane's Altar 1A.png (1002.87 KiB) Viewed 653 times

And I will move the unseen servant farther into the room. Also, I will describe what you see as you move along, which may change your actions...like so:

Ambergris moves to his right, hugging the wall, poking the floor with his spear and trying hard not to get nutted by the flail dangling between his legs. Looking east, this is what Ambergris sees:

Rough-hewn steps rise out of the murky water to the western portion of the room, which is dry and lit by two torches in sconces that flank a stone altar. Shackled to the wall behind the altar is a sickly man in a loincloth with a burlap sack over his head. An alcove in the north wall contains a freestanding suit of plate armor missing its helm.

Ambergris also notes another set of stairs in the southern wall...

Bane's Altar 2.png (1.12 MiB) Viewed 653 times

Lesh moves forward, gives Tommy a Guidance spell, and then moves to the southern pillar.
Tommy heads east, then south and then past Lesh and toward the westernmost pillar...on the way, both he and Lesh note to other water-filled corridors: One runs east and ends in a door. The other runs south out of the chamber and then looks like it turns west. Tommy and Lesh can also see the far western portion of the chamber.

So, talk to me.

[Belkregos]

looks good,
Tommy will crouch in hiding and prepare in case there is a trap or someone runs in and start moving McCoy towards the shackled person ( though no one cough tommy had named te unseen servant McCoy )