Tova shakes his head at the greed of man. What tragedy that honor and trust can be so casually thrown aside at the corruption of the coin. He will remain quiet, in prayer, and lend aide should aide be of any use in the coming minutes....
Re: Session 1: Reunion Interrupted
Posted: Sat Oct 30, 2021 1:00 am
by Scott308
Vinwrick Greenbottle
The ranger drops his bow and grabs his sword as he moves to attack the dragon.
The group is now officially locked in battle -- likely to the death -- with a dragon. Albeit, a young one.
Vinwrick, perhaps the initiator of the conflict, quickly switches from his bow to his sword as he scampers between the chest and bed, engaging with the dragon. The ranger, however, misjudges the amount of force it will take to penetrate the dragon's scales with a blade as his adversary fails to even notice the strike against it.
Already engaged with the wrym, Gulnur swings his quarterstaff at the wyrm's midsection, which harmlessly thuds off the dragon's hide. The monk, channeling his previous success, once again solidly plants the underside of his boot against the beasts' hindquarter.
Grinning broadly as he feels the dragon tense, Thrydwulf kicks his legs up and locks his ankles around the tense muscles of the serpentine neck, dropping his weight and attempting to use the dragon's own mass against itself.
The dragon -- stunned at the fact it has been overpowered -- finds itself lying on its back!
While never actually practiced against a creature of this type, the barbarian falls back on his training and forcefully grapples the scaled foe, pinning it firmly against the ground!
From his position of partial cover, Luthar attempts to sink another arrow into the dragon's hide, but finds the now-prone target too difficult to damage.
Try as it might, the red wyrm is unable to recover the use of its breath, so it resorts to its other attack form -- its bite! Targeting the massive, hairy man currently pinning it down, it lunges with its neck, seeking to implant its rows of teeth into flesh... but the crazed brawler is successful in not only keeping the creature pinned down, but also twisting out of harm's way.
R02.jpg (53.89 KiB) Viewed 2248 times
Pausing in the stairwell on the level below, Tova shakes his head at the greed of man. What tragedy that honor and trust can be so casually thrown aside at the corruption of the coin.
He will remain quiet, in prayer, and lend aide should aide be of any use in the coming minutes...
Accustomed to rough-and-tumble fighting using whatever weapons happen to be at hand, you gain the following benefits:
* Increase your Strength or Constitution score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
* You are proficient with improvised weapons.
* Your unarmed strike uses a d4 for damage.
* When you hit a creature with an unarmed strike or an improvised weapon on your turn, you can use a bonus action to attempt to grapple the target.
Using the Attack action, you can make a special melee attack to shove a creature, either to knock it prone or push it away from you."
"Instead of making an attack roll, you make a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the target's Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (the target chooses the ability to use)."
"If you succeed, you either knock the target prone or push it 5 feet away from you."
* A prone creature's only movement option is to crawl, unless it stands up and thereby ends the condition.
* The creature has disadvantage on attack rolls.
* An attack roll against the creature has advantage if the attacker is within 5 feet of the creature. Otherwise, the attack roll has disadvantage."
When you want to grab a creature or wrestle with it, you can use the Attack action to make a special melee attack, a grapple. If you're able to make multiple attacks with the Attack action, this attack replaces one of them.
The target of your grapple must be no more than one size larger than you and must be within your reach. Using at least one free hand, you try to seize the target by making a grapple check instead of an attack roll: a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the target's Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (the target chooses the ability to use). You succeed automatically if the target is incapacitated. If you succeed, you subject the target to the grappled condition. The condition specifies the things that end it, and you can release the target whenever you like (no action required)."
Escaping a Grapple
A grappled creature can use its action to escape. To do so, it must succeed on a Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by your Strength (Athletics) check."
* A grappled creature's speed becomes 0, and it can't benefit from any bonus to its speed.
* The condition ends if the grappler is incapacitated (see the condition).
* The condition also ends if an effect removes the grappled creature from the reach of the grappler or grappling effect, such as when a creature is hurled away by the thunderwave spell."
You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Dwarven Resilience
You have advantage on saves against poison and resistance against poison damage.
Stonecunning
Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check.
Also starting at 1st level, your healing spells are more effective. Whenever you use a spell of 1st level or higher to restore hit points to a creature, the creature regains additional hit points equal to 2 + the spell’s level.
> Marullus as Thrydwulf | Male | Variant Human | Barbarian (1) | HD (1d12): 1 | HP: 14-5 = 9-3 = 6-4 = 2 | AC: 15 | SP: 30' | Initiative: +3 | Darkvision: No
You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Dwarven Resilience
You have advantage on saves against poison and resistance against poison damage.
Stonecunning
Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check.
While you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren’t wearing armor or wielding a shield, you can use DEX instead of STR for the attack and damage rolls, you can roll your Martial Arts damage die in place of the normal damage, and when you use the Attack action on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action.
Grinning enthusiastically in a way that shows not only his enthusiasm but also his full rows of square teeth, Thrydwulf looks like he has never been happier than he is pinning this dragon on its back. He rocks his weight for momentum and elbow-drops, banging the dragon's head hard against the floor. "Get 'em, guys! Get 'im!" he bellows in full-throated encouragement to his companions.
Tova drops his head into his hands as the sounds of battle continue above.
Re: Session 1: Reunion Interrupted
Posted: Sat Nov 06, 2021 7:09 pm
by Scott308
Vinwrick Greenbottle
With the dragon on the ground and unable to defend itself, the ranger strikes! With the sword in hand, Vinwrick cuts deeply! Then, he draws his other sword but is unable to penetrate the dragon's scaly hide.
Round 3
With the dragon on the ground and unable to defend itself, Vinwrick sneaks his primary blade between the dragon's scales, withdrawing his blade, which is now coated in thick, red goo. He attempts to duplicate his efforts with his secondary blade but finds the tip of his blade striking solidly against a scale and not actually able to reach flesh.
Gulnur follows suit, taking advantage of the restrained wyrm. The dwarf cracks down on the small dragon's head with his quarterstaff, striking solidly! The monk follows that up by connecting with a powerful roundhouse kick to the dragon's hindquarters.
Grinning enthusiastically, Thrydwulf rocks his weight for momentum and elbow-drops, attempting to bang the dragon's head hard against the floor... but the powerful creature tenses its neck and resists the effort, keeping its head from being fully driving into the ground. "Get 'em, guys! Get 'im!" he bellows in full-throated encouragement to his companions while holding his grip tight.
From his place of relative concealment, Luthar pops up from behind the chest and lets loose an arrow -- sinking it into the dragon's hide; leaving the shaft and fletching still sticking out.
Outside, a floor below, Tova drops his head into his hands as the sounds of battle continue above.
Annoyed at the pesky human holding it down. "Get off!" it growls.
It closes its eyes.
Focuses intensely.
Cranes its head back towards the human clinging to its neck a bit further down.
Grins evilly, exposing rows of razor-sharp teeth.
Then flame!
Thrydwulf, already worn down before the battle even began, quickly becomes a charred briquette as a cone of flame erupts from the wyrm's mouth, torching everything in its path -- including the bed, which is now in flames.
MC-R03.jpg (53.91 KiB) Viewed 2222 times
Now without restraint, the dragon unfurls its wings and lets out another ear-ringing roar!
You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Dwarven Resilience
You have advantage on saves against poison and resistance against poison damage.
Stonecunning
Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check.
Also starting at 1st level, your healing spells are more effective. Whenever you use a spell of 1st level or higher to restore hit points to a creature, the creature regains additional hit points equal to 2 + the spell’s level.
> Marullus as Thrydwulf | Male | Variant Human | Barbarian (1) | HD (1d12): 1 | HP: 14-5 = 9-3 = 6-4 = 2-24 = -22(Instant Death) | AC: 15 | SP: 30' | Initiative: +3 | Darkvision: No
You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Dwarven Resilience
You have advantage on saves against poison and resistance against poison damage.
Stonecunning
Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check.
While you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren’t wearing armor or wielding a shield, you can use DEX instead of STR for the attack and damage rolls, you can roll your Martial Arts damage die in place of the normal damage, and when you use the Attack action on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action.
His hair vaporizes first, an odd, dimpled chin visible only for a blink beneath what was the large man's hoary beard. The rest of him, his clothes, and his belongings vaporize in the pure heat of dragonfire... perhaps you imagine it, but his high alcohol content might have made him sizzle longer than expected,.
Amidst the charcoal, only two things remain - the long-handled shovel he tossed aside before the fight and the large cast-iron cauldron which is accustomed to heat and flame, waiting an opportunity to cook a stew that will now never come.
Tucked within the cauldron and protected from the blast of furnace-like heat is a now-singed rag doll, worn threadbare with care, blonde yarn sewn to its head. The name "Ylves" is stitched roughly on the foot.
Re: Session 1: Reunion Interrupted
Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2021 9:12 pm
by ravenn4544
Tova digs his fingers into his scalp. He can barely hold back the tears when the roar shakes dust off the walls around him. Then.... the smell of burning flesh assails his every sense......
Re: Session 1: Reunion Interrupted
Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2021 4:11 am
by Scott308
Vinwrick Greenbottle
Blades flashing out of desperation now that the wyrm is free once more, the halfling's weapons both bite successfully!
Round 4
Blades flashing out of desperation now that the wyrm is free once more, Vinwrick's weapons both bite successfully!
The creature, now displaying multiple wounds, howls out in pain.
Fighting with the same ferocity, Gulnur once again lands a powerful strike with his staff, bashing one of the now unfurled wings. The wyrm cries out in pain, pulling the injured wing back in against its body... causing the monk's follow-up spin kick targeting the very wing to miss its mark.
Luthar continues his ranged assault against the young dragon, and watches as yet another arrow finds a weakness in the creature's defenses.
The arrow sticks.
GRRROOWWLLLLL!!!
The lumbering foe, writhing in pain, beats its wings one time in a failed attempt to flee the confrontation, then...
Collapses.
Motionless.
Lying on the ground, sprawled out and bleeding, the expansion and collapse of the creature's chest as it breathes begins to slow and become more shallow.
The fire in its eyes begin to dim.
Two final, shallow breathes... then the form falls motionless.
The dragon is dead!
The Dragon Hoard
Piles of mixed coins are spread out across the floor:
3,540 cp
570 sp
220 gp
Nine, small red-brown gems, which Gulnur can identify as being tiger's eye, are also found mixed in amongst the coins. "Eh. Maybe worth a dozen gold each." the dwarf grunts, mumbling about their relative worthlessness.
"This, though --"Gulnur continues, "-- will fetch a fair bit more than all the gems combined," he says, holding up a thumb-sized, golden figurine in the shape of a beetle. "We can get at least one-hundred gold for this here golden scarab."
Vinwrick, searching through the overturned mess of treasure, notices a corked neck of a bottle jutting out from a pile. Grabbing the bottle and pulling it out reveals a rose-colored glass bottle with the etching of an actual rose flower centered on it. Luthar requests the bottle and studies it. "Ah, yes," the elf starts. "I thought I recognized this -- " the rogue continues, examining the item closely. "This here is a rare bottle of elven wine, from the Rosedale vineyard. It's at least..." he considers, holding the bottle up to study it against the light still pouring in from the open ceiling. "It's at least 200 years old. Quite rare. Quite rare, indeed."
"I"m surprised it held up and is still intact. Could easily be worth a couple of hundred gold coins... or we can indulge and enjoy it ourselves!"
The halfling also uncovers what appears to be a small birdcage crafted from a waxy green gemstone, likely jade. He suspects it could fetch at least a half-hundred gold.
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On the floor below, Tova hears a loud collapse... then... the sound of battle seems to quiet.
---
Wow! Congratulations, guys! Considering the relative health of the party entering the battle, and the fact that I don't (and didn't) pull any punches, I honestly did not see things ending this way.
I'll share my official accounting of the battle:
Dragon ("Talantha") (MM)
(Red Dragon Wyrmling AC: 17, MV: 30' (60' fly), Languages: Draconic, Common
#A: 1, [1d20] [1d10+4] Piercing + [1d6] Fire; Fire Breath (Recharge 5-6): 15-foot cone, [7d6] Fire, DC 13 Dex for Half)
I'm going to go ahead and move this into the 'Completed Games' section sometime this weekend or early next week, but feel free to continue to role-play, etc...
You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Dwarven Resilience
You have advantage on saves against poison and resistance against poison damage.
Stonecunning
Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check.
Also starting at 1st level, your healing spells are more effective. Whenever you use a spell of 1st level or higher to restore hit points to a creature, the creature regains additional hit points equal to 2 + the spell’s level.
> Marullus as Thrydwulf | Male | Variant Human | Barbarian (1) | HD (1d12): 1 | HP: 14-5 = 9-3 = 6-4 = 2-24 = -22(Instant Death) | AC: 15 | SP: 30' | Initiative: +3 | Darkvision: No
You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Dwarven Resilience
You have advantage on saves against poison and resistance against poison damage.
Stonecunning
Whenever you make an Intelligence (History) check related to the origin of stonework, you are considered proficient in the History skill and add double your proficiency bonus to the check.
While you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren’t wearing armor or wielding a shield, you can use DEX instead of STR for the attack and damage rolls, you can roll your Martial Arts damage die in place of the normal damage, and when you use the Attack action on your turn, you can make one unarmed strike as a bonus action.
I didn't imagine a scenario where Thrydwulf lived after tackling a dragon with only 2hp. I am very happy it wasn'ta TPK, though!
Are you considering running another game?
Re: Session 1: Reunion Interrupted
Posted: Fri Nov 12, 2021 7:58 pm
by dmw71
Marullus wrote: ↑Fri Nov 12, 2021 6:50 pm
Are you considering running another game?
At some point, maybe.
For the time being, however, I'm pretty maxed out with the Basic D&D, 1e, and other 5e game I'm currently running. If/when one of those ends, I'm undecided what will be next.
Re: Session 1: Reunion Interrupted
Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2021 5:53 am
by Scott308
Vinwrick Greenbottle
It's too bad Talmond and Thrydwulf didn't live to see the battle end. And Tova- where is Tova? Didn't take him for someone who would run away from a fight. Luthar, Gulnar- I don't know where our paths may take us after this, but I'd fight by your sides any day. Now, we can split the treasure, but I say we drink that bottle. Who knows if any of us will ever have the chance to taste such a wine again! His face breaks into a huge grin at the realization that they killed a dragon- although at the cost of the lives of two boon companions and another who fled.
Wow- that went much better than I expected it to! I thought for sure we were all going to die. What a way to wrap up the adventure! Thank you for playing everyone, and thank you for running, Dave!
Re: Session 1: Reunion Interrupted
Posted: Mon Nov 15, 2021 8:32 pm
by dmw71
Scott308 wrote: ↑Mon Nov 15, 2021 5:53 am
Wow- that went much better than I expected it to! I thought for sure we were all going to die. What a way to wrap up the adventure! Thank you for playing everyone, and thank you for running, Dave!
You guys did a massive amount of damage, quickly.
It was smart for you to be all spread out as the dragon's breath was basically insta-kill, and it did manage to recharge it two out of the three rounds it survived. Having it pinned to the ground was huge (well played, Marullus -- I'm glad you were finally able to put your build to full use) as it allowed the rest of you to keep pounding away on the grounded foe.
I am very happy it wasn'ta TPK, though!