Drexel Morrow |
Just saying, setting out with low HP is how I ended up with more then one party wipe.
"If we can get everyone healthy again I would not be adverse to moving on. But Rhona obviously needs bed rest. I am for staying unless Rhona says otherwise."
GM Sarpadian |
It looks like the majority favor sticking around. If Chantif and Rhona go on bed rest for the day and the next night, all of Chantif's ability damage will be gone and they will recover 2 HP apiece.
Umash spends the morning making potions.
Potions take 2 hours each, and you have CLW prepared twice, so you'd be done about noon-ish. Is there anything else y'all would like to do while you wait?
Drexel Morrow |
I will attempt a 'long term care' check on Chantif and Rhona. DC 15 if I succeed then they gain double normal healing for 8 hours or quadruple for a full days rest. Aid another would probably help.
"Anyone want to help care for these two?"
heal: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Looks like I am not helping at all.
GM Sarpadian |
Chantif is unable to predict the weather, but soon predictions become necessary. About noon, as Umash is finishing up her second potion, the heavens open up. The torrential rains continue for about eight hours. Just about sunset (though, given the cloud cover, it's already dark),Chantif notices something.
Rhona Patenaude |
Rhona sputters incoherently as water begins to pour. "Oh, what luck!" she says, still clutching at her ribs where Det has patched them. "Gotta love the outdoors, eh, folks?" She has to raise her voice over the sound of the rain beating down. She glances at Chantif, who seems to have something on his mind. "Oy, what's the matter?"
Chantif |
Chantif leaps to his feet. "FLOOD! Take the mules to higher ground!" He gestures to the Southwest, then slings his bow and pack before grabbing the tether for the mules and slicing it from its anchor to lead them away.
crossing my fingers that Chantif has some kind of survival knife or something. I can't see from Wayfinder.
-Posted with Wayfinder
GM Sarpadian |
Also worth emphasizing that it's dark. Y'all will need to figure out a light source that will function during a thunderstorm, or:
Rhona Patenaude |
Rhona's jaw visibly drops at the words coming from Chantif's mouth. "Flood?! What, now?! Ah, hell..." She shouts across at Drexel, hoping he can hear her. "Drexel, fire up some kinda magic light! This rain'll kill our torches!" She struggles to scoop up her gear and stuff as much of it into her pack as possible. She throws her pack on and attempts to throw on her boots, only to slip in the mud and fall over, further injuring her ribs. She swears loudly and rather inappropriately for a follower of Iomedae, then punches the ground in frustration. As she struggles to her feet, she shouts: "Chantif, which way are we going? Drexel, where's that light?!"
Drexel Morrow |
Unfortunately evocation is one of my opposition schools so I cannot cast light spontaneously through my ring and I do not have it prepared. Also, Since we only have one min, should we be moving in combat rounds (six second bursts) that way we will know when 10 have passed and the water has reached us.
I wake with a start from all the shouting and roll to my feet. "I can't cast light right now!" I shout as I gather up my most important gear. "Grab what you can and move, no sense in dying."
Rhona Patenaude |
Rhona groans at the realization that Drexel can't just magic up some light. "Umash, if you've got any more sunrods handy, I'll take one," she shouts, disappointment heavy in her voice. Assuming Umash doesn't randomly decide not to, Rhona holds the sunrod over her head, slings her pack over her shoulder and begins trudging toward whatever direction Chantif indicates.
GM Sarpadian |
BTW, Drexel, I'll allow you to create a candle's worth of light w/prestidigitation. To be clear, a minute is the upper limit; it could well be much quicker.
Chantif grabs his gear and heads over to the mules. Rhona leaves the tent and heads southwest as Chantif indicated. Drexel gathers his gear. Umash lights a sunrod and gathers her gear. Det moves out of the tent and positions himself so that he'll be able to cut the tethers Rhona and Chantif can't reach.
Map updated. The two circles around Umash are the light cast by her sunrod: the inner circle is normal light and the outer is dim light. There are 4 tethers that need cutting and three of you already outside to do the cutting; one tether will have to wait until "round 3". The party is up for "round 2."
Rhona Patenaude |
Rhona curses as the rain beats down on her head and moves to cut the nearest tether, taking a moment to carefully measure the swing before swiping at it with her longsword.
Longsword (vs. Tether): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
If we can't cut 'em down quickly, I suggest we just plain ol' run for the hills.
GM Sarpadian |
You only need an attack roll in the "don't roll a 1, it'll take you an extra round" sense.
Rhona slices Hal's tether. The startled beast manages to pull free as Rhona is attempting to lead it away, but--luckily--he bolts south-west, which was the direction you were heading anyway. Walt tries to get away from Chantif, but he manhandles it like a boss and drags it off to the southwest. Det realizes his hammer is going to be ineffective, so he hoists Sal over his shoulder, ripping his tether loose from the ground, and heads off. Umash takes off southwest, holding her sunrod aloft so that Hal won't get out of the party's sight. Drexel runs outside the tent and sees that Bob is still tethered. He cuts him loose and somehow manages to hold him fast when he tries to bolt. The water is continuing to rise; it reaches almost halfway from the lake to Drexel. Flying debris strikes Drexel and Bob as they struggle. Drexel, somewhat shielded by Bob's bulk, recieves a cut on his scalp. Bob takes a tree branch to the side of his head.
Drexel takes 2 damage and Bob takes an undisclosed, greater amount of damage :). Drexel and Bob are the only ones still in danger of being engulfed, but y'all should probably chase Hal down before he comes to any mischief. He's 15' ahead of Chantif, Rhona and Umash. Trying to calm him down is a Handle Animal check, and it takes a move action. You can also try to run up to him, grab the remnants of the tether, and try to stop him that way. That's a Strength check as a standard action. Party up.
Rhona Patenaude |
I'll try to catch ol' Hal!
Rhona chases after Hal, thankful that the stubborn beast decided to flee in the same direction the party was already running. "Hal, get back here!" she shouts, well aware that the mule cannot understand her.
Let's see if Rhona can grab that tether... Handle Animal ain't gonna happen for me.
Strength: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
GM Sarpadian |
Drexel leads Bob uphill. The water surges across the campsite, ripping the tent free of the tent pegs and slamming it against a tree. Flying debris slices Drexel and Bob again.
Det and Umash make it uphill far enough to take cover underneath a rocky overhang. Chantif and Walt are close behind. Rhona, having been drug slightly off-course by chasing Hal, is a bit further back. Drexel and Bo are bringing up the rear.
Drexel takes 1 more damage (total of 3); Bob is looking pretty rough. Det and Umash are safe. Chantif will make it under the overhang next round. If someone can succeed on a Handle Animal check to calm Hal down, then Rhona makes it under the overhang next turn. Without the Handle Animal check, it will take two rounds (basically, she moves half speed if Hal is fighting her). Drexel needs 2 rounds to get under the overhang. Bob is docile for the moment, but he just took damage, so there will need to be a Handle Animal check to keep him that way. Any character may attempt a Handle Animal check to calm a mule but only one mule apiece.
GM Sarpadian |
Now that you point it out, I see that it is. I hadn't noticed that before. To remain consistent, amend "Handle Animal check" to "Handle Animal or Charisma check."
Chantif and Walt make it under the overhang. Rhona drags Hal towards the overhang but doesn't make much headway. Drexel and Bob clear the cloud of flying debris and head towards the overhang.
At this point, the only real variable is whether or not Hal breaks free and runs off (Bob is docile), so I'll go ahead and move this along.
Drexel and Bob make it under the overhang. As Rhona gets close to the overhang, her grip on the rope slips, and Hal takes off. Det tries to grab the mule as it passes the overhang, but he misses.
Hal is passing E of the overhang. Chantif and Umash still have actions for this round.
GM Sarpadian |
Chantif drags Hal to a stop and leads him back to the rest of the party.
The rain stops after an hour or so, but your campsite is still underwater.
Rhona Patenaude |
Rhona can't help but laugh at their circumstance. She isn't sure what she would rather face- this volatile weather, or the hordes of the Taloth. She looks at Umash, who is obviously amused at the party's desperate efforts, and can only continue to chuckle.
She pats poor Drexel on the shoulder. "It was a nice idea, pal." Satisfied that their pack animals are safe, and not allowing herself to worry about any equipment that might have been lost in the flood, Rhona leans back and tries to get comfortable.
What a fine couple nights they've been having.
Woo hoo! We're almost level 2, right? Fast Experience Track?
GM Sarpadian |
It makes sense to me that you kept as much with the mules as possible (after all, whatever you take off you have to put back on in the morning), so we'll say the mules had everything but the tents, your cooking supplies, and your sleeping gear. And, yes, fast XP track.
The party passes the rest of the night uneventfully under the overhang. In the morning, you see that the water has receded. Your tents are somewhat smashed, but still visible down below.
What do you want to do? Are y'all pressing on today? Chantif's ability damage is gone, and he and Rhona gain 4 HP. Drexel gains 1 HP.
GM Sarpadian |
The tents' canvas looks salvagable, but the frame is shot. The bedrolls inside are thoroughly soaked, but they should be fine if you get them dried out before they mildew. About 50 ft. away, and about 20' up, you see your iron pot hanging from a branch. The rest of the cooking supplies are nowhere to be seen.
Basically, y'all have lost the cooking kit.
Rhona Patenaude |
That sounds good to me.
Rhona can't help but laugh at the visual of the cooking pot in the tree. She picks up a random piece of debris and tosses it at the cooking pot, hoping to knock it down, but when it doesn't fall, she simply shrugs. C'est la vie.
"You're right, Chantif," she says. "Let's hit the ol' dusty trail."
GM Sarpadian |
Somehow, Rhona manages to knock the pot down to the ground. The party hits the road. Nothing untoward happens during the day. The party pauses about dinnertime and contemplates whether or not they should make up lost time for yesterday.