GM Engleaktig |
The bites marring the swollen face make it nearly impossible to identify the body. It looks like he carried a note in a secret flap on his belt pouch. It says:
____________________________________________________________
Jace,
I have had enough of your games. Cheating at dice is one thing, but gambling away our wages... that I will not forget. No more idle jobs for you. This time you go into the jungle with the others. Bring back the eggs or face my displeasure. I will not bother reporting to Zaril this time—if you fail I will let your fellow agents take care of you in whatever manner they see fit. And you will not see a bit of coin until the talisman is in my hands.
____________________________________________________________
You also find a rapier, a masterwork composite longbow, a potion of invisibility, a potion of cure moderate wounds, two oils of magic weapon, two sleep arrows, and two flasks of alchemist’s fire.
Sir Dydimus |
Neet. I wonder if this was Jace or he was just the delivery guy and he never made it to his destination. So who wants what? I think Cornelia and I should keep an alchemist fire each to replace the ones we just used.
Cornelia d'Malheur |
"I imagine this poor fool is the Jace to which the letter is addressed. I have a suspicion that this man was one of the Aspis agents we are tracking. Perhaps his fellows decided he was not worth their time and "dealt" with him. I would gladly replace my alchemist fire, Sir Dydimus. Perhaps I could be interested in that invisibility potion as well."
Hotspur the Unsettled |
"I wouldn't mind holding on to the cure potion, if no one objects."
Olga-Warpriest |
I could use that longbow. That is pretty nice. Should we make some attempt at burial, or press on?
GM Engleaktig |
Once you've distributed the loot, you continue on.
The floor of the ravine slopes downward slightly and the foliage overhead gradually thins. The ravine is wider here, and numerous boulders scattered throughout the area attest to steady erosion. Some of the boulders bear strange carvings and are even hewn into rough pillars, but they jut at odd angles out from the landscape and don’t seem to be a part of any surviving structure. Nestled in the shadow of two such pillars is a shallow pit scraped out of the earth by some massive creature’s claws. The nest contains several branches, the half-eaten body of a leather-clad humanoid, several broken shells, and a several large, intact eggs. In the trampled foliage near the nest lies the corpse of a massive, bipedal dinosaur, its tooth-lined maw agape and its hide pierced with dozens of crude javelins.
The nest contains six eggs; there are two lizardfolk in the nest. The sound of many lizardfolk battling a dinosaur resound in the ravine. The battle isn't in the immediate area, but it is uncomfortably close...
Hotspur the Unsettled |
By pointing, putting a finger to her lips, and then miming knocking someone over the head, Hotspur gestures to her comrades that it might be a good idea to quietly incapacitate the Lizardfolk in the nest lest they summon their friends.
Olga-Warpriest |
Whispering, Cornelia, you sneak in, I'll be ready to try to Enthrall the two lizardfolk if they wake up while you're trying to grab a couple of eggs.
Cornelia d'Malheur |
Cornelia nods and begins to use the nearby foliage as concealment as she begins to make her approach...
Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
What are the lizardfolk in the nest doing?
GM Engleaktig |
Clarification/Correction: The lizardfolk we about to eat some dino eggs, BUT, the smell of Dydimus and Ethendril alert them to your presence.
Inits:
Cornelia: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Dydimus: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Ethendril: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13
Hotspur: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9
Olga: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 1 = 10
Lizardfolk: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (20) + 0 = 20
Lizardfolk: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (16) + 0 = 16
Cornelia is up first! Dydimus is on deck.
Hotspur the Unsettled |
To save time, I'll post Hotspur's attack now.
To keep the noise down, Hotspur attaches her bayonet move action And tries to spear the most authoritarian lizardperson I'll go with the one with the 20 init just to name a target.
Bayonet attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Bayonet damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5
"Luckily I don't believe in divinities because I'm sure my patron god would be facepalming right now."
Cornelia d'Malheur |
Cornelia draws her sword cane and holds position, prepared to strike at the first lizardfolk who approaches her! "We must take them out quickly."
Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Readying an action to attack the first lizardfolk who approaches her.
Sir Dydimus |
Dydimus, smiles and waves as the lizard folk turn to look at the group. I'm sorry Bug-breaths, Lunch is cancelled today. Please make yourselves comfortable while we go about our business.
Grease DC 14 reflex
Trying to catch both lizardfolk
GM Engleaktig |
Sorry guys, I actually messed that up. I forgot that Dydimus and Ethendril were stinky. The lizards should have gotten a surprise round on you first.
____________________________________________________________
Suprirse:
Lizardfolk Javelin at Dydimus: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20, Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Lizardfolk Javelin at Ethendril: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17, Miss!
Dydimus takes 3 HP damage. THEN he greases the enemy.
____________________________________________________________
Move Action: The lizardfolk get up.
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10, Acrobatics: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
Standard Action: The lizardfolk move to Ethendril.
Sorted Inits:
Cornelia (ready action)
Dydimus (acted)
Lizardfolk
Lizardfolk
Ethendril
Olga
Hotspur (acted)
____________________________________________________________
Ethendril is up! Olga is on deck.
Ethendril h'Caramore |
Ethendril swings mightily at one of the creatures, hoping to draw their attention from his companions.
Greatsword Power Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21 for damage: 2d6 + 9 ⇒ (1, 3) + 9 = 13
GM Engleaktig |
Cornelia d'Malheur |
Hmm...somehow I missed the map link before lol.
Cornelia will leave her comrades to deal with the lizardmen while she sneaks around to the north to get other to the remaining eggs. Once near the eggs, she slips her backpack from her shoulders and will start gathering up the eggs.
Sir Dydimus |
Isn't one of the lizards dead already?
Dydimus draws his rapier and waves lunges at the lizardfolk. Have at thee you scaly egg snatcher!
These guys kind of look like Dragons so Dydimus is going to attack instead of his normal aid. He wants some glory for himself :)
Swift action for arcane strike and move if necessary.
Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28 Possible crit!
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Confirm:
Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (11) + 8 = 19
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Woot 6 damage!
GM Engleaktig |
Yes. Ethendril made it go SMUSH! :-)
The second lizardfolk looks as though he wants to seriously reconsider his life choices.
But, his tribe is somewhere nearby, fighting the dino, so...
Full attack:
Morningstar: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21, Damage: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Claw: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (4) + 0 = 4
Bite: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (2) + 0 = 2
Dydimus take 4 HP of damage, but can take comfort in the fact that he hits harder than the lizardfolk does!
Enthedril is up.
Then Olga and Hotspur.
Ethendril h'Caramore |
Ethendril tries to replicate his attack on the other lizard, but this one seems more prepared.
Greatsword Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12 for damage: 2d6 + 6 ⇒ (4, 3) + 6 = 13
Can't edit the map, but would like to move 5' southeast on top of 2
Hotspur the Unsettled |
Hotspur moves forward in an attempt to impale the lizardperson on her bayonet.
Bayonet attack: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
Bayonet damage: 1d6 ⇒ 2
The lizardfolk is not the only person reconsidering their life choices right now.
Sir Dydimus |
HA! HA! Victory is mine foul beast! Eat Steal!
Attack: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Or not...
Olga-Warpriest |
Olga will move forward to the standing lizard guy and swing her greataxe: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23 for 1d12 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6 points of damage.
Sir Dydimus |
Glory Hog! Dydimus thinks very loudly
GM Engleaktig |
This one goes SPLAT!
The nest contains six eggs.
A dead dino a short distance away clearly perished from the numerous javelins that stick out of its body, but the broken foliage nearby shows it didn't die without a fight.
The noises in the jungle confirm that another dino is out there making a fuss.
There's a mangled body in the nest. This a human who died only an hour before. (Heal Check--low DC)
The party sets to gathering dino eggs. A few hundred yards from the dinosaur nest, the ravine suddenly falls silent—no birds, monkeys, or other jungle creatures are audible. A few heartbeats later, a bellowing roar echoes through the ravine, causing countless small birds and animals to abandon their hiding places and scatter as quickly as possible. A series of great shuddering cracks herald the downfall of several trees in the distance, and a second thunderous roar pierces the air, followed by the frantic shouts of panicked humanoids.
Suddenly, a massive dinosaur bursts out of the jungle to the southwest, pursuing a dozen leather-clad explorers through the ravine. The furious creature sweeps up a straggler into its massive jaws and flings the screaming victim off into the jungle, roars, and rushes toward its next target. (That would be you.)
Also, this thing is a Tyrannosaurus! ... And you're all holding her eggs...
Cornelia d'Malheur |
Cornelia hurriedly, but carefully wraps up one of the eggs in her clothing within her backpack and slips it into the container. Her hands tremble a little at the sounds nearby, praying whoever is combating the dinosaur will keep it busy for just a few more moments...
However, as everyone knows, the gods are fickle and prays rarely do much unless you are a priest. The young woman jerks around at the sound of all the crashing to see the massive dinosaur bearing down on what she can only assume is the Aspis agents they were trailing. "Run!" is all she says before pulling her backpack onto her back and take off running as fast as she can from the tyrannosaurus!
Ethendril h'Caramore |
Okaaaay...a T-Rex, which I'm assuming is full-grown since it has eggs, is after us. It's faster than we are, and likely a TPK without the right solution here. How many eggs did we need? Are there any terrain features we might use to get away?
heal check: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2
perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
Olga-Warpriest |
Olga would like to try to cast Cause Fear DC 14 at the tyranassuarus.
GM Engleaktig |
Cornelia (very wisely) gets ready to run!
Olga casts a spell. (T-Rex Save: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16) And she just made herself a target for the dino.
Okaaaay...a T-Rex, which I'm assuming is full-grown since it has eggs, is after us. It's faster than we are, and likely a TPK without the right solution here.
Ethendril looks around. Some of the humanoids fleeing from the dino are ASPIS CONSORTIUM agents! The veteran immediately realizes: "We don't have to outrun the T-rex; we could just outrun the Aspis."
ROFL!!!! I'm so very excited about this part!
As a party you must now ALL agree to a strategy. (This will be like the conversation with the Aspis agent in Part 1. Even if you don't have the appropriate skill, RP it out and you might receive a circumstance bonus.) You succeed, or fail, as a party. No SINGLE roll will cause failure.
For this first round you have two choices:
1) Acrobatics! The dino surprised you; make an acrobatics check to get out of the way AND position yourselves (collectively) so that the Aspis are closer to the dino than you.
2) Combat Maneuver! Knock the Apis agents on their butts and run before the dino eats you!
REMEMBER: This is your chance to really RP the heck out of this challenge. Do it up. The sky is the limit. :-D And do your actions with a flourish!!!
Hotspur the Unsettled |
Will the GM allow that the dead Aspis in the nest had a shield? It will only be put to flavor-use.
Hotspur the Unsettled |
I imagined a shield present anyway, as I will be out for a few hours. If it doesn't work, I'm okay with retconning that.
At the roar of the T-Rex, Hotspur stuffs a dinosaur egg into her uniform and prepares to sprint. At the last second, she notices that just out of arm's reach of the dead Aspis agent in the nest is a battered towershield.
In a single movement, Hotspur grabs the edge of the shield and drags it through the thick greasy-residue left over from Sir Dydimus's slippery spell. She begins to run, building a good head of steam, and throws her musket into the air ahead of her, while simultaneously swinging the the arm-straps of the tower shield up over her shoulders so it sits like a shell on her back.
The gunslinger dives forward, corkscrewing in the air, so that when she hits the ground with a thump, she lands on her back on the shield and begins to slide backwards down the ravine. Reaching up at the last second she snatches her spinning musket from the air, and begins to fire wildly toward the enormous carnivore in an attempt to provide some cover for her friends.
"Sic semper Tyrannosaurus!" she yells while unloading round after round, all while careening along the floor of the ravine on her shield/sled.
Unable to steer effectively, Hotspur is unable to avoid a mid-sized rock in her path, and with a terrible CRASH she, the egg, and the shield -- its arm-straps snapped-- go flying separately into the air.
Hotspur somersaults, and kicks down on the airborne shield, sending it earthwards underfoot, as she stomps the landing. Now, "surfing" the still-sliding shield, she swings her musket over her shoulder by its strap and reaches out her arms to catch the falling egg...
Close...
Closer...
Success! Her fingers sieze on the shell and she tucks it under her arm while completeing the first 360-spin ever attempted on a greased-towershield by a member of the Liberty's Edge faction.
Distracting fire at T-Rex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9 Just to get its attention off Olga
Acrobatics in improvised reverse-skeleton/surfing/skateboarding on a shield: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25
Cornelia d'Malheur |
I vote for Acrobatics as well, given that we have a fairly agile group. Only problem is that silly paladin and he's full-plate... By the way, Hotspur... I loved that line you snuck in there!!! I literally lol'd.