#0-16: To Scale the Dragon (Inactive)

Game Master Baerlie

"I don't have anything that can melt the ice. My bombs are explosive, but not sustained heat."

"It sounds as we have a plan" says Kyra "If we had a large piece of metal, I could place it at heat for half a minute or so"

"I think Tytus meant he was good with the plan Iso... not your beard...residue...OK then here is the deal...Johann can fly... or someone who said they can fly.. they will draw the snow snakes attention away from here, us and the sleds, Kyra and Iso should stay near that person to render assistance if need be. The rest of us dig and dig fast. Then we all meet at the sleds to beat a hasty retreat. Any questions?"

Iso nods in a distracted manner, snacking on either lice or left over lunch from his beard as he does so.

He absently kicks at one of the nearby bodies, wondering if they have anything useful on them.

I thought I couldn't use fire spells, but now discover that arcanists can use unprepared spells. Yay!

Enora grabs her bonded staff and uses a charges to create two scorching rays that melt the snow. She's careful to avoid the Remorhaz's eggs.

@GM: Not sure if you want rolls, to maybe see how careful I aim or how much progress I make, so I'll just include them:
Scorching Ray #1: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18 Fire Damage: 4d6 ⇒ (1, 5, 4, 6) = 16
Scorching Ray #2: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11 Fire Damage: 4d6 ⇒ (6, 3, 5, 5) = 19

Let us hope that snow has vulnerability against fire!

Haha! :P

"Good thinking Enora. Just be mindful of making noise and of damaging the goods." Fenrik says while scanning for threats.
Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

I hope I got it correctly, trying to add some GM flavor ;)

Enora carefully and silently moves away the eggs you don't want to cook them while Kyra heats Fenrik's sword and once it's hot the action starts. The sword melts away a big amount of the icy cover and to speed the process Enora fires some scorching rays at the ice. Steam rises from the cairn.

50% chance to wake the Remorhaz, 1 triggers: 1d2 ⇒ 2 puh

The melting continues and the 3-foot-thick ice cover melts faster and faster until it releases the stone seal.

Who's able to disable the magic trap? DC28

Fenrik can DD but not magical ones...

DD: 1d20 + 1d6 + 22 ⇒ (9) + (1) + 22 = 32 Flexing his fingers Tytus starts to disable the trap in no time.

While Tytus disables the magic trap the rest of you spot beastmen gather in small groups upon the nearby fog-enshrouded cliffs, beating drums and chanting ominously.

The stone which Tytus unarmed seals a small chamber filled with a bed of charcoal. Atop the charcoal sits a rolled up leather blanket tied closed with knotted silk rope. The leather blanket is lined with red and orange silks that bind together a collection of bones, intricately scrimshawed with fine calligraphy and rubbed with gold leaf, to make the runes stand out.

Wake the Remorhaz, 1 triggers: 1d2 ⇒ 1

While you work with the caern you suddenly hear a roar. The remorhaz wakes up and crawls out of its selleping place. That's Johann's cue and he flies up high into the sky, offending the beast as loud as he can. The beast tries to catch the gnome and rushes after him.

you have now a few seconds to reseal the caern, put back the eggs and run off with the sleighs as fast as you can ;)

"Is that it...? Is that what we came for...? If so let us grab it and run back to the sleds and get the heck out of here after putting the eggs back..." Fenrik says to the others.

Iso grabs the bundle and takes it to the sleds, while he waits for the smaller members of the team to put back the eggs.

"Good doggies.. Nice doggies."

"Pick up that and run!" shouts Kyra while taking part of the bones.

Once the bones are taken, and the eggs back on place, the cleric starts running for her life!

Sense Motive: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3

"No idea what those beastmen over there are doing here, but who cares?! Let's make haste!"

Enora casts haste on everyone, greatly speeding up the pace with which the party's able to restore the site and run the hell away after that.

Fenrik will stand with his sword out as a guard by the sleds until everyone else is loaded and ready to depart before he gets on last.

Johann should still have a good amount of time on his flight spell from the potion. If he runs low, he'll drink his extract of fly as soon as the flight spell is within a round or two of ending. He'll make sure the remorhaz fixates on him by staying just out of its reach and throwing bombs at it (Tanglefoot bombs because fire and cold don't hurt it). Need me to make attack rolls?

While Johann enjoys the chase and the warm air around the Remorhaz, the rest of you closes the chamber and put back the eggs.

Sooner or later the Remorhaz returns to its nest but now dozens of shaggy beastmen howl from the fog-enshrouded precipices, their chants seemingly silenced by the return of the monstrous worm-creature. Then slowly, the drums start beating again. The tempo rises furiously, followed by an enraged chorus of violent, howling screams.

Enraged that trespassers violated their holy site, murdered their kin, and kid their sacred beast, the taer fall upon you with mad vengeance.

Once you are back at the sleds you push the dogs and they are eager to get away from the Remorhaz's lair, but before the dogs reach their travelling speed several spears fly towards you from the side, but the spears stick into the cliff walls, sink into the snow, or clatter off the sleds.

1 is bad
50% hit chance (fog) Johann: 1d2 ⇒ 2 hits
50% hit chance (fog) Fenrik: 1d2 ⇒ 1
50% hit chance (fog) Tytus: 1d2 ⇒ 2 hits
50% hit chance (fog) Enora: 1d2 ⇒ 1
50% hit chance (fog) Kyra: 1d2 ⇒ 1
50% hit chance (fog) Iso: 1d2 ⇒ 1

Spear vs. Johann: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25
Spear vs. Tytus: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

The taer pursue you to the best of their abilities, but cannot keep pace with somebody traveling on dogsleds. They chase you for several
hundred yards before they finally give up.

With the bones in your backpacks you start the descend back to the way station.

Iso grins at the wind cuts through the groups clothing on the rapid trip down.

"This reminds Iso of his your as a corsair! The wind in his hair, death in hot pursuit! Iso sometimes misses those days."

Enora casts a nervous glance back, then laughs as Iso speaks. "I'm glad running away isn't part of my daily life!"

"It is not the running away so much.." explains Iso
"As what one is running away With!"

The tales of larceny that he spews forth are (to put it kindly) hard to believe. Especially from someone with the relatively youthful looks of the friendly Iso.

Though exactly why someone would lie about being a sea raider is a little unclear.

"Lets cut the victory celebration until we hand these things over.... we are not out of danger yet..."

"Amen!Let´s get going!"

Sense Motive: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1

"I see!" Enora replies to Iso, believing him as much as he does himself.

So, the next part is a bit tricky. It is a combat with vehicles thing, please bare with me :D And please familiarize with the sled driving rules again. I posted them some time ago in the discussion thread.

Once the Taer are out of sight you reduce the speed of the sleds and continue further down the mountain. A chorus of yowling dogs echoes from atop the surrounding hills. Suddenly, from out of the snow-covered brush shoot four teams of dogsleds. They barrel down the hills at breakneck speed.

One of the attackers shoots a crossbow bolt at Iso while the other one waits to get closer.
Bolt vs. Iso: 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (12) + 7 - 4 = 15

Round 1
Fyrth green
-----
Iso
Fenrik
Enora
Tytus
Johann
Kyra
-----
Rangers blue
Mushers yellow
Ephys red

Map is up in a few minutes.

Fenrik shouts out to the others "In coming foes at out flanks! Keep mushing the dogs forward! If someone falls off then we stop and fight! Use ranged if you can!"

Iso grins evily. He readies his axe to swipe at anyone foolish enough to come close. Or one of the shed dogs of the other team, figuring that would slow them down.

readied attack: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
damage: 1d12 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

"Just like when Iso was little. But with dogs, not ships!"

Perc: 1d20 + 1d6 + 20 ⇒ (9) + (3) + 20 = 32
Taking a scroll of charm animals Tytus prepares for the battle. Charming one of our dogs so that it will follow Tytus leads.
UMD: 1d20 + 1d6 + 15 ⇒ (19) + (5) + 15 = 39

Perception: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (13) + 13 = 26

"Watch out! Saplings buried in the snow ahead!" Johann calls out, as his sharp gnomish eyes spy the obstacle ahead -- or is it a trap?

He pops his wand out of his spring-loaded sheath and uses it to shield himself, then stows the wand safely.

"[b]We have to stop the sleds before we reach the saplings![b]" Kyra attempts to avoid the saplings or at least stop the sled if that is not possible.
H. animal: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

"Can anyone clean the path? By spell?

"I fear I'll just create a crater in the snow, and that's not good either!" Enora replies to Tytus.

Enora mumbles the incantation for glitterdust, which she drops on as many dogs of the northern sleds as possible. "I hope this will let them crash!"

DC 17 Will for each doggie to avoid being blinded.

I forgot to mention: the scenario assumes you move at average speed, which is increment 5. Breaking (handle animal DC12) reduces the speed by 1, a full break (handle animal DC20) stops the sled completely, but this is a full round action. The attackers are faster, they travel at speed increment 8.

Fenrik warns you and Iso readies his axe. Tytus points out the trap in front of you while charming the leading dog of his sled. Also Johann spots the trap and he uses a charge of his shield wand on himself. Enora casts a spell at the two sleds approaching from the north.
I'll do one roll per group of dogs and one for the yellow guy to the left.
Dogs left: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Dogs right: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (12) + 1 = 13
Musher: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
LOL

The glitterdust covers the dogs and they suddenly loose track and the sled gets out of control. The dogs are running crisscross, one of the mushers falls of and cause the sled to tip over, covering its passengers in snow and wood pieces.

Kyra is only a passenger, she's with Tytus, and can't slow down the dogs. Do you want to change your action? Also Fenrik did not take an action this round.

Round 1
Fyrth green
-----
Iso (readied)
Fenrik
Enora
Tytus
Johann
Kyra
-----
Rangers blue
Musher yellow (sled out of control)
Ephys red

Realizing the dogs are not attentive to her efforts, Kyra touches Tytus giving Serenrae's guidance so he can perhaps stop the disaster before it is too late.
+1 competence to any roll, 1 use only

Fenrik does what he can to keep the sled moving away from the pursuers without crashing.

Handle Animal check if need be: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Kyra casts a spell on Tytus while Fenrik tries to escape the pursuers.

The musher on the northern hill tries to control the sled but unfortunately he passes the cloud of glitter. The musher is blinded, but somehow he manages to stay on the sled.
Handle Animal DC20: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 18
Will: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
50% chance to crash, 1 triggers: 1d2 ⇒ 2
Str to hold on: 1d20 ⇒ 20

The other mushers keep the sleds going down the hill on the south side of the path. Ephys casts a spell and a spiritual weapon appears next to Iso. Fyrth shoots a crossbow bolt at Tytus.
Spiritual Weapon vs. Iso: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17
Damage: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10
Bolt vs. Tytus: 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (11) + 7 - 4 = 14

The pursuers get closer and you rush towards the trap in the snow. 4 rounds away from the trap, if you don't change the speed the attackers reach you within 2 rounds

Round 2
Fyrth green
-----
Iso (readied)
Fenrik
Enora
Tytus
Johann
Kyra
-----
Mushers yellow (sled still out of control)
Ephys red
Spiritual Weapon 4R

Seeing the success of her spell, Enora uses also uses glitterdust on the dogs of the southern sleds.

DC 17 Will again! :)

Iso whoops with delight as the wind whips his beard into odd shapes.

And keeps his readied action

Ferik will try to increase the speed of his sled to out pace his pursuers...

Handle Animal: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22

Can I throw a bomb? If so, what's the range, and does it prevent me from doing something else?

-Posted with Wayfinder

"Can´t you throw bombs behind us and destroy the snow of our pursuers?"

Another cloud of glitter appears between the other pair of sleds, covering the dogs and three attackers. Again the dogs get out of control while one of the mushers tries to calm them down.
Musher #1: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19
Musher #2: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15
Fyrth: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Dogs left: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
Dogs right: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16
Hold on musher #1: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13
Hold on musher #2: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12
Hold on Fyrth: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (11) + 0 = 11 falls

Fenrik increases the speed of his sled while Iso holds his weapon ready and Johann thinks about throwing bombs.

Round 2
Iso (readied)
Fenrik
Enora
Tytus
Johann
Kyra
-----
Musher yellow (sled out of control)
Musher brown (sled out of control)
Musher blue (sled out of control) blinded
Ephys red
Spiritual Weapon 3R

I'd say throwing bombs is possible in the second range increment and a -4 for doing it while moving. What else do you want to do? The dogs are running on their own, if you want to change the speed or turn, you can do this as well as a move action.

Taking an extract of aa and fly titian prepares to disarm the trap

Unused to the sled, Kyra cannot properly focus on what is going on with the sled chaos and has enough trying not to fall apart "Stop the damn sled we are gonna die!"

OK, Johann is going to toss a bomb at Red.

bomb with range penalty and movement penalty: 1d20 + 12 - 6 ⇒ (14) + 12 - 6 = 20 vs. touch

fire damage: 5d6 + 6 ⇒ (2, 1, 4, 2, 5) + 6 = 20

Johann is driving the sled as well I think? Taking a move action to slow the sled.

Handle Animal: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

While Tytus drinks an extract Kyra complains about Tytus' tactics. Johann hurls a bomb at the spellacaster and hits, but he can't get the animals to reduce the speed.

1 tips
Tip sled #1: 1d2 ⇒ 1 tips
Tip sled #2: 1d2 ⇒ 1 tips
Tip sled #3: 1d2 ⇒ 2

Two sleds tip because the dogs cross each others pahts. While the remaining musher tries to get his sled under control Ephys casts another spell.
Handle animal: 1d20 + 6 - 4 ⇒ (14) + 6 - 4 = 16
Tytus: will save vs. hold person DC15

The spiritual weapon continues to attack Iso, but again misses.
Attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Round 3
Iso (readied)
Fenrik
Enora
Tytus
Johann
Kyra
-----
Musher blue (sled still out of control) blinded
Ephys red -20HP
Spiritual Weapon 2R

"I can neither. You are our best chance!"Profession teamster is wis, Handle animal is cha and booth are Tytus weak spots!" Tytus will use try to make his charmed animal go slower!

Johann drinks his extract of Heroism and tries to slow the sled again.

Handle Animal: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9

Tytus, would you please make a will save first? ;)