After retching a few times the now 'Rootin, Tootin, Gun Slingin' Tengu wipes his beak free of the dangling chunky bits,
"Now that I've rid myself of the most recent rations I'm good to go. Let's kill some grindylows!"
"There's a spring right out in front to supply us with water. I wish we had brought the boat around the island instead of leaving it on the other side of the swamp."
"I'd hate to abandon the rum. We'll have to come back this way after we see to Sandra and Fishguts."
Leaning over the cliff, you can see what looks like a sea cave off to the left.
The cliff is only 70 or 80 feet high, and is not sheer by any stretch of the imagination. It can be climbed without much issue.
You figure you also have time to run back to your boat and row over here.
You can probably even find time to rest and recover spells.
"I say we run back and get our boat, we'll need it to get to that cave"
Unless anybody objects, we will retrace our steps back to the boat (frog wrangling if necessary).
Rest up there.
And then row down the beach around the island to invade the cave.
That will work.
You make it back to the beach and then rest up, refresh spells and etc.
Any last minute preparation before you row off down the coast of the island toward the dark cave?
Any spell changes, etc.
Spells Prepared
----------------------
0: Detect Magic, Guidance, Mending, Light
1: Obscuring Mist, Bless, Divine Favor, Air Bubble
2: Slipstream, Bulls Strength, Hold Person
Try to identify the magic ring with Detect Magic / Guidance / Spellcraft
and there's always tomorrow ....
As you row along the north side of the island heading for the sea cave (where you suspect the grindylows have their lair), so see an apparently empty rowboat moving in the water ahead and out to sea from you.
It looks like it is on an intercept course with you, just before you reach the grindylow hide out.
You cannot see how it is moving.
It is perhaps 400 feet away to your right at this time.
How deep is the water?
20-30 feet. You are inside the barrier reef, so the surf / wave action is pretty mild. Doesn't look like a riptide here.
Darvan will leave his shield in the boat and dive over the side to see what he can see underwater.
Darvan dives overboard, opens his eyes and looks around.
(the salt water burns his eyes and his contacts float out! He is blinded! Oh wait - you are supposed to be heroes, so try this!)
He can see 3 or 4 shapes pulling the boat underwater. They are smaller than a man by a good bit.
They are aware that Darvan has entered the water, and all of them release the boat they are pulling and begin to arrow through the water at Darvan!
They close 120 feet with you the first round (ending 280 feet away). Darvan is underwater and can take an action.
Those in the boat (Wilma and Atri) cannot take an action as they do not know what is going on.
Darvan surfaces quickly and shouts "Sea goblin ambush! Four of them beneath the waves!"
Then he breathes deep and dives back beneath the waves to check their progress.
The grindylows race in another 120 feet (now they are 160 feet away).
Anyone can take a round (normal actions) (except Dewyn who isn't here yet).
The grindylows are off the map due north but closing fast.
Red characters are above the water surface, blue are below.
A is Atri, W is Wilma, D is Darvan.
AND Dewyn will mess that up but he will probably be Y or N.
P.S. You may want to review page 432 of the core book for rules on fighting underwater, if that is your plan.
Diving under!
We will assume Wilma is paralyzed by indecision for this round.
The grindlylow's come in in closer, spears pointing at you!
Player's turn.
Please list what weapon is in your hands.
Darvan has his trident in his right hand and his left hand is empty. (current AC is 13, but swim is 10)
He will hold action until the Grindylows approach as a group within 30'.
When they do he will use his Sealord power (aquatic domain) to try to gain control of as many as possible, telling them to stop and hold fast. (DC:12, can control up to 3hd of aquatic creatures)
Swim check for this round:
Max hold breath: 28 rounds - down two rounds for actions this round to 26 remaining.
Holding action until Grindylows get closer.
The sea goblins swim (charge) into the attack!
Three are subjected to Darvan's sea lord power, needing will saves!
for G2
for G3
for G4
And none are affected!
2 charge attacks vs Atri and 2 vs Darvan
for G1 against Atri
for G2 against Atri
for G3 against Darvan
for G4 against Darvan
potential crit against Darvan
not a crit, hits for damage
Players turn; AC of creatures is 13 due to their charge.
Atri gets an extra attack (actually simultaneous with the charge since he held an action - this is a bit clumsy on a forum game so take your held swing and your next turn's action on your next post).
In bubbled retort to G1:
Atri answered while I was editing my post; he gets a second swing in case you miss that in my revised answer.
Darvan stabs G4 back with his trident:
Swim check this round:
Max hold breath: 28 rounds - down two more rounds for actions this round to 24 remaining.
Current HP: 21 of 27
Sweet...
Wilma sees nothing to shoot at - she sees forms under the surface fighting.
She can dive in or stay on the surface, but there won't be anything to shoot.
OK, we will assume Wilma waits on the surface to attack, but there are no targets for her.
3 of the sea goblins meet their end on the party's spiky bits, and the last one shoots away in 200 foot move using a JET
Out of combat. The other boat just sits there, bobbing in the gentle swells.
Darvan swims to the surface (hopefully not being shot in the face by Wilma), takes a deep breath, and says "Quick buggers, shame one got away .... he'll probably tell his friends we're coming.
Help us up out of the water ... this chum is likely to attract some wildlife.
Look there, a free boat!
(DC:20 heals up 1hp/level)
Current HP: 26/27
|
Die, you evil... Wilma exclaims, the follows up with Darvan! Sheesh, I could've shot you, be careful.
Yep, free boat. We're definitely moving up in the world. Got ourselves a veritable flotsam flotilla. An arm-operated armada, so to say.
She jumps over to the captured boat and say: I will captain this boat, and name her 'this boat'. All hail captain Willy!
Atri follows suit and laughs at Wilma's joking while wipes the water off his feathers.
"We should get moving, the lil water goblins are assuredly coming back."
(assuming you look in the boat....)
You find some tins of food (trail rations), some rope....
And an Elf. He is tied up and has a gag in his mouth. His eyes are open but he cannot see out of the boat to know what is going on.
(cue Dewyn)
Dewyn's eyes widen at the sudden apperance of an, apparently, human female and not some disgusting sea goblinoid.
"HMMPH!"
He holds up his bound hands.
"Willy, stop congratulating yerself and cut the faerie-tickler loose so we can see what he has to say for himself."
Dewyn removes the gag and spits some of the taste out.
"Blech!!.. They could of used a different rag.." Dewyn does his best to dust himself off.
"It seems the winds have indeed changed.. I'm in your debt for saving my life. My name is Dewyn.. I'm an apprentice of the arcane arts, I was on a merchant barge for transport and it was raided by those damnable creatures who got the better of me..." Dewyn trails off realizing a wizard was taken for capture by a bunch of sea goblins.
Eyeing the newcomer wearily, "Aye. Have you seen any other captives?"
"Pleased to meet you Dewyn. We're bound for the sea goblin's lair to rescue our cook and another shipmate. If you'd care to tag along, I'm sure we can help you get a berth on our ship when she pulls out."
Dewyn eyes the Tengu thinking for a minute, and shrugs " There was a few of us on the merchants ship.. After being bound and gagged they threw me on this boat and set out for whatever they planned.. I couldn't say what they have planned for the others."
" A pleasure indeed sir, I do owe you my life and it seems I'm ship less.. I would be happy to lend my skills for a place amongst your crew."
Dewyn has not seen any captives, but his boat was being towed in the direction of the suspected Grindlylow lair at Riptide Cove.
If you are done with group hugs, how do you proceed?
Take two boats? Leave one behind? If two, who is in which boat?
"Great idea, now, lets head into the lair."
You approach the cave at low tide. The opening is low but you can get out of your boats and move in over the slippery rocks.
The water depth varies from 2 feet to 10 feet at this point. The roof is 2 feet to 10 feet above the current water level, but high tide will be flooding the bay soon.
Each square is 10 feet.
Any last minute preparation? What is the general order of movement?
Be prepared for swim checks (and maybe drowning!).
Darvan and I will lead.
Atri has pike ready and pistol in waterproof bag.
Darvan looks at Dewyn and asks "Hey mate, do you have a weapon to wield? If not, I've got this here shiny dirk. Not too much blood on the hilt from the previous owner either."
Darvan hands Dewyn the masterwork dagger we have in party treasure.
Then he mutters a brief prayer in Aquan and a light blossoms around the tines of his trident. (light orison)
He then hefts shield and trident and prepares to follow Atri into the lair.
Current HP 26/27
Dewyn nods and takes the dagger "Fine craftsmanship.. Thank you Darvan." He slips the dagger into his belt loop and prepares to follow in.
Current hp is 18/18
You push forward into the cavern. It is noisy, with waves slapping against the walls and water dripping from the ceiling. The flooding tide tends to push you forward; in the skinnier passages it is enough of a force that you must brace yourself against it.
D1 is a cove open to air - cliffs approx 60 feet tall rise up to the island above. The water here is deep - Darvan guesses 30 or 40 feet.
You reach a point where the cavern splits into two sections (D3 and D7 for those looking at the map!).
The water in these chambers looks to be chest deep (say 5 feet) on a man. Seaweed grows here, swaying in the surf and tide flow.
Which way to you go or what do you do?
"Take a left, Atri."
If there's enough light to see by otherwise, Darvan will lower his trident into the water to shade his light spell so as not to warn any sea goblins up ahead.
Many grindylow's rise from the waters ahead of you in D7, carrying dripping spears of sharpened bone and coral.
Wilma sees quite a few swimming up from behind (D3) as well!
Players may go!
No surprise on any side.
Grindylow AC is 15. CMD is 12 (18 vs. trip due to octypus "legs")
Your movement is either swimming (5 foot deep water if you leave the area next to the wall) or as in difficult terrain (the areas next to the wall are slippery rocks).
Keep in mind each square is 10 feet, not the normal 5.
D = Darvan
A = Atri
W = Wilma
F = Dewyn Falassion
G = grindylow