Aubrey's Rise of the Runelords campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Aubrey the Malformed

That gives us:

Elisile: AS 13, initiative 23
Vethran: AU 14, initiative 18+
Hudak: AS 12, initiative 18
Camlo: AS14, initiative 17
Illes: AV 12, initiative 16
Dravite: AV14, initiative 9
Alwyn: AQ 13, initiative 5

I’ve posted Elisile’s action, looks like Veth is up ... unless something beyond rain happens in the meantime.

Okay, my action is dependant on something the rules are a bit fuzzy on. With summon monster III, I can summon 1d4+1 dolphins with the celestial template who will default to being NG. I can't directly communicate with them, but is it possible to instruct them simply to move to a place (near the ferry) and then come back once the villagers are able to climb onto them? If all I can do is tell them to attack, then I'll need to come up with something else. Regular dolphins are known to rescue drowning/shipwrecked people all the time of their own volition. I figure NG celestial dolphins would be even MORE likely to do so.

Okay, my action is dependant on something the rules are a bit fuzzy on. With summon monster III, I can summon 1d4+1 dolphins with the celestial template who will default to being NG. I can't directly communicate with them, but is it possible to instruct them simply to move to a place (near the ferry) and then come back once the villagers are able to climb onto them? If all I can do is tell them to attack, then I'll need to come up with something else. Regular dolphins are known to rescue drowning/shipwrecked people all the time of their own volition. I figure NG celestial dolphins would be even MORE likely to do so.

For good or ill I’d say you’d be firmly in the realms of GM fiat there, since you can’t communicate with them – which technically means you can’t direct them to move to an area. You could probably summon them near the people in trouble and hope that their natural instincts kick in and they’re inclined to help, but you’re definitely in a rules-grey area. It is fairly well documented real life behaviour that dolphins will often help humans and other animals in distress in the water.

I think you (or someone) would need to make a charisma check to at least get the gist across. DC 15 seem reasonable? Or Wild Empathy from a druid-y/ranger type.

I think you (or someone) would need to make a charisma check to at least get the gist across. DC 15 seem reasonable? Or Wild Empathy from a druid-y/ranger type.

Sure... we'll try that.

Vethran moves to the water's edge (AT-19) and begins invoking a lengthy spell.

Summon monster spells are "1 round" casting time, so I'm basically considered to be casting the entire time until the beginning of my next round. I'll go ahead and do the CHA check now: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (16) - 1 = 15 vs. DC 15.

Actually, it's not so important at this point to go on initiative, so please feel free to do what you feel at this point.

The map again:

Rise of the Runelords goes interactive.

Alwyn runs down to the water's edge and prepares to climb up on the building next to the sinking ferry.

Move to AO 20; I'll climb up on the barn roof next turn.

Alwyn runs down to the water's edge and prepares to climb up on the building next to the sinking ferry.

Move to AO 20; I'll climb up on the barn roof next turn.

Copycat! Camlo moves to AN20 for the same reason. "Race you to the top" he winks.

In a flash of dazzling light, Vethran's spell culminates in the conjuration of a small pod (1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5) of glittering dolphins near the ferry. Through a series of urgent gestures, he directs the pod to the ferry and calls out to the imperiled villagers.

"Grab ahold of them firmly and they will swim you to shore! They won't harm you!"

Copycat! Camlo moves to AN20 for the same reason. "Race you to the top" he winks.

"That's a contest I can't win. I'll help you up first."

I looked over my character sheet, and while Alwyn's no great climber, he can't swim at all...

Camlo Zenovia wrote:

Copycat! Camlo moves to AN20 for the same reason. "Race you to the top" he winks.

"That's a contest I can't win. I'll help you up first."

I looked over my character sheet, and while Alwyn's no great climber, he can't swim at all...

Yeah, Camlo isn't too good at swimming either, his plan is to drop a rope to the people, and not actually end up in the drink. Acrobatics all the way!

"Sounds good to me, do you have a rope?" Camlo is apparently excited enough that his stutter has temporarily dropped.

"Um, no... I'll look inside the barn as you climb up."

Elisile completes her incantation, and Hudak expands to twice his previous height and width. “That should help with deep water and high windows,” the elf murmurs, probably unheard by Hudak’s elevated ear.

On her next turn (round 2) she then begins another spell, a minor dweomer of speed, then moves hastily towards the church. Casts Expeditious Retreat on self then moves 60 feet (after having five-foot stepped to AR 13 in round 1) north of the fish smoker to AG 14. She’ll look for entrances into the church, doors and windows big enough to fit through.

"Um, no... I'll look inside the barn as you climb up."

There are some townsfolk standing ... somewhere (presumably on the bank nearby) who have a rope.

Hudak'll head over to the church; "Need any help?"

Looks like he can get to about AE 16.

Vethran pantomimes at the water's edge, imploring the holy cetaceans to rescue the woman and children stranded in the turtle-shell coracle. The dolphins watch and chatter to one another, and then dive back into the water and head for trapped ferry.

Even if you don't speak Celestial:

The dolphins rear up out of the water and chatter at the boat's occupants. The children scream in terror and cringe back, howling, "Sharks!"

You might need a Diplomacy check to calm them down.

Alwyn quickly finds a servicable-looking rope in the barn. He hands it up to Camlo on the roof.

I ought to ask for Climb roll from Camlo, but the DC is only 10 so I'm sure he's fine.

Elisile and the engorged Hudak make their way over to the temple square. They find epople running in and out of the temple, carrying vestments, books, and other holy paraphenalia. A harrassed Father Sheed staggers out with a mounted stag's head.

Perception or Knowledge (Architecture & Engineering), DC 15:

Map updated.

Illes? Dravite?

Perception: 5 + 13 = 18

Elisile puts a hand to Hudak's leg. "Look there," she says, pointing to the water swirling about the church's tower. "See how the water eats the lime - many bricks are already swept away. That tower will not stand for long."

She takes a moment to whisper the words to another spell casts Fly on herself if she has time, then looks closely at the building and the tower.

Aubrey, there is obviously an easy way in and out of the building that is not under water - how about the tower itself - any large windows in the belfrey or anything? Look like a lot of people in the tower?

"Priest," she calls to Father Sheed, "your building's tower will not long stand against the force of the water - are there any more within?"

Vethran pantomimes at the water's edge, imploring the holy cetaceans to rescue the woman and children stranded in the turtle-shell coracle. The dolphins watch and chatter to one another, and then dive back into the water and head for trapped ferry.

Even if you don't speak Celestial:

** spoiler omitted **

The dolphins rear up out of the water and chatter at the boat's occupants. The children scream in terror and cringe back, howling, "Sharks!"

You might need a Diplomacy check to calm them down.

Ah, dolphins ... the other white meat.

** spoiler omitted **

Homage to Douglas Adams? Well done sir, very well done. Oh, and yes, Climb is +13....

Illes jogs up behind Vethran just in time to hear the children begin screaming irrationally. Illes shouts to get their attention then explains what they need to do slowly and with assured confidence, "Listen to me! These are not sharks. They are dolphins and my cousin has just summoned them from the heavens to save you. You don't have to worry. They will not hurt you and they are very strong swimmers. Just get close enough to hold one around the middle and let it swim you to shore. One at a time now..."

Diplomacy 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (15) + 14 = 29
Move to AU 18

Dravite moves to AV18 and chants a spell(longstrider).

"Speed me footfalls ta be quick like a hare."

lol....I was with some guys at the beach in the national guard.....same thing......sharks don't undulate in the water, fools! They go straight!!!

Renewing my dot.

Dot renewal..loved the dolphins

Dot.

The children and their teacher, at the urging of all those on shore, gingerly climb out of the wildly-bobbing boat and on to the backs of the dolphins. As the last child climbs out, the ferry suddenly overturns and is swept away by the surge. The former occupants of the coracle shriek in fear and, at that moment, a dark shape looms from the water - a nightbelly boa, dislodged from the forest and aggressive with fear. It lunges at the nearest little girl as she clings to her cetacean rescuer.

OK, the dolphins are a bit occupied right now as they are needed to get the non-combatants to the shore. Now we go to initiative.

Boa initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

That gives us:
Elisile: initiative 23
Vethran: initiative 18+
Hudak: initiative 18
Camlo: initiative 17
Illes: initiative 16
Dravite: initiative 9
Alwyn: initiative 5
Boa: initiative 4

The dolphins move on Vethran's turn. It is unclear if Hudak and Elisile would know about the snake from where they are.

Aubrey, there is obviously an easy way in and out of the building that is not under water - how about the tower itself - any large windows in the belfrey or anything? Look like a lot of people in the tower?

The tower connects internally to the temple. The tower includes a sort of library so there might be people in there, but it is hard to tell - the windows are more the arrow-slit variety.

"Priest," she calls to Father Sheed, "your building's tower will not long stand against the force of the water - are there any more within?"

Sheed looks up and yells over the roar of the river, "The acolytes! Help them!"

Map updated.

As Elisile and Hudak's actions shouldn't affect Camlo...

Camlo draws, loads and prepares to fire his hand crossbow at the boa, hoping more to scare it off, than to do any real damage.

(I am presuming there that CAmlo has made it to the roof, and along, rope in hand, only for the dolphins to arrive, and the ferry to capsize, leaving him out on a limb and not much use. All before init started....)

Put Camlo at AO25 if the above is correct. By the way. Is it me, or has the waterline moved between map drawings? In an OMFGGTFOOT!!!! kinda way?

(I am presuming there that CAmlo has made it to the roof, and along, rope in hand, only for the dolphins to arrive, and the ferry to capsize, leaving him out on a limb and not much use. All before init started....)

Fine with me. And the waterline hasn't moved. Yet.

Is the door to the church in the square that Father Sheed occupies?

Elisile moves to W17 (single move, thanks to Expeditious Retreat), then pauses a moment to cast fly on herself.

“Where are the acolytes?” she asks Father Sheed, now that she is within civilised conversational distance. “The tower?”

Okay, you said there were four people in the ferry and there are five dolphins. Which one of the dolphins is unladen with passengers? That one will attack the boa while the others use withdrawal actions to avoid endagering their passengers. Since I don't have direct control of them, you can decide to which squares they retreat to.

"Get those people to safety and keep that snake away from the children!" Vethran shouts out to the dolphins. As he does so, he begins an incantation, the conclusion of which results in a flurry of shimmering missiles that strike the snake unerringly.

Magic missile on the boa. 4d4 + 7 ⇒ (4, 2, 3, 4) + 7 = 20 damage.
Dolphin's attack vs. boa: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12, dealing 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 damage if successful.

Well, I thought about that but it's three kids and an adult. But I'm not bothered if you want one of them to attack.

heading to uv 19-20 to help the churchgoers.

Illes is up and then Dravite, right?

Illes is up and then Dravite, right?

That's right, Camlo has already posted his action above.

"I think I can calm the snake for now! Get those people out of the river while I try!"

subbing perform wind for handle animal to "push" the snake to stand down. Dc 27
1d20 + 19 ⇒ (16) + 19 = 35

I'm not fully certain that I can do that, but from what I had time to skim this morning it seemed like a good idea.
I'm trying to "Push" (because the snake is not trained) the trick "Down" which will get it to break off combat.
I came up with a base DC of 27 [25 (push) + 2 (injured)] but figured circumstantial mods might play in. I couldn't find anything specifically saying whether you can or cannot do this on a wild / undomesticated animal. Rearing a wild animal works from the base trick DC of 15 with the HD of the animal tacked onto that. So maybe 27 + the snake's HD if you want to account for wildness?
Either way, it is a full round action.

I'll run with it - a bit of snake-charming from the Varisian. What could go wrong?

Illes remembers some of the sights and sounds he has seen along the road. He begins gyrating sinuously at the water's edge, while playing on his flute a repetitive drone. Even with the roar of the water the notes float above the din, and the snake turns its attention to where the Varisian jongleur plies his trade. It watches him, its forequarters risen from the surge and swaying in time to Illes movements, abandoning its attack for the moment.

You have no guarantee how long this will last.

Dravite.

By da Blasted God's Teats! Ye dinnae be needin' ta be matin' wit da serpent, Illes....dis is way too wrong fer me.
Dravite steps back to AW19 and unleashes a volley of arrows at the serpent.
Big game hunter and deadly aim only.
1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 241d8 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 251d8 + 10 ⇒ (7) + 10 = 17
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13 second shot crit confirmation.

So first shot is AC 24, 14 damage. Second shot is AC 25 (nat 20), 17 damage, probably not confirming.

Alwyn runs down to the beach to help the rescuees get on land.

Bump to save from obscurity.

OK, the arm feels quite a lot better today.

The boa thrashes, Dravite's arrows plunging into its upraised body. It then plunges lifeless back under the waves, to swept away by the torrent. The onlookers cheer as the celestial dolphins, their white skin seeming to shimmer with motes of silver, gently shepherd their charges to the shore and safety.

Perception checks, DC 20: