That may all be well and good, Venja, but I am getting sick of these traps. We are already low on healing but we must proceed onward to rescue the lady. I am just concerned at what the toll will be and if we will be in any condition to rescue the lady once we find her at this rate.
Gabryjel glances at Variel and nods, agreeing with the elf, but he says nothing.
However, he readies an arrow, just in case.
With little to do but wait, Gabryjel will decide to search the area for any signs of threat...
"Darndit, icy river eh?. Mates we dunno necessarily how much weight this ice'll take so we aught be careful. I'll bet Xanxan can make it across without too much trouble, an' we can hold his gear ta keep his weight down..."
anyone able to aid? or make another roll on their own and get aid?
anyone able to aid?
"Anee, ya seem ta be able ta walk on the snow without no trouble, like magic or sommat. Ya think that yea can walk on thin ice too with that power? Cause if ya can, yea can pull some rope across the river so as we can use it for support." Beck asks Aniera. then torning t he rest of the group, he explains, "See, we take my hundred feet of rope and tie the ropes off here to a couple tree trunks real tight, and then we run em all the way across the river and tie em off tight so they hang at about chest level. That way we can tie our packs over the rope and push em along the rope so we don't have the weight o' the packs, and we gots the ropes ta hand on to so if the ice gives way ya don't fall in, yea hong on the rope an worst ya get is cold feet."
"We can even hang the Tavwoise pack thing we got on the horse from the ropes we string across the river and push all our gear across, or pull it with a third rope if we got one. The rope should hold as long as we don't got too many going across a once, so anybody got another length o' rope?"
"I'm so terribly sorry about failing to notice these magic traps. Normally I'm much better at things, though those are levers and gears and ..so on," Xanxan says
He looks over Beck's commentary and sighs, "No rope on me, I'm afraid. Though I'll try any plan you folks like in getting across."
From your vantage point Beck it seems that the ice is stable just slippery. You feel that a person who takes their time should be able to cross reasonably. The biggest issue you think is not falling through the ice but slipping as you cross.
I don't have any rope with me but if you wanti will be the first to cross. I am not as good as Aneira on the ice, but I would rather take the risk the first time than her. That is unless someone else is going to volunteer instead.
Turning to Anee, Not that I don't think you are capable dear, but I would rather risk myself than you in crossing the river. That and I can hold the rope on the otherside should I need to pull someone or the gear across if a suitable tree is not found.
Testing the Ice, Beck says "Well, it seems stable enough, so why don't you and Xan go across with the rope so we can steady ourselves as the rest of us cross, and then Anee can stay behind with the horse, untie the ropes on this side, lash it to the pony so we can pull it across, since she can scurry over without any trouble at all?"
Venja waits for the rope to be tied off and makes her way slowly yet daintily across the ice, using the rope for balance as she moves.
Xanxan struggles with the ice , and can only hope his weight is so light that he can't break through.
Variel nods his agreement and steps out carefully onto the ice. Finding that it holds his weight adequately he slowly continues on keeping time with Xanxan. At first Xanxan had trouble with the ice but eventually the two of them started making good time.
acrobatics
acrobatics
Aneira
Variel
Beck
Gabe
Venja
XanXan
+4 each
+4
Once Xanxan and Variel get halfway across and the others are about to step on the ice, the ice erupts in front of both Xanxan and Variel. Two creatures made entirely of ice appear where there was nothing there moments before. Before Variel and Xanxan can react both of the creatures attempt to push them back into different areas of the ice. However both elementals fail at their attemtps. Maintaining the element of surprise, the elementals try again this time with more success. The elemental on Xanxan forces him backwards. The ice creaks and groans under the weight of Xanxan but does not break. The elemental on Variel fails to move him.
Surprise round and elemental turn over... good guys turn
Venja loads and fires her light crossbow, hoping to hit the closest of the two creatures.
Aneira loads her light crossbow and fires on the same elemental Venja took a shot at moments before.
Gabryjel will simply fire his arrow at the elemental.
Ready
The ready action lets you prepare to take an action later, after your turn is over but before your next one has begun. Readying is a standard action. It does not provoke an attack of opportunity (though the action that you ready might do so).
Readying an Action
You can ready a standard action, a move action, a swift action, or a free action. To do so, specify the action you will take and the conditions under which you will take it. Then, anytime before your next action, you may take the readied action in response to that condition. The action occurs just before the action that triggers it. If the triggered action is part of another character's activities, you interrupt the other character. Assuming he is still capable of doing so, he continues his actions once you complete your readied action. Your initiative result changes. For the rest of the encounter, your initiative result is the count on which you took the readied action, and you act immediately ahead of the character whose action triggered your readied action.
You can take a 5-foot step as part of your readied action, but only if you don't otherwise move any distance during the round.
Initiative Consequences of Readying
Your initiative result becomes the count on which you took the readied action. If you come to your next action and have not yet performed your readied action, you don't get to take the readied action (though you can ready the same action again). If you take your readied action in the next round, before your regular turn comes up, your initiative count rises to that new point in the order of battle, and you do not get your regular action that round.
Side note:
From the WotC forum (not RAW, but a good source nonetheless):
Can I ready an action outside of combat?
The rules do not specifically forbid this, but the ready an action mechanic is very heavily dependent on other mechanics that only have meaning when combat is actually happening, such as actions and initiative order, so the intent seems to be that it should be used inside of combat only.
If you google "Pathfinder can you ready an action outside of combat" you will find similar threads on the Paizo boards that say essentially the same thing.
** spoiler omitted **
Thank you for the clarification.
I assumed that as I was waiting with the arrow ready and my eyes open via perception that the enemy would have to use an opposed stealth check before they could beat us via surprise.
I also assumed that by holding an arrow out and ready, and doing only that, that it qualified me for a "readied action".
Oh well, bad luck, though. I guess we'll see what happens next :)
Variel pulls his rapier out, imbues it, and swings it at the ice creature in front of him hoping to damage it enough that it stops trying to push him around.
attack
damage
crit confirm
crit damage
Xanxan lets loose an expletive in the gnomish language
Beck takes a Double Move to go 30' right up with the Ice elementals, Brandishing his walking stick (Club) saying, "Am I gonna give yea a Shellacin' fer that!"
Venja and Aneira both pull up on the closest ice creature. Their actions so closely mirrored that it is no wonder that they have spent many years in a close working and friendly relationship. The brewing melee though throws off both of them just enough to avoid landing a hit. A second later, Gabe fires an arrow as well but his aim must have been thrown off from the driving snow moments before when the snowman trap went off. Variel manages to find his mark shattering the ice before him, but not killing the creature completely. Xanxan gives off a witty retort that would make even the most hardened foe smile. But these creatures are made of ice indeed as they ignore the comment. Alas, not seeing a desired effect from his comment the witty gnome's aim is thrown off and misses the creature before him. Beck hurries into the fray, ice popping but holding solid along as he goes. This close, Beck can see a total of 4 spots of ice that seem to be different colored than the rest. Perhaps those areas are weaker and he can see through it easier to the moving water beneath.
Seeing that Xanxan is too light to worry about falling through the ice the elemental changes tactics and attempts to slam the gnome with a icy fist. Unfortunately this elemental is completely inept and swings 2 feet over the gnome's head. Perhaps Xanxan's comment affected him after all.
The elemental attacking Variel likewise misses in horrendous fashion being completely overwhelmed by the inability to even touch his opponent.
Round 2
Variel continues to swing at his target hoping to rid them of at least one of the creatures. Sadly Variel fails to connect as well.
attack
damage
I only see 1 elemental...
Beck calls out to the others that there looks like "Thin Ice over there!" before taking a hard swing at the beastie.
for
Can't take a 5' step can I cause ice... =/
Venja loads another bolt in her crossbow and watches it shatter in the bow as she tries to fire it at the creature. She spends the rest of the round clearing the broken bolt so she can use the bow next round.
Aneira loads a new bolt into her light crossbow and shoots at the elemental at R:16, willing her aim to be better this time.
Xanxan smiles as the elemental flubs badly I just KNEW Desna loved gnomes best... and stabs again.
only to end up nearly landing on his face
Ah, I see... you only love gnomes when we don't get smug. Understood, goddess.
Beck and Xanxan both attack the creature trying to end the threat from one opponent only to be denied such a result from the resilient skin of the elemental. Variel attacks his but swings wide as well.
Venja loads her crossbow again in the hopes of drawing a better bead on the elemental attacking Xanxan. Instead as he went to release the trigger the string caught shattering the bolt. Aneira tries again with her crossbow. Tis time her nerves hold her arm steady as she hits her target a mere inch above xanxan's head. The bolt is buried in the ice chest but does not bring the creature down. Give moves forward to give himself a better line of sight to the creature. Drawing the arrow the full length of its shaft he centers the tip 3inches higher than where Aneira's bolt landed. With a soft whisper the arrow flies true i bedding itself as the creature drops to the ground.
The last elemental tries to slam his fists into Variel but the blow is too slow and misses as Variel sidesteps in time to avoid the hit.
Good guys up. Only one elemental left and that is the one on Variel.
Relieved that one elemental was down, Aneira loads a new bolt and targets the elemental on her husband. His swift movements had ensured he had not been hit by the ice creature, but Aneira did not want to tempt fate.
Unfortunately, her concern for Variel's safety took her concentration away from the intended target and Aneira misses it completely and the bolt skitters away on the ice.
Hands shaking a bit, not from cold, but from a little trepidation at the thought of another shattered bolt, Venja loads and shoots another bolt. This time the bolt flies free of the bow.
Xanxan ducks and goes, "SOMEone is cranky." before stabbing again.
Another clumsy miss, If I out live the others, I'm going to edit this part of the story out later when I talk to their grandkids.
for
With a wild one handed swing Beck tries to beak the elemental.
With a flurry of ineptitude on both sides, Variel tries to correct his stance to end the combat. Apparently not as Variel swings wide as well and the farce of a combat continues.
Gabryjel will move to stand on O:20 and takes another shot at the Ice Elemental.
"Variel, Do NOT. Back. Up." Beck tells the elf very slowly, calmly, nad deliberately. "Thin ice behind ya. Go on that way, and we'll set up the ropes." Beck moves down to T:16 to check for more thin ice and a path for the horse to travel. taking a 10 on the acrobatics check.
"Mates, thin ice over here. So take care."
So we keep going with the rope trick to get the gear and horse across unless something else goes wrong, Beck will supervise, and watch for more thin ice.
Watching the last elemental go down, Aneira finally breathes a sigh of relief that neither Variel or Xan were hurt on the ice. She wanted to kiss her husband, but that would have to wait for when they were alone.
She hears Beck's warning about thin ice and thanks the druid. She readies the horse to the edge of the shore and waits. She will tie it to the rope and once the horse is guided safely across by the ropes, she will traverse the icy river last.
Venja stores her crossbow and waits for an opportunity to cross the ice safely. Like Aneira, she is relieved no one was hurt and sighs softly in relief.
"What in the ninehells was that? I swear I couldn't hit the barnside of a broad!" Xanxan is aghast at his performance. "Sorry all, but my word. I felt silly and not in the fun way."
He'll try to point out the thin spots as well and work his way around
"What in the ninehells was that? I swear I couldn't hit the barnside of a broad!"
"Welll I reckon that was an ice elemental, maybe a small one..." Gabryjel drawls easily.
"And as for hitting the "barnside" of a broad? You may have better luck with that target if you had bigger ammunition," he says with a little wink at the frustrated gnome, trying to lighten his mood with a bit of bawdy humor.
Watching Aneira's actions near the horse, Gabryjel moves over to her.
"Begging your pardon, ma'am - but no matter how careful we are, if the horse slips into the water then the bulk of our baggage could be lost, even if we get the horse out safe."
Suspecting she may have a more deft hand with handling animals, he leaves the horse with her, but takes off all the gear from the horse carefully. Then he'll carry it over in small but manageable bundles.
Then he comes back to Aneira.
"There, ma'am - now the horse'll be lighter, and the gear will be safe if the ice breaks - and the horse will be less skittish as he's got less to weigh him down with."
Thanks, Beck, I didn't even see that the ice was weak there. that must have been what those creatures were trying to do originally but failed to do so. What do you think, she we break open the weak spots so others know about them or leave them be in the hopes that they get stronger and no one steps on them?
Variel cautiously moves over to the other side of the river and finds a tree that should support the rope. Once tied off, Variel gets to the edgeof the water and assists those making the journey across.
Venja takes hold of the rope and using it to steady herself as she crosses, steps onto the ice. She is careful to avoid the areas that Beck pointed out as thin ice. As she crosses, she gratefully speaks to Beck and Variel, "Thanks to both of you for making it possible to cross safely. The rope and knowing where the thin ice were will save us all I think."