DM JD's "Snows of Summer" Campaign - Winter is here! (Inactive)

Game Master Jack Daniels

Quite willing to leave the site behind, the hunter walks over to the tracks leading South. Well, it doesn't take much a huntsman to follow these

[dice=Survival, to figure out how many bandits there were]1d20 + 6

Marek notices the tracks of about 10-12 men, heading south as well as drag marks. Surveying the scene in total, Marek counts among the dead 10 guards, 5 bandits, a couple of servants, and two handmaidens. Most of the bodies lie pierced with tiny needles and shards of ice. All of the bodies lie stripped of weapons and valuables, with signs that many times earrings and necklaces were forcefully ripped off.

Also when you do eventually head south, is there a marching order? Or side by side, like the Wizard of Oz? :)

Exiel eyes Vesna curiously as he continues to vacillate on his assessment of her sanity.

Man, what is this? Schizophrenia? If so, it's the most extreme case I've ever heard of...

----------------------------------

Exiel dons the breastplate and buckles the longsword to his belt.

A fine blade indeed, well balanced and solidly fitted to the guard and handle. I am indebted to you, soldier.

He considers the bodies of the fallen, reluctant to leave them just lying in the snow. After a moment's thought, he sighs and reluctantly declares:
We should press on. Much as I would like to give these people a proper burial, the living must take precedence. We do not yet know what fate has befallen or awaits the abducted lady, and I am loathe to leave her in the hands of the perpetrators any longer than we have to.

Noting that Marek has picked up a trail, he continues:
Marek and I shold take point, since he is tracking and I am mostly only effective in melee combat.

With a grimace, he also taps the breastplate he now wears and adds:
Furthermore, I now seem to be best-equipped for the role of battle-turtle...my misgivings about such cumbersome armor notwithstanding...

We should probably stand about 10ft or 15ft apart though, so that we don't get both caught in some nasty trap or aoe attack.

You are right Exiel, we should press on with speed if we are to catch the culprits, after all they have a day's lead on us and who knows how long the trail will last if the weather is this bad?

Aurora falls in after Exiel and Mark, so she can cover both forward and back with her crossbow. She'll give them a lead of 20 ft. or so and makes sure to try and tread in their boot prints if she can.

Vesna looks at Exiel with a look of confusion. "Yes, I can understand you. Strange though, I never learned that language." She brushes her hair out of her face and then stops, fingering her auburn lock of hair. "Perhaps just another surprise from Elizabeth."

She looks up at Aurora's comment. "You're a Sorceror? Really? Then you know arcane spells and all. My father is a Sorceror too. I'd like to be, but...Well, we'll see. If we get out of here, I'd like to study with you some." The blonde seems excited to discuss magic with Aurora and falls in next to her as the group heads to the south.

Marek leads the group southwards together with Exiel. Following the tracks is effortless in the snow-covered ground, so Marek keeps his eyes ahead looking for traps and ambushes. Every now and then he kneels closer to the tracks to see if anyone has left the main group they are following.

You follow the trail south, past the the tree line into the Border Wood. The weather grows colder, with temperatures below freezing and falling snow. You thank your stars you are wearing cold gear, although you cannot believe it is snowing in mid-summer when you should be cooling off in a lake! The falling snow reduces visibility by half, imposing a –4 penalty on Perception checks and ranged attacks.

As the temperatures drop, you fear the cold weather seeping through. Everyone except for Aurora and Vesna, that is, whose Northern blood makes them immune.

An hour outside under these conditions, you have to make Fortitude saves. Marek, Exiel, and Martok please roll Fortitude saves DC 15, with +5 bonus if you're wearing cold gear or suffer 1d6 ⇒ 1 nonlethal damage from exposure.

Are we moving "up to half my overland speed"? If so, Marek can use survival skill to gain bonus to the saving throw. (Not that it helped here...)
Survival: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

Fort save: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Nonlethal: 1d6 ⇒ 2
No matter how thick the coat is, the chilly wind blows through. Marek shivers and tries to rub his arms keep warmer. His fingers turn deadly pale and numb, and frostbites appear on his cheeks.

"What is this chill!?" he turns to the rest of the party, pulling his hood deeper to his face. "Taldor doesn't get this cold even in the dead of winter!"

Vesna looks at Exiel with a look of confusion. "Yes, I can understand you. Strange though, I never learned that language." She brushes her hair out of her face and then stops, fingering her auburn lock of hair. "Perhaps just another surprise from Elizabeth."

... Yep, definitely crazy. That said, the other don't seem to have a problem with her, and she seems to be able to hold her own in combat. I suppose there can't be much harm in letting her come along for this little venture. We'll probably need the help.

Fort Save: 1d20 + 2 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 2 + 5 = 26

Edit: Exiel considers Marek's observation as he pulls his fur-lined outfit tightly around himself, successfully keeping out most of the chill winds blowing around him.
At the risk of stating the obvious, there's probably some powerful magic involved. And the appearance of winter fey can't be a coincidence either. Hmm...if we get the opportunity to investigate this further, we probably should. The farmers of Heldren won't be able to grow anything this Summer if this cold persists, and missing the Summer harvest will probably be disastrous for the village!

I already rolled damage. Marek only took 1 point of non-lethal damage from cold. He's down to 6/12.

As it enters the full expanse of the Border Wood, the trail passes through a small clearing among the taller trees before continuing uphill and out of sight. Marek notice a large chest lies half-buried in the snow, apparently dropped or discarded by those who hastily passed this way about 30' from his current location.

"Something here", Marek whispers and raises his hand. He stops for a moment, estimating whether the chest is is left here on purpose, or accidentally dropped. Cursing the heavy snowfall, the hunter tries to look for any footprints going back and forth around the chest.

Once he thinks the container has indeed been dropped here without intent, he moves closer to inspect it in more detail.

I believe GM will make appropriate perception checks here

While Marek moves up ahead to have a look at the chest, what does the rest of the party do?

During the walk
To Vanya
It is strange coincidence we 'sisters of the north' have met today, but I am joyous! she uses the phrase looking to see if Vesna recognises it, but is just happy to make a connection to someone who seems to have similarities to her.
I would indeed love to talk more about magic with you, your ability to heal Marek's wounds is not something I have seen before in a magic-user, usually that is the provision of priests! Martok too has some power as you saw with those charred walking corpses

To Marek
Poor Marek, you've been dashed to the ground, burned and then frozen, you really deserve a break. Aurora says sadly.

An idea occurs to her, though she's not sure if it will work, never having tried it before. She closes the distance to Marek so she's within 10 ft or so, then gestures and mouths a word of power.

Casting prestidigitation and using the 'warm' application on Marek's gloves (they're the only thing she can think of that's small enough for the spell that might at least make him feel a bit better!). Likely not to have any mechanical benefit but hopefully Marek's morale might improve :)

later

At the clearing she is immediately suspicious of the chest

These bandits have already left one trap for us with something nasty in a box for us to open, hold a moment Marek

Casting detect magic and scanning the chest. To save waiting on posts, Aurora will report whether she can feel those same necromantic energies (from the corpses) or not as that is what she is worrying about. She makes sure her crossbow is loaded and to hand

Aurora detects no magical auras from the chest or the surrounding area and she alerts everyone to that fact.

Ah yes... just an innocuous chest in the middle of a clearing... How convenient, especially since anyone who walks up to it will be right out in the open and a perfect target for anyone hidden amongst the trees...

Be careful, Marek. Keep your guard up if you intend to approach that chest. I'm going to check the woods around the clearing.

With that, Exiel sets off amongst the trees, his shield before him, and begins to make a circuit of the woods around the clearing, looking for signs of an ambush.

Move actions to move, but also taking total defence actions as he goes.

Anyone with a better perception modifier than me (i.e. everyone else in the party) is welcome to join me. XD

1d20 - 1 ⇒ (10) - 1 = 9

Yeah...someone with a better perception modifier than me might want to come with!

Vesna looks at Aurora oddly as she mentions 'Sisters of the North'. "I've never known a sister, and as for my ability to heal... Well, it's a bit new to me too." She sighs and seems to be willing to confide in Aurora somewhat. "All of this is a bit new. My father knows magic, but I never did any. He says it's in my blood though. I'm hoping to learn he's right."

She watches as Marek points out the chest. Expecting another surprise, she grips her spear tightly.

Perception: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (4) - 1 = 3

Yeah, no Perception monkey here.

Hope we didn't lose Martok.

While Exiel and Vesna make a circuit of the woods, to protect Marek from an ambush, the ranger quietly carefully approaches the chest.

Looking around and feeling safe there is no trap, Marek grows bolder, but his senses betray him and too late, he trips an almost invisible wire, leading to a crashing from above one of the trees, as he sees a spiked log careen down to take anyone out in front of the chest. Panicked, Marek futilely tries to run, and in his haste, trips and falls to the snow-covered ground. Luckily for him (almost like blessed by the gods), the spiked log passes within inches from the back of his head, as it continues on its swing of destruction! Thankfully, the party was nowhere near Marek and no one else is subject to an attack, before the pendulum of death comes to a halt.

Exiel and Vesna find no ambush in the woods. After Marek recovers his senses, he sees the chest is half-buried in the snow.

Aurora gasps as the line is tripped and the log comes *whooshing* towards Marek, it takes a moment before it's clear he escaped unscathed. Aurora slogs across the clearing and runs over to him

We have got to talk about your cavalier attitude towards danger!

She stands guard whilst he gets up, scanning the area in case the noise from the trap brings unwelcome attention.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 18

Thankfully, nothing comes of the trap being sprung, though it does appear that with the speed it was traveling and the length of the spikes, Martek may not have been around to tell the story had the log connected.

Heart beating in her throat, but unwilling to let Marek take any more chances, Aurora holds her crossbow pointed in the general direction of the chest, drawing another bolt with her left hand and using it to try and flip the lid of the chest up.

Combined with her very serious, concentrating hard expression, the sight is likely quite comical.

Hey, I'm around. I was just really busy at work today but I posted yesterday.

Martok Fortitude save: 1d20 + 4 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 5 = 15
Kitah Fortitude save: 1d20 + 2 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 2 + 5 = 16

Thankful for the heavy coat, Martok still shivers under the snow. Kitah is in an awful mood and her whiskers barely escape from under the winter clothing.

Not seeing if the ranger was struck down, Martok bounds towards him, "Are you hurt?", his hand already 'warming' ready to 'help' again.

later
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

The dwarf looks around the site trying to determine who left the trap and which way the footsteps they were following lead to.

Exiel comes running out from the woods just in time to see the log swinging past Marek's head.

Damnit, Marek, if that's your idea of 'being careful' I don't want to see you being reckless! ...But I'm glad you're ok...somehow...

Surveying the surrounding woods, he adds.
Ambush...trap...I suppose it would have been one or the other. If they were also planning an attack, the best time to spring would have been whilst Marek was flat on the ground, so if nothing's rushed out at us by now, I think it's reasonably safe to assume that an ambush was not part of the plan.

Even as he says that, however, he watches the woods warily, his sword and shield at the ready.

Perception: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (2) - 1 = 1

-------------------------------------------------------

I wouldn't put it past them to also have trapped the chest... and odds are it's empty...

We don't have a trapfinder, do we? Hmm... Martok and Marek have the best perception of the group, do you guys want to do a take 10 or a take 20?

Assuming nothing pops out from the woods in the next minute or so, Exiel will try to test his hypothesis that the chest is empty. He will stand behind the chest (i.e. not in front of the lock or the direction that the chest opens towards, but the opposite side), and will try to push at the chest with his quarterstaff. The aim is to try to see how heavy it is (whether it is much heavier than an empty chest would roughly be) and whether it makes any sort of sound when tipped slightly off-centre.

Strength check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20

I don't recall seeing any mimics in any pathfinder bestiary thus far... so I *think* this is reasonably safe to do... If this was D&D I'd also ask someone to shoot the chest with a few arrows/bolts first! XD

With a sigh, Marek pushes himself to sitting position. He wipes the snow from his face while watching Exiel lifting the chest.

"Well, my instinct was correct... But I can't see damn thing in this snow. Still, I guess I'm just lucky that missed me in the end...", he says staring at the spiked log.

Too exhausted to get up, Marek digs his bag for a piece of dried meat and starts to gnaw on it. "Don't know much about traps and such", he mumbles between bites, "Anyone else wants to give it a try?"

With a sigh, Marek pushes himself to sitting position. He wipes the snow from his face while watching Exiel lifting the chest.

Just to be clear...I am NOT lifting the chest, just trying to tip it over with a quarterstaff to test its weight and see whether it appears to be empty...

Hopefully it doesn't explode or anything... Has there been any precedent in PF of TWO traps in the same encounter?

Always a first!

Vesna jumps as the log comes crashing down, narrowly missing Marek. "Well, you all seem very comfortable putting your life on the line. Perhaps I should stay back further." Vesna drops the hood of her thick coat. Regardless of the cold, he breath doesn't seem to cloud up like most of the others. In fact, while she still felt the cold, she seemed to be invigorated by it.

Exiel easily tips over the chest, which is empty.

Marek notices a small bulk barely noticeable underneath the chest however, and when you dig it up, you find a cache of armor and weapons, containing five sets of leather armor, three sets of studded leather armor, a chain shirt, two light wooden shields, seven longswords, two spears, a dagger, and three light crossbows with a total of 25 bolts.

Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

The dwarf inspects the items found. "Huh, looks like someone is outfitting an army."

anything particular about the items, value, owners, etc.

Vesna looks at the items buried under the chest. "Do people make it a habit of putting things under chests here?"

Exiel blinks at the unexpected find, unsure whether he is more surprised at the stash of equipment, or at the fact that the chest did not explode in his face.

"Well... That was unexpected. In a number of ways. If I had to guess, I'd say the chest was used as a place-marker for the stash, and it was hoped that the empty chest would so frustrate anyone who came upon it that they would leave without investigating further. Though if it were me, I'd bury the stash a little further from the chest..."

"That said, we should probably take the opportunity to grab some spare weapons. And one of you might be able to put that chain shirt to good use."

With that, Exiel selects a crossbow from the collection and slides a bolt into it before slinging it across his back.

I'll take 10 bolts, or all 25 if no one else wants a crossbow.
Hmm... I'll also
1. swap a club for a spear
2. swap my spare leather armor for a studded leather
3. take the dagger
4. take a spare longsword

Aurora smiles whimsically at Exiel, then leans across the pile of gear and takes just one bolt from the quiver to replace the one she used earlier.

I'm ok, I wouldn't be able to move very freely in most of that stuff, so I'll stick with what I have thanks.

She turns to Vesna and speaks quietly I can't speak for burying valuables, but judging from my experience back at the Silver Stoat, the menfolk around these parts certainly appear to maintain the usual habit of staring at chests she winks.

Aurora checks her crossbow and adjusts her gear, but still doesn't fasten her cold weather gear fully closed. Anyone that noticed Vesna's lack of 'smoke breath' would see that Aurora shares this oddity.

I'm ready to move on when everyone else is.

Exiel returns Aurora's smile with a wry grin of his own, though he remains silent.

Yeah, I hate being bogged down by so much equipment myself, but until I master some of those techniques I'm working on, I'll need to make up for it with iron and steel.

Arranging his weaponry around himself, Exiel rises and prepares to take to the road once more.

Current weapon tally:
At left hip:
(borrowed) The Sword of Yuln Oerstag (cold-iron longsword)
Masterwork Longsword

At right hip:
club

Bundled and slung over left shoulder:
Spear
Quarterstaff
longsword

Slung over right shoulder:
Crossbow (24 bolts)

At belt:
Stake x 2
dagger

Armor:Breast plate (to be returned), spare studded leather in backpack

The dwarf smiles at Aurora's comment. With all the traveling he'd done, he never had time for a decent wife and looks upon these youngsters as would a father her coming of age daughter.

"You'de best cover up there, missy. The cold air will get to your lungs and something nasty may happen." Kitah takes a peek at the girl, shivers, and chides her as well.

waiting on GM for answers, potentially take chainshirt and/or spear

Feel free to pick up my club as well. We may run into more skeletons. I generally like to make sure I have at least 1 weapon of each damage type.

For convenience/expedience, it might be helpful for JD to tell us right off the bat when an item is masterwork/special material, and assume that we scan treasure that we find with detect magic? PBPs run slowly enough as it is without having to be bogged down with such details as specifically asking about these things. =)

... and assume that we scan treasure that we find with detect magic? ...

Absolutely seconded, as long as JD is ok with it, from this point Aurora will cast detect magic whenever we find 'stuff', be it in suspiciously left boxes (!) or on people who no longer require it...

At his words, Aurora turns to Martok

You sound like my father! Aurora laughs lightly, the banter a welcome relief given the recent grim and dangerous events of the past few hours.

I'll tell you what Martok, I'll put on something with more material if you can find a dress to my liking she grins at him, challenge firmly leveled.

I already assume you check the quality and arcane nature of items you find. None of the gear found was magical or of superior quality. It would not make much sense to leave any of those items in such an obvious place, don't you think?
One point: I am not a stickler for encumbrance rules, except I will notice if a 10 Str character is lugging about 250 lbs of gear. So just add any gear you find to your sheet and monitor encumbrance and the penalties. Thanks!

None of the gear looks particularly special to Martok. After dividing the loot, the party continues SW following the bandit trail. Half hour later, the snow becomes increasingly deep, perhaps 2-3 feet, where a windswept gully carves a path through a frozen stream and a tree-covered ridge. Think like this but snow-covered! Gully

I will assume same marching order as before of Marek, Exiel, Aurora and Vesna next to each other, with Martok bringing up rear.

This particular area of the forest is quite difficult due to the depth of the snow, so the party is moving particularly slow through this area. Every square costs 4 squares of movement.

About 10 minutes later, as you move through, arms above your heads, straining your leg muscles to stomp in and out of the snow, suddenly the party hears the dwarf cry out in pain, as a white serpentine creature about 7' long with claws (almost draconic in nature) lashes out and bites the dwarf on the leg, ripping a chunk out! Picture something like this, but white in color! Creature

Initiative rolls:
Aurora: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18
Exiel: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
Marek: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
Martok: 1d20 ⇒ 7
Vesna: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Creature: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12

Exiel, Marek, and Aurora are up and can act in Round 1 before the creature!
REMEMBER: 1 square of movement = 4 squares AND NO CHARGING.
Updated Combat Map

Exiel whips his head around at the sound of the cry of pain coming from behind him.

What the devil? How'd that thing sneak up on us?

With a low growl, he pulls the Taldan longsword from its scabbard and trudges as quickly as he can towards the snake-like creature.
Double move to F13...wow those movement penalties are steep!

Get behind me, girls! If you have any magic that can affect that thing, now would be a good time!

Odds are, Martok will set that thing alight if he gets that chance to...but I hope he even gets that chance!

If Martok took the chain shirt, Marek just picks up a longsword from the stash
In an embarrassed silence, Marek turns away from Aurora when she talks about 'the menfolk at Silver Stoat'. He would be blushing too, if not for freezing wind and frostbitten cheeks. Silently the hunter just picks up one longsword from the weapons cache, and fastens it into his belt.

At the ambush
"What the..." Marek shouts when he hears the sounds of battle behind him. Fortunately the hunter's instincts work in his favor, and he is immediately ready for action. He turns around, and draws his bow ready as he wades through the waist-deep snow, only to find his line of fire obscured by Vesna and Exiel. Aiming carefully past the girl, an arrow shoots from the bow towards the creature.

Move to G16. 6 squares to move diagonally, right?
Longbow, PBS: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 4 + 1 = 151d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Vesna has +2 Init, +2 Ref saves, and the snow only costs her 2 squares all per her Child of Winter ability.

Vesna laughs lightly as Aurora's joke and nods. "I've noticed that too. Chests of all sorts seem to draw attention!" She takes one of the crossbows and a pouch of bolts and slings them over her shoulder.

**********************

Knowledge, Arcana: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

As the group makes it through deeper snow, Vesna seems to have an uncanny ability to find easier paths. She seems to cover the same ground with half as much effort as the others, even Aurora.

When the creature surprises them, Vesna shrieks at the gruesome spectacle.

Knowledge (Arcana): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18

Gasping at the sudden attack on Martok, crystal clarity descends for what seems like an age for Aurora, as she formulates her response to the threat.

Can't use the crossbow, Martok blocks my view and too much danger of hitting him, same with my ice spell. Can't move around in time either, damn this snow.

She dimly hears Exiel's words, factoring them in and ultimately paying no heed to the warning and putting all her attention on the suggestion of a spell...she returns to the moment with a single thought to execute...

Aurora blazes in to action, wading through the snow towards the beast, hands moving in arcane gestures as she incants words of power, which build in to a crescendo as she suddenly shouts and throws her hands forward.

It seems like a thousand fragments of ice explode from her fingertips, sun shining brightly on them and turning the torrent in to a dazzling rainbow of colours that surge across the area the snake creature is in.

Move action to F12, Standard action to cast color spray encompassing area G9, G10, G11, H10, H11, I11. DC 15 for creature's Will save

Loved the visuals, DM. Thanks.
I'll wait to see what the results are before posting but be warned that it may be until later this afternoon before I get a chance.

Glad you liked the visuals. I like picturing what I'm seeing and what I'm fighting when I play.
Yes, Marek, 6 squares for diagonal movement.

Exiel double moves.
Marek lets loose a bow shot, but with Vesna providing the creature with cover, the arrow misses its mark!
Aurora's spell goes off and the creature appears fascinated by the intense bright colors before it shakes the effect off and focuses again on its prey!
Creature's Will save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

Round 1: Creature

The white clawed serpent rises up and bites at Martok again, biting his arm this time, doing some damage, and then surprisingly, it wraps itself around the dwarf's body, pulling him to G10! Picture something like this

Martok is bleeding from the two vicious bites, but the hearty dwarf still stands! He has taken 10 damage.

Martok and Vesna to finish Round 1 and then the rest of the party to start Round 2.

"તે મળ્યું-કંઈ છે તે!" Vesna shouts out in the strange lyrical language. She growls in frustration, and then leaps forward, clearing Marek's sight line and tries to stab at the beast.

Move to H-11
Attack: 1d20 ⇒ 8
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 1

Aurora swears viciously under her breath as the wyrm shakes off her spell, and the swearing gets louder when it bites Martok again and wraps itself around him. Dimly recalled as a grimoire she once flicked through at a market, she remembers the wyrm's fighting tactics.

"Martok hold your breath! It breathes poison!!" she shouts

Only one option comes to mind to help the dwarf, and Aurora begins a deep and low incantation, ending with a flourish of her wrist. A strange shimmer parts the air around Martock, looking for all the world like a mobile sheet of ice, slick as oil. It flows around him and the wyrm, before flashing across Martock's armor, coating it with an almost invisible white sheen akin to black ice.

Move to E12 out of everyone's way, cast grease on Martok's armor

Before he knows what's going on, the dwarf is bitten twice by some sort of frost dragon and the thing envelops his frame in a mighty embrace.

The dwarf tries to fight but is soon lifted off the ground and is only able to put a hand between the thing and his neck to avoid suffocation. With that hand, Martok wills forth his flame spirit and the smell of burnt flesh soon covers his nostrils.

flame touch
damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

The tatzylwyrm hisses in pain, as its scales burn, and it looks in anger at the grappled dwarf, as its jaws snap closer to its victim's neck!

Mechanically, may have needed a touch attack there but I can go with the flow! Exiel and Marek are up in Round 2!

Exiel trudges along towards the creature, desperately hoping that he gets there in time to get the creature off Martok before he goes down, or at least provide enough of a distraction so that the creature does not eat the dwarf after he falls unconscious.

If the girls won't pull back, I'll just need to get between them and that thing...though really, getting into melee was the plan all along. I'd be there already if it wasn't for... WHAT is WITH this damned SNOW!

Double move to F11, or to G11 if unable to get that far.

Marek, unless someone can direct me otherwise, I don't believe Paizo has rules for ranged attacks on grappled foes. I'll stick to the 3.5 rule that ranged attacks have 50% chance to hit either creature or ally involved in grapple (makes sense since the foes are moving around!), so keep that in mind, if you decide to shoot your bow.

Marek, unless someone can direct me otherwise, I don't believe Paizo has rules for ranged attacks on grappled foes. I'll stick to the 3.5 rule that ranged attacks have 50% chance to hit either creature or ally involved in grapple (makes sense since the foes are moving around!), so keep that in mind, if you decide to shoot your bow.

Thanks for going with the flow. Wouldn't shooting at grappled foes be the same as shooting into melee (take -4 to hit)?

I would think grappling is more severe. I am open to changing my ruling if persuaded.

I would think grappling is more severe. I am open to changing my ruling if persuaded.

Don't forget the rule that when a big monster tries to eat the smallest person in the group, all unknowns and breaks go to the players. :)