GM Sloth's Carrion Crown (Inactive)

Game Master ThreeEyedSloth

Nym will muck through and attempt to help Galadan, much quieter, and with much less blahblahs...
Aid another Survival: 1d20 ⇒ 16

survival Assist: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

As Kevin trudges through muck and water up to his knees, he turns to Galadan and smiles. "Follow me my friend I will find this swamp directly. It has to be here somewhere."

Lol@Kevin. Well played.

Galadan looks over at Kevin and shakes his head. "Let me know if you find it."

He looks to each of the other assistants to see if they had discovered anything interesting, before pausing to think about the situation.

After a moment or two, Galadan looks for a nearby tree to climb.

Climb
1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

But instead falls on his posterior in the mud. He attempts to muster what dignity he can from the situation and wipe the mud off his clothing.

"May I recommend a chant, to help you focus your thoughts? I find that looking at a situation from a strictly non-Euclidean geometrical perspective can help..."

Aldous casts Guidance on Galadan; the Great Old Ones have to be useful for something ;-)

Kevin tries to dire t Galadan in the opposite direction. It isn't clear if he missed any tracks or if he preferred to keep his trousers clean and dry.

But with Nyms and Aldous help you spot some tracks again.

Aleece's tracks soon all but vanish under water as they continue for another hundred yards or so to a cramped clearing filled with dismal-looking gray flowers.

You hear a cry of despair approx. 100 feet towards the north.

(difficult terrain)

Initiative: 

Galadan  1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
Kevin 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8
Wren 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Andrea 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
Nym   1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Aldous  1d20 ⇒ 14

You are currently at 0/0. The sound comes from 0/100.
I will make a map as it otherwise will be confusing later.
What I need to know is:
Movement (direction, distance - you can do double move)
Items in hand / ready
Other actions you do.
Sorry if this is vague. It will make sense eventually.

Hearing the cry Nym will draw his rapier, place his off hand near his component pouch, and move cautiously toward the sound (15' assuming 1/2 rate for difficult terrain, straight toward the noise, assuming that doesn't overtly impair any fellow party members).

Kevin whips his sword from its sheath as he begins his fun towards the scream.

Quick Draw and double move towards sound.

Round 1, Init 23

Wren's head cocks like a pigeon as the sound reaches her ears.

"Did you heat that, Plumie?"

Acting quickly, Wren will imbue her feathers with some protective force (cast Feathermage Armor) and move 30' closer to the sound.

At the end of her movement, she will prairie-dog a look around.

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (1) + 6 = 7 Perception

Here is the map

The first few combat rounds will be mainly movement. This can be awkward or very slow online if we wait for the last member.
I'm therefore giving new information as some move around in spoilers.
For posting: Please post first, then read up to the next information, post next movement / other action.

Round 1:
Nym, Wren, Kevin moved

Still to act: Aldous, Andrea, Galadan

Wren

Nothing really to make out with that dice roll. I also reduced your movement due to difficult terrain.

Galadan draws his mace and rapidly moves (double moves) towards the noise.

Perception
1d20 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15

Round 1:

Aldous moves towards the sound.

Round 2:

Aldous moves towards the sound. :-P

Andrea? Andrea? She seems to be posting less and less here...can we DMPC her until she gets back?

Sadly, if she's not around to RP with that means Wren will be looking to others to chitchat with, for which I apologize in advance.

Aldous will do his best to *not* attract attention ;-)

Aldous

I interpret 'move' and 'not attract attention' as single moves which gets you next to Nym.

Wren - I will check with GM Wellard. His own game also slowed down considerably. But I lately am not managing to keep up.

@Thod: I was actually referring to Wren's comment, not whatever, hypothetically, is out there waiting for us ;-)

If you moved twice already

@Thod: I was actually referring to Wren's comment, not whatever, hypothetically, is out there waiting for us ;-)

So please let me know if you are with Kevin, Galadan who race ahead or are with the slower group of Nym and Wren (+Andrea)

Aldous will stick close to the burly Fighter-types, *away* from Wren ;-)

Nym will continue moving cautiously 30' toward the sound.

Having network issues, so I might be a little slow to check, but I should be able to get online at least once a day still.

Wren will move 15' (30' over difficult terrain) closer, do another prairie-dog to look around, then, if it looks save, move another 15'.

1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16 Perception

"I wish I could fly like you do, Plumie. Maybe someday."

Wren looks at her brightly colored plumage against the drab terrain and smiles.

"Look Plumie! Look how much I stand out here, just like you with such pretty colors!" Wren looks around to share her discovery with, but sees no one nearby and moves on, sad.

Sensing movement and a threat, Galadan instead loads his light crossbow with a +1 bolt and turns again towards the movement and scream, moving closer to where he thinks the sounds are coming from, his senses focused on the enemy.

Double move again.
Perception

1d20 + 12 ⇒ (19) + 12 = 31

Forgot about difficult terrain, so I think Nym is still nearish Wren...
"You are a unique gem amongst a backdrop of stone, my friend..." Nym says quietly.

Okay - for simplicity and to move on I just treat you as two groups - especially as Andrea hasn't posted yet.
Group 1 ahead - Kevin, Galadan, Aldous. Group 2 - trailing - Wren, Nym, Andrea.
Due to the difficult terrain group 1 will be a double move (25 feet) ahead.

First victim: 1 Nym, 2 Wren, 3 Andrea 1d3 ⇒ 1

Kevin, Galadan and Aldous rush ahead to rescue the poor Aleece who seems in deadly peril. You rush towards the origin of the cries for help. Aleece must be running around - or the swamp plays tricks on your perception as you reach the place and can't see anybody.

Neither a human body nor any predator.

Galadan feels something is wrong and turns around Your last perception check.

Kevin and Aldous hear a cry of pain behind them. They recocknize the voice - it's Nym. Turning around you see Nym in pain. Blood is seeping out on his side and he has a nasty cut.

But you can't see any opponent.

Knowledge Arcana for Andrea, Wren, Nym and Galadan to identify the enemy. Aldous (Kevin? - doubt you have the skill) you haven't seen anything yet. You can do a knowledge check as soon as you have seen the attacker.

A new Map

I tried to make most sense from the movement postings - so the map is the best representation I was able to come up with. Only relative positions are of importance right now. I did imagine your spread more diagonal but didn't want to complicate it for me.
When you move - please take difficult terrain into account.

Needed for next turn:

Movements / Double-Movements. Please check the map and let me know how many squares into which direction you want to move. Alternativly if someone stays where he/she is (I guess the slow group ?) tell me that you want to end up next to X and I place you there.

Actions - this does include readied actions. At the moment you don't see any attacker and only Nym, Wren, Andrea and Galadan got a quick glimpse of the attacker.

Aldous looks puzzled as he regards Nym.

"What happened?"

Wren recoils from the spider.

That thing is probably a bird eater...and now it wants my flock!

1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13 Knowledge Arcana

Wren will ready a handful of small feathers for when the creature shows itself again.

Wren babbles on

"Yes it was a bird eater. Must have mistaken Nym for a bird. Plumie - we are lucky - aren't we. This bird eater - you should have seen it. It was the size of a horse. And it looked like a spider. Horrible, horrible I tell you. It could have eaten you Plumie with a single bite.
Poor Nym - but at least it wasn't one of us.
It appeared out of nowhere. Blocking the way towards our friends. Do you think it is gone now. I can't see it anymore but somehow I don't feel safe yet.
I'm sure if I had more time to look at it I could tell all the world every single detail about it. But it was only there for a moment and it seemed gone when I looked closer. Strange, really strange I tell you."

In other words - Wren hasn't a clue (the roll of 2 didn't help here) apart that is was big and looked like a spider to her and appeared on the map where I placed the grey circle.

Galadans eyes narrow as he looks back towards Nym and the others to see what he saw.

"A very large spider suddenly appeared, bit Nym, then disappeared again."

He looks around the area, putting two and two together.

"I would say we are dealing with something extradimensional. Which is why the girl's screams keep moving, and yet we find nothing."

Galadan calls out to the others.

"Let's group together! We won't find the girl by splitting up. She's not on this plane of existence."

(And if I'm not supposed to surmise all that from what we just experienced, I apologize. I'll edit it if the DM wants me to.)

Actions:

'Spider' - has acted and attacked Nym

Andrea - still to act. Will cast healing Hex on Nym if I don't get a reply before everyone else acted.
Aldous - still to act (feel free to wait with posting until Galadan or Nym provide more information)
Galadan - still to act
Kevin - still to act
Nym - still to act, Fortitude save needed
Wren - readies a spell (which ?) - doesn't move (?)

I try to keep a summary - so you know what I think you do. I will follow the Initiative order if necessary - but for most orders this shouldn't matter much unless you interact with each other.

Galadan moves back towards the others, expecting Aldous and Kevin to follow him.

Sorry, Thod. I was unclear. :( Wren readies Glitterdust in the surprise round (Wren's birdlike senses enable her to always act in the surprise round) for and when the spider shows itself again.

Galadans eyes narrow as he looks back towards Nym and the others to see what he saw.

"A very large spider suddenly appeared, bit Nym, then disappeared again."

He looks around the area, putting two and two together.

"I would say we are dealing with something extradimensional. Which is why the girl's screams keep moving, and yet we find nothing."

Galadan calls out to the others.

"Let's group together! We won't find the girl by splitting up. She's not on this plane of existence."

(And if I'm not supposed to surmise all that from what we just experienced, I apologize. I'll edit it if the DM wants me to.)

Galadan

Great summary and no need to edit. I would say this is exactly what Galadan would think about the creature. Anyhow - you will figure out in the next rounds which part of his summary is correct and which isn't ;)

"GHaaaa!" Nym yells when the spider appears, and repeats at a higher pitch when the giant arachnid makes its bite.

Knowledge (arcana): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

Nym will form ranks with Galadan and the rest.

Nym identifies the creature as a Phase Spider. Phase Spiders are dangerous foes. They try to lure there new victims away from others - often by mimicking the sounds of their latest victim.
They then strike from the Ethereal plane and move back. They are dangerous as they are able to move into the material plane as free action, attack - and move back as a move action.
Phase Spiders try to avoid staying on the material plane where they are vulnerable. So they poison their prey to eat it later.
They are unable to bring prey back into the ethereal plane - so Aleece is likely still on this plane. But regarding the bite that Nym experienced he fears the worst for her.

Wren
I think even you need to ready an action as you would otherwise act when the Spider is gone again - even if it is 'suprise'.

Galadan is now moving slower, normal pace for difficult terrain. He holds his crossbow at the ready.

Move
Ready attack if the spider should appear again.

Kevin follows behind Galadan.

Wren readies a Glitterdust should the spider show itself again.

Not sure where everyone is in relation to Wren.

If necessary, Wren will move 15' to Andrea to help protect her.

Sometimes this game moves too fast for me.Sorry folks, been having a personal crisis the last week or so.

Andrea had splashed through the waterlogged area with a distinct sense of unease one only reinforced by the scream.She moves as quickly as she can whilst letting the competent combatants lead the way.

Aldous nods gravely, and moves forward with the others.

Hopefully, there will be safety in numbers...

Forgot my two saves...
First: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20
And Second: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15

1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13 Know (Arcana)

Even with Nym's description of the spider, it's very clear (from the above roll) that Wren isn't getting it.

"Nym, where is this fey you speak of? I see no dryad, nor pixie, nor onead. I see no gremlins, nor kelpies, nor satyrs. Nor quicklings, nor pechs, or brownies. In fact, I'm not sure I believe that a fey would have a creature like this! Why would you think this is a fey's spider if none is to be seen?" Wren is getting angry with Nym for his obvious shenanigans.

Galadan ignores Wren's gibberlings, (:P), and turns to Nym instead.

"Nym, try to think clearly. I have no idea what this spider's poison has done to you, but I must know if you truly think that Aleece can still be found here. I will go and search for her, but only if you think that she is."

Galadan digs through his supplies and pulls out his potion of lesser restoration. He hands it to Kevin. "Be prepared to give this to him. I will find Aleece. Andrea, if she is in as bad a position or worse than Nym, she may be in dire circumstances. I should like to have you come with me. The rest of you remain and guard Nym, who may be weakened and still seriously injured by that... thing."

Sometimes this game moves too fast for me.Sorry folks, been having a personal crisis the last week or so.

Andrea had splashed through the waterlogged area with a distinct sense of unease one only reinforced by the scream.She moves as quickly as she can whilst letting the competent combatants lead the way.

No problem Andrea. There is still a real life that takes precedent.

This is an awkward fight online as it asks for many small decisions before actually something happens. And even for your posting players I sometimes need to fill in blanks as good as I can.

Need to analyse the movement and then post the spider again. I did create a map with last positions but it seems that got ignored.