Next Best Hope

Game Master Nylissa

Everyone, your miss chance is back.
I don't want my misunderstanding to define your actions.

So I'm pretty uncertain where everyone is right now - any chance the next iteration of the map could have grid coordinates along the sides? I don't know what you're using to make it or if that's asking a lot, but it would be helpful. That said, Trekos will try to get into close to a skeleton, ideally into flanking position, and attack.

Seeing that his companions have chosen to take the ambush to the skeletons, Trekos leaps around the corner and joins the fight. Running with nigh-impossible balance and speed over the debris that chokes much of the street, Trekos joins the fray and brings his caduceus crashing down on a skeleton.

Agile Feet domain ability, ignore difficult terrain, used 1 of 5 rds/day.

Light mace attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
Light mace damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Miss Chance (1-20 misses): 1d100 ⇒ 80

Miss Chance(1-20 is a miss):: 1d100 ⇒ 79

The New Map

The skeleton's teeth seem to grin and the shadows dance in the dark sockets of their eyes as they batter your attacks aside. All except the lightning quick priest of Hermes, who swings his cadeceus and reduces the lead skeleton to a pile of bones.

The others move up, raising their rusted, ancient scimitars and...

Attacking Alekto 1d20 ⇒ 15
Attacking Trekos 1d20 ⇒ 6
Attacking Variel 1d20 ⇒ 2

...swinging them clumsily at you.

Attack, step back, give room...

Free action, speech.

Trekos calls out "Ali, the light! This darkness is only helping the skeletons!", as he swings his caduceus at the skeleton in front of him.

Light mace attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Light mace damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Miss Chance (1-20 misses): 1d100 ⇒ 72

Attacking skeleton in C6 - thanks for the grid, very helpful! And thanks for moving me right where I wanted to be.

The one on Alekto hit. No bonus from the shield and a -2 from the charge.

Right you are, Alekto. 1d6 ⇒ 4

The warrior grunted as a sword got past her defenses and found a chink in her armor. Fresh blood joined what had already begun drying on her clothes and chain.

"Back to Hades with you."

Shield Bash: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (14) + 4 = 18
Damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Alekto's shield scythed into the skeleton in front of her, crunching bone against the iron rim.

Right you are, Alekto. 1d6

We get concealment, too. It's smoke. Aletko is only hit if Skel makes concealment roll?

There is smoke, but not thick enough to grant concealment. If you look back through the thread, the miss chance has always been a function of the darkness.
You will see that the miss chance was first mentioned when Aurora extinguished her light, was lifted when Trekos cast light on the coin, reappeared when you palmed the coin, disappeared when you dropped it, and reappeared when you corrected me that you had ... not dropped it.

Speaking of which.
Miss Chance (1-20 misses): 1d100 ⇒ 32
Phew.

Alekto makes another dead skeleton. Presumably the one in the middle?

Yes, that's the one in front of her. (I hope, otherwise I call spacial shenanigans.)

spacial shenanigans? That sounds interesting.

Variel slashes out at the skeleton again.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7
Miss Chance(1-20 miss): 1d100 ⇒ 83

Variel seems to be flailing about. Hah

Another skeleton steps up as Alekto crushes one with her shield, the mindless creatures swinging ancient weapons at our heroes...

Attacking Alekto 1d20 ⇒ 7
Attacking Trekos 1d20 ⇒ 20
Attacking Variel 1d20 ⇒ 9

The skeleton attacking Trekos takes a murderous swing at the young priest...

Confirming 1d20 ⇒ 3
Damage 1d6 ⇒ 1

who nimbly sidesteps the potentially lethal blow, emerging with only a scratch.

Current Map

PS: You should get a flail for that, Variel. :P

Trekos realizes that Ali is still stuck in the second rank, unable to contribute to destroying the skeletons. He darts forward and to his right and, pushing off hard on the wall next to him, he spins past the skeleton he's fighting. He then strikes at the skeleton he is suddenly facing, but his blow fails to connect.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21
Caduceus attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
Caduceus damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Acrobatics to move through C6 to C7, then attack skeleton in B7.

Ali hasn't gone yet, only took a free action... was waiting for someone to consider his request and actually 5' step back. Now he's got to... get "creative".

Ali would in utter frustration move through a friendly square (Alekto) and into the newly vacated space (fallen skeleton)... He would tumble into the space, attempting an Acrobatics roll to avoid the AoOs. He'd then attack one of the Skels.

Oops, sorry. I just took a quick look over the posts and counted you as having done your action. Was trying to offer a creative solution to your situation, just did it too late...but at least now you've got an open square to step into, with a flanked skeleton to fight.

You did only take a free action. Since you didn't post any other actions and nobody moved to let you in, I moved on. If you want to preempt Trekos' acrobatics check with your own, and go last round, that's ok with me.
At the risk of repeating myself, if you are waiting for someone else's action to post yours, you can put your contingency in a spoiler. That way I know that you're waiting on X, the other player has an idea of what you're up to, and everything goes a bit more smoothly.

Your move sounds like a good plan. And while you're at it, maybe let that coin drop so we get rid of the miss chance?

Sorry, I should have done that... I just thought 1 out of three would have... and depending on who did it, the action may have been different, with a fourth contingency if no one had. Seemed easier to wait. Also, give the contingency opens us to meta-gaming, where others would know what Ali had in mind... when he'd not had the time to communicate it clearly. Lesson learned!

Ali would have acted in the prior turn, let's preempt and hope the dice are kind... LOL! Never happen!

Ali, steps up and urges... Move!

Acrobatics, DC 16?: 1d20 + 8 - 2 ⇒ (10) + 8 - 2 = 16
Attack, Variel's skeleton: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1
EDIT: Concealment, higher is better: 1d100 ⇒ 56

Excellent point, Trekos! Wonder if I thwarted the hit on you!

Hate to say it, but since you're still hiding the dang coin, you have to roll that miss chance.

Sorry Ali, Alekto doesn't do Falling back if she can help it. Assuming Ali is B6.
"Right then."

Alekto punches her shield out across her body to the skeleton in front of the Hermean priest. C6

Shield Bash: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Miss (1-20 Misses): 1d100 ⇒ 59

She moves into the space the Skeleton occupied and glances at Ali to her left.

"Moved, sir."

Sorry Ali, where did you tumble to?

Through Alekto and into the space where skel was... B6, I believe. Acrobatics check should have avoided both AoOs.

It appears that the skeletons are no longer undead.

A short way ahead of you is an intersection. When the smoke clears for a moment, you can see the Caravan Gate over the roofs of the shanties, glowing orange in the light from the fires.

Ali dusts off in the dim light.

A good job, all... Alekto, not so reckless next time. Would like to keep you around.

Now, anyone intimate with these streets and alleys? We need as much cover as possible.

Priestess, are you alright?

Kn Local?

"Indeed, well fought against an unpleasant foe, though if we make another plan, let's try to see if we can't all follow it." says Trekos as he surveys the scattered bones and rusted weapons of the skeletons.

"Unfortunately, friend Ali, were we in Athens or Alexandria, I could find a quieter path quite easily, but here in Thebes, all the advice I can offer is to try to keep that gate in sight and reach it as quickly as we can. I say we move straight for it. And Variel, you might want to pick up something to use as a club, should we run across more of those boney horrors. I've no doubt your arrows would nicely put an end to the orcs we've seen, but they'll just whistle through the ribs of the skeletons."

"Not really. I never wandered much."

Then, may Khonshu light our way. Variel, please take point. We'll trust your keen eyes. I will be right behind you. Then the priestess Aurora, and the others.

Let's move out.

Khonshu is an Egyptian god of the Moon and Vengeance, tied to Thebes. Elves and half-elves are known for their keen eyes (low-light vision), I assume (please correct me).

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

"What you say is true Trekos, my bow has not served me well against these creatures." Variel will take a moment to see if he can find anything that will work as a club in the area, if not, he will continue checking as we move forward. "And I agree with you as well, we should move directly towards our goal. The faster we leave the better off we shall be. Let's go." Variel takes the lead, moving quickly, but quietly to avoid any unwanted attention, also checking corners as we reach them.

Stealth: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24
Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

Alekto falls in behind the others, constantly looking about for any attacks coming from the rear.

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

Trekos moves along with the group, several times having to visibly restrain himself from moving much faster. He carries his caduceus in his right hand, and his sling in his left.

Note, Trekos is also a half-elf, and happy to lend his eyes where needed.

Stealth: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20