Six Heads of Mayhem--The Hydra Campaign (Inactive)

Game Master Almonihah

Rorl spread his hands. "I didn't pack for a long expedition! And the lizardfolk chief left last night."

"All right, we'll just have to make do."Ziphora sighs."It will be a verbal contract and you'll all be witnesses."She says, as she looks at her fellow heads, Rorl and Mo.

I think I can do better, those above will witness as well. Oh yes, witness they will, and they will take stock of the promises on both sides, and if they betray us... Tomorbataar stops for a moment, looking at the others, dead serious. We'll have to flail them.

Hothead looks upwards and squints. "Uh... Exactly who above will witness? I can't see anyone up there. Though to be honest, I think we might have to flail them a little anyway. If they would be into negotiating they wouldn't have attacked the lizardfolk in the first place, would they?"

"No, no and NO!" Ziphora protests vehemently. "It could be a huge misunderstanding, that the bugbears thought the lizards were on their territory and the bugbears didn't know they were on lizard territory." Ziphora tries to defend the bugbears.

What do you mean, who above? Tomorbataar blinks at Hothead for a moment, incredulous.

Well...anyway, I think you're right on two accounts, about the lizards and all. I mean, doesn't it seem like if the lizards knew that bugbears were skilled terrorizers they would try to negotiate in a situation like that? And then, of course, the bugbears attacked. We've got to be the counterattack for the lizards, otherwise they'll look weak.

"Right, I don't think anyone thinks it's a good idea to back out of a contract with you," Rorl says.

The lizardfolk scout nods in eager agreement.

"We go now? Find bugbears?" Asks the scout.

"Sure."Ziphora replies.

"Yeah, good. Let's go!"

One of the heads, slimmer than the others, and covered in mostly black scales, uncoils from where it was hanging out at where the necks join the hydra's body. It raises its head, making a lot of unnecessary slithering motions, and looks at the others.

"I'm ready to talk and fight at some bearbugs."

It's about now that you notice that Blockhead is nowhere to be seen...

"Huh? Where did Blockhead go?"Ziphora looks puzzled. Then she sees the new head and gives a yelp of surprise. "Where'd you come from?"

Well... Tomorbataar blushes slightly, curling his head back and looking quite pleased with himself. I suppose we do have quite a reputation...for keeping to our words.

Suddenly Tomorbataar hears the rustling below him. What? Another new one? Blockhead gone? Who sent you?

"Ha ha, you guys, very funny," Beachhead drones without any humor. "You guys never pay attention to me, and now you're just rubbing it in. Whatever, let's just go."

"Hi newhead number 2, I'm Ziphora, you may call me Zip for short."She looks at Tomorbataar."You can call him Tom, his real name is so long to be unpronounceable.The others are Dru-head and Hungry. "She points her head to the red hydra head and other dull black hydra head. "Hungry is hungry all the time, and he's mean to other creatures.And oh, we have Newhead."She points at Hothead. "Never did catch his name."

Beachhead rolls his eyes. "Fine. I'll play along," he mumbles. "Hi. My name is Beachhead," he drones.

Hungry appears in the corner of Beachheads vision, seemingly out of the aether. "It's SOOO much more fun to be mean on occasion!"

Hungry appears in the corner of Beachheads vision, seemingly out of the aether. "It's SOOO much more fun to be mean on occasion!"

Beachhead suddenly vanishes seemingly into the aether, and then from the other side of Hungry's head, he whispers, "Ninjaaaaa..."

One ki point spent for a Vanishing Trick!

"Oh my gawd that is so totally awesome!"Ziphora gives a squeal of excitement. "Can you teach me how to do that too?"Ziphora begs Beachhead.

Sorry for the delay folks.

Hey, Beachhead. Once again, Dru-head seems nonplussed about the loss and simultaneous growth of a new head.

Lets go find some bearbugs. Bugbears? Bugbears.

The lizardfolk scout leads you on for most of the day, out of the swamp, along a stream into the forest. Finally he stops and points ahead.

"Bugbears close that way," he whispers. "They see you soon."

"Hey bugbears!"Ziphora hails the bugbears enthusiastically. "We bear words from the lizards who claim that you have invaded their territory. We're here to talk to you about that."

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Beachhead? Like the head of a beach? Hm...but you're...not sandy? Tomorbataar muses on this, occasionally mouthing words to himself, as they journey to the bugbears.

He observes Ziphora shouting for a moment, perhaps we should move closer first? I don't think they can hear us...

"Oh yes we should. Sorry. I got carried away."

vote move closer

Hungry jumps as Beachhead disappears and reappears. "Crap! Neat trick."

A few questions, Did my 1 Con Dmg heal and would me spells be all prepared? I lost track how many days have passed in game.

Untrained Knowledge (Local)/Int check: What do I know about Bugbears?: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9

Vote to move closer, as stealth as possible

Yes, your Con damage would be healed and your spells prepared. You know nothing about bugbears, though.

"Can you teach me how to do that too?"Ziphora begs Beachhead.

"Yeah, sure. But later."

Hey, Beachhead. Once again, Dru-head seems nonplussed about the loss and simultaneous growth of a new head.

"Hey," Beachhead replies back in the same tone of voice.

Beachhead? Like the head of a beach? Hm...but you're...not sandy? Tomorbataar muses on this, occasionally mouthing words to himself, as they journey to the bugbears.

"But if we ever get to a beach, it will be totally appropriate."

Plus, I couldn't think of any ninja names or terms that fit the "head" theme that I wanted to follow, but in the old GI Joe toys, Beachhead and Snake Eyes (ninja) were nearly the same model, just different colors. It's a stretch, I know.

Hungry jumps as Beachhead disappears and reappears. "Crap! Neat trick."

Beachhead reappears on the other other side of Hungry.

"Thanks!"

Vote to move closer, as stealth as possible

Seconded. Beachhead will do his best to hide among the tangle of head and necks.

"Huh? Where'd Beachhead go?" Ziphora looks around puzzled. "Did he do that dissappearing trick again?"

Sigh. (Tomorbataar doesn't sigh, he just says the word sigh, in a normal tone of voice) So you probably like, grow palm trees then? Tomorbataar soon finds, however, that Beachhead is quite sneaky, and turns his head in tight circles looking for him.

He definitely counts as my subordinate, right? Come on...he practically implied it.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

Maybe he went to look for Blockhead?

Vote to move closer.

Hothead doesn't seem that surprised by Beachhead appearing or Blockhead disappearing, mostly because it all happened way too quickly for his curse-affected reactions. "Hi, Beach... Oh, nevermind, he's gone again,"

Just in case the Bugbears aren't quite as friendly as Ziphora seems to believe, Hothead casts a few protective spells on himself. "Anyone else want a little bit of protection against fire? You know, if we end up having to burn everything around us or something like that," he says, "Especially if you aren't very good at dodging explosions," he adds, looking towards Hungry and Tomorbataar.

Casting Ironskin and Resist Energy on myself and Resist Energy on anyone else who wants it.

Vote to move closer.

Vote to move closer.

In the water, hydras are surprisingly stealthy, slowly closing the gap between themselves and their prey with hardly a ripple in the water.

You are not in the water right now.

You've barely caught sight of a clearing in the woods with some kind of wall built in the middle of it when you see a bugbear looking at you, standing next to the wall.

"Look out! Big monster coming!" He shouts, nocking an arrow.

He's about 150' away.

"Hey bugbears!Don't shoot!"Ziphora calls to the bugbears. "We bear words from the lizards who claim that you have invaded their territory. We're here to negotiate!"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

Note the following should they decide to shoot:You constantly surround yourself with a whirling torrent of air, crackling arcs of lightning, or both to protect yourself from ranged attacks. All ranged attacks made with physical weapons suffer a 20% miss chance against you, except for attacks from massive weapons such as a giant's thrown boulder or a ballista.
That's my elemental defense talent, I take 3 points of burn every morning to fill my inner buffer.

knowledge local bugbears: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

Diplomacy Aid: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (10) - 1 = 9

And if you do shoot, we're gonna have to do what comes natural-like and destroy you. Dru-head does his best to diplomacy wingman.

Side note, Imma go to my default spell set-up for the day.

It's going to end violently. Expect a battle board on Monday.

Beachhead consistently votes to move the hydra closer.

I'm great at dodging explosions, so long as they come from the proper side for throwing explosions at me. Tomorbataar says, cracking his neck and assuming his battle posture.

We just want to come to a simple agreement about the relations between you and the lizards, a party who you have begun raiding. The lizards, being the industrious, if a tad unenlightened, group that they are, have hold over lands which the humans want to use for construction, land which I would advise you to vacate. Indeed, if you choose to maintain your position against the lizards, you will find that you face down a triple alliance of all the great powers in the region.

Can the humans be the French?

WW1?

Can the lizardfolk be Britain? I want them to have monocles and tophats.

Dru-head casts barkskin.

Yeah, totally, I think we're the Russians because civil war. I uh...don't know about the monocular lizards.

The lizards need to be offering us tea. And bringing their teapots wherever they go.

Lizardfolk as seen by hydras
Lizardfolk as seen by monstrous humanoids

The bugbear looses an arrow at Ziphora.

Bad idea: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

It sails between your heads and bounces off your back uselessly. However, at the same time, five bugbears show up and spread out at the top of their rough stockade, while a second bugbear comes around the corner.

For the sake of what remains of my sanity, I'm just going to have all of you go and then all of them go instead of rolling initiative. Your body still moves last on the turn. The stockade is only about 10' high, and you think you could probably smash through it if you just charged it. On the other hand, there's a nice deep stream on the right. The B's are normal bugbears, the H's are ones with nicer-looking bows. You're up!

Oh, and I've been forgetting to have Mo talk... he's still with you, he's just been quiet of late.

"Hey! That wasn't very nice of you!"Ziphora yells, indignant. Ziphora then hollers a battle cry.

"To battle we ride - 6 hydra heads side by side
With fangs barred, head held high - our teeth and armour shine
Hail to thee, our infantry - still brave beyond the grave
All sworn the eternal vow, the time to strike - is now"

As she chants, she touches all hydra heads and the hydra body with a charge of electricity.

Using 1 point of internal buffer, haste everyone except for Hungry, include the body

"Oh well, at least we tried to be nice," Hothead mutters and flings some fiery exploding death towards the bugbears.

Casting Fireball on the space between the frontmost B and the H near him.

Fireball: 6d6 ⇒ (3, 3, 3, 1, 2, 6) = 18 Ref 18 for half.

Looking around at the surge of electricity everyone else got, Hungry sighs, "I probably deserve this."

His eyes sweeping the bugbear palisade, Hungry picks out his first targets and begins chanting and waving around before a ball of red, similar to Hothead's streaks and hits several bugbears, one which has the fancy bow. I drew the area on the map and labeled it.

Fireball (Ref DC 19 1/2): 6d6 ⇒ (4, 1, 4, 4, 3, 3) = 19

Oh, boy, they really are stupid. You Really Are Stupid! Tomorbataar shouts. Come on, let's kill loads of them so that they're forced to surrender under awful terms. Maybe even...an unconditional surrender. Tomorbataar's eyes glint as he urges the body forward with all speed.

Tomorbataar votes to go faster.

FULL SPEED AHEAD!

The first shot has been fired! We can fertilize the earth with their remains, right?

Dru-head votes to move closer, and Wildshapes.