The Sirensong Traveling Carnival (Inactive)

Game Master Whosawhatsis?

"Well, they're wands, not sticks, I mean they are sticks, but are also wands, not just sticks. Let's go hide in the treeline and wait for cover of darkness!"

Pogug looks confused on the difference between wands and sticks, but decides the distinction has little relevance and nods. "Pogug and rest hide in trees, wait for moonrise. Then Pogug turn small using stick-wand and get flag!"

The plan seemed to start out simple enough, so Nathaniel went to hide with the rest of his companions in the treeline, hoping that Pogug's excellent plan would succeed. He might need to offer a more defensive front this time, as opposed to trying to be offensive. After all, the carnies only had to tap him, whereas he would have to incapacitate them.

When dusk came, he would look to the others who would actually be casting, waiting on their cues before he would start to move and act.

Ashak removes his boots and helps Erin secure them to her feet. "The boots will make sure you land safely. It feels a bit strange to first few times but not to worry, thats normal."

Any other prep work you guys need to do? I hope you're not waiting on anything from me...

Erin gives the boots an appraising look, hops up and down a few times experimentally, and smiles. "Nice. Thanks."

She sticks close to Evalee as they make their way into the undergrowth. While they wait for the sky to grow dark, the halfling stows her pack and armor in preparation for the flight, making sure to load her wands into the sheathes on her wrists.

When Pogug tells them through the message spell that he's in position, Erin lifts Chi up to her shoulder and turns to the others. "Are we ready?"

Nathaniel shrugged at Erin's question. "Ready as I'll ever be, I suppose. Good luck!" Nathaniel kept a finely-crafted dagger at the ready, but thought he probably wouldn't use them this go around. Mobility and staying out of range were more important than squaring off with the carnies.

crouching quietly in the bushes Ashak responds. "Ready when you are, let's not f&%% it up this time."

I can't move things on the map on my phone, and my computer isn't working at this very moment. I'm ready, but I might need someone to move Evalee and the elemental for me. Let's do this!

"Pogug going to beat big creature this time. Uh, not beat, but sneak by big creature."

Computer issues more or less resolved! Maybe for real this time! Hooray!

Evalee summons her elemental and has it check to see if the guards' positions have changed since their last attempt. After reporting on the new or old configuration, Evalee casts ant haul on it and has it lift Erin and Chi up into the air.

She (and presumably Pogug) set up message links with everyone, and then stands by to sync initiative. She draws a wand of obscuring mist.

Once the elemental has lifted them far above the torchlight, Erin signals for Chi to jump off and increase to abnormal size. As he gets into a very slow glide, Erin dangles from the elemental above him and drops gently onto his back. Do you need a check for any of that?

You might not get the chance, because...

As soon as Chi separates from the elemental and begins to glide down (before he gets the chance to increase in size), a hawk swoops in, seemingly out of nowhere, and attempts to grab him out of the air.

Grapple: 1d20 + 5 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 + 5 = 16

Chi squeals as the hawk's talons dig in.

Ashak the Acrobat Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11
Erin Reynor/Chi Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11
Evalee Ribbinz/Semsephiel Godscourge Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Nathaniel Whitecloak Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Pogug Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12
DB/SB Initiative: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

No damage to Chi, but the hawk carries him off-course. He can now attempt a combat maneuver check to break free (which will be much easier in his battle form).

For its turn, the hawk carries Chi downward and to the north. You guys are up (in whatever order), but only Erin, Chi, and the elemental are aware of he hawk. The other members of the carnival will enter initiative as they become aware of your presence.

Chi flails in panic for a moment as he feels the sharp talons sink into his fur, eons of rodent instinct telling him that this encounter means certain death. Then he remembers that he is not quite the prey that he appears, and the captive squirrel begins to grow, expanding in midair until he outweighs the hawk grasping him many times over.

Entering battle form as a standard action.

I'll wait until the others have a chance to act, even though they aren't aware of this situation, before resolving what happens next.

Erin whispers down through the message spell to Evalee, "We've got trouble. There's a hawk up here attacking us. Can you tell your wind spirit to go where I point?" Once Evalee relays the command through the spell, Erin directs the elemental toward the hawk and draws the lucerne hammer from her back as they move. "And they probably know something's up, so now's the time to act."

Putting her trust in the air creature's grip around her torso, Erin swings down at the hawk with all her might. Entering bloodrage and Power Attacking from above. If she hits, I think that's a DC 10 Fly check to avoid falling ten feet.
Attack: 1d20 + 12 - 1 ⇒ (16) + 12 - 1 = 27
Damage: 1d10 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18

Actually, you're 150ft horizontally from the treeline (plus a vertical component), and the range of Evalee's message spell is only 130ft, so you're currently out of contact. Since you don't speak Auran, I don't think you can effectively direct the elemental to do anything that you hadn't planned for.

If you want to jump after the hawk, I'll waive the running start requirement since you'd be moving mostly downward anyway, but that's still a DC25 acrobatics check to get within range to attack it with a reach weapon. (BTW, the hawk is now low enough to be seen in the light of the torch below it).

Unaware of the goings on above them, Nathaniel patiently (or as patiently as he could, which meant lots of pacing) waited for Pogug to signal he was going into 'sneak' mode. That would be the juggler's cue to start making a ruckus.

Oh, sorry! I was under the impression that we were still directly above the treeline. If we're over the main tent already, that makes things easier - Erin will simply spring her sling from its sheath, load it, and launch a bullet at the retreating hawk.

Sling Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26 Sling Damage: 1d3 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9

Out of curiosity, how high is Erin above the tent right now?

I'm going to say you're 60ft off the ground. The tent is about 30ft tall at its apices. I'll allow the attack this time, but I think that technically, drawing the sling and loading it each require a move action. That plus the standard to fire it is more action economy than you have available.

I'm not quite sure what's taking place, looking at the map. My understanding was that the elemental would lift Erin and Chi up to a sufficient height without going past the treeline, and then follow them as they glide and bodyblock in case someone decides to throw things at them.

But, according to the grid, Erin is above the tent already, with the elemental, and Chi has just now jumped overboard. If the elemental was going to carry Erin the whole way, what was the point of bringing the squirrel? Is there something I'm missing?

I also thought the plan was to sync initiative before leaving the treeline and make all our attempts simultaneously . . .

In any case, I'll need someone to rectify my bewilderment before I can make an informed decision . . . which should be fine, since I've a 5 for initiative!

Unaware of the goings on above them . . .

Evalee feels bad for poor humans who can't see thirty meters (plus a vertical component) without the sun glaring down on them. If she was a human, she'd probably just sleep at night. Which would drastically reduce the amount of time she spends agonizing over years-old mistakes and having existential crisis! How do humans manage, she wonders.

I'm not quite sure what's taking place, looking at the map. My understanding was that the elemental would lift Erin and Chi up to a sufficient height without going past the treeline, and then follow them as they glide and bodyblock in case someone decides to throw things at them.

That wasn't clear to me, and nobody moved their tokens to be consistent with that action, so when Erin started narrating actions, I made my best guess as to where those actions were supposed to take place and moved the tokens accordingly. They probably shouldn't have gotten as close as they did that way, but I'd rather not retcon it now.

Ditto on the confusion, my understanding of the plan was the same as Evalee's. I mean, I'm certainly not complaining that Erin was able to make it over the tent without being spotted, and I agree that retconning it would be awkward. But at the very least she would have alerted the others before leaving range of the message spell, since at that point she knows she's just seconds away from swooping in. With that in mind, while those on the ground wouldn't know about the hawk, they should probably know that it's showtime and be able to take their actions accordingly. GM, does that work for you?

On a slightly different note, Evalee, could we get a list of instructions you gave the elemental before it took to the air?

I'll allow the attack this time, but I think that technically, drawing the sling and loading it each require a move action. That plus the standard to fire it is more action economy than you have available.

Yeah, that's why she keeps it in one of her spring-loaded wrist sheathes, so she can retrieve it as a swift action before loading as a move.

Yes, everyone can take an action this round, they're just not aware of what's going on with the hawk.

Mechanically, I guess the spring-loaded sheath works, but realistically, there is NO way you could draw a sling from one of those.

Btw, just so you guys know, I've been in bed with the flu for the last two 2 days, so bear with me if I seem a little irritable.

Pogug? Ashak?

Well, for some reason I thought reduce person was on the bard spell list. Turns out it isn't but it is on the summoner spell list so if Evalee would be willing to use the wand on Pogug, that will work.

As Pogug shrinks, he looks around excitedly as his surroundings grow larger. Ashak appears akin to a giant, and Nathaniel that of a rather tall elf. Now Pogug is shortest goblin. Pogug thinks, but cannot conclude whether that is good or bad.

Pogug peeks out from the treeline, getting a perspective on the carnival. He turns to Nathaniel, waving to signal his movement. Crouching down, the goblin moves to the carts silently.

Okay, so I think my math is right here. Pogug already had 12 stealth, and a further reduction in size adds another +4 to 16, and reduce person gives a size bonus to dex of +2, raising that to 17.

Stealth, Double Move at half speed: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (7) + 17 = 24

Once Pogug moves Ashak waits a moment and then heads for the other cart. He stops at the edge of the trees for a moment then scrambles out of cover to get beneath one of the carts. Stealth, double move half speed: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (5) + 14 = 19

A second ago, the bird was twice Chi's size, but this relationship reverses as Chi rapidly grows to his battle form. He immediately slips from the bird's grasp and falls to the ground.

Chi falling damage: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 5) = 10

Erin's sling bullet connects with the bird, and it lets out a blood-curdling shriek. As if in response to the sound, a constellation of glowing orbs appears above the tent, illuminating Erin and the elemental.

Below, Erin sees ashyr step forward and swing her flaming chain. A bolt of flame streaks upward toward her.

Fire blast (vs. touch AC): 1d20 + 9 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 9 + 3 = 183d6 + 3 ⇒ (2, 3, 5) + 3 = 13 (hit)

Erin is out. Between the bird's shriek and the dancing lights signal, everyone is aware that tonight's game has begun. Initiative is simple. It's your turn now, then it will be everyone else's turn.

Erin gives a strangled yell of frustration as the blast of heat slams into her. She looks down, takes a deep breath, and shoves away from the elemental, putting her trust in this intriguing pair of boots as she plummets thirty feet to the tent below...
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13
Erin winces as she lands awkwardly on the tent surface but retains her footing, the boots magic softening her descent. She slides down the northern slope and drops gently to the ground...
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
...this time landing with a bit more poise. She shoots Ashyr a glare.

Chi spreads his wing flaps as he descends, managing to slow the fall just enough to avoid harm. He spins around in disorientation before spotting the halfling woman Erin had sent him after in the arena just the day before. The wolf-sized squirrel sprints forward and pounces at Zeera, letting out a ferocious growl.

Bite Attack: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 4 + 2 = 14 Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Alright, looks like it's down to the runners.

Obscuring mist is centered on the caster, so I think I should wait until Evalee can get past the blue tent before casting it. In the meantime, I'm going to begin summoning a mount . . . I really should have summoned at least one before this began, but it's too late now.

Evalee begins summoning her supernatural steed.

If it isn't too late, here are the orders given to the elemental before we began:
-Lift Erin and Chi high enough to glide to the tent.
-Follow beneath them and bodyblock.
-Failing this, attempt to lead the two-headed monster away from the group with flyby attacks.
-Failing this, distract or incapacitate the guards while those on foot make their attempt.

On Evalee's initiative (or would it be synced with Erin?) the elemental will move up to two hundred feat closer to the eidolon, albeit still out of reach in the air.

On Evalee's initiative (or would it be synced with Erin?)

All PCs are on the same initiative.

Evalee Ribbinz wrote:

On Evalee's initiative (or would it be synced with Erin?)

All PCs are on the same initiative.

Excellent. I've moved the elemental.

Ashak curses silently to himself then continues forward creeping low to the ground in the dimly lit area between torches.
Stealth, double move, half speed: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (5) + 14 = 19

Pogug? Nathaniel?

Pogug continues, moving up to the tent.

Stealth, double move: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (6) + 17 = 23

He grins to the large Ashak, before turning his attention to the guards.

Nathaniel steps out of the tree line, motioning for Evalee to head north a bit and out of the way before doing so. Waving his dagger about, he grinned to the carnies he could see, yelling out, "Hey, ugly! Or uglies, as it were! Come and get me! He proceeded to hop from one foot to the other, making a general fool of himself in trying to taunt them.

Move, then total defense

Ashyr is enraged at seeing Chi attack Zeera. Her eyes burn as she swings her flaming chain through the air, snapping it toward the enlarged familiar.

Empowered fire dart: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 181d3 - 1 + 1d6 + 3d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) - 1 + (1) + (4, 2, 3) + 3 = 15 19 damage, Chi is at -5hp.

Four glowing orbs appear in the air above the wagon in front of Nathaniel. Ashak and Pogug are clearly illuminated, and without cover.

A huge smile spreads across the face of the halfling sitting on the wagon when she sees Nathaniel. She's been waiting for this. She hops to the ground and runs toward him, thrusting with her narrow blade.

[dice="Mr. Pointy" vs. Nathaniel]1d20 + 10 + 2; 1d4 + 4[/dice] Hit, Nathaniel is out.
Crit confirmation: 1d20 + 10 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 10 + 2 = 31 Crit does not confirm.

The air elemental attempts to antagonize Simeon, then fly upward, out of his reach.

Flyby attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 121d4 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

The attack misses, and Simeon attempts to bite the elemental as it moves off.

Bite: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 131d6 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

Simeon's jaws snap shut, closing only on non-elemental air. He growls up at the elemental.

Ashak, Pogug, Evalee, you're up. The others are out, but you're welcome to post your characters' reactions.

Pogug grumbles at how fast the others were caught, but at least Nathaniel had pulled away the guards. Now the goblin had a clear shot at the tent.

Stealth, half speed: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (20) + 17 = 37

Evalee finishes summoning her trusty mount, which appears quite dramatically and then snorts nervously like the horse it is. If Evalee has any control over the cosmetic appearance of the horse, she colors it with bright pigments. (It is a distraction, after all.)

Evalee commands the horse to run out of the treeline and make a ruckus, and then follows her own advice . . . but not just yet. She moves to the edge of the treeline and casts obscuring mist, so that she'll have as much cover as possible after leaving the trees. Besides, a mess of magically conjured mist making a spontaneous appearance should serve to distract those in the area.

Ashak rolls forward out of the light and then scrambles forward.

Stealth: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (6) + 14 = 20 Highest stealth rolls so far

whispering through message to pogug. "Get to the tent, I'll try to find a different approach."

Nathaniel, more annoyed at the halfling's success, attempts to dazzle and distract by instantly going into a juggling routine. "Hey, you're pretty good with that little needle, there, but can you do this?" Three, four, then five daggers flip into the air, a pretty spectacular bit of showmanship in the strange, magical lighting.

Perform (Juggling): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

Erin stows her display of annoyance when she sees Chi collapse in another blast of fire, and she rushes over to his side. Sliding her arms gently beneath her familiar's body, she hoists the larger creature onto her back with a strength far greater than her size would suggest - like an ant carrying the corpse of a beetle. Slowly, with her gaze fixed on the ground in front of her, she begins trudging back toward the treeline.

The hawk flies in to attack the elemental.

Talon: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 171d4 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6 (hit)

The elemental again tries to attack Simeon, continuing to follow its instructions (provoking an AoO from the hawk), but Simeon is waiting, and lashes out at it when it approaches.

Flyby attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 81d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 (miss)
Talon (AoO): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 161d4 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5 (miss)
Bite (readied action): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 161d6 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13 (miss)

Then the elemental again tries to move out of Simeon's reach (provoking another AoO).

Bite (AoO): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 91d6 + 8 ⇒ (5) + 8 = 13 (miss)

Zeera directs a slash of acid at the elemental tormenting her eidolon.

Acid Splash (vs. touch AC): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (10) + 8 = 181d3 ⇒ 1 (hit)

Ashyr follows, and hurls more flames at the elemental.

Fire blast (vs. touch AC): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 243d6 + 3 ⇒ (5, 4, 5) + 3 = 17 (hit)

With this final hit, the elemental dissipates into nothing, having successfully kept several members of the carnival occupied for a round or two.

A large man with a bald head and a long, white beard walks past Ashak and Pogug, probably trying to see what's going on to the north. He does not notice them.

Doc says something to the halfling, who enters the fog, blindly swinging her rapier.

Swinging wildly with Mr. Pointy: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (18) + 14 = 321d5 ⇒ 51d4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

As she reaches the center of the mist, she catches sight of Evalee (who was making no particular effort to hide, besides remaining in the middle of the fog cloud). The swing is expertly aimed, but she can't see her target well enough, and Evalee can feel the air passing over the narrow blade as it comes within a hair's breadth of slicing her.

You guys are up again.

Pogug gulps. The big human was close. Too close for Pogug. Still, Pogug had to try his best. Moving slowly from foot to foot, Pogug makes his way under the tent.

Stealth: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (13) + 17 = 30

Do I need to make a check to go under the fabric of the tent, or is a tiny-sized Pogug enough?

Also, since reduce person lasts 1 min/level and it was cast from a wand, this is round 4 of 6.

I'll say that being tiny makes it easy enough. Ashak won't fit that way, though. His choices are to climb the outside, to go for the main entrance in front, or to go for one of the two slits in the back.

Also, there are 10 6-second rounds in a minute, not 6.

Ashak kicks at the tent pole nearest to him to create an audible but not incredibly loud sound, then scurries away into the shadows.

Stealth: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (5) + 14 = 19

...

Am I playing Pogug...
or am I Pogug?