Wellards rescue attempt on RotRL

Game Master Wellard

At Roman's suggestion of a bite to eat, "Good idea, but we should eat as we walk, so as not to lose time."

"I can swim very well and hold my breath for a long time. Perhaps I can scout the island from the water. Certainly they have concentrated their defenses toward the land-side and would not be as observant to the rear."

"By yourself? Are you sure?" Kallie looked at Inikai worriedly. She had been inching closer to him throughout the trip, trying to work up the nerve to confide in him about her vision but never quite managing it. "Can't someone go with you?" she asked with a hint of embarassment. She could barely swim herself, so she was essentially asking someone else to step up to the task.

"By yourself? Are you sure?" Kallie looked at Inikai worriedly. She had been inching closer to him throughout the trip, trying to work up the nerve to confide in him about her vision but never quite managing it. "Can't someone go with you?" she asked with a hint of embarassment. She could barely swim herself, so she was essentially asking someone else to step up to the task.

"Me! I can swim like an eel. I'll go with him." Worried that Kallie hasn't spoken to him much during the hike, that he has looked slightly foolish with his out-sized pack, and determined to draw her (and Shalelu's ) attention back to him in a favorable light. Romon volunteers without thinking.

Her tongue hanging out of her mouth due to the heat, Ali's ears perk up at the current conversation and she lopes back towards the party. As she nears she flows back into the form of a slightly sweaty young Gnome and says without preamble "Ali like water! She swim good too! Swim even better as four legs. Swim be good now yes yes." as she unconsciously mops her brow with the back of her hand.

As there seems to be no immediate threat and the heat affects her somewhat less in two leg form she remains as she is for the moment as moves her little legs quickly to keep up with her much bigger friends.

Kallie looked at Romon and Ali with gratitude, thankful both that Inikai wouldn't have to go alone and that her own inability to follow her own suggestion did not take prominence in the conversation.

She looked at Inikai, hoping he would accept the aid, though she wondered if sending more people would increase the risk of being seen by the goblins...

"It would be good I think to scout out the surrounding area," Muchorak looks at the others, "if we can come in from the sea a greater surprise may be garnered."

"Ali, can you stay below water or would you have to break the surface?"Iniaki was about to ask if she swims like a dog but stopped himself."Would a wolf swimming by seem suspicious?"

"Romon, you know that you would have to leave your pack here if you go."

I just looked at the discussion thread. The water-scouting would prolong this too much so let's forget I said anything about this.

"Ali, can you stay below water or would you have to break the surface?"Iniaki was about to ask if she swims like a dog but stopped himself."Would a wolf swimming by seem suspicious?"

"Romon, you know that you would have to leave your pack here if you go."

I just looked at the discussion thread. The water-scouting would prolong this too much so let's forget I said anything about this.

"I was planning on leaving most of this stuff in hiding here anyway," Romon replies with a nod to Shalelu. "The biggest problem would be keeping my bowstring dry." Romon stretches himself to his full height and squares his shoulders. "But let's not decide til we see the water."

Maybe Wellard can juggle 2 groups if we split up. We'll see the lay of the land soon and can decide then.

Shalelu starts going through Romons pack with relentless efficiency.

"Most of this can be left behind..takethe oil your flint and steel and a days rations and we can split the caltrops up between us..they might come in useful"

You head up the trail which parallels the river now that Romon isnt hampered by the turtle pack you move quickly and relatively quietly until you finally reach the edge of the woods.

The briars and thistles that grow so rampantly in Nettlewood grow even more dense and tangled here, close to the shore. Although not quite dense enough to block the sound of waves crashing on the unseen shores to the west, the undergrowth is certainly thick enough to block sight and access to the coast. Few trees grow this close to the edge of the sea, but the briars themselves often reach heights to rival them;here, the patch is nearly twenty feet high

Muchorak will search the area for tracks, he reasons there has to be a path the Goblins use...

Search for Tracks D20 18+7= 25 or 27 if in Forest

Murchorak casts about and finds some goblin tracks that lead into what seems at first idle glance to be a thicket of brambles. Closer examination reveals that there is in fact a door of sorts made from thickly woven brambles and thistles. The door is goblin sized about 4 feet high and prickly..though you can avoid stabbing yourself if you are careful

Opening a thistle door is a full-round action, although a character can try to open them quickly as a move action. Doing so requires a DC 15 Reflex save to avoid being scratched and jabbed by thorns for 1 point of damage. A character wearing gauntlets or heavy armor automatically makes this saving throw.

Murchorak casts about and finds some goblin tracks that lead into what seems at first idle glance to be a thicket of brambles. Closer examination reveals that there is in fact a door of sorts made from thickly woven brambles and thistles. The door is goblin sized about 4 feet high and prickly..though you can avoid stabbing yourself if you are careful

Opening a thistle door is a full-round action, although a character can try to open them quickly as a move action. Doing so requires a DC 15 Reflex save to avoid being scratched and jabbed by thorns for 1 point of damage. A character wearing gauntlets or heavy armor automatically makes this saving throw.

After lightening his pack, Romon feels like a new man. Light, bouncy, lithe. He trails along in his customary spot at the end of the marching order, practicing moving silently in the alien environment of the great outdoors.

At the Thistledoor, Romon remains at the back of the pack and waits for someone else to open the door.

It's all so new and different.

Inikai crouches and takes up a position near the door. He scouts the area in case anything approaches from an ambush position.

Shifting back to Gnome form, Ali first sniffs and looks around (+2 for smell & touch and using Scent ability) (1d20+6=15) for any danger (or evil). Then, if sensing nothing alarming, she calls several small animals to her and asks them if any stinky Goblins are nearby and where this door leads to. Finally if everything seems all right, she confidently reaches to open the door, knowing her friends the plants won't harm her.

I am interpreting Ali's Woodland Stride ability as being to move (reach through) the thorns and briars without being harmed. If this is not so, please let me know

I'm prepared to accept that as a logical extension of the ability...and the lesson is when adventuring in the wilderness..take a Druid with you

The little Gnome moves thistle door aside with ease..after all the goblins are not much stronger than she is.

A four-foot-high tunnel winds through the dense briars and nettles. The floor is hard-packed earth, with patches of wiry plants growing stubbornly here and there.

There are tunnels running vaugely east and west from your current position

ok heres the rules in effect for this section

Large creatures must crawl to navigate the thistle tunnels.Bipedal Medium creatures can navigate them by stooping over and hunkering down, effectively squeezing to move, and thus taking –4 penalty on attack rolls and a –4 penalty to AC; such characters must spend 2 squares of movement for each square traveled. Small and smaller creatures can move about normally, as can most quadrupedal Medium creatures (including goblin dogs).

Although the ceilings and walls of these tunnels consist of tangled, thorny vines, a character that brushes against them need not worry about damage. A character pushed into a wall must make a DC 15 Refl ex save to avoid taking a point of damage (characters in heavy armor automatically make this save).A creature with the woodland stride ability (such as any druid of at least 2nd level) can move through these tunnels without penalty, despite size, and can even pass through the tangled briars with ease, effectively “walking through the walls” of this area.

It’s possible to hack a new path through the briars with any slashing weapon. A five-foot-square section of briars has hardness 1 and 40 hp. Hacking at briars counts as being pushed into a wall for chances of taking damage from the nettles and thorns.

If Ali doesn't open the door, Muchorak will use the full round to open the door with causing any harm to himself.

Ali asks whichever of her little animal friends which showed up if there are any other pathways through the 'pokey plants' for her big big friends. If they indicate there are, she will pass the information on to her allies.

After that, Ali says "Ali go lookie see what there be in there and keep'em lookout for nasty Goblins. But don't worry no no, she stay close, yes yes she will." She will then flow to wolf form and move straight into the briar wall, seeming to almost 'melt'into it. She will range ahead, keeping within sound and scent distance, moving stealthily (1d20+11=29)(+4 if this is considered moving in a forest) and continually searching with all of her senses +2 for smell & touch not incl yet(1d20+6=24) (including Scent) for any advance warning of their foes. Occasionally she will poke her head into the passage way to check on her friends or even pass through it to the other side as she ranges back and forth. (Speed 50' in wolf form)

It is obvious the savage little Gnome is in her element and when her friends do manage to get a glimpse of her they see her tail wagging with blood-thirsty eagerness...

If any of her friends call to her she immediately comes to them.

if any further rolls are needed please make them for her at Perception +6, +2 for smell & touch and Stealth +11, +4 in Forest type settings

PS: spells changed to 1st: Entangle, Magic Fang. 2nd Barkskin

Inikai swallows hard and switches his morning star for his new hand axe. The larger weapon would be useless in the tight confines, he reasons.

Romon peers about at the overarcing brambles. The close dense vegetation is far more claustrophobic than the tunnels below Sandpoint. Subconsciously seeking comfort, he checks his weapons.

Wellard, 2 questions. First, is there an area of less dense vegatation through which we could move more easily if we chop through the tunnel "wall"? Second, how will the briars affect ranged combat?

Muchorak will enter behind alley Longsword in hand, he will move with great effort to remain silent not wanting to be caught in these confined spaces.

Stealth D20 16+9= 25 or 27 if Forest :)

bows and thrown weapons will suffer the -4 penalty..crossbows can be fired normally. SA to the second part of the question..you'll have to find that out for yourselves..evil grin. Ali I need to know what directionyou are going in first and are you staying within the walls all the way?

Ali melds effortlessly with the walls as Muchorak and Shalelu slip silently into the maze

Inikai falls in line behind Shalelu. (Much better view than being behind Muchorak). The thought of facing nimble little goblins in these confined tunnels fills him with dread.

Inikai, unless you are adapt at moving with stealth I would prefer you to allow myself and Shalelu a lead.

Inikai, unless you are adapt at moving with stealth I would prefer you to allow myself and Shalelu a lead.

I thought Ali was in front then Muchorak then Shalelu then Inikai.Whatever the case, he falls in behind the stealthier folks.

Ali's Actions (spoilered for space)

Kallie followed after the others, crouching and walking after Inikai. She frowned as her clothing and hair snagged on the walls and ceiling of the unusual thorny tunnel, but managed to stifle her complaints.

How am I going to aim in here?! she wondered and worried. She could make those magical darts that seemed to always home in on their target, but she could only manage that a few times a day.

This tunnel runs in both directions you have entered through a southern wall and there are three tunnels running off it all heading vaugely North. Shalelu indicates that the Fortress itself is off to the northeast but shakes her head if asked whether she knows the exact route through the maze.

Ali heads east using the southern unbroken wall of brambles to cover her movements finding a place where three thistle tunnels open into a large cave-like chamber. Above, the thorny canopy grows thin enough that tiny slivers of the sky above can beseen, while below, the ground consists of trampled dirt. To the west, the distant sound of sloshing waves echoes up from a hole.

Ali sniffs out her companions and leads them all to the open space to regroup and decide on their next course of action.

Muchorak will search the grounds for recent tracks, while maintaining his stealth.

Stealth D20 13+9= 22 or 24 if Forest, Tracking D20 15+7=22 or 24 if Forest

There are distinct signs of many goblins passing through this area...however there are too many tracks to be certain how many of them there actually are.

Passages run into this area from the northwest the east and the south.In addition there's the hole in the ground which is about 10 feet across and through which the sounds of surging water can be heard.

Can Muchorak tell how old the tracks are?

Theres a lot of coming anf going..some recent..some not so...putting their heads together and comparing tracks Muchorak Ali and Shalelu figure that there hasn't been any significant traffic since the raid on Sandpoint now nearly a week in the past

Ali moves to each of the passages to see if she can smell any Goblins nearby (Using 'Sniff' Evil and Scent)

Ali picks up the scent of Goblins to the West and Goblin dogs to the North-East.

Kallie whispered faintly to Romon and the others in the back of the group. "Will we be able to find our way back out if we need to leave in a hurry?"

She had been grateful for the chance to stand upright again after coming through the cramped tunnels and stretch her back, but the trek deeper into goblin territory had her looking over her shoulder more and more.

The small wolf growls low in it's throat as it points to the West but it also occasionally points it's snout to the North-East and whines faintly.

Finally Ali flows to Gnome form and immediately begins speaking "There be Yucky Goblins that way" she says pointing to the West "But there also be Goblin four legs...um, how you say 'em? Like this" she rapidly switches back to wolf form and looks to her friends, trying to see if they understand her, then flows back to two legs "That way" as she points North-East. "Them goblin four legs mean like they masters but Ali think maybe she talky to them and makey them Ali's friends. Then maybe they help us. Yes yes? But maybe we kill'um yucky goblins first? But then maybe four legs be mad and makey it more hard for Ali to makey 'em happy...um, Ali no know! What you think Big Bear? You smart we do what you say yes yes." she states with full confidence that her pack leader will decide on the best thing to do.

As an afterthought, her keen ears having picked up Kallie's whisper Ali turns and answers her friend with a smile "Get lost? In Land?? Ali never be lost in her Home silly! You be lost in your home? You funny silly Kallie! hee hee" her genuine and innocent smile taking any possible sting out of her comments.

"It might be best to kill the goblins first and quickly to prevent any alarm being raised to our presence."

At Big Bear's answer the small Gnome gazes to the North East briefly, yet having been raised to unquestioningly follow the guidance of her Pack Leader she silently assents. Only taking a moment to cast a spell upon herself, without further word Ali flows to wolf form and begins padding down the westward heading corridor. Once she is sure that the rest of her friends are following, she will again begin moving in and out through the walls, ranging and scouting ahead, all of her senses active.

Cast Barkskin, AC now 20 in wolf form

"Ha, yes! Silly me...." Kallie said with forced cheer. She truly felt out of her element now. I just need to stick close to the others. They know their way around, at least... Absolutely no wandering off, none at all!

She drew closer to the others instinctively as they seemed to be preparing for a swift strike before a thought struck her. "Are you planning on attacking all of them at once, or did you want to try and draw some of them away to be...picked off..." she hesitantly asked Muchorak.

"Shhhhhhh."

Muchorak will proceed down the path readying for combat..but hoping to have the advantage.

Stealth D20 14+9= 23 or 25 in Forest

you all mangage to mainr=tian a stealthy aspect as you creep down the bramble lined tunnel ahead the area opens up into a clearing about 30 feet in diameter.
As you you spread out the goblins do not seem to have sensed your presence..until Marak snags his pack on a tenacious bramble and stumbles his gear clattering.

The goblins look up, instantly alert and snatching up weapons.

No Surprise round

Round 1
Initiative

Ali 23
Kallie 19
Shalelu 17+
Romon 17
Goblins 15
Marak 13
Muchorak 9
Inikai 7

Oops, a new post with Init rolled appeared while I was typing! Here's my intended action, then.

Marak stifles a curse as his clumsiness alerts the goblins to their presence, and takes a step sideways to flank Muchorak, muttering an invocation to Nethys as he does so. (Shield Other, 3 hour duration, Muchorak gains a +1 deflection bonus to AC, +1 resistance bonus to all saves and half of all hit point damage Muchorak takes will instead be taken by Marak.)

His longsword slides awkwardly from it's sheath on his back, twisting sideways to do so, in the cramped guarters.

Growling deep in her throat at the site of the hated Goblins, the small grey wolf launches itself like a bullet at the largest Goblin (or the one Ali's senses tell her is most likely to be the leader)
Attack;Damage (1d20+7=27, 1d4+3=6)
Crit threat (1d20+7=19)
With a successful hit Ali's Will save is now +3 in total for 10 rounds

Romon follows Ali and Shalelu into the clearing. He keeps near the edge trying to set up a flanking attack with his short sword.

Initial attack 1d20, 1d6=[19], [1] +4 to hit (+6 if flanking) +2 damage

Sneak Attack if applicable 1d6=3

Crit confirm: 1d20, 1d6=[12], [6]

So, to summarize: 23 (25 if flanking to hit) 3 hp (6 hp if flanking)
16 total to confirm critical hit. With critical 14 hp total.

Wellard, how many little gobbos are there anyway?

Oh gods we're just rushing in okay okay you've done this before stay calm, stay calm. Kallie's pulse quickened as she stepped to the side and stayed in place as many of the others charged ahead.

She pointed with her right hand and tried to hold her arm steady with her left as she took aim on the farthest goblin before unleashing a line of heavenly flame. Gods please let me hit, if he gets away and warns the others... Her hands still shook despite her prayers.

Using Heavenly Fire!
Ranged Attack: 7
Damage: 3

Muchorak will engage the closest Goblin with glee eager to try out his new blades...

Longsword D20 11+5= 16 Dmg D8 1+4= 5, Shortsword D20 7+5= 12, Dmg D6 1+2= 3. Damn ones. Wellard if he is only able to get one swing then the Longsword to hit would be 18.

Don't worry Kallie your party is blocking the only way out

The grey blur that is the wolf knocks one Goblin flat, it lies unmoving

Kallie misses her target Shalelu plants an arrow into a second target which slides to the ground and Romon chops down a third Goblin
There are 7 Goblins remaining..they move to engage you

Goblin 1 moves to attack Ali slicing her for 2 damage
Goblin 2 charges Shalelu inflicting a scratch on her..1 damage
Goblin 3 moves on Romon but trips over a bramble root and misses wildly
Goblin 4 closes on Marak cutting into the priest for 2 damage
Goblins 5,6&7 attack Muchorak the first delivering a nasty blow (5 damage crit)the second barely catching him(1 damage) the third missing comletely.

Marak casts his spell protecting the Ranger just that little bit too lateHand of the apprentice is a standard action Marak so that will have to wait till next round

Muchorak slams a blow into the goblin who cut him badly but does not bring it down

Seeing so many of the goblins swarming over Muchorak, Kallie let loose her most powerful spell in a brief moment of panic. With a shout, she pointed two fingers at the three, sending two darts of magical energy in an unerring arc to slam into the goblin that the ranger had already wounded and the one right next to him.

Casting Magic Missile
1st Missile damage: 5
2nd Missile damage: 5!

Whew, I was actually worried about that. And ugh, post-eating forum!