DM Squirrel Ninja's Secrets of the Greenwold (Inactive)

Game Master The.Squirrel.Ninja

Oh no... a weredragon!

Pash waves frantically at Dugal and the others, putting a finger to his lips and then gesturing them to come over quietly.

When they get to him he whispers, "Something up ahead was sleeping. Think you calling for the caravan to move might have woke it." He points to the bush he heard the sound from. "No idea what... not sure I want it to catch us off guard though after that worg."

Ercio goes with Pash to see what he means.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

Day 4 – On the Road

Hearing Pash talk about something possibly sneaking up to the group, Ercio goes to with Pash to take a look.

Ercio motions to Pash to back up slowly and does it himself. When they are out of ears range, the young man says "I don't know exactly what that is no K-Arcana =/, but we might be able to scare it away without a fight. Unless it's a mother, in which case it would attack us regardless. We should tell the caravan to prepare."

Pash takes a breath, keeping his crossbow trained on the bear. Huh... just a bear. Or is it a werebear... or a dragon bear.... or... As he hears Ercio, his flight of fancy comes back to the situation before him. He nods wordlessly and starts backing up toward the others, motioning them to stay where they are.

Stealth: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20

Back with the caravan, Ercio says to all "There's a creature waking up just ahead. It looks like a bear, but has an owl's face. Findal, have you heard of this? Anyway, unless it's a mother taking care of cubs, we should be able to scare it away. Stay close and if it seems to grow aggressive, make loud threatening noises."

Ercio, then directs all the non-fighting integrants of the caravan to walk on the side opposite to the creature. As they're ready, Ercio thinks it's safe to go.

"Would it run away from fire? I have a bomb. Also, how big is it and how much reach does it have ? Everything I've ever heard says bears are really tough. Some wierd bear-owl wizard's monstrosity might be bad news...If we're going to start a fight with it, let's take a minute or two to prep"

Mezdav immediately starts mixing some alchemy. Preparing an extract of Shield, into his empty slot - this will take 1 minute

Tactical proposal. Pre-buff (mutagen, then shield then enlarge person). Open with a bomb(mezdav) and other missile fire on the sleepy-head. Let it charge a fully buffed Mezdav with a readied longspear... The rest of you go for flanks...

Ercio has Bumi hide on a tree branch in case a fight breaks out and the creature doesn't run away from it.

Argh, if someone id'd it I could whomp up Dedicated Adversary!

"I'm good at scaring things," says Yalyaane, who does not look scary at all (except for the mild distortion surrounding her). She thinks for a moment.

"Dugal! I need a banner. Do you have one? Do the Pharasmins have one?"

If it's looking to Ambush, why don't we set up our own ambush? let it fall into our trap instead Adir suggests hearing the news of such a beast, He could also course correct and go a bit out of the way to avoid it entirely

Day 4 – On the Road

Shortly after Dugals call to head out the caravan begins to slowly creak onward.

Pash and Ercio emerge from the tree line describing the creature, when moments later the Groggy Beast itself comes into view. The creature is lumbering from side to side as if it still coming to.

K-Arcana Check
What do you do?

1) Am I correct in assuming that Mezdav didn't get his minute to mix his extract of Shield?
2) Could we have a tactical map to work on? It's much easier to figure things out, for example, who's in danger - Is it coming from head on, the left side, the right side, etc...

Can we assume Dugal listened to Ercio and ordered all non-fighting people to walk on the opposite side, relative to the creature, of the caravan? Also, did Findal reply to Ercio about the creature?

Ercio stands near the front of the caravan and prepares a spell in case it advances.

Ready action. Trigger: creature moves aggressively towards the caravan. Action: Cast Entangle on its path. DC 14

Day 4 – On the Road

Map

Some clarification: What woke the beast up was when Dugal called for the caravan to move on, so as Pash & Ercio go to see what this creature is the wagons are already beginning to set in motion, granted they aren’t moving fast but the train is a rollin. They started to move as Pash originally saw the creation.
Mezdav immediately starts to prepare an extra Shield
Yalyaane & Adir join the conversation
Creature shows up

I hope this helps for the timeline.
@Ercio you can change or alter what you are doing in light of now having a map.
Hope it is ok where I placed everyone, I just put them as if they were having a conversation when Pash/Ercio called everyone together.

What do you do?

@Mezdav if you could pick a character image that would be awesome. Then I can use a picture instead of a screen shot of text.

Ercio falls back to the ore wagon and readies a spell in case the creature moves aggressively.

Basically the same: cast entangle if it comes at us. BTW, Bumi is hiding in the trees. Let me pick out a portrait for him: Will this do?

Pash just attempts to hide from view of the creature, so that he can (hopefully) get in an undetected shot should it prove more hostile than scared.

Staying low, he moves toward the bushes at the opposite edge of the path.

Can't upload my image with the proposed movement path, but he would be going toward the bushes that jut out four squares below Adir's token.

Stealth: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22

5' step towards the bottom of the map (free)
take 1 hand off longspear (free)
Draw Mutagen (move)
Consume Mutagen (Standard)
Take longspear in both hand ready to use (free)
Uncertain if I can have the spear braced to recieve a charge with a possible AoO

"Ack!", Mezdav tries to do a bunch of stuff very fast. Holding his spear in one hand, he steps beside Yalyaane, as the other hand claws a vial out of his belt pouch. He slugs it back. Even as he grabs his longspear with both hands, you can sense the change in him, as his eyes grow wild and he growls, "Ggrarr!", frothing slighly at the mouth!

Yalyaane gives Mezdav a startled glance, then shrugs. Lowlanders are strange, she reminds herself.

She shouts to Dugal. "GET THE WAGONS MOVING!"

Yalyaane takes a moment to utter words in a gutteral voice and wave a hand about. You all feel a small bit of courage in your chests, bolstering you.

Bless! +1 on your attack rolls and saves vs. fear.

The oracle looks somewhat more nimble now.

Martial Flexibility: Dodge. AC now 16|13|13

Day 4 - On the Road

Updatd Map

The creature begins to scratch its body against the tree it is next to. Stands on its hind legs and scratches its back on the tree.

Initiative
Creature
Yalyaane
Mezdav
Pash
Ercio
Adir

I just put out the initiative order just incase.
@ALL: you are all up.

Talking is a free action
"Does you wilderness types think fire will scare it off?"

Rolling knowledge nature to answer Mezdav

Know nature: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26

Ercio looks at the creature position aggressively and says "It looks unhappy! I'll delay its approach. Don't try to get to it, better let it come out of position."

The young druid retreats to the wagon and holds out a holly and mistletoe and chants words in an unknown language, and roots between the group and the creature start moving grasping at the air. Then, he says "Don't step on the moving plants, they'll try to grab your foot."

Move to the wagon and cast Entangle, between the group and the creature, but under anyone.

Bumi delays

@Ercio, you realize entangle has a 40' radius? Between the group and the creature, pretty much means we are all in it...Where did you put it?

Mezdav will delay, waiting for an answer to his question... He will delay until after Adir goes (but still in this turn - he will drop to the bottom of the init order, but not burn his actions this round)

Oh, I didn't realize it was so big.

Change my action to the same ready action (if it moves aggressively, cast Entangle underneath it, so it doesn't include the group)

Ercio takes a better look at the creature's behavior and realizes it is not being aggressive. He raises his hands and says "It's not attacking", as if he was speaking to a class of students. He tries to motion it that they're friendly.

Wild empathy: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Adir readies to attack with his halfling slingstaff should the creature approach aggressively

readied attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Adir, already having his slingstaff walking stick out, loads it with a Rounded stone and prepares to lob a stone. His blade stuck in the ground ready to draw as well.

Pash keeps low to the ground, keeping the creature in his crossbow's cross hairs.

I'll give the druid a chance. No sense in just making it angry and letting it know where I am... but need to be ready if I need to be.

Delaying for now, readying a sneak attack on the creature though if it turns hostile.

"Great, I yelled at Dugal for nothing," says Yalyaane.

"Ercio, I can make the terrain difficult for it if it decides to move," she says.

"Ok, that thing doesn't look hostile to me. Get the wagons moving and get out of here, but don't panic and start running all over the place. I'll take tail end Charlie while we get away, my mutagen is good for 10 minutes."

Mezdav suits deed to word, moving to stand beside Ercio. (move 3 squares, 15', to the bottom of the map. Move Action He readies an attack with his longspear if the beast changes it's mind and charges... (Ready an attack for if it closes with him, this sets up the brace feature of the longspear (charging means it will take double damage). He will get the readied attack and likely a AoO if it does...). Standard Action

Day 4 - On the Road

Updated Map

Mezdav I didn't move you towards the bottom because Ercio moved towards the wagon. Feel free to say where you would have moved to seeing Ercio going with the wagons.

The wagons continue to move along the trail, slowly gaining speed. The creature begins to notice the movement of the wagons and the five of you forming a half circle around it. It lands back on all fours and starts moving more purposeful along the tree line, keeping its keen eyes on you all.

What do you do?

Ok, I'm assuming we've dropped out of combat rounds...

"Ok guys, it doesn't look immediately hostile, and I'm no hurry to pick a fight with something that size... but it is following us. Ercio, you're our best animal guy, and the one who's all sensitive about killing things, so you've got 8 minutes to convince it to leave - without feeding it so it comes back for more - before we have to try and drive it off"

With that said, Mezdav is going to keep going with the caravan, mirroring the Owlbears movements, staying between it and the caravan. He's going to keep his readied attack for a rush from the owlbear...

As the caravan moves along, Mezdav starts expanding on his plan. "Ok, I gave Ercio 8 minutes, because my mutagen's going to wear off in about 10, and if I'm going to try and chase off that thing, I wanna do it with my mutagen up."
"My plan for driving it off is: first I suck down another extract, which will make me grow to it's size (enlarge person, preparatory round). Then we all open up with all the missile attacks we've got; that's a firebomb for me (bomb attack). If it sticks around, we keep chucking stuff. If it runs, well and good. If it attacks, I let it run up the spear, and you guys flank it. Be aware that I'm going to keep backing up in melee, to use the length of the spear That'll be 5' steps or withdraw actions, so I can get AoO's and readied attacks. . What have the rest of you got to add?"

Ercio tries again to gain the creature's sympathy, without giving Mezdav a look.

Wild Empathy: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 1 = 16

Pash just creeps along the far side of the path with the wagons, trying to remain stealthy while at the same time not losing sight of the ... bear creature... or being left behind by the caravan.

Stealth: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (8) + 11 = 19

Pash will keep this up until either the owlbear attacks, someone in the group attacks, or until it loses interest and he can resume normal walking.

Adir just follows the caravan slowly past. Keeping his slingstaff readied to attack should it start charging. He's not taking any chances by provoking it

Yalyaane pauses to make a few gestures and speak some truly odd words.

After a moment, the sound of a wounded deer sounds to the left of the trail, emanating from the woods. It's a truly mournful bleat--the deer sounds injured and stuck.

Ghost Sound.

"Hey, do you hear that?" she says, turning towards the sound. "That is absolutely the sound of a wounded deer and not an illusion I made! I sure hope the bear thingy doesn't want to go eat it."

The sound continues for a few more seconds.

Day 4 - On the Road

Updated Map

Once the creature fully wakes up it charges the closest thing it sees, Adir. Adir's readied action goes off and he flings a stone with his halfling sling staff. It lands square between the creatures eyes and continues to charge.

It wipes out with a claws that look like they are built to grab ahold of its prey, fortunately for Adir the creature misses.

You are all up!

"Clear me a lane!"

Mezdav is at the bottom of the init order (he delayed earlier). If a lane gets cleared (Ercio and Yalyaane need to take 5' steps sideways, he can charge... If not, I will see what else I can do.

I suppose Wild Empathy didn't work XD

Ercio, startled by Mezdav's shout jumps sideways and attacks the creature. Bumi jumps from the trees and charges the beast.

Sling: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15
Dmb: 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0

Bumi charge: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26
Damage: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Trip if hit: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12

For the record, Bumi ends his movement in the opposite square of the caravan (so that Mezdav gets flanking when appropriate)

"So much for ghostly deer sounds," grumbles Yalyaane, stepping out of the way for Mezdav.

The distortion field around her ripples and flies away to twist the ground beneath the beast into unnatural angles that are difficult to look at.

If you make the Google Slide editable I can place the 20' square of difficult terrain around the owliebear. It won't interfere with Mezdav's charge!

"RAARH"
His lane opening before him, Mezdav charges, spearpoint leading the way. Full round action. He stops in the square that Yalyaane used to be in, due to reach from his longspear.

Attack: 1d20 + 3 + 2 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 3 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 29
+3 baseline +2 mutagen strength bonus +2 charge +2 flanking(from Bumi, above)

damage: 1d8 + 4 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 4 + 3 = 14
1d8 longspear +4 baseline +3 mutagen strength bonus

For SquirrelNinja's convenience, Mezdav's AC this round is 16. +2 from natural armor -2 from charging.

EDIT: Critical threat!

Critical Confirmation: 1d20 + 3 + 2 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 3 + 2 + 2 + 2 = 11

Extra Damage, X3 critical: 2d8 + 14 ⇒ (2, 5) + 14 = 21

FURTHER EDIT: Boo. I don't think that confirms

FURTHER EDIT: Boo. I don't think that confirms

I'd be cool if it did, tho

Addendum

If the Owlbear advances on Mezdav, he will let go of his spear with his primary hand (Free Action), and take the AoO ( as it moves from square threatened with spear to square threatened with spiked gauntlet) with his spiked gauntlet.

Note: With Yalyaane's difficult terrain, he does provoke to Bumi :)

Pash sighs, then takes aim and fires at the creature from the shadows.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 - 4 = 18
Damage: 1d3 ⇒ 2

Updated Map

The creature is bombarded with a flurry of attacks in all directions and doesn't know where it needs to turn its attention.... Until Mezdav lands his attack. The beast looks as if it is about to lunge at Mezdav.

@Adir you're up

Erico I moved Bumi into position to flank, but it would not be able to get into that position with charging. Bumi still lands its attack without the charge bonus.
Also, there is always a minimum of 1 damage. Erico you did do 1 damage with your sling.
Yalyaane I hope it is ok where I put the difficult terrain. It is posted where the creature is in it but none of the PCs are.... sorry Bumi...

Should Pash have gotten Sneak Attack damage as he was hiding? Also, no 5' step in rough terrain (each square counts as 2), so the owlbear can't full attack me... hopefully I stay up...

Should Pash have gotten Sneak Attack damage as he was hiding?

Yes, he was stealth in the tree line. Pash, when in doubt go ahead and roll it and I can say one way or the other when it comes to counting.

Also, no 5' step in rough terrain (each square counts as 2), so the owlbear can't full attack me... hopefully I stay up...

Correct. It functions as difficult terrain.

another Q, what damage did Adir do with his Sling-staff?

Yeah, wasn't sure... sneak requires the creature to be denied its DEX bonus or me to be flanking, hence not adding it.

Adir flicks his slingstaff backwards behind him out of the way and plucks his great sword up in a swift motion and goes to slice

attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
damage: 1d10 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11

crit confirm: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

11 Slashing damage, 22 damage if crit confirms