An Opalline Tide

Game Master Patrick Curtin

The pond area is unfortunately devoid of cover. In fact, Taishe can see that there has been some handiwork designed to make it difficult to hide in this room. However, he does spy out that the bolts came from three separate directions - South, east and north. One can assume that there are murder holes in the walls where snipers are set up to attack.

Norveg squishes himself into one of the nooks in the cave walls and begins muttering and making passes in the air with his paw.

Begin Summon Monster I.

"Clever trap, and One walked right into it."

Taishe judges where the nearest likely sniper is located, and plans his route. Thinking that if he can get under or beside the sniper hole, he is safe(r) from attack from at least one direction, and may find an opportunity to take out that sniper.

So, which wall of supposed sniper fire is closer? and can he make it in one turn? Maybe if he full out runs? (double move for that yes?)

The only place accessible without entering water would be the southern wall. With that perception check Taishe posted I’ll rule he can tell the murder hole is likely about 10’ up. So, a DC12 Climb check would get him up the wall, we just need to measure from where he is at to see how far he can get. Also, he’d need to discover exactly where in the wall the hole(s) are, likely only visible when the crossbowmen fire again

Thank you, To start with our wiley kobold would like to minimize the incoming potential damage. So to the South wall it is! :) Can he make it there in 1 round? Regular or double move?

Reposted map

OK. 30’ to where the arrows came from. Then a 10’ climb. I believe that would at least be a double move action for him

Thank you for the map! OK, I had thought the 'clang' was the door behind us closing? NOW I realize THAT was 'just' the gator being released! (?) O_o SO really my choices are, 'going TOWARDS danger (trying to neutralize it) or running back out the way we came in! ;P

Hmph, really do not want to stay here and play being a target. And Taishe can't climb very well. (Although I would hope that an Alchemical Fire tossed into a murder hole might help us a bit?) ;) ON the other hand, REEEELY do not want the snipers to be unoccupied long enough to sound the general alarm either! >_<

Sigh. Decisions, Decisions,...

The kobold tilts his head thoughtfully, as he explores his chances of heroic actions, and compares it to the map of the lair they have already explored in his head,...

Taishe spins around, and dashes back to the room entrance.

"Come! Back way we came! One thinkss we can take ssniperss from behind!"

Standard Move, should be able to make it somewhere between Norveg and Narl on map if One is not mistaken? ;)

The Minotaur pauses in the brick hallway, as the others investigate further, he holds, as he is wont to do often being the cautious sort.

DM, would I have heard Taishe? If so, are there any other directions to go here inside, or do I need to step outside where the others went?

I would rule you could hear him. Jakun is not in the cenote yet, so he could set up in the hallway if he wishes.

The Minotaur stiffens at hearing the call out, he tries the next door to see if perhaps he can lead that flank...

I'll try the door to the right on the map from that circular space.

The Minotaur stiffens at hearing the call out, he tries the next door to see if perhaps he can lead that flank...

I'll try the door to the right on the map from that circular space.

Jakun and his Dino sidekick hurry back towards the circular room with the rope ladder up to the surface. He tries the door on the eastern side - it is unlocked. He sees another tunnel stretching off southeastwards. About 50 feet or so another door can be seen. There are no other doors in evidence.

Actions?

”We may have lost the element of surprise. We should expect danger here.” Tragon leads the way down the corridor to the next door, checking it for traps or locks.

The Wizard pauses, "Now or never he mutters" and pauses to cast Bear's Endurance. +4 to Con +6 HP.

He then heads to that door, hoping the element of surprise is still with him as his companions are under fire below.

Perception, Can I hear sounds from the other side? 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8

What Taishe did not get to fully explain, he HOPES that the (still unexplored) tunnel to the East from the circle room "C" will lead to where at least one of the ambushers are hidden. That is his projected path.

Narl starts to back away from the creature coming towards him and then looks nervously around as the cries and bolts start to fly.

Initiative: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Then starts to cast scorching ray directed at the beast if it is coming towards him.

Scorching Ray: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 24d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 6, 5) = 18

Crocodile Rock Rd 1

19 Taishe
18 Nahuatl Ti
13 Narl [scorching ray - miss]
13 Mystery crossbowmen
10 13 Spider
5 Tragon
5 Cipactli
4 Special Mystery Guest

?? Norveg: Summon Monster I
Jakun: [not in melee] -exploring

Norveg flattens against the wall, his body naturally constricting like his distant ancestors did to crawl through small spaces. He begins chanting in a sibilant tongue, a salty fog springing up near him, winking with lights.

Jakun moves down the corridor and attempts to listen at the far door. He hears only silence. The door is another well-oiled teak one with well-tended hardware. Are you trying to be stealthy?

OK. I can’t seem to find Norveg’s init roll. But I know he is doing a summon monster spell. Jakun is not in combat, and is currently in the tunnels. Taishe and Tragon. Please give me melee actions. If you want to depart the pool area, I’ll want a double move action. Let me know where that lands you. Taishe can leave before the crossbow men can attack, but Tragon cannot.

Yes, Jakun is trying to be stealthy, to the extent he is able, which is not very well, even taking 10 would result in 10. If I am able to do so I will indeed take 10.

What the...? How did I not roll init? Yeesh. I would have sworn on a stack of Bibles that I had.

Init: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

OK, so my summon finishes before Narl's attack. I want to drop a dire rat buddy behind the crockomajiggie so anyone fighting it gets a flank. Not sure that will help Narl's ranged, though.

Dire Rat Attack!: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17
Dire Rat Dmg: 1d4 ⇒ 1
Plus disease, but onset is 1d3 days, so it won't matter.

Norveg shoves a paw in the direction of the hostile reptile, and the twinkling fog coalesces behind the monster into the shape of a nasty-looking rat, not much smaller than Norveg himself. The scrofulous creature immediately attempts to tunnel into the gigantic croc from behind.

"'Ere now, ware we runnin off ta?" he exclaims in dismay as the wizard vanishes down the tunnel. Grumbling, he dashes across the passage and into the tunnel, squeezing past his teammates in an attempt to keep up with the minotaur.

Double move after Jakun, as far as I can go to catch up.

To clarify, Taishe decided to leave the room. He is hoping to take the ambushers from behind. So he turned and ran OUT of the room instead. (NOT to the SOuth wall, as I originally thought) Not sure if I could 'run' (Double move?) or not? I think I made it at least as far as about H7, just past the others in the tunnels? Headed for the round room up top, headed to the tunnel entrance at C12.

To clarify, Tragon can’t see enemies, and is just aware that there are people shooting into this cavern via murder holes? Do I have the action economy to fall back into the tunnel? Tanking is one thing. Volunteering to be a useless pincushion helps no one.

When you entered the pool area the crossbowmen got a surprise attack. From there we rolled into Initiative, which is rd 1 (where we are at). Unfortunately the crossbowmen beat Tragon’s initiative, so while Taishe can retreat, Tragon cannot until they get one more round to pincushion you. After that you can retreat

To clarify, Taishe decided to leave the room. He is hoping to take the ambushers from behind. So he turned and ran OUT of the room instead. (NOT to the SOuth wall, as I originally thought) Not sure if I could 'run' (Double move?) or not? I think I made it at least as far as about H7, just past the others in the tunnels? Headed for the round room up top, headed to the tunnel entrance at C12.

OK. H7 looks about right. I’ll take you out of combat then

Taishe scuttles quickly away from the brackish pool, leaving his Sea Wolf comrade to face the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune alone. He scrambles into the hallway, headed back to the chamber where the silk merchant climbed to freedom

Crocodile Rock Rd 1

19 Taishe [Move to H7 - out of melee]
18 Nahuatl Ti Pending
16 Norveg: [Summon Monster I]
13 Narl [scorching ray - miss]
13 Mystery crossbowmen [Atk]
10 13 Spider [hold action]
5 Tragon Pending
5 Cipactli [Attacking Narl]
4 Special Mystery Guest

Jakun: [not in melee] -exploring

Norveg, your Summon Monster is a full round action, yes? So your ratty pal should be arriving on your turn rd 2 if I am interpreting correctly. I am going to run the mob's turn and if Nahuatl Ti has a gamechanging action she posts, I'll retcon

The Cipactli, undeterred by Narl's errant flame ray, snaps at him.

bite: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 181d8 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5 Grab if hit

CMB: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (9) + 11 = 20

The crocodile's jaws clamp down on the pale necromancer. His pet raven shrieks a warning and flutters off his shoulder as the beast's sharp teeth draw blood.

Narl, you are grappled

Four more crossbow bolts come towards Tragon

bolt 1: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 191d4 ⇒ 1
bolt 2: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 201d4 ⇒ 4
bolt 3: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 211d4 ⇒ 3
bolt 4: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 71d4 ⇒ 1
bolt 3 crit confirm: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 41d4 ⇒ 3

Three bolts pierce the doughty corsair. 13 Spider calls out

"Retreat and I'll heal you!"

OK. Just need Nahuatl Ti's actions, and I am assuming Tragon's retreat path. 13 Spider will hold and heal him of his injuries

UPDATED MAP

Jakun, can you roll me another perception check, please?

Perception 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15

Yes, I thought we were into round 2, sorry.

Perception 1d20+4

1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 211d6 + 2 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 2 + (4) = 10

As Jakun listens intently at the door on the far end of the corridor, he suddenly feels a stabbing pain in his back! He whirls, to see the silk merchant Kersh behind him, grinning an evil grin! He has a rapier in his hand, its blade covered in Jakun's blood. A loutish-looking man emerges behind him from a now-revealed secret door

"Oh, hello there!" Kersh says in a jaunty tone

Roll some intiative!

Jakun

Ouch! That's one elaborate scheme to allow yourself to be tortured to fool us!

Initiative 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19

Update map with unpleasant surprise

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14

Jakun, you have first shot

The man behind Kersh carries a hand crossbow, he aims it at the minotaur. Kersh readies his rapier, grinning a smug grin

Round 1

Jakun laughs with mirth, "Spectacular! What a deception! If I am to die at your hands, at least it is at the hands of a clever man and not some fool. Come, let us get to death dealing then!"

Jakun gives a mental signal to Kossel to aid him, the familiar leaps from his back and down to strike the oafish fellow with the crossbow.

Bite Attack - 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
Damage - 1d3 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2 Fortitude save DC 12 Strength Damage 1d2 ⇒ 2

Jakun leans forward and charges at Kersh, knowing he is too close to cast a spell without being struck once more.

Gore attack - 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
Damage - 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

If successful, I believe I can also Bull Rush him backwards into the son of a b*+$* with the crossbow as I'm probably bigger than him. Though if that provokes I would not opt to do so.

Bull Rush CMD 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6

Kersh laughs, as he sidesteps the rush

"Your head will hang on our guild's walls in a place of honor once our pet taxidermist finishes with it, noble foe!"

fort save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Kossel's sharp teeth draw blood on the other man. The thief yells as the wound gushes

Str damage,huh? a wily familiar

Kersh lunges with his rapier

rapier: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 221d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
rapier crit confirm: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 141d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

The other man fires his crossbow at Kossel

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 161d4 ⇒ 2

Your go

Round 2

Good news is that Critical didn't confirm as I had Mage Armor cast from my Wand once we entered the lair! The shot missed Kossel. Hopefully, someone arrives to assist soon or I'll be in the market for another PC!

Jakun roars in laughter despite himself, "Feel free to use the deposit I placed earlier, had I known I was paying to preserve myself, I would have spent on the better package!"

Instead of turning to the rapierman, Jakun continues to charge and tries to gore the crossbowman instead.

Kossel bites the crossbowman once more:

Bite Attack - 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (7) + 3 = 10
Damage - 1d3 - 1 ⇒ (1) - 1 = 0 Fortitude save DC 12 Strength Damage 1d2 ⇒ 2

Jakuns' Gore

Gore attack - 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
Damage - 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

By my calculations, Norveg should arrive sometime after Round 2, since he was 1 round behind Jakun (unless Jakun is super-fast.

By my calculations, Norveg should arrive sometime after Round 2, since he was 1 round behind Jakun (unless Jakun is super-fast.

Even if he was super fast, he wasn't moving quick anyway.

With Narl in the most visibly obvious danger, Nahuatl ti moves forward, striking at the crocodile with her spear.

Spear vs Flat Footed (grappling): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Piercing: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Nahuatl Ti gets a flank from the dire rat.

Nahuatl Ti gets a flank from the dire rat.

On rd 2

Crocodile Rock Rd 2

19 Taishe Pending
19 Jakun [ATK Kersh]
19 Kossel [biting Lout 1]
18 Nahuatl Ti Pending
16 Norveg: [Double move to Jakun -need coordinate placement]
16 Dire Ratty Pending
14 Kersh [ATK Jakun]
13 Narl >Grappled< Pending
13 Mystery crossbowmen {??}
5 Tragon Pending
5 Cipactli [Attacking Narl]
4 Lout 1 [Attacking Kossel]
0 13 Spider Pending

All, please see the OOC thread for the reworked initiative rounds

OK. For expediency's sake, I am going to assume that Tragon does in fact retreat, and that 13 Spider heals him, ending Rd 1

Nahuatl Ti's spear fails to pierce the Cipactli's hide. RD 1 action complete, now time for RD 2

Tragon decides that discretion is the better part of valor and runs back to 13 Spider, who slaps him on the back

CLW: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

A large mean-looking wharf rat the size of a mastiff appears out of the salty fog behind the rampaging crocodile. Norveg scrambles off into the hallway, headed towards the distant sound of fighting.

OK. I think that is everything. Phew. If there is a Pending at your name, I need a RD 2 action. Jakun is already in RD 3, so he and Kossel should be good. But we need to resolve poor Narl's fate...

Dire Rat Attack here.

Dire Rat Attack here.

Thanks for that. He got lost in the shuffle

Large rat growls and snaps at the Cipactli's hind leg, drawing a thin runnel of blood

Nahuatl ti attacks again, but to no avail, her strike missing wildly in the chaos.

Spear/Flank: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 4 + 2 = 10
Piercing: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Concentration: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18 Narl Attempts to cast Boneshaker on the croc that currently has him.

"Come! Come! Follow Jakun! We shall take villainss from behind! Let ssleeping Crocss lie! It cannot follow into tunnel!"
Taishe calls out to his friends.

The kobold then continues to dash forward towards the circular room, and hopefully to a path behind their ambushers.

MOVE (Standard) IF I count right, he makes it to C11? Is that door still open? Or did it close behind Jakun after he went through it?

Crocodile Rock Rd 2

19 Taishe [Move C11]
19 Jakun [ATK Kersh]
19 Kossel [biting Lout 1 -hit]
18 Nahuatl Ti [miss]
16 Norveg: [Double move to Jakun -need coordinate placement]
16 Dire Ratty [atk cipactli -hit]
14 Kersh [ATK Jakun]
13 Narl >Grappled< [cast Boneshaker -fail concentration]
13 Mystery crossbowmen {??}
5 Tragon Pending
5 Cipactli [Attacking Narl -hit 7 dam]
4 Lout 1 [Attacking Kossel -miss]
0 13 Spider [atk cipactli]

Taishe reaches the far door of the ladder room, and hears some battle noises and talking beyond. Suddenly a great bellow of laughter sounds out. The door is shut.

He can open and proceed on RD 3

Norveg hurries down the hallway towards the ladder room where the silk merchant escaped

I placed Norveg where I thought a double move would get him. If I miscalculated, let me know

After hitting Tragon with a heal, 13 Spider pivots and hurries down to assist Narl, his macuahuitl at the ready

Macuahuitl 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 51d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2 (19/20 x2)

He doesn't manage to penetrate the crocodile's hide

maintain grapple-bite: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 281d8 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

The crocodilian monster inflicts more damage on Narl, whose attempt to cast a spell is thwarted by the rough jarring of the creature's bite

Just need Tragon and we can head to RD 3

UPDATED MAP

"Come! Come! Follow Jakun! We shall take villainss from behind! Let ssleeping Crocss lie! It cannot follow into tunnel!"

Taishe calls out to his friends.

The kobold then continues to dash forward towards the circular room, and hopefully to a path behind their ambushers.

Narl as Taishe runs by

I think Norveg is in the right place for a double move.