[Outpost IV] GM Zin's CORE 4-19 The Night March of Kalkamedes (Inactive)

Game Master Zin Z'arin

The depth of the water concerns Challa. She is only 3'5 tall. Challa looks around for a boat or raft.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Leon successfully restrains Kalkamedes, and the errant Pathfinder is unable to break free. As Challa and Nightkit begin looking for other solutions, it occurs to them that you might be able fashion a float of some sort that would allow Kalkamedes to cross here.

This requires an Intelligence, Survival, or relevant Craft check (roleplay to justify using your particular Craft skill). The deep portion of the bog extends 100 feet to either side, and 40' across. Fashioning a float would guarantee Kalkamedes can cross, but the PCs would still have to make their own Swim checks. You could also get him tied up and go around as you did with the brambles.

Round 3 (bold may act)
Kalkamedes (in 3' deep water)
Leon
Challa
Grigory
Merida
Corgrim
Nightkit

Merida looks around for anything to use as a raft.

Survival: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

"I'm not sure if there is any material here to build a float. Do you see anything? Maybe we should just carry him and walk around again..."

Merida begins digging through her pack, rattling off a couple items that she needs from others. With the rope, a blanket or similar, and some of the rushes in the bog, she's pretty sure she can build a makeshift float for the sleepwalker.

DC met. If Leon succeeds at another grapple check, Kalkamedes will be able to float across this bog.

"Hold on... does anyone have a blanket to spare? Grigory, I need that rope of yours - and if someone could quickly cut some of those rushes, that would be great."

"Let's get 'im up on dry ground. We can figure the rest out from there." Grigory says, attempting to help keep Kalkamedes under control and pull him back toward the shore.

Aid Another: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

"Rope's hanging from my backpack if you need it," he tells Merida. "We'd stay a little drier goin' around but I guess we're pretty soggy already."

"Let's get 'im up on dry ground. We can figure the rest out from there." Grigory says, attempting to help pull Kalkamedes back toward the shore.

Want to make a Combat maneuver roll to Aid Another along with that? I'm sure Leon would appreciate the +2

Grigory Reinhold wrote:

"Let's get 'im up on dry ground. We can figure the rest out from there." Grigory says, attempting to help pull Kalkamedes back toward the shore.

Want to make a Combat maneuver roll to Aid Another along with that? I'm sure Leon would appreciate the +2

I missed a few of the posts in between so I edited mine accordingly.

Aid Leon: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Corgim doesn't manage to get a good grasp of the now wet and muddy sleepwalker, but he says with a lustful and amused grin

Any luck at seeing our ladies wrestling in the mud tonight?

Even without the help, Leon tries his best to hold onto the slippery bugger for a few moments. At least long enough to get him hooked up to a makeshift float.

Improved Grapple vs. CMD to Pin + 1 Aid?: 1d20 + 8 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 8 + 5 + 2 = 20

Merida fashions a makeshift float from various items in everyone's packs, and Challa and Nightkit get it attached to Kalkamedes while Leon--with Corgrim and Grigory's aid--holds him fast.

Which is timely, as Kalkamedes breaks free from Leon's grip and immediately begins floating away.

Swim checks to follow Kalkamedes across, or equivalent move actions to instead circle around the bog. It's 40' to swim, or 260 through difficult terrain to circle around. If you swim, make enough rounds of DC 10 checks to travel 40' (half movement speed for a full round action); if you go around, tell me how many rounds of actions it takes you to move the 260'.

Didn't you told us you were a good swimmer, Leon? Time to prove it!I bet I won't be that far when you reach the other bank.

Half movement speed would be 15, so three rounds swimming. Armor penalty -1 (msw chain shirt), Swim untrained

swim: 1d20 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 - 1 = 17
swim: 1d20 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (17) + 1 - 1 = 17
swim: 1d20 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 - 1 = 13

Leon dives in after Kalky, trying to catch up to at least stay near him in case he flips over or does something equally stupid. He tries to keep his pace measured and steady.

Swim - ACP Take 10: 10 + 9 - 3 = 16
Swim - ACP Take 10: 10 + 9 - 3 = 16
Swim - ACP Take 10: 10 + 9 - 3 = 16
Swim - ACP Take 10: 10 + 9 - 3 = 16

That should get him 40 feet in four rounds

"Ah gud smimmeh ehn't fast. Just one dat don drawn."

"Corgrim, your eyes might get lucky. Since I already got wet, I can swim over as well."

Merida, completely oblivious to the real meaning of Corgrim's words, dashes forward - and she proves to be quite good at swimming.

half movement speed: 15 ==> 3 successful rounds of swimming needed. ACP: -2

Swim Take 10 - ACP: 10 + 6 - 2 = 14
Swim Take 10 - ACP: 10 + 6 - 2 = 14
Swim Take 10 - ACP: 10 + 6 - 2 = 14

Take 10 is allowed for a DC 10 check (calm waters); that's not true for stormy water, but it's a clear and calm night.

While the rest of them had been doing what they were doing, Nightkit had made a body harness out of rope which was tied around Kalkamedes upper body.

Since she's already in wet leather, she continues wearing it as she swims alongside the floating Kalkamedes ((taking 10 is 14)), diving underwater, and swimming dolphin style to ensure he is okay. It's soon apparent she's rather good at holding her breath. She also helps anyone who needs it.

Earlier she gave Colgrin a very odd look at the 'mud wrestling' comment.

While the rest of them had been doing what they were doing, Nightkit had made a body harness out of rope which was tied around Kalkamedes upper body.

Nightkit's harness-making idea helped lead to the float that was eventually made, but Nightkit did not get a harness made as well in that time (you were in 6-second rounds at the time). You can attempt to attach some kind of rope to Kalkamedes on the other side, however, if Leon grapples and pins him again there. You will need a Knowledge (engineering) check to devise a harness that is anything more than a simple loop of rope tied around him.

The Swim check at 14 is enough to get Nightkit across, swimming along with Kalkamedes, though. What is Nightkit's speed? I don't see it listed on her sheet or in her header.

"You gonna swim or goin' around?" Grigory asks Challa, not wanting to leave the gnome to make her way around the bog alone.

"If it's too deep for ya, I'll dry off a little and walk around too in case you run into trouble out there."

Assuming Challa attempts to swim across, half speed would take Grigory three rounds to make it to the other side:
Swim Take 10 - ACP: 10 + 4 - 1 = 13
Swim Take 10 - ACP: 10 + 4 - 1 = 13
Swim Take 10 - ACP: 10 + 4 - 1 = 13

Walking through 260 feet of difficult terrain would take him 18 rounds (I think) if each square costs an extra 5 feet of movement.

30ft speed ... so 15ft swim

Just waiting on Challa to decide how she's getting to the other side.

Challa has a -2 penalty to Swim because of her armor from the looks of her sheet, so walking around might be safest.

"Hey! Anybody tell how deep it is out there in the middle? Don't wanna get my hat wet." Grigory jokes as he waits for Challa to decide how to reach the other side of the water.

Nightkit actually dives down to find out. When she surfaces ...

Your hat should be fine .... presumably it'll float on the surface

Challa will do take 10 on 4 full round Swim checks, which yields 11 total on the checks.

Challa will use Prestidigitation to dry herself and the others off after they leave the water.

Kalkamedes crossing of the water is slower than the Pathfinders; the float also serves to slow him a bit, so everyone is gathered on the bank waiting for the sleepwalker as he emerges from the water. The rigged float remains at water level and Kalkamedes simply steps out of it once on solid ground and resumes his trek.

Nightkit mentioned a rope harness for Kalkamedes; do you want to try to restrain him now and tie something like that to him, or let him continue walking?

May as well let him continue

Katrina actually kept pace with Kalkamedes in case something went wrong and he needed rescuing so she waded out of the water just after he did.

Not the best night swim I've ever done she commented

Leon raises his eye at the human lady, "I can grabbem ifya wanta try day harness. Is cool. He's just squirmy."

As they wait, Grigory scans the ground for any sign Kalkamedes has passed this way and made it beyond the bog in his previous sleepwalking excursions.

Survival(Track + Favored Enemy): 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 5 + 1 + 2 = 18

Merida grabs the float once Kalkamedes steps out of it and tries to attach it to her backpack.

"Maybe we'll need it again..."

Then she puts the backpack back on and runs to catch up with the others.

If this does not work (it may be too big) Merida will disassamble the float quickly in order to get the rope and the other used items back.

Grigory is able to find a probably earlier path from Kalkamedes, and begins scouting ahead again. Kalkamedes’s path winds westward into a steep mountain pass that climbs several hundred feet. The surface levels out only to terminate fifty feet ahead with a precipitous drop into a thirty-foot wide canyon.

Left to his own devices, it looks like Kalkamedes would likely walk right off the edge of this cliff to get to wherever it is that he's going.

Katrina is also very grateful for Challa's magic. She was not looking forward to squelching the rest of the way in wet leather.

Thanks for the offer Leon but ... I'm having a little difficulty remembering how to make one. Might be two ropes involved she sighs.

But yeah ... I was thinking a four point harness.

Leon's eyes go wide at the sight of the cliff, he tries to quickly grab Kalkamedes, "Bettah remembuh quicklike cause we needa harness ta gettim down alive!"

Improved Grapple vs. CMD: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

Leon has Kalkamedes held tightly!

Ideally, I'd like to see a Knowledge (engineering) check to devise a harness, but I'm open to suggestions. Whatcha got?

Merida is not trained in Knowledge (Engineering). But she could try Survival again - or Knowledge (Dungeoneering)...

A basic untrained 'craft: anything' check (aka an int check) could work too since you don't need to be trained to do craft checks?

Maybe. But we could also simply tie him up tightly and lower him down the cliff with an extra rope...

That's definitely Leon's Plan A, but Kalky has proven quite deft at breaking free so I'm not super hopeful it'll work. His Plan B is well, it involves gravity and a CLW wand.

This must be the cliff we were told about - the one he already fell off Nightkit exclaimed.

On the way, Katrina experiments with rope and harness designs - on herself. She ties a rope around her waist, forming a belt - although if a belt is already present, this step can be omitted. She then loops the middle of a second rope around the back of her neck then crosses the two ends in front of her forming an 'X', Each end is then looped and tied around the belt then the two ends are brought up behind the back and looped under the neck and around the shoulders before being tied off. This results in four anchor points, two at waist level and two at shoulder level.

She then models her creation and even poses with her hands behind her back. Something like this guys?

int: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

At the cliff she tackles Kalkamedes to immobilise his legs. Her original fifty ft of silk rope has been hacked into 2 five foot lengths and a forty foot length by now.

"Good idea tying him up. Gives us some time to think. Looks like we got a couple grappling hooks and some rope," Grigory offers, looking down over the cliff edge to gauge the drop and the terrain below and looking around for anything that might be useful as a bridge across the gap to save them climbing down and back up the other side.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

"Somebody really ought have put a bridge here."

"Maybe if we keep him tied up we can tie a rope to him an' lower him down while somebody climbs down a rope beside him to keep him from bouncin' off rocks?"

I got a silk rope and a hook, if needed. Of course, there is always the quick and natural way to climb down, called "falling", but even if he survives, he's stubborn enough to try to climb up the other cliff, and that can't be easy while you sleep

Nightkit keeps a close eye on the bound Kalkamedes to ensure he doesn't hurt himself in his struggles to get free. She also has a concerned look on her face.

I really hope that where's you're trying to get to isn't too far away she says to him. And that it holds the answer as to why you're compelled to do this. And why the sudden right turn? That doesn't make any sense

"I've got 2 scrolls of Feather Fall to use on Kalkamedes." Challa says helpfully. "That way he floats down and we can meet down there."

Challa will read the spell to cast it on Kalkamedes if asked.

I just want to mention that Kalkamedes is NOT yet tied up. Leon has only grappled him and Kalk failed to escape. Leon still needs to pin him and tie him up. That is two chances for him to fail and at least one more chance for Kalky to break free, resetting the whole deal.

Leon tries to pin Kalky's arms back and shouts to the group, "I godda extra two ropes an a grapplin' hook, get one o dem tied up for us to go down and the other one hooked on da odder side. Challa, ya be ready wit dat scroll case sleepy or any o dus fall."

Keep Grapple and Pin: 1d20 + 8 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 8 + 5 = 21

Merida tries to help Leon: Aid Another: Grapple to pin Kalkamedes: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18

"I got his legs! Someone tie him up now!"

I hope that +2 is enough so Kalkamedes can't break free.

Grigory binds Kalkamedes' legs and secures him so he won't wander off the cliff while the group decides how to get across.

Challa says "I can cast Feather Fall with these 2 scrolls on Kalkamedes and one other person. The rest of us can climb down via rope. What do you guys think?"

Katrina helps bind Kalkamedes up and afterwards, keeps an eye on him as well as talking to him.

((see earlier post))

Maybe we can tie Kalky, lower him to the ground down below, and send two climbers on the other cliffside who would drag him up, still tied like a pig? If we have enough rope, that is.

As long as you an ensure he doesn't, in all his squirming, start swinging and ends up slamming into the cliff face Nightkit countered.

Corgrim answers, with a devilish smile

What would be life without some risks? especially the night life? Maybe Kalky like it rough, and being tied and banged is what his heart truly desire...

All Nightkit can do in reply is facepalm.