GM Doug's Troubles in Otari (Inactive)

Game Master Doug Hahn

"Anything for a fellow druid! Maybe you come by our Fishing Lodge for cards night next week?" Nandipha says. "But now we should go on to our next delivery, and pick up lunch. I be hungry!"

Oh it's getting to the evening. More like dinner time.

The lumber foreman Klorte Hengus is nearly always found at the Giant’s Wheel, the massive lumber wheel at the edge of Otari where the wood is milled. Klorte is a former gladiator; he's an immense, muscular half-orc with short, blunt tusks. He's always to shouting to make himself heard above the flume's deafening noise — after years of it, he shouts even when it's not on! As he does now, in his office.

When you deliver the package, he peeks inside the package and guffaws. "HA!" He spins the box around and inside you see a pile of pins made of various precious metals.

"THESE PINS'RE FROM THE IRORIUM — MY BUDDY COLLECTED 'EM AS TROPHIES FROM ALL THE PEOPLE I DEFEATED BEFORE RETIRIN'! AHH, MEMORIES!"

At this point, Klorte notices your own weapons. He nods appreciatively at Biltri's meteor hammer.

"HEY. WANT ANOTHER JOB? NOTICED SOME SCORCHING ALONG THE FLUME. ARSON, I THINK. I’D LIKE TO HIRE YOU—SEEMS YOU HAVE YOUR ACT TOGETHER—TO STAKE OUT THE FLUME AND FIND OUT WHAT’S WHAT. IN FACT, I’LL OFFER YOU A RARE PRIZE! I’M FEELIN' A BIT NOSTALGIC RIGHT NOW, SO WHY NOT? I'M WILLIN' TO PART WITH ONE OF THE MAGIC HATCHETS I USED DURING MY DAYS IN THE ARENA. IF YOU UNCOVER THE SOURCE OF THE SABOTAGE AND PUT A STOP TO IT, THE HATCHET’S YOURS.”

"WHADAYA SAY? IT'S ALMOST NIGHTFALL NOW. YOU CAN STAKE THE FLUME OUT AFTER DINNER."

I BET THEY'LL SHOW UP BEFORE LONG, ESPECIALLY IF THEY FEEL LIKE NO ONE'S LOOKIN.' JUST GOTTA BE QUIET.

"Very impressive!" Nandipha only barely manages to keep herself from covering her ears as he shouts. "Ah yes, I see why you need to hire someone to be quiet." She turns to her friends. "I be in favor... if we can get dinner first."

"More hellhounds?" Biltri wonders aloud. His stomach grumbles.

"I HAVE BARLEY AND BEANS FOR SUPPER INSIDE, AND ASH TONIC. STRENGTHENS YOUR BONES!"

You can eat your own meal or share his vegetarian cooking and ash juice. The map of the flume is on Slide 1 and you can set up however you like. You have to jump over the water or might be swept away; it's partly in the ground and the walls are about 3 feet high. The forest side of the flume is generally where the attacks come from but would be a possible hiding spot, too.

Nandipha's stomach grumbles. "That be delicious. I'd love to share your beans and barley!"

To be clear here, I am looking for what kind of plan you have to hide yourselves in order to catch the arsonist. If they see you just standing in the open on guard, they will just walk away and burn down the flume another day.

"Well, I ain't worried 'bout me. I kin hide along th' flumey, and since we kin all see in the dark, we should have a leg up on most o' the bastages.

"Buax and Nandi, you got some messagin' spell or somefin?"

[ooc]Dethor is just going to hide under the flume[/oom]

Sure, the ground is uneven and you can find a spot to crouch under it! It’ll be difficult terrain while you’re below.

What’s everyone else planning on?

Being taller than the rest, Lucius hides in the trees.

Biltri sits down beside the near side of the flume and next to one of the thicker posts and tries to stay awake despite the boredom.

If the flume itself is inadequate to provide cover and the forest is, then I can hide in there instead.

Baux happily joins in the meal.

---

At the flume, Baux walks back and forth along it before selecting a spot.

"Dethor, if'n I crouch down like so think that'll be good 'nough ta' hide me?"

Trying to use the flume and posts as cover to hide behind. Asking the one I consider best at hiding for advice.

We'll put Nandipha and Carrots in the forest so Lucius isn't alone. Dethor can avoid the difficult terrain underneath where he is; others can crouch as difficult terrain between the dashed lines, or long jump over the Flume. If you fall in the water you might be swept away unless you make a fort save.

You take a nap after dinner and then set up. You wait several hours… it's getting close to 1 a.m. when you spot two sets of glowing eyes approaching; the trees flicker in the light as if someone is carrying a torch. Instead of mundane light, two hellhounds emerge! They are directed by an armored goblinoid carrying a longsword. Art on the slide.

The goblinoid notices you at the same time as you notice him. He chuckles and waves his hound forward; it runs toward the flume and blows gouts of fire on it! Luckily, the wet wood doesn't catch but you notice that it smoked a little. It would definitely get lit on fire if they are allowed to continue!

❧ ❧ ❧

Flume-Ferno!

Tress difficult terrain. Dashed lines difficult terrain unless you're Dethor. Trees provide cover.

Hellhound 2
--
Biltri
Dethor
Nandipha
Lucius
Baux
--
Hellhound 1

Goblinoid (delayed, will probably come out after Dethor and/or Biltri run out and smash)

Biltri stands up from the ground. He draws out one of his hatchets and throws it at the nearest hellhound. "Take that!"

Stand, Draw Weapon, Strike

Thrown Hatchet, +1 Range Increment: 1d20 + 6 - 2 ⇒ (2) + 6 - 2 = 6
S: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

In dwarven Baux shouts "Hey Biltri! If'n I could make ya walk on the watar, would that help ya protect the flume from these critters?"

"Probly. Maybe." the dwarf equivocates. "Not sure. How often they breath fire?"

"Only saw the other ones do it once."

What skill is it to ID them again? If I'm trained in it, I would be willing to use an action to try and answer Biltri's question.

Knowing that these are likely the arsonists, Dethor moves up quickly to stab the hound that hasn’t breathed yet, hoping his companions will protect him from his folly.

ol' stabby vs FFAC: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (14) + 10 = 24 P (or S): 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + 4 + (5) = 13

Dethor draws first blood!

The bugbear gets into a flank with the hellhound and tries to grapple Dethor, but his hand slips.

"Don't interfere, with my job, fool!

That was disappointing… for the goblinoid!

❧ ❧ ❧

Flume-Ferno!

Tress difficult terrain. Dashed lines difficult terrain unless you're Dethor. Trees provide cover.

Hellhound 2
--
Biltri
Dethor
--
Goblinoid
--
Nandipha
Lucius
Baux
--
Hellhound 1, -13 HP

Baux pauses at Biltri's answer, but then decides to go ahead with his plan anyways.

Striding over to where he could reach Biltri, Baux casts his Water Walk spell on him.

Stride, 2 action spell

"Yer gettin' paid ta do this? Who would pay fer that?!?"

Expeditious Inspection: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

Lucius quickly identifies the hellhounds' master.

"That's a bugbear! They can Bushwhack creatures by sneaking up on them, grabbing, and striking them!"

Devise a Stratagem: 1d20 ⇒ 3

He's not sure how best to attack the bugbear though, so he loads and fires his crossbow at Hound #1.

Crossbow: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26 Yay!
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 7

"Carrots, attack!" Nandipha points to a square where Carrots can flank with Dethor. Then she leaves the trees and attempts to hit the bugbear with a spear.

Longspear (Reach): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20
Piercing: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Carrots attempts to bite the Bugbear, but hits a branch instead.

Carrots’ Jaws (finesse): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
Piercing: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Baux asks a question he won’t get an answer to in combat… and only if you can take the bugbear alive.

Lucius drops an arrow in hound one’s neck and congratulates himself on a job well done. The Hound looks angry now.

Nandipha strikes at the Bugbear but Carrots misses.

❧ ❧ ❧

Hellhound 1 bites Dethor, steps back, then breathes fire on Nandipha and the dwarf!

Hellhound 2 runs in and takes up the flank and strikes Dethor as well. The dwarf looks somewhat hurt, and both he and the druid must make reflex saves against the burst of fire.

❧ ❧ ❧

Flume-Ferno!

Tress difficult terrain. Dashed lines difficult terrain unless you're Dethor. Trees provide cover.

Hellhound 2
--
Biltri, Water Walking
Dethor, -24 HP, DC 19 basic reflex save needed
--
Bugbear
--
Nandipha, DC 19 basic reflex save needed
Lucius
Baux
--
Hellhound 1, -27 HP

"Magrim's door!" Biltri curses as Dethor is surrounded. He runs back and then forward to make an impressive leap over the flume. He lands with a thump and a clang. Then he chugs off toward the fight.

Long Jump (Assurance 17), Stride

”Well this ain’t goin’ well” complains Dethor. He realizes that grabbing a potion will take too much time as well.

Actually it is my level or lower.

Reflex dc19: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27

He then starts stabbing the bugbear.
ol' stabby vs FFAC: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (18) + 10 = 28 P (or S): 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (5) + 4 + (3) = 12
ol' stabby: 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (1) + 10 - 4 = 7 P (or S): 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 4 + (4) = 11

Then he raises his shield.

Thanks Dethor. That’s right. Well you took some fire…

The Bugbear stabs at Dethor once, missing, and tries to escape after being crit by the dwarf. Adding in Nandipha's damage too, which the above statblock elided..

You lot ain't worth it!

❧ ❧ ❧

Flume-Ferno!

Trees difficult terrain. Dashed lines difficult terrain unless you're Dethor. Trees provide cover.

Hellhound 2
--
Biltri, Water Walking
Dethor, -6 hp
--
Bugbear, -29 HP
--
Nandipha, DC 19 reflex save needed
Lucius
Baux
--
Hellhound 1, -27 HP

Sendoski still can't quite figure the best strategy to deal with the fleeing hobgoblin.

Devise a Stratagem: 1d20 ⇒ 10

So, he reloads and fires at hellhound #1.

Crossbow: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 4

And then moves toward Nandipha and the rest of the party.

Reflex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17

"Well there he go.... Our evidence with him," Nandipha sighs. Still, the hell hounds are there, and they need be stopped as well. She casts Electric Arc on both hellhound 1 and hellhound 2.

Electric Arc (DC 18 Reflex): 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

"Carrots, attack!" Nandipha says, pointing to a spot where Carrots can once again flank with Dethor.

"Snirp!"

Okay, Mom!

Carrots’ Jaws (finesse): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
Piercing: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

One of the hellhounds avoids most of the blast, but the second one doesn't even see it coming.

❧ ❧ ❧

Flume-Ferno!

Trees difficult terrain. Dashed lines difficult terrain unless you're Dethor. Trees provide cover.

Hellhound 2, -14 HP
--
Biltri, Water Walking
Dethor, -6 hp
--
Bugbear, -29 HP
--
Nandipha, DC 19 reflex save needed
Lucius
Baux
--
Hellhound 1, -27 HP

Baux tries to crawl under the flume. He has quite a bit more trouble with it than Dethor did.

Stride x3

Nandipha weathers the brunt of the fire. 12 damage The hounds move in to attack Nandipha — the one casting spells! The first hound trips on a root on the way in, saving the ganzi. It only eats some dirt.

The second moves in to take advantage of the flank, landing a devastating strike that severs an artery! Crit for 32 damage takes Nandipha to Dying 2.

Target down, it then moves to Lucius, placing him in a flank. Lucius is disturbed by just how intelligent this creature seems…

Further, bright flames suddenly spring to life from the hound 1's sulfurous mouth — its breath weapon must be recharged!

❧ ❧ ❧

Flume-Ferno!

Trees difficult terrain. Dashed lines difficult terrain unless you're Dethor.

Hellhound 2, -14 HP
--
Biltri, Water Walking
Dethor, -6 hp
--
Bugbear, -29 HP
--
Lucius
Baux
Nandipha, Dying 2
--
Hellhound 1, -30 HP

"Nandipha! Dranngvit take you all!" Biltri curses the hellhounds as he trudges over to the ganzi-dwarf's side. He whips the meteor hammer around and slams it hurriedly toward the more injured hellhound (#1).

He then reaches out to touch Nandipha and with a clang and a flash, heals her wound (+12 hp).

Stride, Strike, Cast (S): lay on hands

+1 Meteor Hammer: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18
Magic, B: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7

The hound weathers Biltri's hammer. Nandipha wakes up.

❧ ❧ ❧

Flume-Ferno!

Trees difficult terrain. Dashed lines difficult terrain unless you're Dethor. Trees provide cover.

Hellhound 2, -14 HP
--
Biltri, Water Walking
Dethor, -6 hp
--
Bugbear, -29 HP
--
Lucius
Baux
Nandipha, 12/37HP, Wounded 1, prone, dropped longspear
--
Hellhound 1, -37 HP

Botting Dethor.

Dethor-Bot Stab: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20
Dethor-Bot Hurt: 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 4 + (1) = 8

Dethor strides twice and kills Hound 1.

The bugbear draws a javelin and laughs at Biltri as he throws it.

"A parting gift from my employers!"

It sticks in the dwarf's foot! 8 piercing.

He then moves away through the trees, chuckling as he fades away into the shadow… He's 10' off the map in the difficult terrain.

❧ ❧ ❧

Flume-Ferno!

Trees difficult terrain. Dashed lines difficult terrain unless you're Dethor. Trees provide cover.

Hellhound 2, -14 HP
--
Biltri, Water Walking
Dethor, -6 hp
--
Bugbear, -29 HP
--
Lucius
Baux, -9 HP
Nandipha, 12/37HP, Wounded 1, prone, dropped longspear

Baux drops his warhammer to the ground, calls for Desna's aid to heal Nandipha, and then gets out his starknife.

2 action heal on Nandipha: 2d10 + 16 ⇒ (10, 4) + 16 = 30

"Bah. Let him go." says Dethor. "We'll just track him back to his employer."

“Gotta kill the hounds though.”

Lucius attempts to come up with a plan to defeat the hound right next to him!

Devise a Stratagem: 1d20 ⇒ 10

He draws his cane sword and makes a strategic strike!

Cane Sword: 10 + 8 = 18
Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 5
Strategic Strike: 1d6 ⇒ 4

He then moves away in case the hound breathes fire.

Lucius draws blood from the infernal hide!

❧ ❧ ❧

Flume-Ferno!

Trees difficult terrain. Dashed lines difficult terrain unless you're Dethor. Trees provide cover.

Hellhound 2, -23 HP
--
Biltri, Water Walking
Dethor, -6 hp
--
Bugbear, -29 HP
--
Lucius
Baux, -9 HP
Nandipha, -0 HP, prone, dropped longspear

Botting Nandipha

Nandipha, fully healed, Stands and strikes the pup!

Ganzi Tail (Brawling, Sweep): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
Bludgeoning damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

She misses, then moves back, spreading out from the hellhound whose breath weapon is recharged.

The hound moves in and misses biting Biltri, then breathes on Dethor and the barbarian!

❧ ❧ ❧

Flume-Ferno!

Trees difficult terrain. Dashed lines difficult terrain unless you're Dethor. Trees provide cover.

Hellhound 2, -23 HP
--
Biltri, Water Walking
Dethor, -6 hp, DC 19 Basic reflex save vs 15 Fire
--
Bugbear, -29 HP
--
Lucius
Baux, -9 HP, DC 19 Basic reflex save vs 15 Fire
Nandipha

Reflex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (11) + 6 = 17 Not sure why I had to make one...

You don't have to. I got my dwarves mixed up on the statblock! I added the cone template for a visual.

❧ ❧ ❧

Flume-Ferno!

Trees difficult terrain. Dashed lines difficult terrain unless you're Dethor. Trees provide cover.

Hellhound 2, -23 HP
--
Biltri, Water Walking, -9 HP, DC 19 Basic reflex save vs 15 Fire
Dethor, -6 hp, DC 19 Basic reflex save vs 15 Fire
--
Bugbear, -29 HP
--
Lucius
Baux
Nandipha

The reflex flex flex: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13

Burned, but not out, Dethor moves around to finish the hound.

ol' stabby: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20 P (or S): 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 4 + (3) = 10
ol' stabby: 1d20 + 10 - 4 ⇒ (11) + 10 - 4 = 17 P (or S): 1d6 + 4 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 4 + (1) = 8

Reflex: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Fire Resist 1

Biltri weathers the torrent of fire, which lights his coal black eyes. "Back to the hells with you!" he shouts before whipping the iron fist into the air and sweeping it toward the hellhound.

Rage, Strike, Strike

+1 Meteor Hammer: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18 vs. flank
Magic, B, Rage: 1d8 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 4 + 2 = 14

+1 Meteor Hammer: 1d20 + 10 - 5 ⇒ (17) + 10 - 5 = 22 vs. flank
Magic, B, Rage: 1d8 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 4 + 2 = 12

Dethor and Biltri dispatch the last Hellhound, though they take some fire. The Hobgoblin spends all three actions limping away!

Are you letting him go? He's badly hurt. Someone may also be able to down him with a long shot through +4 AC cover. We also can drop out of initiative and you can try to track him and catch up, though it's late and you have dwarf land speeds and will be fatigued at some point soon, while he's fresh.

❧ ❧ ❧

Flume-Ferno!

Trees difficult terrain. Dashed lines difficult terrain unless you're Dethor. Trees provide cover.

Biltri, Water Walking, -6 HP
Dethor, -21 hp
--
Bugbear, -29 HP, 40’ off map in +4 cover
--
Lucius
Baux
Nandipha

Baux moves up to the edge of the trees. Barely able to see the fleeing creature through the trees, he throws his starknife and prays.
Starknife, 75’ range: 1d20 + 6 - 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 - 6 = 13 Only ranges attack I have that has any chance of hitting
Piercing damage: 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

The starknife hits and sticks in a tree branch. “Well, least ah tried...”