[GameDay XII] DM Carbide's CORE Tide of Morning (0-23) (Inactive)

Game Master John Woodford

Follow along and hit them with magical rainbows (see above).

As Gwendolyn approaches the log bridge [ooc](and is she planning to cross it ahead of the rest of the party, even with potential enemies on the far side?), she observes a few things about it: it looks slippery, there are a few gaps in it that will have to be jumped, and the ropes mentioned above appear to be some kind of snares.

As Gwendolyn approaches the log bridge (and is she planning to cross it ahead of the rest of the party, even with potential enemies on the far side?)

Sure. Don't sorcerers always take point? Besides there are four of her and Hera can glide within arm's reach just ahead of her to help point out any traps. She kinda hopes there are more enemies at hand if only so that when the snakes attack them she can hit them all with the same spray of color. However, Gwen's no glory hog or tyrant other people can do things too if they like.

acrobatics (half-speed to cross slippery logs): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12
acrobatics (half-speed to cross slippery logs): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

Gwendolyn, give me a Reflex save.

Reflex: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Even knowing where it is, Gwendolyn is unable to avoid the snare when it trips. She finds herself hanging upside down over the bridge, dangling by one ankle. Because of her position, she thinks that if she dropped she'd more than likely end up in the water. With the crocodile.

Good thing that the snakes chased after the illusion, or they'd still be up there.

Nala quickly moves up to guard the talented caster once it is quite clear she is in trouble, ”Can you cut yourself down or do you need assistance? Also, I really hope this isn’t just another illusion and you are actually in trouble.”

"Does this look like an illusion?" say all four Gwens.

They climb up over themselves toward the rope.

climb: 1d20 ⇒ 17

Hanging there by their co-joined ankles and the rope, they each draw a cold iron dagger with their free hand.

”…yes?”

"Well, good. I haven't lost my touch. Now get out here and help pull me down!"

GM some map distances might be needed now. What space is Gwen actually in? How far down to the bridge? How far down to the water? Etc....

Keynala also finds that the bridge is slippery. DC 10 Acrobatics check to move half speed.

ETA: Gwendolyn is about ten feet over the water, and maybe seven feet over the bridge. Keynala, there's also a gap between sections of bridge that has to be jumped and another one past where Gwendolyn got into trouble, so it's a total of five Acrobatics checks to cross: balance, jump, balance, jump, balance. I think. The description doesn't completely agree with the map.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

FYI, there's one more snare on the bridge, marked with a red X.

Molos follows the ranger, but waits when the slippery log was pointed out to him. ”I’ll stay on this side and protect you with my wand,” he calls out, pulling his trusty magic missile wand.

What are you doing to extricate Gwendolyn?

Is she in reach? If so, I (after dropping my javelin as a free action) try to grab her and position her over the bridge so when she cuts the snare she doesn’t fall in the water.

Miriel put away her bow, switches to her blade and follows after Gwendolyn and Keynala. "Wait, I'll come and help, you hold her and I'll cut the rope."

She comes to the log bridge, and tries to mimic the balancing of her teammates.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

And that means she falls into the water on the first step?

No, missing that check just means you can't move.

It takes some doing (particularly as the real Gwendolyn is surrounded by multiple illusory replicas), but Keynala is able to get a grip on the sorceress and stabilize herself so that when Gwendolyn falls neither of them are likely to slip off into the water.

The crocodile seems content to stay barely submerged nearby, likely hoping for a free meal to drop out of the sky.

”Where to now? We seems to have avoided the snakes and the crocodile seems no current threat,” the elf inquires.

You still have to cross the log to the stone circle. Neither of the humanoid creatures in the circle seem to be coming out after the party, at least.

Nala helps the many images stabilize themselves on the bridge, ”I’ll head across first, those snakes may return.”

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23

She stops on the other shore, waiting.

Crap, forgot about the snare. Oh well!

Reflex: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Keynala manages to get Gwendolyn down to the bridge without either of them going into the water. With the caster squared away, she advances right into the final snare and ends up hanging from a branch overhead.

"Well done", Miriel says to Keynala for freeing Gwendolyn, then watches in astonishment as Keynala gets caught on the second trap. "Oh no, there was another? Well, now we can return the favor right away. I just have to manage not falling off these logs..."

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Miriel is just slipping on every step. "Are the stupid snakes practicing log polishing or something?" she curses as she's starting to get annoyed.

Acrobatics #2: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13

Hera lands on top of Keynala's boot twists her head about one-hundred thirty-five degrees and looks down at the Ranger.

"Whoo?" she asks.

Hera begins to tear at the rope with her talons and beak a Gwen tries to pull the ranger over the bridge.

Acrobatics 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Acrobatics 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

The elf shakes his head and then tries to follow the group across the log.

Nala reaches out to give a hand to one of the duplicates and eventually finds a solid purchase to get dragged back over the bridge. Hopefully.

Gwendolyn needs to make a Reflex save once Keynala is cut free.

Reflex save: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24

"Hah!"

With casual ease, Gwendolyn keeps her footing as she lines up Keynala's landing.

Finishing the crossing afterwards is tedious but not dangerous; you can take 10 on the Acrobatics checks to move on the logs, and with rope and help you can make sure that no one who misses an Acrobatics check to jump a gap falls into the water.

Hera will aid others as needed. Nothing gets folks jumping like an owl swooping down upon them--especially an all-but-silent, invisible one. ;)

"Whoo."

I definitely vote we take our time and get everyone across. Nala is willing to burn charges off her wand of jump to help encourage anyone who is concerned about making a gap if necessary.

Same here. I’ll take ten on the acrobatics and definitely welcome any assistance.

”We probably need to be quick. Last thing we need is for those snakes to come back…”

Once all that happens, Hera scouts ahead for any ambushes.

perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23

Crossing the logs and the earlier scouting has taken close enough to five minutes that Hera's invisibility is on the verge of expiring.

Hera still sees the large humanoids near the circle, concealed behind one of the standing stones on the far side from the party. There are a pair of dead-looking snakes in the circle.

Miriel carefully gets over the logs and joins Keynala, switching back to her bow as the possible enemies are far away again.

"They are too far for me to see if they're evil. I wonder if they would be willing to negotiate?" she whispers.

I hope Take 10 acrobatics for 13 is enough for crossing the logs?

Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26 To avoid the humanoids noticing Miriel

The sky to the east is beginning to lighten, heralding the arrival of dawn. Suddenly a high-pitched voice rings out from somewhere above and ahead of the party! "Too late, too late, filthy intruders! All your prancing through my beautiful forest, and nothing for you remains! The lovely sun will do my job for me, destroy your precious lorestone with its first light, and you are failures, humans and elves all failures, always, always!"

”That’s not very nice of you, you know! We are here to stop you,” the elf calls out in response!

"Oh no, where is the stone? We must cover it quickly!" Miriel cries.

She looks around, trying to see the stone or the unseen speaker. "Come out and ask forgiveness, and Shelyn will give it to you!" she calls.

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 5

Nala rushes forward into the clearing to see what she can see.

Move and Perception to look around, looking for the lore stone and the enemies and trying to figure out why the sunlight would destroy it now if it is normally out in the open all the time. 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (20) + 11 = 31

Move and Perception to look around, looking for the lore stone and the enemies and trying to figure out why the sunlight would destroy it now if it is normally out in the open all the time.

Poor encounter design? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ;)

The quartet of Gwens takes up a position by one of the menhir and looks across the space her eyes going a weird shade of mustard purple as she summons up her ability to see into the octarine spectrum of colour--the colour of magic.

Gwen moves from the shoreline and casts detect magic to try and find the stone in question, assuming of course that it's not just sitting out in the open somewhere like that big central stone that Hera's flying by. ;)

Gwen moves from the shoreline and casts detect magic to try and find the stone in question, assuming of course that it's not just sitting out in the open somewhere like that big central stone that Hera's flying by. ;)

"Whoo?"

GM, how tall are these standing stones?

Just as a refresher, the dead druid originally had the lorestone in his hut, but the unpleasant fey stole it after killing him. So far you haven't seen anything that looks like it would fit in the box that apparently originally held the lorestone.

One of the disadvantages of PbP is that it's easy to forget stuff that happened early in the adventure, because in real time it was several weeks ago. I know I often have to check back in old posts. It's in some ways worse in PbD--the boards can be flaky, but it takes a lot longer to search old Discord posts.

Ah, I did not recall we had discovered that, everything is clicking together now. Where are the dead snakes? Did Nala’s perception locate anything? You mentioned the enemies were hidden but I see them on the map. Does Nala also see them? Are we in Initiative rounds?

Keynala is aware of the hidden enemies, and also realizes that the voice came from the top of the menhir closest to the bridge.

Gwen detects only a trace of magical power that permeates the ancient stone circle, the residuum of countless years of druidic rituals.

"Probably a lead-lined box." Gwen says to no one in particular.

How tall are the stones? And does Hera see anything from above?

Gwen continues using detect magic hoping to flush out anyone who might be using illusion magic to cloak their location.

Hera sees the two large figures behind the stone across the circle from the party, and nothing else.

Nala moves up next to the southern taunting for. She draws her trident and attempts to duck under any opportune strikes.

”You will return the lorestone and surrender. Or face our wrath.”

Double Move, Acrobatics to avoid an AoO due to reach.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18

GM, What are the height of the standing stones? It might become important since Hera flies.

Hera sees the two large figures behind the stone across the circle from the party, and nothing else.

Hera hoots word back to Gwen who can understand her.