Thanks, Uzziah. I appreciate your support, too. :)
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Thanks, Taldo. :)
Hello, all. I held high hopes for this game, or at the very least, was hopeful and excited to run/play it. Things have occurred in the background/out of game that have made me seriously consider whether I want to continue running the game. At this time, I can't see things changing in the behind the scenes issues and so I think it best that I stop the game and possibly pick it up much later in the year. (If that happens, and, you're still interested, I'll PM each player respectively.) I am grateful for all the work you put into your characters and the role playing on the game thread. You, gentlemen, write some fine prose. :) I have some work to do before I try my hand at GMing again. I'm not giving up - I'm simply reevaluating and learning. I will see most of you on the game board, even after I close this game. Aeracian, I'll message you on Facebook very soon. Again, thank you for giving me the chance to try my hand at this GMing gig. I'm sorry I had to cut short the game. I'll leave the game active until people get a chance to see this message and then I'll inactivate it. Best Regards,
Uzziah, Ezekiel and Taldo are able to shield their eyes from the tiny pollen grains and are not blinded. Uzziah cannot pinpoint the cornstalk to strike with his trident and Ezekiel attempts to slam his bill into the cornstalk only to discover thin air and no solid stalk. Taldo swings his axe at what he believes to be the base of the cornstalk, only to encounter nothing more than air and his axe buries in the dirt by his feet. Daryl does what he can to shield his eyes but the pollen grains prove too considerable and his eyes are covered, making him blind for a round.
Round 1: Blood Maize Suddenly, a 20 foot high cloud of fine pollen is released into the air in a 20-foot radius centred on the Blood Maize.
And the Blood Maize immediately disappears from sight.
Daryl fires his crossbow at the Blood Maize and his aim is true and manages to hit the creature in the upper part of its stalk.
Taldo attempts to hurt the Blood Mazie with his axe; however the swing goes wider than he'd calculated and he misses the stalk. Uzziah and Ezekiel move to flank the plant creature and coordinate their attacks. With fortune on his side, Uzziah just manages to hit the Blood Maize and then Ezekiel's bill slams hard into the reedy creature.
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GM screen:
GM screen:
The three companions move to the adjoining vegetable patch (second plot in A16) and note that there are rows of corn planted in this patch beside the usual vegetable crops. Daryl, on the ground, in the softer soil before him, notices the small aeration holes that Taldo noted in the other patch, however these are much smaller than the kind made by the Akheg Nymph. A tiny field mouse lifts its head and peers at Morwenna; its whiskers twitching fast before it scurries away - across the patch as swiftly as it can. Ezekiel lifts his head then gives a deep *coo* and swings his bill at the creature as if pointing it out to Uzziah. Amidst all the attention gained by the field mouse, suddenly Taldo feels something sharp striking at him. Fortunately his armour proves true and is not injured by the strike.
As your eyes turn on Taldo's attacker, you note a strange, tall plant creature, medium-sized, with razor-sharp leaves dripping in blood spanning the length of its cornstalk. Snakelike roots (long hook-like appendages) dig into the soft ground. Know. Nature DC 12:
The plant creature is a Blood Maize. They look like common cornstalks, except their leaves are larger and more knife-like and their root systems are much more robust and mobile. In each specimen, the latter includes at least one long vine-like tendril that the plant can use to root itself deeply in the earth as it attacks its victim. Despite its fearsome nature, blood maize produces ears of sweet corn larger than those of traditional corn plants. When a blood maize stalk strikes a victim, it roots into place while its leaves lash outward and slice into the victim’s flesh. Blood maize plants absorb spilled blood through their root systems and can do so even while they are mobile. To aid their search for blood, they can uproot themselves to move without impediment, and they can use their roots to dig a firm purchase in the ground. Blood maize can both see and sense movement remarkably well; the plants migrate and search for food at night, and so they are finely attuned to the ground vibrations they use to locate prey. The blood maize's presence is difficult to discern (as it assumes the shape of the surrounding vegetables to await prey).
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Thanks, gentlemen! I’ll be back to posting today. :)
I’ve had visitors drop by unexpectedly and now they’ll be staying for dinner. So, I’m busy with food prep and hosting. I’ll post updates and responses much later tonight my time. My apologies for the hold up.
It’s 1.30am here, so I will update the game in my morning. Thanks, guys.
The map doesn’t tell you more than position and placement of structures, fields and other buildings. I gave that to you so you can tell me which areas you’re moving to (to make it easier to narrate on your end). And honestly in game you don’t have that map and don’t know any sizes or where anything is. To learn more, one has to explore the entire colony. As to the second garden in A16, I have given you no description of it, so I’m unsure how you think it’s identical to the others when you didn’t look there. My job is to guide you through and give you information. I’d ask that you don’t assume anything at this juncture as you’re newly arrived and really need to get to know the lay of the land so to speak. That’s what you’ve been tasked to do by Ramona - investigate the entire colony and see what’s going on.
Daryl: You mentioned that you wanted to ensure that no ankhegs were in any of the gardens. If that is what you insisted was important to discover, then it follows that all the garden patches be checked as you explore the colony. If you think it’s unimportant now and all generic, then I’ll move you along.
Daryl, you haven't searched the second vegetable patch at A16 (the larger of the two). All those rolls you made were the first garden of the two in this section of the colony. So, you are now not searching the other patch and moving directly to A18? Once I know more, I'll know where to move the game forward to. Thanks.
Thanks, and, no worries, Uzziah. Sleep well.
Know. Local DC 11 re habitat of Monkey Goblin:
Monkey goblins are an offshoot of the goblin race adapted for life in the high leafy canopies of tropical forests. Equipped with ratlike prehensile tails, monkey goblins are as at home in the trees as they are on the ground. They make their homes among the high canopies of trees. === Aeracian's Know. Arcana re Ankhegs:
The Ankheg dwell in partially collapsed burrows, usually around 40 feet underground. Hollow tunnel ends in particular are used for lair purposes - such as sleeping or hibernation. If there is a full grown, adult mother, she would be found in a deep burrow or hollow tunnel somewhere in the colony or near to it. === Aeracian's Know Nature 21 and Morwenna's Know Nature 20 re plum tree:
From the shape/pristine/unblemished form of the fruit and its clean smell, you are able to discern that the plump fruit is safe to eat. You can see no other plum trees in the vicinity of the colony, so this plum tree makes a worthwhile landmark. === Daryl's Perception 21 re signs of tunnels in current vegetable patch A16 and bones found:
Daryl cannot see any holes or tunnels in this vegetable patch - not akin to the size and number of those found in garden A15. Whatever ankheg disturbed the other garden has left this one untouched/undisturbed. As to the reason why, you have no idea at present. Examining the monkey goblin remains, you do not note ravages by any acid discharge/burns or bites in what little of the skin remains on the bones. You do, however, perceive small, precise grooves in the small skin pieces as though the skin has been sliced open. What could do this? From what little remains of the dead creature, you cannot make an exact determination at this time (other than it is probably not an Ankheg).
=================== GM screen:
Morwenna moves closer to the plum tree thick with fruit and examines the plump plums and sniffs at them before stating, "The plums are safe to eat. We are lucky to find such a tree and it appears to be the only one in the colony. A worthwhile landmark."
Daryl uses his hand to dig carefully into the soft ground near the stone. Digging a few inches beneath the soil, he discovers not an egg as he first thought but a small, flat, leather pouch (like a wallet). Survival check DC 14 to examine the pouch/wallet exterior:
From the appearance of the leather (it isn't significantly deteriorated), you can tell that the pouch has been buried beneath the soil for a few weeks. If you open the unearthed pouch: Inside the pouch there is only a folded note on parchment. You open it and begin to read.
Since exploration and investigation are pivotal in this adventure and Perception plays an important part on whether you notice something or you do not (success or failure), I will not be allowing take 10 or 20 in this case and ask for Perception checks to be rolled to determine what you see and hear. Thanks kindly.
Alright, I've provided some responses to the checks since I've been away. I'd prefer if the party moves together as it's easier on me and better for you. I don't really want to undertake split-party searches/undertakings as I just don't have the time for it. From tomorrow onward, I should be able to post more ... and we'll get back into a regular posting rhythm. I will try to post each day (and if not, every other day). I'm moving this game at a relatively medium pace as my spare time is limited most days. I hope you gentleman won't mind this. If I am gone (and unable to post) for longer than a day, I will notify you here on discussion. I would never abandon a game without word and I am eager to continue this adventure with you. Okay, I need to check my other games and make postings there and then I'm logging off for the night. Any new posts on the game thread here I will respond to in my morning. Thanks again for your patience while I was away on my trip. :)
Aeracian's Know Arcana check continued for Ankhegs:
Ankhegs mate in autumn, when the fertilised female kills the male to lay 6–12 eggs inside him. Usually, a high number of eggs survive and hatch within two to ten days and start to feed. An ankheg broodling does not hunt and remains hidden, while its mother brings it sustenance. After a year, the young are able to fend for themselves. Around the second year, the young ankheg sheds its chitin before winter. It takes a little less than ten days to complete the process and grows a new shell. During this time, the youngling/nymphs are slower and more vulnerable. To defend themselves, they secrete a fluid (acid) that smells like rotten fruit. (When the juvenile ankheg has achieved adult form, but not its full growth, it’s called a nymph.)
----------------- Morwenna listens to the males with a bemused expression on her face. The burning of the nymphs does not take long for their bodies are small and there are only four heaped atop each other. The fire begins to dwindle - only very small sections of the mandibles and exoskeleton remain among the ashes. In her accented, melodic voice, Morwenna states simply, "It appears these Ankhegs burrow and spend their lives below ground. Setting fire to a field of viable crops may not be the best idea, but I leave that up to you." She smiles and her shining eyes change colour yet again - this time to a deep grey. Hearing words of thanks for the healing she performed on them, the druidess inclines her head politely and responds, "You are welcome. It would be foolish to permit you to move about gravely injured, especially when we know very little about Talmandor's Bounty. I do counsel you to be most careful now, as my healing magic can only go so far in a day." Upon Taldo's suggestion to search the building/structure closest to the garden patch first before moving onto the next field, the group move there and the ranger opens the simple wooden door cautiously and peers inside. Taldo's Perception 12 of what's inside the building near A15:
It appears to be the farmer's cottage and there is the pungent stench of dung and damp earth coming from the interior. Scanning your eyes about, you note a simple cot with a thin mattress stuffed with straw. There are a number of filled burlap bags inside - the smell may be from the dung inside some. There are seedlings on the small wooden desk inside. The house belongs to a male from what you can tell - the dirty shirt draped over a chair and straight razor and comb by a rusty basin on the chair. There are two shovels propped up in the corner and a plough. It appears the building is both a home to the farmer and his work shed. There is nothing of great value inside - aside from the farming tools. There is no sign of violence inside the house and the owner's belongings are still within. You find this rather curious. Uzziah and Ezekiel keep watch, however they do not see or hear anything as the others undertake their searches. Daryl crosses the gravel road to the nearby garden (first A16 patch). GM screen:
Daryl's Perception 15 of first plot of A16 (closest to the two trees):
This vegetable patch does not seem to have suffered the ravages of any ankheg nymph. There are no holes/tunnels as were found in the previous vegetable patch. The vegetables found here are much the same as in the other garden patch (A15). Least your party will not grow hungry. Studying the ground, Daryl spies what appears to be small animal skeletons and a partially buried skull of what you surmise to be a monkey goblin (Monkey goblins are an offshoot of the goblin race adapted for life in high leafy canopies of tropical forests. Equipped with ratlike prehensile tails, monkey goblins are as at home in the trees as they are on the ground.)
Daryl's Perception 26 of A17: You notice on the other side of this particular vegetable patch, two trees. One is a regular evergreen tree that can be found in such tropical climes and the other is a fruit-bearing tree with spiny branches and reddish-purple, apple-shaped plums. A few plums have fallen to the ground and have spoiled in the heat and birds have pecked at others. Nevertheless, there are still many fruits on the tree fit to pick and eat. The tree is completely ordinary from what you can tell.
You notice a spot on the ground by the plum tree, next to a fist-sized stone, where the earth has been disturbed.
Thank you, Taldo and Uzziah. :) I think I just need a good night's rest and I'll feel brighter in my morning ... Good night from this side. I hope all you gentlemen enjoyed your 4th July celebrations.
I will be updating the game and making responses to checks tomorrow. Unfortunately, some things have come up today that prevent me from posting. Thanks for your understanding. :)
Thanks, Daryl and Taldo. :) And Taldo, I hope you feel better soon. Daryl, since I'm headed out of town in the morning, I will not be moving you to the other areas of the settlement just yet as there is a lot of work involved and I just don't have the time the night before my trip to undertake the exploration and any corresponding checks/information. However, your checks can stand (as well as Taldo's) until I resume the game on the 4th July in my evening (morning/lunch time of the 3rd July for you Northern Hemisphere folk). Thanks for your understanding and see you all on the boards when I get back! :)
Alright. Morwenna's healed up everyone and is dragging the Nymphs out to burn them. I will check the game thread one more time tonight before bed then the game will be put on a short/temporary pause as I leave for my trip early tomorrow morning. Thanks, guys! :)
Daryl's Perception 9 & Survival 23: Daryl can see no further threat in the garden patch. Seeing how the insect-like creatures used their acid to attack, Daryl recollects from his nature studies and field experience that venom can be used to shore up tunnels and is probably what these Ankhegs do. So, an adult Ankheg could squeeze through an Ankheg Nymph's tunnels or construct their own. However, without further investigation/study of the settlement, you do not know if there are other, such tunnels in Talmandor's Bounty. For now, you do not note any larger holes/tunnels in this garden patch. However, you think it best to take as many vegetables as quickly as you can and not linger long in the garden patch.
Aeracian's small orb of acid does not reach the last of the Ankheg Nymphs in the garden. A determined Taldo slashes at the small creature with both ends of his spear; each attack circumventing the exoskeleton and finding delicate flesh to tear. The small creature does not stand a chance against the assault; its mandibles' clack once before it crumbles to the ground, dead.
Alright, I'm heading to bed. I will make any updates in my morning. :)
Daryl's rapier strikes the creature's exoskeleton and does not pierce the flesh of the Ankheg Nymph. ----
Uzziah picks up his trident and together with Ezekiel move up and surround the last, remaining foe. The large dodo swings his bill, but alas the momentum makes it arc widely and does not hit the Ankheg Nymph. ----
Round 4: Ankheg Nymphs! Ankheg Nymph #2 had noted the movement toward it and turned, unseatdy but upright, its clacking mandibles attempting to bite Daryl.
Its bite finds quarry and Daryl suffers 5 pts of damage. The creature does not attempt to grab the arbalist, possibly due to its numerous injuries. -------------- Ankheg Nymph #4 opens its mandibles and attempts to bite Uzziah.
However, its mandibles cannot find quarry and the Gillman does not take further damage. ----------------
Try as they might, both Uzziah and his trusted mount, Ezekiel, could not hit the Ankheg Nymph nearest them. =======
Taking a step to flank the creature with Daryl, Taldo strikes twice at the creature - his first attack goes wide; however his second hits the Ankheg Nymph in the head and gravely wounds it. It is barely standing upright, but it is unfortunately still standing.
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Daryl's and Aeracian's attempts to finish off the Ankheg Nymph beside Taldo prove unfortunately fruitless and the creature is not hurt by either blade or acid. ====
The head of Taldo's spear strikes and embeds in the rich soil, leaving the Ankheg Nymph unharmed. === Round 3: Sweet little Ankheg Nymphs! The Ankheg Nymph near Taldo opens its mandibles and attempts to bite the Undine ranger.
However it is so anxious to taste his flesh that it misses! --- The Ankheg Nymph between Daryl and Morwenna attempts to bite the druidess.
However, it cannot find leeway. ---- The Ankheg Nymph near Uzziah and Ezekiel attempts to bite Uzziah.
And it, too, fails to hit its mark. ----
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======= Round 4 : Morwenna Seeing that the Ankheg Nymph has many wounds and could possibly die sooner rather than later, Morwenna thrusts her finely crafted shortspear at the creature.
and hits it dead through the face and kills it. Then she moves down the row to aid the others.
Daryl, rapier in hand, attacks the creature he is flanking with Morwenna. His strike is true, piercing flesh, and the creature suffers 6 pts of damage. It is gravely wounded, unsteady and swaying, but is still upright. =====
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Uzziah: The Ankheg Nymph nearest you is no longer grappling you. It let go when it opened its mandibles and spat the acid onto Ezekiel - I forgot to mention that. My apologies for the oversight. I can only blame very late night posting for slip. :)
As Aeracian gives warning and attempts to move out of the garden patch, his fires acid at the Ankheg Nymph closest to Taldo, injuring it for 2 points of damage. The small creature is still up, although looking quite badly injured at this point.
Aeracian's Know. Arcana 27: The insect-like creatures are ankheg nymphs. They are an immature ankheg between its larval and adult stages in life. - Often mistaken for spiders, scorpions or earwigs. In fact, they are the product of an ancient magical experiment gone wrong. - Love to burrow in the soft soil of farmland and, as an added bonus, they get to feed on livestock or the occasional farmer. - Often live in large groups and breed at a fast rate. Seeing this many ankheg nymphs in the garden patch means that there must be an egg-laying adult somewhere close by, as well as other ankheg nymphs. - Can detect prey walking on the ground above their tunnels (tremorsense 60ft), like a spider detects victims in their web. - They secrete two types of venom. The first is an acid used to slay their prey. The second is an adhesive used to shore up the walls of their tunnels. - They often grab badly wounded creatures and haul them underground where they are immediately devoured in a grisly fashion. - These creatures can spit a stream of deadly acid. Can only spit their acid once every several hours. - Have no known weaknesses, except, perhaps, they have barely any intelligence to speak of.
Uzziah's pounding cestus strikes its exoskeleton and does not injure the clinging creature. However, Ezekiel manages to get a hard swing right into its neck and wounds it deeply; yet the small creature remains upright, but looking quite battered.
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It's after 1 am here now, so I'm heading to bed. You guys are up again - one enemy is dead and the other three are injured but still up. Good luck! I'll make any updates to the game in my morning. :)
The cestus comes crashing down on the insect creature's head and it hits it hard for 7 pts of damage, but the creature still lives. Ezekiel attempts to finish it off with his large beak, alas he swings a little wide and misses the small creature with its mandibles holding firmly to Uzziah's leg. =============
The creature (Creature #1) takes 14 pts of damage and isn't dead yet.
It does what it can, but its body goes into massive shock from the deep, bleeding wound. As the blood runs fast, it succumbs to the stress and dies. ============= Round 2: Insect Creatures' turn Insect Creature #2 attempts to bite Taldo.
However, it fails. ---------- Insect Creature #3 attempts to bite Daryl.
but it fails and the bolt ace is unscathed. ---------- Insect Creature #4 opens its mandibles and spits a 15-foot line of acid toward Ezekiel.
======
Taldo, I don't round up 1/2 damage, so you only took 2 pts of acid damage (and not three). You hit your creature but it's not dead, so I'm assuming you're not taking the move action... And no worries, Daryl, you manged to hit it, but the creature's still up. Sleep well.
Daryl moves and attempts to hit the creature whose mouth holds tight to Morwenna's thigh. He strikes the rapier down, hoping not to hit Morwenna and manages to slice down the insect creature's back, wounding it for 7 pts of damage. However, it is still up and holding tight to Morwenna's leg. Taldo, escapes most of the acid burn due to his quick reflexes (only copping 2 pts of acid damage) and presses his spear down into the spitting insect creature. He manages to hit it, dealing 5 pts of damage, but the creature is still up. Round 2 action for Morwenna Morwenna grimaces with pain as the insect creature holds tight onto her torn thigh with its mandibles. She attempts to escape its hold on her. vs Creature's CMD and successfully dislodges her leg from its mandibles.
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Thanks, Taldo. I've posted now. You're up for a save roll first and then you can make your attack as it's now Round 2 and top of the round.
================== Round 1 - Creatures' turn Insect Creature #2 moves diagonally 5ft, opens its mandibles and spits
----- Insect Creature # 4 moves forward 5ft and bites at Uzziah.
As a free action will initiate a grab which doesn't provoke an AoO,
and successfully grapples Uzziah (who's taken 9 pts of damage). They both gain the grappled condition. Grappled condition:
----- Insect Creature #3 attempts to bite Morwenna.
As a free action will initiate a grab which doesn't provoke an AoO,
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We're still in Round 1 and it's the creatures' turn. PCs, please do not post new actions until it's your turn in Round 2. Thanks.
Creature #1 is caught in the cone of clashing colours springing from the wizard's hand. Try as it might to overcome the effect, it fails, and is stunned and blinded before falling to the ground unconscious.
rounds of unconscious, blinded and stunned;
Creature #1 drops to the ground, unconscious, blinded and stunned.
Aeracian messaged me saying he can’t post today. Can someone please bot him?
If we do not see a post from Aeracian in the next hour, can someone please bot him this round to keep the action moving along? I know his player was having a busy week. Thanks! |