Grond will remain still, hidden in shadows. He will wait until the shadowed form is either within short range of his javelin (30') or alters his approach in any way and will then hurl his javelin and draw his falchion. It may be rash, but after today's excitement he is taking no chances.
If needed:
Okay, that's worrisome.
Roylenna keeps any disgust out of her expression, but shakes her head and firmly says, "The only sheets I'll be warming are my own. But I'll accept your remark as a compliment."
Thorak rolls out from underneath the cart bare chested and axe in hand ready for combat. With a fierce yell he charges the shadowed opponent!
Sandros awakens with a start, his elf-blood eyes parting the darkness as though it were broad daylight. Seeing Grond's attacker, he mutters, "You have got to be kidding me," but is leaping from his bedroll, rapier in hand, even as he says it.
On her turn, Roylenna will sit up and cast Dancing Lights (the 3 torch-like version) and send them toward the melee. Where depends on allies' positions at the time, but they should easily reach the action. She will prefer backlighting friends to provide good light on the foe without blinding allies. The lights will be "programmed" to hold their positions about 10' off the ground.
Considering how fast y'all move, I'll post the intended future actions - she will rise from her bedroll and hustle toward the melee, crossbow in hand. She will angle for a position behind the foe and try her Heavenly Fire on it.
Grond will ... hurl his javelin and draw his falchion.
As above. Can I somehow 'prepare' or something, where I wait until he is within 30 ft before I throw? If not, my to hit would be reduced to 17
As above. Can I somehow 'prepare' or something, where I wait until he is within 30 ft before I throw? If not, my to hit would be reduced to 17
Proteus hears steps running in the direction of the camp. He jumps up and rubs his eyes trying to make out a foe as the dancing firelight creates moving shadows everywhere he looks. He finally sees a figure with weapon drawn standing toe to toe with Grond, so he hurriedly moves toward the two figures standing at the edge of the light.
The shadowy figure leaps at Grond, but he is alert and manages to throw a javelin at it, which hits its shoulder with a glancing blow, but doesn't seem to do much to slow it down. With a hissing noise its claw slashes Grond's arm as he draws his falchion.
Grond:
Round 2
Sandros jumps up and runs to R10, rapier in hand. Proteus and Thorak follow suit to P12 and N11, while Roylenna sits up and makes a gesture that conjures three torch-like flames that fly off and hover above the villainous creature, shedding an eerie light. Your foe is shown to be a slightly hunched sickly grey naked emaciated humanoid with sharp claws and teeth. It cringes under the sudden illumination.
Proteus:
Now Grond.
Grond shouts, Back foul crypt-fiend!" if he is able.
(sry 4 short post playing tabletop 2nite)
Roylenna jumps up from the ground.
Seeing the creature react to the lights, she rethinks how she can use them and changes them to cluster around the creature's head and buzz toward it like oversized lightning bugs. If he doesn't like light, maybe that will serve as a distraction.
"Did he say crypt-fiend? Oh! I forgot my crossbow!"
[ooc]I believe it's Thorak's go, but I'll post since I doubt his will change my action.
Thorak charges at the creature screaming, "Warrrrgghhhh!" as he goes.
Something is wrong. Grond seems suddenly rooted to the spot, but the creature has no time to enjoy its victory. Pestered by the horrible lights coming at it from all directions and seeing Thorak and Sandros charging in, it lets out an exasperated yell and runs off at top speed back where it came from.
Round 3 is up.
Horrified by the fleeing creature, Sandros pulls up rather than follow it into the darkness of the midnight forest. Instead, he calls to Proteus, "What was that wretched beast? And what has it done to Grond?" He approaches the frozen half-orc warily, watching the forest to see if the undead thing returns from the shadowy canopy to threaten that camp once again.
damage 1d10+3= 10+2 (rage)=12
On Roylenna's turn, the lights will continue to follow and harass the creature (why stop with a good thing?). If it's still in sight (as it appears to be ATM), she readies an action to fire her Heavenly Fire at it if it comes in range.
A worried look comes across Proteus' face. "It is a ghoul, a diseased undead whose bite or claw carries with it ghoul fever. We shouldn't have let it escape. It can be a great menace to the weak as it feasts on their flesh creating ever more beasts." Proteus goes over to Grond and looks for any sign that his flesh was broken in combat. If he sees he has been injured, he'll retrieve his healer's kit and treat for ghoul fever.
"rrrrrrr..."
The lights will last for a minute. Roylenna will maintain her vigilance with the lights and a readied action to use her Fire on the creature until the others say it's time to do otherwise.
Other than sparing worried glances at Grond, her attention will be "eastward" on the map. She will recast the spell if necessary.
She will remain in Q13 unless someone suggests a better vantage point.
Just checking, but your bonus to your damage from rage should be 3, should it not? I'm thinking 1.5x the STR bonus since it's a two-handed weapon.
Fully in the grip of a rage Thorak shouts," Who says it's gettin' away!" He lowers his axe somewhat as he picks up speed in an attempt to run the thing down.
Edit:
Did Thorak's attack strike the creature?
damage 1d10+3= 10+2 (rage)=12
A worried look comes across Proteus' face. "It is a ghoul, a diseased undead whose bite or claw carries with it ghoul fever. We shouldn't have let it escape. It can be a great menace to the weak as it feasts on their flesh creating ever more beasts."
Sandros shakes his head, rapier still held at the ready, as he stares into the forest. "Following it at night through territory we don't know is suicide, friend Proteus. The thing must have a lair, though, so perhaps in the morning the dwarf could prove himself at least slightly useful by tracking-"
Fully in the grip of a rage Thorak shouts," Who says it's gettin' away!" He lowers his axe somewhat as he picks up speed in an attempt to run the thing down.
"- ah, to hell with it." Sandros stoops to grab a long metal rod from his pack and then runs after the dwarf, cursing under his breath the whole time.
Fully in the grip of a rage Thorak shouts," Who says it's gettin' away!" He lowers his axe somewhat as he picks up speed in an attempt to run the thing down."- ah, to hell with it." Sandros stoops to grab a long metal rod from his pack and then runs after the dwarf, cursing under his breath the whole time.
Proteus looks anxiously after Thorak and Sandros as they chase after the monstrosity.
Proteus looks to Royl, "One of us should follow them. Can you grab my lantern out of my pack while I finish checking out Grond? If the beast returns, your healing ray should damage the ghoul."
Proteus looks anxiously after Thorak and Sandros as they chase after the monstrosity.
Proteus looks to Royl, "One of us should follow them. Can you grab my lantern out of my pack while I finish checking out Grond? If the beast returns, your healing ray should damage the ghoul."
Roylenna watches in amazement as the wild dwarf runs at the creature. Hearing the cleric's suggestion, she runs back to his pack. She looks for the lantern and hustles back to the cleric. She reachs Proteus and Grond and says, "This is not good, splitting up in the dark like this. Even staying together, we would have to abandon the wagon. I don't think this is good -- you need to talk those two into coming back!"
She takes up a position by Grond between him and the path of the creature, readying an action with the Heavenly Fire, as before.
The lights will be left where they are as long as they continue to be of assistance to the others, but I will bring them back to a center point of X9 otherwise.
Very well,
as the ghoul hears the pitter-patter of frenzied dwarven feet it too picks up speed and runs for its unlife. Thorak's rage evaporates as you realize that you won't catch up with it anytime soon, since it obviously knows the terrain, but you think that you might be able to keep it within sight if you want to try to follow it to its lair.
As Proteus and Royl prepare Greta pokes a very sleepy, wrinkly head out and asks what the commotion is all about. As she takes in the scene she nods and says, "Yeah, you go too, if you have to. I can fend for myself." She speaks a few words and the campfire suddenly sprouts two fists and takes up a fighting stance.
Thorak slows down as the ghoul disappears into the surrounding terrain. Visibly calmer and somewhat more composed, for him anyways, he starts looking for the things tracks. Fully intending to follow it back to its lair Thorak moves carefully amoung the undergrowth.
as the ghoul hears the pitter-patter of frenzied dwarven feet it too picks up speed and runs for its unlife. Technically you are entering difficult terrain as you run into the hills. I took the liberty of making opposed dex checks, and the monster won. Also Thorak's rage won't last very long, so he will be fatigued very soon. Thorak's rage evaporates as you realize that you won't catch up with it anytime soon, since it obviously knows the terrain, but you think that you might be able to keep it within sight if you want to try to follow it to its lair.
Ah, the joys of Wisdom 8. Yes, Sandros is actually running (120 ft move and all) after Thorak, if the dwarf keeps running after the ghoul. I am not entirely suicidal, however - the "long metal rod" is one of Sandros' sunrods, and his low-light vision means he can get up to 120 ft away from the campfire or 80 ft away from Royl's lights and still be able to see even without the sunrod. Thorak has darkvision, so he should be fine no matter what - but oh yes, this is, indeed, a bad idea...
As Sandros gets close to Thorak he hisses,"Quiet boy! Your gonna wake the whole countryside!" He points to some tracks on the ground, "You see it's goin' in this direction, possibly to its lair. If we don't follow it back and find out where it's hidin' then sure as my hairy ass there will be more of them things to deal with."
As Sandros gets close to Thorak he hisses,"Quiet boy! Your gonna wake the whole countryside!" He points to some tracks on the ground, "You see it's goin' in this direction, possibly to its lair. If we don't follow it back and find out where it's hidin' then sure as my hairy ass there will be more of them things to deal with."
Thorak has no trouble following the tracks, not even as Sandros strikes his sunrod or when Roylenna's magic torches appear. The monster has obviously made some clumsy attempts to throw you off its trail, but they only serve to make it even clearer where it is heading.
After a mile or so you find that the tracks have lead you to a large cave opening, some 20 feet across and 15 feet high. At the back of the cave, which is only about 20 feet deep, there is a pair of heavy ironbound wooden doors, both ajar. On the floor of the cave there lies some kind of skeletal remains, possibly human, and also the remains of two large bipedal humanoids, badly decomposed and partly eaten.
As Sandros gets close to Thorak he hisses,"Quiet boy! Your gonna wake the whole countryside!" He points to some tracks on the ground, "You see it's goin' in this direction, possibly to its lair. If we don't follow it back and find out where it's hidin' then sure as my hairy ass there will be more of them things to deal with."
Sandros laughs quietly. "What does a dwarf know of quiet?" As soon as he says it, his foot catches a loose rock and sends it skittering down the hillside, chased all the way down by Sandros' hissed swearing...
Stealth (untrained) (1d20+4=9)
After a mile or so you find that the tracks have lead you to a large cave opening, some 20 feet across and 15 feet high. At the back of the cave, which is only about 20 feet deep, there is a pair of heavy ironbound wooden doors, both ajar. On the floor of the cave there lies some kind of skeletal remains, possibly human, and also the remains of two large bipedal humanoids, badly decomposed and partly eaten.
Sandros eyes the opening, one eyebrow raised. "Somehow, I don't think our ghoul friend did all this clever stonework by himself," he observes dryly.
As Proteus and Royl prepare Greta pokes a very sleepy, wrinkly head out and asks what the commotion is all about. As she takes in the scene she nods and says, "Yeah, you go too, if you have to. I can fend for myself." She speaks a few words and the campfire suddenly sprouts two fists and takes up a fighting stance.
Back at the campfire:
"Well, Proteus, she seems to be giving us permission to proceed, but I don't want to leave our friend paralyzed here. Do you think this state will wear off soon?"
Back at the campfire:
When possible, Grond shall follow Roylenna, shamed for his weakness and enraged with the bloody orcish thirst for vengeance.
When possible, Grond shall follow Roylenna, shamed for his weakness and enraged with the bloody orcish thirst for vengeance.
Back at the campfire:
Sandros eyes the opening, one eyebrow raised. "Somehow, I don't think our ghoul friend did all this clever stonework by himself," he observes dryly.
Eyeing the back of the cave and the portal therein Thorak remarks,"True enough boy. The likes of that thing and it's ilk couldn't have done this, at least not alone." Having finally caught his breath from the sudden exertion he looks more closely at the cave. "Let's see if we can bar those doors and go get the others. I've a feelin' there not goin' to want to miss out on all the fun!" He gives Sandros a toothy smile.
Moving forward as quietly as possible and with a steady eye on the back of the cave Thorak enters with his axe held at the ready.
Proteus is relieved as their charge gives permission for the three to follow their missing companions. He pulls out his flint and steel and strikes the wick. He looks at Royl and says "Once Grond can move, grab what you can for gear that might be needed. I'll try to catch up with Sandros and Thorak and keep them out of too much trouble. Grond should be back to normal shortly and able to accompany you." With that, and now his lamp bearing brightness. He follows his comrades out into the night.
Black Tom
Out of camp
He makes his way through the darkness following the bobbing light ahead.
Black Tom only