DM

The torch spills light twenty feet around the torchbearer as the party begins to explore the dark cave. The passage has a steeply sloping ceiling that has created stactite-covered vaults rising twenty feet up. The sound of water in the cave is loud and you can tell that it would muffle noises. You wade through the shallow stream, only two feet deep. It is cold and slow moving making it easy to wade through.

Just inside the cave mouth, a few uneven stone steps lead up to a small, dank chamber on the east side of the passage. The cave narrows to a steep fissure at the far end and is filled with the stench of animals. Savage snarls an the sounds of rattling chains greet your ears where three wolves are chained up just inside the opening. Each wolf's chain leads to an iron rod driven into the base of a stalagmite.

[OOC what is the legend for the letters representing us? I think they are player initials with Nivek being a K as we already have Neil as an N.. but Dugan as a P seems to disprove my theory. :?]

Jaliera

She peers ahead into the darkness really only able to see those of their little group ahead of her. She focuses on treading carefully and keeping as quiet as she can. She hopes the other can't hear her heart beating loudly.

[ooc: You are 100% correct - except that I fixed Dugan to now be represented by a "D". ]

[OOC Thanks - saves my confused brain! ]

Kriv

Quietly, at the sound of the wolves,

"The pests have pets. Recommend we kill them now whilst they're tied up, so they can't be used to block our withdrawal later."

He reached back for his bow, his eyes reflecting the flickering torchlight as he looked for any dissenting voices.

Karok

"I agree. Take them out. Watch the stream ahead in case we're heard." he said behind him to anyone not wielding a bow.

He stood ready, while he could use his throwing hammer, the bows the others wielded would serve them better here.

[ooc: A clearer tactical map...]

Jaliera

She hears mention of using bows.

"Do you want me to come forward?"

She keeps her voice low.

Kriv

He nodded, curtly. Quietly, he spells out,

"Karok, a little further down the passage, we'll rely upon your sight if the vermin come running. Jaliera. Kallista, we have work to do at range, three tethered wolves. I've seen you do well at a distance, let's reprise that. The rest of you, if you favor your bowmanship, join us, else keep a lookout, both on the path out and on guard if any of them break free before we kill them. Everyone understand?"

Kalliasta

She nods, taking a position about where Karok and Kriv are standing now. She stands in the stream, allowing one of the better armoured types to move between her and the wolves, if as Kriv said, one of them manages to break free. As she waits for the others to get into position she looks around in all directions. Once all are ready, she strikes at the wolves.

I want to make sure that everyone has a chance to chime in before you act.

Davroar

He is visibly upset at hearing that they want to just kill the wolves. While he does not have the appropriate spell memorized for this situation, he can not just accept killing the wolves chained up as they are. They are after all just natures creatures, caged by the goblins. Unless they were raised up as pups under the goblins control, Davroar still has hope that the wilderness is their true home and not here.

"No, please. They're just wild animals. Chained animals, poorly treated no doubt by the goblins. Please if every backs off, let me try to release them safely."

Kallista

She backs off and waits to see what Davroar has in mind.

Jaliera

She is moving up towards the front, still with sword in hand at present but she stops when she hears Davroar's plea. She likes the young druid and he is around her age so she is happy to support his idea.

"We could use torches to encourage them down the tunnel to the outside? I understand most beasts don't like fire."

She has some sympathy with them in that regard.

Kriv

He stared impassively at the human, weighing up the merit and validity of his suggestion, wilfully sheared of their respective sentiments. After a few moments, he spake:

"Hmm. Your suggestion may be quicker, quieter and use less resources. You have your chance, but if they attack you, we will extirpate them at the first sound of pain you utter."

He gave the man of the wilds space in which to work, keeping his bow nocked and ready, but standing just out of sight around the opening of the side cave.

Karok

He didn't like it. An enemy at your rear or flank went against everything he knew. He didn't know these people and perhaps they had their own ways. He moved up the stream a ways so their light wouldn't affect his eyes and he moved to one side, trying be unnoticed if someone came from that direction.

OOC: Dugan, I'll let you do your thing with the wolves. They are chained up so that's one hurdle. They would also need to be pacified in some manner. What are you going to try and do? Spells? Skills?

Davroar

He will calmly step into view of the wolves and observe for a moment to determine which one is the alpha and how healthy they look.

If they look severely abused and malnourished he will abandon his plans and signal for the others to kill the wolves. Otherwise he will cast his Guidance cantrip to help approach the alpha wolf in safe way to release it from its chains.

If he has success with the alpha, the other two should be easier to deal with.

[ooc: Don't have the player handbook, just going by SRD wiki, but basically wants to 'push' the wolf if its untrained to back down, or if it is trained by the goblins to have it perform the trick of backing down. ]

DM

As Davroar tries to approach, the wolves attempt to lunge at him and bite him but are restrained by the chains. It looks like they need to be placated somewhat. He realizes that once released, the wolves will attack. They are not friendly. They haven't been starved or severely mistreated.

Note that you have a spell that's ideal for this situation that you should probably use.

Strike that. Give me a DC 15 Animal handling check. That's 1d20+5. +3 for wisdom, +2 for being proficient.

[ooc: Davroar rolled a pathetic result of 9 ]

Chandan

He remains quiet, listening and watchful. He holds the torch, the wavering light which he and many of the others see by. And he guards their rear.

He carries out both duties with the utmost seriousness.

Dugan... which means you should probably resort to the spell....

Can I use another spell?? I thought Druid's had to prepare spells just like a cleric or wizard. I had changed my prepared spells to having two cure wounds because of us being out-numbered. If this new D&D version allows me to change spells, then sure I will use animal friendship spell.

Dugan - It works differently than either of those ways. Lets say you get 2 1st level spells for the day. You don't specifically memorize 2 spells. What you do is pick 2 of your spells to be able to cast that day. Lets say Cure Wounds and Animal Friendship for example (don't have my books so guessing at the spell names). Then as the day goes along you get to decide which of those 2 spells you want to cast. You can cast 1 Cure Wounds and 1 Animal Friendship, OR 2 Cure Wounds, OR 2 Animal Friendships.

So the list you pick is what your options are for the day. You then decide how to spend your daily spells from among those options.

So, IOW, it never pays to memorize a single spell multiple times because you can always cast it multiple times anyway as long as you pick it once.

Does that make sense?

Yes, that makes sense now.

Thank you Zeim. You can tell I haven't played D&D for a while.

So if the GM will allow it, I will cast Animal Friendship spell.

Allow it? I'm encouraging it!

DM
Davroar takes out several pieces of food and starts to form a link with the current alpha. In a moment the wolf is eating out of his hand. He can only charm one of the wolves but these are pack animals and with the alpha in tow and the other two getting a bite to eat, they calm down enough for them to allow Davroar into the cave to release them. Once released they sprint away. The cave is now empty. What do you all do?

OOC: Everyone take 25 XPts!!!

Jaliera

She watches as Davroar makes friends with the wolves, truly impressed with how he handles the situation. She looks around and whispers to the others.

"Should we explore further into the cave?"

She doesn't like the idea of entering a narrow passage leaving an unknown area at their back.

Kriv

He nodded appreciatively to the human: It turned out that was quicker, quieter and less wasteful of resources. He stowed his bow and readied his maul once more, then listened to Jaliera.

"Sensible. Make sure we can't get flanked as we go in. Chandan, shine a light into the dark depths?"

Chandan

"Ah, this is most benificent." He says, watching the wolves pad down the tunnel into the light of day.

"Impressive technique." The old man tells Davroar with utter surety.

The Dragonborn asks for light, Chandan nods.

"I will be your torchbearer, Kriv Norixius." He replies softly, raising the flickering brand to the darkness.

Anyone doing the "search" thing should be tossing in an "Active Perception (wisdom)" roll.

Kriv

With Chandan providing light, he saw if there was anything to see.

Kriv search
AJ rolled 1d20+1 and got 18

DM
Kriv starts looking around and sees A narrow opening in the east wall leads to a natural chimney that climbs up. Garbage is scatterd at the base of the fissure.

Davroar

Seeing the wolves run free, he walks back inside with a thankful smile for everyone that gave him the time to do this his way.

With the wolves gone he will help in checking out the cave.

Active perception d20+3 = 16

Jaliera

She too will help in searching the cave area but also keeps looking over her shoulder, worried about further goblin attacks.

Perception 1d20+4 = 7

DM

Aside from the fissure, there's nothing else to find here.

Kriv

After pointing it out to everyone, He looked at the detritus beneath the chimney, to see if it had been disturbed recently, or if this was an unused route out.

Kallista

She enters the cave and moves over to the chimney pointed out by others. She examines the trash at it's base, and then looks up to see if there is anything to see.

(OOC - If yuo need a Perception Check:

Kallista Perception
Zeim rolled d20 and got 17)

DM

Kriv studies the garbage and can see that some is old, some is new. He also suspects that it could be used as an escape route or back-door. To use it to get in, one would need to climb up. He cannot see where it leads to or how high up it goes. Even when he shines a torch up there he can tell it's at least 10-15 up but it's a natural fissure and has some bends in it.

Kriv

"Could be an escape route, would take some time to navigate."

He looked at the smaller members of the party calculatingly.

"It may be worth scouting, but not essential to our mission at this time."

Chandan

"Ah so. Could they fit an angry dwarf up there? If not, our quarry we find elsewhere."

Davroar

"Perhaps it is what it appears to be. A garbage dump for the denizens above, and scraps for the wolves."

Kriv

"Which says 'Shortcut" rather than "Escape route"."

Jaliera

"The goblins lair may be located higher up in the mountain. This might be their quick exit route, allowing them to slide down."

She thinks a bit more.

"The debris might be there to make a softer landing. We could move it or leave a nastier surprise maybe, though that might take time."

Davroar

"What about the dead goblins unused arrows outside. Shouldn't take too long to break the arrow heads off and hide them just under this refuse with the pointy ends up."

While it wouldn't kill, it should make it difficult to walk or at least slow them up.

Jaliera

"And it might make more of a noise which could act as a warning if we are nearby."

She looks around the others to see if they want to take up the idea or not. At least she and Davroar are thinking alike.

Kriv

He nodded assent, and indicated towards the cave mouth.

"So long as we don't have to trigger it on our way out. In which case those of us with armoured feet go first. Other than that, good idea, covers our flank and lets us continue."

Kallista

She simply observes with a bemused expression on her face.

Chandan

He looks at Kallista, then back to the others.

Davroar

"No one's against it? Come on Jaliera, shouldn't take too long to do this."

He will step back outside and go over to the dead goblins bodies to find as many arrows as he can. Once he has a good handful of them, he will use the stalagmite as leverage to snap off the arrow heads with his foot.

His father had taught him how to build and disguise small animal traps when he was younger, so he will try his best to hide the broken arrow heads in the refuse in the most likely spots a goblin or two would step when coming down the rock chimney.

Jaliera

She happily follows Davroar outside and watches what he is doing. Once she has the idea she joins in, gathering her own small pile of arrowheads which she then gives to Davroar.

"That was a neat trick with the wolves."

Karok Battlehammer

He hears the results of the young man's work with the wolves and is glad to hear they won't be at his back. Some might have wandered back to see what they were doing next, but Karok was a disciplined soldier so he kept his watch up the tunnel in case the noise they were making drew the enemy to them.

Davroar

He gives a bit of a sheepish smile as he says to Jaliera, "Thanks, but I did use some magic to charm the leader. Once I had him, I knew the other two would follow."

Taking the arrow heads that Jaliera collected, he says, "Good. We should have enough to cause a bare foot goblin a bit of pain if it comes down this way."

Jaliera

She is blushing slightly, having spoken to him and getting a reply. She is young and not so used to interaction with others, particularly ones she finds attractive.

Dutifully she follows him back inside, again watching what he does and then kneeling beside him to do the same.

Kriv

As they return, the Dragonborn watches them implacably, wondering if he'd given them too much leeway. Since they weren't presently under attack, it seemed an affordable expenditure of time, but they needed to continue.

"If you're done, form up in the main passage and we'll move on."

DM

And so you proceed in your marching order. As you fall into line, Karok leads the team up the tunnel. As you move forward you see that across from you, on the other side or the rushing stream, is a side passage that heads off to the west. It's entrance is choked with rubble and has a steep escarpment.

In the shadows of the ceiling to the north you can just make out the dim shape of a rickety bridge of wood and rope crossing over the passage ahead of you. Another passage (east-west) intersects this one, twenty feet above the floor.

Karok and Kriv, please give me perception rolls (1d20+wis adj)

Kriv perception
AJ rolled 1d20+1 and got 19

DM

Kriv catches a glimpse of a goblin that was up past the bridge. It had just passed out of sight up the tunnel.

Kriv

Sotto voce, he shared,

"Goblins. Dead ahead around the corner. They know we're coming: Be ready."

Jaliera

Around the corner? How far she wonders trying to decide if she needs to change to her bow or stay with the sword. She is at the back of the group so bow might be a better option initially as it might be unlikely she will get to a sword fight straight away, then at least she can contribute. She sheathes her sword and draws a bow.

As she is at the rear and that goblins might enter behind them or from any side turnings, she keeps a watch behind and her ears peeled.

What are you all doing?

Kriv

He signals the advance, and strides forward, maul at the ready, eyes peeled for ambush from sides or above.

Karok Battlehammer

He saw the opening, but dismissed it, moving forward, shield at the ready.

[ooc: Saw that Kriv got perception, so didn't bother rolling]

Chandan

He blinks. The torchlight will carry far in these caverns, especially reflecting off the bubbling surface of the stream.

Pondering this Chandan decided that there was very little that could go well for them, and a great deal that could go badly. He didn't share this thought, but did mumble in his native tongue something about needing a drink.

He winds the silk scarf tighter around his neck and ambles along after the others, a loose grip on the half of his spear. It may need to be thrown.

Kallista

She falls in line, taking her position at the rear of the group, ready to attack any Goblins that make themselves visible.

Davroar

Unconsciously his hands tighten on his quarterstaff has he follows along. He keeps in the same footsteps as the person in front of him to avoid setting off any traps, while at the same time keeping his eyes on that upper connecting passageway.

DM
Proceeding onwards, you carefully move further along the passage until you reach a spot directly under the bridge. You can see it is poorly constructed of broken boards and tattered rope. It spans an east-west passage that is a full 20 feet up above you in the corridor. The stream, and the path you are on pass underneath the bridge.

As the group pauses under the bridge to decide what to do next, you can see that the stream passage continues up beyond another set of uneven steps ahead, bending eastward as it goes. You can hear the sounds of a waterfall from somewhere up ahead of you, as well as the sound of rhythmic banging which suddenly stops as you pause to listen. The rickety bridge connecting the two tunnels is 20 feet above you.

Just as you note the end of the rhythmic banging, it is replaced by a tremendous ROAR that fills the passageway, along with a huge rushing wall of water that comes barreling down the passage from up ahead of you!

What are you doing? If you are trying to grab hold of something, give me a strength check. If you are near an exit and trying to tumble away, give me a dex check.

Kallista

She hears the roar of water and knows she only has a moment to make a decision. She can try to grab onto the rocks, but she worries the water will overcome the strength of her grasp. There is the cave where the wolves were, and it is only a short distance behind her, so she turns and runs as fast as she can for that cave, leaping for the steps at the entrance.

(OOC - Being at the rear, I presume if the front of the group is at the bridge then she is still somewhat near the entrance to cave #3. So she will try to jump into cave #3)

Kallista Dex Check
Zeim rolled d20+2 and got 13

Kriv

Without a moment's hesitation, he tried to firmly wedge his maul at an angle between the wall and floor, and held on as if his life depended upon it...

Kriv Strength Check
AJ rolled 1d20+3 and got 9

Edit: +2 proficiency, 11

OOC: I should have posted a tactical...so I did and edited my last post. The bridge links two passages on either side. Karok and Kriv are right under it.

By the way, who has the light?

Davroar

Upon hearing the rushing water, he will immediately turn and make a run for the tunnels exit and plans to break to his left away from the natural course of the stream. Once outside the confines of the tunnel the water should lose a significant amount of its force. In any case he figures its better to be moving with the water than trying to stay still and potentially get hurt with any debris coming at him.

Dex roll 19

Jaliera

As soon as she hears the noise she pivots and runs for the cave where the wolves had been. It seems like Kallista had the same idea.

Dex check 1d20+3 = 14

[OOC if Jaliera can use acrobatics her result would have been 16. Chandan has the light]

Karok Battlehammer

As soon as he knew what was coming, Karok knew he could not get out of the way. He could only hope he could avoid being tossed down the corridor into his companions. He dug in his heels and pressed his back against the side of the tunnel, bringing his shield up in front of himself at an angle hoping to deflect the water away from him.

Karok does strength check = d20+2=10

Chandan

Kallista runs back passed him, he turns and watches her go, then back to face the front, followed by an expression of stupefaction.

"Oh boy."

[So this isn't a saving throw? You only your attribute bonus to the result, not your proficiency bonus too?

Result 8]

Yes. Y can add your proficiency bonus. This is a saving throw.

I believe you can do so if the specific Stat used for the Save is one your class gives you "Training" in, correct? IOW, for example, if your class says you have Proficiency in Wis and Dex and you are making a Str check you can't add your Prof bonus, but you can to a Dex check.

[That would give Chandan a 10. He'll try to vault using his spear and cling to wall high up.]

DM
Water floods down the tunnel and overcomes Karok and Kriv. The dwarf and dragonborn are swept away, out of the cavern. The rest of you manage to get out of the way of the flood. Jaliera, Chandan and Kalista rush into the wolf den and safety while Davroar tries to outrun the flood. His feet find every level and dry spot as he races down the tunnel. When the water finally reaches him it flows over his back but he manages to keep his footing and somehow manages to avoid the tumbling dwarf and dragonborn. By some stroke of luck, he deftly dances away from both and reaches a soft patch of grass as he dives to his left and out of harms way.

Kriv and Karok take 4 pts damage, knocked prone. Note that standing up costs you half your movement, rounded down.

Also, I kinda screwed up by not describing things clearly but you guys roleplayed according to plan. I should have said that because they were too far away from a safe place, Kriv and Karok had to make strength checks to grab onto something and hold on, but that everyone else could attempt a dex check to duck into one of the side passages. Well guess what, Kriv and Karok rolled strength and needed to overcome a DC 15. The rest of the PC's rolled dex and needed a 10. BTW, had any of the dex rolls failed you would have had another opportunity to roll a DC 15 strength check. Davroar didn't duck into a side passage, but that was a Nice roll

Kriv

The Dragonborn braced himself against the waterlogged ground and rose, wiping a thin trickle of blood from his muzzle where it had struck a rock on the way out. He shook his arm and maul free of water and mud, and began advancing purposely back into the cave.

"Not the sort of thing you can trigger twice in quick succession. Hit them while they try something else, don't give them time. Come on!"

(OOC - Does the little yellow dot on Chandan indicate he has a light?)

Karok Battlehammer

The water hit him hard, tossing him backwards, rolling and floundering. When he finally stopping moving, looking up at the blue sky he spat out water and let out a long series of expletives in dwarven.

He got back up and started back inside a veritable thundercloud on his face. It seemed the dwarf was far from amused.

[ooc: He'll go back to leading unless someone else started forward.]

Chandan

He holds the torch aloft, while Kriv, Karok and Davroar catch back up. The party were all looking like they'd seen better days.

He nods at the dragonborn's comment.

"Indeed we must hurry, a dwarf is to be saved and an evil averted."

Kallista

Having outrun the water and finding temporary safety in the wolf den with Jaliera and Chandan, she sighs as she sees Kriv, Karok, and Chandan move back out into the hallway. She glances at Jaliera, "I really don't want to go through that again. After you." She gestures with her open hand for Jaliera to precede her following the rest.

Jaliera

"No.. that was scary." she agrees.

"Still it must take time to reset that sort of trap and so going back now does make the most sense."

She smiles and moves ahead of Kallista to follow the other up the passage. She has her bow at the ready.

DM
So the adventurers regroup and decide to try and quickly get back to dealing with the goblins before they can reset the trap or otherwise get ready. Back in the marching order, with Karok and Kriv up front and the light in the back, they proceed back up the tunnel.


I need another group perception check vs DC 10
Goblin stealth Neptune rolled 1d20+6 and got 10

Yes. Yellow dot is your torch.

Kallista

Kallista Perception
Zeim rolled d20 and got 16

Jaliera


Perception 1d20+4 = 11

Karok Battlehammer

Karok Perception
Nivek rolled d20+3 and got 13

[ooc: Probably still wiping water from his eyes]

DM

As you start to march back up the tunnel you notice, for just a scant moment, a goblin on the bridge now. Before you can react, he's gone. You start hearing noises. You've heard the same noises before. BANG-BANG-BANG... The last time you heard those noises, they were followed by a flood.

What are you doing?

ooc: 4 of you succeeded, enough for a group check

Kallista

Having waited to take up the rear, and hearing the same noises that preceded the flood last time begin again, AND knowing that the Wolf cave was safe the last time, she quickly ducks back into it and waits.

Kallista Dex Check
Zeim rolled d20+2 and got 12

Kriv

"Nine hells take all goblins. Back to the wolf den."

He reversed course, headed for the alcove in which the others had sought refuge prior. If he made it, he was going to silentlypoint at the concealed chimney.

[ooc: Being kind here. Everyone who wants to avoid what comes next make a dex check, DC 10, to get to either side passage.]

Karok Battlehammer

He is jogging up to the others when he saw everyone jumping to the side again. He didn't need another bath so he moved off to the side.

Karok Avoid DM Nastiness
Nivek rolled d20-1 and got 14

Davroar

He can't believe it is possible to rebuild the same amount of water that came at them before so fast. Still hearing the banging again, he will run back to the wolfs den like the others.

Dex roll 16

[Chandan Dex check 10]

Kriv

Forewarned, he moved swiftly towards safety.

Kriv dex check
AJ rolled 1d20+1 and got 18

Jaliera

Dex check 1d20+3 = 15

On hearing the sound she pivots on one leg and heads back to the wolves' cave. She does watch though to see if the water does come. If the trap is resettable, there must be a big water source, perhaps an underground lake or river. These goblins are quite ingenious.

She is already thinking ahead, wondering whether the best plan might be for her to creep forward and fire on the big goblin before he can spring the trap.

Once she sees if the water does come, she will suggest this to the others.

DM
This time you were prepared for the flood. As you rush into the side passages the floods came. You all manage to avoid it and after a few moments you knew that you were all safe in the wolf den.

What now?

Chandan

"Move fast, strike hard!" Says the old man, cajoling the others into an assault upstream.

Whatever mechanism the goblins were using, it would likely be crude and need resetting.

Kriv

"We tried that. Change of plan."

The Dragonborn pointed towards the climbable chimney.

[Isn't there like a standard move rate and then a faster move rate? 3rd Ed style. That's what I was thinking.]

Jaliera

"It looked like someone is triggering that trap. Maybe I could sneak up and take him out with my bow?"

She makes the offer and waits to see what the others think.

Kriv

"Two-pronged offensive. I'll take this chimney, anyone else of like mind likewise. Stealth might work where rushing as we just tried failed, worth a shot."

He headed towards the climbable passage up.

Kallista

"Whatever we do, we need to stick together." She says. "We have no idea if the chimney and the tunnel ever connect."

Dash is a double move but uses a standard action. So, if you can move 30, you move 60 but forego your attack.

Kriv

He replied,

"Bridge over the tunnel. If nothing else we can give covering fire."

Davroar

"Kallista's right. Plus, we know already we're outnumbered, splitting up is asking for more trouble if you ask me."

He picks up one of the chains that kept the wolves tied up.

"I'm game for going up the chimney. Whoever's the better climber should go first and then can help the rest up using the chains, unless someone has some rope?"

Kallista

"I have rope." She says, handing it over.

Kriv

He tapped the hempen coil secured to the side of his pack.

"Never set out into the wilderness without it."

One quick look around the various soft-skinned sentients, and he elected to go first, methodically seeking handholds to pull himself up by main force.

Jaliera

"I have rope too if more is needed."

She looks at the chimney wondering if this is the best way to go. Won't they be expecting them to try this?

"If we are going this way then we'd better remove the arrow traps we set here first."

She kneels down and starts moving the arrows from the debris.

[OOC There is no climbing skill in 5 - what substitutes?]

THe skill check for climbing is a Strength check. That's the major change in 5e. For most everything you just roll d20 against one of the 6 prime stats.

So, who's climbing and in what order?

[OOC Jaliera will probably need to be hauled up! ]

Kriv will lead the way: He's the strongest and thus the best climber. Does proficiency apply?

[Chandan will bring up the rear, as before.]

After the first pc goes up and leaves a rope for the others is there a bonus, Advantage, etc for those who follow?

Kriv climbing
AJ rolled 1d20+3 and got 21

Presuming proficiency doesn't apply. If it does, 23.

I will grant proficiency.
I will grant advantage.
But we will stop and wait after the first person goes up. Does Kriv see in the dark? If not, he might not be the best choice to go first - regardless of strength. Just sayin...

(OOC - Kallista and Karok can see in the dark. Not sure of anyone else.)

(Not as such, but he isn't short of light sources or the means to light them.)

Unless I misread him, the DM seems to be implying taking a light source up is not the best idea. Kallista could go. She is fairly stealthy. But her climbing is nothing to write home about.

Karok Battlehammer

"Unless someone has magic to silence the noise of my armor, I'd make a lousy scout. But I can make the climb easier for another if that would help someone else make their way up there." he said looking at Kriv.

[ooc: Can cast Guidance to add 1d4 to a check. Not much but it might help]

Kallista

She nods at Karok. "I can go take a quick look around and anchor a rope behind me. Anything you can do to help me climb is appreciated."

Jaliera

She stands there nervously awaiting her turn, not at all sure if she can make it. But she will try, hopefully someone will help.

Zeim, what I'm implying is that if someone without the ability to see in the dark goes up there and is attacked, he will be fighting blind and will not be able to assist others to come aid him. Is that what you want to do?

Davroar

He will position himself to be the second to last to make the climb. Of average strength himself, he does not want to fall and will probably be slower than most.

Kriv

"They might have it guarded, the climber could be vulnerable."

He tapped his armor with a talon.

"Some less than others. I do agree it looks dark up there. That in mind..."

He removed a second torch from his pack, lit it from Chandan's, clamped the safe end in his draconic jaws, and made ready to ascend.

That'll work.
So far we have the order as...

#1 - Kriv (succeeds and will make it to the top)
#2 - ???
#3 - ???
#4 - ???
#5 - Davroar
#6 - ???

So, pick your spot.
Roll your strength check.
Consider that your movement is halved, rounded down.

Kallista

She turns to Karok. "If you can help, without expending healing for the group, it'd be appreciated."

(OOC - IOW of the spell you were talking about is a Cantrip, she could use it.)

Kallista Strength Check w/Advantage for rope
Zeim rolled d20-1 and got 11, 16

Put Kallista at #6 or #4 if someone else really wants spot 6.

[Thank you thank you Advantage! That was 1-1 on the first roll, 19-1 on the second! Chandan will take position 4.]

Karok Battlehammer

Karok will want to go first, but he understands why someone else should go first, so he'll go second.

Karok Climb Rope
Nivek rolled d20+2 and got 9,20 {Yay Advantage :)} Thanks AJ

[ooc: It's a Cantrip - Guidance]

(Advantage means roll twice take the better result.)

DM

So the order looks like...

Kriv - made it
Karok - failed without rope for advantage
Jaliera
Chandan
Davroar
Kalista

All, let's not assume advantage just yet. The rope has to be set and Kriv is climbing up first, now with a torch in his mouth. The way I read this, Karok's first attempt at climbing failed. He can either wait for the rope or use his second attempt (after 1 round) to climb (we'll keep your 2nd roll) with advantage.

Kriv places the torch in his mouth and begins to climb. The rope is handy but he'll need a place to secure it before some of the others can climb.

OK. Now I need to wait until I have some stat blocks available. I have to resolve but here's the situation...

Kriv finally makes it to the top and he sees that he has entered a large cavern. Sacks and crates of looted provisions are piled up in the south end of this large cave. Kriv entered in the west where the floor of the cavern slopes down to the chimney. A larger opening leads north down a set of natural stone steps, the roar of falling water echoing from beyond. In the middle of the cavern, the coals of a large fire smolder.

Behind Kriv, Karok tries to climb but he is struggling and awaits the rope.

When Kriv finally reaches the top, he is assaulted immediately as a wolf and a bugbear attack.

So, there's a bugbear, a wolf and 3 goblins hiding here. It turns out that the bugbear and wolf expected you (obviously having been warned by the goblins that flooded you) but were expecting you to come from the north, not here. Still, they are tucked away and Kriv's poor passive wisdom mean he's surprised.

Klarg the bugbear roll stealth (modifier not included)
Neptune rolled 1d20 and got 19

Ripper the wolf roll stealth (modifier not included)
Neptune rolled 1d20 and got 13

So, now I need stat blocks to proceed for sure, but sounds of battle are heard below and you can all act/react. You know he's in trouble.

on a roll of 10+ you succeed in climbing.
on a roll of 6-9 you make no progress.
on a roll of 5 or less you fall and take 1d6 damage. Anyone behind you will need to make a dex check or also fall, creating a cascade effect.

DM
The bugbear, a big, brutish goblinoid, yells out "Who dares invade Klarg home? Klarg will build a throne of your bones!" as he swings his morningstar at the dragonborn. The weapon is deflected off of the chain armor.

"Eat him Ripper! Chew it down to the bones!" he calls out to his wolf companion. It obeys, with drool dripping from it's sharp canines it jumps at Kriv but the fighter manages to evade the vicious attack.


Ripper the wolf attacks Kriv with surprise and advantage
Neptune rolled 1d20+4,1d20+4 and got 15, 15

Klarg the bugbear attacks Kriv with surprise
Neptune rolled 1d20+4 and got 13

Also, let's get some Initiative! rolls.

Klarg initiative
Neptune rolled 1d20+2 and got 20

Ripper initiative
Neptune rolled 1d20+2 and got 13

Goblin initiative
Neptune rolled 1d20+2 and got 19

[ooc: So can Karok use that great second roll to hustle his butt up there? If so, let me know if I'm just climbing this turn or what and I'll edit this.]

Kriv


Kriv initiative
AJ rolled 1d20+1 and got 18

He did not answer the vermin, mostly because he had a torch in his mouth. Armour and quick reflexes had kept him in the fight so far, but he was going to need to do something about the numerical disparity. For now he was firmly on the defensive.

(OOC - So how will this work? Does it take a full round for each pc to climb to the top, presuming they make their climb roll? IOW, will it be round 6 before Kallista gets up there?)


Kallista Initiative
Zeim rolled d20+2 and got 21

Zeim, no. You can do a conga-line. But there's risk. If you fall, as I said, anyone that is in the process of climbing could get knocked down by a falling friend.

Nivek, yes, use that second roll but you'll get there for round #3. Round #1 is the surprise round that Kriv made it up. You couldn't move because of the failed roll for that. You'll climb during Round #2. You'll be a combatant round #3.

BTW, I'm being rather lenient.

Jaliera

She finds herself third in line as the others place themselves. Karok is struggling and there are now sounds of combat above.

She will wait her turn and then start to climb.

Obviously eager Strength roll 1d20 = 17

Chandan

He looks at the tiefling by the light of his torch, then back to the queue for the chute, and finally back to Kallista.

"One by one they will crack our skulls as we reach the top, if we don't crack our own by falling to the bottom."

Chandan points out into the gloom of the tunnel, the way they came. He's getting drier and grumpier, and is starting to imagine wringing the necks of goblins.

"I will try to draw their attention. Moths to a flame so goblins to a torch."

[His plan is to double move, skirting around the right wall of the tunnel, north-east, in the general direction of Kriv.]

Davroar

Davroar is struggling to get up the steep climg to the upper chamber.

Davroar Strength Check for climb
Dugan rolled 1d20 and got 8

OOC: I'm back from vacation
...but had a great time

Neil, is Chandan leaving the wolf den and heading up under the bridge or is he doing something else? There's only room for one person at a time climbing the chimney. Please elaborate.

[Aye, that's the plan, Nep.]

There's an interesting conversation in the OOC: thread about surprise that started with Zeim's version of the game. Both games are currently playing in this same room but the other party entered from the steps in the north of the room together.

DM
Kriv finds himself ducking out of the way of the bugbear's morningstar once again before he can return a blow. The great weapon crashes to the ground with a thud, missing it's mark. The dragonborn fighter knows that this unexpected encounter was dangerous and a tactical problem. He was standing at the edge of the entrance. If he didn't somehow lure the battle away from that opening, his allies would have no way to climb out of it and enter the fray. Once he acts he will need to defend himself from the snarling canine that is bearing down on him.

So with that in mind, he takes action.

We're in Round#2.
Klarg attacks Kriv with his morningstar
Neptune rolled 1d20+4 and got 10

The goblins do not act, staying stealthy.

Now I need Kriv's action.

Meanwhile Chandan, with torch in hand, sprints out of the wolf den and up the now drying aqueduct leaving others without darkvision in the dark.

Round#1: Bugbear & Wolf missed
Round#2: Klarg the bugbear (20), Goblins (19), Kriv (18), Ripper (13)
Round#3: Karok and Jaliera. Davroar doesn't make it up so he will have to try again and Kalista has to wait her turn. Meanwhile Chandan is sprinting around the other way. If Kalista wants to follow him, she can. Someone needs to provide a light source.

I still need initiative rolls for Davroar, Jaliera and Karok so I can place them in the melee properly. Note that I will adjust for the situation once I see the rolls.

Not sure where Karok is in the pecking order, but I can do initiative

Karok Initiative
Nivek rolled d20-1 and got 15

Kriv

He'd been lucky so far, his armor and combat training sufficient to keep the two imposing foes at bay. He needed to buy space and time for his comrades to ascend, and that meant going on the offensive. In an eyeblink, his maul was in his hands, and he swung it in a vicious underhand sweep, looking to connect with the jaws of the wolf. in the cold calculus of battle, he wagered it could take less punishment than the bugbear, and thinning out the weak would isolate the strong.

Kriv attacking Ripper
AJ rolled 1d20+5 and got 14
Kriv damage, GWF rerolls 1s or 2s
AJ rolled d6,d6 and got 1, 4
Kriv Great Weapon Fighting reroll
AJ rolled d6 and got 6
4+6+3 = 13 damage

Staying within reach of both the bugbear and the wolf lest they take the opportunity to get another hit in, he moved forward beside the stalagmite in front of him, to free up room for those hopefully ascending behind. He centred himself, willing away the pain from his earlier tumble at the water trap.

Kriv Second Wind
AJ rolled d10+1 and got 2
Regain 2hp, current total 9HP

Kallista

Cursing a blue streak as she sees Chandan leave the room with the light to go off on his own, she takes off after him.

**We just agreed, not a minute ago, to not split up, did we not?**

The light doesn't matter for her. She can see in the dark. And she can't create light, so the others will need to do that themselves. But no one should be alone down here so as bad a feeling as she has about this she runs after Chandan.

(OOC - Nep - Dash easily puts her right behind Chandan. She will use Stealth any time she enters an unknown area, so next turn, presuming they advance into the "gray" area she will use Stealth.)

Nivek: I lined up the PC's in the climbing order and the numbers in parens are the initiative rolls so far in the list of Rounds I provided. Karok is next up the chimney and will get to go before Ripper the wolf in Round #3.

AJ: I'm not sure how you can avoid an AOO without using disengage as your main action.

Zeim: Chandan is doing the dash too, but you'll keep pace.

(OOC - Yes, but he started further into the cave than Kallista. I measured the distance and she could actually reach all the way to the stairs leading into room 7 if she used her full movement. But she's stopping short so as not to pass Chandan by, so all is good.)

A subtle change to the wording governing attacks of opportunity since previous editions: "You can make an opportunity attack when a hostile creature that you can see moves out of your reach." It no longer occurs if the target moves but doesn't leave the creature's reach. Thus, by moving one square across, Kriv remains within the reach of both enemies (going from S of the Bugbear and SW of the wolf to SE of the Bugbear and S of the wolf), and thus does not provoke opportunity attacks.

Ah, I was playing the stalagmite as blocking terrain but I'll give it to you to keep the party alive
Sorry, I need my books tonight to resolve.

(OOC - Just as a matter of interest, two other options were also available which we haven't tried yet, although neither do damage. Grapple and Shove. Both are contested checks. Grapple, if successful lets you drag the grappled creature with you when you move, although you move at 1/2 speed. So Kriv could have Grappled one of the foes and then dragged them 15' across the room to open up space, which would only give an AOO to the other one. Shove would let him push one of the foes back 5 feet and then he could move up into it's space. No AOO for either since he'd not be leaving either one's reach, and opens up space for the party, but again no damage.)

DM

Kriv decides to reduce the number of foes he has to face by eliminating the weaker of the two combatants. His maul strikes the wolf square in the head, splattering blood and brain on the cave wall. He then moves into the spot that the wolf had occupied to allow his allies a way to get into the room. Meanwhile Karok makes it up the chimney. Jaliera is behind him, clutching at the ground, trying to find a place to get on her feet. Davroar is now alone, in the dark, in the wolf den. He was unable to make it up the chimney like Kriv, Karok and Jaliera and both Kalista and Chandan ran out of the cave.

The bugbear, now cornered lowers the morningstar on the dragonborn. The cruel weapon hits him hard, knocking him out (11 pts damage). With Kriv now down, the goblins, hidden in the far reaches of the cave start firing arrows at Karok who has just emerged from the chimney. One of the arrows hits (5 pts of damage) and the three stay where they are, taking cover behind the crates and barrels in the far end of the room.

Kalista and Chandan are making their way up the aqueduct and when they reach the top of the stairs they see goblins.


Ok. We now are in two separate encounters and we'll handle them that way. Can I get Kalista's stealth roll and also a new initiative for both Chandan and Kalista.

Encounter #1 - now in Round 3
Round#1: Round#1: Bugbear & Wolf missed
Round#2: Klarg the bugbear (20), Kriv (18)
Round#3: Order: Klarg the bugbear, Goblins, Kriv (down), Karok and Jaliera (who cannot attack but might be able to do other things).
Davroar can try climbing again.

Jaliera Initiative (ghosted)
Neptune rolled 1d20+3 and got 4

Klarg attacks Kriv with his morningstar
Neptune rolled 1d20+4 and got 22 - does 11 pts of damage

Goblins attacks attack Karok with bow and arrow
Neptune rolled 1d20+4,1d20+4,1d20+4 and got 24, 6, 14

I need a death save for Kriv.

Kallista

Following Chandan, she hugs the walls and tries to be careful where she places her feet. As they round the corner she can see Goblins up ahead.

Kallista Stealth, Initiative
Zeim rolled d20+2,d20+2 and got 18, 19 (Nice!)

Jaliera

All goes black beneath her as she climbs but luckily there is light ahead although it is moving. She assumes this must be Kriv. Her plan on reaching the top is to spring out of the hole and draw her sword as there are sounds of combat ahead.

Initiative 1d20+3 = 12

Kriv

He simply hadn't had the time after killing the wolf and stepping forward on the follow-through to bring up his guard. The morningstar impacted with a sickening crunch and he collapsed like a sack of potatoes, crumpled and bleeding. Even if He'd been perfectly fresh it would have dropped him. His life was in the hands of the Gods now.


Kriv life or death in the balance
AJ rolled 1d20 and got 8
Current tally: 1 failure, 0 successes

(OOC - Note that there is a large fire in the room where Kriv and the Bugbear are so there should be plenty of light there.)

You guys are in trouble so let me lend a bit of a hand.

Karok will need to move in such a way to allow Jaliera to enter the room. He can move into the square that Kriv (and the wolf) occupy and that that give Jaliera the spot he's in now.

The order for Round 3 is: Bugbear, goblins, Kriv, Karok, Jaliera.

(This Bugbear means the bugbear went already).

Oh, and you might want to avoid opportunity attacks from the bugbear. He does 11 pts of damage with that morningstar!

The torch that Kriv dropped and the fire-pit shed light.
Davroar can again try and climb too on his turn, which I'll place at the end of this round.

Over on the other side, if Chandan tries stealth and succeeds, you can get surprise which is HUGE. If you have surprise you might even be able to avoid the goblins in that room by taking the passage to the north, which leads into the same room. That's the aqueduct - as opposed to the steps, which are guarded.

I need initiative and perhaps a stealth roll from Chandan.

Karok

He hadn't expected archers up here as the arrow found it's way under his armor. He was weak now and knew another arrow would mean his death. He'd learned a long time ago, that keeping himself upright could eventually keep other men alive as well. Plus if he stayed alive to draw fire from the archers, then perhaps they could get numbers in the room. So he moved around the bugbear to where their companion lay, casting his healing spell, feeling most of his injuries fade.

Karok Cure Wounds on Karok
Nivek rolled d8+3 and got 8

[ooc: Any chance of cover from fire? Is that a boulder in the middle of the room or rubble?]

Cover was granted at -2 for them. Still, a 24-2=22 which would have hit you anyway. Note that I didn't give you the +2 for shield.

That rubble is a fire pit. If you move away from the bugbear he will likely kill you with an opportunity attack. You need to move around him.

Kallista

Coming up behind Chandan she points into the stream bed and whispers to him. "I will move off into the stream, down and out of the light. I don't need it to see. Maybe I can sneak around and get surprise."

Davroar

His hands are sore and sweaty in his attempts to make it to the top. Barely half-way up his grip gives out!
Letting out a brief shout of alarm, he slides down the rock chimney out of control and lands hard on his back.
A further groan escapes his lips as he takes stock of his physical discomfort to make sure nothing is badly broken, while at the same time he wonders if he should make the attempt again or go running after Kallista and Chandan.


Davroar Climbing STR check #3
Dugan rolled 1d20 and got 3
Davroar Fall Damage
Dugan rolled 1d6 and got 5

OOC: Jaliera goes. She reaches the top and has an action.
Also waiting for Chandan's action

Jaliera

She knows there are combatants so she readies herself and looks for an immediate target for her sword. However if she cannot reach the bugbear from where she is, she'll draw her bow instead and target the goblin archers.

Attack roll (same for bow/sword) 1d20+5 = 15, Damage if sword 1d8+3=11, damage if arrow 1d6+3=8

DM
"Ha! You puny hu-mans! I will cook your meat with onions and have you for lunch today!"

The bugbear swings it's morningstar and misses Jaliera while the gobins continue to fire arrows at Karok who is once again hit (take 5 pts damage).

bugbear choose between Karok (1) and Jaliera (2)
Neptune rolled 1d2 and got 2

bugbear attacks Jaliera with morningstar
Neptune rolled 1d20+4 and got 9

Goblins attacks attack Karok with bow and arrow
Neptune rolled 1d20+4,1d20+4,1d20+4 and got 14, 24, 13

Start of Round #4...
Kriv make a death saving throw.
Karok and Jaliera can attack again.
Davroar can climb or choose to do something else

(OOC - Nep - Neal posted he was going to be with limited access for a couple of days in the Availability thread.)

Kriv

The downed fighter, though insensate, twitched, claws tensing around his maul. There was still some fight in him, fading as it might be.

Kriv life or death in the balance
AJ rolled 1d20 and got 16

Current tally: 1 failure, 1 success

Chandan - (ghosted)

"Good idea. Try sneaking around back. Go. Run. Our friends are in need!"

Chandan initiative
Neptune rolled 1d20+3 and got 6

[That's the last time I let you roll for me, Nep! Thank you for ghosting though.]

[ooc: Initiative here's not critical, just helps me run things. You can elect to do something different, if you like. But please be careful, the party is perilously close to a TPK.]

[Nope, all looks good to me, send in Kallista to stealthily take them out and Chandan stay back to act as distraction if need be.]

[OOC Did Jaliera hit the bugbear? Bears on her strategy for the next attack. ]

Karok Battlehammer

One more bowshot could kill him, but even if he healed himself, he suspected that one hit from the bugbear would also kill him so he swung at the bugbear, calling on his God for help.


Karok Attack bugbear - d20+6 = 23
Damage vs Bugbear = d8+4 = 11
2nd Attack vs Bugbear (bolts of Inspiration) = d20+6 = 24
Damage vs Bugbear = d8+4 = 9

[ooc: Jaliera missed by 1.]

DM
Karok's blows almost kill the bugbear, it staggers, and it drops it's bravado, replacing it with fear and rage. Jaliera could dispatch it now if she attacks and hits.

Kalista, moving stealthy into the room where the floods originated can now see what's in there. The cavern contains two areas which she guesses were the pools of water, now emptied, which flooded the passageway up. A narrow waterfall high in the easter wall feeds the pools which are slowly filling up again. The pools drain from the western end of the chamber to form the stream that flows out of the the cave mouth below. Low fieldstone walls serve as dams to hold the water in. A wide exit stands to the south, while two smaller passages lead west. The sound of the waterfall echoes throughout the cavern making it difficult to hear.

Kalista is able to take advantage of the noise and the fieldstone walls to hide. There are four goblins in this cave. They seem poised for an invasion but they are looking for someone to come in from the southern of the two entrances in the west. Kalista crept in through the northern one.

Jaliera and Kalista can go as well as Davroar and Chandan then we're at the start of the next round.

Davroar

Hearing the fighting still going on in the upper cave, he wills himself to get back up to help. Wiping his hands dry on his furs, he takes a deep breath to steady his nerves to cast a spell to give him some guidance to find the best hand holds. Climbing higher than before, he manages to make it and silently kicks himself for not thinking of doing this before. Of course this has all taken a fair bit of time, as he pokes his head and shoulders up to see what the situation is up here.


Davroar Guidance cantrip bonus
Dugan rolled 1d4 and got 2
Davroar Climbing STR check + bonus
Dugan rolled 1d20+2 and got 13 Yes, yes, yes. Finally made it to the top!

Yipee! It may not be too late!!!
Meanwhile, waiting on Jaliera and then Kalista.

Zeim, your first step is another stealth roll to stay hidden. You need to beat a 9. Otherwise the ones in the room with the pools see you.

The furthest Kalista can get (because of difficult terrain) is the first square after the steps.

The Goblins in the room where the battle is raging are hiding. They emerge only to fire when it's their turn.

Goblins Stealth
Neptune rolled 1d20+6,1d20+6,1d20+6 and got 20, 13, 19

So you won't see them. If you make your roll, they won't see you either. We'll assume that you're hugging the wall. So, if you fail this stealth roll, 7 goblins will see you. That, of course, could give Chandan a chance.

Happy rolling...

[Are there any Savage Worlds-style Tricks or Taunts, that Chandan could use to lower the goblins rolls? Or could he simply try to attract their attention and leg it, with the aim to distract?]

Jaliera

She can see Karok is making progress and tries again to attack the bugbear.

Attack 15, damage 11 so I guess she just misses again

Kallista

Carefully climbing out of the empty pool she climbs the far steps, moving quietly. As she enters the room she can hear the sound of combat over the diminishing sounds of the waterfall behind her. She hugs the wall to maintain her stealthy approach. She is concerned about leaving Chandan facing 4 Goblins, but she is nearby and needs to see what is happening with the others, who she knows are in some trouble.


Kallista Stealth
Zeim rolled d20+2 and got 19

Any targets to attack with surprise from there? Or perhaps she is better off saving her surprise (and Advantage roll) to use on the Bugbear next turn.

Chandan - There are some spells that do things like that but nothing for a monk. He can certainly try and lure them or deceive the goblins somehow.

Jaliera does, indeed, miss. AC=16

Kalista does not see the goblins. The goblins do not see Kalaista. Everyone is safe The bugbear doesn't see Kalista either

Chandan

With the tiefling hopefully having snuck around the goblins, Chandan is left to consider his own part in this play.

He needs to prevent the goblins from falling on Kallista and his companions, or at least distract them...

Part in this play.

Chandan holds up the torch at arm's length and shines it onto his other hand, casting a shadow on the cavern wall. He manoeuvres so it can be seen by the goblins.

He makes a dog-face with his hand.

"Ho! Look at me! I am Maglubiyet. Chief of all goblins. Stupidest! Ugliest! Least loved except by dogs!

"I'm so lonely here. Where are my dogs? Why they not giving me the doggy love!?"

DM

Chandan's antics have accomplished at least one thing, got them to bicker about it. Both Chandan and Kalista can hear them arguing. One says "It is Maglubiyet!" while another shouts back "You are an idiot and a smelly one at that!". While they are deciding if it is or isn't Maglubiyet, Chandan can do something but these goblins are not stupid and will soon figure out that they have a dangerous intruder lurking in their lair.
Goblins Int check
Neptune rolled 1d20,1d20,1d20,1d20 and got 3, 12, 13, 9
Note: goblin int=10. I just liked the tactic

Back in the bugbear lair, Davroar finally makes it up but he can't climb out because Jaliera is in the way. His fingers are at risk as she dances around, fighting with the bugbear. This dilemma is solved for him as the bugbear, so close to death, takes another crack at the Jaliera. He swings the mighty morningstar twice and the second swing strikes her in her midsection knocking her to the ground, unconscious and dying. Davroar can certainly climb over her body to enter the fray.

Bugbear chooses between Jaliera (1) and Karok (2)
Neptune rolled 1d2 and got 1

Bugbear attacks Jaliera
Neptune rolled 1d20+4,1d20+4 and got 8, 19

The goblins now aim their arrows at the only target that they can see standing. That's Karok and he has the benefit of partial cover as they take aim. Their arrows come flying at him. One hits the stalagmite and two others sail wide.

Kalista, hiding now in the room, sees the arrows fly but when she turns to see where they came from, she can't see a target. The only target she has (and she has with advantage) is the bugbear.

goblins attack Karok
Neptune rolled 1d20+2,1d20+2,1d20+2 and got 6, 6, 9

Everyone else goes. That means I need death saves for Kriv and Jaliera. Davroar, Karok and Kalista can attack.

goblins stealth
Neptune rolled 1d20+6,1d20+6,1d20+6 and got 25, 24, 20

Chandan

Shadow Puppetry for Goblins

If it isn't a book, it perhaps should be, though Chandan will need to be careful not to end up as a mere footnote.

Once the goblins decide to investigate, they might just bunch up, and as soon as he hears movement in his direction, he'l change them, screaming, flailing his tongue and shaking the torch.

Kriv

The unconscious Dragonborn drew a ragged breath, fighting to regain a foothold on lucidity despite his injuries.



Kriv life or death in the balance
AJ rolled 1d20 and got 16
Curent tally: 1 failure, 2 successes

Davroar

Finding Jaliera unconscious right in front of him, he will cast a cure wounds on her.


Davroar Cure wounds
Dugan rolled 1d8+3 and got 7

Karok Battlehammer

He'd been lucky that the arrows missed him. He'd hoped someone else could finish off the Bugbear so he could heal, but with it still able to crush any of them, he had to attack instead of heal. Hopefully his luck would continue. This time though his swings were weak and missed badly. His strength was failing and it had cost him.


Karok Attack Bugbear
Nivek rolled d20+6 and got 9
[ooc: 2 of 3 uses of Bolts of Inspiration]
Karok Attack Bugbear
Nivek rolled d20+6 and got 8

DM

Chandan's gambit paid off for a moment but that moment has passed. He sees goblins approach him out of the darkness, one from each of the passages ahead. Two others made their way over to the bridge. All stop out of melee range, pointing their shortbows at the monk. One on the bridge seems to be deciding if he should go get additional help.

"Surrender or die stupid human" one says to him.

partial cover for the two on the bridge

Kallista

Taking stock of the situation from where she is, she can't hear anything from behind her. The Waterfall is drowning out all sounds. She hopes Chandan is OK, or is smart enough to have run away once she had sneaked past and he saw he was facing 4 Goblins alone.

She can hear the sounds of battle from ahead. A large roar of some beast. She also sees arrows come flying from the eastern side of the cave heading west towards where the battle sounds are originating, so she is fairly sure those arrows are being fired by foes.

Across the room, on the south side, she can see boxes and barrels and crates which looks like a good place to grab some cover as she decides how best to help, so she moves across the room and digs herself in behind the boxes in the southwest part of the room (south wall, as far west as the boxes go). Once there she can see the beast. Two of her group are prone, and 2 are fighting it.

Deciding that is the greatest threat she calls to mind a black curse and hangs it on that beast (Bonus Action - Hex. Will choose to give the Bugbear Disadvantage on all Dex checks.). She then fires an Eldritch Blast at it, hoping to help her allies.

Kallista Attack Bugbear, Dam, Hex
Zeim rolled d20+5,d10,d6 and got 16, 3, 5 .....

Adding roll with advantage:
Kallista Advantage roll on attack
Zeim rolled d20+5 and got 25 (Crit)
Adding extra Dam die:
Kallista crit roll
Zeim rolled d10 and got 3


....and just in case she is able to make that move Stealthily and Hide among the boxes as well.....

Kallista Stealth/Hide
Zeim rolled d20+2 and got 22 (Natural 20!)

[OOC: I'm busy at work. Kallista kills the bugbear. Continue on please...]

Kriv

His breathing regained its regularity. Still critically wounded, the Dragonborn was no longer fading away.

Kriv life or death in the balance
AJ rolled d20 and got 17
3 successful saves, Kriv is stable but unconscious.

Chandan

With the goblinoids converging on his torchlight, he's at least assured that they aren't converging on his companions.

"Hey, don't shoot! I travel a long way to come here, be a goblin! I love goblins! Goblins are the best!

"I always try so hard to be a goblin." He says, and gestures to their bows, "Yes yes, practice goblin archery all the time! I'm very good, can't hit anything!"

He hobbles around in circle, holding his back.

"I'm just an old man, wants to be a goblin."

DM

The goblins start arguing about Chandan's claims in Goblinesse but come to a quick conclusion. "Drop all your weapons. Lie down with face on the ground. Put hands behind your back or we kill you."

Chandan

His spear clatters to the floor and rubs his hands and bobs his head.

"Yes!! That is real goblin talk!

"No wait! I could be hiding weapons! Humans, skullduggery, bedfellows! A goblin would have them strip! Yes."

Chandan starts to strip out of his robes.

(OOC - I've lost track of who goes next?)

[ooc: Kallista went. Chandan is surrendering (I think). Kriv made his death save so he went.

I need Jaliera, Karok and Davroar need to do something.]

[OOC Not sure what is left. Are there still 3 goblin archers? Jaliera would like to move so Davroar can get in and change to her bow if the archers are still there. If so can she still fire? ]

Karok Battlehammer

As the bugbear took it's last breath, Karok looked around and gave Kallista a nod of his head in respect. Somehow he also hadn't been hit by an arrow either. Since the first thing a healer is taught is to keep yourself alive to be able to help others, he called upon his God's power to heal his wounds again. When he was done, he was completely healed. He looked for others needing his help as well as where the goblin archers were.

Karok Cure Wounds on Karok
Nivek rolled d8+3 and got 10

[I don't know what Chandan's doing; it's somewhat unprecedented!]

[ooc: Nivek, did you notice that Kriv, who you are standing on, has been making death save after death save?

Gypsy, Yes. The 3 archers are alive and going to kill you all off as soon as they can. Yes, you can fire.]

[ooc: And that's why he healed himself first. Then he can heal others. Doesn't do anyone any good if he drops dead. Only had 2 hits left.]

[ooc:Sounds like he needs a meatshield to soak the hits for him so he isn't attacked. ]

ooc: AJ, I just want to make sure that Nivek didn't miss the fact that Kriv was down because his token was covered up in the map. It might not be the strategy that I would employ, but that's OK. It'll probably work out...probably <weg>

Maybe I don't understand. Is there a time limit we're facing or Kriv is dead? The way I see it, if Karok goes down, who heals him?

(OOC - Niv - No. He is stable, but unconscious. He will have to be healed by spell, potion, or by a rest. A short rest and he can use any healing dice he may have left, or a long rest and he recovers all his hps. I think Neptune was referring to a tactical strategy. From the perspective of how effective a pc is in combat, a pc with 1 hp is just as effective as a pc at full hps. So there is an argument that it is better to have 2 pcs who are conscious and fighting with 1/2 their max hps each than it is to have 1 pc fighting at full hp and one unconscious and not doing anything. In the case of the two pcs fighting the party has the potential of doing twice the damage to the enemy each turn than with only one.

As for the question of if Karok goes down who heals him, as long as he is stabilized, i.e. he makes his 3 death saves, or someone uses the Medicine Skill on him, then he can heal himself during a rest using his healing dice. That means as long as the party ends the encounter with a single living pc and all enemies dead, everyone can heal themselves until they run out of healing dice, or in the worst case a long rest and everyone is automatically fully healed.

So the answer to "If Karok goes down who heals him" is, he heals himself during a short or long rest. The party just has to win the encounter.)

[Time limit is 3 failed death saves. Rolling a 1 is 2 failed death saves, rolling a 20 is wake up and have a hitpoint. 3 successful death saves is stable. I got lucky and rolled 3 successes in 4 attempts. If any of those three had been a 1, Kriv would be dead. If two of them had been less than 10, Kriv would be dead.

At this level, the Bugbear was capable of one-shotting almost any party member. It wouldn't matter how healed you were, 1HP or near full health, one hit and good night gracie. There were two possible defences: Not getting hit, and ablative party members to soak the hits, and hopefully get some damage in as well. Healing yourself is a high risk strategy, gambling on your armour beating all the attacks as opposed to some attacks going towards anyone else. On the other hand, high risk or no, it looks to have paid off for now. ]

...and when we reach 4th level there is a Feat that allows you to use the Medicine Skill to actually give people 1 hit point back in healing, so they're not just stabilized, but awake and able to act. Effectively an endless ability to recover your fellow party members from death. Plus if you use it with a Healer's Kit you get to give them quite a bit of hit points back. But in this latter case only once per rest. If anyone decides to take it at that point......

[Zeim and AJ are right about why I was somewhat surprised. There are some tactics that I thought were commonly accepted, similar to the "don't split 10's" blackjack standard. As AJ said, so far, so good in terms of how it's playing out.

BTW, there are situations where I split 10's ... and I tend to win at Blackjack.

The one thing that they didn't mention is that in a face-to-face game one would want to get a player that was losing turns to get back in the game by healing them. ]

You mean tactics like "never split the party". Never, never, never, never.....Especially after you just agreed not to do so 1 minute before? Although, again, in this case it may have worked out OK (pending what happens to Chandan).

Right. And "focus fire" to try and whittle down the number of enemies and reduce the damage-per-round that they can do.

OK. Back to the game. We can continue this in the OOC thread




DM

Karok is healed now but Kriv lies on the ground, breathing strained but steady. Davroar and Jaliera know that there are goblins behind the supplies. They are hidden right now, out of sight. They need to decide what they are going to do and they both have options. A readied projectile could pick one of them off if it emerges. To negate the goblin's skill at stealthiness, they could move get into melee range. A defensive or restorative tactic could mitigate the harm they are taking.

Chandan strips naked, dropping his clothing and equipment, talking craziness which the goblins don't really understand. But now, empty-handed, the two on his level go over to his stuff and one takes out the hempen rope in Chandan's explorer pack while the other threatens him with a spear. The two others, atop the bridge, keep their focus on him as the goblin with the rope moves to tie him up.

Davroar

After healing Jaliera, he decides that the hidden goblin archers need to be revealed. Making a move, he quickly grabs the torch off the floor and side arms it as far as he can to the opposite side of the cave to get some light over there. He will then duck back to the smaller stalagmite to his right. If it does go out in flight, Davroar figures he can simply use his Druidcraft cantrip to re-light it.

[ooc: No need for light. There's a fire in the middle of the room.]

Jaliera

The last thing she remembers is the bugbear attacking, loosing all her breath, feeling a bad pain in her middle and then everything going black.

Coming around, she sees Davroar's face above hers and smiles weakly at him, realising that he has used his magic to help her. Then she looks around sharply, concerned that the bugbear might still be attacking but sees his prone body nearby and breathes a sigh of relief.

Seeing Davroar throw a torch and move into cover, she scrabbles into cover herself, remembering those goblin archers, and readies her bow, peeking out to watch for a target. If she sees one she'll fire.

Attack roll in case: 1d20+5, 1d6+3 = 24,6

Chandan

"Yes yes, nothing hidden! No weapons, not anywhere. Look and see!"

Chandan bends over to provide the goblins and clear view of his completely unsinister lower intestine (prostate somewhat swollen due to age).

Kallista

(OOC - If we're back at the top of the order.)

"Chandan is in the other room with four Goblins!" She shouts across to the ones hiding behind the stalagmites. "How is Kriv?"

She feel refreshed from killing the Bugbear. (OOC - She gained 4 temporary HPs). As she speaks she watches the boxes across the room where the arrows came from. She readies her main attack and waits, using the boxes she is in for cover.

(OOC - Ready Action- Attack Goblins when they show themselves. First use Bonus Action to move Hex to Goblin who shows himself and then hit him with Eldritch Blast.

Kallista Attack, Dam, Hex
Zeim rolled d20+5,d10,d6 and got 18, 1, 6 )

ooc: We're at the top of the order:
Goblins, Kriv, Karok, Kallista, Jaliera, Davroar.

So Kallista will wait a while. We'll keep that nice roll for you Zeim

Before the Goblins go, I'm giving Davroar an action. The torch thingy wasn't needed so he gets to act. He can still duck behind the stalagmite and get an action. An action can be to ready an action like Jaliera's.

Dugan, If you do that, you can roll.]

As for Chandan, I'm tempted to take that BCD but I'll send a PM instead

Davroar

"Good to see your alive Jaliera. Now, I'll see if I can't spook one or two of them out into the open for you to shoot."
Peeking around the stalagmite, he uses his druidcraft cantrip to make a sound of a large swarm of angry bees as if they are descending on the hidden goblin archers.

[ooc: please let me know if I'm bending the rules too much with Druidcraft cantrip "create a natural sensory effect" for making a bee sound ]

Delaying until after Karok

Dugan, no problem but probably not a necessary action. The goblins are going to pop up. None the less, so it is written, so it will be done.

AJ Goblins get to go first, but I have your delay.

DM
The sound of a bee swarm start over the supplies behind which the goblins had been hiding. Whether it is the perceived swarm or their bloodlust, they emerge to fire their bows.

Jaliera is ready for them and fires an arrow at the first one she sees. The arrow strikes and the goblin cries out in pain and anger but it does not die. The wounded goblin and his allies return fire at her, Davroar and Karok. An arrow misses Davroar and another bounces off of Karok's armor but Jaliera, just revived, is struck again.

The three remaining goblins then run towards the group behind the stalagmites, hoping that the next round of attacks will be theirs. Kallista calls out about the monk as she curses the nearest goblin. She then blasts it with a baleful ray of magical power. The goblin is enveloped momentarily in a dark nimbus before it crumbles dead to the ground.

Goblins attack Davroar, Jaliera and Karok
Neptune rolled 1d20+4,1d20+4,1d20+4 and got 10, 24, 17
Jaliera 5 pts damage.
I resolved Kallista out of turn. Jaliera's attack was a reaction triggered from last round, not her regular attack this round so she can go again. This is the initiative order:
Goblins, Karok, Kriv, Kallista, Jaliera, Davroar.

(OOC -Not a big deal but Kallista had moved to hide among the boxes on the southern wall. She should be in the square right above the "A" in Cragmaw on the map.)

[OOC: Okey dokey. Kallista heads south for the winter]

Karok

With no healing left, Karok turned to what he did almost as well and swung at the nearest Goblin.


Karok Attack Goblin#3
Nivek rolled d20+6 and got 26 (Critical)
arok Damage vs Goblin #3
Nivek rolled 2d8+2 and got 9


[ooc: Sorry guys, I thought I had 4 spells. Zeim pointed out the error of my ways.
Also, I've been rolling d20+6 for attack. I don't know why it isn't d20+4. Can someone help. Also is d8+2 right for normal damage?]

Nivek - With a Str of 14 you have a +2 bonus to non-finesse weapon attacks, such as Warhammer. You get another +2 to your To-Hit (but not to Damage) for Proficiency. That means if you use the Warhammer one handed it is d20+4 to hit and d8+2 damage. If you drop your shield and use it two handed (it is a versatile weapon, which means you can use it with two hands) your damage becomes d10+2.

Note that you also can use your Bolt of Inspiration from your Divine Domain to gain an extra melee attack 3x per day.

Delaying until after Davroar.

DM

Karok finishes off another of the goblins. That leaves one, goblin who throws down his weapons and emerges with it's hands raised over its head in surrender. One of Jaliera's arrows is sticking out of it's side and dark blood leaks from the wound.

What do you do?

Davroar

He was about to throw a rock at the advancing goblins with his sling when the battle quickly turns tide and the remaining one goblin surrenders. Quickly he steps out, ready to strike with this quarterstaff in case the devious goblins tries to attack.

Kicking its weapons further out of reach, he will tap the ground indicating for it to go to its knees.

Kallista

Seeing the last Goblin surrender, Kallista moves her Hex spell over to him. (Choosing to use it to curse any Charisma checks he might need to make when he is inevitably questioned by the group).

Calling out for Karok, as she knows he is the only other one who doesn't need a torch to see by she says, "Karok, follow me to look for Chandan. Davroar, Jaliera, watch over Kriv and the captive and search the room."

That said, she moves carefully back across the room back into the last place she saw Chandan.

(Kallista Stealth
Zeim rolled d20+2 and got 16)

Jaliera

Having been injured again she is feeling not a little vulnerable. She hears Kallista's instruction, and although she wants to help Chandan,she sees the sense in what the teifling suggests.

She looks over at Davroar.

"Can you watch the goblin whilst I search?"

[OOC can you remind me what Jaliers's healing options are. I think she is quite low on HPs. Thanks! ]

[ooc: Let's see, Kriv is unconscious but stable, Jaliera is very hurt, there's no party healing left, you're missing a party member and you're continuing to split up. OK. Just checking.

Gypsy, I don't think there's any healing left. You would need a short rest but the module doesn't call for one.]

[ooc: LOL Neptune if I didn't know better, I'd think you were insinuating that we're not very good at this game ;)]

Karok Battlehammer

"Kallista. Wait. We need to stay together. We can go after the fool, but we need to do it together. Leaving these others behind in their state will get them killed."

The old man had seemed a liability from the start. Karok would not chase after him and leave those he was starting to trust behind.

OOC: Well, you're new to this version, even though by now you're thinking that the system is very familiar. One truth about 5e is that 1st level PC's were made much more vulnerable than in the past few editions. If you were at full strength, things would be different.

Full disclosure. This was a TPK from the start. I fudged about 10 rolls. When Kriv came up, he was hit with a surprise attack which killed him outright. Considering that was a surprise attack and that they won initiative, the same probably would have happened with the next 2 PC's before you decided to come up the way you did. The bugbear did an extra 2d6 (7pt) damage on top of the 11 it does normally. That didn't include the wolf attack which would knock you prone on top of the damage it did. I didn't let the goblins kill off Chandan but a wicked DM would have.

I've been struggling to keep you alive. The other party isn't having these difficulties but they took a much more standard approach to this dungeon and they've completed it. You still have a major encounter to complete.

Granted, it has been interesting how the different approaches unveiled issues with the module. For instance, the bugbear/wolf gauntlet was probably unintentional by the authors. They probably didn't foresee the tactical situation that could emerge. I don't think it's your collective fault, but you're not making it easy for me to keep you alive

Kallista

She pauses at the entrance to the waterfall room (which is about as far as her movement lets her get anyway) at Karok's reply, trying to hide there. Peering into it she tries to see if she can see any sign of Chandan or the Goblins that were there just a few seconds ago. Regardless of whether Chandan is there or has fled, there were 4 Goblins there who could come barreling into the room any moment so she wants to be able to have warning.

(OOC - First, Kallista was intending to just see if Chandan was alive and still in the other room, not search the whole complex. It's only been two melee rounds since she left him, which is only 12 seconds of clock time. There is a good chance to think he's still there and if he's fighting she and Karok could turn the tide. If she didn't see him in the waterfall room she planned to come right back to the group.)

DM

Kallista pokes her head in the other room and sees, in the back of the chamber, the flickering light of the torch that Chandan dropped. There is no sign of Chandan at this moment and there is no sign of goblins either. There were four of them here when Kallista last looked.

(OOC: Fair enough. That's plausible. Now, what is everyone else doing in this room with supplies a goblin that is wounded and the unconscious member of the party?)

(OOC: I think I'll just lie here for a bit. )

[ooc: I'm trying, man. I really am!]

Kallista

Returning she says to the group, "Chandan is gone. There were four Goblins in that room, and they're gone too. Best case, he fled and they chased him. Worst case, he was taken captive. Either way I think it's a bit late for sneaking about. However many of them are left likely know we're here now."

She looks at the unconscious Kriv, the captive, and then at the room. "I'll watch him and Kriv. Take a look around. Maybe there's something here we can use?"

She then turns to the Goblin and says in Goblin to it, "Now. Why don't you tell me everything you know about this place and who else is here?" As she does so, her eyes begin to glow a deep red and her voice, while still low, takes on an unearthly echoing hiss.

Goblin

Kallista tends to the watches over Kriv and starts to interrogate the wounded goblin. It starts talking at the least bit of prodding.

"Klarg forced us to do bad stuff. We don't like Klarg. It's good he is dead. Dead bugbear is a good bugbear, no? Goblins want no trouble with the humans. Only goblins here and Klarg's prisoner on other side of bridge."

While Kallista interrogates the goblin, others can focus on the supplies in the other end of the cavern. The crates and barrels you find are typical trade goods. Bolts of leather. Mining equipment. Tarps. Rope. Raw materials and such. Most are marked with the Blue Lion symbol.

You also find a small chest. It is not marked with the symbol.

Davroar

While overhearing the goblin's answer to Kallista, he casually looks over the supplies without actually touching anything and will leave the unmarked chest alone. Perhaps there might be something in the chest to help Kriv. "Jaliera, can you open that chest? Might be something in there..." Davroar is not sure if it might be trapped or not, and has little experience in determining such things.

He shakes his head in disbelief at the situation they are in. One missing and one unconscious gives him little hope of surviving this rescue mission turned nightmare. There is probably at least double of their number waiting for them. The original goblin they captured at the ambush said that there was at least dozen of them living here. Walking back over to the goblin, he points to it and asks, "Kallista, would you think a prisoner exchange might work?"

Jaliera

"I can try. Mister Stagg always said I was good at getting into things."

She moves to the chest and spends some time looking at it, then picks it up carefully and looks at it more closely. Only when she is satisfied does she try to open it, picking the lock if necessary.

Perception 1d20+4 = 20, pick lock 1d20+7 = 23

(OOC - Nice rolls!)

Kallista

She shakes her head, replying in Common, "I doubt it. Goblins care little enough for each other. But it does tell us that they have Gundren and Sildar...., although."

She turns back to the Goblin. "You said prisoner. As in a single prisoner? What kind of prisoner is it? Human, dwarf, what?"

Goblin

"Human. It's a human, I think. Yeemik has him."

Jaliera

After checking carefully she finds the chest isn't locked and opens it, looking inside with interest. Then she looks up and relays the information to the others.

"There are trade goods and equipment back here, nothing that seems significant in our present circumstances. This chest though has what could be three potions which might be helpful. Other than that there is a pile of copper, hundreds at a glance (600), over a hundred silver by the look of it (110) and a really cute frog statuette which looks like it could be worth something (40gp)."

She pauses, glancing at Kriv, and then says..

"Any idea how we can tell what these potions do.. if that is what they are. We might be able to help Kriv."

Kallista

She glances at Davroar. "Any questions for him?" She nods towards the Goblin.

She then calls over her shoulder to Jaliera. "Take a sip."

Jaliera

She looks over at Kallista with round eyes.

"But what it it is poison?"

However, she does take out one of the bottle to examine and will remove the stopper to take a tentative sniff hoping that maybe Davroar will have a better solution.

Kallista

She shrugs. "Then you'll die. Life is all one big toss of the dice. Embrace the risk. It gets your blood flowing." She chuckles.

She then turns and looks at the Goblin. "Or, give him a sip first if you're worried. Just don't waste it on him if it's useful."

[ooc: it's common knowledge to your character that the way to determine what a potion is is to take a sip. Since poisons have not yet been described in the books (I'm sure it's in the DMG), odds are it's not poison...especially at 1st level. ]

Davroar

He looks at the goblin and says, "Who's Yeemik? And how many of you live across the bridge?"

Goblin
"He big goblin. All of the goblins live there."

ooc: anyone brave enough to take a sip?

Jaliera

She looks at Kallista for a moment not sure if she is joking or not. Then if the scent or dipping the end of her little finger in the liquid doesn't produce any adverse results, she will take a small sip.

Depending on what, if anything, happens, she may try the others.

DM

Jaliera takes a tiny sip and instantly realizes that the elixir has the power to heal wounds.

OK. To speed things up, they are all potions of healing. Potions of healing do 2d4+2, or in our game 7 points of healing.

Kallista

She listens to Davroar questioning the Goblin but watches as Jaliera takes a sip of the potions. One eyebrow rises sardonically. "Still with us?"

Davroar

He gives Jaliera a quick look to make sure she hasn't turned into a frog or anything else after taste-testing the potion, then returns to questioning the goblin.

"Was Klarg the big leader here, or was it Yeemik?"

To Kallista, he says in a quieter voice, "Would you think a decapitated Klarg might impress the other goblins to hand over their prisoner?"

It seems that the goblins will kowtow to a strong leader, and Davroar wonders if they could use some theatrics instead of just fighting their way across. At the very least it might buy them enough time to for a distraction.

Goblin

"Nasty Klarg was big leader. Yeemik tell we that kill Klarg and no more beatings we'll get."

To emphasize his point, the goblin spits in the direction of the dead bugbear. There seems to be no love lost between Klarg and the goblins, at least from this goblin's point of view.

Jaliera

She grins at Kallista's question, partly in relief that she is in fact still with them. And she smiles at Davroar when he looks in her direction.

"They are all healing."

She sounds really pleased as the results.

"Could we feed one to Kriv? Would he be able to swallow?"

Kallista

"Sure. Let him drink it slowly. I'd suggest we do whatever we can to heal up, but try to save at least one of those for an emergency. The Goblins left know we're here."

She looks at the cave mouth.

"First question is do we go after Chandan? If so, we probably need to do so now, before the Goblins get tired of him."

Turning back to Davroar she says, "Can't hurt. Assuming we're negotiating with them and not killing them. Let's tie and gag this one too." She gestures to the Goblin. "Bind his hands behind his back and put a noose around his neck but leave his feet free. I can hold onto the noose's other end. We'll take him with us. He might know more."

**And**, she thinks, **He might make a nice meat shield if we meet more archers.**

Jaliera

"I'll take it to him."

She hesitates.

"How is everyone else feeling? I'm not feeling that great. Think I should drink one too?"

She takes all three potions and starts to make her way over to Kriv.

"And I think we should go after Chandan. I'd want you to if it was me that was a captive."

She shudders slightly trying not to think about what the goblins might be doing.

Kallista

"I am healthy enough to go on."

DM

Jaliera goes over to Kriv. He's breathing steadily. She gently lifts his head and pours the crimson liquid into his mouth. Within seconds his wounds close and his eyes open.

As stated earlier, he's at 7hp

The goblin hears all this and seems somewhat relieved. He believed that he was about to die. Hearing that his hands will be bound means that he still has time to live. He doesn't resist when they move to secure him.

With Kriv up and the goblin secure, the group is ready to move.

Jaliera

She waits to hear from Davroar about whether he needs healing, after all he saved her earlier. She doesn't want to go on a rescue mission though without drinking a potion first.

Kriv

He rises up with a start, maul swiftly in hand, eyes darting first to the bugbear corpse and then to the captive goblin. He conducted a quick headcount,

"No Chandan. Dead? Any sign of Gundren?"

Kallista

"Welcome back." She grins, then shrugs. "Chandan was in the other room", she nods towards the exit at the far end, "with 4 Goblins last I saw him. After this thing died", she kicks the Bugbear corpse, "I went to check. No blood, but no sign of him or the Goblins. So either he ran off and they chased him or they took him prisoner. Can't say which."

"As for Gundren. This one", she nods towards the bound Goblin, "says they have a prisoner in another room. But he said it was a human, so maybe it's Gundren's traveling companion? Don't know."

Kriv

He scowled at the goblin.

"What was he doing in there by himself? No matter. You, Goblin. There was a dwarf brought to these caves at the same time as this booty and the human prisoner. What happened to him?"

Goblin

Less fearful now because he was a prisoner and not dead, the goblin responded.

"Klarg say that Black Spider pay Cragmaws for dwarf-man name is Grunden Rockseeker. Orders to us to grab Grunden and all stuff and send to King Grol in Cragmaw Castle."

Davroar

He still feels sore from his fall in his attempt to climb up, but shakes his head at Jaliera's offer for one of the potions. "Best to save one just in case."

When Kriv is healed and is walking again, Davroar smiles and greets him by saying, "Sure glad you're alright. That was one tough bugbear."

In regards to Chandan with Kallista saying there is no signs of a fight he says, "Four against one, Chandan was probably surrounded and caught. Sounds like we got two to rescue now."

Jaliera

Davroar's words about not wanting a potion and about rescuing the prisoners makes her mind up. She will be no use to anyone if she dies on first contact. She drinks the second potion.

"Nice to see you looking better Kriv."

She moves back to the chest and packs the remaining potion away making sure it is safely buried in her clothing. She add the small statuette and the silver to her pack. Copper is too heavy and they can return for it later.

"I have the third potion, statuette and silver in my pack. Thought we could return for the copper later."

She let's the others know what she has done. This is her new life. She is no thief.

DM

You've decided to move quickly to see if you can rescue Chandan and whoever it was that is being held captive by the goblins.

Jaliera picks out the goods stuff from the chest. Eventually the group will need to figure out what to do with the supplies here. They have some good value and since there's a Blue Lion stamp, it probably belongs to someone.

There are two exits from this room. You can slide back down the way most of you came or you can go to the room that the stairs lead down to. Kallista has been there, but not the others. The cavern has two empty pools that once contained water. A flickering light around the bend is where Chandan dropped it.

I drew in 4 colored paths to take. Which color do you choose to follow? Red, Blue, Green or Yellow? My apologies to anyone that's color blind.

(OOC - Just to make sure everyone knows the Red path leads across the bridge. All the other paths leads down below it.)

Kriv

The area which had been stove-in by the Bugbear's morningstar was restored, but as much as the Dragonborn might try to conceal it, still tender. He nodded appreciation to his colleague's concern, and finally got around to cleaning the wolf's face off his maul. He deliberated,

"An expensive victory but a victory, though our battles are not over. They have a place where they keep prisoners: If Chandan was captured, it seems likely they took him there. From what you describe, that indicates crossing that bridge we saw earlier."

Karok Battlehammer

They were not in good shape, but they couldn't very well rest here.

"Let's keep moving then. Across the bridge, I don't need another bath for a week now." he said with a toothy grin. He started out, expecting the others to follow again.

Davroar

He is not relishing the idea of crossing the bridge with more goblin archers trying to shoot them. Quickly he looks over the supplies to see if any crates or barrels have lids that can be used as a crude shield.

Jaliera

"We can't go rushing in again. That hasn't worked so well. I suggest we take the route that is the most defensive for the longest time and that we scout ahead first. I am quite good at scouting but not so good seeing in the dark."

[OOC she is proposing the blue route if there is a way to get onto that bridge as I think the blue route leads below it.

After looking over my maps I can see that they're probably a bit confusing. Really there are two choices with some flavor. There are two potential entrances get to the unexplored area. I labeled them A and B. Some of you were in passage A to avoid the flood. It was filled with rubble and it looked like you would need to do some climbing up. Passage B is already at your level and looks like it was well traveled.

The reason for my colored lines is that there are potential encounters along the way as the goblins are well aware of intruders now. Even Zeim doesn't know where encounters might happen now since I'm going to need to change things up a bit.

Also, you have a prisoner that needs to be dealt with. Does he alert his friends when you are close? Does he help you negotiate with the other goblins? I'm leaving this wide open for you to handle any way you like.

That might be a mistake

Davroar

"Scouting ahead sounds like a good first step to me. We just need to avoid choke points, and the bridge seems to be the easiest way."


[ooc: Would the torch that was dropped by the steps leading to the pools cast enough light to see if any goblins are standing on the bridge? ]

[ooc: Yes, but remember that that the goblins have very good stealth]

Jaliera

"There is that passageway that we passed on our way in. There might be a way in that way. They will expect us to cross the bridge.. and be ready. Maybe we should try to do the unexpected? We can get to it by going down the hole. Worth a try?"

She is thinking hard.

"And that torch lying in the corridor. Likely left there to lure us that way."

Kallista

"Just be careful", she chimes in. "The ones who were confronting Chandan were in the Waterfall room. They could have gone anywhere. They could have crossed the bridge to where the others must be, or even gone back to the Wolf Den."

She looks across to all the party members.

"As I see it while the Goblins have two things we want, Chandan and whoever the other prisoner is. We also have things they want. If we guard the exits across the bridge, both above and below, they lose their access to water. We also have that Bugbear's treasure. And according to him", she points at the Goblins prisoner, "they hated the Bugbear. And they don't know he is dead."

"So, seems we have three options. One, we charge across the bridge into the teeth of an unknown number of Goblins. Two, we block them in and wait them out. Three, we negotiate."

"We could scout ahead", she adds, gesturing across the bridge, "but we've all seen how good they are at hiding. Probably as good a chance we lose our scout as we find them first."

Kriv

"Let's see if the vermin are willing to negotiate. Killing their leader has value on two counts: They didn't like him and what he made them do, and he was much bigger and tougher than them."

He gave their prisoner a disgusted sneer, then turned back to the others.

"They'd rather live, subservient to one not of their kind, than risk their lives. They know we're capable of killing things tougher than them. Let's try and negotiate from a position of strength, and graciously allow them a chance to live."

Goblin

"Yes. Goblin no want fight. Hated Klarg. Yeemik tell we when we kill Klarg friends to powerful humans will be. Prove to Yeemik that Klarg is dead and fight no more have you to do with goblins."

Evidently the goblin sees a way to survive so he is encouraging you to take the path that will keep him alive the longest.

Davroar

Ignoring the goblins self-serving comment, he says, "Talking is better than fighting. Should we all go, or just one of us?"

Jaliera

"Who is going to do the talking? I feel I would be best positioned to cover so that I can defend the spokesperson should things not go to plan."

She is feeling a little relieved that they are going in this direction. Scouting can be risky but she felt she should offer that as a possible option.

Karok Battlehammer

"I will not be me. We have no tolerance for Goblins and they know it." he said sternly as if to say that he didn't think this goblin should still be alive.

Kriv Norixius

"I have no love for their kind either, but I have a decent grounding in the art of negotiation. I do not make empty promises, nor empty threats."

Kallista

She nods to Kriv. "Sounds good." Of course she could go herself, but she is not really in the unnecessary risk-taking business. "We could also send a message with this one." She points at the Goblin. "Although maybe it'll be better to make them think there's more of us than there are, and he might tell the truth."

She thinks a bit. "I doubt the Goblins know how much was in that chest, so maybe we just give them all the coins and hold onto that statuette?"

Kriv

"It depends how highly they value their lives. Us being fewer in number is also an advantage: That Bugbear and his mutt had this whole warren cowed. Letting these vermin live is enough of a mercy already."

Kallista

"So why don't we all go together? We can have this one", gesturing to the Goblin, "call in ahead of us so we are not shot on sight. That way we don't risk any more of us being taken prisoner. Kriv can be our spokesman. If needed I speak Goblin, so if they try to talk behind our backs I will understand what they're saying."

Kriv

"Works for me."

He looked askance of the others: Their input was vital.

Jaliera

"There is only copper in the chest now. Could be good to be able to offer that as a reserve if need be, gesture of goodwill perhaps?"

She considers.

"The plan sounds good but we are at risk from being flanked from behind. I can stay near the bridge and act as rear guard, retreating as needed to stay with you all."

Kallista

"We may need to put the silver back into it to make the deal worthwhile for them." She says, keeping this conversation low and out of hearing of their captive. "That small statuette was worth many times the worth of the silver, so it shouldn't matter for us to give it up. And I'd suggest we don't go too far inside. Make them meet us halfway so we can't be surrounded."

Kriv

Quietly, he responded,

"There is little benefit to sweetening the pot: If we are not strong enough in their eyes to impose our will, then nothing will stop them keeping their booty by force of arms. If we need to resort to appeasement, it makes us seem weak and vulnerable. These are vermin, reasoned discourse and civilised trade are concepts as foreign to them as living in a dank cave and pillaging travellers are to us. If we are to treat with them, it needs must be in their language, conforming to their view of the world, not trying idealistically to impose ours upon them and hoping for the best.

Forget kindness, reasonableness, equitable transactions. Think rule by the strong, absolute obedience to someone you don't have the strength to kill, self-serving cowardice such as life as an unwilling slave preferable to making a stand against the strong."

Kallista

She shrugs, looking over at Davroar and Karok. "What do you think?"

Karok Battlehammer

"As I've said, I'm no diplomat. I believe like Kriv. A show of power is the only thing I've seen these creatures react to. It's the only reason that one is helping now." he said pointing to the goblin with disdain.

"Turn your back on it and you'll quickly find a knife in it if the creature thinks it can get away with it."

Davroar

"I agree. A strong showing is all they respect. Kriv is the most physically imposing I think, and should lead."

His barbarian heritage shows through with his suggestion, "I'd even cut off Klarg's head and bring it to show we're serious."

Do you? (cut off Klarg's head)

Also, it seems like there's finally a consensus, shall I move this forward? If so, it sounds like Kriv's leading the way. To move the game forward, AJ, why don't you take the bull by the horns and state which way you are headed?

Kriv

"Agreed. Sever the head, take it with us."

The Dragonborn hefted his maul and headed for the bridge, stopping just short of crossing it. He roared out a challenge,

"Klarg is dead! Do you all want to join him in death, or will you give us what we want to make us go away forever?"

Jaliera

She takes a rear guard position. Even though they are stopping short of the bridge there is the hole down to the wolf area where goblins may emerge. Her bow is loaded.

Intended destination hex: N7 W8 from present position, taking the southern passage, advancing slowly and carefully in case of ambush.

ooc: Let's have an intimidation roll from Kriv. Do it with advantage because of Klarg's severed head.

Here's what I think AJ meant. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Kriv Intimidating with advantage
AJ rolled 1d20+2,1d20+2 and got 22, 12

Good time for a natural 20.

Edit: K is Karok, A is Kriv, and in this instance Kriv was to the fore to negotiate. Other than that, placement is fine.

OK. We'll go wit that

DM

Two goblins step out from their hiding spots. Both had considered running but neither wants to get hunted down and Kriv's offer, to leave this place, was better than death. They throw down their bows and say "Kill we not. Come to go see Yeemik now."

They saw the goblin prisoner in tow and that made them believe that there was hope. He's not dead yet, so maybe these invaders might spare them too.

They want to lead the party over the bridge to the other side of the caverns. Do you follow?

Kriv

He did his utmost to hide his disgust for those who would throw down their weapons and surrender when their own home was invaded, especially since he'd been working for this outcome. He indicated to those behind him to lay claim to the surrendered bows, and strode confidently after the goblins, severed head in one hand, maul in the other.

Davroar

Following along he will gather up a discarded bow and try to look as menacing as possible too.

Despair

She follows to the rear, keeping a close eye on their prisoner as well as glancing behind them. Once over the bridge she will stop to make sure none cross to try to cut them off.

(OOC - Nep - Any chance we can use the PC names on the map bubbles instead of the player names? It is always confusing to me to try to figure out who is who on the map. I know we have a bunch of "K" names, but you can use "De" for Despair for Kallista and "Da" for Davroar. Then "Ka" for Karok and "Kr" for Kriv. "J" for Jaliera and "C" for Chandan naturally. Just wondering.)

[ooc: I'll make the change but who would imagine 3 "K"s. Damn it, there are 26 letters in the English alphabet!

Meanwhile, whatcha doing for light?]

(OOC - Well. Kallista doesn't need any ......, can't speak for the others....)

(Kriv has his hands full, and needs to speak to scare the goblins. Anyone up for torchbearer? The one Kriv dropped should be available.)

Jaliera

She follows at the rear, trusting the group to warn her of anything from their direction, she keeps most of her attention behind them. With her bow at the ready, she can't hold a torch too.

ooc: Chandan was your torchbearer but right now he's not around. Light is such an annoyance, isn't it

(OOC - Kallista can hold a torch if necessary.)

[ooc: Davroar will volunteer to hold the torch since he has the cantrip to easily snuff out or re-light the torch at a moments notice. ]

DM

Kriv follows the two goblins, severed head in one hand, great maul in the other, down the tunnel. The goblins suddenly dart ahead into a chamber beyond. Kriv also notices that there's a side passage on his left and there there's at least one goblin, probably more, hiding there. He sees the tip of an arrow pointing at him.

The light from the torch that Davroar is holding could not fully illuminate the cave from this vantage but there seems to be some dim light somewhere in there too. From the first glance of that room Kriv can see that the large cave is divided by a ten-foot-high escarpment. A steep natural staircase leads from the lower portion to the upper ledge.

Other goblins are in the room and some other beings too. Chandan is in the room, his hands bound behind his back. It looks like he's been beaten to within inches of his life and there's another human, is similarly bad condition, that is being held by a big goblin, at the edge of the escarpment. The larger goblin has it's arms wrapped around the neck of this prisonner, using him as a shield.

The air in the room is hazy with smoke and pungent from the smell of poorly cured hides and unwashed goblins.

Gc,G6 Stealth
Neptune rolled 1d20+6,1d20+6 and got 8, 8
Kriv, Karok and Davroar have may use a reaction. This is purely mechanical thing I'm giving you. The two goblins that bolted away from you yield an opportunity attack - if you want to do that. It can also involve saying something - ie. using a skill like intimidate or diplomacy.

Otherwise, I want an initiative roll for all of you...just in case.

Kriv

He ignored the disarmed goblins fleeing, looked contemptiously at the skulking archer before turning to the majority and spiking the Bugbear's severed head onto the ground in front of him.

"We killed Klarg. We killed his little dog, too. We killed the ambushers on the high road, we killed the guards outside the cave. You are the lucky ones: You get to live and go somewhere else if you don't attack. Klarg and his wolf attacked, the ambushers attacked, the guards outside attacked. Are you going to attack too, or are you going to live?"

He switched his maul to a ready, two-handed grip and glowered.


Kriv Reaction intimidate
AJ rolled 1d20+2 and got 16

Kriv Initiative
AJ rolled 1d20+1 and got 10

Despair

She keeps the bound Goblin prisoner in front of her with a hand on the scruff of it's neck, using it as a shield. Seeing the two other Goblins suddenly run and hearing Kriv speak she readies herself just in case.

(OOC - Assuming G3 is our bound prisoner. Also note that if she is hit she has a 'Reaction'.)

Kallista: Ready Action. 'If Goblins attack use Eldritch Blast on furthest Goblin she can see'
Kallista Initiative, Attack, Dam
Zeim rolled d20+2,d20+5,d10 and got 10, 18, 7

DM
The goblins do not attack, but it's currently a stand-off. Blood has flowed in these caverns and more bood could flow at any moment. For now, with both sides having prisoners, neither side has taken action.

The only exception could be the two goblins that had run into the chamber are talking and then you hear the big goblin in the back call out "Truce! Or this man dies!"

You now recognize that man as the late middle-aged warrior that set off before you with Grunden. You can also see that Chandan is as naked as the day he was born. OOC: Chandan's stuff is where he left it.

The big goblin continues, "Klarg! He's dead!" and with that the goblins started dance and cheer with satisfaction. The quiet down with a sneer from the speaker. "These prisoners we give you allive for your gold. Yeemik the kind will let you live. You have helped us. But payment I need." The big goblin is evidently Yeemik.

Kriv

He looked over at Chandan and Gundren's associate, and shrugged.

"Do I look like a soft-skinned, soft-hearted little human who would drop everything to save a fellow member of their kind? Those two bargaining chips have no value to you. Kill them and we kill you, simple as that. Killing your kind is easy for us, we've been doing it all day. Do you really want to give us an excuse to keep doing it, or can we go our separate ways in peace without us taking the time to kill you?"

Davroar

He wrinkles his nose at the smell but remains still while Kriv does the talking. Davroar will try to get a better look at the goblin partially hidden in the side passage. If it comes down to a fight he will be ready to engage that goblin first.


davroar Initiative
Dugan rolled 1d20 and got 13

Karok Battlehammer

He moved with the others, silent but resolved. When they met the goblins, he stood with his shield before him, battlehammer in his strong hand. When they made their demands, his response was a cold deep throated answer devoid of any emotion. His eyes bored into the leader.

"There will be no payment."

"What of my kin? That answer may keep you alive yet."

Karok Initiative
Nivek rolled d20-1 and got 18


[ooc: So would Insight help me decide what they'll do next?]

Jaliera

She is watching behind still, just making sure she is not exposed to any in the area that lies ahead, using her ears to follow the negotiation and alert her to any changes.

Initiative 1d20+3 = poor 6

Chandan

He stands on one leg seemingly at ease with his nakedness and the cold stone floor. He rests the foot of his other leg on the inside of his knee.

[Initiative rolled 14 total]

Nivek, good question. Insight has value here. Make a roll.

Rolled d20+3(wisdom)=9. Do I add another 2 for having it as a skill?

A proficient skill, yes. And that's just what you needed.

DM
Karok, familiar with goblin-kind, knows that they have the upper hand now but that this is now a power-play for Yeemik. If he yields to the demands without getting anything back, he'll be thought of as weak and the weak always die among goblins. He has to get something, any kind of victory he can claim or he won't last the day. Even though Kriv scares him, he is just as scared about appearing weak.

Karok Battlehammer

He steps forward thinking he understood the chief.

"We pass with those two." he said pointing to Chandan and the human.

"You keep Klarg's head and the supplies he had back where he slept. Much value there. The wolf's skin will also make a good cloak. Keep that as well."

"A fight now means you die, we die and another Klarg comes along stronger than either of us. This way we both win." he said his voice still low and cold. There was a resolve to his tone that suggested that it was this or the fight neither wanted.

(OOC - Don't forget we were also going to offer him the chest full of copper pieces. That might help too.)

ooc: I'll assume you toss in the coppers

DM
Yeemik starts talking in the goblin tongue ooc: some of you speak it "I have won! Klarg is dead! These weaklings know that my mercy is why they will live! We will get all the coins and all the stuff that was on the wagon! Let the prisoners go!"

The goblins all cheer, probably out of fear. Many of them saw what you did to their friends and don't want to end up that way.

With that, Chandan's bindings are cut and so are the ropes that tied Grundan's associate. The man makes his way down the steps as quickly as he can to reach you.

Kriv

He steps to one side to let the man past then closes ranks to interpose between him and his former captors, eyes on the goblin vermin. He waits on the naked human.

Chandan

He stretches, with a few cracks, and licks his dry lips. It's been a long day and he's long since ran out of tasty beverages.

Chandan shuffles over to join his companions.

Kallista

Once Chandan and Grunden's associate reach the group, she takes out a dagger and presses it to the neck of the prisoner. She whispers in his ear in Goblin, "Your lucky day." She then lowers the dagger and slices the binding on his wrist and pushes him forward toward the other Goblins. She then backs out of the cave with the rest.

"I suggest we get our wagon and get on the road. We can chat later."

Davroar

He does not understand the goblin language, yet Davroar is visibily relieved when Chandan and the other prisoner are exchanged with their captured goblin.

In a soft voice he says, "Yes, lets get going.", as he wholeheartedly agrees with Kallista. Without completely turning his back to the goblins he will slowly back away with everyone else.

DM

With the prisoner exchange complete, you make your way out of the Cragmaw hideout and back into sunlight. Chandan is quite wounded and so is the other human, Grunden's associate. You are able to retrieve Chandan's robes but he hasn't seemed too concerned about wearing them. The party can also take a little bit of time to rest and recover.


Anyone who wishes to use a Healing Die may do so, please specify and record that if you do.

So, things to begin discussing and/or to do:

1 - Talk to Grunden's associate
2 - Retrieve your wagon and oxen
3 - Decide where to go next and when

Experience Points: You gain enough Experience Points to give each of you a total of 350. Enough to put you now at 2nd level. Everyone please update their pc sheets with their new HPs (you can use the die roller or you can take the average for your class rounded up plus your Con bonus (ex - if you use a d10 for hps the average rounded up is 6 (1+10=11/2=5.5 rounded up to 6), then add your Con bonus to that), and also add any new powers, spells, or abilities you gain on your sheet in the Gallery.

Skills I also recommend that you list ALL skills and your bonus for each. I noticed that some of you just put down which ones you are proficient in. It's easier to manage the game if all skills are listed as you might get bonus that are not proficiency based.

You can copy this as a template. Just replace the # with the final value and if you are proficient or have expertise in a skill, replace the - with a P or E:

Skills: (P=Proficient, E=Expertise)

- # Acrobatics
- # Animal handling
- # Arcana
- # Athletics
- # Deception
- # History
- # Insight
- # Intimidation
- # Investigation
- # Medicine
- # Nature
- # Perception
- # Performance
- # Persuasion
- # Religion
- # Sleight of hand
- # Stealth
- # Survival

Kriv HP roll
AJ rolled d10+1 and got 2

DM Note: Let's just make that a 6

Kallista HP Roll
Zeim rolled d8+2 and got 9

Davroar HP Roll
Dugan rolled 1d8+3 and got 5

Took average (5) plus his +1/lvl Race +2/lvl Con bonus. So added 8 HP.
Correct?

Other DM - Correct.

[OOC will update sheet as soon as I can.. likely Friday eve as I am out every other night this week! ]

[Someone can heal Chandan, I guess?

Meanwhile, I'll take 5+2 for my HP, thanks, and have updated the char sheet in Gallery.]

Kriv

Addressing the former prisoner,

"Gundren was taken to Cragmaw Castle, under the auspices of King Grol. Are you familiar with the location?"

(OOC - Neal - Only Karok, and not sure he has any healing left. You can wait for us to take a short rest and use your Healing Dice to heal yourself. Even if you used one before, you just go another one for 2nd level. Or just stick with the 8 hps you have now until we rest (1+7 new ones for 2nd level).)

[ooc: I suppose if I just got a level, I have 1 healing left again :)]

[8 hp is ample then, thanks. You technically only need one. Hehe.]

Chandan

He pulls on his robes once they're well away from the goblin's cave, and enjoys the cool northern air on his naked skin.

"This Grol is King of who or what?" He asks aloud.

[OOC: Would History help with Cragmaw keep and its ruling line?]

Jaliera

She averts her eyes as naked Chandan appears around the bend in the corridor, seemingly unconcerned about his situation.

"I'm glad you are safe Chandan."

A quick glance confirms he is dressing, much to her relief.

"Shall we all get out of here whilst it is safe to do so? I think food and a rest is in order whilst we work out what to do next. If we can find where he is, we might try rescuing Gundren.. but we also have the goods on the cart."

She looks at the man who had been with Gundren at the beginning.

"I am glad to see you alive too. Do you know where Gundren has been taken?"