DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Fantasy SKT: The Storm King's Thunder 3L - The Deer With the Golden Horns

[OOC: I did originally state that Jaliera would cast and hide? but that got a bit lost in follow ups ]

OOC: You indicated hide as one of two options. If you'd rather run than hide, that's fine too, feel free to move your token. If you want to hide, you'll need to make a DC 10 stealth check roll.

I’m not sure if you are allowed to take two actions on the same turn though. I’d allow a retcon of hiding last turn and casting sleep while hidden but still need that roll.

Sindar

He began to advance playing a soft little melody, the chorus of which is "Sleep my baby barbarians, sleep."

He offered inspiration to Arus by tossing in the line, "if it comes to it, my friend Trition, you will do well."

Tossing an 1d6 inspiration for Arus to use whenever he wishes.

[Thank you oh wise one Trouble is I forget what rolls I'm supposed to make. Will try to do better! ]

Jaliera Stealth
Gypsy rolled 1d20+10 and got 26

Kriv

This was a situation in which setting people on fire seemed an undue escalation. Sleep spells and web spells were relatively benign compared to Kriv's spell repertoire, and thus it would be counterproductive to start torching people just yet. Kriv refrained from action.

The Deer With The Golden Horns

The deer is observant enough to see the web snaring three of the barbarians, including one who was part of a pair who fell asleep, much like had happened earlier. Something is clearly happening, and the creature moves as far away from the sleeping barbarians as possible, maintaining a line of sight down the gap between the web and the ravine wall, where someone has just "dropped in", possibly to clear a path.

<Bern>

He continues to maintain his position and his targets for now, ready to take out the men blocking the way out.

[Casting racial spell, Wall of Water.]

Arus

The triton slams his foot on the ground, drawing on the raw power of the elemental planes.

"HARKEN TO ME!" He shouts, as he creates a collosal wall of dark water around the deer, enclosing it but protecting it from missiles too.

Twenty-feet high and a foot deep, Arus targets the wall to only encircle the deer.

"This animal is marked by a lord far greater than you. Such is the way, so lower your arms and heed my words for they are wise this day at least."

Zindra

"See," she says to Glork as she moves to the ogre's side. "They're falling asleep and now there's a big wall of water! When they move, they will bleed or drown! Let's let them harm themselves. This is soooo funny! Stay with me. If they attack any of us, you should fight back."

She doesn't move but she does notch an arrow and aim it towards the leader. If he moves aggressively towards anyone, including the golden horned deer, she will let it fly.

ooc: Readied action.

DM

Things are certainly getting interesting for the cage match audience, as it turns into a water show.

While the triton has demanded they lay down their arms, that's direction they would normally take from their leader who hasn't yet given any orders, likely spending a few seconds trying to figure out what's going on. So they react instinctively. Meaning they aren't going to attack (yet) but they'll do everything they can to minimize the threat.

And minimizing the threat posed by Arus is, at this moment at least, an attempt to shove him to the ground; and if that's successful, grapple him.

The two adjacent to him react first, while others nearby (who are awake) may move in as backup if necessary.

OOC: There are 5 barbarians close enough to enact this plan. B1 and B15 will go first, followed by B2, B14, and B13 moving first and then shoving if necessary, each shoving (prone) until successful and then attempting to grapple.




B1 Dex Saving Throw (web)
AquaDyne rolled 1d20 and got 11 (restrained)

B2 Dex Saving Throw (web)
AquaDyne rolled 1d20 and got 17 (not restrained)

B1 shove
AquaDyne rolled 1d20+1 and got 8

B15 shove grapple
AquaDyne rolled 1d20+1 and got 9

B2 shove grapple
AquaDyne rolled 1d20+1 and got 9

B14 shove grapple
AquaDyne rolled 1d20+1 and got 15

B13 shove (if needed)
AquaDyne rolled 1d20+1 and got 11

nem: please make your choice of Stren⁠gth (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) rolls for Arus, up to 5, stopping if you ever lose 2 of them.

DM

One barbarian next to Arus (B1), despite being restrained in the web cast by Zhu, doesn't need to move to powerfully shove Arus, knocking him prone.

Another barbarian (B15), holding one side of the tarp barrier, attempts to grapple Arus to hold him down, nearly succeeding, but ultimately falling short in his task. A third barbarian (B2), who had been holding the other end of the barrier, drops it and manages to avoid being caught up in the web, making his way close enough to also attempt a grapple but doesn't even land a hand on the triton.

Meanwhile, two barbarians are approaching from above the ravine. One (B14) jumps into the Ravine, landing poorly and grunting at the pain.

B14 Jump into ravine (DC10 str+athl)+damage
AquaDyne rolled 1d20+1 and got 6
AquaDyne rolled 1d6 and got 4

Despite this stumble, he uses his momentum to help him get a solid grip, and is successfully able to grapple Arus, keeping him from moving.

The other barbarian above the ravine (B13) stops short before jumping, instead raising his spear threateningly and calling out in common, "Stay down!". (Ready action: Spear Ranged Weapon attack if Arus's grappled or prone condition ends.)

Elsewhere around the ravine:

Two barbarians (B3 and B4) doze peacefully, their spears laying beside them.

One (B3) is restrained by the web, not that they notice.

B3 Dex Saving Throw (web)
AquaDyne rolled 1d20 and got 13

The barbarian closest to the non-webbed sleeper takes a step toward him, not realizing that there are magical spikes on the ground there! He yelps in pain!

B5 Perception (spike growth) + damage
AquaDyne rolled 1d20 and got 5
AquaDyne rolled 2d4 and got 5

Still, he achieves his goal of being close enough to retrieve the fallen spear in one hand, while aiming it toward the nearest opponent, which happens to be Glork.

"Stay back!" he shouts. (Ready action: Spear ranged weapon attack if anyone approaches within 20 feet of him.)

The barbarian next to him (B6) also moves closer and raises his spear as well, lucky enough to not step into the spikes. (Ready action: Spear ranged weapon attack if anyone approaches within 20 feet of him.)

The other two barbarians on the western side of the Ravine (B7 and B8) move in a southwesterly direction, and also prepare defensively for any battle. (Ready action: Spear ranged weapon (long range) attack if anyone approaches within 20 feet of B5 or B6.)

The remaining four barbarians on the eastern side of the ravine also move closer to where they perceive the attackers. The closest one (B12) moves to within 20 feet of Arus, backing up B13's stay down threat with the same raised spear. (Ready action: Spear Ranged Weapon attack if Arus's grappled or prone condition ends.)

The others (B9, B10, B11) keep their spears at the ready if combat begins. (Ready action: Spear ranged weapon (long range) attack if anyone is within 60 feet of them and attacks any barbarian.)

Summary:
B1 Successful shove action, restrained
B2 Not restrained, failed grapple
B3 Sleeping 1 of 10, restrained
B4 Sleeping 1 of 10
B5 Picked up B4's spear, spike damage, ready action @ 20 foot approach
B6 Ready action @ 20 foot approach
B7 Ready action @ 20 foot approach to B5 or B6
B8 Ready action @ 20 foot approach to B5 or B6
B9 Ready action @ attack, target within 60 feet
B10 Ready action @ attack, target within 60 feet
B11 Ready action @ attack, target within 60 feet
B12 Ready action @ Arus ending prone or grapple
B13 Ready action @ Arus ending prone or grapple
B14 Damage on jump into ravine, successful grapple action
B15 Failed grapple



Initiative Order

Up now:
Jaliera 5

Next:
Glork 4
Barbarian Leader 3
Zhu 26 (web)
Sindar 21 (inspiring music)
Davroar 20 (summon animal spell at the ready - bats)
Kriv 19 (deciding it's not the right season for barbecue)
Goldenhorns 18 (backed up away from the obvious magic)
Bern 18
Arus 18 (wall of water)
Zindra 16
Barbarians 9

Jaliera

Her biggest concern right now is Arus as she sees him go down. Whilst she doesn't want to escalate matters, she doesn't want to see Arus get hurt either. She decides that maybe her best option is to try to charm one of those holding Arus. She stands and casts at one of the barbarians holing him.

"Let him go. We mean you no harm."

DM

OOC:
1. I assume "one of those holding Arus" is the one grappling him because the instructions wouldn't mean anything to anyone else.
2. I actually re-measured and B14 is within 30 feet. Ignore my previous post.
3. Making a DM call to tweak the two NPCs with readied actions on "ending grapple condition" to be a nonvoluntary ending of the condition.
4. Assuming all of the above, B14 will have a DC13 Wisdom save at advantage.

B14 save vs. Charm Person
AquaDyne rolled 1d20,1d20 and got 17, 12


While the barbarian grappling Arus glances up at Jaliera as she speaks, there's no evidence that he's following her instructions.

At least nobody is hurting Arus.

Yet...

Glork spies the closest sleeping barbarian and thinks, "Need club."

He looks to Zindra."Glork want club." Pointing at the sleeping Barbarian.

Glork is getting tired of waiting and starts moving to the edge of the briars Zindra cast

DM

Glork's movement takes him closer to the very barbarian (B5) who had aimed a spear at him and shouted "Stay Back!"

He's already feeling the pain of stepping on spikes, and has a spare spear from his sleeping fellow tribesman that he can use for melee. So he doesn't hesitate to hurl a spear directly at Glork, with all his might.

B5 Ranged Weapon Attack (Readied action.)
AquaDyne rolled 1d20+3,1d6+1 and got 9, 7

Well, not "directly at". Whether off balance due to foot pain or trying to hold two weapons, the barbarian's throw is inaccurate and the spear ends up missing the large target, despite the close range. Too bad, as he threw it hard enough to have done some serious damage if it had hit!

Someone has probably earned a new nickname.

The other barbarians near enough to Glork to throw at him elect not to; the closer one (B6) preferring the accuracy of closer range, and the farther ones (B7 and B8) perhaps waiting for a more aggressive attack.

DM

The barbarian leader looks around at the chaos unfolding around him.

An unwelcome intruder at the exit. A magical wall of water between he and his carefully trapped opponent. A magical web entangling two of his tribe members. And magical spikes surround his feet. To top it off, he sees an ogre approaching.

Time to bring some order to the chaos.

"HOLD!" he shouts, his booming voice echoing through the ravine and clearly audible to those above.

He had heard Arus's words shortly before his men pinned the triton to the ground, and their intention to free the reindeer was clear. It wasn't worth losing lives over, but today's challenge had been long planned and he wasn't about to just let it go away, either.

"I will let the beast go if you send a Champion to take its place!" he calls out. "Single combat. No magic."

He remains standing where he is, but makes a hand gesture toward the gang crowded around Arus, perhaps intended to prevent them from further attacks until the hand is lowered... which might happen if the party's response to his offer is less than satisfactory.

Jaliera

She had already said they did not want to hurt the tribesman. This does seem to offer an alternative.

"What are the terms of this proposed combat?"

If it is to the death, might not be an alternative.

<Bern>

He remained 'ready' in case the 'discussion' went sideways.