DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Fantasy SKT: The Storm King's Thunder 3H - Second night in Yartar

<Bern>

He continues to 'hold the rear' as the others begin to enter the room.

He remains in the corridor. But once the others are inside the room, it is clear that he will need some 'light' if he is going to see any approaching threats. He takes out his coin and ... ready to toss or drop it as conditions demand ... uses it to keep the hall 'illuminated'.

Davroar

Still unable to see who is calling out, he will slowly and methodically move forward towards the voice. Each step he takes he will test the ground in front of him to make sure he does not get stuck into any deep muck along his intended path.

[ooc: Rolled Perception check to hopefully avoid any deep muck or hidden deep pool along his path. I moved Davroar's icon in Roll20 ]
Davroar Perception
Dugan rolled 1d20+4 and got 10

[OOC Would Whisper get a perception check? ]

(OOC - Might be too late for this now, but if Sindar is not going to be scouting he should be providing whoever is out ahead scouting with a Bardic inspiration die. He recovers them every short rest so no need to horde them.)

(Active perception? Insight? History, even? What makes the most sense to be rolled?)

(OOC - OK, so Davroar can bump up his roll if he chooses.)

Arus

Memories of the Ooze Tomb bubble to the surface in his mind and Arus raises an eyebrow, taking a knee next to the skeleton and shaving it with the tip of his sword.

"I wonder...." He muses aloud.

There's something about the firmness of the bones yet jellified flesh that triggers alarm bells for the triton.


[Investigation 16 in total]

[ooc: I will keep the extra 1d6 for what 'all hell breaks loose' might mean. ]

Whisper Perception with advantage (Stats now in SKT gallery under Jaliera's pic]


Whisper Perception Adv
Gypsy rolled 1d20+3,1d20+3 and got 7, 22

DM

Everything seems to happen at once, but first the benign.

Kriv examines the levers and wheels but it means he has to test them to understand how they work. The intelligent dragonborn quickly determines that they control the level of water in the sewer and quickly understands how they work. The four handwheels let more water into this part of the sewers (the water rises by 1 feet per minute, per handwheel), but the emergency drainages (elsewhere) prevent the sewer from overflowing. The four levers open up the drains beneath the water, emptying this section of the sewer (1 foot per minute per lever). On a failed check, a character would get it wrong, and would thinks that the handwheels will empty the sewer, and the levers will fill it.

Zhu looks at the bag and after determining that it is benign, looks inside where she finds a set of mason tools as well as 4 gold pieces and 11 silver pieces.

When the giant spider enters the cavernous area, he looks about carefully. Although difficult to notice at first, the spider sees something move in one of the pools of water there. When he realizes that it's an eyestalk, he realizes that he had been lured into the lair of a large, foul creature that had buried itself inside under the foul, excrement filled water. The cry for help was not a person, but the telepathic lure of the aberation. OOC: The result of Davroar failng his insight roll is that he did not know it was a voice inside his head that lured him here.. If there was any luck at all needed, it was that he was able to spot the eyestalk that had peaked out of the water and avoided being totally surprised by it. The spider finds itself being swatted by a long tentacle as creature emerges.

Jaliera sees the attack through Whisper's eyes as soon as it begins. As that encounter begins, Whisper also notices movement in the large pool of water. Either the disturbance causes by Davorar's assailant's attack or something else occurring has alerted the creatures that had been lurking there. So, not only does she see the creature that is attacking Davroar, she also sees a half dozen large fish heads peek out of the water and start swimming west, towards where Davroar is engaged in battle. She also realizes that Whisper might be in danger unless she flies away. The low ceiling make it difficult for her to avoid the creatures. One of the fish creatures raises a webbed arm and points at the owl. They do not approach her at this point. They seem more interested in watching the otyugh play with its prey.

Arus stares closely at the skeleton and then at the walls and ceiling. He cannot see anything out of place until it's too late. Before there is any movement, the four individuals in the room are suddenly by terrible and sudden mental assault.

From where Bern is, he can see that Whisper is suddenly agitated and that those in the control room suddenly clutch their heads in pain.

OOC: There's a lot to unpack.

That poor insight roll by Davroar was to see if he realized it was a voice in his head and not a real cry for help. Alas, not even the bardic inspiration could help there.

Some DM rolls and what's to do.
Otyugh Stealth
Neptune rolled 1d20+1 and got 10
With Davroar's perception roll, he avoids being surprised.

Let's all roll initiative. Whisper goes on Jaliera's turn but note that Jaliera is blind while she looks through Whisper's eyes. You managed to trigger three encounters all at virtually the same time. Here are your DM's initiative rolls:

Psychic Grey Ooze Initiative
Neptune rolled 1d20-2 and got 18

Otyugh Initiative
Neptune rolled 1d20 and got 6

Kuo-Tao Initiative
Neptune rolled 1d20 and got 7

Kuo-Tao Whip Initiative
Neptune rolled 1d20 and got 8

Arus, Kriv, Sindar and Zhu need to make Intelligence saves vs. DC 10. Saves=half damage.

Psychic Crush damages:

Psychic Grey Ooze Psychic Crush vs Zhu
Neptune rolled 3d6 and got 9

Psychic Grey Ooze Psychic Crush vs Sindar
Neptune rolled 3d6 and got 7

Psychic Grey Ooze Psychic Crush vs Kriv
Neptune rolled 3d6 and got 7

Psychic Grey Ooze Psychic Crush vs Arus
Neptune rolled 3d6 and got 13

Sindar Int save
Neptune rolled 1d20 and got 5
Sindar takes 7 points of psychic damage.

Splitting the party triggered three separate encounters. The Kuo-Tao are alerted either by a character trying out the levers and wheels but also by the encounter with the otyugh or creatures moving through the area around the pool. The entry for grey ooze is specific: While the ooze remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from an oily pool or wet rock and I've scoured the Internet for interpretations about being able to perceive them. They are impossible to see and are assuredly getting a surprise attack. The Psychic Crush action is rechargeable on a 5 or 6.

Davroar moved past the otyugh to get where he is. The otyugh has a reach of 10. I placed him out of reach to potential save Davroar's life.

Movement here is really tough. Anyone running to help Davroar is going to need to make DEX checks or risk falling prone. Also, to get to the other side of the sewer you can either use one of the bridges or try to jump into the sewer water and swim to the other side. That will require a strength roll. BTW, is anyone immune to disease?

I'll deal with each of your ideas in turn, but you can ask questions. Don't forget that initiative roll!

Initiative
Zhuirentel Elendaril
26
Intelligence saving throw
Zhuirentel Elendaril
7

Note: I took the 9 hps off her sheet in Roll20.

Question - For purposes of Opportunity Attacks, is the Ooze on Arus adjacent to Zhu?

[[ Bern init - MikeD rolled d20+3 and got 10. Sux being out in the hall <g> ]]

If Zhu gets +3 to save that gives her a 10 and then it would be half damage, or 4 (9/2 rounded down). I'll adjust.

[ooc: Davroar is planning to escape since there is too many attackers. How thick is the muck on the ground? Is the water in the channel dark enough that if he goes under as a small brown snake it will be next to impossible to see him? ]

Davroar Initiative
Dugan rolled 1d20 and got 12

Jaliera

Intitiative

Jaliera Initiative
Gypsy rolled 1d20+4 and got 19

Jaliera's heart is in her mouth, her eyes now wide and starting. Whisper in trouble but more importantly Davroar is in trouble and alone! She sends a mental recall to Whisper and yells to Bern.

"Davroar is under attack!" before starting to run in that direction, readying her bow and recalling spells to mind. She has to save him!

<Bern>

Hearing Jaliera's call, he heads over to the door, bow ready ...

[[ Looking at the map above ... can we even see Davroar and his foe from where we are?? ]]

(OOC - Nep - Not to mess up the encounter, but Zhu cannot be surprised. As soon as the Ooze even thinks about attacking she gets an initiative roll and can act first if she beats the Oozes roll. I believe it means she get to act first, then the Oozes get to do what they did, and then we reach this point where everyone is in the Initiative order and she'd go again.)