Walking with a guide was indeed just walking - nice and easy. They had to think about it before! Kairus was enjoying the nice travel while studying Hun's new toy. Well, not exactly new, he was bubbling about it at every opportunity and even without one, with a demonstration of some parts even, but to be honest Kairus never believed the thing will work. (Seriously, who would?) He treated it as an innocent hobby for calming the nerves of an old kobold - some pickup knitting, and some - tinkering with mechanical parts. When Mr. Thicc suddenly appeared and began to move even, Kairus was genuinely surprised and walked around the construct at least a few times, studying it and asking about practical applications, like whether or not Hun can make the thing dance and can such thing be of any use underwater (being so metal and heavy).
Now Kairus was just glancing periodically at the contraption distracted by the way the thing was moving. The question about the food he heard, though. "Agree, let it just pass by. The animal just grazing and we are on the way. Left or right? Scrap it! Let's split and go both ways - it'll confuse it!"
Hun gives Kairus the most incredulous look. But with time growing ever precious, he bites back and more cutting reprimanding for a simple, "No deal. If its as temperamental as Eeyal says, we best be together. A larger group might at least temper its aggression, so long as we keep plenty of distance as well... or so I imagine. Though, if there's some added insurance that can be added..." The kobold again looks to Rhogal for answers. If however the dwarf had nothing at the moment to better their odds, then Hun was at least ready to default towards sneaking/giving the critter a wide-berth as they tried to go around.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
"I may have a way to make sure the big fella has less of a chance ta take chunks out of us," Rhogal says as he takes out some small orange mushrooms. "Jack 'o lanterns... Known fer glowing in the dark. But, don't get too friendly wit' them, or else they'll be the last thing you'll see fer a while."
The group quickly confers among themselves and, despite some disagreement on methods, generally agrees that avoiding the large turtle is in their best interest. Kairus votes for applying confusion tactics, Krodhen for climbing out of the animal's reach, Hun and Yulmiath for giving it the wide berth, and Rhogal for seasoning themselves up with poisonous mushrooms (?). Eeyal is getting a bit more nervous: "Alright, we better make a decision now." She points at the turtle once again, this time showing that the creature has finished its gradual turn and has spotted the party from afar. Instead of the curved lazy path it was following earlier, the snapping reptile is now revving up a charge in a straight line towards the party. Whatever maximum speed it can reach remains a mystery for now, but the party is sure they are about to find out.
(OOC: The Giant Snapping Turtle is now coming for you. Whatever tactic you choose, please apply it now. Roll some checks if taking relevant action. Here are some examples: athletics to outrun the enemy, acrobatics to evade it while moving, perception to find a suitable climbing spot, stealth to try to "lose a tail", survival to outsmart it in some other way, etc.)
Technically, Kairus was also voting for the "wide berth" - two "wide berths" to be precise. One small group would go right side and another - left. This way if one group got attacked the other would come to aid from behind. Or, ideally, the turtle would not know which group to chase.
"Then go-go-go!" One group or two, it was time to run. "Let it be right, let's go!" He was the first one to turn and show direction.
"The time for talking is over! Get your arses in gear!"
Yulmiath lets the more learned members of the group decide whether they want to take the obvious option or not. Choosing to crash into the bushes and hope the beast follows him might just give those that don't an easier time giving it the slip or putting those big brains of theirs to good use.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"Ah shite! Mr. Thicc!"Hun shouts as he quickly scampered back up on the construct. "Follow the others! Top speeeeed!" He barked, though his last words were trail in a half-surprise as the construct abruptly lurched into action. With the matter of personal locomotion settled, Hun fishes out a half completed re-modified cannery from his pocket and quickly channels some of his own latent magic into it, prior to launching it ahead of the giant turtle.
In a set of slightly delayed intervals after, the mechanical bird opens its mouth as if to chirp. But instead, the sound of the spine back dinosaurs roaring and hissing would emit, hopefully surprising and throwing the beast off balance at least long enough for at least one slow runner to pick up the pace.
Hun's Deception: 12 (if able to use intelligence instead of charisma since using a magic trinket/big brain, then add another +4 to the roll)
(@Lerus: If not able to do both of the above, give priority to the athletics check. As for the deception, its mainly to distract the creature in a hopefully timely enough fashion to give Yully advantage on his above roll)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Kairus was wondering if turtles anyhow related to all animals with the chasing instincts that he knew... Because if they are, the group's choice could be the wrong one. Should the thoughts slow him down beyond hope, he would stop completely and try another tactic, like, say, a calming melody? Praying to all gods that the turtle would not be a deaf one.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
DM's screen:
21
Extras: 11159
The rest of this post is left blank on purpose. In order minimize the chance of that dreaded "manipulation warning" popping up, I am trying a different strategy to posting: separating rolls and text into their own posts. I am not sure how I'm going to do attack and damage rolls yet. If anyone has alternate ideas, let me know.
Decision time descends on the group and they simply start running at an arc, trying to avoid the giant turtle but also keep moving toward their ultimate destination. Kairus and Yulamith suddenly give the 'Go' sign and they are off. Someone yells "safety in numbers" and the group decides to stay loosely together.
Yulmiath stumbles, spreads his arms in an attempt to keep his footing, but falls on his belly nonetheless. Coming up behind the dragonborn, Krodhen helps the barbarian back up and the two continue moving. The effort causes both of them to lose some speed.
Rhogal bends his run more gradually than his companions and dashes through a patch of bushes hoping the turtle knows better than to follow him through it. As far as Rhogal can tell, the strategy works, but only in terms of reducing the chances that he himself is the target selected by the hunting reptile. Eeyal likes the druid's idea and follows him into and through the bushes.
The turtle continues to dash toward the group, now turning to try and catch the fleeing humanoids. Judging by its angle of attack, it is either going for Kairus or Mr. Thicc-Hun. Neither of their speeds seems particular impressive at this moment and the creature is gaining on them. The bard tries to play a calming tune but the creature's voracity seems to keep it focused on the hunt. The artificer tries his own trick, casting a half-completed automated canary into the air. The sudden movement and broken chirp catches the turtle's attention, who spends a few precious seconds focusing its eyes on the metal bird and snapping it out of the air.
The group has now moved past the giant snapping turtle but the creature is still giving chase following an unsatisfactory metal bird snack. The turtle is now 20ft behind Kairus and Mr. Thicc-Hun, with Krodhen and Yulmiath an additional 10ft ahead, and Rhogal and Eeyal another 5ft ahead and somewhat to the side of the pack.
(OOC: The turtle's own athletics check matched the group's average skill challenge, so no changes to the challenge: you have not escaped but neither has the turtle quit on the idea of getting a meal out of this hunt. We'll need another round of group skill checks, though you must not apply the same strategy. Should you want to try a different skill, cast a spell, use a class feature or whatever, please go ahead.)
"Oh, for all god's sake!!!" It was so embarrassing, the "fog" spell came naturally to Kairus's head. The milk-wight cloud descended between the group and the turtle, slightly even covering the reptile. Kairus hoped that once the predator (was it really?) loses their sight, it might give up the chase as well. "Keep moving! We can still do this!"The words did not carry magic in it, it was just simple encouragement, but the triton believed that positive motivating was the magic of its own.
Fog Cloud between the group and the turtle. In a way, that does not target the group at all.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
With an unnatural thick fog forming behind them, Yulmiath reasons that it might not be such a bad idea to let their pursuer blunder forward, especially if they cut left or right. Yulmiath motions with a hand, chopping the air in the direction he's going to creep in.
Seeing his trick mostly work from before and wanting to seize the opportunity inherit in Kairus' fog, Hun pulls from an inner coat pocket what looked almost like some form of crude wind-up doll and throws it back into the fog, and by extension (or so he hoped), just past the turtle before the delayed sound recording of feet stomping the ground and children giggling went off near it. AKa... Easier prey for the Turtle!
"Alright Mr. Thicc. Stealth Mode." He whispers hurriedly to the ungainly machine, prompting it to search for any brush or stand alone tree even remotely large enough to duck behind with its creator in tow.
With the giant turtle in close pursuit, Kairus hits his cittern just so, and the instrument begins spewing thick fog from within its sound hole. What begins as a streak of white smoke quickly forms a 20ft radius hemisphere of opaqueness around the turtle, and only the turtle.
Other team members use the opportunity to amend their personal strategies. Yulmiath cuts left and away from the group in an attempt to disappear from the turtle's line of sight. Rhogal applies Krodhen's earlier suggestion, spotting a lone tree on the side of a hill and beginning to climb it. Hun deceives the turtle with another appetizing trinket while his ambulant cage cuts right to crouch into a bush.
A few moments pass and, relying mostly on its hearing sense, the turtle turns to pursue the loudest target: some random children who seemingly sneaked behind it. The creature's effective blindness and the loud distraction caused by the trinket combine to buy the group enough time to put some distance between themselves and the turtle. Even those who went into hiding have enough time to re-initiate their run and catch up with the group. By the time the hungry reptile has overcome all of the distractions, the party is too far away for the chase to be worthwhile. Even giant snapping turtle have only so much stamina.
Once regrouped and finding themselves in a relatively safer spot, the party takes a moment to catch their breath and prepare for the next leg of the journey, one that will lead them back into and through the jungle.
Glancing around at their surroundings, Yulmiath attempts to offer some help to Eeyal to get the party back onto their path. Should the Tortle not require the help, he;ll keep to the back of the group and keep an eye and ear out for large, hungry turtles.
Walking with a guide was indeed just walking - nice and easy. They had to think about it before! Kairus was enjoying the nice travel while studying Hun's new toy. Well, not exactly new, he was bubbling about it at every opportunity and even without one, with a demonstration of some parts even, but to be honest Kairus never believed the thing will work. (Seriously, who would?) He treated it as an innocent hobby for calming the nerves of an old kobold - some pickup knitting, and some - tinkering with mechanical parts. When Mr. Thicc suddenly appeared and began to move even, Kairus was genuinely surprised and walked around the construct at least a few times, studying it and asking about practical applications, like whether or not Hun can make the thing dance and can such thing be of any use underwater (being so metal and heavy).
Now Kairus was just glancing periodically at the contraption distracted by the way the thing was moving. The question about the food he heard, though. "Agree, let it just pass by. The animal just grazing and we are on the way. Left or right? Scrap it! Let's split and go both ways - it'll confuse it!"
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
OOC: Are there any trees to climb that would put us beyond its reach and sturdy enough not to be knocked over?
"Agreed - we have had more than our share of run ins with the islands creatures already.....the trees perhaps might provide safety?"
"Bubbles the Barbarian" (Locathah - Lvl 9) - Locathah Rising; Shai'ere Delatete (Githyanki Monk - Lvl 9) Rrakkma (deceased - MindFlayer); Saros Rockfoot (Deep Gnome Diviner - Lvl 5) - The Lost Kenku & One Grung Above; Tagret (Goliath Barbarian - Lvl 2) - Tales of Faerun;
Hun gives Kairus the most incredulous look. But with time growing ever precious, he bites back and more cutting reprimanding for a simple, "No deal. If its as temperamental as Eeyal says, we best be together. A larger group might at least temper its aggression, so long as we keep plenty of distance as well... or so I imagine. Though, if there's some added insurance that can be added..." The kobold again looks to Rhogal for answers. If however the dwarf had nothing at the moment to better their odds, then Hun was at least ready to default towards sneaking/giving the critter a wide-berth as they tried to go around.
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
"I may have a way to make sure the big fella has less of a chance ta take chunks out of us," Rhogal says as he takes out some small orange mushrooms. "Jack 'o lanterns... Known fer glowing in the dark. But, don't get too friendly wit' them, or else they'll be the last thing you'll see fer a while."
Extended Signature
The group quickly confers among themselves and, despite some disagreement on methods, generally agrees that avoiding the large turtle is in their best interest. Kairus votes for applying confusion tactics, Krodhen for climbing out of the animal's reach, Hun and Yulmiath for giving it the wide berth, and Rhogal for seasoning themselves up with poisonous mushrooms (?). Eeyal is getting a bit more nervous: "Alright, we better make a decision now." She points at the turtle once again, this time showing that the creature has finished its gradual turn and has spotted the party from afar. Instead of the curved lazy path it was following earlier, the snapping reptile is now revving up a charge in a straight line towards the party. Whatever maximum speed it can reach remains a mystery for now, but the party is sure they are about to find out.
(OOC: The Giant Snapping Turtle is now coming for you. Whatever tactic you choose, please apply it now. Roll some checks if taking relevant action. Here are some examples: athletics to outrun the enemy, acrobatics to evade it while moving, perception to find a suitable climbing spot, stealth to try to "lose a tail", survival to outsmart it in some other way, etc.)
Technically, Kairus was also voting for the "wide berth" - two "wide berths" to be precise. One small group would go right side and another - left. This way if one group got attacked the other would come to aid from behind. Or, ideally, the turtle would not know which group to chase.
"Then go-go-go!" One group or two, it was time to run. "Let it be right, let's go!" He was the first one to turn and show direction.
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
"The time for talking is over! Get your arses in gear!"
Yulmiath lets the more learned members of the group decide whether they want to take the obvious option or not. Choosing to crash into the bushes and hope the beast follows him might just give those that don't an easier time giving it the slip or putting those big brains of theirs to good use.
Athletics - 6
(OOC - Uh oh.)
"Here we go again" is all that Krodhen can muster as a muttered curse as Yul dashes off, but sets off after dragonborn
Athletics: 21
OOC: And with that roll, could Krodhen attempt to help the clumsy barbarian should he see him falter ahead of him??
"Bubbles the Barbarian" (Locathah - Lvl 9) - Locathah Rising; Shai'ere Delatete (Githyanki Monk - Lvl 9) Rrakkma (deceased - MindFlayer); Saros Rockfoot (Deep Gnome Diviner - Lvl 5) - The Lost Kenku & One Grung Above; Tagret (Goliath Barbarian - Lvl 2) - Tales of Faerun;
Rhogal looks to find any tight groups of trees to move between that would hinder the beast's progress.
Survival: 8
Extended Signature
"Ah shite! Mr. Thicc!" Hun shouts as he quickly scampered back up on the construct. "Follow the others! Top speeeeed!" He barked, though his last words were trail in a half-surprise as the construct abruptly lurched into action. With the matter of personal locomotion settled, Hun fishes out a half completed re-modified cannery from his pocket and quickly channels some of his own latent magic into it, prior to launching it ahead of the giant turtle.
In a set of slightly delayed intervals after, the mechanical bird opens its mouth as if to chirp. But instead, the sound of the spine back dinosaurs roaring and hissing would emit, hopefully surprising and throwing the beast off balance at least long enough for at least one slow runner to pick up the pace.
[Tooltip Not Found] Athletics: 5.
Hun's Deception: 12 (if able to use intelligence instead of charisma since using a magic trinket/big brain, then add another +4 to the roll)
(@Lerus: If not able to do both of the above, give priority to the athletics check. As for the deception, its mainly to distract the creature in a hopefully timely enough fashion to give Yully advantage on his above roll)
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
Athletics: 6
Kairus was wondering if turtles anyhow related to all animals with the chasing instincts that he knew... Because if they are, the group's choice could be the wrong one. Should the thoughts slow him down beyond hope, he would stop completely and try another tactic, like, say, a calming melody? Praying to all gods that the turtle would not be a deaf one.
Animal Handling: 10
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
DM's screen:
21
Extras: 11 15 9
The rest of this post is left blank on purpose. In order minimize the chance of that dreaded "manipulation warning" popping up, I am trying a different strategy to posting: separating rolls and text into their own posts. I am not sure how I'm going to do attack and damage rolls yet. If anyone has alternate ideas, let me know.
Decision time descends on the group and they simply start running at an arc, trying to avoid the giant turtle but also keep moving toward their ultimate destination. Kairus and Yulamith suddenly give the 'Go' sign and they are off. Someone yells "safety in numbers" and the group decides to stay loosely together.
Yulmiath stumbles, spreads his arms in an attempt to keep his footing, but falls on his belly nonetheless. Coming up behind the dragonborn, Krodhen helps the barbarian back up and the two continue moving. The effort causes both of them to lose some speed.
Rhogal bends his run more gradually than his companions and dashes through a patch of bushes hoping the turtle knows better than to follow him through it. As far as Rhogal can tell, the strategy works, but only in terms of reducing the chances that he himself is the target selected by the hunting reptile. Eeyal likes the druid's idea and follows him into and through the bushes.
The turtle continues to dash toward the group, now turning to try and catch the fleeing humanoids. Judging by its angle of attack, it is either going for Kairus or Mr. Thicc-Hun. Neither of their speeds seems particular impressive at this moment and the creature is gaining on them. The bard tries to play a calming tune but the creature's voracity seems to keep it focused on the hunt. The artificer tries his own trick, casting a half-completed automated canary into the air. The sudden movement and broken chirp catches the turtle's attention, who spends a few precious seconds focusing its eyes on the metal bird and snapping it out of the air.
The group has now moved past the giant snapping turtle but the creature is still giving chase following an unsatisfactory metal bird snack. The turtle is now 20ft behind Kairus and Mr. Thicc-Hun, with Krodhen and Yulmiath an additional 10ft ahead, and Rhogal and Eeyal another 5ft ahead and somewhat to the side of the pack.
(OOC: The turtle's own athletics check matched the group's average skill challenge, so no changes to the challenge: you have not escaped but neither has the turtle quit on the idea of getting a meal out of this hunt. We'll need another round of group skill checks, though you must not apply the same strategy. Should you want to try a different skill, cast a spell, use a class feature or whatever, please go ahead.)
"Oh, for all god's sake!!!" It was so embarrassing, the "fog" spell came naturally to Kairus's head. The milk-wight cloud descended between the group and the turtle, slightly even covering the reptile. Kairus hoped that once the predator (was it really?) loses their sight, it might give up the chase as well. "Keep moving! We can still do this!" The words did not carry magic in it, it was just simple encouragement, but the triton believed that positive motivating was the magic of its own.
Fog Cloud between the group and the turtle. In a way, that does not target the group at all.
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
With an unnatural thick fog forming behind them, Yulmiath reasons that it might not be such a bad idea to let their pursuer blunder forward, especially if they cut left or right. Yulmiath motions with a hand, chopping the air in the direction he's going to creep in.
Stealth - 9
Now, at a respectable distance away, Rhogal will attempt to find a tree he judges to be tall enough to be out of bitey's reach.
Perception: 20
Extended Signature
Seeing his trick mostly work from before and wanting to seize the opportunity inherit in Kairus' fog, Hun pulls from an inner coat pocket what looked almost like some form of crude wind-up doll and throws it back into the fog, and by extension (or so he hoped), just past the turtle before the delayed sound recording of feet stomping the ground and children giggling went off near it. AKa... Easier prey for the Turtle!
"Alright Mr. Thicc. Stealth Mode." He whispers hurriedly to the ungainly machine, prompting it to search for any brush or stand alone tree even remotely large enough to duck behind with its creator in tow.
[Tooltip Not Found] Stealth: 17.
Hun's Deception: 25
(And that's all my magical trinkets for the moment. Unless Hun was to make a certain Mud Imp said that his mudball no longer works right. :S)
When you realize you're doing too much: Signature.
DM's Screen:
20
Extras: 6 -- 13 -- 20 --
With the giant turtle in close pursuit, Kairus hits his cittern just so, and the instrument begins spewing thick fog from within its sound hole. What begins as a streak of white smoke quickly forms a 20ft radius hemisphere of opaqueness around the turtle, and only the turtle.
Other team members use the opportunity to amend their personal strategies. Yulmiath cuts left and away from the group in an attempt to disappear from the turtle's line of sight. Rhogal applies Krodhen's earlier suggestion, spotting a lone tree on the side of a hill and beginning to climb it. Hun deceives the turtle with another appetizing trinket while his ambulant cage cuts right to crouch into a bush.
A few moments pass and, relying mostly on its hearing sense, the turtle turns to pursue the loudest target: some random children who seemingly sneaked behind it. The creature's effective blindness and the loud distraction caused by the trinket combine to buy the group enough time to put some distance between themselves and the turtle. Even those who went into hiding have enough time to re-initiate their run and catch up with the group. By the time the hungry reptile has overcome all of the distractions, the party is too far away for the chase to be worthwhile. Even giant snapping turtle have only so much stamina.
Once regrouped and finding themselves in a relatively safer spot, the party takes a moment to catch their breath and prepare for the next leg of the journey, one that will lead them back into and through the jungle.
Glancing around at their surroundings, Yulmiath attempts to offer some help to Eeyal to get the party back onto their path. Should the Tortle not require the help, he;ll keep to the back of the group and keep an eye and ear out for large, hungry turtles.
Perception - 20