The Tortle Package (DM Lerus)

"Well, we don' know how they be treatin' this Valler fellow. But, I leave it to yer judgment."

DM's Screen:

In the morning, Hun and Kairus have some back and forth about their next stop. The kobold seems convinced that a careful approach is needed and, as such, insists that the group makes it to Ahoyhoy first for some proper preparations. The triton expresses some reluctance, wondering if it would not be best completing what is believed to be a rescue mission sooner rather than later. They look around to see if the others have a preference but get only silence from Yulmiath and a cold stare from Krodhen. It is Rhogal who seemingly breaks the tie. The dwarf might have meant to abstain, but Kairus' preference was a weak one to begin with, so the bard ultimately defers to Hun and the group begins to move toward Ahoyhoy.

Yulmiath leads the group once more, but it is Hun's map that proves to be the most effective asset in this last day of hiking. The kobold finds himself having to course-correct on the dragonborn's behalf a few times, so progress is slower than what the party would have liked. At least the group is out of the volcanic valley now.

The morning trek sees the Snackers overcome an adjacent valley. This is a grassy area with cleaner air, which makes it for a much more pleasant hike. The early afternoon brings with it tropical rain showers, and the group finds itself having to give the Shrine of the Fang a wide berth, lest their presence be discovered. By mid afternoon, the group finds the wide river they once crossed with the help of some befriended river dolphins. Unfortunately, there seems to be no mammal pod around this time, and the river is flowing more rapidly today than in your previous visit.

How shall the party devise a plan to cross the river this time?

(OOC: If swimming, please roll athletics. Because of the river flow, rowing the canoe will necessitate a STR-based skill check from each of two rowers. If the rower has proficiency in water vehicles, they can add their proficiency bonus too. You have no tortle guide with you so, in theory, you should all fit in the canoe. However, if you'd prefer to traverse the river by other means, feel free to roll an appropriate skill check or cast spells or whatever you'd like to propose.) 

"Could take a rope across the river to start, use it to pull the canoe across, might make it easier given the strength of the current. Be a hard swim, but whoever tackled it would only need to get across, not hit a certain point. Could sort out positioning afterwards."

Looking across the river's span, Yulmiath tries to gauge how many ropes he'd need to put towards the endeavour. Then looking at Karius, he adds, "Unless someone wants to fly the rope over?"

"Absolutely! And those in the canoe will have more space to row over too. Give me a second."

Moments later, the ropes were redied, tied together (if needed) and to the canoe and Kairus took to the air to land on the other side and tie the rope to a tree nearby to help steady the boat.

After the whole fiasco having to course correct Yulmiath throughout the day, even Hun -- a Kobold though he may be -- couldn't help but look a little skeptical... more than usual whenever Yulmiath's gaze happened to not be focused on him. He even mumbled while scratching his head and studying the width of the river, "I feel like this idea was brought up before..."

Despite such misgivings, the Kobold opted to watch the plan unfold without only absent-minded commands giving to Mr. Thicc to assist however the home party needed him to do so during preparations. After which, he'd provide a few helpful words and tonics to at least one of the rowers, and with the presumption of Rhogal doing much the same when the time came. Or in the case of Mr. Thicc being one of said rowers(what with Krodhen perhaps still simply walking across), a few little impromptu calibrations to temporarily boost the constructs performance. 

-> Mr. Thicc's Strength Check(if elected):

-> Guidance Bonus to a rower: 4. (or the puller, as the case may be)

 (OOC: Not gonna lie. I can't help but picture Krodhen walking across to be like try to run across a treadmill.)

Rhogal will go in the canoe and help row( if there’s any more paddles.

Athletics (if needed): 7

(OOC: This idea was indeed mentioned during the group's first visit to the river. This post here is very relevant to this discussion. Please read it; your characters would remember this. As you may recall, the river is VERY wide.)

Yulmiath and Kairus begin discussing a plan involving rope and flying, having a distinct déjà vu feeling as they plan. Hun mentions something about this idea not working as desired last time and the group decides to take a few more minutes before they commit to any specific plan. 

Preparing themselves to the possibility that they may just have to row the canoe across the wide river, Hun begins to give orders to Mr. Thicc along with a few mechanical adjustments. Rhogal, too, prepares for rowing. Krodhen flashes his ring of water walking, wondering if it is worth risking traversing the river when it is flowing quite rapidly. 

(OOC: Given the reading assignment above 😁, I will wait before continuing so that you can revise your plan as you see fit. If going with the rowing option, we already have two rowers.)

While he's collected a lot more rope since they were last at this stretch of river, he doubts he has enough to reach across to the other side.

Sighing, he backtracks on his former plan. "Looks like it's the boat then. Flying over is still an option, or walking if you're able, but looks like the rest of is are using that canoe."

Taking the oar from his pack and holding it in one hand, he uses the other to hold the back of the canoe steady in the river water, while the others decide if they want to get in the boat or use other means to cross.

While he's used to traveling under sail, positioning himself at the stern of the canoe gives him a good view and means that he can direct the other rowers and help out himself when the need arises.

Athletics - 6

(OOC Yully has proficiency with water vehicles but assuming that I can't add it twice as he's already proficient with athletics.)

Kairus sticks to the flying and tries the ropes too (how many do we have? If not to get all the way across, then at least help with pulling in addition to rowing from those inside the boat. And should we come close enough to a tree on the other side - then the rope will be fixed on that tree.

Seeing things are gonna start in a turbulent way, Rhogal gives himself a bit of a magical boost to hopefully make things go slightly more smoothly.

Athletic boost: 1

(@MB: Right, that would be Expertise, which I don't think Yul has.)

After a bit more of back and forth, the party decides that most members will have to simply take their positions in the canoe and trust the lead and the rowers. Yulmiath hands all his rope to Kairus and holds the canoe steady while the others hop in. He keeps an oar for himself and hands the other one to Rhogal. After tying the rope to the front of the vehicle, Kairus begins to fly once more. He plans on helping lead the canoe across. Mr. Thicc, Hun, and Krodhen hop in as passenger, the half-orc deciding to use his ring of water walking as a back-up plan this time around.

The plan works quite well initially. The canoe is being carried by the current but Kairus helps direct it correctly and the rowers are pushing the vehicle onward. However, it doesn't take long for the party to hit an especially choppy portion of the river. The rowers synchronization can't keep up with it, even when Hun orders Mr. Thicc to get in there and help out with an oar. As things begin to look more grim, the boat rocks up and down and the passengers' weight shifts in undesirable ways. Once the canoe starts flipping over, there is no stopping it. Krodhen, Hun, Rhogal, Yulmiath, and Mr. Thicc are all dropped into the river and the current starts taking them away. Now full of water and losing its buoyancy, the canoe is a much heavier object that is moving downstream in an erratic manner, so Kairus is in his own sort of trouble.  

-> I need everyone a STR saving throw {DC 12} to see how well you are able to brave the current. A low roll means you are riding the current uncontrollably and may be getting farther away from the others. For Kairus, this determines if he manages to hold on to the rope/canoe or if it takes him for a ride.

-> Those in the river (i.e. all but Kairus) also need to roll a CON saving throw {DC 14} to determine how much water you are swallowing through this ordeal. Mechanically, this will count as some bludgeoning damage. On a save you take half of the damage. Mr. Thicc can half the damage since his inner workings are not attache to a digestive system. Here's the damage roll: 6

-> Apart from these two rolls, you are also welcome to try and use your skill, features, equipment, spells, and movement to save yourselves, of course.

-> Hun's Strength Save(DC 12): 14. (0)

-> Hun's Con Save(DC 14): 20. (16)

-> Mr. Thicc's Strength Save(DC 12): 5. (19)

-> Mr. Thicc's Con Save[?](DC 14): 21.  

What should have been a quick paddle across the river had very quickly developed into an impromptu dip! Swallowing a mouthful of river water as he yelled out a warning, the next thing Yulmiath knew he was in the drink. Still he had to breathe a sigh of relief that the boat has just capsized and not grown teeth. He'd been hearing more and more tales of boat based mimics in the pounds and watering holes of the mainland...

Yully's STR save: 11

Yully's CON save: 15

Taking a second to arrest his momentum in the water, Yulmiath fishes around with a free hand, trying to flip the hood of his cloak over his head. Once he was secure in his new watery environment, he cast around for other Packers that might be struggling.

Perception - 23

Kairus Str save: 6

Beginning to be swept downstream, Rhogal pops a morel into his mouth, causing his overall mass to increase. With this temporary size increase, he tries his best to fight the current.

Str save: 15 (7)

Con Save: 22 (5)

With less to worry about in terms of breathing, what attention Mr. Thicc hadn't put towards reorienting himself was immediately dedicated towards seeking out further instructions from Hun. And if with some difficulty he's able to spot or have pointed out the floundering Kobold, rudimentary program would see him swimming with surprising speed with the current to try and catch up and pull the Kobold at least up to the surface for further instructions. 

Meanwhile...

'I always have a plan for what to do when things go wrong.'

Such was a quirk of the Kobold, as he'd almost immediately banished any thought of fighting against the current even before enter the boat, for when -- NOT if, but when things went south. For he knew Tymora to be far too fickle a goddess to not let her other half Bashaba not have a turn at the wheel of fortune. So while others in the boat begun to panic to stay stable, he'd focus on a quick few breathing exercises in preparation for the inevitable. 

Though he'd wind up bruised by the water, a timely breath before hand spared much of his lungs at least. And again with a totally clear thought in mind, he smoothly shifted focus towards reorienting himself in the water to better prepare himself for the 2nd half of the plan! Which in itself was divided into two possible outcomes: Either another would rescue him, or he'd be better prepared to try and latch onto boulders or floating debris.

Mr. Thicc's Athletics: 10. 

Hun's Acrobatics: 5.
(The idea being to try and stabilize in the water and make it easier for others to rescue him.)

Mr. Thicc's Perception: 8. 

 Here are some rolls for Krodhen:

-> STR Save (DC 12): 11   

-> CON Save (DC 14): 4    

@Kairus: Your muscles were already flexing as you were helping pull the canoe, such that the sudden flipping and struggle does little to surprise your reaction time. You continue to stay afloat in the air, both hands on the rope, taking control of the canoe as best as you can. It is not an easy task, and you do lose some altitude, but thanks to your efforts the vehicle shall not be completely lost. Now, if only the others can flip it over again and drain some of the water, all would be golden.

@Rhogal: Your dislike for boats feels justified right now. You knew it was just a matter of time before this canoe betrayed your trust, reluctant as it was. Now, here you are struggling against the current and drinking a lot more water than you intended, regardless of your size. You are now 50ft away from the canoe. (Rhogal takes 6 bludgeoning damage.)

@Krodhen: You were ready for this possibility. As soon as the canoe flipped over, you went for your magical ring and activated it. Unfortunately, your awkward position relative to the surface of the water at the time the ring's magic activates means the liquid feels like a solid to you and your sides. You stand back up and realize you have to keep continuously moving so that the current does push your feet away (like a treadmill, as @Ori had joked before.) You are safe but currently focused on keeping yourself that way. You are right next to the canoe. (Krodhen takes 6 bludgeoning damage.)

@Yulmiath: The current is strong but you are stronger, and a great swimmer to boot. You can't help but swallow some river water upon first impact, but this river is not going to defeat you. You flip your hood on and swimming becomes much easier. You are very close to the canoe. You can see all others, including Rhogal and Mr. Thicc, but not Hun, whom you guess in underwater. (Yulmiath takes 6 bludgeoning damage.) 

@Hun: Someone had to get the worst of it and, voilá, it was you. Your swimming instincts kick in as soon as you hit the water. Too bad you have the swimming instincts of a log. The river has complete control of you, but at least you have kept your lungs mostly dry. You spend more time underwater than flapping about the surface. You are now 120 feet away from the canoe. (Hun takes 3 bludgeoning damage.)

@Mr. Thicc: The construct would sink more easily than the others but Hun had already clarified that this was but a myth when it came to his construct, who was designed to be lighter than a first glance would assume based on all of his metal parts. The construct's mechanical strength allows him to maintain full control of his swimming ability, even in this strong a current. That said, not all of the steel defender's parts are waterproof, and something small within him feels the pressure. Nonetheless, Mr. Thicc had been programed to always keep an eye on his master and some frothy water was not going to preclude the construct from continuing his task. Flailing underwater over 100 feet away, the construct spots a large, baby-dragon-like, white-scaled "fish" and makes a dash for it. By choice, Mr. Thicc is now 80 feet away from the canoe and 40 feet away from Hun. For his part, the kobold is failing miserably in making himself easier to spot. No one else can see Hun. (Mr. Thicc takes 1 bludgeoning damage, already halved.)

-> You may all take another turn.