Where the Cold Winds Blow... A Lost Mines of Phandelver Story

"On three?" Droknin quips, showing three fingers from his paw.

[Here is a map to help.]   

The party is approaching from the NE of S6, the northeast tower.  There are visible gaps in the outer wall, revealing bits of an inner courtyard.  As you draw closer, the smell of cooking meat is on the air.  

Barkpanther is able to approach unseen as long as he is making an effort to be stealthy (no roll necessary in this instance).  Anyone else trying to get within 60' of the northeast tower will need to pass a Stealth check.  

Barkpanther moves stealthily through the grass, holding one paw up indicating the others are to stay back as he scouts the area.  He moves along the wall to an area where it has broken down and looks into the center, the area where there seems to be firelight apparent.  If nothing is seen, he moves on further south to look where the fire is and to see who is sitting or sleeping around it.  

Aranea waits for the signal. Once it is given, she creeps forward, her black attire doing much to help her blend into the shadows. She will try to get as close to the tower as she can without being seen.

Stealth - 6

Barkpanther:

Droknin Stealth: 12

Droknin whispers. “Do we take them out now, or are still playing hide and seek?” The Leonin’s paws gripping the sword, itching for a fight.

Barkpanther sneaks back to the group in the dark, uses his claws to clear the grass from a patch of ground, then points to the tower, pulls his claw down as a “One” and points back there.  He makes a circle with streaks up from it like a fire, making “Two” small stick figures near it, and points to that area.  Then the third area, he draws “Three” bigger figures on the ground around a fire, and points to that area.  

He pauses for a moment, panting, licking his lips and teeth.  He points his paw to his chest, pointing to the tower, pantomiming climbing the tower, and then smacking the watcher with his claws.  He nods and gives a dew claw up sign, wagging his tail and waiting to see if that satisfied everyone.  If so, he begins back stealthily to the tower.  

T'laren mimes shooting an arrow up at the tower after Bark-anther mimes smacking the watcher up there.

Barkpanther pantomines an arrow sticking in the side, then pulling the watcher off the tower.  He nods and wags his tail.  

[Barkpanther can climb the tower, no problem, but it might not be silent.  Please add a stealth roll for the climbing, DC 10.  If it fails we will roll initiative.  If it succeeds, T'laren and Barkpanther can attack the guard... if they fail to incapacitate it... initiative.]

Barkpanther stealth roll for climbing : 11 (+4 for black panther).  Whew!

Barkpanther slips a bit as he’s gaining traction climbing the tower, but he gets used to the feel of the claws digging in very quickly and he’s able to climb with ease.  He makes it to the top and then pounces on the guard, surprising him, (Stealth 11), attacking him with a swipe of the claw.  

Claw : 23 to hit, for 4 points of slashing damage.  

Pounce. If the panther moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the panther can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.

Bite attack (if applies) : 15 to hit, for 8 points of piercing damage.

Save:  19

The Orc peers over the side of the tower at the curious scrabbling sound, just in time for Barkpanther to leap over, knocking him prone and mauling him.  

Unfortunately, knocking him prone also removes him from T'laren's line of sight for an arrow attack.

Initiative:

• Barkpanther:  12
• T'laren:  17
• Aranea:  11
• Droknin:  16
• Orc:  18

The Orc, badly wounded and carved up by the claws and teeth of the panther, lets out a piercing scream.  Then he tries to shove Barkpanther off of himself and climb to his feet.  Shove - DC 12 for Barkpanther to resist.

Barkpanther Strength check : (Nat 20!) =  22

If it is at all possible, when the orc moves to shove Barkpanther, he would use the orc’s forward motion to attempt to throw him off the tower. 

Droknin hears the commotion up in the tower, he climbs up to provide assistance, if needed.

Athletics: 22

T'laren would  hold an arrow for the orc popping back into view.

Attack: 17 Damage: 10

Aranea will unleash an eldritch blast at the orc when she gets line of sight on him.

Attack: 18 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll.