Red Dead Annihilation: Campaign Thread

Meili DEX save: 25

Meili's physical control is impeccable.  Though the canoe rocks violently back and forth, she looks as though she could have balanced a mug of tej on each shoulder without spilling a drop.

(Meant to continue the post! Sorry!)

Keeping control was one thing, getting out of that sudden attack alive - something very different, especially now, when the boat was almost surrounded. Meili tried scare Number Four with the sword and push it away with strategically places kicks in the snout:

Sword:  Attack: Bless 4 + 22 Damage: 8

Flurry of Blows: Attack: Bless 1 + 13 Damage: 4
                             Attack: Bless 2 + 20 Damage: 4

If it was possible, for movement steering the boat towards the beach.

Mica Dex Save: 21. 

Quote from LAXGunner >>

Mica Dex Save: 21. 

 Mica grabs the side of the canoe with one hand, the other readying his axe, as Hew’s frantic paddling spins the boat around.  Luckily, that also braced him and he was able to maintain his seat as one of the crocodiles rammed them.  He scored a hit on another beast lunging toward him while dodging back and avoiding its jaws. 

He draws his second hand axe and attacks the best that lunged toward him with two overhand blows. (attacking crocodile 5)

Bless 4 + Attack: 24 Damage: 7.

Bless 2 + Attack: 10 Damage: 9.

.

"Velan," Ran shouts. "Move. Out of the boat or at least to the front."

Ran doesn't want to risk knocking the wizard into the water with the crocs so he doesn't move to the back of the canoe. Instead, he moves towards Danica and gets out of the canoe, pulling it forward further onto the beach to make it less likely to rock in the water.

(Strength if needed: 9  an extra +2 if Athletics would apply)

Ran is able to pull the canoe a few feet onto the beach, but the weight of Danica and Velan inside prevent him from moving it much further.  Still, the canoe now seems firmly stuck on the beach.

Mica's hatchets flash and crack open the armored skull of Crocodile 5.  Its legs splay out spasmodically and it slows sinks and is carried north by the current.

Meili misses with her sword but delivers two vicious kicks to the snout of Crocodile 4, driving the dart she had planted deeper and deeper into its reptilian face.  Not willing to put up with such pain in pursuit of a meal, Crocodile 4 retreats and disengages.  [Unfortunately, trying to steer the boat would require use of your action and a paddle.]

[Botting Danica this round to keep combat moving.]

Danica uses her bonus action to fire a blast of starlight at Crocodile 2, threatening Velan.  Attack: 11 Damage: 7  She then climbs onto the beach beside Ran, readying an attack with her scimitar if any enemies approach.

Hew seems overflowing with rage after failing to properly maneuver the canoe last round.  He is now out of reach of any of the Crocodiles and he looks on with fury as his clients are locked in combat all around him.  Seeing Crocodile 3 in an attack posture toward Ran's canoe, he begins slamming his paddle into the water.  "Here!  Here!  Come to me you muckdog!"

ROUND TWO

• Danica
• Ran 
• Meili
• Mica 
• Hew
• Velan
• Crocodiles
• Inete

He avoided the jaws of the crocodile with surprising ease. By this point Velan half expected to have spent the shield spell. Alas and fortunately, no such thing was necessary. The attack seemed so simple that even Mage Armor was more than what he needed. Are they weakened? Either that or they were lucky. Whatever the case the case, those reptiles didn’t look as out of place as the giant wasps. They didn’t look like they could have been sent by any hag.

“On it.” He shouted in answer to Ran’s request, disengaging the creature and retreating into land, away from any enemy, as fast as he could. Come to this shore, alert if there is any danger there and avoid battle. He commands Ninlil telepathically. Last thing the group needed at that instant was to have the trio ambushed by a pincer attack from the jungle.

For some reason and middle fight, he remembered the fact that he never told Danica the details about the spyglass history. Not the most useful knowledge, but certain to mean that it would fetch a good price in the right market. Maybe even Wakanga would give good gold for it. Not the time, not the place, the wizard told himself with the voice of his mind. Mind Sliver was not particularly useful, but now the creatures would need to leave the water to strike. Now he could use Firebolt.

Notes: Velan uses his full speed to move in land and as far from any crocodiles as possible, using his action to disengage if necessary to avoid attacks of opportunity. If not necessary then he readies Fire Bolt to use against the first crocodile to attack.

Ninlil obliges Velan's command and flies over the shoreline - immediately alerting that something else is coming....

Crocodile 1 remains content on the opposite shore.  Is their eyesight even good enough for it to know what is happening nearby?  In any case, it doesn't stir from its spot in the sunshine.

Crocodile two follows Velan as he retreats up the canoe and onto the shore, running into Danica on the beach.  It surges to attack her, exploding out of the water like it was shot out of a cannon.  Danica's readied scimitar attack is also triggered, and she slashes at the marauding predator...

Crocodile 2 attack on Danica:  Attack: 19 Damage: 5 On a hit, Danica is grappled (escape DC 12). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the crocodile can't bite another target.

Danica attack on Crocodile 2:  Attack: 8 Damage: 9

Crocodile 3 wheels in the direction of Hew's splashing paddle.  It maneuvers toward him with a thrust of its powerful tail and lunges for him with its jaws.  Attack: 20 Damage: 5  On a hit, Hew is grappled (escape DC 12). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the crocodile can't bite another target.

While Mica dispatched Crocodile 5, the flash of his axes and splashing of the slain beast attracted the attention of Crocodiles 6 and 7.  They rise from the water and attack him from both sides at once [flanking].

Crocodile 6:  Attack: 19 Damage: 3  On a hit, Mica is grappled (escape DC 12). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the crocodile can't bite another target.

Crocodile 7:  Attack: 17 Damage: 8  On a hit, Mica is grappled (escape DC 12). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the crocodile can't bite another target.

The crushing jaws of the crocodiles clamp down on Danica and Hew.  Crocodile 2 used up all of its movement in reaching Danica, so it remains with her in the surf.  Crocodile 3 uses the last of its movement to withdraw, dragging Hew over the side and into the churning, murky waters.

Somehow, the earth genasi completely evades the hungry jaw of both crocodiles that were attacking him!

Seeing Hew dragged over the side, Inete climbs to the front of the boat.  "Grab my hand!" she cries, trying to help escape the monster's jaws.

Drawn to the sound of struggle, two sail-backed Dimetrodons rise from the perch on rocks further back from the shore and stride out to inspect the carnage.  Dimetrodon Initiative:  11

ROUND THREE

• Danica
• Ran 
• Dimetrodons
• Meili
• Mica 
• Hew
• Velan
• Crocodiles
• Inete

Ran steps forward beside Danica.

"Stop being a clown, Cap and get out from those jaws," Ran calls to Danica as he steps to the edge of the water, drawing both swords from his back and lashing out. "We've got kill this thing before those sailboat lizards over there decide to get brave."

Ran stabs downward at the croc with his first blade, drawing it out quickly, and then slashing down with his other sword, looking for exposed underbelly to take advantage of.

Action: Attack: 11 Damage: 8  

Bonus Action: Dual Wielder and Two-Weapon Fighting Style - Attack: 16 Damage: 5  

Ran does his best to not turn his back on the dimetrodon while attacking the crocodile.

Things were very quickly getting out of hand. She had thought that the lizards could be dealt with without any of them ending up in the water but they were too easily overwhelmed by their numbers. Seeing the last one that had been attacking their canoe follow them to shore, Danica tried to block its jaws with her shield, not wanting it to try and attack Ran or Velan, but its thick snout simply knocked it up and away allowing access for its massive jaws to clamp down on her left leg around her thigh. The dark yet star lit form of the elf let out a loud grunt behind clenched teeth, her tongue forming curse words that didn't escape before Ran chastised her for getting bit like she had simply lost a game of keep away with the croc with her own leg. Glaring over at the human with sharp starry eyes, she then caught sight of what he had been trying to warn her about. At first glance it was hard to tell if they were herbivores, omnivores or carnivores but Danica was certain that she'd rather simply not stick around and find out. Instead she focused all of her effort on not falling over as she was sure that even though they weren't in the water that this crocodile wouldn't hesitate to try and roll her if she was knocked prone. The angle was extremely awkward but the elf did her best to slash with her scimitar, trying to aim for its eyes in an effort to cause as much pain and damage as possible to gain her release. "At l-****! At least they don't look like they can swim. I'm more worried about them." She nodded to the other canoe that was now surrounded. 

Attack: 10 //  Damage:  9

((OOC: I can't remember what the roll was to see if a creature was possibly already read off from Volo's book but do those Dimetrodons look/sound familiar?))

It was Meili's turn to help now Hew from the jaws of the wild beast. Not to mention, the canoe was unable to get to the shore with the reptiles on the way. Mica seemed to handle his crocs and Meili made a couple of steps towards the stern to help the guide.

Attacks on croc 3:

Sword:  Attack: Bless 4 + 22 Damage: 7

Flurry of Blows: Attack: Bless 3 + 10 Damage: 4
                             Attack: Bless 4 + 16 Damage: 5

[Yes.  Those creatures are in Volo's guide, and you have seen them before as well - in the coliseum.  I should have tagged their name before... dimetrodon.]

The pair of Dimetrodons stride almost nonchalantly up the beach, their swaying gait reminiscent of monitor lizards.  One of them stops 10ft short of Crocodile 2, opening wide its large jaw and croaking at the croc.  It turns its body sideways displaying its sail in a bid to intimidate the larger reptile.  Meanwhile the other Dimetrodon darts in and attempts to snatch the croc's meal - Danica - away from it.  Attack: 9 Damage: 5

Mica steadied himself in the rocking canoe as the crocodiles attacked, somehow avoiding their grasping jaws.  He watches in dismay as Hew is pulled off of the boat by another beast.  He cries “Don’t let it drag him under!” even as both Inete and Meili move to aid the dwarf.   Mica didn’t spare much of a second thought for their guide, he has his hands full with the two crocs flanking him.  He pivots and attacks the beast closest to the island with two overhand swings of his axes. (attacking croc 6)

Bless 1 + Attack: 6 Damage: 4.

Bless 1 + Attack: 9 Damage: 6.

Crocodile 3 begins a death roll in the water, spinning Hew round and round.  He briefly emerges from the foaming water, only disappear back beneath the surface.  He is shouting something, perhaps at the crocodile, but you can only make out pieces.  Rather than reach out for Inete’s hand, you see his rapier waving and stabbing at the mouth of the monster holding him.

Attack: 20 Damage: 4

Attack: 22 Damage: 9

Hew and the crocodile disappear beneath the surface and the water grows still…

… and then Hew surfaces alone, blubbering and gasping, with rage in his eyes.  With only one arm, he struggles to keep himself above water.  He leans up and drops his rapier into the canoe and then clings to the side.

As he moved further in land Ninlil returned alerting to the presence of further beasts. It was good, of course, that the familiar had take notice of the threat before it could surprise the adventurers, but the fact that there even was something to notice spoke about their luck. Velan felt really tempted to unleash a Magic Missile, but the battle didn’t see to be so dire as to demand an increase in damage output so it was best to keep his strength for later.

“Two new dinos at the jungle!” He shouted toward the others, making sure everyone was aware, then took aim. The crocodile that once had target the wizard now focused on the druid and so his target was decided. Raising his right hand, arcane focus on the palm, he channeled the energy of the Weave. Condensing, heating, becoming a mote of flame. “Ignis!”

With a single word he hurled a Fire Bolt at the crocodile, then kept his retreat. The further he were from the animals the better the could help the others. Keep outside the reach of battle and warn me if anything else approaches, he commanded the owl with the voice of his mind. As long as she remained unharmed there was little chance of surprise attacks happening.

Notes: Fire Bolt on Croc 2 or closest enemy, full speed (30ft) retreat from the enemies and Ninlil keeping her eyes opened for the approach of any other creature.

Spell Attack: 8
Damage: 4

Slashed once by Ran and blasted with fire by Velan, Crocodile 2 refuses to relinquish its hard-fought meal.  It disengages from Ran and backs slowly into the river, using its superior mass and grip on Danica's thigh to drag her along with it.  The water is waist high here and the Croc is dangerously close to being able to wrench her off of her feet and into the deeper waters.

Crocodile 6 snaps its jaws at Mica's axe, before lunging at him once again.  Attack: 6 Damage: 9

Unable to reach Mica inside the boat, Crocodile 7 notices the easier target presented by Hew, clinging to the side of the boat.  He leaves Mica's reach [AoO for Mica] and surges toward Hew.  The water along side the canoe near Meili and Inete expodes as the Croc tries to clamp down on Hew again.  Attack: 19 Damage: 7