I may regret this, but I'm going to roll for the NPCs as well. If this initiative gets too crazy, I can have them act in groups. Some of them (like Shuushar who is a pacifist) and Stool (the myconid) aren't going to do much.

Buppido (the derro) 3

Derendil (the Quaggoth) 2

Eldeth (dwarf) 8

Jimjar (deep gnome)  3

Sarith (drow) 8

Shuushar (fish guy?) 20

Stool (myconid) 2

Topsy and Turvy (deep gnome twins) 9

[OOC: Just started a new job and have to go into the office for 20 days. Afterwards only on Mondays so for a bit my checking this website will only be able to happen at night, or briefly during lunch, will do the best I can."

Vrah Initiative: 5

I thought you guys might need this map again. The creatures you heard came swooping in from the north easterly directly and zoomed between the guard tower in the stalactite and the side of the cavern where your cave is. You have not yet seen them.

Kisiki initiative: 11

Up to the clanging of the bars again, Phodoxia pats her ears, making sure her glowing lichen is still lodged behind them, and pulls her torn hood on as she stands up, with a yawn. Back to the kitchen and the rats... but she nearly falls over again when the terrible screeching starts.

Phodoxia initiative: 7

Petmailer tries to recognize the screech and the animal that made those sounds...

Survival : 10 

You have never heard anything like this before. 

Perception check to assess situation with drow and whatever is making the noise, if applicable (see below):  25

Something deep in Tanis' brain is screaming as he hears the screeching and the droning.  As if he is still in the midst of a nightmare.  Flesh for the Faceless Lord.

There is no time.  Tanis considers trying to get free of his manacles immediately but that is going to have to wait.  He dashes out the door, as far as 70' of movement will get him across the rope bridge towards the first tower, given that it is difficult terrain.  (Following Vethna, but obviously not running over her if he catches up).

Counting on the others to kill or subdue the one stunned and one non-stunned guard and take their equipment (not necessarily in that order).  Tanis urgently echoes Petmailer's suggestion to the others to take the guard's weapons as he speeds by.

Edited to add:  no bonus or free action that I can think of (I assume I can't grab anything from the guard with those).  Can Tanis make a Perception to assess where the drow and the sources of the screeching and droning are as he progresses across the bridge?  If so, see above.

[OOC: Still need to get Shoowaa in the initiative order, but I don't think he can possibly get higher than your 24. So I can play out your turn, but then we need to wait on his initiative roll.]

The guard was gathering himself and had dropped his sword, so no opportunity attack from him, but he is up and moving now. He cries out "Stop! The prisoners are escaping!"

I'm going to say it's about ten feet of movement to get up to and through the gate, another ten feet across the landing, then the rope bridge is about 25 feet to the tower and it is difficult terrain, so it will eat up the remaining 50 feet of your movement. You can get just to the entrance to the guard tower. 

You see a number of things. There is that guard by the gate and another guard running up the stairs who has a hand crossbow out. Down the stairs from him, you see a couple of Quaggoths coming out, with hands covering their ears who are watching the sky and looking nervous. At the base of the stairs is another guard who appears to have been stunned like the one by your gate. Ahead of you in the guard tower, you see two guards. One of them who was stunned is being helped up by the other one. 

Looking to the sky, you see a number of creatures swooping in and out around the stalactites as if they are chasing each other. I'll post pictures of them in the next post. 

There are two of these things swooping around:

And three or four of these things chasing them: 

These things are large creatures. They are fighting each other right now. The drow are rushing out to the main platform, trying to get organized to defend against the creatures and are starting to fire crossbows at them.  

We will wait to see where Shoowaa's initiative falls in the order. Unless he comes in higher than them, the next few initiatives are Jimjar, Shuushar, Petmailer, Kisiki and Sarith. 

16

(Sorry for the wait, if you need to you can inititive for me next time)

[OOC: No worries. I only called for an initiative roll a couple of hours ago. I'll do Jimjar and Shuushar to get them out of the way, then Petmailer will be up. I'll be going to bed shortly, so won't respond to anything until tomorrow.] 

Jimjar says "I'll bet any of you 5 gold that I can get out of these things" and tries to slip free of his manacles. 

19

Jimjar curses under his breath, unable to break free.

Shuushar sits calmly off to one side of the slave pen, watching all that is unfolding. He says in undercommon "If you want to take something, first you must allow it to be given..." and he bows his head.  

Quote from Psyborg42 >>

I'm going to say it's about ten feet of movement to get up to and through the gate, another ten feet across the landing, then the rope bridge is about 25 feet to the tower and it is difficult terrain, so it will eat up the remaining 50 feet of your movement. You can get just to the entrance to the guard tower. 

You see a number of things. There is that guard by the gate and another guard running up the stairs who has a hand crossbow out. Down the stairs from him, you see a couple of Quaggoths coming out, with hands covering their ears who are watching the sky and looking nervous. At the base of the stairs is another guard who appears to have been stunned like the one by your gate. Ahead of you in the guard tower, you see two guards. One of them who was stunned is being helped up by the other one. 

Ouch, Tanis did not think there would still be guards in the tower.  Goes without saying Tanis would try to finish his turn out of sight of guards in the tower once he realizes they are still in there.  Not sure if that's possible.  Maybe if there is any spot to the side of the door on the outside that is partly out of line of sight from the inside?

On the other extreme, if that's impossible AND it's completely obvious and the drow inside the tower look up and see him clear as day as a sitting duck... only then would Tanis hold his hands palms up and say as calmly as possible in undercommon "Arm us - we can help you fight those horrors as we did with the ooze."  (Hoping to block the view and distract from his friends' altercation with the guards by the cell).  But that's a last resort - would much prefer the guards inside NOT to notice Tanis with all the commotion.

There were two guards at the lookout alcove to the North, two guards in the tower and the one who came to organize the work detail. The one who came to your cell and one in each of the other locations failed their saves. The other two passed theirs. One of them is running up the stairs. The other is helping his companion in the guard tower get up. 

You used your movement and then your action to dash. Unless you've got some kind of feat I'm not aware of, I don't think you can bonus action hide. Rogues can starting at level 2. So you dash past the guard at the gate, stumble across the swaying rope bridge and arrive at the entrance to the guard tower just in time to see the two guards inside. On their turns, I'll see if they notice you. So you can't hide by the tower and even if you did, there are two other drow who could see you where you were. If you want to use a free action to make your offer of help, you can.

Next up are Petmailer, then Kisiki, then Sarith (the Drow accused of murder), then Shoowaa

Following them are Phodoxia, Buppido, and Vrah. After them, it looks like the guard running up the stairs will arrive. 

Thanks.  Sorry.  No, definitely no bonus action hide or feat.  Just was saying if there was any spot to finish the dash standing out of line of sight if the guards in the tower look up.  Sounds like no, which makes sense.

Tanis would not speak unless the guards notice him.  I guess if he can drop to the ground and pretend to be a corpse upon noticing the tower guards at the end of his dash, he would.  Otherwise hold.  Sorry about taking such a complicated turn and thanks for the detail.