Joren now no longer summons his echo near the rock-crabs, since he supposes the idea is to have them follow Samir's intriguing sound-emitting device, so he doesn't want to distract from that by providing an alternate target. Instead he moves to guard the group's backside, standing as rear guard, and summoning and sending his echo 30' backwards into the tunnel just in case anything is approaching from behind them.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Malachi continues to fall back through the tunnel, maintaining his position with the group. As Vilus explains his plan, Malachi begins to understand. Still, he will be the first to admit that he is not a tactician. He is more comfortable navigating court and merchant intrigues than fighting some sort of rock crab in an underground tunnel. Still, he trusts the team and the plan seems sound.
He is momentarily surprised that the creature was able to shake off his mental invasion and tries to take a different approach to slow the pursuing creatures, at least until Samir is finished with his contraption and the trap is set.
Quickly summoning his mage hand he moves it forward and attempts to flip one of the stone crabs. Athletics if necessary: 19.
He also calls forth the mental image of a spectral hand of death clawing at one of the wounded creatures.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Strength check for Malachi's mage hand: 6 (mage hand limit is typically 10 pounds, and these crabs weigh more than that when they aren't a dead dried out husk. However, you got a nat 20 so we get to have some fun as long as the crab doesn't crit on this save)
Dex Saves:
3
9 (auto fail if Malachi gets his magehand flip off)
Edit: Oh snap, the stone-crab got a counter-crit! Sorry Malachi
Malachi's magehand grabs the underside of one crab's shell, and a bead of sweat trickles down his temple as he concentrates. With a surge of willpower, he manages to flip the crab just as it tilts its body to pass over a sloped rock. It rolls onto its back... and continues to roll, right back onto its legs again. It continues forward with the rest of the group, hardly slowed.
With all of the crabs pressed together in a tight, shifting throng, Ashley struggles to pick out a single target, and the flames raining down on stony shells glance harmlessly off.
The slow and steady approach of the stone-crabs seems nigh unstoppable, but Malachi isn't done yet. At his command, a skeletal hand reaches up from the ground beneath the leading crab, and its boney fingers dig into the crab's soft underbelly, clinging on and dragging along (2 necrotic damage).
Vilus quickly attaches the device to the rope and casts it over the edge, pulling the rope to the left near the ledge as to keep it out of the direct path of the crabs and their claws.
"Let's hope this works, come on everyone fall back, and be prepared to engage if they don't take the bait!"
With that said in a low tone, Vilus moves as far back from the pit as he can then lays on the floor holding the rope out in front of him with bated breath.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
The device sails over the edge and starts to fall. The rope goes taut, causing it to swing back against the side of the pit where it pulses and vibrates against the stone and earth. As everyone takes up position against the back wall, standing as still as possible, the crabs emerge from the side tunnel and scuttle side to side in confusion for a moment.
Dex Save for Ashley's cantrip: 0
Moment of truth. All the crabs have to do is beat Samir's tinker check with a Int save.
Samir rolled an 18 and then added 5 for taking a second action to improve the design further, for a total of 23
The crabs have a +0 to intelligence so they just need a natural 23 or higher to see through the trick
19
7
10
19
10
6
3
Flame smites one of the crabs, boiling its insides through shell and it collapses as steam escapes from underneath. Spurred to action, the remaining 6 scuttle forward as fast as they can towards their target. One by one, they tumble over the side of the pit, clattering to the bottom. The repeated cracks of hard shell on stone echoes through the passage and then there is silence. Then... snick, snick. The sound of claws being repeatedly clicked in agitation as the crabs find themselves trapped in a hole with their quarry hanging out of reach.
Pulling the device back up, Vilus unties it and hands it back to Samir, "this thing worked brilliantly, thank you Samir" he seems astonished that the idea worked and gleefully interested in the device.
"Oh, well, yes, I am quite happy about the outcome. It was an excellent idea." Samir peers over the edge for a second, fiddling with the now inert device in his hand. "Well, I think, um, perhaps that we should be moving on. In case they, um, can climb." Putting action to words, the artificer begins heading forward into the tunnel once more, putting away his things as he walks.
Joren nods and follows in his usual rear position (assuming we resume the marching order with Malachi in front). Walking somewhat stiffly due to the venom still in his veins.
"I'm glad it was working as well. They certainly were falling" (he is unaware of the bad pun) "for your device, Samir. I was feeling the tactic was an unnecessary complication with our walking being faster than the crabs' running. But done is done. At some point once we go far enough and find a good spot, perhaps a short rest?"
"I hear you Joren, and unnecessary as it was, we avoided any further injury, avoiding a fight is always beneficial" he smiles at the fighter and also resumes a marching order, "rest sounds good, we could set up for a bit in the alcove they were nesting in, if anyone can make some smokeless fire we could cook a couple dead ones up for food, right? I mean they're already in bowls, and I've had crab before, though these might be a bit tougher."
Joren grunts, obviously distrustful of the goliath in a way that he has not been before. Glory hound. You are not fooling me.
"If you are wishing to stay here, I cannot stop you. But I am not eating anything that has that venom inside of it, and I am thinking we should keep moving for a while in case they can burrow up through the earth and rock eventually."
Vilus squints his eyes a little, seeing the distrust, but casting is aside for later, "onwards then, we still have deer meat" he looks around the group and begins walking.
Ashley watches as the creatures tumble into the pit, happy that no one else will get caught in their jaws. She then turns to Joren and Marion, "Are you two ok? Hopefully that venom will pass soon, but yes, I think we should continue on for a bit." She looks at Vilus as he suggests eating the things, "You definitely have a strange idea of delicacy, I think deer meat would suit all of us better." she shudders at the thought.
Oblivious to what is going on between Joren and Vilus, she follows suit with the marching line and does her best to keep her eye open for anything else that might sneak up on them, looking forward to getting out of these tunnels. "Maybe we could stop after about an hour for food and rest?"
As the group carries on, they pass by several more side tunnels, each with some kind of trap readily apparent to Samir. The ground begins to slope upwards gently for a few minutes before leveling out for a bit. Here and there, tree roots penetrate the walls of the tunnel, and they begin to grow more frequent. Sometimes they tangle together into large masses that partially obstruct the tunnel.
To Vilus, something feels... familiar. To Malachi, however, something feels wrong. It feels like something is watching him, and he keeps glancing over his shoulder. Sometimes he wonders if he is hearing one too many sets of footsteps.
(Vilus and Malachi can both give me perception rolls)
"oh, um if it is then I should find a good place to meditate it's the best I can do right now but I don't want anyone getting hurt like last time, the first wood yes, we spoke about it. What was it?" Vilus casts a wary glance at Malachi, then to the mark on Malachi's head... He furrows his brow in thought "in the center of a meadow in the center of a forest in the center of a crater. A tower is not-there. Strong and tall and non-existent..." Vilus' voice is distinctly his own in that moment and also very much not, it sounds as if something is speaking, or repeating through him.
“Yes, the tower in the crater, I saw that as well. It seems to be some sort of focus for your watcher.” At the memory, Malachi rubs the side of his head. He appears preoccupied, there is something just at the edge of his thought, but he can’t quite put his finger on it. He glances behind at the group periodically as they continue to move through the tunnels.
Indeed, Vilus does feel an affinity with the place. As they continue forward and the tangles of roots choke more and more of the passage, Vilus feels increasingly awake and energized.
Malachi, on the other hand, is horribly uneasy. He looks over his shoulder again, but sees only the tunnel and the roots, both getting lost in the darkness at the edge of his senses. He starts to turn forward again, but he feels a tickle of warning in his mind and snaps his head back around in a double take just in time to catch a root in the act of snaking toward him. It stops immediately when Malachi looks at it, but he knows what he saw.
And it could be his imagination, but it seems the tunnel behind them has more roots than before, and the knots of wood on their surfaces looks suspiciously like... eyes.
Happy to be on the move again, she starts noticing the animosity between Joren and Vilus and doesn't really understand why. They got past the critters, didn't they? She just figured there was no time for that and kept moving on, keeping her eyes peeled for whatever thing that could approach them next.
As they started moving upwards and being around more treeroots, it gave her hope that they were heading in the correct direction. There was a constant worry in her mind that they would get forever lost down here... Then Malachi starts acting funny, constantly looking behind himself and rubbing the side of his head. He looks very on edge and she steps up to him, "Mal, are you alright? Something going on?"
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Joren now no longer summons his echo near the rock-crabs, since he supposes the idea is to have them follow Samir's intriguing sound-emitting device, so he doesn't want to distract from that by providing an alternate target. Instead he moves to guard the group's backside, standing as rear guard, and summoning and sending his echo 30' backwards into the tunnel just in case anything is approaching from behind them.
Barn(Paladin1): Damian_May's Ereworn Under the Shadow | Lyra(Warlock2/Bard4): VitusW's Silverwood Forest | Nivi(Rogue5): Erik_Soong's Netherdeep
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Quyen(Adept1, ba5ic): ConstancePhokas' Nentir Vale (Discord) | Seri(Druid1): Hunter_Orien's Saltmarsh
Xarian(Fighter3): Luna_Dust's Marks on the Map | Ophelia(Sorcerer2): BillM's Icewind Dale | Shin(Wizard1): Culuril's Strixhaven
Malachi continues to fall back through the tunnel, maintaining his position with the group. As Vilus explains his plan, Malachi begins to understand. Still, he will be the first to admit that he is not a tactician. He is more comfortable navigating court and merchant intrigues than fighting some sort of rock crab in an underground tunnel. Still, he trusts the team and the plan seems sound.
He is momentarily surprised that the creature was able to shake off his mental invasion and tries to take a different approach to slow the pursuing creatures, at least until Samir is finished with his contraption and the trap is set.
Quickly summoning his mage hand he moves it forward and attempts to flip one of the stone crabs. Athletics if necessary: 19.
He also calls forth the mental image of a spectral hand of death clawing at one of the wounded creatures.
Attack: 25 Damage: 5.
Strength check for Malachi's mage hand: 6 (mage hand limit is typically 10 pounds, and these crabs weigh more than that when they aren't a dead dried out husk. However, you got a nat 20 so we get to have some fun as long as the crab doesn't crit on this save)
Dex Saves:
3
9 (auto fail if Malachi gets his magehand flip off)
Edit: Oh snap, the stone-crab got a counter-crit! Sorry Malachi
Malachi's magehand grabs the underside of one crab's shell, and a bead of sweat trickles down his temple as he concentrates. With a surge of willpower, he manages to flip the crab just as it tilts its body to pass over a sloped rock. It rolls onto its back... and continues to roll, right back onto its legs again. It continues forward with the rest of the group, hardly slowed.
With all of the crabs pressed together in a tight, shifting throng, Ashley struggles to pick out a single target, and the flames raining down on stony shells glance harmlessly off.
The slow and steady approach of the stone-crabs seems nigh unstoppable, but Malachi isn't done yet. At his command, a skeletal hand reaches up from the ground beneath the leading crab, and its boney fingers dig into the crab's soft underbelly, clinging on and dragging along (2 necrotic damage).
Vilus quickly attaches the device to the rope and casts it over the edge, pulling the rope to the left near the ledge as to keep it out of the direct path of the crabs and their claws.
"Let's hope this works, come on everyone fall back, and be prepared to engage if they don't take the bait!"
With that said in a low tone, Vilus moves as far back from the pit as he can then lays on the floor holding the rope out in front of him with bated breath.
Ashley listens to Vilus and backs up against the wall, but she doesn't wait to see if they take the bait and continues her attack by radiant fire
DEX save 12 or 2
The device sails over the edge and starts to fall. The rope goes taut, causing it to swing back against the side of the pit where it pulses and vibrates against the stone and earth. As everyone takes up position against the back wall, standing as still as possible, the crabs emerge from the side tunnel and scuttle side to side in confusion for a moment.
Dex Save for Ashley's cantrip: 0
Moment of truth. All the crabs have to do is beat Samir's tinker check with a Int save.
Samir rolled an 18 and then added 5 for taking a second action to improve the design further, for a total of 23
The crabs have a +0 to intelligence so they just need a natural 23 or higher to see through the trick
19
7
10
19
10
6
3
Flame smites one of the crabs, boiling its insides through shell and it collapses as steam escapes from underneath. Spurred to action, the remaining 6 scuttle forward as fast as they can towards their target. One by one, they tumble over the side of the pit, clattering to the bottom. The repeated cracks of hard shell on stone echoes through the passage and then there is silence. Then... snick, snick. The sound of claws being repeatedly clicked in agitation as the crabs find themselves trapped in a hole with their quarry hanging out of reach.
Pulling the device back up, Vilus unties it and hands it back to Samir, "this thing worked brilliantly, thank you Samir" he seems astonished that the idea worked and gleefully interested in the device.
"Oh, well, yes, I am quite happy about the outcome. It was an excellent idea." Samir peers over the edge for a second, fiddling with the now inert device in his hand. "Well, I think, um, perhaps that we should be moving on. In case they, um, can climb." Putting action to words, the artificer begins heading forward into the tunnel once more, putting away his things as he walks.
Joren nods and follows in his usual rear position (assuming we resume the marching order with Malachi in front). Walking somewhat stiffly due to the venom still in his veins.
"I'm glad it was working as well. They certainly were falling" (he is unaware of the bad pun) "for your device, Samir. I was feeling the tactic was an unnecessary complication with our walking being faster than the crabs' running. But done is done. At some point once we go far enough and find a good spot, perhaps a short rest?"
Barn(Paladin1): Damian_May's Ereworn Under the Shadow | Lyra(Warlock2/Bard4): VitusW's Silverwood Forest | Nivi(Rogue5): Erik_Soong's Netherdeep
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Quyen(Adept1, ba5ic): ConstancePhokas' Nentir Vale (Discord) | Seri(Druid1): Hunter_Orien's Saltmarsh
Xarian(Fighter3): Luna_Dust's Marks on the Map | Ophelia(Sorcerer2): BillM's Icewind Dale | Shin(Wizard1): Culuril's Strixhaven
"I hear you Joren, and unnecessary as it was, we avoided any further injury, avoiding a fight is always beneficial" he smiles at the fighter and also resumes a marching order, "rest sounds good, we could set up for a bit in the alcove they were nesting in, if anyone can make some smokeless fire we could cook a couple dead ones up for food, right? I mean they're already in bowls, and I've had crab before, though these might be a bit tougher."
Joren grunts, obviously distrustful of the goliath in a way that he has not been before. Glory hound. You are not fooling me.
"If you are wishing to stay here, I cannot stop you. But I am not eating anything that has that venom inside of it, and I am thinking we should keep moving for a while in case they can burrow up through the earth and rock eventually."
Barn(Paladin1): Damian_May's Ereworn Under the Shadow | Lyra(Warlock2/Bard4): VitusW's Silverwood Forest | Nivi(Rogue5): Erik_Soong's Netherdeep
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Quyen(Adept1, ba5ic): ConstancePhokas' Nentir Vale (Discord) | Seri(Druid1): Hunter_Orien's Saltmarsh
Xarian(Fighter3): Luna_Dust's Marks on the Map | Ophelia(Sorcerer2): BillM's Icewind Dale | Shin(Wizard1): Culuril's Strixhaven
Vilus squints his eyes a little, seeing the distrust, but casting is aside for later, "onwards then, we still have deer meat" he looks around the group and begins walking.
Ashley watches as the creatures tumble into the pit, happy that no one else will get caught in their jaws. She then turns to Joren and Marion, "Are you two ok? Hopefully that venom will pass soon, but yes, I think we should continue on for a bit." She looks at Vilus as he suggests eating the things, "You definitely have a strange idea of delicacy, I think deer meat would suit all of us better." she shudders at the thought.
Oblivious to what is going on between Joren and Vilus, she follows suit with the marching line and does her best to keep her eye open for anything else that might sneak up on them, looking forward to getting out of these tunnels. "Maybe we could stop after about an hour for food and rest?"
As the group carries on, they pass by several more side tunnels, each with some kind of trap readily apparent to Samir. The ground begins to slope upwards gently for a few minutes before leveling out for a bit. Here and there, tree roots penetrate the walls of the tunnel, and they begin to grow more frequent. Sometimes they tangle together into large masses that partially obstruct the tunnel.
To Vilus, something feels... familiar. To Malachi, however, something feels wrong. It feels like something is watching him, and he keeps glancing over his shoulder. Sometimes he wonders if he is hearing one too many sets of footsteps.
(Vilus and Malachi can both give me perception rolls)
Vilus perception 13
"Tree roots, we're close to the surface... Somewhere wooded, could it be..?" He mutters, wondering some vague, disconnected thought out loud.
Joren grunts again, "Were you two not talking about some watcher in the middle of... ah, The First Wood? Is that where we are heading?"
Barn(Paladin1): Damian_May's Ereworn Under the Shadow | Lyra(Warlock2/Bard4): VitusW's Silverwood Forest | Nivi(Rogue5): Erik_Soong's Netherdeep
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Quyen(Adept1, ba5ic): ConstancePhokas' Nentir Vale (Discord) | Seri(Druid1): Hunter_Orien's Saltmarsh
Xarian(Fighter3): Luna_Dust's Marks on the Map | Ophelia(Sorcerer2): BillM's Icewind Dale | Shin(Wizard1): Culuril's Strixhaven
"oh, um if it is then I should find a good place to meditate it's the best I can do right now but I don't want anyone getting hurt like last time, the first wood yes, we spoke about it. What was it?" Vilus casts a wary glance at Malachi, then to the mark on Malachi's head... He furrows his brow in thought "in the center of a meadow in the center of a forest in the center of a crater. A tower is not-there. Strong and tall and non-existent..." Vilus' voice is distinctly his own in that moment and also very much not, it sounds as if something is speaking, or repeating through him.
“Yes, the tower in the crater, I saw that as well. It seems to be some sort of focus for your watcher.” At the memory, Malachi rubs the side of his head. He appears preoccupied, there is something just at the edge of his thought, but he can’t quite put his finger on it. He glances behind at the group periodically as they continue to move through the tunnels.
Perception: 22.
.
Indeed, Vilus does feel an affinity with the place. As they continue forward and the tangles of roots choke more and more of the passage, Vilus feels increasingly awake and energized.
Malachi, on the other hand, is horribly uneasy. He looks over his shoulder again, but sees only the tunnel and the roots, both getting lost in the darkness at the edge of his senses. He starts to turn forward again, but he feels a tickle of warning in his mind and snaps his head back around in a double take just in time to catch a root in the act of snaking toward him. It stops immediately when Malachi looks at it, but he knows what he saw.
And it could be his imagination, but it seems the tunnel behind them has more roots than before, and the knots of wood on their surfaces looks suspiciously like... eyes.
Happy to be on the move again, she starts noticing the animosity between Joren and Vilus and doesn't really understand why. They got past the critters, didn't they? She just figured there was no time for that and kept moving on, keeping her eyes peeled for whatever thing that could approach them next.
As they started moving upwards and being around more treeroots, it gave her hope that they were heading in the correct direction. There was a constant worry in her mind that they would get forever lost down here... Then Malachi starts acting funny, constantly looking behind himself and rubbing the side of his head. He looks very on edge and she steps up to him, "Mal, are you alright? Something going on?"