A moment after Lucky's exasperated comment, everyone's attention was drawn to the sky as a massive shadow passed overhead. Squinting their eyes because the bright morning sun was reflecting off the white ice all around them, it took everyone a moment to realize the gravity of their situation. Mills was the first to recognize, Lucky and Gor immediately after; Zanoth lost the creature in a sunray and therefore had to wait for Mills to curse before realizing the depth of their trouble.
"Bugger me." He whispered. "A friggen white dragon." Immediately, everyone in the group reined their horses, all four of which had suddenly become extremely skittish and agitated, closer to the trunks of the nearby trees hoping the canopy overhead, heavily laden as it was with fresh snow, would hide their presence.
(OOC: I'm going to need a stealth roll from everyone, AND unless someone among the party can beat a target DC Animal Handling check to calm the horses, those rolls will be made at disadvantage... Oh what fun is in store...)
Zanoth is somewhat spooked by the dragon… was it just passing by ? Or looking for them ? Regardless, he knew they had deadly breath so turned aside to not draw attention to the other more stealthily members of the group, and also present less of a single target if it attacked;
“We better break up, less of a target”.
/OOC
Animal Handling: 4
Stealth roll at disadvantage: 1
Of note, [spell]Snare[/roll] does not affect Tiny creatures, so not Squirrels or Hares.
<Feeling himself losing control of the horse as it starts to bolt with loud whinny’s, Zanoth decides that battle preparations may be in order. Before the others of the group are out too far away, he calls forth a blessing of the gods, and then moving further from his compatriots dismounts and prepares for battle.>
/OOC; As much as possible with the assumption that Mr Dragon hears me and my horse, and esp. now with Mills;
Cast 1:Bless before out of 30 ft, range of the party (affects 3). Cast it on Zanoth, Lucky, 2;1=Mills, 2=Gor.
Continue to move on horse for a few more seconds away from party another 10 ft or so.
Dismount (uses 15 ft of my movement, assume horse will continue to run away as it has 60 ft movement + Dash).
If possible use remaining 15 ft. of my movement to find at least a little cover (even if partial).
[OOC: A couple things. 1. Sorry Mills, that Animal Handling roll did not beat the DC. So, yeah. Your and Zanoth's horses are definitely spooked beyond recovery. Ouch. 2. Regarding this: "Of note, Snare does not affect Tiny creatures, so not Squirrels or Hares." Absolutely right, and even though Gor, as a Druid, would be able to cast the spell Snare, I was kind of playing on the idea that he has never used that spell before, since he is a kind of protector of wild places, and therefore would never want to harm animals. So with that dialogue I was trying to relate a bit more about his naivete with the civilized world. :) Now the fun begins... Lucky's rolls are in the game log. He really is lucky!]
Lucky, seeing things turning sidewise and fast, leapt off of the front of Zanoth's panicked horse onto the back of Dawn, and by some strange miracle of nature, was able to not only control the beast, but soothe it with some targeted petting and soft words. Lucky then pulled on Dawn's reins and just felt the tingle of Zanoth's blessing magic before he quietly drew the hoofed beast into a nearby copse of fir and birch trees. Lucky figured the mix-matched color of the white-barked birches and the dun fir trees would camouflage him better.
Gor hears the whispers of a white dragon. He sense the horses getting a bit nervous and moves to calm them (Animal Handling 18) He attempts to move the horses into the brush and trees and hide from the dragon (21 Stealth) He sees the others fumbling around and hopes the dragon is just flying home to its lair and isn't looking for food.
[OOC: @Gor, you are nowhere near a cave. Sorry. You're currently about half a day's ride from the cave where you spent the night actually. Only place to try and hide around here is, as Lucky did, try and find a dense growth of trees and hunker down. If possible you can edit your post accordingly. If not, I'll just assume that's what was meant.]
[OOC: Edit: You lucky bastards! The dragon rolled a one on initiative, which means Gor and Lucky get surprise round actions, and then you ALL get to go before it. That also means that Lucky's shot during the regular first round is still rolled with advantage (not a crit, that only works when the creature is surprised, but still small blessings). This might honestly be the quickest dragon death pulled off by a level 3 party in D&D history?]
As Zanoth dismounted and his horse screamed in panicked fear and bolted away, the white dragon arched its head having heard the sound and caught the movement out of the corner of its ice-blue eye. The magnificent scaled harbinger of icy death whipped a complete 180 degree turn in the air with the ease of a falcon, and tucked its wings for a dive.
Meanwhile, Lucky, who saw a clear shot through the boughs of the trees over his head, could not help himself. He thought, "they just don't get any clearer than that," before loosing an arrow from his shortbow. The broadhead struck paydirt, lancing in between two of the dragon's diamond white scales. Red blood spattered down upon the snow from the wound. The dragon roared in pain, and opened its wings to halt its dive, looking carefully for who dared attack it. As carefully as it looked, it could not find it's attacker. Lucky, as funny as it sounds, couldn't believe his luck, the dragon slowed down enough that he saw another clear shot through the snow covered branches of the trees over his head. "No way that works twice," he thought, as he released a second arrow. Unbelievably, it did work twice, the second piece of ammunition ripped right through the dragon's wing, tearing a hole in the leathery surface. It was at that point that Lucky's luck ran out. The dragon, whose eyes were trained on the area it thought the first arrow came from, saw through the boughs of the snow covered trees to the horse and rider below.
It bellowed a roaring challenge in the Common tongue. "Well shot, little man. Too bad your little arrows will be the last you ever fire." The ice-white dragon corrected its course and started flying directly toward Lucky's position.
(OOC: Housekeeping stuff. Lucky took his surprise round actions, and then immediately took his first round actions as well. All rolls for which are in the game log. His bonus action Hide attempt in the first round failed him, just barely, as the dragon's Passive Perception is 16. Gor, you get both a surprise round worth of actions, and then you can take your regular first round actions as well. Mills and Zanoth, you don't get to act in the surprise round because the dragon wasn't surprised by you, but you can take your first round's worth of actions. Once all that is complete, if the dragon is even still alive, it will be his turn to act. The rogue doing 34hp damage before the dragon ever even gets to do anything may have just tipped the scales hard in the Outlander's direction. Dice luck everyone!)
Gor watches Lucky fire a few shots off at the dragon and decides this is a good time to move the horses away from the battle. He stays within 120 feet of the dragon and moves 30 feet away with the horses.
He takes out his starry map and consults it on the best way to shoot a guiding bolt at a dragon. He lets a bolt loose and it sails wide of its mark (10 to hit). Gor decides to move another 30 feet with the horses again staying within 120 feet of the dragon and lets loos a second bolt. He concentrates on his mark being further away (25 hit 18 damage) and hopes to hit his mark.
If it hits advantage on the next person to attack to Dragon.
[OOC: @Gor, my bad, I should have reminded you that since you were unseen and unheard your first Guiding Bolt ranged attack roll would have been made with advantage. Want to roll a second time (just a regular roll which will account for the advantage when taking in the addition of the first roll attempt) and see if it hits? If it does, and creates a situation where another character could attack with advantage in the first round, before you fired off the second bolt, I'm willing to allow for that. In which case it would actually create a situation where both Zanoth and Mills could make attack rolls with advantage in the first round... Let me know if anyone needs further explanations of the mechanics of that. :)]
[OOC: Totally forgot, also, everyone except Mills can add a d4 to their attack and ability check rolls thanks to Zanoth's Bless. Don't forget that. So we have a situation here where both Zanoth and Mills could make an attack with advantage, because of the way I track initiative (block initiative) Zanoth or Mills could have taken advantage, literally, of Gor's surprise round Guiding bolt to launch a ranged attack of some kind at advantage, and then Gor could have gone again in the first round launching that second Guiding Bolt, which would give the other of them advantage on an attack as well. Obviously the dragon's not in melee range, so those attacks would have to be ranged spells or weapons. Like I said, this fight might be over before it starts...]
/OOC Zanoth would let Mills use the Advantage with his bow. Also Bless works for to-hit rolls and saves, not ability/skill checks (therefore unfortunately not Initiative either).
/OOC Zanoth would let Mills use the Advantage with his bow. Also Bless works for to-hit rolls and saves, not ability/skill checks (therefore unfortunately not Initiative either).
[OOC: Ah! Yes, thanks for the clarification/reminder. It's Bardic inspiration that works on attack rolls and ability checks, right?]
Mills is doing his best just to keep the horse from panicking, but sees Gor's magic light the dragon up like a beacon and takes his shot, loosing an arrow!
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
After dismounting Zanoth got ready to take the brunt of the dragons rage as he had been the one to catch it’s attention as it flew by. As the dragon changed course to investigate, his “noisy distraction” gave Lucky an opportunity to fire off two deadly arrows, unfortunately redirecting the dragons rage… onto Lucky. His brave little friend had gravely wounded the beast, but at potential terrible cost.
Two bolts of white light streamed out from Gor, and another arrow from Mills, but the dragon kept heading for Lucky, it’s eyes locked. Maybe it found Halfling meat sweet ?
Deciding he would be best to take the creature on when it got into melee range, Zanoth moved slightly closer to Lucky, trying to get in the dragons path and started to shout and scream at the beast, waiting the precious seconds whilst it’s dive brought it closer and closer;
“You red bellied coward, he’s not even a snack, not even a piece of chicken in your teeth! Pick on someone bigger!”
With the beast still far out of reach, Zanoth summoned a skeletal hand that clung on like a limpet and tried to dig into it’s fresh.
With no time left he waited with spear at the ready for when it came into range, hoping it would attack him instead of trying to consume his small friend.
/OOC
Move: Move myself so I am just over 30 ft away from Lucky, but close enough for a Polearm Master Reaction attack if it comes into range… upshot, hopefully not close enough for us all to be wiped out in a single breath!
Action: Cast 0:Chill Touch22 to hit vs AC17 for [1d8] necrotic damage, stops healing.
Reaction: When it comes within reach prior to physically attacking Lucky (assuming it does !), I will use my Polearm Mastery reaction to attack. So let me know IF it comes in reach, at which point I will post the rolls. If it does not, then that’s my turn, and I’ll wait until after it’s go.
A moment after Lucky's exasperated comment, everyone's attention was drawn to the sky as a massive shadow passed overhead. Squinting their eyes because the bright morning sun was reflecting off the white ice all around them, it took everyone a moment to realize the gravity of their situation. Mills was the first to recognize, Lucky and Gor immediately after; Zanoth lost the creature in a sunray and therefore had to wait for Mills to curse before realizing the depth of their trouble.
"Bugger me." He whispered. "A friggen white dragon." Immediately, everyone in the group reined their horses, all four of which had suddenly become extremely skittish and agitated, closer to the trunks of the nearby trees hoping the canopy overhead, heavily laden as it was with fresh snow, would hide their presence.
(OOC: I'm going to need a stealth roll from everyone, AND unless someone among the party can beat a target DC Animal Handling check to calm the horses, those rolls will be made at disadvantage... Oh what fun is in store...)
/OOC
Mills animal handling 13
Paladin - warforged - orange
Stealth 12 disadv? 18
Paladin - warforged - orange
/OOC; As much as possible with the assumption that Mr Dragon hears me and my horse, and esp. now with Mills;
[OOC: A couple things. 1. Sorry Mills, that Animal Handling roll did not beat the DC. So, yeah. Your and Zanoth's horses are definitely spooked beyond recovery. Ouch. 2. Regarding this: "Of note, Snare does not affect Tiny creatures, so not Squirrels or Hares." Absolutely right, and even though Gor, as a Druid, would be able to cast the spell Snare, I was kind of playing on the idea that he has never used that spell before, since he is a kind of protector of wild places, and therefore would never want to harm animals. So with that dialogue I was trying to relate a bit more about his naivete with the civilized world. :) Now the fun begins... Lucky's rolls are in the game log. He really is lucky!]
Lucky, seeing things turning sidewise and fast, leapt off of the front of Zanoth's panicked horse onto the back of Dawn, and by some strange miracle of nature, was able to not only control the beast, but soothe it with some targeted petting and soft words. Lucky then pulled on Dawn's reins and just felt the tingle of Zanoth's blessing magic before he quietly drew the hoofed beast into a nearby copse of fir and birch trees. Lucky figured the mix-matched color of the white-barked birches and the dun fir trees would camouflage him better.
Gor hears the whispers of a white dragon. He sense the horses getting a bit nervous and moves to calm them (Animal Handling 18) He attempts to move the horses into the brush and trees and hide from the dragon (21 Stealth) He sees the others fumbling around and hopes the dragon is just flying home to its lair and isn't looking for food.
[OOC: @Gor, you are nowhere near a cave. Sorry. You're currently about half a day's ride from the cave where you spent the night actually. Only place to try and hide around here is, as Lucky did, try and find a dense growth of trees and hunker down. If possible you can edit your post accordingly. If not, I'll just assume that's what was meant.]
[OOC: Edit: You lucky bastards! The dragon rolled a one on initiative, which means Gor and Lucky get surprise round actions, and then you ALL get to go before it. That also means that Lucky's shot during the regular first round is still rolled with advantage (not a crit, that only works when the creature is surprised, but still small blessings). This might honestly be the quickest dragon death pulled off by a level 3 party in D&D history?]
(Thanks, I missed the part where we left...I will edit :o)
As Zanoth dismounted and his horse screamed in panicked fear and bolted away, the white dragon arched its head having heard the sound and caught the movement out of the corner of its ice-blue eye. The magnificent scaled harbinger of icy death whipped a complete 180 degree turn in the air with the ease of a falcon, and tucked its wings for a dive.
Meanwhile, Lucky, who saw a clear shot through the boughs of the trees over his head, could not help himself. He thought, "they just don't get any clearer than that," before loosing an arrow from his shortbow. The broadhead struck paydirt, lancing in between two of the dragon's diamond white scales. Red blood spattered down upon the snow from the wound. The dragon roared in pain, and opened its wings to halt its dive, looking carefully for who dared attack it. As carefully as it looked, it could not find it's attacker. Lucky, as funny as it sounds, couldn't believe his luck, the dragon slowed down enough that he saw another clear shot through the snow covered branches of the trees over his head. "No way that works twice," he thought, as he released a second arrow. Unbelievably, it did work twice, the second piece of ammunition ripped right through the dragon's wing, tearing a hole in the leathery surface. It was at that point that Lucky's luck ran out. The dragon, whose eyes were trained on the area it thought the first arrow came from, saw through the boughs of the snow covered trees to the horse and rider below.
It bellowed a roaring challenge in the Common tongue. "Well shot, little man. Too bad your little arrows will be the last you ever fire." The ice-white dragon corrected its course and started flying directly toward Lucky's position.
(OOC: Housekeeping stuff. Lucky took his surprise round actions, and then immediately took his first round actions as well. All rolls for which are in the game log. His bonus action Hide attempt in the first round failed him, just barely, as the dragon's Passive Perception is 16. Gor, you get both a surprise round worth of actions, and then you can take your regular first round actions as well. Mills and Zanoth, you don't get to act in the surprise round because the dragon wasn't surprised by you, but you can take your first round's worth of actions. Once all that is complete, if the dragon is even still alive, it will be his turn to act. The rogue doing 34hp damage before the dragon ever even gets to do anything may have just tipped the scales hard in the Outlander's direction. Dice luck everyone!)
Gor watches Lucky fire a few shots off at the dragon and decides this is a good time to move the horses away from the battle. He stays within 120 feet of the dragon and moves 30 feet away with the horses.
He takes out his starry map and consults it on the best way to shoot a guiding bolt at a dragon. He lets a bolt loose and it sails wide of its mark (10 to hit). Gor decides to move another 30 feet with the horses again staying within 120 feet of the dragon and lets loos a second bolt. He concentrates on his mark being further away (25 hit 18 damage) and hopes to hit his mark.
If it hits advantage on the next person to attack to Dragon.
[OOC: @Gor, my bad, I should have reminded you that since you were unseen and unheard your first Guiding Bolt ranged attack roll would have been made with advantage. Want to roll a second time (just a regular roll which will account for the advantage when taking in the addition of the first roll attempt) and see if it hits? If it does, and creates a situation where another character could attack with advantage in the first round, before you fired off the second bolt, I'm willing to allow for that. In which case it would actually create a situation where both Zanoth and Mills could make attack rolls with advantage in the first round... Let me know if anyone needs further explanations of the mechanics of that. :)]
Roiled again25 hit 15 damage
[OOC: Totally forgot, also, everyone except Mills can add a d4 to their attack and ability check rolls thanks to Zanoth's Bless. Don't forget that. So we have a situation here where both Zanoth and Mills could make an attack with advantage, because of the way I track initiative (block initiative) Zanoth or Mills could have taken advantage, literally, of Gor's surprise round Guiding bolt to launch a ranged attack of some kind at advantage, and then Gor could have gone again in the first round launching that second Guiding Bolt, which would give the other of them advantage on an attack as well. Obviously the dragon's not in melee range, so those attacks would have to be ranged spells or weapons. Like I said, this fight might be over before it starts...]
/OOC Zanoth would let Mills use the Advantage with his bow. Also Bless works for to-hit rolls and saves, not ability/skill checks (therefore unfortunately not Initiative either).
[OOC: Ah! Yes, thanks for the clarification/reminder. It's Bardic inspiration that works on attack rolls and ability checks, right?]
Mills is doing his best just to keep the horse from panicking, but sees Gor's magic light the dragon up like a beacon and takes his shot, loosing an arrow!
Attack: 12 Damage: 7
Paladin - warforged - orange
That was at advantage... Oof
Paladin - warforged - orange
/OOC
3 Necrotic damage.