Xanryn opens the crate easily enough with the crowbar. Inside you find a small metal box. The blue metal box is made from iron that must be impervious to rust, as it is the only thing in the cargo holds unaffected by the water. It has no lock or latch, and any cursory attempt to open it would result in failure.
As the others are inspecting the chest, Coriana feels a deep weight in her chest, a feeling she usually gets when invoking the strange magic that she possesses. At the same time, you all hear a slurping kind of sunroom like sound coming from all around the ship, as though something is wrapping itself around. A moment later, a giant thrashing tentacle bursts into the hold from below, trying to hit everything inside and leaving a giant hole when it leaves. You hear tentacles strike quickly, spearing through sides of the ship up above as well. The hole in the bottom of the boat starts spouting up water, and the ship starts to list. The ship is sinking.
You all need to work together to grab the treasure chest and get off the sinking ship. I want to resolve this with a Skill Test. Some of you have done this before but I know others haven’t so I’ll describe it here. All of you get to creatively use your Skill Proficiencies to describe how you use that skill to help get off the ship. You can only use skills you have proficiency with. For example, you might use Athletics to hoist up the chest, you might use your understanding of Survival to avoid the tentacles as they burst into the ship, or you might use your Investigation to find a secret hatch that gets you to the deck of the ship quicker. As long as you can convince me the skill would work, you can make the roll.
It will require 9 Successes to get to the top of the ship and onto the rowboat without issue. For every failure you get, the worse the situation will be when you get to the deck, with 3 Failures being the worst. Feel free to ask me if you have any questions. Otherwise y’all can start describing how your Skill Proficiencies can be used to get out of this situation.
Khessa thinks that the sudden threat demands a quick disengagement! She therefore makes good use of her physical strength, grabbing the chest (or helping carry it, if someone else wants to do the same) and running as fast as she can to the deck: "Quick! Let's all run away!"
[[ OOC: Using Athletics. @DM: From Khessa's perspective, it would make sense for her to cast (as Bonus Action) Expeditious Retreat to run even faster. How would that affect the dynamic you described? ]]
(OOC: For tests like this how do spells like guidance work? Can I cast it to help on rolls?)
Syllen takes a moment to connect to us animal instincts. Putting his hand on the ship he feels the vibrations and sounds of the creature in order to predict its movements. Syllen will use this information to help everyone brace themselves and avoid any delays.
Theldrin quickly scans the area of the ship's hold to see if he spots anything 23that might help the party get the chest out the area quickly, or if there are any other exits they could use to get back up the deck.
(OOC: IIRC from last time, two PCs can use the same skill, as long as they're both proficient in it. And each PC can only use a particular skill once during the challenge, right?)
While Xanrym was studying with scholars at the Great Library in the Free City of Greyhawk, he met a sage who styled himself as a "naturalist" and expert on the creatures of the Flanaess. The sage had a great variety of animal specimens: bones, whole creatures preserved in amber, various insect bodies pinned to a board, and even some live creatures in his collection, including a small octopus in a large glass tank. Xanrym was fascinated by the octopus and the way its body moved. It seemed so alien, with its eight tentacles and flexible body. He visited the octopus tank whenever he could while the Company was in the Free City, and the sage even let him feed the octopus. The creature was shy but very friendly, especially when fed. Xanyrm was very interested in the way its tentacles moved as it reached out and grasped his hand or the pieces of food.
A moment later, a giant thrashing tentacle bursts into the hold from below, trying to hit everything inside and leaving a giant hole when it leaves. You hear tentacles strike quickly, spearing through sides of the ship up above as well. The hole in the bottom of the boat starts spouting up water, and the ship starts to list. The ship is sinking.
The sight of the tentacles bursting into the ship and flailing around immediately calls to Xanrym's mind the octopus in the tank. Of course, that one was small: based on the size of these tentacles, this tentacled creature must be humongous! Still, the tentacles move in much the same way. Xanrym is able to help guide the party members to void the flailing, grasping tentacles as they try to escape the sinking ship.
(OOC: Waiting to see how many successes and failures we've racked up before I post anything else.)
(Khessa may cast Expeditious Retreat to get Advantage on your roll, although you may not want to as you already have a success. Seeing as how Guidance is Concentration, and some of these checks may take a little while to perform, i'll allow Syllen to roll Guidance for 1 skill check, but may do so after the player rolls. Xanrym's assessment is right, and i'll award 2 successes for a crit. I'll only accept Avery's first two checks as he's doubled up on Athletics and is not Proficient in Investigation.)
Khessa and Avery both pick up the chest, Avery leading the way with his graceful footwork. Syllen tries to connect with the creature on the ship, but finds the being's movements and bearing to be completely alien to him. Xanrym's training and knowledge of octopus tells him that something about this creature is not of this world. However, that knowledge is helpful in that he advises that this creature cannot be expected to act like an actual octopus or squid at all. Theldrin leaps into action and leads the group, knowing that the quickest way to to deck will be to head up the rope and then immediately head up the stairs, bringing you to the statue of Lolth, then out the door to the deck.
That is currently 6 Successes and 1 Failure. Can anyone think of other ways to use your Skill Proficiencies to get to the deck quicker or avoid lashing tentacles?
Syllen relying on his survival skills helps the party avoid any of the remaining spider webs so that they are not delayed in getting to the deck and after that helping avoid the tentacles as they get off the ship.
Khessa tries to remember details about what magical effects can be used to mislead creatures seeking prey with their tentacles and to exploit her cantrips to fool the monster and buy time.
(OOC: @JehanO - this might be a good borderline roll for using Guidance!)
(OOC: @drumdigby - I had a similar idea to have Xanrym attempt to misdirect this alien intelligence, either via knocking on the hull with his mace / hammer or by casting Minor Illusion to create stomping / knocking sounds that seem to lead away from the party's location. For example, sounds of get running up the N-S hallway while the party sneaks up the stairs to the altar room at the south end of the ship. That way, maybe the tentacles wouldn't be focused on the path that the party actually took. I rolled a different skill for Xanrym, so I'm not sure what to do with both Xanrym and Khessa trying a similar approach at the same time.)
Theldrin's mind races as the party scrambles to escape the ship in time. He quickly thinks back to his time studying at Elrenstad's academy in Ekbir, in particular he recalls the accounts of the wizard Alberion, who spent years traveling on board various ships exploring the world. He tries to remember any information as to how Alberion and the crew dealt with capsizing ships or attacks by sea monsters.
Specifically what cantrips does Khessa use and how?
Oh, well... With that roll she aimed to remember details about what magical effects can be used to mislead creatures seeking prey with their tentacles.
Depending on what she remembers, she could for example use Prestidigitation to create one of
Sensory Effect. You create an instantaneous, harmless sensory effect, such as a shower of sparks, a puff of wind, faint musical notes, or an odd odor.
Maybe to create odors of something edible? Or puff of wind from a direction, as if a door has been opened? Or musical notes from a direction where there is nobody?
Minor Sensation. You chill, warm, or flavor up to 1 cubic foot of nonliving material for 1 hour.
Maybe to warm a small dead body (or part of it), as if it is still a living prey - so a tentacle might be fooled into grasping it?
With Syllen’s help, Xanrym and Khessa are able to make useful distractions to lead the tentacles away from them as they climb up to the deck. Theldrin, invoking the history taught to him of old, is able to get them all to the deck before whatever the creature attached to the boat successfully destroys the ship. However, this ship IS lost, with the hole in the hold still letting in massive amounts of water and the tentacles still ripping at it, it’s time to get off the boat.
As you get to the deck, you see the rowboat still waiting off the side of the boat. You also notice that dark clouds have somehow appeared overhead, despite the weather being fine when you went below deck
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Avery will attempt to pry open the crate: strength roll: 21
Xanryn opens the crate easily enough with the crowbar. Inside you find a small metal box. The blue metal box is made from iron that must be impervious to rust, as it is the only thing in the cargo holds unaffected by the water. It has no lock or latch, and any cursory attempt to open it would result in failure.
As the others are inspecting the chest, Coriana feels a deep weight in her chest, a feeling she usually gets when invoking the strange magic that she possesses. At the same time, you all hear a slurping kind of sunroom like sound coming from all around the ship, as though something is wrapping itself around. A moment later, a giant thrashing tentacle bursts into the hold from below, trying to hit everything inside and leaving a giant hole when it leaves. You hear tentacles strike quickly, spearing through sides of the ship up above as well. The hole in the bottom of the boat starts spouting up water, and the ship starts to list. The ship is sinking.
You all need to work together to grab the treasure chest and get off the sinking ship. I want to resolve this with a Skill Test. Some of you have done this before but I know others haven’t so I’ll describe it here. All of you get to creatively use your Skill Proficiencies to describe how you use that skill to help get off the ship. You can only use skills you have proficiency with. For example, you might use Athletics to hoist up the chest, you might use your understanding of Survival to avoid the tentacles as they burst into the ship, or you might use your Investigation to find a secret hatch that gets you to the deck of the ship quicker. As long as you can convince me the skill would work, you can make the roll.
It will require 9 Successes to get to the top of the ship and onto the rowboat without issue. For every failure you get, the worse the situation will be when you get to the deck, with 3 Failures being the worst. Feel free to ask me if you have any questions. Otherwise y’all can start describing how your Skill Proficiencies can be used to get out of this situation.
Khessa thinks that the sudden threat demands a quick disengagement! She therefore makes good use of her physical strength, grabbing the chest (or helping carry it, if someone else wants to do the same) and running as fast as she can to the deck: "Quick! Let's all run away!"
[[ OOC: Using Athletics. @DM: From Khessa's perspective, it would make sense for her to cast (as Bonus Action) Expeditious Retreat to run even faster. How would that affect the dynamic you described? ]]
Khessa's Athletics: 18
(OOC: For tests like this how do spells like guidance work? Can I cast it to help on rolls?)
Syllen takes a moment to connect to us animal instincts. Putting his hand on the ship he feels the vibrations and sounds of the creature in order to predict its movements. Syllen will use this information to help everyone brace themselves and avoid any delays.
Perception Roll: Nat 1 (7)
Theldrin quickly scans the area of the ship's hold to see if he spots anything 23that might help the party get the chest out the area quickly, or if there are any other exits they could use to get back up the deck.
Investigation: 24
(OOC: IIRC from last time, two PCs can use the same skill, as long as they're both proficient in it. And each PC can only use a particular skill once during the challenge, right?)
Avery evasion skills:
Athletics to help with the chest: 19
Acrobatics to move without falling from the giant squid or whatever is attacking the ship: 10
Investigation to find a better way up to the main deck: 10
Athletics to keep moving: 9
Xanrym - Nature 25 (nat-20, in game log)
While Xanrym was studying with scholars at the Great Library in the Free City of Greyhawk, he met a sage who styled himself as a "naturalist" and expert on the creatures of the Flanaess. The sage had a great variety of animal specimens: bones, whole creatures preserved in amber, various insect bodies pinned to a board, and even some live creatures in his collection, including a small octopus in a large glass tank. Xanrym was fascinated by the octopus and the way its body moved. It seemed so alien, with its eight tentacles and flexible body. He visited the octopus tank whenever he could while the Company was in the Free City, and the sage even let him feed the octopus. The creature was shy but very friendly, especially when fed. Xanyrm was very interested in the way its tentacles moved as it reached out and grasped his hand or the pieces of food.
The sight of the tentacles bursting into the ship and flailing around immediately calls to Xanrym's mind the octopus in the tank. Of course, that one was small: based on the size of these tentacles, this tentacled creature must be humongous! Still, the tentacles move in much the same way. Xanrym is able to help guide the party members to void the flailing, grasping tentacles as they try to escape the sinking ship.
(OOC: Waiting to see how many successes and failures we've racked up before I post anything else.)
(Khessa may cast Expeditious Retreat to get Advantage on your roll, although you may not want to as you already have a success. Seeing as how Guidance is Concentration, and some of these checks may take a little while to perform, i'll allow Syllen to roll Guidance for 1 skill check, but may do so after the player rolls. Xanrym's assessment is right, and i'll award 2 successes for a crit. I'll only accept Avery's first two checks as he's doubled up on Athletics and is not Proficient in Investigation.)
Khessa and Avery both pick up the chest, Avery leading the way with his graceful footwork. Syllen tries to connect with the creature on the ship, but finds the being's movements and bearing to be completely alien to him. Xanrym's training and knowledge of octopus tells him that something about this creature is not of this world. However, that knowledge is helpful in that he advises that this creature cannot be expected to act like an actual octopus or squid at all. Theldrin leaps into action and leads the group, knowing that the quickest way to to deck will be to head up the rope and then immediately head up the stairs, bringing you to the statue of Lolth, then out the door to the deck.
That is currently 6 Successes and 1 Failure. Can anyone think of other ways to use your Skill Proficiencies to get to the deck quicker or avoid lashing tentacles?
Syllen relying on his survival skills helps the party avoid any of the remaining spider webs so that they are not delayed in getting to the deck and after that helping avoid the tentacles as they get off the ship.
Survival Roll: 17
Syllen shakes off the strange feeling of the beast attached to the ship and starts guiding the party through the spider webs and tentacles.
7 Successes, 1 Failure.
Khessa tries to remember details about what magical effects can be used to mislead creatures seeking prey with their tentacles and to exploit her cantrips to fool the monster and buy time.
Arcana, if allowed: 24
Specifically what cantrips does Khessa use and how?
Xanrym - Deception: 9 (in game log)
(OOC: @JehanO - this might be a good borderline roll for using Guidance!)
(OOC: @drumdigby - I had a similar idea to have Xanrym attempt to misdirect this alien intelligence, either via knocking on the hull with his mace / hammer or by casting Minor Illusion to create stomping / knocking sounds that seem to lead away from the party's location. For example, sounds of get running up the N-S hallway while the party sneaks up the stairs to the altar room at the south end of the ship. That way, maybe the tentacles wouldn't be focused on the path that the party actually took. I rolled a different skill for Xanrym, so I'm not sure what to do with both Xanrym and Khessa trying a similar approach at the same time.)
Syllen will grab Xanrym's shoulder and cast Guidance giving him a +2 to his roll.
Xanrym - Deception: 11
Theldrin's mind races as the party scrambles to escape the ship in time. He quickly thinks back to his time studying at Elrenstad's academy in Ekbir, in particular he recalls the accounts of the wizard Alberion, who spent years traveling on board various ships exploring the world. He tries to remember any information as to how Alberion and the crew dealt with capsizing ships or attacks by sea monsters.
History: 16
Oh, well... With that roll she aimed to remember details about what magical effects can be used to mislead creatures seeking prey with their tentacles.
Depending on what she remembers, she could for example use Prestidigitation to create one of
Sensory Effect. You create an instantaneous, harmless sensory effect, such as a shower of sparks, a puff of wind, faint musical notes, or an odd odor.
Maybe to create odors of something edible? Or puff of wind from a direction, as if a door has been opened? Or musical notes from a direction where there is nobody?
Minor Sensation. You chill, warm, or flavor up to 1 cubic foot of nonliving material for 1 hour.
Maybe to warm a small dead body (or part of it), as if it is still a living prey - so a tentacle might be fooled into grasping it?
With Syllen’s help, Xanrym and Khessa are able to make useful distractions to lead the tentacles away from them as they climb up to the deck. Theldrin, invoking the history taught to him of old, is able to get them all to the deck before whatever the creature attached to the boat successfully destroys the ship. However, this ship IS lost, with the hole in the hold still letting in massive amounts of water and the tentacles still ripping at it, it’s time to get off the boat.
As you get to the deck, you see the rowboat still waiting off the side of the boat. You also notice that dark clouds have somehow appeared overhead, despite the weather being fine when you went below deck