Erik Soong's Call of the Netherdeep

Morgan keeps glancing between Randa and Ylis through the window, then back to his companions, restless. Suddenly, he feels like there is no more time.
"We need to talk. We need to find this Prolix. We need to get back to the temple. We need to talk."

He turns to Question with a worried smile.
"Thank you. You have been precious to us. If we need you again... where can we find you?"

He pauses, reconsidering her words.
"But if what you suspect is true, staying close to us could be dangerous. Maybe... you could go to Ank'Harel... for us. Away from the danger."

Luna Perception check 17

Luna Insight check 15

Luna Dex save 21

Frekor sneaks along the alley, a shadow given life as he skulks through the darkness. He follows the alley until he finds another turn. As he peeks around the corner, he sees three men, a human, a dwarf, and a drow. The human male holds a human woman who struggles against him. On the ground is another drow male, not moving.

“It is so sad that your husband couldn’t pay his debts. Normally we just write it off with a death, but your husband was especially stupid in having you present when we came to collect.” The drow says to the still struggling woman. “So you just inherited an unfortunate problem. 200 gold. Too much for your husband, so I imagine it is too much for you. How much is your life worth to you?” He says, stepping in close. “I promise you that it is worth much less to me. So what do we do about that?”

***

“Yes, I am just a bookworm. This will soon be no place for scholars,” Question hesitates. “If it isn’t that already.” She bows. “Prolix spends a lot of time at the crematorium. He hasn’t shared with me why, but last time I saw him, he seemed to be waiting for something. I’ll head back to Ank’Harel tomorrow. If you find your way there, look me up. I will get you into the archives. I will be looking into your precious cargo in the meantime. Good luck.” She heads to the elevator and stops, wrestling with some thought.

“If you do go to Betrayer’s Rise, can you keep an eye out for my expedition team? They haven’t returned and they should have by now.”

A few of the patrons turn from their seats to look at Question, then shake their heads, their minds made up as to why her friends haven’t returned. None offer any words. They merely drink deep from their mugs. A couple look at the Fellowship like they are future dead fools.

Quote from Erik_Soong >>

 

“Yes, I am just a bookworm. This will soon be no place for scholars,” Question hesitates. “If it isn’t that already.” She bows. “Prolix spends a lot of time at the crematorium. He hasn’t shared with me why, but last time I saw him, he seemed to be waiting for something. I’ll head back to Ank’Harel tomorrow. If you find your way there, look me up. I will get you into the archives. I will be looking into your precious cargo in the meantime. Good luck.” She heads to the elevator and stops, wrestling with some thought.

“If you do go to Betrayer’s Rise, can you keep an eye out for my expedition team? They haven’t returned and they should have by now.”

A few of the patrons turn from their seats to look at Question, then shake their heads, their minds made up as to why her friends haven’t returned. None offer any words. They merely drink deep from their mugs. A couple look at the Fellowship like they are future dead fools.

" Prolix. Crematorium." Jacaranda noted.

" I doubt we are headed there but if we do and find sign we will bring you the news for good or ill."

Quote from Erik_Soong >>

Frekor sneaks along the alley, a shadow given life as he skulks through the darkness. He follows the alley until he finds another turn. As he peeks around the corner, he sees three men, a human, a dwarf, and a drow. The human male holds a human woman who struggles against him. On the ground is another drow male, not moving.

“It is so sad that your husband couldn’t pay his debts. Normally we just write it off with a death, but your husband was especially stupid in having you present when we came to collect.” The drow says to the still struggling woman. “So you just inherited an unfortunate problem. 200 gold. Too much for your husband, so I imagine it is too much for you. How much is your life worth to you?” He says, stepping in close. “I promise you that it is worth much less to me. So what do we do about that?”

 

-This doesn't look good. I'm outnumbered, but I can't let her get hurt.- Frekor thinks to himself.

-Whatever. It's not like it would be the first time I'm in this situation.- adds in his mind before pulling out his bow, places an arrow and aims at the human that has the woman pinned.

-"Let my weapons strike true".- whispered in his orcish language before letting go the arrow to hit the human male.

(OOC: I think that a surprise attack would give me advantage, but you decide. Will edit to put the rolls needed.)

DM: Frekor, please give me an Initiative Check and an Attack with Advantage. I am out and don't have their passives in front of me, so you may get an Advantage or may not. I won't know until I get back. If not, I will use the first result of the Attack roll. 

(OOC: No problem, take the time you need.        Initiative roll: 10, 3+7.  Not a good roll, but it is what it is.   Attack roll 1: 13, 6+7.   Attack roll 2: 15, 8+7)

(OOC: Will roll for Hunter's mark and damage if there is a hit.)

DM: You actually had the Invisible Condition from the Stealth Check, which does give you the Surprise benefit. That gives you Advantage on the Initiative Check, and Hidden also gives you your first Attack with Advantage as well (but not the second). For now, since your Initiative was just a normal roll, I will just give you a +5 to your Initiative Check (which is what Advantage grants on average), but next time we are dealing with attacking from sneak/hidden, we will have you roll with Advantage on Initiative and Attack, and I will omit what isn't needed later. 

If you would like to use both Attacks, go ahead and give me the second roll. Just a standard roll, no Advantage. Roll your Damage and HM too. For brevity, just roll for everything you do want and we can ignore or apply the numbers that no longer apply to other targets or not at all if key steps in the fight change what you want to do.

Quote from Erik_Soong >>

DM: You actually had the Invisible Condition from the Stealth Check, which does give you the Surprise benefit. That gives you Advantage on the Initiative Check, and Hidden also gives you your first Attack with Advantage as well (but not the second). For now, since your Initiative was just a normal roll, I will just give you a +5 to your Initiative Check (which is what Advantage grants on average), but next time we are dealing with attacking from sneak/hidden, we will have you roll with Advantage on Initiative and Attack, and I will omit what isn't needed later. 

If you would like to use both Attacks, go ahead and give me the second roll. Just a standard roll, no Advantage. Roll your Damage and HM too. For brevity, just roll for everything you do want and we can ignore or apply the numbers that no longer apply to other targets or not at all if key steps in the fight change what you want to do.

 (OOC: Ok, thank you for the clarification. I would like to use both attacks, I'll roll for the damage on the first, the "to hit" and damage for the second, HM and Colossus slayer for the second arrow now.)

Quote from FrekorSummers >>

(OOC:  Attack roll 1: 13, 6+7.   Attack roll 2: 15, 8+7)

(First attack damage: 9,  5+4)

(Second attack to hit: 27,  natural 20+7.    Damage: 12,   4+4+4.)

(Hunter's mark: 3.)

(Colossus Slayer: 4.)

Frekor breathes the words of his people into the arrow. A prayer of a sort, or perhaps a ritual to steady the hand. Either way, the arrow releases, making a fluttering sound as it skips through the air. The human male only has a chance to look Frekor in the eyes before the arrow punches through his skull and out the back, shattering against the stone building behind him. He grunts, trying his best in his moments after his own death to warn his companions, but the words won’t form. His arms freeze in place, even while his knees weaken and he slides down the woman he is holding like a pole, making inarticulate noises all the way.

The woman pushes her way out of his locked arms and lets him fall beside her, just as the second arrow splits the air. This one catches the dwarf in the chest. There is an unnatural force behind the arrow and it blows the heavy dwarf off his feet and into some conveniently placed trash bins, bowling them over for a perfect strike. Unfortunately, it isn’t enough to kill him and he breaks the arrow off and tosses it aside with a snarl, then leaps to his feet. The drow whirl on the now exposed Frekor. “The Aurora Watch!” the drow says with little concern given to the fallen comrades.

The dwarf pulls throwing darts out from an elaborate shoulder harness and throws one, two, three darts almost at once. The drow pulls his rapier and tries to assess the situation and then, seeing that things are already going in a poor direction for his side, decides that flight is the wiser option. He leaves the dwarf for Frekor as a distraction.

Attack 1: 12

Attack 2: 18, Piercing Damage 7

Attack 3: 15

DM: It is your turn. The drow has taken flight, the dwarf has cut off your pursuit. 

(OOC: Quick question. I know that sheathing my bow and unsheathing my swords normally would take 1 action, but somewhere (I can't remember where) with Two-Weapon Fighting it could be free. If I did that would it be an action or be free? I won't change my weapons in this encounter, it's just for future references.)

Frekor grunts after getting hit, but remains ready to fight. He shoots an arrow at the dwarf.

(First attack: 25,  18+7.    Damage: 11,  7+4)

(Colossus Slayer: 3.)

Then he moves to the side so that he can have a clear view of the running drow.

-"You won't escape my sight".- said the ranger before throwing another arrow with his bow. (Hunter's mark moved to the drow.)

(Second attack: 20,   13+7.   Damage: 9,  5+4.)

(Hunter's mark: 4.)

(OOC: I just realized I could've had Hunter's mark on Aloysia so that I could track her better, even if I entered combat. Sorry guys for not keeping my eye on her.)

OOC: No worries, it's still the first day. We should have time to find her later.

DM: You can equip or unequip (sheathing/stowing/dropping) one weapon per Attack. Interestingly, dropping a weapon used to be a non-Action, but in the 2024 rules, it is considered unequipping. If you already had your bow out and did not use one of those options when you made either Attack, so you could unequip (sheath) as part of one of the second Attack, and you can take out one blade and Attack with it, then pull out  your other blade and Attack with it. 

Two-Weapon Fighting only allows you to add your modifier to the Extra Attack gained from using a weapon with the Light Property. 

***

The dwarf is knocked back by the arrow. This one nicked something that the dwarf surely would rather it not and heavy spurts of blood gush out from under his leather armor in thick pumps. "Uh-oh," he grunts. 

DM: He is Bloodied. 

Frekor's second arrow buries itself into the back of the fleeing drow and he stumbles with a yelp, then ducks behind a corner. 

Three more darts are thrown at Frekor as he begins to retreat, backpedaling, then turning to run, but starting to stumble as his vision begins to blur. 

Attack 1: 13

Attack 2: 7

Attack 2: Nat 20. Piercing Damage 12.

DM: Your turn again!

DM: The rest of the party now should be finishing up their sandwiches and drink, or pushing it from their persons if they have lost their appetite. You are sitting in a bar twiddling your thumbs. What do you do?

"Mmmm that was yummy. Better than road biscuits and dried goat strips." Ylis comments. She gets up ready to leave and calls out to the bar, "Hey, thanks for the food!" 

"OK gang, we have a trinket to deliver and a priest to talk to. Luna didn't come back so Frekor should be fine." 

It is a day full of coincidences! Moments after saying this, Luna burst back into range of Ylis' mind, telepathically communicating that Frekor has somehow found his way into a fight for his life. 

Ylis shouts at the air, "squeek squeeker squeek squeek?!"

"Come on guys, Frekor's fallen down a well! Let's go!" Ylis tries to usher the party out the door and to where Luna says the trouble is at.

"Go go go!"

Quote from Erik_Soong >>

DM: You can equip or unequip (sheathing/stowing/dropping) one weapon per Attack. Interestingly, dropping a weapon used to be a non-Action, but in the 2024 rules, it is considered unequipping. If you already had your bow out and did not use one of those options when you made either Attack, so you could unequip (sheath) as part of one of the second Attack, and you can take out one blade and Attack with it, then pull out  your other blade and Attack with it. 

Two-Weapon Fighting only allows you to add your modifier to the Extra Attack gained from using a weapon with the Light Property. 

***

The dwarf is knocked back by the arrow. This one nicked something that the dwarf surely would rather it not and heavy spurts of blood gush out from under his leather armor in thick pumps. "Uh-oh," he grunts. 

DM: He is Bloodied. 

Frekor's second arrow buries itself into the back of the fleeing drow and he stumbles with a yelp, then ducks behind a corner. 

Three more darts are thrown at Frekor as he begins to retreat, backpedaling, then turning to run, but starting to stumble as his vision begins to blur. 

Attack 1: 13

Attack 2: 7

Attack 2: Nat 20. Piercing Damage 12.

DM: Your turn again!

 (OOC: Ok, in that case that would mean whenever I have my bow out already I could do the first attack with it, then change to a scimitar and do the second attack being at level 5, and then use the BA for a third attack.)

Frekor releases another arrow at the dwarf.

(First attack: 9.  2+7.    That's a miss.)

Seeing his shot miss, the ranger uses his bow one more time.

(Second attack: 10.   3+7.   Another miss.)

(OOC: The rng God was not with me this round.)

The dwarf reaches the same corner that the drow had and hearing two arrows zip past him, chooses to take the opposite path, splitting what remains of the party. Before he turns out of view, he throws three more darts. 

DM: Attack 1: Another Nat 20?! Piercing Damage 11

Attack 2: 22, Piercing Damage 6

Attack 3: 7

DM: It is your turn. The drow ducked left, the dwarf dodged right and both are out of sight. You can reach the corner with your full movement or you can stay. What do you do?