“If that was reason,” Quillary says, “Then this would be courage.” She looks up the side of the hill, clearly contemplating the short, if steep, route.

OoC - woo!  Jorin solved a puzzle!

Jorin seems delighted with the outcome of the last test and is even more exciting about getting the climb stuff.  He agrees with Quillary and will make the climb, attempting the hell the smaller members who might not be able to.

Quillary will observe Jorin as he climbs, offering Help as she points out footholds or loose places. Probably just in the initial ascent, since you have to be next to someone to Help them, right? Unless you're fancy like Hildigrim.

Drusk: "I'm guessing we should use the path to get to the top of this hill.

"What formation should we use? I was thinking single file, Jorin - Drusk - Quilary - Pascal - Hildigrim, so no one has to stand at the outside edge of the path, and there is room to move around if we meet hostiles. Is that agreeable, or are there other ideas?"

(If the party wants to get to the top, you can use the path, which winds around the hill and doesn't involve climbing. Or you can climb straight up, which is a DC 12 Athletics check, as Quillary notices there are quite a few solid handholds in the sheer side.)

"If the test is courage, then a climb would be the right response."

Jorin will begin the climb, aided by Quillary.  Athletics: 25

Drusk looks around, a bit confused, but better to not split the party. Athletics: 10 With his heavy armor, he is having trouble getting traction.

Quillary watches Jorin climb, then smiles, amused but not mean, as Drusk attempts and stumbles. "Here, I have an idea."

She doffs her small pack, unties the 50' of silk rope she has, and tosses it to Hildigrim.

"Hold on to that, then climb on me, I'll carry you and we'll go up in 50' stages, and use the rope to help any of the others up. But hold on a moment."

She stands up, puts her pack back on, and closes her eyes, then she crouches, and makes a growling sound that gets deeper as the black spores and gray ash that follow her around gather, begin to pulse and make a cloud around her. The growl reaches a deep bass level, and then crouched Quillary grows, in pulses, her feathers and flowers becoming spikier, darker, her body burgeoning outward, like her cloak is being pushed out, and then, the large dark mass uncurls, and a six-foot tall black bear stands there on all fours, swaying a little.

The black bear looks at Hildi, and winks, then shuffles towards him, lowering a shoulder for him to climb on.

Action: Use Wild Shape to turn into a black bear, which has a climbing speed of 30'.

Quote from Mingofaust >>

Quillary watches Jorin climb, then smiles, amused but not mean, as Drusk attempts and stumbles. "Here, I have an idea."

She doffs her small pack, unties the 50' of silk rope she has, and tosses it to Hildigrim.

"Hold on to that, then climb on me, I'll carry you and we'll go up in 50' stages, and use the top to help any of the others up. But hold on a moment."

She stands up, puts her pack back on, and closes her eyes, then she crouches, and makes a growling sound that gets deeper as the black spores and gray ash that follow her around gather, begin to pulse and make a cloud around her. The growl reaches a deep base level, and then crouched Quillary grows, in pulses, her feathers and flowers becoming spikier, darker, her body burgeoning outward, like her cloak is being pushed out, and then, the large dark mass uncurls, and a six-foot tall black bear stands there on all fours, swaying a little.

The black bear looks at Hildi, and winks, then shuffles towards him, lowering a shoulder for him to climb on.

Action: Use Wild Shape to turn into a black bear, which has a climbing speed of 30'.

(OOC: I'll say that every 30' up the slope, you cross the path again. The path spirals around the hill. So if you like, Bearilly-with-Hildigrim and Jorin can go up 30', stand on the path, and then hold the rope for Pascal and Drusk to climb up. Once everyone is at 30', repeat this to get to 60', then 90', then the summit. Each 30' of height will take 30-60 seconds, but that is 2-3 times faster than walking the path to reach the same spot.

Or did you have something else in mind?)

OOC > That was exactly what Quillary-bear had in mind, yes.

I would like Jorin, Quillary-bear, and Hildigrim (though Volo's senses) to make Perception checks.

(The bear and owl are both +3, and get Advantage for smell and sight/hearing, respectively.)

OOC > Quillary-bear gets to use Quillary's non-physical stats, like Wisdom for Perception, which would be +6 (and the Extras tab of the DDB character sheet affirms this)... but I will roll at +3 and you can add 3 to it if you also agree.

Quillary-bear sniffs the air. Perception (at +3 with Advantage): 23

EDIT: You know, whatever, you can add three to that if you want... :D

Volo's perception: 23

Hildigrim will help Quillary as she climbs and then each climber as they climb after.

Hildigrim hesitates for a second as some innate fear wars with his curiosity and his knowledge, but then he climbs aboard the bear, trying do so as safely, yet courteously as possible.

EDIT: Between the two of us, we should be able to see the future!

Jorin Perceives 10

The party made it to 30' without problem. Quillary, Hildigrim, and Jorin are at 60', with Drusk and Pascal climbing the rope (15' below).

Halfway up the hill, the parting fog reveals a feral and savage humanoid who bars your way. She has the head of a boar, complete with long, sharp tusks and in her hand, she carries a heavy maul made for bashing heads. Floating near her are two imp-like creatures seemingly made out of ice. The boar-woman snorts angrily and charges at you.

For this round, Jorin is busy with the rope, and does not see the three enemies approaching (essentially "surprise"). Drusk and Pascal will use this round to continue climbing the rope to get to 60' with the rest of the party.

Everyone can roll for a DEX save vs. DC 10. Only Quillary and Hildigrim (and the 3 enemies) act this round. Post what you want to do.

Drusk DEX save: 2

DEX save: 23

Hildigrim initiative: 14

Volo initiative: 21

Seeing the creatures coming, Hildigrim leaps from Quillary's back (away from the oncoming enemies) to keep from hampering the druid's ability to defend herself. He draws his bow and fires at the left imp-like creature and yells a warning to help Quillary. At the same time, Volo attempts to help protect the distracted Jorin by swooping down near any creature attempting to hit the human.

+1 shortbow attack: 13; damage: 6 piercing damage

Sneak attack if appropriate: 10

Extra d20: 11

OOC > Bear not dextrous...

Quillary-bear will roar and charge the boar woman who is charging! She will bite and claw at her!

Move: Close with the boar woman!
Action: Attack boar woman with two attacks, bite and claw!
Bite with Advantage from Hildi's yell: 9 to hit, for 4 non-magical piercing damage
Claws: 10 to hit, for 6 non-magical slashing damage

Dex Save: 18
Init if needed (as bear, alas): 15
Extra die roll! 11

DM rolls

Results for that round:

• Fortunately Volo was able to take flight, because all party members (except Volo) got hit with frost breaths (15' cone) from the Ice Mephits. One flew down to spray Pascal and Drusk, while the other got QBear, Hildigrim, and Jorin.
  • Drusk and Jorin failed their saves and took 5 cold damage.
  • QBear, Pascal, and Hilidigrim took 2 points.
• Hildigrim hits IM1 (13) for 6 damage (no sneak attack).
• QBear charges forward, and gets 2 solid hits. The non-magic attacks do no damage to the Wereboar.
• Quillary managed to intercept the Wereboar before it could charge (which does extra damage). It misses with the maul (7) but hits with its tusks (14) for 11 damage. Quillary is were-infected, and shrugs off the damage from the wereboar.
• Pascal and Drusk are now up to the 60' path with everyone else. Jorin can now let go of the rope and face the enemy.

(OOC: I hate damage immunity for were-creatures. But if the wereboar is unharmed by the bear attacks, then WereQuillary gets the same benefits.)

Status going into round 2

Party health - Quillary bear form (17/19), Drusk (26/31), Hildigrim (24/26), Jorin (34/39), Pascal (32/34)

Ice Mephit 1 has taken 6 damage. The wereboar was undamaged by the non-magical attacks.

The wereboar is next to QBear. Both mephits are hovering in the air with their wings, but can be attacked with melee weapons. IM1 is near the wereboar and bear, while the other is closer to the rest of the party.

Everyone post their actions for round 2. (No more surprise.)

Initiative: 7

’Spose I’m climbin’.

Dex Save: 22

’Spose I’m dyin’.

(OOC: I rolled for Pascal in post 2021, and got the DEX save, so I will use that, instead of the horror of post 2022. He took 2 cold damage.)

For round 2, Drusk will move to IM2 (closest mephit), striking it with his mace, and an off-hand clubbing with the hag torch.

Initiative: 17  extra d20 if needed: 8

• Mace Attack: 17 Damage: 12
• Bonus off-hand Attack: 11 Damage: 6

If Drusk connects with either hit, he finds out that ice mephits are vulnerable to bludgeoning damage.

You are merciful.