(You have two successes and one failure on the task of getting the people ready to move. Breena's action to lead the group will be part of the second phase of the challenge, so we'll hold off on that now.)
Elspeth, you cast your spell and the bonfire appears; several folk jump or swear in surprise, but the others calm them down. There's a general positive mood in the group that a course of action has been decided upon. Your attempts to prepare the wounded flounder a little, but the clerics of Chauntea are also helping and manage to get most people ready to travel; a few stronger souls are enlisted to carry those unable to walk.
You gather at the rear door; the townsfolk lined up behind Breena; Brother Eadyan has spoken to each group individually to encourage them to move as quietly as they can and to recite prayers to Chauntea as they go, to keep themselves focused on moving and not on the danger. You see many people's lips moving already as they silently mouth the prayers; it does seem to be helping.
You hear the group of raiders that is rounding the temple pass by the rear door; they move agonisingly slowly.
Thump.
Thump. (crack)
Thump. (crack)
Thump. (crack)
The raiders have moved on, but the front door will not hold long.
As the raiders move past the door Soar is already unlocking it and preparing to open it, and as she hears them turn the corner out of sight she opens the door, nodding to Breena as she moves out, and Soar then encourages everyone one by one as they pass out into the night, her eyes darting back to the cracking front door. Once everyone is out she will follow and close the door behind her.
Breena in the lead, Soar bringing up the rear, the group of three dozen townsfolk, clerics, and of course your party, begin making their way towards the riverbank and then to the tunnel leading back into the keep.
This is the second phase of the skill challenge: You can all take an action to do something that will either assist the stealthiness of the travelling folk, or contribute to providing a distraction for the raiders.
Elspeth's action is already sort of agreed, so we'll begin there. Elspeth, (assuming you wish to proceed with the plan) the range on Create Bonfire is 60 feet, so you'll need to give me a Stealth check on getting a little closer to the front of the cathedral in order to cast it where you want it. The spell automatically succeeds, but please also give me an Arcana check to see how effectively you are able to control it in order to act as a distraction, not as a weapon.
Everyone else, please also give me Stealth checks, as well as describing your contribution to the skill challenge (which should be something other than Stealth, because that's a given, or Arcana, which Elspeth is already using. I'm happy for you to propose whatever skill you think matches your efforts - if I feel it should be something different, I will just take the d20 roll and apply it to the correct skill.
Breena, you've already said that you're using your darkvision and knowledge of the geography to navigate the path back to the river bank and guide the others. Please give me a Survival check.
Soar knew that these townsfolk were resourceful and strong, but even she is impressed at how quickly and quietly they rally to file out of the cathedral and into the darkness. Her smiles to each of them as they exit the doors are genuine. After the last person's out, one of two parents of a halfling family, she takes one final glance at the cathedral with the bonfire burning right inside the front door, and she closes the door quietly. "What refugees?" she thinks to herself. "This temple has been empty this whole time! Nothing to raid, darn!"
Stealth: 1
She turns back to the group and, walking backward, her head on a swivel, she moves along, daring to hope that none of the raiders will see them leaving. She starts to turn toward the group to walk forward, trying to figure out the way Breena's taking them, when it happens. A larger man, not seeing where he's going in the darkness, bumps into a barrel on a street corner. It doesn't make a sound, but the bundle of wooden staves leaning against the barrel starts falling. She leaps forward without thinking, trying to catch the heavy bundle before it hits the ground, potentially making a sound that alerts their pursuers.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Jalt is carrying a child on his back and another one in his left arm and holding the hand of another child with his right. As they walk, Jalt tries to encourage them Not all dragons are evil, children. We were all created from the all powerful Bahamut but some have chosen to wander away from his righteous pursuit of what is good and just. He recites a poem that he learned as a child himself
A mighty wind blows down the troubled path And arctic chill comes hither to the gust. By scale, and fang, and leathered wings of wrath The hammer falls upon the cruel unjust. Now cross the heavens with your opened eyes And listen to the words from dragon’s mouth, For soon the King shall fill the darkened skies With light of justice cast from North to South.
(OOC: Soar never claimed to be a quiet neighborhood death knight, just a friendly neighborhood death knight. Yikes! Love that I didn't even need disadvantage to beef that roll. I'm picturing like, the paladin quietly closing the door, and then thinking "hmm I don't think I closed it right, let me try again," and she opens it one more time, sees and makes eye contact with the battering ram crowd, nervously smiles, and then spastically slams the door. Or whatever DM Steve says!)
Soar, you do make a terrible noise when you close the door. No-one comes running - yet - but you do worry for the safety of the group. As you travel together, you try to grab the bundle, but it clatters to the floor horribly. (That's one stealth failure, and one skill failure so far, against no successes)
Jalt will need to make two fresh rolls, one for stealth, one for religion, in a new post, as you've somehow triggered the red banner.
Jalt, people take heart from your words of prayer, but unfortunately you don't manage to keep your voice as low as you might have hoped. The people in the line shush you once or twice, but your enthusiasm and religious fervour get the better of you.
Breena, you remember the trail back to the river bank very well, and you know this type of countryside; it's easy to lead the people and they clearly have faith in you to bring them to safety. Unfortunately, you make more noise than you planned, as you fail to avoid several patches of dry twigs and leaves, and the townsfolk also follow you through the same places, crunching loudly as they go.
Elspeth, you are silent as a shadow as you creep towards the front of the cathedral; you pick a spot in front of the main doors, and your magical bonfire springs into existance. The raiders seem startled; you hear cries of surprise and alarm, but you do not stick around to observe; you head back and follow your friends. Behind you, the alarm turns to laughter as the raiders investigate the strange apparition, and then to shock and fear once again as arrows begin to rain down upon them. You hear them scatter, ducking for cover, pressing themselves against the side of the cathedral. The battering ram goes silent, abandoned as its wielders use it to protect themselves; you think you do hear an arrow or two hit the battering ram and stick.
On escorting the townsfolk, that's three successes and one failure, so you manage to get them all safely to the river bank, and through the most dangerous part of their journey.
On stealth, that's three failures and one success. As the group that was circling the temple scatter to avoid arrows, part of its number bolts for the river, hoping to take cover there. Unfortunately, they are passing you just as Soar fails to catch a heavy bundle and it clatters to the ground. You see the heads of the raiders - three humans - turn as one and they notice the line of people headed to the same place as they are. You see the surprise on their faces; they are unsure for a moment what to do.
You are about a hundred feet from the cathedral, by the river bank; the raiders are perhaps twenty feet behind you. There's still shouts and cries coming from the raiders at the cathedral as arrows hit them; you may be able to fight these three without behind detected. Or you could attempt to gather the townsfolk to outrun them. Or try something else. However, you only have moments to decide, and no time to confer.
Soar's first instinct is to do a running retreat while firing off javelins as they get the people to safety and then face off at the entrance to the tunnel - does the timing and placement of everyone seem to match this as a feasible plan? (And OOC is that not too much of a pain with 5e combat?) If so Soar will keep running and fire off javelins as she runs, trying to encourage the three raiders to pick another, less pointy route to safety from the arrows. (Let me know if this means initiative, intimidation, attack roll, etc.)
We will keep it as a skill challenge, with your success or failure determining whether the townsfolk reach safety, and what any eventual melee combat at the tunnel entrance looks like (if you get that far).
So, this is the third phase of the skill challenge; you are trying to keep the townsfolk together and running towards the keep, bearing in mind some may need help to do so. You are also trying to keep the raiders away from the townsfolk, but perhaps also keep them following you so that they don't go and bring their friends. Describe how you want to contribute to this effort, and roll an appropriate skill check - if you're not sure what skill, then just pick one, and I'll go with it or choose another.
Jalt will pick up the child his leading by the hand and is now carrying the three children: one on back and one on each arm. Let us be quick for we have lost the element of surprise!
Strength (Athletics): 13
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Hoard of the Dragon Queen - Jalt Rhogar - Dragonborn Cleric (9)
Jalt, you grab the children and carry them easily. Now that speed matters more than stealth, you see other adults, following your example, pickup up children and carrying them as the group sprints along the river towards the tunnel entrance.
Soar feels the guilt of possibly drawing pursuers to them, and she sends a quick prayer, more of a plea, to Kelemvor. "I know it's not these innocents' time. I know you can help me fix this. Lend me your insight!" she breathes quietly to her god, closing her eyes.
They blink open instantly. She wipes her now-dirty hands over her face and stands, holding the bundle in her arms and takes a step forward toward the three raiders. She puts a wicked smile on her face, and speaks in an imitation of the fervent voices of the cultists she's met over the course of the night.
"Finally! Thank the Queen, there you are. Take this," and she throws the bundle at them hard, but not as an attack, "and bring it to that accursed temple's front door. That should help bring it down."
She sees them looking at all the people walking away into the darkness. "Mind yer business! You know the drill. These are for the Queen, and we found them first! Get your own. Off with you!"
She turns and hurries off toward the group, waiting a few seconds to look back subtly once she passes into the darkness, hoping they can't see her but she can see them with her nightvision. She pulls out her tinderbox and readies a torch to light if they don't seem to be buying it and try to stop her or follow.
(Two vanilla d20 rolls, not sure what you think fits here: 1914: deception, intimidation, charisma, performance all +3; persuasion +5)
Soar, from their armour and general appearance, these three look more like the bandits you met when you first arrived in town, rather than the cultists you faced later. But their leader seems to buy your story. He nods: For the Queen, of course. He doesn't look like he shares your religious fervour, but he believes yours. The temple's under fire from the keep; we'll follow you a ways, then head off to finish the job.
They seem intent upon accompanying you now, but also believe you are raiders and that the townsfolk are being herded to who-knows-what terrible fate. Everyone else might consider reinforcing that belief, although it's up to you.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Elspeth bit her lip when the three raiders decided to attach themselves to the group, but does her best to show no signs of her nervousness.
"You think we'll have much difficulty with this lot? You'll be helping us more if you reinforced those at the temple."Almost casually, she sweeps a hand towards the back to include the surrounding destruction, casting create bonfire on the nearest pile of debris on the other side of the raiders (assuming it's within range), as if to punctuate her point. She fervently hopes that somehow the castle defenders will manage to spot her second, unplanned signal and run off the three raiders without any collateral damage, although she's not holding her breath.
Besides the usual incantations necessary for the spell. she adds, in infernal, in the belief that the bandits wouldn't understand the language. "Soar, what's your plan here?"
Deception:13Arcana: 1 (these rolls are all w/o modifiers, lmk if another skill is more relevant)
(OOC: I'll take the first roll of 7; I think Deception makes sense, but it is a failure)
The raiders react in surprise as a nearby pile of debris catches fire; they don't suspect that Elspeth or anyone else in your group is to blame, but they do hug even closer to your pack as you move towards the keep. Unfortunately, the archers at the keep don't seem to interpret this as a signal, and no flurry of arrows falls on the raiders.
The three raiders - all human - seem to be feeling better now that they're not under attack, and are enjoying toying with with running townsfolk; one woman trips, and a raider picks her up roughly and pushes her onward. Fall again and I'll slit your throat. The woman looks fearfully at you, Elspeth, unsure now of what is happening and losing confidence that your party are in fact the rescue force that you claimed to be. Others may be having similar second thoughts.
(Gah, darn, I really thought Soar might have scared them off. I don't think she would have, at all, allowed them to get near the group of refugees, much less abuse them. Before it got there she would have lit the torch that she readied to light as she walked away in my last post, and used it to try to draw them away from the group. Then she would have extinguished the torch, relying on their blindness in the dark to misdirect them on another route, and Soar would then head back to the riverbank to try to rejoin the group. That was the intention... do you want me to proceed from the story as-is or can Soar have tried her gambit with the torch, that she readied in the last post, using her second roll?)
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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(You have two successes and one failure on the task of getting the people ready to move. Breena's action to lead the group will be part of the second phase of the challenge, so we'll hold off on that now.)
Elspeth, you cast your spell and the bonfire appears; several folk jump or swear in surprise, but the others calm them down. There's a general positive mood in the group that a course of action has been decided upon. Your attempts to prepare the wounded flounder a little, but the clerics of Chauntea are also helping and manage to get most people ready to travel; a few stronger souls are enlisted to carry those unable to walk.
You gather at the rear door; the townsfolk lined up behind Breena; Brother Eadyan has spoken to each group individually to encourage them to move as quietly as they can and to recite prayers to Chauntea as they go, to keep themselves focused on moving and not on the danger. You see many people's lips moving already as they silently mouth the prayers; it does seem to be helping.
You hear the group of raiders that is rounding the temple pass by the rear door; they move agonisingly slowly.
Thump.
Thump. (crack)
Thump. (crack)
Thump. (crack)
The raiders have moved on, but the front door will not hold long.
As the raiders move past the door Soar is already unlocking it and preparing to open it, and as she hears them turn the corner out of sight she opens the door, nodding to Breena as she moves out, and Soar then encourages everyone one by one as they pass out into the night, her eyes darting back to the cracking front door. Once everyone is out she will follow and close the door behind her.
Breena in the lead, Soar bringing up the rear, the group of three dozen townsfolk, clerics, and of course your party, begin making their way towards the riverbank and then to the tunnel leading back into the keep.
This is the second phase of the skill challenge: You can all take an action to do something that will either assist the stealthiness of the travelling folk, or contribute to providing a distraction for the raiders.
Elspeth's action is already sort of agreed, so we'll begin there. Elspeth, (assuming you wish to proceed with the plan) the range on Create Bonfire is 60 feet, so you'll need to give me a Stealth check on getting a little closer to the front of the cathedral in order to cast it where you want it. The spell automatically succeeds, but please also give me an Arcana check to see how effectively you are able to control it in order to act as a distraction, not as a weapon.
Everyone else, please also give me Stealth checks, as well as describing your contribution to the skill challenge (which should be something other than Stealth, because that's a given, or Arcana, which Elspeth is already using. I'm happy for you to propose whatever skill you think matches your efforts - if I feel it should be something different, I will just take the d20 roll and apply it to the correct skill.
Breena, you've already said that you're using your darkvision and knowledge of the geography to navigate the path back to the river bank and guide the others. Please give me a Survival check.
Soar knew that these townsfolk were resourceful and strong, but even she is impressed at how quickly and quietly they rally to file out of the cathedral and into the darkness. Her smiles to each of them as they exit the doors are genuine. After the last person's out, one of two parents of a halfling family, she takes one final glance at the cathedral with the bonfire burning right inside the front door, and she closes the door quietly. "What refugees?" she thinks to herself. "This temple has been empty this whole time! Nothing to raid, darn!"
Stealth: 1
She turns back to the group and, walking backward, her head on a swivel, she moves along, daring to hope that none of the raiders will see them leaving. She starts to turn toward the group to walk forward, trying to figure out the way Breena's taking them, when it happens. A larger man, not seeing where he's going in the darkness, bumps into a barrel on a street corner. It doesn't make a sound, but the bundle of wooden staves leaning against the barrel starts falling. She leaps forward without thinking, trying to catch the heavy bundle before it hits the ground, potentially making a sound that alerts their pursuers.
Athletics: 9
Jalt is carrying a child on his back and another one in his left arm and holding the hand of another child with his right. As they walk, Jalt tries to encourage them Not all dragons are evil, children. We were all created from the all powerful Bahamut but some have chosen to wander away from his righteous pursuit of what is good and just. He recites a poem that he learned as a child himself
A mighty wind blows down the troubled path And arctic chill comes hither to the gust.
By scale, and fang, and leathered wings of wrath The hammer falls upon the cruel unjust. Now cross the heavens with your opened eyes And listen to the words from dragon’s mouth, For soon the King shall fill the darkened skies With light of justice cast from North to South.
Stealth: 7
Stealth: 13
Religion: 16
Hoard of the Dragon Queen - Jalt Rhogar - Dragonborn Cleric (9)
"Ive heard it both ways."
(OOC: Soar never claimed to be a quiet neighborhood death knight, just a friendly neighborhood death knight. Yikes! Love that I didn't even need disadvantage to beef that roll. I'm picturing like, the paladin quietly closing the door, and then thinking "hmm I don't think I closed it right, let me try again," and she opens it one more time, sees and makes eye contact with the battering ram crowd, nervously smiles, and then spastically slams the door. Or whatever DM Steve says!)
Soar, you do make a terrible noise when you close the door. No-one comes running - yet - but you do worry for the safety of the group. As you travel together, you try to grab the bundle, but it clatters to the floor horribly. (That's one stealth failure, and one skill failure so far, against no successes)
Jalt will need to make two fresh rolls, one for stealth, one for religion, in a new post, as you've somehow triggered the red banner.
Stealth: 5
Religion: 12
Hoard of the Dragon Queen - Jalt Rhogar - Dragonborn Cleric (9)
"Ive heard it both ways."
Stealth: 21
Survival: 24
Rees Changeling Rogue in Tales From the Yawning Portal: Sunless Citadel
Nikya Centaur Blood Hunter in Death House Halloween Oneshot
Stealth: 20
Arcana: 11
Jalt, people take heart from your words of prayer, but unfortunately you don't manage to keep your voice as low as you might have hoped. The people in the line shush you once or twice, but your enthusiasm and religious fervour get the better of you.
Breena, you remember the trail back to the river bank very well, and you know this type of countryside; it's easy to lead the people and they clearly have faith in you to bring them to safety. Unfortunately, you make more noise than you planned, as you fail to avoid several patches of dry twigs and leaves, and the townsfolk also follow you through the same places, crunching loudly as they go.
Elspeth, you are silent as a shadow as you creep towards the front of the cathedral; you pick a spot in front of the main doors, and your magical bonfire springs into existance. The raiders seem startled; you hear cries of surprise and alarm, but you do not stick around to observe; you head back and follow your friends. Behind you, the alarm turns to laughter as the raiders investigate the strange apparition, and then to shock and fear once again as arrows begin to rain down upon them. You hear them scatter, ducking for cover, pressing themselves against the side of the cathedral. The battering ram goes silent, abandoned as its wielders use it to protect themselves; you think you do hear an arrow or two hit the battering ram and stick.
On escorting the townsfolk, that's three successes and one failure, so you manage to get them all safely to the river bank, and through the most dangerous part of their journey.
On stealth, that's three failures and one success. As the group that was circling the temple scatter to avoid arrows, part of its number bolts for the river, hoping to take cover there. Unfortunately, they are passing you just as Soar fails to catch a heavy bundle and it clatters to the ground. You see the heads of the raiders - three humans - turn as one and they notice the line of people headed to the same place as they are. You see the surprise on their faces; they are unsure for a moment what to do.
You are about a hundred feet from the cathedral, by the river bank; the raiders are perhaps twenty feet behind you. There's still shouts and cries coming from the raiders at the cathedral as arrows hit them; you may be able to fight these three without behind detected. Or you could attempt to gather the townsfolk to outrun them. Or try something else. However, you only have moments to decide, and no time to confer.
What would you like to do?
Soar's first instinct is to do a running retreat while firing off javelins as they get the people to safety and then face off at the entrance to the tunnel - does the timing and placement of everyone seem to match this as a feasible plan? (And OOC is that not too much of a pain with 5e combat?) If so Soar will keep running and fire off javelins as she runs, trying to encourage the three raiders to pick another, less pointy route to safety from the arrows. (Let me know if this means initiative, intimidation, attack roll, etc.)
We will keep it as a skill challenge, with your success or failure determining whether the townsfolk reach safety, and what any eventual melee combat at the tunnel entrance looks like (if you get that far).
So, this is the third phase of the skill challenge; you are trying to keep the townsfolk together and running towards the keep, bearing in mind some may need help to do so. You are also trying to keep the raiders away from the townsfolk, but perhaps also keep them following you so that they don't go and bring their friends. Describe how you want to contribute to this effort, and roll an appropriate skill check - if you're not sure what skill, then just pick one, and I'll go with it or choose another.
Jalt will pick up the child his leading by the hand and is now carrying the three children: one on back and one on each arm. Let us be quick for we have lost the element of surprise!
Strength (Athletics): 13
Hoard of the Dragon Queen - Jalt Rhogar - Dragonborn Cleric (9)
"Ive heard it both ways."
Jalt, you grab the children and carry them easily. Now that speed matters more than stealth, you see other adults, following your example, pickup up children and carrying them as the group sprints along the river towards the tunnel entrance.
That's one success.
Soar feels the guilt of possibly drawing pursuers to them, and she sends a quick prayer, more of a plea, to Kelemvor. "I know it's not these innocents' time. I know you can help me fix this. Lend me your insight!" she breathes quietly to her god, closing her eyes.
They blink open instantly. She wipes her now-dirty hands over her face and stands, holding the bundle in her arms and takes a step forward toward the three raiders. She puts a wicked smile on her face, and speaks in an imitation of the fervent voices of the cultists she's met over the course of the night.
"Finally! Thank the Queen, there you are. Take this," and she throws the bundle at them hard, but not as an attack, "and bring it to that accursed temple's front door. That should help bring it down."
She sees them looking at all the people walking away into the darkness. "Mind yer business! You know the drill. These are for the Queen, and we found them first! Get your own. Off with you!"
She turns and hurries off toward the group, waiting a few seconds to look back subtly once she passes into the darkness, hoping they can't see her but she can see them with her nightvision. She pulls out her tinderbox and readies a torch to light if they don't seem to be buying it and try to stop her or follow.
(Two vanilla d20 rolls, not sure what you think fits here: 19 14: deception, intimidation, charisma, performance all +3; persuasion +5)
Soar, from their armour and general appearance, these three look more like the bandits you met when you first arrived in town, rather than the cultists you faced later. But their leader seems to buy your story. He nods: For the Queen, of course. He doesn't look like he shares your religious fervour, but he believes yours. The temple's under fire from the keep; we'll follow you a ways, then head off to finish the job.
They seem intent upon accompanying you now, but also believe you are raiders and that the townsfolk are being herded to who-knows-what terrible fate. Everyone else might consider reinforcing that belief, although it's up to you.
That's two successes.
Elspeth bit her lip when the three raiders decided to attach themselves to the group, but does her best to show no signs of her nervousness.
"You think we'll have much difficulty with this lot? You'll be helping us more if you reinforced those at the temple." Almost casually, she sweeps a hand towards the back to include the surrounding destruction, casting create bonfire on the nearest pile of debris on the other side of the raiders (assuming it's within range), as if to punctuate her point. She fervently hopes that somehow the castle defenders will manage to spot her second, unplanned signal and run off the three raiders without any collateral damage, although she's not holding her breath.
Besides the usual incantations necessary for the spell. she adds, in infernal, in the belief that the bandits wouldn't understand the language. "Soar, what's your plan here?"
Deception: 13 Arcana: 1
(these rolls are all w/o modifiers, lmk if another skill is more relevant)
(OOC: I'll take the first roll of 7; I think Deception makes sense, but it is a failure)
The raiders react in surprise as a nearby pile of debris catches fire; they don't suspect that Elspeth or anyone else in your group is to blame, but they do hug even closer to your pack as you move towards the keep. Unfortunately, the archers at the keep don't seem to interpret this as a signal, and no flurry of arrows falls on the raiders.
The three raiders - all human - seem to be feeling better now that they're not under attack, and are enjoying toying with with running townsfolk; one woman trips, and a raider picks her up roughly and pushes her onward. Fall again and I'll slit your throat. The woman looks fearfully at you, Elspeth, unsure now of what is happening and losing confidence that your party are in fact the rescue force that you claimed to be. Others may be having similar second thoughts.
That's two successes and one failure.
(Gah, darn, I really thought Soar might have scared them off. I don't think she would have, at all, allowed them to get near the group of refugees, much less abuse them. Before it got there she would have lit the torch that she readied to light as she walked away in my last post, and used it to try to draw them away from the group. Then she would have extinguished the torch, relying on their blindness in the dark to misdirect them on another route, and Soar would then head back to the riverbank to try to rejoin the group. That was the intention... do you want me to proceed from the story as-is or can Soar have tried her gambit with the torch, that she readied in the last post, using her second roll?)