This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Feredir, still catching his breath, drops to a knee near the pile of filthy corpses. He motions with his bloodstained hand to Sia, "Help me look for anything belonging to our brothers and sisters."
Elyham casts Prestidigitation on her companions, cleaning their wounds. She then conjures a miniature orc in her hand, smashing it with her other fist with some glee. After stashing her crossbow again to her back, she strolls over to Tim, and scratches his chin.
"Looks like you and I are the only ones here not banged up by that excursion.... do you want some of my jerky? Who's a good booyyyyy....."
Elyham slides her hand into her backpack and fumbles around until she grabs ahold of her rations. She snaps off a piece of deer jerky the innkeeper gave her a few days ago; apparently some of his finest stock in years. She tosses the jerky in front of Tim, and spins around to face the rest of her party.
"So that cave up there? What do ya say we check it out? I have a history with caves sometimes appearing out of nowhere. Its not always led to good things, but I wouldn't be on the run if I hadn't found that one back home so long ago. That's where I got this text and pendant too.... and that passage about Duregen we spoke of earlier in the town, that too was from the cave!"
Elyham, feeling like she needed to add emphasis to the moment, shoots a few sparks from her fingers and creates another orc in her hand. This time, she tickles its belly before crushing its head with her thumb and index finger, sending its body scurrying around her palm like a beheaded chicken. Tim is not impressed.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Feredir, with Sia's help, give the corpses a good look over. In addition to the weapons, they find a long curved signal horn on the body of the archer. It appears to be carved out of a large mountain goat horn, light brown in color and about fifteen inches in diameter. Roughly tanned leather wraps around the horn, providing a place to attach a carrying strap. You see a painted Orcish symbol, in a dark, blood-colored crimson.
Feredir History - 13
Feredir:
You recognize the symbol as that of the Bloodletter Clan, and realize that the blue tattoos on the Orcish warriors are a mark of recognition of a scouting party for a larger warband. You find it curious that Bloodletters are this far south, usually their raiding territory includes the Lurkwood and foothills east of Longsaddle, to the northeast. You remember that the Bloodletter Chieftain, Kax the Gorer, supposedly had a falling out with the Kingdom of Many-Arrows and his entire clan was exiled from the Orcish lands.
In addition, you find several small pouches, containing a total of 9 gp, 14 sp, and 32 cp, and a small iron key.
Tim, meanwhile, gobbles down the deer jerky, a slobberpocalypse of a happy mastiff having a meal. He does not seem to understand the mini-orcs being summoned by Elyham, and looks at her with eyes wide and tail thumping, probably looking for more food.
Unconsciously a small bit of drool leaves Gnippens mouth as he watches Tim eat. "Find anything of use Feredir? Elyham, assuming you are done cleaning wounds, I am in agreement with you. Let us get out of the open before daylight falls. Though the odds are long that a random cave could have more information concerning Duregen, at the very least it may offer shelter."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Perception - Gnippen 6, Elyham 14
You push through some of the wet green foliage and trees towards where Gnippen spotted the cave. As you approach the mouth of the cave, you see that at the base is a small depression, likely a pond, filled in with mud and muck. It appears that this pond probably dries out over winter, but the ongoing snowmelt will eventually fill it up. It would be a nice, well-hidden spot once the pond is filled, and quite a pleasant one surrounded by all the green foliage, minus the new orc corpses of course.
Gnippen:
You look at the mud, then at your boots, then back at the mud.
Elyham:
As you approach the mouth of the cave, you hear a noise from inside. You can't tell what it is, beyond that it is more than just the trickle of water filtering through the limestone.
Seeing a thread of drool fall from her companion's lips, Elyham reaches into her backpack, and grabs the rest of the piece of deer jerky for Gnippen. "Don't worry my friend, I've got plenty for you too!"
She slides up to the side of the cave, as not to give away her position to any lurking creatures contained within. Elyham peers her head into the void at the mouth of the cave, looking to see if there's any movement from inside.
I'd like to know what I can discern with my darkvision about the interior of the cave.
"Thank you ma'am, it has been almost half a day since since my last meal and my stomach was starting to complain." Famished Gnippen begins to loudly munch upon the proffered food as he and Tim walk behind Elyham approaching the cave.
Out of the corner of his awareness he hears a small twig snap. Failing to comprehend the danger ahead, Gnippen ambles straight into Elyham's back as she freezes in place.
Elyham stumbles a step into the cave opening as Gnippen bumps into her rear. She quickly casts prestidigitation, creating a starburst of sparks aimed at the opposite side of the cave entrance as a distraction.
Gathering herself and pushing backwards off her planted foot in the cave entrance, she thrusts backwards into Gnippen and Tim, clear of the entryway and the growl she heard.
Elyham whispers to Gnippen, "Steady your lance.... there's something inside that cave!"
Elyham then uses her signal whistle to alert Sia and Feredir to the newest predicament waiting to unfold, and grabs her crossbow and a bolt for safety.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
As the flash of sparks explodes on the other side of the cave that you can see, the growling becomes a frenzied, fierce bark, and a pair of wolves rush forward to the lingering magical essence at a dead run. You see each has a long metal chain attached to a collar, and as the chain becomes taut, the wolves almost are slammed back, putting their weight against the unseen anchor point.
Wolves Strength - 4
The wolves strain against their chains, keeping force on the metal.
From where Elyham stands in the east-west oriented mouth of the cave, there is maybe 10 feet of clearance to where the wolves are straining against the chains. There appears to be a larger chamber past the cave mouth, extending to the south from the entrance passage, and the chains must be anchored to something within that chamber which you cannot see from your current position. A trickle of water runs along the bottom of the cave entrance, having eroded a small, three-inch-deep gap that allows the flow of water to exit the cave.
Act quickly. Not in initiative yet, but consider you have 6 seconds before they might try again.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Sia, upon hearing the whistle, sprints from where she had been skulking in the foliage near the orc corpses, going into a crouch behind a fallen log near the entrance, keeping an eye on the surroundings to see if any other creatures or orcs had heard the whistle.
Sia closes 60ft (move/cunning action: move) and is now about 10 feet outside the cave entrance. The corpses, and Feredir, are about 70ft from the entrance.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Feredir instinctively closes half the distance between himself and the cave entrance. He comes to an abrupt stop, kneels and swiftly nocks an arrow. His poise is calm despite his fresh wound.
Feredir readies an attack on the first wolf to break free of it's chain.
Longbow attack - 8
Damage - 8
Wincing still from his injury, he whispers an elvish incantation over his right shoulder.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Elyham lets loose a bloodcurdling guffaw and gnashes her teeth at the wolves, still straining against their chains.
Vicious Mockery at Wolf #1 - Attack: 12 Damage: 4
After coming back to her senses and realizing the imminent danger, she moves behind Gnippen and Tim, loading her crossbow with a bolt. Something doesn't smell right from Tim's rear, and she didn't cause the odorous concoction now floating in her nostrils.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
The wolf closest to Elyham seems to recoil in pain, giving a yelp, then the pair slam against the chains with renewed fervor.
Wolf Strength 4
You hear a plinking noise, the sound of something metallic hitting the stone of the cavern floor, and both chains suddenly go slack. The pair of wolves rush forward, growling and snapping.
4 (1-2 Gnippen's lance goes for Wolf 1, 3-4 for Wolf 2)
Gnippen, seeing the charging beasts, levels his lance expertly, skewering the wolf unaffected by Elyham's animal-like cursing. The beast's snarls end immediately, turned into a sharp yelp as four feet of metal and wood pierce it from mouth to gut. At the same time, Feredir looses an arrow, though it narrowly misses the charging wolf.
The remaining wolf snarls and snaps, attempting to bite at Gnippen.
Wolf Bite Attack: 5 Damage: 5
Gnippen Strength Save - 23
The wolf's bite latches onto Gnippen's lance arm, trying to drag him down off of Tim. However, with a swift kick, Gnippen pushes the creature away before it can get the leverage to pull him off.
Feredir deftly slings his longbow across his back and stands upright. Not wanting to miss the chance at a thrilling melee, he closes the gap between himself and the snarling, odious wolf. Reaching his blood-matted foe, and with a flash of silver-steel he unsheathes his glimmering shortswords and slashes from top to bottom in a X-shaped stroke.
Primary Attack - 18 Damage - 8
Secondary Attack - 10 Damage - 6
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Gnippen relays to the group that, "There also may be a cave to our northeast that I spotted while we were gathering up the Orcs."
Regarding the investigation check, I suggest the best approach may be to have a multiple characters work together on the check.
DM for Out of the Abyss | Edvord Reinholdt for Killilli's Waterdeep Dragon Heist | Sergeant Cernan for Viper's Descent
Feredir, still catching his breath, drops to a knee near the pile of filthy corpses. He motions with his bloodstained hand to Sia, "Help me look for anything belonging to our brothers and sisters."
INVESTIGATION (w/ advantage?) - 18
Elyham casts Prestidigitation on her companions, cleaning their wounds. She then conjures a miniature orc in her hand, smashing it with her other fist with some glee. After stashing her crossbow again to her back, she strolls over to Tim, and scratches his chin.
"Looks like you and I are the only ones here not banged up by that excursion.... do you want some of my jerky? Who's a good booyyyyy....."
Elyham slides her hand into her backpack and fumbles around until she grabs ahold of her rations. She snaps off a piece of deer jerky the innkeeper gave her a few days ago; apparently some of his finest stock in years. She tosses the jerky in front of Tim, and spins around to face the rest of her party.
"So that cave up there? What do ya say we check it out? I have a history with caves sometimes appearing out of nowhere. Its not always led to good things, but I wouldn't be on the run if I hadn't found that one back home so long ago. That's where I got this text and pendant too.... and that passage about Duregen we spoke of earlier in the town, that too was from the cave!"
Elyham, feeling like she needed to add emphasis to the moment, shoots a few sparks from her fingers and creates another orc in her hand. This time, she tickles its belly before crushing its head with her thumb and index finger, sending its body scurrying around her palm like a beheaded chicken. Tim is not impressed.
Prestidigitation is my own personal Jesus.
Feredir, with Sia's help, give the corpses a good look over. In addition to the weapons, they find a long curved signal horn on the body of the archer. It appears to be carved out of a large mountain goat horn, light brown in color and about fifteen inches in diameter. Roughly tanned leather wraps around the horn, providing a place to attach a carrying strap. You see a painted Orcish symbol, in a dark, blood-colored crimson.
Feredir History - 13
Feredir:
You recognize the symbol as that of the Bloodletter Clan, and realize that the blue tattoos on the Orcish warriors are a mark of recognition of a scouting party for a larger warband. You find it curious that Bloodletters are this far south, usually their raiding territory includes the Lurkwood and foothills east of Longsaddle, to the northeast. You remember that the Bloodletter Chieftain, Kax the Gorer, supposedly had a falling out with the Kingdom of Many-Arrows and his entire clan was exiled from the Orcish lands.
In addition, you find several small pouches, containing a total of 9 gp, 14 sp, and 32 cp, and a small iron key.
Tim, meanwhile, gobbles down the deer jerky, a slobberpocalypse of a happy mastiff having a meal. He does not seem to understand the mini-orcs being summoned by Elyham, and looks at her with eyes wide and tail thumping, probably looking for more food.
Aldrik Reinholdt in Dragon Heist
Daventry in The Candlekeep Mysteries, and her bag
Unconsciously a small bit of drool leaves Gnippens mouth as he watches Tim eat. "Find anything of use Feredir? Elyham, assuming you are done cleaning wounds, I am in agreement with you. Let us get out of the open before daylight falls. Though the odds are long that a random cave could have more information concerning Duregen, at the very least it may offer shelter."
DM for Out of the Abyss | Edvord Reinholdt for Killilli's Waterdeep Dragon Heist | Sergeant Cernan for Viper's Descent
Perception - Gnippen 6, Elyham 14
You push through some of the wet green foliage and trees towards where Gnippen spotted the cave. As you approach the mouth of the cave, you see that at the base is a small depression, likely a pond, filled in with mud and muck. It appears that this pond probably dries out over winter, but the ongoing snowmelt will eventually fill it up. It would be a nice, well-hidden spot once the pond is filled, and quite a pleasant one surrounded by all the green foliage, minus the new orc corpses of course.
Gnippen:
You look at the mud, then at your boots, then back at the mud.
Elyham:
As you approach the mouth of the cave, you hear a noise from inside. You can't tell what it is, beyond that it is more than just the trickle of water filtering through the limestone.
Aldrik Reinholdt in Dragon Heist
Daventry in The Candlekeep Mysteries, and her bag
Seeing a thread of drool fall from her companion's lips, Elyham reaches into her backpack, and grabs the rest of the piece of deer jerky for Gnippen. "Don't worry my friend, I've got plenty for you too!"
She slides up to the side of the cave, as not to give away her position to any lurking creatures contained within. Elyham peers her head into the void at the mouth of the cave, looking to see if there's any movement from inside.
I'd like to know what I can discern with my darkvision about the interior of the cave.
Elyham Stealth - 10
Elyham Perception - 5
Elyham steps forward towards the cave, but snips a small twig with her foot as she approaches the entrance.
Peering inside, you see.. a very nice stalactite. And you hear, clearly, a growling noise that is very very close to the entrance.
Aldrik Reinholdt in Dragon Heist
Daventry in The Candlekeep Mysteries, and her bag
"Thank you ma'am, it has been almost half a day since since my last meal and my stomach was starting to complain." Famished Gnippen begins to loudly munch upon the proffered food as he and Tim walk behind Elyham approaching the cave.
Out of the corner of his awareness he hears a small twig snap. Failing to comprehend the danger ahead, Gnippen ambles straight into Elyham's back as she freezes in place.
DM for Out of the Abyss | Edvord Reinholdt for Killilli's Waterdeep Dragon Heist | Sergeant Cernan for Viper's Descent
Elyham stumbles a step into the cave opening as Gnippen bumps into her rear. She quickly casts prestidigitation, creating a starburst of sparks aimed at the opposite side of the cave entrance as a distraction.
Gathering herself and pushing backwards off her planted foot in the cave entrance, she thrusts backwards into Gnippen and Tim, clear of the entryway and the growl she heard.
Elyham whispers to Gnippen, "Steady your lance.... there's something inside that cave!"
Elyham then uses her signal whistle to alert Sia and Feredir to the newest predicament waiting to unfold, and grabs her crossbow and a bolt for safety.
As the flash of sparks explodes on the other side of the cave that you can see, the growling becomes a frenzied, fierce bark, and a pair of wolves rush forward to the lingering magical essence at a dead run. You see each has a long metal chain attached to a collar, and as the chain becomes taut, the wolves almost are slammed back, putting their weight against the unseen anchor point.
Wolves Strength - 4
The wolves strain against their chains, keeping force on the metal.
From where Elyham stands in the east-west oriented mouth of the cave, there is maybe 10 feet of clearance to where the wolves are straining against the chains. There appears to be a larger chamber past the cave mouth, extending to the south from the entrance passage, and the chains must be anchored to something within that chamber which you cannot see from your current position. A trickle of water runs along the bottom of the cave entrance, having eroded a small, three-inch-deep gap that allows the flow of water to exit the cave.
Act quickly. Not in initiative yet, but consider you have 6 seconds before they might try again.
Aldrik Reinholdt in Dragon Heist
Daventry in The Candlekeep Mysteries, and her bag
Sia, upon hearing the whistle, sprints from where she had been skulking in the foliage near the orc corpses, going into a crouch behind a fallen log near the entrance, keeping an eye on the surroundings to see if any other creatures or orcs had heard the whistle.
Sia closes 60ft (move/cunning action: move) and is now about 10 feet outside the cave entrance. The corpses, and Feredir, are about 70ft from the entrance.
Sia Perception - 7
"Elyham, be careful!"
Aldrik Reinholdt in Dragon Heist
Daventry in The Candlekeep Mysteries, and her bag
"Behind me Elyham! these dogs don't quite seem domesticated!"
As Gnippen shouts this, he jumps back into the saddle on top of Tim, draws his lance, and readies an attack in case the wolves break free.
Readied rolls for any enemy entering a 10ft radius:
Attack Roll: 18
Damage Roll: 16
DM for Out of the Abyss | Edvord Reinholdt for Killilli's Waterdeep Dragon Heist | Sergeant Cernan for Viper's Descent
Feredir instinctively closes half the distance between himself and the cave entrance. He comes to an abrupt stop, kneels and swiftly nocks an arrow. His poise is calm despite his fresh wound.
Feredir readies an attack on the first wolf to break free of it's chain.
Longbow attack - 8
Damage - 8
Wincing still from his injury, he whispers an elvish incantation over his right shoulder.
Casts Hail of Thorns.
Hail of Thorns damage - 1
Elyham lets loose a bloodcurdling guffaw and gnashes her teeth at the wolves, still straining against their chains.
Vicious Mockery at Wolf #1 - Attack: 12 Damage: 4
After coming back to her senses and realizing the imminent danger, she moves behind Gnippen and Tim, loading her crossbow with a bolt. Something doesn't smell right from Tim's rear, and she didn't cause the odorous concoction now floating in her nostrils.
The wolf closest to Elyham seems to recoil in pain, giving a yelp, then the pair slam against the chains with renewed fervor.
Wolf Strength 4
You hear a plinking noise, the sound of something metallic hitting the stone of the cavern floor, and both chains suddenly go slack. The pair of wolves rush forward, growling and snapping.
4 (1-2 Gnippen's lance goes for Wolf 1, 3-4 for Wolf 2)
Gnippen, seeing the charging beasts, levels his lance expertly, skewering the wolf unaffected by Elyham's animal-like cursing. The beast's snarls end immediately, turned into a sharp yelp as four feet of metal and wood pierce it from mouth to gut. At the same time, Feredir looses an arrow, though it narrowly misses the charging wolf.
The remaining wolf snarls and snaps, attempting to bite at Gnippen.
Wolf Bite Attack: 5 Damage: 5
Gnippen Strength Save - 23
The wolf's bite latches onto Gnippen's lance arm, trying to drag him down off of Tim. However, with a swift kick, Gnippen pushes the creature away before it can get the leverage to pull him off.
Up Next: all the PCs
Aldrik Reinholdt in Dragon Heist
Daventry in The Candlekeep Mysteries, and her bag
Whoops. Lets try this since adding a save at the top of the post is jacking things up, and I missed the wis save on Vicious Mockery
Wolf Wisdom Save 14
Fails!
Aldrik Reinholdt in Dragon Heist
Daventry in The Candlekeep Mysteries, and her bag
Elyham pulls the trigger on her crossbow, aimed at the wolf now recoiling from Gnippen's boot attack.
Crossbow attack on remaining wolf - Attack: 18 Damage: 11
The bolt leaves a long trail of blood as it glances off the wolf's hide, a shallow cut on the enraged creature.
Aldrik Reinholdt in Dragon Heist
Daventry in The Candlekeep Mysteries, and her bag
Feredir deftly slings his longbow across his back and stands upright. Not wanting to miss the chance at a thrilling melee, he closes the gap between himself and the snarling, odious wolf. Reaching his blood-matted foe, and with a flash of silver-steel he unsheathes his glimmering shortswords and slashes from top to bottom in a X-shaped stroke.
Primary Attack - 18 Damage - 8
Secondary Attack - 10 Damage - 6