From the angle that the sahuagin dived into the water, the ripples of the water and based on your expertise at tracking these creatures, you can tell where they are to within about 10ft accuracy, even without getting into the water. [Although this won't help attacks (unless you have an AOE attack), it allows you to have some useful information and may provide advantage on a later check]:
One of the sahuagin is definitely around the mid-point between the three sharks, as Beatrice said, somewhere between or underneath the cluster of villagers in the water.
The other sahuagin seems to be making a beeline for the opposite shore, and will likely come out of the water around 15ft from where the villagers who made it across the bridge are standing on the north side of the channel, unless you warn them.
"You are right, one of them is right between the sharks, controlling them.The other one... oh no!" Oden starts waving frantically towards the other shore. "Run! The shore is not safe! Sahuagin headed your way!"
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
The villagers in the other side of the channel heed Oden's call and run before the sahuagin emerges, it looks very unlikely that it will be able to catch them.
The villagers who are still swimming are unsure about what to do. They will follow any commands from characters in the initiative order before them about what to do and where to move. If no-one gives them a command before their turn, they will tread water and hold their action (to move the next time someone gives them a command) unless they panic (DC10 WIS saving throw) in which case they will swim (double dash) to the closest point on shore.
It is a free action to call out commands to a villager on your turn, but your character cannot do that if they are under water. If your character issues a command, let me know which villager they are calling to. As an example "InsertCharacterName calls out and points to villager 5 and yells “swim that way” pointing to the shore at x5,y6” (see new coordinate system on map below). The villagers can take any action that your character can, though they are not armed, so are not effective at attacking. They can only disengage from creatures that they can currently see.
Remember that the sharks and the sahuagin have opportunity attacks and you don’t know exactly where the sahuagin is (yet?). I’ll let you know that the villagers are commoners who have very little health so are unlikely to survive one bite from a shark or hit from a sahuagin.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Laire Initiative: 5
Laire could not fight under water. But (!) Sharks could not fight on the beach.
On her turn she will try to combine attacking sharks to distract them and yelling to villagers where is the "shark-free" water so they could safely swim in there.
[...] yelling to villagers where is the "shark-free" water so they could safely swim in there.
Excellent, you will be in the second group to go. Let me know which shark you are aiming for (S1, S2 or S3), as you hit it.
Also please let me know which villager specifically Laire is telling to move and towards which square, as well as any other actions she is telling them to take before moving. If you are just wanting a specific villager to move (and no other action first), you can put it in a way like the following "Laire yells to villager 5 “swim that way” pointing to the shore at x6,y7” or "Laire yells to V5 to swim to the closest part of the shore".
[Oh, and I'm not suggesting you should be getting V5 to move specifically or that you shouldn't get them to take other actions, or to just stay put, it is just an example.]
(Can it be "yell to the villager that can swim" in general - to speed things up and not wait for the post. Laire is fully willing to work as a traffic cop, watching out for the sharks and guiding those who can move towards the beach: right now, if the picture is accurate - it would be V3, that can actually make it to the sand)
Aliez leans against one of the stands along the path, "Shouldn't we be getting out of here? Guys?" Well I ain't getting in the water with sharks. Little crazy lady, go get them. You got this." Giving a bardic inspiration to Beatrice (1d4) and will just wait. If anyone starts going for a way off the island she will follow them.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"That is our way out. Through them."
Oden pulls out his coral branch and runs to the shore and plunges in the water looking for the Sahuagin, but swimming straight for the closest shark (S3) to slash at it.
Attack: 19 Damage: 10
If the shark dies, he will tell V6 to swim back to the shore.
Oden's blade sinks into the shark (S3) and though it does damage, the shark is still alive.
Oden, please make a DC10 perception check to see the sahuagin, you have advantage as per post #205. If you pop your head back above the water, you can describe to the others where the creature is in character (if you want to know characteristics of any villager, let me know). Your description will influence the intelligence check DC that other characters will need to make to then be able to attack the sahuagin, which they can't see.
Ervalin seems impressed at Oden's willingness to put himself in danger to assist the villagers (seemingly not hearing the comment about it being the way off the island) and calls out after his brother "maybe I have misjudged you brother, I will help thin out the number of sharks" and he moves to (x7,y13) and fires his longbow at shark S3 as well, attack:12damage:3
I should have explained - the three sharks are currently above water (so no underwater combat rules unless a character is submerged). Let me know if that changes any actions already taken. I'll let you know if/when they dive.
(Can it be "yell to the villager that can swim" in general)
The encounter 'as written' doesn't have the 'command villager' aspect at all. It is basically a 'kill the creature(s) if you want, hope the villagers don't all die first'. I'm trying to allow a puzzle-type solution as well that will hopefully allow more villagers to be saved and to speed this up, though it does have some risks to it and means people need to think through what they say in their command. It is also an optional encounter, so if Laire and/or anyone else wants to move elsewhere or use their turn to do a perception check on another part of the island, they definitely can.
Villager 1 panic check: 13
Villager 1 4 panic check: 20
Both pass and hold their action to move (remember, this means they now can't use their action first before moving). Actions in combat are found here
Laire wants to help villagers to safely reach the shore, so she is willing to stand there and guide actions of swimmers. But OOC, you would have to re-draw map with every shark move and then wait for my response, so if you want things to speed up and no rolls are involved - count Laire doing just that. Though, if her action is still available, she will continue throw rocks at sharks if not to kill, than to distract them. Right now this is shark S3.
Laire: I definitely understand why you are suggesting it, though unfortunately it is likely that I wont have to redraw the map frequently just for shark moves. Creatures under the water in this encounter are heavily obscured due to "frothy, blood-clouded water", so their location will need to be communicated by someone who sees them from under the water. I have tended to redraw the map frequently anyway, and may do so with character movement and villager movement. You are up in this next initiative order, so you are able to issue a specific command to one villager on what to do with any action and movement. All villagers and sharks are in the location they are in the above map.
Laire throws a magic stone at shark S3 and it is now starting to slow down and looks close to death.
Vincent, Villager3, Sahuagin and Shark1 are up next.
Shark 1 then dives and moves, so only those under water (or partially submerged who can pop their head under water) can try to see it (perception check DC10).
Villager 1 is dragged under the water by Shark 1 and more blood fills the water, with neither the shark or villager resurfacing at this time (V1 is dead, S1 is heavily obscured).
Villager 3 panics at seeing this and double dashes to shore (half movement, swimming). In the last 5ft there is some thrashing in the water as the hidden sahuagin makes an opportunity attack on Villager 3: bite attack19damage:2
Villager 3 is also dragged under the water, never to resurface.
[Reminder, creatures only get one opportunity attack per round and disengage is an action that a villager (or PC, or foe) can do against any enemy it can see. I checked and RAW apparently one can disengage from an unseen attacker and most people interpret it that as long as you know the general direction of the attack (which the villagers will), that disengage will work. That won't help V1 or V3, though may help any future villagers. If anyone would have changed their command up to now in initiative, I'm happy for it to happen retroactively. ]
Vincent, Tharhun, Reguh, Villager5, Beatrice and Villager2 are up in whichever order that they post.
What enemies can Vincent see? Assuming he moves to the shoreline.
Unless getting in the water, he can see shark S3 (very hurt) and shark S2 (unhurt). Villagers 2, 4 5 and 6 are still alive and in the same positions as on the map.
Survival: 18
Oden is glad for any help beeing offered and is impressed at how perceptive Beatrice is. "I'll try to track where they are."
Oden:
From the angle that the sahuagin dived into the water, the ripples of the water and based on your expertise at tracking these creatures, you can tell where they are to within about 10ft accuracy, even without getting into the water. [Although this won't help attacks (unless you have an AOE attack), it allows you to have some useful information and may provide advantage on a later check]:
One of the sahuagin is definitely around the mid-point between the three sharks, as Beatrice said, somewhere between or underneath the cluster of villagers in the water.
The other sahuagin seems to be making a beeline for the opposite shore, and will likely come out of the water around 15ft from where the villagers who made it across the bridge are standing on the north side of the channel, unless you warn them.
"You are right, one of them is right between the sharks, controlling them. The other one... oh no!" Oden starts waving frantically towards the other shore. "Run! The shore is not safe! Sahuagin headed your way!"
The villagers in the other side of the channel heed Oden's call and run before the sahuagin emerges, it looks very unlikely that it will be able to catch them.
The villagers who are still swimming are unsure about what to do. They will follow any commands from characters in the initiative order before them about what to do and where to move. If no-one gives them a command before their turn, they will tread water and hold their action (to move the next time someone gives them a command) unless they panic (DC10 WIS saving throw) in which case they will swim (double dash) to the closest point on shore.
It is a free action to call out commands to a villager on your turn, but your character cannot do that if they are under water. If your character issues a command, let me know which villager they are calling to. As an example "InsertCharacterName calls out and points to villager 5 and yells “swim that way” pointing to the shore at x5,y6” (see new coordinate system on map below). The villagers can take any action that your character can, though they are not armed, so are not effective at attacking. They can only disengage from creatures that they can currently see.
Remember that the sharks and the sahuagin have opportunity attacks and you don’t know exactly where the sahuagin is (yet?). I’ll let you know that the villagers are commoners who have very little health so are unlikely to survive one bite from a shark or hit from a sahuagin.
Initiative: Elanza 11, Joao 16, Ervalin 2, Villager1 1, Villager2 9, Villager3 16, Villager4 19, Villager5 7, Villager6 11
Well, I hope the villagers roll that well for any other checks they need to make. Oh and the dwarf family are not joining combat.
Aliez, Ervalin, Villager1, Villager4 and Oden are up first in any order.
Laire and Maltake still need to roll initiative, but we can start and if we go past their turn in the initiative they can go straight away.
Before anyone points it out, I've realised I got the x and y axis the wrong way around on the map, I will fix it for next battle.
Laire Initiative: 5
Laire could not fight under water. But (!) Sharks could not fight on the beach.
On her turn she will try to combine attacking sharks to distract them and yelling to villagers where is the "shark-free" water so they could safely swim in there.
Bonus: Magic Stone
Attack visible sharks: Attack: 19 Damage: 5
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
Excellent, you will be in the second group to go. Let me know which shark you are aiming for (S1, S2 or S3), as you hit it.
Also please let me know which villager specifically Laire is telling to move and towards which square, as well as any other actions she is telling them to take before moving. If you are just wanting a specific villager to move (and no other action first), you can put it in a way like the following "Laire yells to villager 5 “swim that way” pointing to the shore at x6,y7” or "Laire yells to V5 to swim to the closest part of the shore".
[Oh, and I'm not suggesting you should be getting V5 to move specifically or that you shouldn't get them to take other actions, or to just stay put, it is just an example.]
(Can it be "yell to the villager that can swim" in general - to speed things up and not wait for the post. Laire is fully willing to work as a traffic cop, watching out for the sharks and guiding those who can move towards the beach: right now, if the picture is accurate - it would be V3, that can actually make it to the sand)
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
Aliez leans against one of the stands along the path, "Shouldn't we be getting out of here? Guys?" Well I ain't getting in the water with sharks. Little crazy lady, go get them. You got this." Giving a bardic inspiration to Beatrice (1d4) and will just wait. If anyone starts going for a way off the island she will follow them.
"That is our way out. Through them."
Oden pulls out his coral branch and runs to the shore and plunges in the water looking for the Sahuagin, but swimming straight for the closest shark (S3) to slash at it.
Attack: 19 Damage: 10
If the shark dies, he will tell V6 to swim back to the shore.
(I wasn’t in the initiative order!)
You rolled 10, the round just started. That initiative order above is for NPC, that's why your name is not there.
Ugh. I’m slow today
Oden's blade sinks into the shark (S3) and though it does damage, the shark is still alive.
Oden, please make a DC10 perception check to see the sahuagin, you have advantage as per post #205. If you pop your head back above the water, you can describe to the others where the creature is in character (if you want to know characteristics of any villager, let me know). Your description will influence the intelligence check DC that other characters will need to make to then be able to attack the sahuagin, which they can't see.
Ervalin seems impressed at Oden's willingness to put himself in danger to assist the villagers (seemingly not hearing the comment about it being the way off the island) and calls out after his brother "maybe I have misjudged you brother, I will help thin out the number of sharks" and he moves to (x7,y13) and fires his longbow at shark S3 as well, attack: 12 damage: 3
I should have explained - the three sharks are currently above water (so no underwater combat rules unless a character is submerged). Let me know if that changes any actions already taken. I'll let you know if/when they dive.
The encounter 'as written' doesn't have the 'command villager' aspect at all. It is basically a 'kill the creature(s) if you want, hope the villagers don't all die first'. I'm trying to allow a puzzle-type solution as well that will hopefully allow more villagers to be saved and to speed this up, though it does have some risks to it and means people need to think through what they say in their command. It is also an optional encounter, so if Laire and/or anyone else wants to move elsewhere or use their turn to do a perception check on another part of the island, they definitely can.
Villager 1 panic check: 13
Villager
14 panic check: 20Both pass and hold their action to move (remember, this means they now can't use their action first before moving). Actions in combat are found here
Perception: 22
Laire wants to help villagers to safely reach the shore, so she is willing to stand there and guide actions of swimmers. But OOC, you would have to re-draw map with every shark move and then wait for my response, so if you want things to speed up and no rolls are involved - count Laire doing just that. Though, if her action is still available, she will continue throw rocks at sharks if not to kill, than to distract them. Right now this is shark S3.
Meili Liang Lvl 5 Monk
Dice
The sahuagin is currently at (x4,y8)
Laire: I definitely understand why you are suggesting it, though unfortunately it is likely that I wont have to redraw the map frequently just for shark moves. Creatures under the water in this encounter are heavily obscured due to "frothy, blood-clouded water", so their location will need to be communicated by someone who sees them from under the water. I have tended to redraw the map frequently anyway, and may do so with character movement and villager movement. You are up in this next initiative order, so you are able to issue a specific command to one villager on what to do with any action and movement. All villagers and sharks are in the location they are in the above map.
Laire throws a magic stone at shark S3 and it is now starting to slow down and looks close to death.
Vincent, Villager3, Sahuagin and Shark1 are up next.
Villager 3 panic check: 19
The sahuagin keeps using its action to command the reef sharks to attack.
Perception check (DC10) from the sahuagin to see Oden: 23
The sahuagin has no idea that Oden is there.
Shark 1 bites at Villager 1, bite attack: 23 damage: 7
Shark 1 then dives and moves, so only those under water (or partially submerged who can pop their head under water) can try to see it (perception check DC10).
Villager 1 is dragged under the water by Shark 1 and more blood fills the water, with neither the shark or villager resurfacing at this time (V1 is dead, S1 is heavily obscured).
Villager 3 panics at seeing this and double dashes to shore (half movement, swimming). In the last 5ft there is some thrashing in the water as the hidden sahuagin makes an opportunity attack on Villager 3: bite attack 19 damage:2
Villager 3 is also dragged under the water, never to resurface.
[Reminder, creatures only get one opportunity attack per round and disengage is an action that a villager (or PC, or foe) can do
against any enemy it can see. I checked and RAW apparently one can disengage from an unseen attacker and most people interpret it that as long as you know the general direction of the attack (which the villagers will), that disengage will work. That won't help V1 or V3, though may help any future villagers. If anyone would have changed their command up to now in initiative, I'm happy for it to happen retroactively. ]Vincent, Tharhun, Reguh, Villager5, Beatrice and Villager2 are up in whichever order that they post.
What enemies can Vincent see? Assuming he moves to the shoreline.
Paladin - warforged - orange
Unless getting in the water, he can see shark S3 (very hurt) and shark S2 (unhurt). Villagers 2, 4 5 and 6 are still alive and in the same positions as on the map.
I think Vincent will get just into the water south of S3, and swing his war pick at the shark.
Attack: 18 Damage: 6
If at disadvantage, here’s a second attack roll 8
Paladin - warforged - orange