laid back apocalypse

As the group as assembling for their trip Xalkas turns to Berd, “I just have one request… well maybe two… but the more important of the two being. Please don’t eat any of the paper from my books. They are quiet valuable.”

Berd would open his mouth and lift his finger as if he were going to protest, then close his mouth to accept the ask. He'd then look to his finger and count. Then put up a second finger, counting two. He'd then look to Reghys for confirmation before looking back down to Xalkas. He'd put down the first finger. "That wuz only one quest, ya?"

I think Berd doesn't know he's flipping the bird. Hearing Hawke in her head, Ebele couldn't help but snort.

“That’s true. That was only one. The second, is to do your best to keep me safe… Understand?”

"Keep Master Paper Gnome Safe." Berd would reiterate with the gesture. "I understand." He'd nod, putting his finger down. Then he'd put his index up. "Don't eat paper." Putting it back down, he'd then flip his middle finger back up. "Keep Master Paper Gnome Safe." He'd put it back down, then place his hands on his hips. He'd nod, pretty proud of himself. Berd understands the assignment.

From the other boat, away from Berd, T'chal'fronack'zcinicker shakes his head to himself, then looks to Anya and smiles at her, giving her an approving silent nod for no reason. She looks back at the weirdly happy tiefling with a "what are you about now?" sorta look. 

Reghys whispers to Orric: "I don't want any heroics from you, you hear me? There's already plenty of good stories to tell. No, I want you to learn the most useful skill of all: delegation"

The underground stream winds for more than two miles through lightless grottos until eventually firelight shines from a large cavern ahead. Hawke gains an uneasy feeling like the group is not alone. The stream opens into a large underground lake. To the right, a crumbling stone quay leads to a tunnel heading northeast. A ten-foot skiff is moored to the quay, and a torch burns in a bronze sconce by the tunnel mouth. Beside the quay, a twenty-foot wide canal leads north from the large lake. The lake stretches westward into darkness.

DM

T'chal'fronack'zcinicker has had QUITE ENOUGH of this watery winding underground ridiculousness and is quick to try and be the first one out of the boat and onto dry land. It seems as if there could be a dragon standing on the dock waiting for them and he wouldn't mind one bit or perhaps even notice. "Let me...let me up then, ok, ok, me first, out I got...off we go then..."

Just as Anya offers T'chal'fronack'zcinicker a hand to steady him in the boat, it flips! Anya, T'chal'fronack'zcinicker, Kerric and Lathna get tossed into the water. They feel something scaley slither against their legs in the water.

Ebele’s head turns abruptly trying to make out what the splashing is all about. “Marco?” She’d blurt out. 

Then Reghys and Xalkas, with their assistants feel a thud against their boat while Ebele, Hawke and the remaining helper’s boat rocks.

T'chal'fronack'zcinicker, in pure panic, SCREAMS, and splashes about in the water trying to reach the shore.  Athletics check, at disadvantage for SHEER PANIC : 4

"When you're drowning, you don't say 'I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,' you just scream." - John Lennon

Kerric:

Reaching over to T, Kerric grabs him and attempts to lifer him back up into the nearest boat—or if they are close enough, onto the shore.  He watches carefully for the creature in the water, interposing himself between it and the others.

Athletics:  14

Reghys, hearing the bumps, places their hand in the water and casts faerie fire into the water, hopefully giving everyone an idea what they are facing.

Initiative: 21

In his panic, T'chal'fronack'zcinicker quickly finds that the sides of the can are very slippery and difficult to get a grip.

"Maybe he still doesn't understand how Marco Polo works?" Ebele muses to Hawke as she just hears splashing. Meanwhile Nayreen begins tying their boat off so they don't get sent down stream.

Kerric grabs the tiefling by the backpack and would easily be able to haul him up the crumbling stone quay that appears to have a tunnel that heads northeast.

Reghys calmly places their hand in the water in hopes to shine some light on the subject.

Unknown ST: 21

Initiative Time!

DM: 14

Ebele: 22
Hawke: 7
Nayreen: 3 

[boop]

T'chal'fronack'zcinicker splutters and rolls onto his back on the dry quay. He lays there for a moment, heaving. He reaches up to find his soaked hat still on his head, his fine suit, vest, and jacket all soaked. Several streams of water slowly drain away from him down the slight slanted ground back towards the water.  

Initiative : 13 

Kerric:

Drawing his dagger and treading water, Kerric prepares to defend himself should he be attacked.

Initiative:  14

Berd initiative: 21

Xalkas initiative: 2

Map Update

Zoom In

Initiative
E | R | K | C | T | X | H
(Actually yes, commoner pals will share initiative. Easier. Sorry for any confusion! Since Ebele and Hawke are kinda sharing one, I'll have them go with the lowest initiative rolled between the two)

Hearing T'chal'fronack'zcinicker's splutters, Ebele's brows knit together. Monk instincts tingling, she pauses to really listen to the sounds coming from the water. She kicks into gear taking hold of her staff to assist with balance and person transfer. "Kerric, we need to get them to where you tossed the tiefling." She'd impose herself between the sound of the threat in the water and Nayreen in her boat, encouraging the woman to head to Kerric in the next boat.

Movement: Basically switching places with N
Action: Dodge

Initiative
E | RO | KL | C | TA | XB | HN

Roll call: Reghys and Kerric

Kerric:

Swimming over to the east, Kerric pulls the four person boat the rest of the way up to the landing and says, "Everyone out!”

Athletics:  8

Kerric:

Inspiration reroll:  27

Kerric tries his best to pull the four person boat on his own and just can’t manage to get a good enough grip on it to move it himself.

It takes all of Lathna’s focus to muster up enough strength to contribute to her mentors efforts. 

Reghys and Xalkas’ boat rocks onto the landing. It wasn’t smooth sailing by any means, but it was successful enough.

Enough time had passed, confirming to Reghys that what ever lurked below, successfully dodged their spell.

Initiative
E | RO | KL | C | TA | XB | HN

Roll call: Reghys