As you are threading your way between the rock piles, Shale hears a grinding and scraping sound within the rock wall to his right. Before he can bring it to the others attention, the wall shudders and a chunk explodes outwards, narrowly missing him. It is followed by an armored claw which rips its way through the rock as if it were paper, tearing a huge hole in the wall. Framed in the passagway beyond is a hunched, hulking beast with a thick reddish carapace. Its insectoid head thrusts forward as it clashes its powerful mandibles and stares at its new surroundings with multifaceted eyes. An umber hulk!
The hulk pauses on the threshold and rakes a claw over its own carapace, ripping at the armored plates. It throws back its head and its mandibles strain apart as if it is trying to howl, but it makes no sound. It lurches to one side, banging into a wall, shakes itself, and turns back to glare at Shale, pain and madness in its eyes.
[sblock=Initiative]
Bob rolls 7:
Initiative (1d20+0=7)
The Umber Hulk rolls 6:
Initiative (1d20+4=6)
So everyone except Artemis can go now. The the umber hulk goes. Then everybody (including Artemis) can go, in any order.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Rules and Terrain]
You were travelling towards the bottom of the map when you were interrupted. The right edge of the map is the right wall of the tunnel.
The area marked "standing water" is about 8 inches deep and the floor beneath is slippery. It is difficult terrain.
The rock piles are about 5 feet high. Climbing them takes a DC 15 Athletics or Acrobatics check, and when you're on top you grant combat advantage due to the unstable footing. (And they also count as difficult terrain.)
Everyone can make free Dungeoneering and Heal checks to see if they can read the following two sblocks (these are monster knowledge checks). You can read the Perception blocks if you beat the DC with your Passive Perception, or if you spend a minor action on your turn to roll Perception.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Dungeoneering 18]
Umber Hulks are known for burrowing tunnels through the earth - as you've seen. You've also heard that it is dangerous to meet the gaze of their strangely faceted eyes.
[/sblock]
[sblock=Heal 12]
As the umber hulk moves its arm you see a bloated worm squirm between its armoured plates. Some sort of parasite?
[/sblock]
[sblock=Perception 23]
There is a large bat clinging to the ceiling 20' above the rockpile at J7, wings folded. It's dark grey-black fur blends in with the shadows.
Stealth (1d20+9=23, 1d20+9=19, 1d20+9=15)
[/sblock]
[sblock=Perception 19]
There is a large bat clinging to the ceiling 20' above the rockpile at L11, wings folded. It's dark grey-black fur blends in with the shadows.
Stealth (1d20+9=23, 1d20+9=19, 1d20+9=15)
[/sblock]
[sblock=Perception 15]
There is a large bat clinging to the ceiling 20' above the rockpile at J14, wings folded. It's dark grey-black fur blends in with the shadows.
Stealth (1d20+9=23, 1d20+9=19, 1d20+9=15)
[/sblock]
Farmer Bob screams and presses himself against the far wall of the tunnel, placing one of the rock piles between himself and the monster.
[sblock=NPC Actions]
Farmer Bob:
Move: from L10 to M11
Minor: Perception check:
Perception (1d20+0=11)
[/sblock]
[sblock=Unlocked Stats]
Farmer Bob: AC 17, Fort 13, Reflex 11, Will 11
Maddened Umber Hulk: AC ??, Fort ??, Reflex ??, Will ??
[/sblock]
[sblock=Status]
Artemis: 28/29 hp, 5/7 surges
Lilli: 21/22 hp, 4/7 surges
Gil: 23/26 hp, 5/7 surges
Shale: 31/33 hp, 6/7 surges
Karma: 24/30 hp, 4/5 surges
Farmer Bob: 2/2 hp, 0/1 surges
Maddened Umber Hulk: 0 damage taken
[MENTION=90808]Cute-Hydra[/MENTION]: You never mentioned that Karma was healing after the last fight, so you're still at 24 hp. If you want I can let you say you spent a healing surge during the last rest, so you're at 30/30 hp and 3/5 surges remaining.
[/sblock]
External Map Link
[sblock=Map]
Climbing a rock pile takes a DC 15 Athletics or Acrobatics check and you grant combat advantage while on top of them. The standing water and rock piles are difficult terrain.
[/sblock]