[Adventure] Desolation Island (DM: jsb420; JUDGE: covaithe)

[jsb420]

*Bold Recovery: Action points may be spent to re-roll a failed skill check roll (This skill challenge will count as a milestone, and you will re-gain an action point at the end of the challenge).

GM: @DemonicJester : yes you can re-roll for the current round, but it must be for that specific round.

 

[DemonicJester]

Damien uses his acrobatic prowess to guide the boat through the adverse terrain.

[sblock=Rolls]Endurance: 1d20+8=24
Acrobatics: 1d20+10=24[/sblock]

[sblock=Action Point]I will use my action point to allow Cyrus to reroll the failure. I do not know if he should roll it or if I roll it.[/sblock]

 

[jsb420]

GM: Sorry if I wasn't clear. Action Points are for your own missed rolls, not to let another person re-roll. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

 

[jsb420]

GM: PASSED Stage 1 Results: Navigate shipwrecks & sea grass - 11 successes; 2 failures

The boat is crowded, so while Finnean continues to work the sails, he finds that he has to step up on the rail of the ship precariously balancing on the thin edge. Though he continues to handle the rigging well, Finnean is finding this to be tiring work and he hopes they reach the shore soon. (Success)

Cyrus again keeps the boat steady and clam. Letting it glide across the waters instead of crashing into each wake. He really does not wish to attract anything else that may lurk within the watery depths here.
(Success)

Ardens continues his spell, keeping the path for the ship clear. (Success)

Jesse's balance returns after his near blunder. Seeing Ardens using his magic to push away the weeds, Jesse mimics him and reinforces the effort to push away the sea grass. (Success)

Ixenvalignat realizes that the shield, strapped to his arm, is impeding his ability to row. After stowing it in the bottom of the skiff, he finds the task a little less daunting. (Success)

Damien uses his acrobatic prowess to guide the boat through the adverse terrain. (Success)

[sblock=Partial Success]Working as a team, you manage to make your way towards the island. Even though you took turns at rowing and helping navigate the Loose Lady pass nearby wrecks, you feel strangely rejuvenated.
[sblock=Benefit]Gain 2 Healing Surge

FYI: You would have gotten the benefits of an Extended Rest if you had gotten a Complete Success (12+ successes).[/sblock][/sblock]

As the sun begins to set, you finally make it past the wrecks and enter the waters surrounding the island, strangely the waters are free of sea grass. In fact, the water is incredibly clear, visibility of about 15ft down (the sea floor still cannot be seen).

Riding the sea’s waves you steadily make your way towards the island. Suddenly, from the eastern side of the island, a misty glow begins to illuminate the darkened sky, pulsating as if it had a heartbeat. You still can’t discern a source or its actual shape, but you do know it’s the same glow that you have seen previously, except its much closer now.
[sblock=Ghost Light]

[/sblock]

You can hear waves breaking onto rocks ahead of you and through the unusually clear waters, you can see what looks like hundreds, if not thousands, of dead. Walking, floating, or crawling across the sea floor and amidst sunken wrecks, all shambling towards the shore. Some have noticed your passing.
[sblock=Dead Ones]

[/sblock]

GM: Now entering Stage 2: Defend the Loose Lady from Drowned Ones & Beach Landing. Please designate two PCs who will defend the Loose Lady. The others will continue making skill checks as per normal, once per round. These PC won’t gain any extra XP for the fight, only as part of the entire skill challenge, if successful. The PCs defending the ship will be preventing the ship from floundering and being overrun by the hordes of zombies. This will be simulated as a pseudo-encounter. No battle map will be provided; I will assume the defending PCs are able to shift from side to side, warding each side of the boat (fore and aft; port and starboard). Heroes go first. On the defending PC’s turn, make two attack rolls (and roleplay). I will make the attacks for the zombies at the end of the round. See Combatants sblock for dead ones stats. During Stage 2, all non-defending PCs gain a minor action that can be used if a defending PC is damaged. This stage will be 2 rounds. Minor Action: Give up 1 healing surge to the warding PC to have them regain lost hit points immediately (The defending PC’s surge value). NOTE: This can only be used if the warding PC is bloodied.

[sblock=Combatants]Drowned One: 20/20 hp; AC 13; Fort 15; Ref 13; Will 11; +6 vs. AC; 1d8+2 and target gains a -2 penalty to its next attack - not cumulative (simulates grabbed); Zombie Weakness: Any critical hit to the drowned one reduces it to 0hp.
[sblock=Pic]

[/sblock]
Drown One 1: 20/20
Drown One 2: 20/20
Drown One 3: 20/20
Drown One 4: 20/20

Finnean: 24/24; HS 3+2/7; AP 1; Ardent Surge [1]; Status
Ixenvalignat: 22/22; HS 1+2/8; AP 1; Inspiring Word [1] [2]; Status
Cyrus: 26/26; HS 5+2/9; AP 1; Status
Damien: 28/28; HS 5+2/9; AP 1; Status Aspect of the Pouncing Lynx
Ardens: 26/26; HS 7+2/9; AP 1; Status
Jesse: 23/23; HS 4+2/7; AP 1; Potion of Healing; Status[/sblock]

[sblock=Mandatory Acrobatics or Athletics Check (everyone)]Stage 2: Once per round, each player must make either an Acrobatics check or an Athletics check DC 8, due to the motion of the waves and the grasping Drowned Ones (zombies).

[sblock=Failure]You gain a -1 penalty to your next skill roll, in addition to any other modifiers you currently have for that roll[/sblock][/sblock]

[sblock=Rules] *Primary Skills:
Stage 1: Perception: Any player who attempts this skill check gains a +2 to their roll (unless making the same skill check, see below: Repeating Skills). PASSED STAGE 1

Stage 2: Arcana or Religion: Any player who attempts either of these skill checks gains a +2 bonus to their roll (unless making the same skill check as the previous round, see below: Repeating Skills)

*DC: All DCs are 12.

*Skills: Use can use any skill that you can reasonably explain (excluding Acrobatics or Athletics). Any explanation I feel doesn’t correspond with the given skill, I will impose a -2 penalty to it.

*Rolls: Stage1: Everyone must roll one Endurance check and one other skill check per round. No need for initiative rolls, just keep track of who has gone and who needs to go. The same rules apply for skill challenges as apply for encounters (48-hour rule, etc).

*Repeating Skills: Any character repeating the same skill check in two successive rounds will impose a -2 cumulative penalty to the triggering roll (i.e. -2 for second check, -4 for third check, etc.)

*Bold Recovery: Action points may be spent to re-roll a failed skill check roll that you missed during your turn. (NOTE: this is a personal re-roll, not to allow another to re-roll).

*Critical Success: A natural 20 counts as 2 successes.

*Desperate Gambit: In the last round of the challenge, a player can take a -5 to their roll, but a success gives 2 points instead of one.

*Aid Another: You can roll to aid another PC. A roll of 10+1/2 the rolling PC’s level or higher grants a +2 to that player’s skill check, while a failure grants a -1 penalty to that player’s skill check. A successful aid another roll does not count towards the total number of successes.

If you have any questions, please ask.[/sblock]

 

[Circio]

OOC: With plenty of ranged attacks and Ardens being more offensively oriented than Jesse (in personality if in nothing else), I feel like Damien and Ardens would be best suited to protect the ship from the oncoming Drowned Ones. I'll hold off on taking my turn to see if anyone has any differing opinions on this.

 

[treex]

OOC: I think you should rephrase that, but just so that I can help clarify... The two defending PCs will not get bonus EXP, but receive the same amount of EXP as the other PCs. When I first read it I assumed that the two defending PCs will not get EXP for this round and I was like O_O Anyway, Jesse has a +10 on both Arcana and Religion. With the circumstantial +2 bonus it will be an auto-success. However, his Acrobatics and Athletics are +0 and -1 respectively. And I agree that Ardens is more offensive, after all, Jesse is a controller. (but I don't seem to be doing my job well) EDIT: How do I roleplay religion checks? Do I say some sacred words which wards off/weakens the zombies. Some help would be appreciated.

 

[Darksteed]

[sblock=OOC]I don't think Ardens is a good choice to use. No offence intended. With the Zombies in the water wouldn't he be taking the -2 to all his fire attacks like before? He also has the lowest AC in the party. Being a primary target for attacks may not be so good. Plus with Arcana and Religion as Primary skills (gaining a +2 to the rolls) I believe he's better suited to help support the skill challenge then the battle.

Though I do have a question for jsb before I lay down my words to heart. Will Ardens blast/burst attacks be able to attack multiple zombies in the water at one time. Or this all attack one thing at a time. As well as if everything in such close quarters for a battle, will ranged attacks draw OAs?[/sblock]

 

[jsb420]

GM: @treex : I can see how the original wording can be confusing. You are correct, the defending PCs will not gain any BONUS experience points due to this pseudo-combat, all players will receive the same amount for this challenge, if successful. Roleplaying a religion check is up to you. If there is a tiefling diety, then it's up to you as to how to RP your actions (it's your god(s) lol). @Darksteed : I hadn't thought about the water or burst/blast effects. I say that you can use any power, but it will only effect/target one Dead One at a time (so 1 attack per dead one). No penalty for water as the zombies are considered to be on the Loose Lady (although fire damage may hurt the boat... hint, hint, bad). As this is only a pseudo-combat, ranged attacks will not provoke Opportunity Attacks (assume the dead ones are distracted by getting into the boat).

 

[treex]

OOC: No penalties? Burn their boats? Roleplay any god/deity I want? Ranged attacks do not provoke AoO? I love our GM.

 

[Darksteed]

[sblock=OOC]I believe it would be better if Ardens did the skill challenge. He basically auto-succeeds on the arcane and religion checks. Which we need happening. If the combats one target per hit then I believe Cyrus would be a better choice for the combat. One of the highest AC in the party at 19, good attack bonus (if the DR will ever cooperates with me), and high single target damage (1d10+1d8+5 per round and can get higher on up to three targets). In the skill challenge Cyrus won't be auto succeeding in anything. Stealth would be hard pressed to use in the middle of combat.

As for Damien I think he's rounded out enough to warrant placing in either area. Skill challenge or sudo-combat.

Just my two cents.[/sblock]