The sun is just past its noon point when the caravan gets moving again. Warily, the group makes its way through an ever thickening forest. Soon, the road starts descending slowly, and the sound of rushing water can be heard ahead. A clearing, perhaps indicating a river is visible ahead through the trees, but the road is cluttered with debris. There is a gap through the trees to the right, and well-trod earth with wheel ruts reveals that the path leads the old road here. It only goes a hundred feet or so before cutting back to the left. As the first cart rounds the corner, a bridge comes into view, going across what looks to be a deep gorge. Off to the left, the remains of the old stone bridge can be seen, collapsed into the canyon below. The new bridge is a suspension-type bridge, made of heavy rope and stout planks. This is the point of the caravan's expected rendezvous, but there is a major snag:
the bridge is swarming with giant ants!
What's more, they appear to be intent on eating it, or at least tearing it down. The two closest ants are rather bulky specimens. Behind them are a pair with large snapping mandibles. Then six smaller ants, and finally two more of the ones with the big mandibles. The ants are currently intent on the bridge, giving the party a chance to react.[sblock=Initiative]
Pharodeys: 10(1d20) = 10
Sound of Stone: 19(1d20) +7 = 26
Spider: 10(1d20) +7 = 17
Tyris: 13(1d20) +5 = 18
Zardi: 19(1d20) +2 = 21
Ants: 18(1d20) = 18
Since the ants are distracted, everybody gets a surprise round.
Then Sound of Stone, Zardi, and Tyris take a normal round.
Then the Ants.
Then combat proceeds with everyone.[/sblock][sblock=map]
Brush (green areas) provide cover and concealment.
Trees (big brown circles) are impassible, and can provide cover.
The river is flowing from south (bottom of map) to north.[/sblock][sblock=status]
Pharodeys J41
36/36, surges 9/9, second wind unused
Sound of Stone F34
39/39, surges 8/8, second wind unused
Spider G38
45/45, surges 10/10, second wind unused
Tyris M34
34/34, surges 7/7, second wind unused
Zardi I31
54/54, surges 11/11, second wind unused
Sven I41
36/36
Small Ant 1 J12
No Damage Taken
Small Ant 2 H12
No Damage Taken
Small Ant 3 J14
No Damage Taken
Small Ant 4 H14
No Damage Taken
Small Ant 5 J16
No Damage Taken
Small Ant 6 H16
No Damage Taken
Bulky Ant 1 H21
No Damage Taken
Bulky Ant 2 J21
No Damage Taken
Big Mandible Ant 1 H10
No Damage Taken
Big Mandible Ant 2 J10
No Damage Taken
Big Mandible Ant 3 H18
No Damage Taken
Big Mandible Ant 4 J18
No Damage Taken
Bridge Status12/12[/sblock][sblock=Controlling Sven]Any PC can take a standard, move, or minor action to have an NPC perform an action of the same (or a lesser) type. E.g., if you want Sven to use use his crossbow, you spend a standard action. If you want him to move, you spend a move action. An NPC is limited to the usual number of actions each round (but those actions need not all be granted by the same PC). An NPC who has an immediate action can likewise only use it if a PC has an immediate action available to use on his/her behalf.
NPCs can take free actions and opportunity actions normally, without the direction of PCs. They are always considered to have their weapons in hand and don’t need to spend actions unsheathing them.
If Sven has used his crossbow and has any actions left he will, without prompting, use a minor action to reload. If he is out of range of any targets, and has not been given any orders this round, he will move so that he is in range.[/sblock][sblock=Sven]
Sven
HP 36/36, Bloodied 18, Surge value 9
Str 10, Con 12, Dex 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 11
AC 15, Fort 15, Ref 16, Will 14
Skills: Nature +7, Perception +7
Speed 6
crossbow +10 vs. AC; 1d8+6 (range 15/30)
[/sblock][sblock=Bridge Challenge!]The ants are trying to destroy the bridge. It is up to Our Heroes to stop them. If an ant spends two standard actions to attack the bridge, it will do one point of damage to the bridge. Our Heroes, in addition to killing ants, can repair the bridge by using the following skills/actions:
Spot the Weak Points
Nature 14 or Perception 14 (Minor action)
This does not directly help repair the bridge, but will provide a +2 bonus to the next check to repair the bridge.
Tie Off Loose Ends
Nature 14 or Thievery 14 (Minor action)
You must be adjacent to one of the sides of the bridge to perform this action.
Putting a knot in a frayed rope will keep the bridge standing a while longer, repairing 1 point of damage.
Hold it Together
Athletics 14 (Standard action)
You must be adjacent to one of the sides of the bridge to perform this action.
Grasping the broken strands, a feat of strength pulls them back, repairing 2 points of damage.
Instant Knot
Athletics 21 or Nature 21 (Minor action]
You must be adjacent to one of the sides of the bridge to perform this action.
Tie an ugly not, quicker than the eye can see, repairing 2 points of damage.
Get the Gang Involved
Bluff 14 or Intimidate 14 (Minor action)
Direct the cart drivers to help shore up the bridge supports.
This can only be done once for the upstream side of the bridge and once for the downstream side.
NB: the cart drivers are entirely virtual for this purpose, taking up no space and suffering no attacks. The action can not be done if an ant is adjacent to the post on the side where the cart drivers are going to work (G25 or K25).
When the bridge is down to half its damage capacity, it is easier to fall off the bridge.
When the bridge has taken 12 damage points, it collapses into the chasm.[/sblock][sblock=Falling off the Bridge]If forced movement would take you off the bridge, the following happens.
1) Roll to avoid being pushed over the edge as per normal. If the bridge has taken less than half its damage capacity, take a +5 bonus to this saving throw.
2) If you are pushed off the edge, make a DC 14 Athletics or Acrobatics roll to hang on. If you hang on, you are dangling from the bridge in the space into which you were pushed. As a move action, you can move up to 2 squares along the edge of the bridge, or you can climb back on as a move action. You grant Combat Advantage, and are at -5 to attacks while dangling.
If the bridge takes enough damage to break, everybody on the bridge must make a DC 14 Athletics or Acrobatics roll to hang on. Other things will happen then, which I will not go into detail on at the moment.
Anyone who does not hang on in either case, takes 2d10 falling damage from landing in the water, and is swept out of the fight.[/sblock][sblock=Enemy Stats]Please read the appropriate "combat stats" block(s) only when necessary to resolve attacks or OAs. The blocks with the skill names on them are for monster knowledge checks.
Small Ants
[sblock=combat stats]AC: 16 Fort: 14 Ref: 15 Will: 13
HP: 1
Bite +7 vs. AC; 5 damage[/sblock][sblock=Nature 13]
Red Ant Worker
Small Natural Beast
Level 2 Minion[sblock=Nature 20]The Red Ant Worker has no special attacks[/sblock][/sblock]
Bulky Ants
[sblock=combat stats]AC: 15 Fort: 17 Ref: 15 Will: 13
HP: 46
Bite +8 vs. AC; 1d10+8 damage[/sblock][sblock=Nature 13]
Red Ant Forager
Medium Natural Beast
Level 3 Brute[sblock=Nature 21]The Red Ant Forager has two encounter powers. Acid Squirt, which is a ranged area burst attack, and Skitter, which allows the Forager to shift 4 squares as a move action.[/sblock][/sblock]
Big Mandible Ants
[sblock=combat stats]AC: 17 Fort: 15 Ref: 17 Will: 13
Bite +8 vs. AC; 1d8+6 damage, +1d6 damage if the ant has Combat Advantage[/sblock][sblock=Nature 13]
Red Ant Harvester
Medium Natural Beast
Level 3 Skirmisher[sblock=Nature 21]The Red Ant Harvester has an encounter attack power: Snap, which allows it to shift two squares, then make an attack which does damage and pushes the target one square.[/sblock][/sblock][/sblock]
Better map below. It's too big for the thumbnail to show up properly. When you get off the carts and into combat, I'll shrink the map area.