A Candlekeep Mystery (IC)

[FitzTheRuke]

Kaliban followed Ruznami out the right-hand door as the coach started to move again. By the time he was down by the monster, Shedrick had pulled past him, holding himself up by the brass handle, out of reach of the creature's jaws while Crock Jon held it back. Kaliban thrust his thin blade, but it scraped harmlessly off.

Meanwhile, Ethian had slipped out the other door. The coach was not moving fast, but it was moving uphill. Ethian grabbed the doorframe and rolled up onto the roof. He was not as graceful as many elves, but he was fit and had spent enough time at sea that the movement of the coach did not upset his footing as he prayed, bringing protective twilight down on them all.

The beast thrashed about under Crock Jon's mighty grip and it opened its mighty jaws and lunged at him while flipping him into the air. The big half-orc still had a hold of the thing's head, but much of his lower body was in its mouth in a crushing grip.

OOC: Bulette bit Crock Jon for... OMG 40! That would have brought him down were it not for Ethian's THP (timing is weird because Jon technically did not "end his turn" in the aura (because he went first) but I'll just let that go because I'm using a sort-of simultaneous initiative for ease of PBP play... Spoiler: Rolls Bulette vs Crock JonBite: 1D20+7 = [10]+7 = 17 for 4D12+4 = [7, 12, 11, 6]+4 = 40

 

[FitzTheRuke]

GM: Encounter: Black Dragon Agents vs Bulette

Spoiler: Map of Bulette Hill

(General Features)
Difficult Terrain: Bushes, Shrubs, Rocks, Wooden Posts. Hazzard: Fire Pit
Visibility: Bright (It's daytime)

Spoiler: Allies

Name * AC * HP * Hit Dice * PasPrc * Spells * (Notes)
(PCs)
Argenti AC14 HP 31/31 THP 7/7 HD 4/4 PP13 SS 2/2
Crock Jon AC14 HP 3/36 THP 0/7 HD 4/4 PP12* SD 4/4
Ethian AC19* HP 27/27 THP 7/7 HD 4/4 PP16* PIns16 SS 4/4 3/3 CD 0/1
Hawthorne AC14 HP 22/31 THP 7/7 HD 4/4 PP17 PInv17 PIns15
Kaliban AC18* HP 35/35 THP 7/7 HD 4/4 PP10* PED 3/4 (d6's)
Ruznami AC15 HP 26/26 THP 7/7 AW10/10 HD 4/4 PP10* PInv15 SS 4/4 3/3
(NPCs)
Broun AC11 HP 18/18 THP 7/7 PP12*
-Coach AC13 HP 30/30 CC 4000lb (w/4 horses)
-Team AC11 HP 15ea PP11 SPD 60ft (4 horses)
Shedrick AC13 HP 16/16 THP 7/7 PP11

Spoiler: Enemies

Bulette AC17 HP 94/94 PP16*
Bulette Pup AC15 HP 24/24 PP14* Bite+4;2d12+2

GM: End Round One; Begin Round Two

 

[VLAD the Destroyer]

Kaliban watches the bullette start to chomp down on Crock and instinctively uses his telekinetic powers to shield the orc from some of the damage.

OOC: Protective field Reaction: 1d6+3 5. Crock takes 5 less damage from the bite.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Crock takes 5 less damage from the bite.

OOC: There, now we don't have to worry about the timing of the Twilight. Jon would be awake either way. Either he's got 8 HP & 0 THP or 1 HP & 7 THP. Probably won't matter much either way...

 

[Steve Gorak]

OOC: Still getting used to playing a cleric (1st timer here)! I should have had Ethian cast spiritual as a bonus action the previous round, I hope it doesn't come to bite us in the bum!

After assessing the situation, Ethian carefully gets off the cart and sends a prayer to Sehanine asking her to bolster his companions.

OOC: Move off the cart. Action: Cast aid, Crock Jon, Hawthorne and Kaliban get 5hp and their HP total increase by that amount for the 8h Item interaction ready shield Complete move to N7

 

[KahlessNestor]

Ruznami Warmaker
South of Beregost
Day 7/Afternoon
Round 2

Ruznami pulled out his warhammer and stepped up between Crock Jon and Kaliban, eying the adult bulette. He heaved back and struck at the creature, but missed completely.

Archimedes swept down, getting into the bulette’s face, helping Crock Jon.

Help Acton: Crock Jon

***

Mirror Image: (9r) 3 duplicates (AC 12) 6+ on 1d20 hits duplicate
Arcane Ward: 11/11 hp

Spoiler: Actions and Rolls

Save:
Move: To J10
Free Object Interaction: Draw warhammer
Action: Attack adult bulette
Warhammer: 1D20+4 = [4]+4 = 8
1D8+2 = [3]+2 = 5
Bonus Action:
Reaction: Opportunity Attack, Absorb Elements, Shield

• Opportunity Attack: Warhammer: 1D20+4 = [17]+4 = 21http://roll.coyotecode.net/lookup.php?rollid=254721
  [*]1D8+2 = [2]+2 = 4

Concentration:
Conditions:
Inspiration:

Spoiler: Mini Stats

Ruznami
Initiative: +2
Perception: +0
Speed: 25
AC: 15
HP: 26+11 thp/26 HD: 4/4d6+2

Archimedes (Owl familiar)
Initiative: +1
Perception: +3 Advantage, Darkvision 120
Speed: 60 (fly); 5 (walk)
AC: 11
HP: 1

Prepared Spells
Cantrips: Blade Ward, Booming Blade, Fire Bolt, Lightning Lure
1) 4/4 Absorb Elements, Magic Missile, Protection from Evil and Good, Shield
2) 3/3 Arcane Lock, Mirror Image, Scorching Ray
Rituals
(1) Alarm, Comprehend Languages, Detect Magic, Find Familiar, Identify
Spellbook
(1) Absorb Elements, Alarm, Comprehend Languages, Detect Magic, Find Familiar, Identify, Magic Missile, Protection from Evil and Good, Shield
(2) Arcane Lock, Mirror Image, Scorching Ray

Spoiler: Party

Hawthorne Grandview - male Human rogue inquisitive
Kaliban - male deep gnome psi-warrior

 

[FitzTheRuke]

When he was out of danger, Shedrick banged his flat palm on the rear of the coach and called to Broun, "Pull up the hill a little ways and give us a stop!"

The big coachman followed his instructions, bringing the coach to a slow roll, then a full stop.

Shedrick helped Ethian down from the roof, and the elf moved back toward the fight, praying for Sehanine to aid his companions. Meanwhile, Shedrick pulled a crossbow from the coach's boot, loaded it, and fired at the smaller of the beasts, striking it. The thing squawked in dismay, enraging the larger one.

OOC: Ethian cast aid; Shedrick did 7 to Bulette Pup; Ruz missed; Archemedes helped Crock Jon. More to come. Spoiler: Rolls Shedrick vs Bulette PupXbow: 1D20+3 = [15]+3 = 18 for 1D8+1 = [6]+1 = 7

 

[Kobold Stew]

The jaws of the bullette sink into Crock Jon, and the man roars.

The first thing he notices is that it doesn't have teeth: that the hard shell of its skull extends into a jagged edge that leads strait into its mouth. No jaw to hit. The fingers on both hands have clamped into the creature, and he feels the legs attempting to pull it away.

The second thing he notices is Archimedes, flying around and distracting the massive creature. Crock Jon feels relief, and a renewed strength and healing from his new friends' assistance.

Slowly Jon steps back along the road they had just travelled, dragging the monster with him. Slowly, pacing, until the fingers of his left hand find purchase between two plates in the creature's hide. That gives him the opportunity to start punching the beast.

OOC: Unarmed fighting: 1d4= 4 bludgeoning damage to the Bullette because we're grappling (Unarmed style -- I was wrong before when I said 1d4+STR. It's just 1d4.) Move: half move while grappling. Drag the creature 15' West (away from the cart). Action: Punch 1d20+6=11 MISS. (Archimedes' Help - 12 -- still a miss.) ACTION SURGE! Action: Punch 1d20+6=19 HIT! Damage = 1d8+4=7, plus 1d8=8 (superiority, Menacing) = 15 bludgeoning total, plus DC 14 Wisdom save or Frightened until the end of my next turn. (Help - 20, still a hit, not a crit). HP: 13hp. Superiority 3d8 left, Second Wind, Relentless Endurance.

 

[Leatherhead]

Argenti balks as a second creature ambushes Hawthorn and herself. "The earth betrays us! How many of these creatures are there?!"

"Kiar!" With a word, the pup visibly slows as rocks attach themselves to it's shadow. With a flex, the genasi's fingernails grow into long needle-like claws. With a stab, the needles find their way past the beast's armored plates and inject a burning concoction into the pup's flesh, before retracting back into the woman's hand.

OOC: Bonus Action to Cast Hex on the Pup (+1d6 necrotic when Argenti hits with an attack. Target has disadvantage on STR checks. Action to Cast Primal Savagery: Primal Savagery Melee Spell Attack: 1D20+6 = [10]+6 = 16 Primal Savagery Damage: 1D10+1D6+2 = [7]+[3]+2 = 12 7 Acid Damage +3 Necrotic Damage +2 Bludgeoning Damage. Concentrating on Hex. 1/2 spell slots used.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Argenti clawed at the smaller of the beasts, who squawked again and tucked its hard nose into the ground. Dirt kicked up all over Hawthorne, and the creature was gone, somewhere underground.

Crock Jon and the larger one struggled locked together. It seemed near impossible, but the former champion dragged the enormous thing down the road while trying to flip it on its back, as it struggled to stay upright and snapped at him in wide-eyed desperation. Finally, it twisted about and got a powerful grip on him. It thrashed him back and forth like a rag doll before spitting him out.

OOC: Srgenti did 12 to BPup, who disengaged and burrowed 40 feet down; CJon did 15 to Bulette, who saved and bit him for 37. Ouch. Crock Jon is down, I think. @VLAD the Destroyer Kaliban and @DEFCON 1 Hawthorne still to go. Spoiler: Rolls Bulette vs Crock Jon dc14 Wisdom Save: 1D20 = [14] = 14 Just. Bite: 1D20+7 = [9]+7 = 16 for 4D12+4 = [7, 9, 9, 8]+4 = 37 Nasty.