Dry Spell

Slyfen stops in his tracks and looks all around for any signs of movement. He also puts up a hand facing the bunch behind him, then waves them towards his position.
 

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"What is it Slyfen?" asks Belisha. She cautiously moves over, though ensuring the others are near her. She is on the alert.

Belisha will use her knowledge of nature to find out if she knows that the creature that was burrowing might be, and if she can use her speak to burrowing animals ability to speak to it if she does know.
 

OOC:
Slyfen, your Search check does not reveal any signs of movement in the immediate surroundings (die result 7 + 10 = 17).

Belisha, I will deal with your movement and your knowledge (nature) check as soon as I hear from Hardin and Eolan on their intended movements/actions at this point. However, if I don't hear anything from them by tomorrow night, I'll just assume they moved up with you.
 



Burrowing Creature

The rest of the group moves up cautiously behind the elf. Belisha observes the disturbed area, and while she agrees that the disturbance was made by a burrowing creature (even though no open hole is apparent), she can’t tell from this distance what kind it was (DC 18, die result 7 + 5 = 12).

From the back of his horse, Eolan has a commanding view of the surroundings. His eyes busily scan for any signs of danger. Aside from the disturbed ground near the road, he sees nothing that would be of any immediate concern (Spot check, die result 16 + 0 = 0).

As you watch, the ground begins to move. Something—and something BIG—seems to burst forth from the dry earth! It is all chitinous exoskeleton, all brown legs and mandibles. You barely have a chance to identify it as a desperately hungry ankheg. And from its movements, you can tell that it means to eat at least one of you.

Initiative Order:
Slyfen 18 + 7 = 25
Eolan 12 + 5 = 17
Ankheg 14 + 0 = 14
Hardin 13 – 1 = 12
Belisha 7 + 2 = 9
Rufus 1 + 3 = 4

Eolan, make sure you’re familiar with the Ride skill (PHB 80), and tell me if you want to use the skill to, for example, Guide with knees or Fight with warhorse.

Belisha, Rufus is trained to guard you, so will attack this threat on his turn unless you direct him otherwise. Also, Narkus will act on your turn, but only if you specifically direct.

Here’s the basic idea: at this point, both Slyfen and Eolan should tell me what they want to do. I’ll resolve that, then the ankheg will act (which is when I will post again), then we’ll go back through the rest of the initiative order and all the way back to the ankheg again (then I will post again). And so on.

Here are some notes on how I plan to handle combat:
You will need to tell me your basic intent, what actions you want to take, what feats/abilities you are using, and the like. I will then resolve the action, post what happened, and ask what you want to do next. Please let me know under what contingencies your intent would change. If something obvious happens (like the opponent you wanted to target falls before your turn), I will try to guess what you would most likely do in that case given your intent. So the more info you give me about your intent up front, the better I will be able to resolve the action in accordance with your thinking. For really important moments, I will stop the resolution at your place in the initiative order and ask you for specific instructions.

Same deal as before on viewing the attached map.
 

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Slyfen springs into action, grabbing an arrow from his quiver and firing at the beast. He then moves into the grass north of the road, to put some room between him and the Ankheg.

(OOC: Ranged attack with bow which was already in his hand. It should be a sneak attack since the beast is flat-footed and within 30 feet of Slyfen. After that, move 5 squares north, then one northwest.)
 

Eolan, seeing the threat, charges towards the vicious beast, sword and shield in hand![

(charging, power attacking at -2 to hit, 'Guiding with knees', and 'fighting with warhorse')
 

Ankheg Attack 1

Ankheg battle round 1

Even before the insectile beast is able to fully emerge, the swift elf sends an arrow screaming toward its vulnerable thorax, meaning to deal maximum damage with a well placed injury. Unfortunately, the tough chitin makes any attack difficult at best, and the arrow clatters off the creature’s exoskeleton. Slyfen then makes for the protection of the tall grass north of the road.

Eolan dashes forward on his massive horse, raising a cloud of dust behind them. The warhorse attempts to beat the ankheg with his hoof, and the knight makes a stroke with his bastard sword, its clean blade flashing in the oppressive sun. The ankheg’s natural armor again proves up to the challenge of the assault, and no damage is done to the beast.

The ankheg, now fully emerged, adjusts partially up onto the road. It then lunges at the horse in its desperate hunger. Its mandibles sink into the horse’s muscular chest, wounding him deeply, its corrosive saliva making the injury even worse. In the scuffle, the ankheg grabs the horse with its two front legs. However, the powerful warhorse struggles madly and twists free before any more damage is done.




OOC Notes:

Slyfen
Bow sneak attack misses (FF AC 18, Atk roll 6 + 6 = 12)
Arrow not lost/damaged (50% chance, die result [1d100] 71)
gains limited concealment from grass (10% miss chance)

Eolan
Can’t charge because you would have to pass through the square Belisha occupies
Guide with knees succeeds (DC 5, Ride check result 19 + 6 = 25)
Fight with warhorse succeeds (DC 10, Ride check result 18 + 6 = 24)
hoof misses (FF AC 18, Atk roll 2 + 6 = 8)
bastard sword misses (FF AC 18, Atk roll 8 + 4 = 12)

Ankheg
5’ step
Bite succeeds (AC 14, Atk roll 19 + 7 = 26)
16 damage (Dmg roll [2d6+7] 5 + 2 + 7 = 14 + [1d4] 2 acid);
warhorse reduced to 14 hp
Grapple attempt:
Free action and no AoO because of SA Improved Grab
Grab succeeds (Touch AC 10, Touch Atk roll 14 + 7 = 21)
Hold fails (opposed Grapple checks: ankheg 2 + 12 = 14, warhorse 15 + 11 = 26)

Now we’ll go through the initiative order all the way back to the ankheg again.
 

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