D&D 5E (IC) Vault of the Dracolich (Dispensables)

[gargoyleking]

Bobranthus listens to the plan with a slight frown and then givesa solemn nod. "I will gladly bash these heads. Let us set this trap."

Meanwhile he creeps up to the indicated spot to study the landscape before them. For such a large man he seems to move with the grace of a slender feline. When he wishes to.

_: 2D20.HIGH(1)+4 = [18, 8]+4 = 22

OOC: A bit out of practice with Bob's playstyle.

Squirrels are evil!

 

[Prickly Pear]

Sesto is impressed by how smoothly Bobranthus moves between the rocks as he heads towards the lockout spot. Sesto then looks down on his chainmail and shakes his head. "I think I'd better stay here and wait for Bobranthus to come back and report. I do not want to risk giving away our position at this point. Even with the guidance of the mighty Lathander, I think I will make to much noise creeping up there."
Sesto continues to watch Bobranthus and then says: "I hope there is a better place to set up the ambush. A place that is easier to get too"

OOC: I have disadvantage with heavy armour but advantage due to the terrain, and with Guidance, the best I can achieve is 1d20+1d4+1 (avg 14). Better not to risk it. I'll go there if that's the best spot for the ambush but not before then!

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Location: Ridge Trail (Greenpeak Ridge South)

"Oh, you can't ambush anything from here. This is just a good spot to have a peek at the watchtower. The switchback is still a ways that way" Corrah points to the south and down. A large, hairy weasle-like creature comes out from under a stack of rocks in that direction and starts digging at the root of a bush.

Meanwhile, Bob gets a good view of the Watchtower - just over a thousand feet away. Four mercenaries man their post on the top of a tower nestled somewhat unnaturally in the side of Blackpeak. The dark stone of the peak reaches around the lower-levels of the granite tower like an embrace. In the dark rock, on the outside of the tower, a narrow staircase descends to the road.

At the top of the tower, where the guards are visible, there is a wooden trap-door. The only obvious way in. Lower down, facing the road, the tower has arrow-slits on three levels.

The road travels past the tower to the north (Bob's left) Bob can only just make out the Temple Gates at the road's end in that direction. To see them better he would be spotted. To the south (Bob's right) the road comes closer, and crosses a granite bridge. It continues out of sight travelling downward, and south.

Across the whole scene between Bob and the tower runs the river, frothy and white, as it plunges over rapids under the bridge, flowing south. Here and there, spikes of black stone jut out of the river like strange ugly teeth.

OOC: Anyone else who wants to look will see the same, unless they fail a DC 12 stealth check. And then they will see a guard point at them and send another guard down the trapdoor in a hurry.

 

[gargoyleking]

Bob bunkers down and spends several minutes studying the terrain while looking for ways to approach the tower unseen, if any. He also takes the time to study the guards behaviours for a pattern that could be exploited.

Once satisfied he skulls back to the others all that he has seen.

Squirrels are evil!

 

[FitzTheRuke]

GM: The only way to get at the tower is to cross the river. Here, the rapids are so bad that you'd have to use the bridge. There is no way to get at the tower on the east bank from the south, as Blackpeak wraps around the tower on that side. You could cross the river far to the north, but then you would pass the gate to get to the tower. No, the only effective approach is the bridge. And if they do nothing else, the guards watch the bridge quite diligently.

Satisfied that assaulting the tower would be quite difficult, Bob returns to the group, which hurries for the ambush site.

As you travel south, you come to a place where the south side of Greenpeak collapsed many years ago. The avalanche rerouted the river east, where it spreads out wide, but shallow(er) abd cascades over a waterfall.

Also many years ago, some hardworking folk cleared some of the avalance to build the road, which follows, in part, the old riverbed. The road is still terribly rocky, and only a few trees (but quite a few shrubs) have found purchase in the rocky terrain. Here and there, more of those "black teeth" rocks jut out from the ground, unnaturally.

What's left of this part of Greenpeak ridge still masks the view of the downward part of the road, but you can clearly hear the groan of the wagon, and the curses of the mercenaries, as they negotiate their wagon up one of the nearby switchbacks (a difficult and frustrating task).

Running down the road, and then climbing into the rocks just before the wagon would be visible, Corrah leads you to an excellent spot to ambush.

GM: While the mercenaries are not expecting an ambush, this is such a good spot for one that they naturally can't help but be wary. How good of a spot you can get to before they spot you depends on how much you want to miss losing surprise. You can get to a spot 10 to 30 feet from the road (You chose) with good cover (+5) and an easy way down with a DC 16 Stealth Check. You can get to good cover 100 to 60 feet up the hill, dangerous to get down, with a DC 12 Stealth Check. Or you can stay 120 feet or more up the road (no cover, though you can run for cover during the fight) with no check by hiding by the ridge. If any of these checks fail, you both lose surprise, and all those distances increase by 30 feet when combat starts. Decide and roll! Questions welcome.

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[tglassy]

OOC: lets go to the best spot. Terrus will cast Pass Without Trace. It gives everyone's stealth checks a +10, and we won't leave any trace we were there. That's my vote. So I say 30 ft from the road, so Pyrus can freeze the ground.

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[Chronicler]

[sblock="Status Box"]Devan the Dawnbringer NG (L) Human Sorcerer 1/Warlock 3 Size: M | Speed: 30 ft. | Senses: Passive Perception 13 Initiative: +2 | Armor Class: 18 | Hit Dice: 1d6+3d8+8+1 | Hit Points: 30 Spell Slots: 1st-lvl: 2, [W] 2nd-lvl: 2 | Concentration: None Affected by: Pass Without Trace | Conditions: None[/sblock] Knowing that with each passing second the mercenaries' wagon was getting closer, Devan quickly agreed with Terrus's plan. "Time is of the essence. Let's make our way down there." He pointed to a spot approximately thirty away feet from the road. It was an ideal place to stage an ambush with a lichen-shrouded outcropping for cover. Once the earth genasi had invoked his power, the armored Inquisitor began leading the way. Normally, he'd be too loud in his scale mail to effectively sneak about, but with Terrus's power masking everyone's presence, it became a doable task. And for that, he was grateful. With deliberate footsteps, he covered the rocky ground in long booted strides until he reached his desired destination. [sblock="OOC"]Dexterity (Stealth) Check: Modifiers: +2 Dex, +10 Pass Without Trace, Disadvantage from Scale Mail vs. DC 16 • [roll0] • [roll1][/sblock]

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Standing up from his seat, the mercinary riding shotgun yells "Beware the rocks! and raises a crossbow to his shoulder.
The wagon rolls to a stop 30 feet from the ideal ambush spot (60 feet away). The mercinaries scramble for cover and ranged weapons.

GM: Forget stealth. Roll initiative. The mercs are in two groups: Guards (4 of them) at [roll=initiative]1d20[/roll] and Mercs (4 unique stat blocks) at [roll0] If you beat both of them, go ahead and do your turn. I am sorry for no map, but I am on my phone. For now, imagine you are uphill, sixty feet away. There are 4 nasty-looking mercs on a wagon, 2 in front, 2 on back, and 4 guys on the ground. None of them have had time to get cover (if you go first). Have fun!

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Guards are on [roll0] because I messed up the first post.

Edit. You are lucky. You probably still get a solid drop on them.

 

[Prickly Pear]

Sesto slips slightly and a few pebbles clatters down the hill and then he hears the the mercenary shout. "I cannot believe I gave away the position! They have spotted us."

Initiative for attack on mercenaries: 1D20+1 = [16]+1 = 17