M4: Under the Volcano [Nimisgod judging] -CONCLUDED

[Manzanita]

The swim is about 150 feet to the other beach. Everyone can make it fine except Ashnar. I'll make Ashnar's rolls. Since the party only has one light source, I'll assume they are sticking together. Eanos, the fastest swimmer, I'll assume will be holding the lighted club. Ogrin & Razh will stay behind, but Ogrin can still see OK from the light in front & his previous experience in the river.

The party has thus far acquired:
Bone scroll case (hollow thigh bone, sealed at one end, tar stuffed inside) - Rinaldo?
12 small stones. (Is anyone carrying these? Swim with 2 at most, each giving -1 swim check)
2 pounds of dry pine-wood shards. (presumably left behind on the beach)
Intact thigh bone (can be used as club - '-2' swim check) - anyone carrying this?
2 small wooden logs(can be used as clubs. One lighted w/Eanos - anyone have the other?)


Round 1: The party enters the water. They swim at various speeds, 20 feet/round for Eanos, 15 feet/round for Nurlan, Rinaldo, Tenebrynn, Hogarth & Ashnar, & 10 feet/round for Ogrin & Razh. Nurlan joins Razh and Ogrin in the rear behind Ashnar. Ashnar succeeds in his swim check(15 feet).
Round 2: The party passes the small alcove on the left where the tubeworms grow. Ashnar keeps up the pace(30)
Round 3-5: Ashnar keeps up(75 ft). The party passes a branch to the left which Ogrin had taken earlier. They pass it and continue straight.
Round 6. Ashnar is distracted and begins flailing ineffectually, sinking to near the bottom.
Round 7: Ashnar pulls it together and continues(90 ft).
Round 8: Ashnar begins flailing again (no progress)
Round 9: Ashnar sinks to bottom. Nurlan pulls him up and pushes him along(but still at 90 feet).
Round 10: Ashnar again makes no progress. Razh and Ogrin catch up to Nurlan and Ashnar.
Round 11: Still no progress. At this point, two characters may 'aid another' if they wish to boost Ashnar's swim check. A third would only get in the way. Note that 'aid another' is a standard action & thus reduces the amount of time that character can stay underwater. Also note that you must make a DC10 swim check to successfully 'aid another' (can't just take 10). Everyone feel free to make your own rolls.

 

[orsal]

Nurlan will carry a club or, if they are spoken for by more melee-oriented characters, two stones. He can afford -2 to swimming and still have a net +1 modifier.

On seeing Ashnar's difficulties, Nurlan tries to help him along, but finds he only gets in Ashnar's way. (aid another check: 4)

 

[Velmont]

Rinaldo get out of the water and take a deep breath. "That... is long... where is... Ashnar... is he... alright? Eanos... can you... look for... him... just to be... sure..." he tells, try to catch his breath.

 

[Rae ArdGaoth]

Rasereit Vundinn, Dwarven Barbarian

Razh is carrying the unlit wooden club. He has Barbarian fast movement, so I think he moves at 15' when swimming, so he would have been going the same speed as Ashnar. When Ashnar makes it clear that he may have some trouble, Razh takes it upon himself to help the wizard. As soon as Ashnar starts to have some real trouble (Round 9), Razh attempts (1d20+3=8) to assist him, but only slows himself down in the process. Once he gets untangled, he grabs Ashnar's arm and jerks him forward, propelling (1d20+3=17) the struggling man further along the tunnel. Assuming Ashnar still has some trouble, Razh continues to help (1d20+3=17) him out.

 

[Erekose13]

With the clubs spoken for, Tenebrynn carries a couple of stones. Having little experience swimming (not much chance of that in a library), he hesitates returning for Ashnar and the others when he does not see them surface on the other side.

 

[Manzanita]

I assumed the group would stay together b/c there is only one light source. I figured Eanos would take it but it can go with whomever.

 

[rln]

Ogrin picks up the thigh bone, Thinking to himself: My apologies, whoever you are, but if we get out of here, I'll give those responsible for your death what they deserve. He'll heft it in two hands when fighting.

When in the water, he also attempts to aid Ashnar or whoever else that need a helping shove.

[SBLOCK=OOC]

• Two misses followed by one success on the Aid Another check.
• Is Hogarth following?
• We also have the roots we managed to cut/tear down, 10ft I believe...

[/SBLOCK]

 

[Manzanita]

Round 11 (con't): Nurlan and Razh try to help Ashnar, but fail.

OOC: No one jumps in to claim the light, so I'll assume Eanos has it. I'll assume he stays with Ashnar, unless he posts otherwise. At this point, then, everyone must stay, or swim on in the dark. Let me know what you do. Ashnar swim rolls: 1,3,4. Don't make me roll for Ashnar any more KO!

Round 12: Ashnar has panicked and flails uselessly. Razh pushes him forward (I'll assume 5 feet, to 95 feet along.)Round 13: Ashnar is still useless, Razh pushes him on 5 more feet (to 100)

 

[Velmont]

Rinaldo will move foward, leavingb his friends behind and swim in the dark. Once at the fresh air, he will take a deep breath and look behind. If Ashnar hasn't made any progress, he will empty the scroll case, turn it hole down and return back to Ashnar. The air contained in the scroll case will surely allow him to maintain his breath a little more.

 

[Rae ArdGaoth]

Rasereit Vundinn, Dwarven Barbarian

[sblock=Rules Questions: ]Would it be reasonable to just tie Ashnar to Razh and have him swim with some dead weight, or would that make it basically impossible for Razh to move underwater? What about two swimmers grabbing his arms and pulling him along?

Ashnar weighs 160 lbs., Razh's medium load is 153 lbs. The penalty for swimming with a heavy load is -12. With a +3 Str, that makes Razh's swim check modifier -9. That would mean he only moves when he gets a 19 or 20, which is not acceptable... Since he's just swimming (albeit with a heavy load), I would venture to suggest that he would not be expending twice his "constitution-lung-capacity points". If perhaps another swimmer also grabbed an arm and shared the load, the trio could move faster than just Razh dragging Ashnar.

If it's necessary, Razh will not hesitate to fly into a defiant rage at the gods for dealing such low hands to one unfortunate man, and with his enhanced strength drag Ashnar (now a medium load, meaning a swim modifier for enraged Razh of -1) to the surface at the far end of the tunnel (which is actually closer now).

Oh, and when you say Ashnar "sinks"... that doesn't mean he's unconscious, right? He's still able to swim, he's just failing his swim checks. So maybe all this rules lawyering is for nothing.[/sblock]