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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Water Bob" data-source="post: 6062892" data-attributes="member: 92305">Let me run a few rounds as a chase example to fully explain these rules. Here's the situation. Two PC Barbarians have heard a scream. They know it's their clansmen being attacked. Rushing down the trail, the two round a copse of trees to see an upturned wagon, dead mules, and two humans stabbing the life out of the poor NPC merchant.The attackers are instantly recognized. Both are clan members, or were clan members as the two of them have been booted from the clan for stealing. They easily see the two PCs running towards them. The bad guys bolt east, running down the side of an incline littered with skree, boulders, fallen logs, and tree stumps. The PCs, of course, run on in pursuit.The chase has begun.Bad Guy #1 is Cian McDowd. DEX 15 (+2). STR 16 (+3). CON 9 (-1). Speed 30.Bad Guy #2 is Silaigne Deepblade. DEX 14 (+2). STR 18 (+4). CON 16 (+3). Speed 30.Good Guy #1 is Caelis Redbirth. DEX 13 (+1). STR 19 (+4). CON 10 (+0) Speed 30.Good Guy #2 is Thrallan Stone. DEX 14 (+2). STR 16 (+3). CON 13 (+1). Speed 30.Remember, we dispense with rolling initiative* and run the chase organically. We want to move those being chased first. Silaigne is the leader among the two bad guys, so let's start with him then move Cian, who would look to Silaigne and follow his lead anyway.*If combat enuses during the chase, then the GM may have a reason to roll initiative, especially if distance weapons are used.Once the chased have moved, we'll turn to the PCs to see what they do (follow the bad guys, I'm sure).Starting Postions: <img src="http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/scourge_maps/101069.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />Both the PCs, Caelis and Thrallan, are moving up the trail and start the chase in the box marked START. Unknown to the players, there are actually THREE bad guys, each marked with a G on the map. Cian starts the chase in the G square farthest south. Silaigne, the bad guy leader, is in the middle G square. In the G square farthest north, closest to the players, is a third character named Morghun Clanson. He is crouched down at the PCs' approach, their sight blocked by the upturned wagon. Morghun will serve as a surprise at the beginning of the encounter. I'll move Silaigne, then Cian, then the two PCs, and finally Morghun last.Bad Guy #3 is Morghun Clanson. DEX 14 (+1). STR 16 (+3). CON 8 (-1). Speed 30.The PCs know that both Silaigne and Cian have been booted from the clan and are dangerous. What they don't know is that Silaigne has managed to recruit a second follower from the clan: Morghun.If playing without a grid, I would sketch out starting positions and note rough estimates of distances for myself but describing the action to the players. I can also show my players this sketch map to give them a better idea of where everyone is located.Starting distance between Silaigne and the two PCs is 165 feet. Starting distance between Caelis and the two PCs is 140 feet."The two murders you know. Silaigne and Cian--both recently kicked out of your clan. Silaigne sees the two of you, and instantly he bolts to the east, running as hard as he can."Cian is just an instant behind him, his arms seemingly pumping his legs to follow after the older of the two."In some cases, a Knowledge (Local) check might be appropriate on this first round, just before the players move, with success indicating knowledge of the terrain: It's fairly flat to the edge of the map above, then there is a swath of trees, followed by a decline to the hill bottom covered by skree, fallen logs, tree stumps, and some large rocks. But, because the PCs' village is close, the GM makes this information automatic: The slope ends in an abrubt drop-off cliff--a rocky ledge towering over the tree tops and mountain river far below.Now, we dice. Remember, the first three rounds are DEX based followed by STR based checks starting on round 4 plus.Silaigne: 20.Cian: 3.Caelis: 5.Thrallan: 11.Morghun: 8.Silaigne is gone. He moves 120 feet. This takes him to the map's edge, then, off-map, through the copse of trees to the point where the hill starts to decline. Since Silaigne ran, we select a d10 and place it on 1 next to the player.Cian moves next. He was last in the toss, so he's -4 feet to his movement. This means he moves 116 feet, off the map, following Silaigne. He gets a 1 on his d10 timer and a 4 on his d6 timer.Caelis now moves, throwing for 4th place, moving 117 feet. Remember, it's straight line movement at this Speed category. If the player wishes to maneuver other than in a straight line, then he cannot run, and his movement is reduced to a Hustle. Put a 1 on the d10 timer and a 3 on the d6 timer.Thrallan runs, too, getting 2nd place, moving 119 feet. 1 on both d10 and d6.(Tired. Sleepy. I'll finish this example later.)</blockquote>

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