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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Water Bob" data-source="post: 5614562" data-attributes="member: 92305">That's what I was thinking. I figure the PCs are going to be giving it all they have climbing up the grade and running down the road because they will fear what has happened--the NPCs they really like have been attacked. They won't approach in stealth because they'll be getting there as fast as they can. This tips Bad Guy #1 to put his spear to grandma's throat. I'll roll nish. The players won't know what for. Then, I'll bring out the map and tell them, quickly, what they see, putting the pressure on the first PC to go (since one bad guy will be finishing putting the javelin through granny's hand, then leveling his spear at her throat). I think it will add to the drama if I quickly describe the scene they've come upon. I mean, they'll be running up to it. "Everybody roll nish. OK, Silaigne goes first. You're leading the way, your clansmen behind you. You're breathing hard because you just ran up the side of the grade. Your heart is pumping in your temples. "You made the dirt trail and pounded your feet to get where you are at this very second (point at location on the map). The road bends, gently. There's a kid lying, motionless up head of you. You can't tell who it is or whether its a boy or girl.  There's a wagon on its side. Both donkeys are down. One has a spear or a javelin sticking out of its neck. Just behind the wagon, you see a Grath warrior, his hand raised high, as he slams a javelin down into the ground. At this second, you can't see what he's standing over, because he's partially obscurrred by the wagon.  "He sees you, that's for sure. He's looking right at you. "At this very second, you're running as fast as you can. Sweat rolls down your cheek. You feel like your lungs will explode through your rib cage. "What do you want to do. You've got initiative. Do you stop? Do you keep running? All of this I've told you, you saw in the blink of an eye--a partial second.  "It's your move. What are you going to do?"    On the Grath's turn, he'll pull a spear from the ground. He has it stuck, point first, into the dirt next to him, within easy reach. I figure this akin to pulling a weapon from a sheath, so it's a free action. He'll flip it, quick, and jerk it to Stenna's (who've I've been calling "grandma" in this thread) throat, using a Ready Action to run her through. The action will be triggered by any PC passing the wagon. "Hold there, mate. Or ye'll be using your clansman here to stuff your burial mound." He'll say, between lips that twist in a snarl, through teeth that all look to be sharpened to points.     So....what's going on with the second Grath, hiding behind the wagon? I want him to stand up and throw a javelin if a PC gets close to the wagon. I can't use a ready action, though, since he can't see the trigger. I could have the one Grath, that the PCs can see, instruct his hidden companion to throw at a certain point. But, this gets tricky since we're in combat rounds. The Grath can't act except on their round, and the first Grath (out in the open) has already readied one action (Or, I'd ready the command to let loose the javelin). Another thing I could do, I guess, is to allow the hidden Grath to see through the boards of the upturned wagon. But, if I do this, I think, in order to be a fair GM, that I need to allow the PCs a chance to notice that he's there. I could consider the wagon as concealment or cover and give the hidden Grath a +4 to his Hide check. Then, I'd roll Spots for the three PCs coming up the trail. Still, I'm not sure when to roll initiative for this character. I need to read that pg. 23 of the DMG reference someone mentioned above. It would seem to me that this character would enter the combat on any nish number he desires, as if he were using a Delay action. The quetions is, though: Does he catch anybody flat-footed?</blockquote>

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