Swamp Trek III: The Search for Ter-raen

[jkason]

Weel Naxel, human cleric

"Cut off the heads and scorch the stumps," says Gildrim tiredly, and clearly. "It's the only way."[sblock=OOC]The relevant Knowledge should be arcana, for magical beasts, which Gildrim doesn't have, but I don't think that makes a difference to anyone else. However, Bardic knowledge 26 is worth something.[/sblock]

Weel smacks his head. "Now I remember that thing from the scrolls at the temple. A hydro ... a ... hydra. If we had acid, we could use that on any stumps, too, but, um, maybe with all that bog in the way, we're better off trying to put some distance between us while it fights the muck?"

[sblock=OOC]Ah, Weel actually has a rank of Know: Arcana.

Know: Arcana for hydras. (1d20+1=16)

And what Weel said: We have to spend some movement to get Gildrim out of the deep muck, but the hydra's going to have to spend a heck of a lot more to cross to us, yes? Sunder attacks and their AoO seem like a quick way to get widdled down if we have a viable retreat option. Or at least a better 'set up a flanking ambush' option.
[/sblock]

 

[Richard Rawen]

Richard's instincts take over, "There's no way we can defeat that thing, we need to make a break for it now, turn and run back the way you came and don't stop! Gildrim, move back quickly, I will hold the shore!"
Since Richard can't possibly put his armor on in time to be of any use, he'll toss it behind him on the solid ground.
Then he'll look around for a solid stick, or use a javelin to extend reach and help pull Gildrim ashore.
He then slings his shield in place and drops into Full Defense, waiting for Gildrim to get some distance. Once the Dwarf is moving Richard will keep moving back to choke points, hoping to stay alive and buy some time for his companions. He will NOT attack, even in attacks of opportunity.[sblock=OOC: ]First off, out of game: I'm sorry it took me so long to respond, I checked yesterday morning and I was only one post behind...
In game, if we survive, we'll have to get better about taking actions in turn and talking about what we want to do when it is our action.
Everyone spending their actions (in post) before their initiative ruins our opportunities to respond to the evolving combat.

As to this fight... - if we attack while it's in the water then it's body is protected. Yes we want to sever the heads, but every adventurer has heard tales about hydra's... they are one of the iconic monsters. If my assumption in this regard is Meta-Gaming, I apologize, really, but I don't believe it's out of bounds at all. That said, we know we have to kill the heads, and we know that new heads will come back. I'm not stating assumptions about HOW to kill the heads, other than chop chop, but the two things Richard, as a professional soldier can see plainly:
1) It has mulitple attacks, and
2) Those attacks have reach.
Oh, and Richard is travelling without his armor on to avoid a deadly swim penalty. He'll probably have to drop it to make running possible. Darnit.

The other option, letting it come on land, we have no way to overcome it's multiple headed attack without exposing our low level group members to reach attacks, unless they are going to use missle fire...
Meanwhile it gets AoO with reach while we try to bring down something that can just get stronger before we can likely bring it down.
On the positive side: the map is awesome. [/sblock]

 

[Trouvere]

[sblock=OOC]Some of this disarray is a side-effect of the discontinuous nature of PbP. Gildrim has been through this swamp before. The worst it got that time was very deep wading. No one, besides the dog, needed to swim at any time. He would certainly have told Richard this, and advised him to wear his armor. Possibly even in good clear Common. He's certainly wearing his own heavy armor.

Gildrim isn't positioned well for a fighting withdrawal, on the map or in the initiative order, and anyway that's just a polite way of saying leave Richard to die. I think we can win this, actually, with some rather dirty rules exploitation. The lower level guys can stay back and run for it if need be anyhow. Otherwise:[/sblock]"Nae, laddie!" says Gildrim, through sudden roaring laughter. "Ye're a fine hero, but noo's th' time tae be a sneakin' burrow kobold. Get in th' watter alangside me, an' get th' hair oan yer heid wet! Richt unnerneath, lad!"[sblock=OOC]You know what my favourite rule is? I'm very fond of 'A completely submerged creature has total cover against opponents on land unless those opponents have freedom of movement effects.' Although, if Richard really did want to keep just his head above water, for +8 AC, and divert a couple of the hydra's attacks, that'd be just fine with Gildrim.[/sblock]

 

[Richard Rawen]

[sblock= OOC: ]Well... I dunno what to say. Richard mentioned in passing that he intended to carry the armor, but if by the second day out Gildrim was navigating in his Heavy Armor... I don't suppose Richard would forgo the protection of wearing his Medium Armor. So... I guess we ignore that.
Hurray for metagaming.
Next . . . well... Richard will have to take Gildrim's word for it when it comes to swamp fighting, honestly he doesn't know what to do.
SO. If the DM is amenable, Richard will set his shield on the ground and move towards the water, placing himself in a position where he can duck under, but still spring up and give the beast a whack.
We'll see how this plays out. Sorry if I came off doom and gloom first glance, but it still doesn't look good heh heh.[/sblock]
Richard looks stunned.
Get in the water?
The fighter looks at the Dwarf, shakes his head and drops his shield to the ground. Drawing out his Bastardsword, the young man moves forward into a position where the two fighters can set flanking on the massive beast.
His mind searches frantically for some prayer... some power or god to entreat for protection or favor during this gamble with his - and the others' - lives.
He simply can't find a name.
"Whoever's out there... if you are... we need your help." the young man says in an even tone, his head almost to the water.
"Please?"

 

[Scott DeWar]

note to self: Karl is 70 ft away

I dont know why, but when i opened the sblock it was completely blank. not even 'camofalged' with the background.

However, when i quoted the post, *BAM!* there it was! I need a new computer.

Addendum:
I tried to put it in an sblock, and it disappeared again.

 

[covaithe]

ooc: Karl is 60' from the hydra by my count. What weapon is he attacking with? Does he move? Richard drops his shield (free) and moves... where? He'd be able to duck under the water at any of the blue squares, such as S30 or S31. What does he do with his standard action? Ready an attack?

 

[Richard Rawen]

My apologies, a bit flustered... that's one scary critter! LOL

Richard will move to T30 if able, S30 if not. Ready attack...

 

[Scott DeWar]

[sblock=Karl's weapon] it is a short bow with a range incrament of 60 feet. he will move when the other two start moveing. And it will be away from the (I blame weel for this: ) Hydro-hydra [/sblock]

 

[covaithe]

Round 1

After a rapid exchange of tactical suggestions, Richard drops his shield and grips his sword tightly with both hands as he strides bravely into the water next to Gildrim.

Karl fires his bow, but his shaky hands send the shot wide.

The hydra thunders forward, but finds even the deep bog too shallow to swim in. Still, it surges towards Gildrim, its many snapping jaws only inches away.

[sblock=ooc]Richard drops his shield and goes to S30. Richard's speed is 25, I think, which translates to 5 squares. It costs 4 squares to enter deep bog, so he's only got 1 left and can't get to T30. He has cover, and readies an attack.

Karl fires his bow, and misses.

The hydra double moves forward.

Gildrim is up, followed by Weel, Richard, and Karl.
[/sblock]

[sblock=status and initiative]

• Richard 48/48
• Karl 10/10
• Hydra unharmed, 5 heads
• Gildrim 34/34 <== You're up
• Weel 18/18

[/sblock]

[sblock=map]

It's at http://betahelix.net/pics/maps/SwampTrek/hydra02.png, if you can't see the embedded image above.

The greenish-blue squares are shallow bog. It's about 1 foot deep, and costs 2 squares of movement to enter.

The blue squares, such as T31, are deep bog. It has 4 feet of standing water, It costs medium or larger creatures 4 squares to enter such a square, and provides them cover. By spending a move action to duck down, that becomes improved cover. However, creatures with improved cover take a -10 penalty to attack creatures that aren't underwater.
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[Trouvere]

"Th' blessin's ay Grendath an' Phyrah oan us aw!" Gildrim manages to say, in the remarkable amount of time before battle is joined. He ducks low in the water and struggles forward to engage the beast.

OOC: AC 19+8=27. Move action to duck low, move action to S32, incurring a whoopload of AoOs that thankfully require 20s to hit. Hmm... 1-0.95^5=0.226. Well.