As above, so below - IC [3.5, Core]

[Zdrak]

OOC thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=260072)

Following a treasure map that came into your possession by a long and improbable series of events, the description of which goes beyond the scope of this story, your group have ventured deep into the Gnarled Woods. Rowing your canoe down a stream, you arrive to a large clearing at a river bend, to feast your eyes on the remains of a ruined cathedral. Or a palace, hard to say. Could have been a Wizard's tower too, but now there's not a stone on stone remaining. Whatever it was, this is the location the map brought you to in promise of riches and glory. Something is here. You can feel the ancient power permeating this part of the woods in the marrow of your bones.

Muscle and sinew tense as you tie your boat to a tree bough and descend ashore. The sun is hugging the treetops, and you know soon dusk will creep in and cover the forest. Before you, stretches a large area of grass and low shrubbery, ringed by forest from south, east and north, the stream which brought you here providing its western boundary. Broken down stones of all shapes and sizes, once definitely pieces of a larger structure, are everywhere.

Explore!

[JustPlayItLoud]

"I'm going to have a look about."

Looking around the clearing, Roland turns to the north and begins walking toward the rubble. As he approaches the structure, he pauses gaze up the area, taking pause to allow his divine vision to grant him any possible insights.

Roland uses detect evilon the area of the structure.

[Jacior]

Barian took a deep breath of the evening air and let it out with a huff. He climbs out of the canoe, his lupine companion jumping into the water and wasing ashore. The wolf shook itself dry on the bank, splattering those in the vicinity with water. "Stop, stop you hairy beast! Soon we'll all look like we've taken a bath." He looks around the clearing and follows the paladin towars the main body of the ruined keep. "How does it look?"

[Stormfang]

"Well will you look at this place! Yes this is most interesting. Lets see what we have over here!

Jackson walks over to some of the larger ruined pieces, surveying them and the surrounding stones and rubble.

[roll0]

[Doc_Pippin]

Sebolt eased his way onto the ledge of the ship and used his staff to swing himself ashore. The ruins were magnificant and unlike anything he had seen, but he had an ominous feeling as if he was an unwelcome guest among the timeless gravestone. A graverobber come to disturb the unrestful ghosts. "I wonder what it was in it's glory," he said in a somewhat masked voice of aha. "I bet it was splendid."

[Zdrak]

Jackson remembers an old book he read, titled Identifying Old Stones; it had a picture of an intrepid explorer with a pick on the cover. Unfortunately he can't recall the exact contents of the work. He picks one from the ground and examines it from all sides, before reaching the conclusion that, yep, it's an old stone.

Bardic Knowledge failed to reveal useful information

Meanwhile, Roland's world goes dim, eventhough the sun's not down yet. He feels weak but steady sense of evil permeating the entire area. It's weak and old, but the rocks and ground are steeped in it. Between two larger stones, the pull of darkness seems to be focused on something lying in the grass. A small trinket someone dropped, perhaps? It seems to radiate darkness as he focuses on it.

Lingering aura of evil pretty much everywhere. A somewhat more specific evil aura on a small object in the grass

[JustPlayItLoud]

"Take care. I feel the evil in this place. I can smell its stench on the stones. But something is-"

Roland walks over toward a specific spot in the area, squinting intently.

Roland is gonna check that object out.

By the way, great jokes with the Identifying Old Stones bit. I'd forgotten about that joke and had to look it up for a good laugh.

[Blue1005]

Aerok is last to get out of the boat, more cautious and observant than the others. Spot check to see if there is anything unusual that would catch her eye.

"This place seems to have been a mighty building a long time ago." she says as she pulls the canoe ashore struggling excessively due to her small frame and atrophic (adjective of atrophy :smallbiggrin:) features.

[Zdrak]

Roland cautiously approaches the object, as one would a snake in the grass. It turns out to be a brooch, trampled into the dirt and covered in grime. It is made in the shape of a hand clutching an arrow. Or maybe pierced by an arrow, hard to say.

Meanwhile, Smelkie notices with the corner of his eye a movement in the woods to the north. An animal, a gust of wind moving the branches, or something else?

[Phyzor]

Coming to this place gets Smelkie excited but uneased at the same time. There is something about this place that sharps his senses. As the others disembark Smelkie takes some time to look around from the canoe. When the canoe is dragged to shore, he finally gets out and follows the others. He thinks Aerok didn't even spot him when she dragged the canoe and puts a small smirk on his face. He thinks that she could be an easy victim to snatch away some gold of...

Heading towards his friend, Smelkie asks:" Any idea what this place could have been Sebolt? It sure looks creepy enough for us to explore haha"

While Roland warns the group of danger and picks something up he sees movement.

There is something in the northern woods. I noticed something move. And without hesitation he cautiously starts heading in the direction of the movement, trying not to get seen in this dusk, to see if he can determine what it was that he saw. He gets his crossbow ready for action and points it in the direction of the movement.

[Doc_Pippin]

I'll ready my sling JiC

"Oh I have a feeling that we weren't the first ones to find this marvel Smelkie..." Sebolt's message is one not of fear but of caution. He had be taught that discretion is always the better part of Valor, and the better part of well.. pretty much any quality.

[Blue1005]

Aerok starts to follow Smelkie, partly out of wanting to investigate what is in the woods, partly cause she is wanting to keep an eye on this little adventurer....

"Roland, your the brave one, go get it" as I wait for him to lead and then begin to move silently. [roll0]

[Zdrak]

Smelkie and Aerok slowly move to the edge of the trees, drawn by the motion, as Sebolt covers their advance with a readied sling. A low growl greets their approach, and a pair of eyes glint between the leaves. A wolf!?

If you have at least 1 rank in Knowledge: Nature, you can open this spoiler
Wolves are pack hunters. It's unlikely there's only one.

[Blue1005]

"Fly high and be safe" I tell StormCrowe to avoid me during this encounter.

[Phyzor]

Smelkie briefly looks over his shoulder to spot what the others are doing. Then he uses 2 fingers to point at his eyes, turning back to the woods and points with 1 finger towards the pair of eyes. Holding his advancement.

[Blue1005]

Noticing this, Aerok will stand ready with her weapon of futility (sword) at the ready if needed. (Held action, attack if something comes aggressively towards me.)

[JustPlayItLoud]

"Careful everyone. If we're lucky it'll leave, but stay on guard anyhow. Follow me"

Roland takes the brooch and stows it on his person. He draws his shortbow and slowly begins to approach the wolf.

[Jacior]

Barian steps forward put a hand on the paladin's shoulder. "If you keep walking, you're going to be eaten." He uses a free hand to gesture out in a wide arc to the woods. "Wolves hunt in packs. If we can see this one here, there's probably seven or eight more hiding out there." He places a hand on the wolf at his side. "It wouldn't be a good idea to go out there."

[Stormfang]

Jackson readies his short bow while walking over to Barian.

"Why don't the two of you go have a friendly word then and convince them that there are easier meals about these woods?"

[Phyzor]

Smelkie stops to listen if hears anything coming from the woods. Twigs snapping, leaves being disturped.

[roll0]

If he hears nothing he will steadily aim his crossbow and shoot at the being that is lurking in the woods.

[roll1] haha thats my first nat1

[Doc_Pippin]

If at any time Smelkie fires his crossbow I will fling with the sling
[roll0]
with
[roll1] for damage, im not in point blank range no +1

((HOLY CRAP TWO NAT FAILS ALL PRAISE THE JESUS WOLF))

[Jacior]

Barian resists the very powerful urge to hit the halfling with the flat of his blade. "You're very determined to provoke an attack, aren't you? They are hunting us."

[Blue1005]

Still holding my action for signs of (impending) aggression.
IF people did indeed shoot towards the trees; "I think it would be wise for Roland to step up now..." and i will attempt to hide near anything I can.

[roll0]

[JustPlayItLoud]

"Everyone stay behind me. Careful"

Roland moves to interpose himself between the wolf and the party. He will ready an action to shoot anything that moves more than a slow walk (anything over a 5ft step) in a single round.

[Zdrak]

The bolt and sling stone are swallowed into the green wall of the forest, leaving but a slight whoosh of the leaves at their wake. At this, the red eyes disappear, and a large form slinks back into the north woods, but four others replace it. From south and east, two pairs of wolves charge the clearing, ready to snap their teeth at anything that moves.

The enemy goes at initiative 16. Everyone please roll init, and anyone who rolls above 16 can go, after which the wolves have a go.

[Doc_Pippin]

Hmm let's see init
[roll0]

Woot! Go Sebolt!

Sebolt turns to see the wolves charge and quickly mutters an incantation. The spell unleashes a violent burst from his finger tip. It zings forward and hunts for a spot on the closest furry target. Only then after his reflex reaction does he scurry towards Smelkie. His short legs rushing to escape the ravenous wolves.

[Doc_Pippin]

Magic Missile

[roll0]

[Stormfang]

Jackson sighs heavily. "I guess there's something karmic about stopping a couple of halflings from meeting their maker too soon."

[roll0]

[Stormfang]

Jackson takes aim at the nearest wolf charging from the south and fires when it is within 70 feet.



[roll=Damage(if hit)]1d6

[Stormfang]

Meh, I'll roll damage again if it hits since that didn't work

[Blue1005]

[roll0] initiative


And do they seem as though they see me?

[Phyzor]

[roll0] let get this started

[Phyzor]

The moment Smelkie readied his bolt he got disctracted. A shiver went from the back of his head all the way down along his small spine, making him pull his triggerfinger.

That snapped him out of it and he got totally aware of the sitution. He quickly turns around and spots the wolves. He heads towards Sebolt and fire's another bolt at the closest wolf. He has to protect his friend.

[roll0]

[Phyzor]

[roll0] seems i got the same as stormfang :)

[JustPlayItLoud]

Initiative: [roll0]

[Jacior]

Initiative: [roll0]

[Jacior]

Barian sighs and steps towards the pair of wolves coming from the south. "Life would be so much easier if we could all just get along." He says, before incanting a spell to render them harmless.

Cast Calm Animals on the two southern wolves.

Calm Animals: [roll0] HD of animals affected

[Zdrak]

Aerok and Roland are slow to attack, although the latter is still well-hidden as all hell breaks loose around them. First, two bolts, one of wood and metal and the other of pure energy, send a wolf reeling, while another bolt sails wide of its target. Barian finishes his incantation just in time to fend off the two wolves advancing from the south. Then stop in their tracks, growling and baying menacingly, but will not attack for now.

A wolf charges the Paladin, who's caught flat-footed. Teeth snap shut on an arm, but the armor takes the brunt of the damage. Still, a trickle of blood is seen under the metal.
Attack [roll0] damage if hits [roll1] opposed trip if hits [roll2]

While the one who was hit attacks the halfling who so brutally put a bolt into him. Smelkie is badly bitten, but manages to stay on his feet.
Attack [roll3] damage if hits [roll4] opposed trip if hits [roll5]

[Blue1005]

Aerok starts to chant, the air ebbs and flows as a Summon Monster 1 spell is cast, placing it directly behind a wolf to allow Smelkie for flanking bonus.

[Stormfang]

"Hey that's one of my halflings! You can't eat him yet!"

Jackson drops his bow and readies his shield and rapier.

[JustPlayItLoud]

Seeing the wolf bearing down on him, Roland drops his bow and braces for an attack. After shaking the wolf of his arm, he draws his sword and swings.

Not going to bother rolling trip. If I roll a 1, we tie and I would still win. Free action to drop bow, move action to draw sword, standard action attack.
Attack: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
Critical confirmation: [roll2]

[Phyzor]

With pain gushing through his arm, Smelkie gnarls at the wolf. As a result of the bite he lets go of his bow and drops it on the ground.
He reaches for his short sword and strikes at the beast.

afaik i dont need to roll for a nat1 trip attempt. so only damage right?[roll0] (forgot the +2 for flanking, so that makes 7+2=9..)
[roll1]

[Doc_Pippin]

Sebolt sees the wolf bearing down on Smelkie and is over come by a sense of protective instinct he runs to assist and again violently chants the incantation and lets loose another bolt of force in hopes that he can save his best friend.


So I move as close to Smelkie as my move takes me and blast out another Magic missle
[roll0]

woo hoo max damage for added dramatic anger drama

[Jacior]

Barian drew his spear and charged at the wolves he had just rendered docile. "Looks like fighting is the only answer then. Savage them, Gavin!" The wolf launching from his side to strike at the wolf.


Barian Charge Attack: [roll0], Damage: [roll1]

Wolf Charge Attack: [roll2], Damage: [roll3], Trip: [roll4]

[Blue1005]

The summoned monster (Fiendish Scorpion) will attack

[spoiler][roll0][spoiler]

And im not sure of the stats on him, will look it up when i get time.

[Blue1005]

And I will also attack the closest one with my weapon and hope to be flanking for sneak attack

1d20-1 and damage will be [roll0] plus sneak attack of [roll1]

[Blue1005]

[roll0] Will be the attack roll :smallbiggrin: