Dungeons & Dragons - The Earth's Upheaval

[Plainsfox]

The high elf kept his peace during the discussion between Thork and the others. Aelgeirr had lost his patience and ability to deal with stubborn farm animals. If he wanted to go off on his own, fine. If he wanted to stay, fine. There was work to be done and it now seemed Aelgeirr would take a better cut with the half ork's abscence.


When Tawny let the party know what was up, Aelgeirr would draw his handaxe and try to hide his armored form behind a tree. Stealth really wasn't his thing, but maybe this wouldn't be as bad as Cleawater....

OOC:
Stealth: 1d20+0
Results: 16  

[Psychofish]

Lin nodded at the shorter woman's warning, and was ready to suggest some of them walk straight up and get attention/act as a distraction while the others snuck in, so if they needed to act as an ambush they could hit from everywhere at once- but with her already headed off, and the elf following she decided she might as well go with- she didn't discard the idea of stepping out while everyone else hid if they couldn't tell if the voices ahead presented a risk at a glance, but she also wanted to just be there to help in case one of them stepped on the largest twig in the forest or something.

[Stealth 1d20+10=19]  

[Raganui Minamoto]

Isres would move off the path, muttering to himself slightly. Always more delays when important things were happening. Hopefully this would at least go more smoothly than his attempts at diplomacy recently.

Stealth +1 = 8
Perception +3 = 16  

[Rain Yupa]

@ Big Four:

Everyone hides! Some better than others.

Aelgeirr, Isres, you two stick back and take cover. Tawny and Shi moved forward and try to take ambushing positions behind opposite rock outcroppings.

Aelgeirr takes the tree Isres was about to use, leaving the mage to try and duck down behind a small boulder at the last second.

Tawny, you don't know what they're saying, they're speaking a language you do not know.

Isres, you do know what they're saying! They're speaking Draconic, and are making smalltalk amongst themselves. You do get a brief jist that they seem to be looking for something (and not someone).

Then around a bend comes a small troupe of hairless kobolds. Five in total, with a large drake who's shoulder height matches their own heights. They stop dead in their tracks and all look at Isres, who's spot wasn't as clever as he might have thought.

"We see you, stupid mammal!" the apparent leader would call out in common upon seeing a human, using a staff to point at Isres. No magic, just a pointing implement.

Some of the other kobolds take note of the others. One points out Aelgeirr's tree, while one tugs on the robe the staff-wielder wore and pointed out Shi. Tawny, you remain unobserved, though the drake seems to be sniffing around.

"Begone, mammal-thots. We have staked claim on Coppersledge. We'll kill you if you try to stand in our way," the leaderbold would hiss threateningly at the party.

What do you do?  

[Raganui Minamoto]

Isres stands, holding a hand up in a gesture similar to surrender. Looking at them, he speaks in Draconic. "Ah, we have no quarrel with you. We were at a building taking in dwarves that were running from Coppersledge. The path to there is further over there." He idly waves a hand off towards the main path. "We are hoping to bypass the area and move around the mountain and it's anger."

Bluff: 19+3=22  

[Rain Yupa]

Growling in anger, the staff-wielding kobold would swing his staff around dramatically. Rebutting in Draconic, it says, "walk up to the front gate.>"

Gesturing to the mountain with a pointed finger, he'd say, "that, so we can seize the mountain when the stupid dwarves finish dying to whatever it is that's attacking them.>"

Isres, your passive insight lets you pick up that the kobolds have actually passed the exit he mentioned, and you get the impression that they don't actually know where it is.

Everyone else, you don't know what's being conversed about. The wizardy-kobold just pointed at the mountain for some reason? The rest of them seem on guard for all of you. If anyone suddenly wishes to attack, it will be initiative checks; however if Tawny engages first she and she alone will get a surprise round, since no one beat her Stealth check.

--------------------

@ Thork:

Everyone looks tiny from up here, but the other adventurers you came here with stopped and met up with someone else, about double their number (despite having the high ground, Obi-Thork, your passive perception has made you lose track of one of your party members, so it looks to be about 2-to-1). You're about halfway to the front gate.  

[Raganui Minamoto]

He nods, then continues in Common. "I apologize. I was unsure how well you knew our tongue and thought you may wish to speak in the one you use. I will not use it again. As I was saying, we are passing by. I mentioned the main gate, for if we were going to Coppersledge, that is where we would go. Either way, we shall endevour to not keep you for much longer, so you may continue your own quest while we move on to our own travels."  

[Rain Yupa]

(Sorry for the belated post)

The kobold leader would smile smugly and follow up with a dismissive wave. "Yes, that's correct," he'd say in common. "Quiver in your boots and skulk off in shame, trembling at the near-death encounter you barely escaped..."

Standing their ground, the kobolds would stand and watch the three of you they see (Isres, Aelgeirr, and Shi), with the priest gesturing for you to pass and continue northward. They aren't disarming, but posturing that they won't just attack you as you walk by.

Do you simply leave, and allow the kobolds to insult your pride like that?

Also, a different problem: Because of how narrow the position is, Tawny, you can't just sneak off. The kobolds' backs are to you, and you're stuck between a rock and a hard place. If you wish to continue with the others without dropping your guard, you'll have to give me two successful rolls: One athletics, one stealth. If you're going to wait for the kobolds to leave, no rolls are needed, but you don't know when that will be.  

[Plainsfox]

If the other party members could see Aelgeirr, they could see the grimace on his face as he hurls his hand axe straight at the kobold leader. "You can tell your gods how you escaped life, today, kobold!" After throwing the axe, the elf would catch it when it returns and sheathe it. he would also move towards the kobolds.

OOC:
Attack Roll: 1d20+8= 21
Damage Roll: 1d6+5= 9  

[Rain Yupa]

(The large rocks are impassible terrain, requiring Climb checks to navigate, and provide cover. The squares with little bits of rock are difficult terrain. The object in the southwest corner of the map is the tree Aelgeirr hid behind, and provides cover.)

ROUND 0

The kobolds were on guard, and Aelgeirr going for his weapon made them immediately tense up defensively. However, since they were expecting such behavior, they did not get caught off guard by him doing so, and will be able to react if they get better than him on initiative.

However, Tawny was hidden from view and they aren't expecting an attack from her. During this surprise round, she acts alone, and all enemies grant combat advantage to her.

After the surprise round, initiatives will resolve normally, with Aelgeirr's action already declared (move out from behind the tree with axe lifted , free action speak, throw axe, free catch, sheath).

Tawny, go!  

[Kowsauni]

Tawny grips her enormous hammer tightly. She stays hidden, waiting for the right moment to strike.

Tawny readies an action to charge the first enemy that comes into her line of sight.

Initiative of 16.  

[Rain Yupa]

ROUND 1

99 - Tawny - Action readied
20 - Shi
19 - Skirmisher 1
19 - Drake
18 - Skirmisher 2
17 - Skirmisher 3
9 - Isres
7 - Skirmisher 4
6 - Aelgeirr - pending 21 to attack with throwing axe, 9 damage
5 - Wyrmpriest
0 - Thork

--------------------

Tawny readies an action.

The kobolds see Aelgeirr from behind the tree being shifty, and suddenly, he yells something in elven and lifts a throwing axe high, taking aim!

As a free action, the priest, who does not understand elven, bellows something in Draconic in response! ""

Isres, you know what he said. Not so much anyone else, but you see all the kobolds ready their weapons and the drake begin a snarl. They begin to lean forward and take their first steps...

But Shi is top of the order and will be able to pre-empt their charge!  

[Psychofish]

Shi winced a little bit, but after a quick glance ran with it- at least they wouldn't risk running into the little lizards on the way out. With the elf and the kobolds all reaching for an leveling their weapons, everyone seemed to be readying up for a fight-

She flicked her knife out and up into the air as she moved into position, shooting a quick glance to confirm Tawny's position before giving a harsh whistle at the kobold. Grinning ear to ear the thief caught the blade between two fingers, bringing her arm back and up, showing teeth as her shadow seemed to stop suddenly, as if it had tried to keep running ahead of her, before the shade subtly crept up her leg and to her arm as she pointed with her left, right between the drake's eyes-

And then threw the dagger, spinning end over end at the target. The blade's shadow left a tail, an almost smokey darkness along the ground as if the shade about her feet was reaching out to chase the shadow of the dagger, right up until it reached its destination- and Shi gave another shrill whistle, the shadow across the ground snapping like a cord- though nothing had seemed to touch the dagger itself, it flew back to her as if she'd yanked it free with a whip, catching it in one hand.

"Last chance to turn tail."

[First Strike: Shi has CA this round.]
[Move 4 NW, to K12, to put Drake in short throwing range.]
[Disheartening Strike: 1d20+11+2= 19 vs Drake's AC]
[1d4+5+2d6= 3+5+9=17 Damage, and the Drake suffers -2 to attack rolls UEoNT]  

[Rain Yupa]

Aelgeiir is still taking aim!

Shi advances forward and throws her blade at the drake. One of the kobold skirmishers rushes her, and enters Tawny's line of site at point K9!

Tawny, your readied action triggers! This interrupts the kobold's advance on Shi!  

[Kowsauni]

Tawny charges fourth and strikes at the kolbold wither her hammer!(but with a 14 to hit AC I doubt she hits!)