((ooc: Elorfindar, you're able to summon several sprites. You explain that you're looking for an owl named Mouse who is a servant of Labelas. They fall over in the air laughing, then sadly inform you that they have not seen him.

You're able to send a letter with Kora's messenger without difficulty.))

OOC: Can I piggyback with Kora?  It was mentioned earlier.

((ooc: Yes. Kora is offering to allow anyone in the group piggyback with her courier.))

Elorfindar's letter to his father:

[dated; addressed to Wizened Edrym Brightsong, Evereska; written, of course, in Espruar script]

Powerful dweomer or divine hand - perhaps the Chameleon's - took us, but not K.!, and others to the city where cousin Myriil's mother was born. Will explore further. Send Mouse or contact via other means. The Lifegiver preserve you. E

((OOC: Hehe, thanks for that!))

Corym

"Well, they're fiends. Any spell that targets people like us, or animals, will fail outright. Trying to read their mind will drive you insane. I doubt poison will be of much use. As for weaknesses?" Neldor shrugs. "Not enough. Cold iron. Acid. Magic missiles. Holy water. And running away."

He tries to smile at his joke, but it's clear he isn't happy about anyone potentially facing fiends. "You're right that they have their own magic. Innate abilities, I should say. Thankfully, very few of them are actual wizards. But I don't know what they are. Darkness, pain, fear, I would expect. Fire. And they're probably different for each kind of fiend. Take lots of notes. If you survive, I can ensure that the information gets into good hands."

Group

After one last day of resting and preparation, you set out from Glen. As paying customers of the inn, you're able to take one of the lifts that raises and lowers the dwarves and their goods and not chance the icy incline out of the valley. It's an odd, not-particularly-pleasant experience, all of you on a platform about eight feet square, with a dwarf-high railing around the edges. It's suspended by thick ropes and both rope and wood creaks loudly as a team of mules turns a capstan and raises the platform.

The dwarf riding the platform with you is completely blase about the experience, and in its defense it gets you and your gear up to the surface faster than you could walk. And several dwarves are waiting at the top with a cart, ready to go down.

Outside, winter has settled on the Dalelands. There isn't any snow, but the air is cold and a brisk wind is slicing out of the northwest. You shoulder your packs, curl your cloaks around you, and head toward the forest. The first day is a cold one for all of you. The forest is slowly approaching from ahead and both sides, but the wind and weather don't seem to much care. Once you get underneath the trees on the second day, however, the temperature rises noticeably. It's still not pleasant, but it's above freezing and the worst of the wind is blocked.

You would think that since you've walked this trail once already, and you know where you're going, the forest would have lost a little of its mystique. In fact, the exact opposite seems to have happened. The further inside you go, the more you feel the weight of centuries settling about your shoulders.

The forest is quiet and dim. Little of the pale sunlight makes it through the trees, and that which does seems to dance with the shadows. Even the rustling of small forest creatures is muffled, as though the squirrels and chipmunks know that a sudden scurry might lead to death.

It takes you several days of walking to reach the Standing Stone. You encounter nothing and no one along the way, save for a few deer you startle out of hiding. The trail the band of humans made is still clearly visible to the north of the rune-carved stone. The forest is reclaiming it, but the process is slowed during winter. Barring a sudden snowfall, Dorian and Katarn would have no trouble following it.

You pause for a moment. The east-west road through the forest, and the southern road leading to Sembia, are all well-marked and if they aren't particular well-maintained are at least obvious markers of civilization. Once you leave, however, you'll be venturing beyond that perhaps-illusory line of safety. You'll be in wild Cormanthor again.

If you have any final preparations, now would be the time.

((ooc: I'm setting up the battle that has Corym so excited. Can I get a marching order? I assume either Dorian or Katarn is leading. Also, are the elves staying far enough ahead of the group to take advantage of the surprise bonus, or are you all traveling together?))

In reply to DM (msg # 56):

Having stopped, Krackor felt that a good hearty meal after not much in the southern forest and probably less ahead of them, wouldn't go a miss.

Corym, everyone, should we have one last good meal before we enter this forest proper.  My cooking pan can help us once we are in without need of a fire but to keep nice and warm before... nods towards the waiting forest path we go into there?

Group

You set off into the forest, leaving the road and the Standing Stone behind. For the first day everything is calm, the forest grows steadily thicker around you, and the few forest noises that had sung to you as you walked fall silent. Tension fills the dim air under the trees. It feels like a summer thunderstorm that's just waiting to burst. You don't know exactly what is going to happen, or when, but you can feel it grow steadily nearer.

For almost all of the second day you walk through that tension, Dorian leading you along the path trampled by the human adventurers. An arrow, heading straight for Myth Drannor.

As dusk begins to fall on the second day, Dorian holds up his hand from where he's been leading the group. He's just stepped out from behind a couple of thick trunks, and catches sight of a gigantic creature about a hundred and fifty feet to your right. Fully forty feet long, it's a massive, mult-legged reptilian creature with scales the color of blued steel. It has crouched down as much as it can in the underbrush. You realize two things in an instant: it's downwind of you, and it's coming your way.

((ooc: I have been trying to get image embedding in this post to work for the past hour. I've thrown up my hands. The battle map can be found here: https://postimg.cc/qtBHBN35. I'll zoom in a bit once the creature gets closer.

Everyone please roll initiative and declare your actions. No one is surprised, and the creature is clearly hostile. Everyone has or can get sufficient sight lines for ranged attacks or spell targeting. The creature is about 150 feet away.))


This message was last edited by the GM at 01:37, Thu 11 July 2019.

With no hesitation Dorian fires two arrows at the onrushing creature before falling back to the south west as far as he can.


Dorian
Fires arrows at Monster
Moves 30' south west (assuming that the top of the map is north?)


21:46, Today: Dorian rolled 28 using 1d20+8.  bow attack 1. Hits AC -13
21:47, Today: Dorian rolled 5 using 1d8+3.  damage 1.

21:46, Today: Dorian rolled 18 using 1d20+8.  bow attack 2. Hits AC -3
21:47, Today: Dorian rolled 7 using 1d8+3.  damage 2.

Not sure what size the creature is so I rolled standard damage.  I'll fix that, if needed.

((ooc: North  is the top of the map, yes.

The creature is Gargantuan.

Please also roll initiative and add your weapon speed.))

((ooc: Initiative 9 +2 (casting time)=11))

Cast blindness on the creature and take cover behind a tree. “Sirenya! If my spell works it will be blinded and we should coordinate our strikes!”
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:53, Fri 12 July 2019.

In reply to DM (msg # 59):

Gauge path the creature is taking and check the geound for large areas of stone. If seen any, cadts Stone Spikes at best range for the creature to take most damage (AoE would be length ways).

((ooc: Krackor, the ground is all leaf covered dirt. Spike stones won't work; it needs stone. You'd know this, so you can choose to do something else this round.))

ooc: That's what I was hoping you weren't going to say but knew you would.

Seeing that the ground didn't have any large area's of stone, Krackor decides on a more reliable use of his abilities and casts Bless, then readies his melee weapons, dropping his pack at the same time.  With the forest all around, he had already decided on Axe and Shield rather than Crossbow, but wanted freedom to move.

Initiative: Bless = 8 (7+1)
Can the pack be dropped whilst casting Bless or straight after as he isn't moving
This message was last edited by the player at 19:55, Fri 12 July 2019.

((ooc: Dropping the pack is easy. You can do that before you cast the spell.))

Elorfindar quickly swaps his quarterstaff for his staff-sling, dropping the former in the process, and flings a bullet at the strange monster.

((OOC: Initiative 8 + 11 = 19; attack roll 7))

I don't have access to weapon speeds right now.

I suppose that low initiative is better, then?  So my reaction modifier for Dex should be subtracted instead of added?  That 8 should be a 5?


11:13, Today: Dorian rolled 8 using 1d10+3.  initiative.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:16, Sat 13 July 2019.

((ooc: Dex doesn't play a role in 2e initiative. It's just 1d10 + weapon speed, with lower being better. Long bows have a weapon speed of 8, but it's reduced to 6 because it's a +2 weapon. So your initiative is 5+6 = 11))

Round 1

The armored beast lunges forward, pushing its massive body around the trees in its eagerness to get to you. It manages to force its way through the underbrush most of the way to you, close enough that you're seeing the eagerness in its bright yellow eyes.

Sirenya chants quickly and disappears. Krackor calls on Gorm to protect and guide the party against this sudden foe.

Dorian looses a pair of arrows, his powerful bow slamming both of them through the creature's hide and deep into its flesh. Then he retreats to the southwest, putting a tree between him and the thing. Corym flicks his fingers towards the creatures eyes and they cloud over. The beast roars, shaking its head back and forth.

The roar, and the beast's unlikely speed, shakes Elorfindar's concentration. His staff swings around, only to send a bullet far off into the forest. Kora hesitates, her great sword out but uncertain whether she should use it or keep to her nascent training in the Art.

Katarn grasps his holy symbol and a glowing warhammer appears by the beast's head. Its initial swing misses completely.

((ooc: I'm DMPC'ing Katarn and Sirenya to keep the fight moving. A new battle map will be up shortly; the creature is about five feet from melee range of Elorfindar and Krackor. Actions and initiative for next round, please.))

Dorian pops out from behind his tree, fires off another pair of arrows and circles behind another tree farther to the south west.

21:01, Today: Dorian rolled 10 8 using 1d10+8.  initiative.

21:00, Today: Dorian rolled 18 using 1d20+8.  bow attack 1. Hits AC -3
21:00, Today: Dorian rolled 10 using 1d8+3.  damage 1.

21:00, Today: Dorian rolled 23 using 1d20+8.  bow attack 2. Hits AC -8
21:00, Today: Dorian rolled 8 using 1d8+3.  damage 2.

((ooc: Just so you know, you're likely going to be firing into melee starting this round. Which means I roll to see who of all those engaged in the melee is the actual target. The monster is gargantuan, so counts as 6 PC-sized people. So your odds are pretty good, but there's still a danger of you hitting your comrades. The roll is made for each arrow.))

OOC: Hmmm...ok.  It's hard to gauge things as it's last position is still not in melee and it is now blind (from the description).  I'd just as soon take the shot and put it up to a learning experience, even though we are high level characters.

Despite having been a bit hardened by his experiences in Undermountain, Elorfindar had to do his utmost to prevent himself from panicking in the face of this terrifying gigantic creature. He concentrated and tried to control the flow of time around the creature, resorting to one of the precious gifts granted by Labelas Enoreth to his most devout followers. Hoping to have succeeded, he then withdrew fifty feet or so away from the monster to have some space to use his staff-sling again.

((OOC: Slow spell-like ability, initiative 2 + 3 = 5))