CH. 05 - Choices

[Daos]

Katya kills one of the rats instantly with a single swipe of her blade.  The others aren't in much of a position to help, but Lillian pulls out her lute and starts playing an inspiring song to help.

However, things seem to become pandemonium after that.  Suddenly, Jherek starts screaming like a madman from behind them, and it sounds like he is charging right at their backsides.  This not only distracts Katya a second, allowing a rat to bite her again, but it causes Ingot to fully turn his back on the rats to protect their flank from Jherek's mad attack.  However, the genasi is surprised to see Jherek is already standing behind them, not screaming at all, but he is preparing an attack.  Ingot throws up his shield and tries to warn Katya, shouting, "Look...out!"

Jherek's axe sails past them, though, hitting and killing another rat.  The screaming, which is coming from Jherek's location despite the fact that his mouth is closed, continues, and it seems to have frightened most of the pack away.  A few stragglers remain, though, nipping at Katya and Ingot.  Although uncertain what is happening, Ingot clearly now sees Jherek as the more pressing threat and is focused on protecting himself and Katya from his possible attacks.

=============

Initiative
Ryan (1d10): 5
Ladonna (1d10): 6
Katya (1d10+5): 1+5 = 6
Finbul (1d10): 6
Garnet (1d10): 8
Ingot (1d10+7): 1+7 = 8
Theron (1d10+1): 9+1 = 10
Lillian (1d10+3): 8+3 = 11
Giant Rats (1d10+3): 9+3 = 12
Jherek (1d10+4): 9+4 = 13

Round 2!

Ryan holds up the light.
Ladonna does nothing.
Katya swings her masterwork long sword (+1 hit/dmg) with great strength (+1 dmg) at Giant Rat 03 [TH 12] (1d20+1):  18+1 = 19, hit for (1d8+2):  5+2 = 7 damage.  Giant Rat 03 dies.
Finbul does nothing.
Garnet does nothing.
Ingot drops full defense.  He swings his morning star with great skill (+1 hit/+2 dmg) and strength (+1 dmg) at Giant Rat 01 [TH 13] (1d20+1):  4+1 = 5, miss.
s8Lw591j1d20
Theron moves 20 feet westward.  He then casts Audible Glamer for 3 rounds.  Ingot turns around to face Jherek's attack, exposing his back to the giant rats.
Lillian rallies allies.  All allies within 20 feet gain +1 to hit for 2 rounds.
Giant Rats Morale checks [Base 7, -2 for being weak, +3 for defending home, +1 for defensive terrain advantage, -2 for no enemy slain = 7].
Giant Rat 01 makes a morale check (2d10):  7,9 = 16, morale failed.  Giant Rat 01 withdraws.
2d10
Giant Rat 02 makes a morale check (2d10):  10,2 = 12, morale failed.  Giant Rat 02 withdraws.
2d10
Giant Rat 03 is dead.
Giant Rat 04 makes a morale check (2d10):  10,2 = 12, morale failed.  Giant Rat 04 withdraws.
2d10
Giant Rat 05 makes a morale check (2d10):  3,1 = 4, morale passed.  Giant Rat 05 moves 5 feet southwest and bites at Katya who is holding a shield (-1 hit) [TH 15] (1d20-1): 1-1 = 0, critical fumble!  Giant Rat 05 falls prone.
2d101d20
Giant Rat 06 makes a morale check (2d10): 1,4 = 5, morale passed.  Giant Rat 06 moves 5 feet southwest and bites at Katya who is holding a shield (-1 hit) [TH 15] (1d20-1):  16-1 = 15, hit for (1d3):  2 damage.
2d101d201d3
Giant Rat 07 makes a morale check (2d10): 10,6 = 16, morale passed.  Giant Rat 07 withdraws.
2d10
Giant Rat 08 makes a morale check (2d10): 4,1 = 5, morale passed.  Giant Rat 08 bites at Ingot who has turned his back (+2 hit) [TH 17] (1d20+2):  4+2= 6, miss.
2d101d20
Giant Rat 09 makes a morale check (2d10): 5,2 = 7, morale passed.  Giant Rat 09 bites at Ingot who has turned his back (+2 hit) [TH 17] (1d20+2):  9+2 = 11, miss.
2d101d20
Giant Rat 10 makes a morale check (2d10): 5,3 = 8, morale failed.  Giant Rat 10 withdraws.
2d10
Giant Rat 11 makes a morale check (2d10): 10,8 = 18, morale failed.  Giant Rat 11 withdraws.
2d10
Giant Rat 12 makes a morale check (2d10): 6,7 = 13, morale failed.  Giant Rat 12 withdraws.
2d10
Jherek throws an axe through Katya and Ingot while inspired (+1 hit) with excellent strength (+2 hit/+4 dmg) at Giant Rat 05 who is prone (+4 hit) [TH 13] (1d20+7):  14+7 = 21, hit for (1d6+4):  2+4 = 6 damage.  Giant Rat 05 dies.
Katya swings her masterwork long sword (+1 hit/dmg) with great strength (+1 dmg) while inspired (+1 hit) at Giant Rat 06 [TH 12] (1d20+2): 4+2 = 6, miss.



(OOC: Any attack Jherek attempts to make, Ingot will try and block it, under the assumption he is actually attacking Katya or himself.  Actions for Round 3?)1d20·2d10·2d10·2d10·2d10·2d10·2d10·2d10·2d10·2d10·2d10·2d10·1d20·2d10·2d10·2d10·2d10·2d10

[notARobot]

Theron dismisses the spell, then calls out:  "Quickly everyone, let's fall back this way!  And Jherek didn't make those noises, Ingot -- I did.  C'mon!"  With that, he scampers fifty feet down the corridor to the south.

[Ezeze]

Katya doesn't acknowledge Ingot's 'warning.' Jherek would never attack her.

Instead she moves to clean up the remaining rats, attacking the one in front of her first, and moving forward (despite Theron's words) just a few feet to let Jherek get at the remainders.

Attack #1 (at rat #6)
mJTc3geg1d20
1d8

Attack #2 (at rat #6 if still up, at #8 if it's down)
1d20
1d8
(OOC: if rat #6 is down she will move into that space - which should let someone else attack on the diagonal)1d20·1d8·1d20·1d8

[Nuke]

"Fall back" Ryan says, backing out of the way.

[Jherek Everfull]

“What te hell was that?!??! It sounded like me it sounded wild! Was that me?!?” Jherek steps forward, giving a small salute to Katya and Ingot as he moves towards any vacant space, hoping he can reach one or more rats. He lashes out with blade then fist, trying to cleave and crush the little fur bodies.

If Ingot tries to interpose himself, “Move! I’m here to help. The fight is on this side!” If the large boy tries to stop him, Jherek will force himself past the Genasi.

Ax Attack
KNM|8GeR1d20+3
Ax Damage
1d6+4
Punch Attack
1d20+4
Punch damage
1d2+5
1d20·1d6·1d20·1d2

[HorizonsDream]

Ladonna seems confused upon hearing Jherek apparently going wild during the battle with a bunch of rats, but he appears to not be going wild in her eyes especially as he starts yelling that he is on their side. Upon hearing Theron say it was actually him, she seems even more confused as she backs away a little further, but not actually following Theron since she doesn't know what is down the path he just went into.

[Daos]

Ryan backs away a bit to give everyone room to retreat, but nobody does so but Theron.  Katya and Jherek continue fighting, while the others just stand there in confusion.

Katya cuts down another rat, then steps over their little corpses to give Jherek room to join her.  Ingot stands in confusion, not able to parse what is happening or what Theron was talking about.  He lets Jherek pass, and doesn't seem to even notice when a rat bites at his back ankle.

Jherek slashes and punches another rat, killing it, and then Katya finishes off the last one.

Theron, meanwhile, dashes 50 feet down the south tunnel.  It looks like it splits into three more tunnels.  One, to the southwest, he can clearly see down to the end now that he's out of Ryan's magical light.  It looks like it ends after about 35 feet abruptly.  Should he look over his shoulder, he'll realize he's alone.  Nobody else retreated with him.

=============

Initiative
Ryan (1d10): 5
Ladonna (1d10): 6
Katya (1d10+5): 1+5 = 6
Finbul (1d10): 6
Garnet (1d10): 8
Ingot (1d10+7): 1+7 = 8
Theron (1d10): 9
Lillian (1d10+3): 8+3 = 11
Giant Rats (1d10+3): 9+3 = 12
Jherek (1d10+4): 9+4 = 13

Round 3!

Ryan backs away 15 feet.
Ladonna does nothing.
Katya swings her masterwork long sword (+1 hit/dmg) with great strength (+1 dmg) while inspired (+1 hit) at Giant Rat 06 [TH 12] (1d20+2): 19+2 = 21, hit for (1d8+2): 1+2 = 3 damage. Giant Rat 06 dies.  Katya moves 5 feet eastward.
Finbul does nothing.
Garnet does nothing.
Ingot does nothing.
Theron ends his spell and then moves 50 feet south.
Lillian continues playing.
Giant Rat 06 is dead.
Giant Rat 08 bites at Ingot who has turned his back (+2 hit) [TH 17] (1d20+2): 17+2 = 19, hit for (1d3):  1 damage.
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Giant Rat 09 bites at Ingot who has turned his back (+2 hit) [TH 17] (1d20+2): 6+2 = 8, miss.
1d20 
Jherek moves 5 feet eastward and then slashes his hand axe while inspired (+1 hit) with excellent strength (+2 hit/+4 dmg) at Giant Rat 09 [TH 13] (1d20+3): 17+3 = 20, hit for (1d6+4): 2+4 = 6 damage.  He then punches while inspired (+1 hit) with excellent strength (+2 hit/+4 dmg) and great skill (+1 hit/dmg) at Giant Rat 09 [TH 13] (1d20+4):  14+4 = 18, hit for (1d2+5):  1+5 = 6 damage.  Giant Rat 09 dies.
Katya swings her masterwork long sword (+1 hit/dmg) with great strength (+1 dmg) while inspired (+1 hit) at Giant Rat 08 [TH 12] (1d20+2): 20+2 = 22, critical hit! for (1d8+2):  4x2 = 8+2 = 10 damage.  Giant Rat 08 dies.



(OOC: End combat.)

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1d20·1d20·1d20·1d100

[HorizonsDream]

"Okay, so," Ladonna says after the last rat is dead. "That was clearly the wrong path," she says. "And it seems that the scream that Jherek or Theron, I am still confused as to which one actually did it, scared off the rest of them."

[notARobot]

Theron's eyes widen in curiosity as he sees this corridor splits off into even more branches, but then he looks around and notices that no one else followed along with his plan for a strategic retreat.  Reluctantly, he turns back the way he came and rejoins the party.

He relaxes considerably when he sees that his companions managed to dispatch the remaining rats.  Then he notes the looks of confusion passing between the others, and offers his explanation.  "Is everyone okay?  Sorry if I gave you all a scare, a moment ago -- I'm the one who made that noise that sounded like Jherek screaming.  I- when all those rats started charging us, I sort of panicked, and...well, I didn't know what else to do, so I employed a trick to try to scare them off.  A pair of tricks, actually:  mimicry, and throwing my voice."

He does his best to add a bit of raspiness into his voice to sell the next part of the lie, and continues.  "I'd spent some time practicing these skills a while back, thinking I might incorporate them into my magic act.  And Jherek's voice is pretty easy for me to imitate -- we've known each other a long time, so I'm more than a little familiar with how he sounds.  The volume was...quite a bit louder than I thought I was capable of producing...I guess the acoustics down here must be very different from what we're used to, above the surface."  Theron pauses, then coughs vigorously.  "Screaming like that did a number on the old voice-box though...don't expect I'll be able to use that trick again for at least another day or two.  It seems to have worked, at least."

"Anyways...I took a peek down that southward passage, and it actually splits off into three separate tunnels after a little ways.  So it looks like we've still got a lot left to explore on this level.  If we're following Katya's left-hand rule, though, I guess we should check out that tunnel leading southeast first.  Shall I creep ahead and assess the potential danger, before we march forward?"

[Jherek Everfull]

Jherek moves forward to collect the thrown axe from earlier, then uses the dead rats fur to clean his blades of the rodent ichor. “You are real good Mouse, confused me for sure. I didn’t realize you had been practicing...but I sure was useful. Maybe I should start going all Bawgrust warrior every time we get in a bit of a scrape?”

“We should probably get going again, unless ya’ll wanna go see what’s in that room o’rats up that way.” Jherek gestures down the corridor with his axe. “Was there anything interesting up that way Mouse?”

[Ezeze]

Katya sheaths her sword, then rests that hand on Ingot's shoulder in what she hopes is a steadying, reassuring way. He had thought Jherek was attacking them, and that worried her. The assumption wasn't without cause; the half-elf had threatened to kill him just a little while ago. It was symptomatic of a lack of trust in the little fellowship. A lack of trust that wasn't Ingots fault, but that had gotten him hurt anyway. She didn't know how to fix that.

"I'm not sure continuing on this level is a good idea any longer. The shout -" she looks at Theron. He had been so loud for someone so small, but it might have been acoustics like he suggested. She didn't know enough about them to think otherwise. "- scared away some of the rats, but anything on this floor must have heard it, too. They know we are here. We should go somewhere else."

"I initially suggested we explore this floor to make sure we weren't leaving a goblin ambush behind us to catch us unawares, and that we weren't walking right past the Hooded One - or the Spirit Eater or Soul Devourer or whatever his name is - but the more we see the less likely I think that is. There has been no sign of goblin activity on this floor, and those rats would have attacked them as readily as they attacked us."

She inclined her head towards Ryan. "Acolyte McIntyre has been suggesting we go deeper. Maybe he is right. Goblins are sensitive to sunlight. It makes a weird sort of sense that the best rooms would be the furthest from it, and Garnet's vision was of a nice room."

[Daos]

Ingot slowly lowers his weapon and shield, realizing the battle has ended.  But it's clear he's lost in his own thoughts, still trying to ponder out what just happened.

"Mimicry and voice throwing, eh?" asks Finbul, clearly skeptical.  Despite Theron's explanation, the truth is the screaming was far louder than even Jherek could have done on his own.  The volume was on par with four Jherek's screaming in unison.  "In any case, I guess we should decide if we're returning to the lift or continuing on this level.  What say you all?"

[HorizonsDream]

Ladonna looks slightly skeptical herself, but she doesn't question it for the time being. "I agree that whatever else might be on this floor would have heard that scream."

[notARobot]

Jan 23, 2018 7:14:36 GMT -8 Ezeze said:

"I'm not sure continuing on this level is a good idea any longer. The shout -" she looks at Theron. He had been so loud for someone so small, but it might have been acoustics like he suggested. She didn't know enough about them to think otherwise. "- scared away some of the rats, but anything on this floor must have heard it, too. They know we are here. We should go somewhere else."

Theron scowls as Katya explains her change of heart about exploring this level, but he doesn't argue the point.  He did just finish telling the others that he'd screamed his voice hoarse, after all.

Jan 23, 2018 13:48:15 GMT -8 Daos said:

"Mimicry and voice throwing, eh?" asks Finbul, clearly skeptical.

He does respond to this comment, however.  "I don't think I like your tone, halfling," Theron says, placing particular emphasis on that last word.  "Are you implying something?"

[Nuke]

Ryan is pleased to finally see a turning of opinions. "Yes, please let us go back to the lift before we encounter more wastes of you collective resources.."