Chapter 04: What lurks below

[GreyWolfVT]

means check if it is locked. i.e. checking the lock.

Jacob steps back, not liking being all huddled together. He looks over to Korin, "You take right, I'll take left?"

With the dwarfs acknowledgement Jacob heads over to the left door and begins searching for traps on the door and adjacent walls/ceiling/floor as well as searching to see if the door is locked, if so he will attempt to pick the lock but not open the door.

Korin nods "Sure Jacob."

[PyroArrow]

Norbold Ernessaeia [Sylvanian Elf Cleric: Scale Mail AC 6 : 2 / 2 HP]:

Norbold will be ready to fire an arrow into whatever door the thieves open first, if need be.

[Nordbo]

Ok then it will be as with the rat door earlier, i e:

To check whether the door is locked or not, Korin has to turn its (...) handle

GW let me know if you want to continue with 'turning door handle to check lock', or, 'refrain from having done so in the light of the possibility that yanking a door handle may have consequences that affects game development'
(alternatively: is there any other unobtrusive method to 'check lock' in AD&D that I maybe forgot ? Lemme know )

[GreyWolfVT]

well for one I always check the door for traps as well as the knob or pull ring.to see if it is locked i'd only pull it a little not enough to open it entirely but enough like maybe and inch to see if it is locked it wont budge. If not locked it would open the crack I'm attempting to open it. In a knob situation the knob generally wont turn if locked so that is different entirely. Does this make sense?

[Nordbo]

Perfect GW, thanks. That means we're on the same page - great !

[Nordbo]

The door that Korin checked, was open. Then fast forward to Korin & Jacob looking round T-intersection, turning back and bumping into Ox and Norbold. We pick up from there:

Just at the point when Jacob

steps back, not liking being all huddled together

the door that Korin checked just earlier slams open and wild chatter is heard. In the light of the torch Korin and Jacob suddenly see ugly faces appear in the shadows behind Ox and Norbold:

04-29_attack_from_behind.JPG (52.21 KiB) Viewed 714 times

and then attacking them. Everybody's taken completely by surprise.

Ugly being #1 thumps Norbold from behind: To hit: [1d20] = 17, damage: [1d6] = 4

Ugly being #2 wallops Ox in the back: To hit: [1d20] = 8, damage: [1d6] = 4

both fail to do any harm: to Ox & Norbold it feels more like they've been kicked in the rear.

There seem to be more ugly faces behind the two attacking ones....

(I e this all happens before Jacob & Korin could check further doors & traps beyond the T intersection)

Actions!

[MonkeyWrench]

Jacob's face twist in disgust under his hood, "Why is it always dead or ugly shit!" He slips his hidden dagger from his sleeve and throws it over his friends shoulder, aiming at the head of Ugly #1

Dagger (Thrown): [1d20+2] = 19+2 = 21, Damage: S/M[1d4] = 1, L[1d3] = 3

[Dram]

Ox pulls his L sword and attacks the first monster in range.

L. Sword Atk
L sword attk, to hit [1d20+1] = 4+1 = 5, to dam[1d8+2] = 3+2 = 5

[GreyWolfVT]

Korin "Bah quit yer whinin' Jacob. Just smash tha hell outta it. Best watch yer arse if me axe comes flyin in." throwing axe aimed for which ever ugly is in more of a clear shot for a throw if not well then ... ouch.Hand/Throwing Axe [1d20 +1] = 2+1 = 3 to hit [1d6 +3] = 1+3 = 4 s/m dmg

[MonkeyWrench]

Korin "Bah quit yer whinin' Jacob. Just smash tha hell outta it. Best watch yer arse if me axe comes flyin in." throwing axe aimed for which ever ugly is in more of a clear shot for a throw if not well then ... ouch.Hand/Throwing Axe [1d20 +1] = 2+1 = 3 to hit [1d6 +3] = 1+3 = 4 s/m dmg

looks like Korin needs to stop talking and get to aiming better

[Nordbo]

Jacob - who had expected a beautiful princess - channels his disappointment in a lethally precise dagger throw. Ugly face #1 didn't even have time to be surprised before its lights went out: the dagger cuts its throat and it dies instantly. Those behind it are spattered with its grayish blood, causing shouts of "Hate hate!" to erupt in goblin, which Jacob now recognises the language to be.

Ox swirls around majestically but is confused by the shadows cast by Korin's torch on the wall against which the goblins are grouped, and his sword merely whooshes above their heads.

Korin, standing furthest back of all the PCs, doesn't quite cut it with his throwing axe skills this time. The axe bounces against the wall and - honest, I rolled % dice ! - improbably crashlands on Norbold's sore foot. Ouch again!

Goblin #3 steps into #1's spot and takes an angry swing at Ox To hit: [1d20] = 5, damage: [1d6] = 1 but only manages to move some air.

Goblin #2 takes another swipe at Norbold's bum To hit: [1d20] = 4, damage: [1d6] = 3. But as his behind is neatly packaged in beautiful scale mail the blow just bounces off. In fact, the axe on his foot hurt more than a minor goblin peck right now.

A fourth goblin (#4) lunges out from the ominous shadows at Norbold but it, too misses To hit: [1d20] = 5, damage: [1d6] = 6

Goblins #2, #3 and #4 then fall back slightly towards the door they came from, but are still fighting the PCs. You notice that they are not coherently dressed, it looks like they grabbed their outfits in panic.

Note: Jacob is now without dagger, Korin without throwing axe.

Actions for melee round #2!

[MonkeyWrench]

Jacob draws his shortsword, unable to attack this round due to his friends blocking the way and all.

[GreyWolfVT]

Korin considers the situation and takes out his broadsword then tries to figure out how he can squeeze through the congested hall to attack one of the ugly things. Broad Sword [1d20 +1] = 20+1 = 21 to hit [2d4 +3] = 6+3 = 9 s/m dmg [1d6 +4] = 2+4 = 6 lrg dmg

[Dram]

Ox- Attacks the same goblin again.


L.Sword attack
L sword attk, to hit [1d20+1] = 12+1 = 13, to damsm[1d8+2] = 8+2 = 10,Lg [1d12] = 9

[Nordbo]

Melee round #2

A scuffle indeed! It's hard to say who has cornered who, in this dank part of Rat Ridge's interior. The tight space only allows two PC:s alongside each other ...and just about.
As Norbold still stands frozen, facing Jacob and Korin, it's only Ox who has a chance to tackle the opponents for the moment;

04-30_meet_the_goblins.JPG (52.99 KiB) Viewed 686 times

Jacob and Korin are stuck behind both of them, straining to get up to the front - but that's not possible just yet. Korin can, however reach & pick up his throwing axe below Norbold.

Ox slams his sword into Goblin #3 (the one who shouted): L sword attk, to hit [1d20+1] = 12+1 = 13, to damsm[1d8+2] = 8+2 = 10,Lg [1d12] = 9. It shuts him up - but does not seem to draw blood. The goblin stays upright.

Goblins #2 and #3 now make a go for Ox: To hit: [1d20] = 7, damage: [1d6] = 5 and To hit: [1d20] = 15, damage: [1d6] = 3 - the mighty Drow's red and green eye blink in pain as he takes three hits.

Dram, is Ox really only AC 8 with chainmail ?

Goblin #4 seems irritated that he couldn't scratch Norbold's armour last round, and gives him another whack: To hit: [1d20] = 3, damage: [1d6] = 3 - but the puny blow once again fails to distract Norbold from his aching foot.

Goblins #2, #3 and #4 then turn around in panic towards the door they came from.

Actions for melee round #3 !

[Dram]

Ox- Swings at goblin3. You best be joining your friends before you the dead.

L. Sword at
url=http://www.unseenservant.com/default.as ... macid=5087]L sword attk, to hit [1d20+1] = 7+1 = 8, to damsm[1d8+2] = 4+2 = 6,Lg [1d12] = 3[/url]

[GreyWolfVT]

Korin picks up his throwing axe and puts it back in his belt loop. Then takes out a dagger and prepares to throw it into the face of an ugly goblin thing. Dagger [1d20 +1] = 2+1 = 3 to hit v[1d4] = 4 s/m dmg [1d3] = 1 lrg dmg
well now the roller really does not want me to hit anything except the walls, floor and ceilings.

[Nordbo]

During the above altercation, Ox, Jacob and Korin have been following the goblins round the corner to the right, to the door the goblins came out of.

Ox (gaining loadsa PHB bonus when attacking an enemy that's breaking off from melee!) slices goblin #3 in half.

While Korin was fastening his axe and picking up a dagger, from the corner of his left eye he suddenly saw the zombie coming shuffling back from the left towards this area. The zombie was brandishing its broom as a spear! This odd sight caused Korin to wobble and miss with his dagger throw towards fleeing goblin.

The two remaining goblins have now reached the door they came from and slam it shut amid more panicky shouts of "Hate, hate, hate, kill, danger". Ox hears frantic thumping behind the now closed door.

The zombie, behind them all, now throws its broom like a spear (handle first) towards Korin. The broom travels in a direct line towards Korin. But, just before it connects with Korin, the broom is suddenly and surprisingly deflected. It changes its path totally, bounces away and hits a wall before landing on the floor!

Actions!

[GreyWolfVT]

Korin attacks the zombie janitor Broad Sword [1d20 +1] = 11+1 = 12 to hit [2d4 +3] = 6+3 = 9 s/m dmg [1d6 +4] = 2+4 = 6 lrg dmg

[Nordbo]

Clarification

the broom is suddenly and surprisingly deflected. It changes its path totally.

meaning: in a very unexpected way. The irregular deviation from its normally assumed course, ricocheting away before even making physical contact, in defiance of generally accepted missile dynamics, might make someone in the line of fire, or bystanding observers, think there was some unseen force at play. Hint hint.