Rise of Minodom Part 4 - On the road again
Apologies to all for the wait here, finally had some free time and actually felt like typing this out now so :P
So Chireep and Talas continue on their journey and manage to make it a few days without incident, but I do roll random encounter.
Roll of destiny.
Gets 16. Wait... No.... it can't be... I'm not this lucky. MUST DOUBLE CHECK RANDOM ENCOUNTER LIST.
After double checking, being in disbelief, and rolling to confirm... confirmed. They rolled for random encounter with THIS MOFO.
Cackle to myself as I set up the stage of their battle.
As I'm setting this up... 'SO UH. Character conversations along the travels!' -Chireep OOC
ProudDM.gif
The following is what they said as I prepped, no tampering.
'So... what compelled your parents to name you Chireep?' -Talas, as they are walking the path.
'My parents didn't name me Chireep, the glade did.' -Chireep
LORE INJECTION FOR READERS: The Glade is at the heart of the Bright Woods, a crater impact several miles in diameter and the 'heart' of the forest. All magic flows outward from it and some of the most dangerous living creatures known call it their home. The elves live in their city on the southern edge of the craters rim, overlooking the Glade. Easily one of the most perilous places known.
'The... the what?' -Talas
'The glade! Surely if you come from the elven city you know of the glade.' -Chireep
Talas is flustered. 'Yes I know of... of the glade... but it's... it's an area it isn't living.'
Chireep chuckles at him. 'Theres no way it could have possibly named you.' -Talas continues
'You've seen the Bright Woods yourself, and you say the glade isn't living?' -Chireep
'YES!' -Talas is still confused as to how the forest named Chireep.
Chireep seems to be slightly sympathetic of Talas' confusion, and thus tries to explain. 'Well... I was named Chireep after I wandered into the glade and I uh.... I saw some things that I probably shouldn't have. So I just... that's what I call myself, my real name is Aelendria, and I only tell you this because I feel like I can trust you!' -Chireep
She's playing up that mix of insanity, honesty, and slight ignorance VERY well when she speaks by the way. Sentence fragments and more little nuances are present.
Talas stares blankly for a moment. '...Alright... why don't you just... use your real name?'
'Because names have power.' -Chireep
'No offense but Chireep doesn't sound powerful.' -Talas
'It's not supposed to be.' -Chireep
'So you're trying to get people to under-estimate you?' -Talas
'No. I'm just calling myself what I believe I should be called. Isn't that what you do? You're a bard.' -Chireep
'Yes... but I don't use the word 'bard' as my name.' -Talas
'Oh. Well I think you should because Bard sounds like a lovely name.' -Chireep
'What's wrong with Talas?' -Talas
'Nothing's wrong with Talas, I'm sure your parents thought it was a lovely name when they named you that.' -Chireep
Talas decides to stop the conversation at this point before it gets any weirder.
Convenient timing, the stage is set.
They are on the road approaching a small stone bridge that was made over a creek. Purely made for convenience of caravans with pack animals, up ahead beyond it is an intersection that splits. They need to take the south path.
'Up ahead near the aforementioned intersection, you hear a low rumbling.' -Me
Chireep immediately voices her doubt of their chosen path after hearing said sound.
Talas moves up to the center of the bridge and rolls perception.
Chireep follows hesitantly.
Roll INSANELY low.
'You don't see much, but you do hear a clatter up ahead on the stones of the road, like hooves, and very distinctly a goats baying.' -Me
Talas moves up and rolls perception again, his reasoning being 'If someones coming I want to know so I can move and not be in the way.'
Has now fully crossed the bridge. Intersection is maybe 80-ish feet ahead.
'TWENTY!!!' -Talas OOC when he gets the 20 perception check.
'Your keen eyes allow you to see A LOT up ahead, but still unfortunately nothing new. You do hear a goats bay again, much louder from the path up ahead... followed by a Lions roar.' -Me
'Uhm...' -Both of them OOC
'Can I try to mimic the roar...?' -Chireep
I think she's assuming regular lion...
'Yeah, if you want to.' -Me
'WAITWAITWAIT. Can I cast... so I don't know if it's a creature... no it IS a creature because its a lion roar. I want to use animal speech to-' -Chireep starts
Roll to see if Cleo's curiosity gets the better of her, it does.
Cleo books it forward, 'Damn it Cleo!' -Chireep follows further forwards.
Chireep uses speak with animals spell. Expends one of her two spell slots... right before easily the most dangerous encounter yet.
On the one hand, I'm giddy as all hell... but I also don't want to TPK them before they even GET to the story...
Maybe only kill one of them. Not all of them.
Pop metaphorical DM knuckles, in the event my powers are needed.
Chireep decides to yell 'We don't want to bother anyone, we want to go our own way!'
Have her roll perception since she is yelling this to an animal, of uncertain origins.
They all hear another lion roar, but Chireep in particular ALSO hears this as a lower voice underneath it, '...What was that.'
The animal heaves and groans in the distance, and Chireep feels the creatures rush of thoughts and emotions, too much for one mind, and then all the thoughts universally change to a familiar feeling.
Sniffing the air.
Totally different voice from before 'I smell lunch.'
Ground rumbles a tiny bit.
'It's a Chimera.' -Talas OOC fantasy knowledge clicks.
'If you try to eat us, you're gonna regret it.' -Chireep
Dumbfounded for a second at her brazenness, but hey she's the player.
Rapid loud footsteps approach as the voices go 'Foolish food.'
The Chimera thunders into view from the path opposite of the direction to Hollo'Dar.
'So.... you wanna bounce?' -Chireep OOC
'YES.' -Talas OOC
Talas gets a 20, lucky sonova...
Order is Talas, Chireep, Chimera, Cleo.
'I will carry Cleo if I have to.' -Chireep
'You probably will.' -Me internally
Talas turns to the south side of the path and books it into the trees whilst rolling for stealth.
Chimeras passive perception alone stomps his roll, three heads man.
'The main body of the Chimera is still fixated on the bridge, but the lion head is looking at you and snarling.' -Me
Chireeps turn.
'I pick up Cleo with my bonus action.' -Chireep
I'll allow it.
'Cleo is now on your back, but no longer has her own movement, due to riding you.' -Me
Chireep runs into the trees NORTH of the path, and rolls stealth.
Chireep botches her stealth roll spectacularly by the way.
Chimeras turn.
Chimera only uses half its movement to move a bit, goat is looking at Chireep, Dragon is undecided and looking back and forth, Lion is looking at Talas.
Chireep hears an incoherent swarm of voices 'Which do we eat?' 'Which one?' 'How do?!'
Meant to say 'How do we choose?' brain failed me in that moment, stopped at how do. Hysterical laughter from us all for a minute.
Accidentally birthed a running joke in our campaign.
Sigh.oops
Cleo is freaking out in Chireeps pack, trying to run but stuck.
Skip to Talas turn again.
In this moment, Talas revealed his genius.
'I'm going to cast THIS, and may I channel it through my horn to effect all three heads?' -Talas as he links 'Hideous Laughter' in the Roll20 chat.
That's a genius solution to a fatal situation, say yes cause I want to see if he can save everyone.
Chimera wisdom bonus is only 2, unlike its insane perception bonus of 8.
Chimera fails wisdom saving throw by ONE.
Party is ecstatic and yelling. I'm just here impressed that this encounter even happened, even more so that they are finding a non-kill it approach to get away.
Talas points at the Chimera after he's done blowing the horn and laughs hysterically.
'The Chimera stops to look at you, as you are pointing and laughing at it, and its about to charge when the goat head chuckles. The lion head purrs and a rumbling is within, and the dragon starts laughing loudly. They all fall onto their side they are laughing so hard.' -Me
Talas then uses bonus action to cast message and tell Chireep to meet him further down the southern path, to run.
In case anyone has forgotten, I only make attacks and movement cost your main action. Thus non-combat spells can be bonus actions, sorry if anyone's a 'by the book' player here.
Inform them that this is amusing, and thus I will allow them to escape if they can all reach a certain point on the map without the Chimera, and then ping the spot for them.
Ping the south path, where they were headed anyway, but hey they deserve it.
Chireep double moves towards the spot.
All our faces when its the Chimeras turn and it breaks free of the spell first try.
'The goat manages to overcome the laughing fit, and headbutts the other two heads.' -Me
Turns ends because had to use the turn breaking free from Hideous Laughter.
Talas re-rolls stealth now that it's coherent and continues moving.
Beats Chimeras roll by 1. Hidden.
'You just barely manage to avoid its gaze, if the Lion head had looked to the left even a half a second sooner you would have been spotted.' -Me
Chireeps turn again!
Wait....
MFW if Chireep fails stealth, Chimera only has one target now.
'It's probably Ok. The Chimera is slightly dazed from its recovery, and you are behind it. Thus advantage, you'd have to botch this incredibly to be seen.' -Me
InsertFamousLastWords.gif here
Chireep rolls 5 for stealth at advantage.
One Chimera head very plainly and obviously watches her do her double move.
'One of the Chimera heads yells 'IT'S OVER THERE!' to which the other two heads respond by looking as well. It then flies right up to you, attack range next turn.' -Me
Regular movement is 60 flying speed, double move is 120 per turn. Hideous Laughter was their only chance. Hope is dying.
Cleos turn.
Now you may say : But DM... Cleo is riding on Chireeps back, and doesn't get movement, remember?
Yes I remember.
I also remember that Cleo is far stronger than Chireep and that she also has a sense of self-preservation.
Cleo rolls higher than Chireep to forcibly remove herself from the bag and run away.
'OH! GOOD! GOOD good good good! Get the *^% outta there Cleo! DO IT. DO IT CLEO!' -Chireep OOC, encouraging her raptor companion to run and live.
Cleo friggin books it, uses her main action to move 50 feet, since can't double move due to getting out of bag.
Chireep is now alone, in melee range of the Chimera next turn.
'At least Cleo lives...' -Chireep OOC
Talas turn.
Talas doesn't like the idea of Chireep biting the dust.
'I cast bardic inspiration on Chireep, and vicious mockery on the chimera.' -Talas OOC
Summary of Talas turn; he gave Chireep a blessing of 1d6 to whatever roll she chooses, and if the Chimera gets hit by mockery it gets disadvantage next attack.
Roll for Chimera to resist mockery.
Fails. Now at disadvantage.
Chireep cries tears of joy, Talas very vocally yells 'YES!'
Gets max damage on mockery roll.
'Ok. The Chimera now only has 110 HP.' -Me, since this is the first time they've hit it.
'Ohhhhhh-hohohoh-hahahahaha-eeehhhhh' -Chireep OOC miserably laughing.
'Oh my GOSH.' -Talas OOC
Chireeps turn, asks if she can roll stealth.
'I mean... yes... but you're standing RIGHT in front of it. Gonna need a miracle.' -Me
'Ok yeah fuck it. Rolling for stealth to run away.' -Chireep OOC
Chireep adds bardic inspiration to stealth roll to try to run away.
Gets 21 all said and done.
Talas is quivering with anticipation, as I decide to roll to see if the Chimera witnesses her running. Decided this roll is ONLY possible due to the bardic inspiration being 'magical enhancement' to Chireeps stealth. She is standing in front of it after all, even a Nat 20 without magic would fail.
Chimera fails the roll to see Chireep after entering stealth.
'As the Chimera is standing above you, about to maul you, it hears the bard singing off to the side. Two of the three heads look, and the third head yells 'WHERE DID IT GO?' as it witnesses you duck forward and vanish in a shimmer of bardic magic.' -Me
I'd like to add that Chireep threw in a 'FUCK YOU!' OOC at the Chimera as I was describing her vanishing.
Cleo uses her turn continuing to run down the southern path, obviously.
Talas turns to follow Cleo south, grabs a rock and throws it to the west down the road where they originally came from.
Chireep runs south more on her turn as well.
Chimera spends half its movement running to where it heard the stone land, and THEN rolls perception.
- Doesn't beat their stealth rolls. ALL STILL HIDDEN.
They have officially escaped, the entire party will reach the designated 'extraction zone' as I was calling it, before the Chimeras next turn.
'PEACE BITCHHHEESSSSS' -Chireep OOC
'YESSSSSSSSSS! YUUUUSSSS!!!!' -Talas OOC
'I can't believe that worked.' -Me as I'm laughing.
Talas OOC is beyond giddy.
Chireep is thankful to not be lunch
Continue on their journey to Hollo'Dar.
Thus is the story of how I gained immense joy from my players genuine trust in each other, with Talas going so far as to cast spells and risk death, to save Chireep.
Posted Aug 30, 2016, 12:06 AM UTC · edited