Gameplay - The Dragon That Opposed an Empress

OOC:

Correction to an earlier post: hobgoblins and kobolds have darkvision 60', so while it is dark in the tunnels, Garth child see just fine. However, lizardfolk do not so Hehsh will need light to see to target targets.

Mavis creeps up the tunnel until where it opens into a larger area. The hill giant is sitting in the floor gnawing on something, a person's leg it looks like. A large magical fire burns in the center. It is facing sideways to Mavis when she is at the mouth of the tunnel.

So far, she had remained silent and it hadn't noticed her.

Mavis Redleather

May 17, 2020 3:15 pm

She raises a hand, and makes a complex set of hand gestures. They are guild sign - a tiny subset of hand gestures stolen from the drow for silent communication - but they would be incomprehensible to the party.

Dwarven underdark leather hunter guild sign includes expressions for:
Stay hidden - I will approach stealthily
Fan out, surround and wait
Prepare ambush
Get kettle on - ah’m gaspin’ fer cuppa

Mavis hunkers down to try and skirt around and approach the giant from the rear.

OOC:

Jeez - I just can’t roll today.

Last edited May 17, 2020 3:16 pm

Rolls

Stealthy approach (I hope) - (1d20+9)

(6) + 9 = 15

May 17, 2020 3:17 pm

The giant appears fully concentrating on eating leg.

May 17, 2020 3:25 pm

OOC:

How big and hot does that fire look? I’m guessing he’s Huge, Mavis is medium. RAW that makes a shove impossible, but if he’s sitting down maybe a flying leap could push him into the fire? Maybe?

It seems too cool a story to not ask the question whether it looks at all likely Mavis could make a heroic athletics check to try and push him into his own fire. My dice have to change sometime.

OOC:

Garth or Hehsh - do you have anything that can embiggen those flames?

Last edited May 17, 2020 3:34 pm

May 17, 2020 3:39 pm

OOC:

You can always try. Remember that it's an opposed roll and he'll have Huge bonuses

Mavis Redleather

May 17, 2020 3:57 pm

OOC:

Lol - yeah, I get that. I would imagine advantage from size too. But Mavis has expertise in Athletics (+8), so it’s not that mental (whilst still being pretty mental).

But I don’t want to push it into a small camp fire for 1d6 damage. In Mavis’s estimation how fierce is that fire?

I know that the smart thing to do is take the shot - advantage to hit - assassinate crit damage for an average of 30HP. God! That’s making me yawn already.

But if I can attempt the much harder "the dwarf went flying across the cave with both feet and (pushed the giant into the fire) or (bounced off the giant)"... Ah, screw it - I don’t really care about the damage....

Mavis takes a few cautious steps backwards, shakes herself down... finds her mark... assumes her sprinter’s set... go!

Her little legs pound as she concentrates on the giant’s shoulders. If she can just plant her weight there, just take his balance, then maybe... just maybe...

Thump, thump, thump, getting faster now, thump-thump-thump, head up, focus, Mavis, focus, thumpthumpthump, the giant starts to turn, and hup!

OOC:

Awww - dice have no sense of fun! C’mon fate - I’d have taken a Nat 1 over a mediocre 13.

Last edited May 17, 2020 3:59 pm

Rolls

Athletics - (1d20+8)

(13) + 8 = 21

Gropp

May 17, 2020 4:08 pm

Mavis has advantage for catching him sitting and unaware.

He also has advantage for being 15 feet tall.

However, the flying kick catches him in the chest and he rolls backward into the fire.

That's initiative!

Rolls

Athletics, advantage - (1d20+5, 1d20+5)

1d20+5 : (6) + 5 = 11

1d20+5 : (10) + 5 = 15

Initiative - (1d20-1)

(12) - 1 = 11

Mavis Redleather

May 17, 2020 4:21 pm

somebox Inactive forever!

As the giant falls Mavis assumes a surfer’s pose following him into the fire. Riding him down she reaches for the dagger at her right arm.
Aye, that’ll do. Let’s gi’ ‘im a ‘ickle tickle afore leggin’ it.

But that’s too much confidence to fit into such a small dwarf.

OOC:

Dwarf tossing... I wonder how far a hill giant can throw Mavis?

Last edited May 17, 2020 4:44 pm

Rolls

Initiative - (1d20+3)

(1) + 3 = 4

Ruby Tealeaf

May 17, 2020 5:14 pm

Machiabelly Inactive forever!

Ruby will drop the torch as she rushes into the action, scampering up the tunnel. "HehshpickthatupMavisneedshelp!"

Rolls

Initiative - (1d20+5)

(6) + 5 = 11

May 17, 2020 6:28 pm

Garth casts guiding bolt at the giant.

Die foul creature

Rolls

Bolt - (1D20+4)

(5) + 4 = 9

Damage - (4d6)

(5245) = 16

May 17, 2020 10:48 pm

Machiabelly Inactive forever!

Adam says:

OOC:

Dwarf tossing... I wonder how far a hill giant can throw Mavis?

OOC:

Fun fact: a hill giant can throw a boulder weighing 300 pounds up to 240 feet.

Still looking for initiative rolls from most of you, but Ruby has beat the giant's roll (tie breaker being the better Dex).

Assume you can reach the giant in a single move.

Also, I'll determine the fire damage on the giants action.

May 18, 2020 12:06 am

OOC:

Forgot initiative

Rolls

As requested - (1D20+1)

(12) + 1 = 13

May 18, 2020 12:13 am

Machiabelly Inactive forever!

Garths spell attack modifier is +6 (Wis + Prof) but an 11 still misses.

May 18, 2020 1:32 am

OOC:

I did plus 3 because it said to do a ranged attack.

May 18, 2020 5:41 am

somebox Inactive forever!

Qralloq says:

OOC:

Fun fact: a hill giant can throw a boulder weighing 300 pounds up to 240 feet.

OOC:

Lol. That is a fun fact. Thank you.

You remember those kinematics questions that begin "A body in projectile motion..." - I never imagined that the "body" would one day be my d&d character's body.

Using kinematics and some conservation of energy - that means a giant could throw that rock vertically 120', imparting the same energy as propelling Mavis (at roughly half the mass) 240' vertically. Which is the same energy as 20d6 fall damage. It doesn't matter if she hits a wall - it's still energy. 20d6 is an average of 70HP damage, and thanks to d&d weirdness, it's probably not enough to instantly kill her.

Anyway - he's gotta catch Mavis first. I assume I'll get a contested check of some description.

Qralloq says:

Garths spell attack modifier is +6 (Wis + Prof) but an 11 still misses.

OOC:

Not that it matters, but wouldn't it be at disadv because the giant is prone? Or are you ruling that a prone giant is still a pretty big target (which seems reasonable)?

Ruby Tealeaf

May 18, 2020 6:12 am

OOC:

How big is this giant?

Ruby can't allow the massive size discrepancy to deter her when the group's reputation is on the line! Easily reaching her foe she twists her staff with a flick of the wrist, going for the shins. *Smack!* *Wham!* The sounds of her staff and scissor kick echo in the cavern.

Last edited May 18, 2020 6:14 am

Rolls

Staff Attack 1 - (1d20+9, 1d8+6)

1d20+9 : (9) + 9 = 18

1d8+6 : (3) + 6 = 9

Staff Attack 2 - (1d20+9, 1d8+6)

1d20+9 : (1) + 9 = 10

1d8+6 : (1) + 6 = 7

Flurry of blows 2 - (1d20+8, 1d6+5)

1d20+8 : (7) + 8 = 15

1d6+5 : (1) + 5 = 6

I'm just not gonna have more then three rolls in a post I guess (Flurry 1) - (1d20+8, 1d6+5)

1d20+8 : (15) + 8 = 23

1d6+5 : (6) + 5 = 11

May 18, 2020 6:14 am

OOC:

I don't know - but you might have adv with those attacks - if the giant is prone.

May 18, 2020 12:04 pm

somebox Inactive forever!

The giant is 15' tall. It isn't exactly prone but reclining into the fire, leaning against the piled wood and debris. But Advantage sounds right. Ruby can roll 4 more d20s.

Ruby Tealeaf

May 18, 2020 5:41 pm