Act 2, Scene 1: "A Flicker of Hope" (Main Game Thread)

[TristenC]

Jordek whips out a dagger and hurls it at the newcome foe, but the blade ricochets off of the hard shell. The Beetle skitters forward and reaches for the elf with it's formidable looking mandibles, but to no avail. Striking down with his longsword, Nocturno too tests the sturdiness of the chitinous shell as it turns his blade aside just as easily. Amid the bedlam, the shrieking mushroom continues its ScreEEEEEEEE

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R1:
Jordek (2+2 dagger): 4
Beetle ( +3 natl attk):
Nocturno (10+5 LS): 15


Jordek throws his dagger at the Beetle
Thac0 18 vs AC?:
[1d20] = 9, miss!

Jordek Vs Beetle init, hit, dmg [1d10] = 2, [1d20] = 9, [1d4] = 1

The Beetle moves 10 feet to close to melee range with Nocturno
The Beetle tries to crush (-2 bashing vs Splint) at Nocturno with it's mandibles
Thac0 ?? Vs AC 1 (-2):
[1d20] = 2, miss! (badly!)
Beetle vs Nocturno init, hit, dmg [1d10] = 5, [1d20] = 2, [2d6] = 6

Nocturno slashes at the Beetle with his longsword
Thac0 17 vs AC ?:
[1d20] = 10, miss!

[Nocturno]

Nocturno will attack the Beetle again.

"We are going to have to do better than that."

Clearly not listening to his own advice, he swings at it...

Longsword(18): [1d20] = 7 [1d8+3] = 4+3 = 7

[TristenC]

Jordek quickly draws and hurls a second dagger. This time, his blade finds a seam between two plates and sticks in deep! Both the beetle and Nocturno continue to try to land an attack, but to no avail.

[Actions?]
[It has been a while since squirrely posted so i'll just put Jordek in auto-mode until he comes back]
====
R2:
Jordek (2+2 dagger): 4
Beetle (6 +3 natl attk): 9
Nocturno (10+5 LS): 15

Jordek draws a second dagger
Jordek throws his dagger at the Beetle
Thac0 18 vs AC?:
[1d20] = 18, hit!
For [1d4] = 3 damage!
The Beetle is Hurt!

Jordek Vs Beetle hit, dmg[1d20] = 18, [1d4] = 3

The Beetle tries to crush (-2 bashing vs Splint) at Nocturno with it's mandibles
Thac0 ?? Vs AC 1 (-2):
[1d20] = 12, miss!
Beetle vs Nocturno hit, dmg [1d20] = 12, [2d6] = 9

Nocturno slashes at the Beetle with his longsword
Thac0 17 vs AC ?:
[1d20] = 7, miss!

[Squirrellord]

OOC - I apologize for not checking in lately Tristen
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Pulling his remaining dagger, Jordek hesitates a moment and then charges in at the beetle trying to slash at it. (preferably not near the head which, unless I'm mistaken, is currently occupied with an elf.)

[Nocturno]

Finally!
=====
Nocturno takes a swing at the beetle, trying to end the threat.

Longsword(18): [1d20]=18 [1d8+3]=2+3=5

[TristenC]

[No worries bud, glad to have you back. Also... Nocturno have you ever heard the phrase "Can't Win for Losing?...?]

Jordek draws his final dagger an circles around behind the large beetle while it is occupied with Nocturno. Taking a desperate stab, his strike glances off of the hardened carapace. The beetle, ignoring the Gnome, lurches forward and clamps its spiked mandibles around the heavily armored elf's upper thigh! A spiked portion of the beetle stabs into the femoral artery, dropping the Elf to the ground in an instant!!!

[umm... actions?!]
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R3:
Jordek (2+2 dagger): 4
Beetle (6 +3 natl attk): 9
Nocturno (10+5 LS): 15

Jordek draws his last dagger
Jordek circles around around behind the beetle
Jordek stabs with his dagger at the Beetle from behind (+2 to hit)
Thac0 20 vs AC? (+2): Need 18 to hit AC 0
[1d20] = 8, miss!

Jordek stab Vs Beetle hit, dmg[1d20]=8, [1d4]=2

The Beetle tries to crush (-2 bashing vs Splint) at Nocturno with it's mandibles
Thac0 ?? Vs AC 1 (-2):
[1d20] = 20, hit! possible crit!
Crit Conf [1d20] = 20!!! Double crit!! Nocturno is Stunned!
For [2d6] = 8 + [2d6] = 10!
Nocturno is Unconscious! [-1/17 hp]

Beetle vs Nocturno hit, dmg [1d20]=20, [2d6]=8
Beetle crit conf [1d20]=20, [2d6]=10

Nocturno ... is DOWN!

[Nocturno]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIpfWORQWhU

[Squirrellord]

OOC - Let me know if this mechanically works or not with how you run things.

Upon seeing his new pin cushion go down, Jordek digs deep and uses clone animal to create 2 squirrels and has Chitt's new brothers, Nit and Wit, swarm the beetle's head seeking to distract their foe. Jordek then turns tail and runs back toward the entrance. (intent with the run is to get out of range of the beetle to then attempt to hide next turn. He has not completely given up hope on pin cushion.)

[TristenC]

[Yeah I can work with that. Essentially they will make grapple attacks to climb onto the beetle and ride it (albeit on his face) I'll give them a bonus since squirrels are such great climbers!]

Sensing Jordek's intent, Chitt scurries out from hiding. Performing his secret ritual, the forest Gnome creates a pair of squirrel-like clones of his attuned animal! Chittering out a simple command, he sends the furry little duo flying towards the face of their foe! Nit sticks a miraculous landing atop the beetle's head, scurrying and scratching and biting about its FACE! Wit, however, barely misjudges his descent and falls just short of the head... right into the aggressively clutching mandibles of the beetle!! A tiny squeeeak! is cut short in a puff of moss-scented smoke as the insect grinds it into nothing.

In the disarray, Jordek backs quickly out of sight up the passage leading back outside...



[Actions R5]
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Incidentally, what does Jordek's ritual for creating copies of Chit look like? (asking for a friend)

Init
R4:
Jordek (2+3 Priest Ability): 5
Beetle (6 +3 natl attk): 9
Nocturno: DOWN

Jordek uses his Animal Priest ability Clone Attuned Animal!
Jordek creates 2 clones of Chitt (named Nit and Wit)
Jordek commands the clones to distract the Beetle's (by scurrying over its face!)

Jordek backs away from the beetle down the tunnel to the surface entrance

Nit tries to climb (catch/climb +4 racial bonus for squirrels) the Beetle
Thac0 20 vs AC? (+4):
[1d20] = 14, hit!
Nit grabs onto the beetle's face!!

Wit tries to climb (catch/climb +4 racial bonus for squirrels) the Beetle
Thac0 20 vs AC 4 (+4): Need 12+ to hit
[1d20] = 11, miss! (Barely!)

Nit and Wit attack the beetle! [1d20]=14, [1d20]=11

The Beetle tries to crush Wit with its mandibles (-4 for distracting squirrel to the FACE!)
Thac0 15 Vs AC 8 (-4): Need 11+
[1d20] = 13, hit! (close hit!)
For [2d6] = 8 damage!
Wit is Destroyed!!

Beetle vs Wit [1d20]=13, [2d6]=8

Nocturno bleeds [-2/17]

[Squirrellord]

Once Jordek is safely out of sight he will attempt to hide and keep still in order to listen to see if he can determine if the beetle has left.
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The ritual to create copies of Chitt looks like he is grabbing a bit of Chitt and pulling another squirrel out of the existing one.
And yeah, I realize I just pigeonholed myself into committing that Chitt needs to be physically present. Perhaps he will learn yet another way which will not require that...

[TristenC]

[Yeah, chitt needs to be present for now, but honestly he has basically always been around right? Haaha, so like a stage magic trick where he pulls Chitt's fur and just slides another couple squirrels out love it]

Jordek finds a suitable alcove in the rough earthen wall to hide himself in, and listens intently. Furious screeching, chittering and scratching can be heard as the two creatures flail and grapple at each other. After a few moments, the sound of crumbling earth follows, and the noise moves farther away, perhaps into the smalll side tunnel created by the beetle...

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Init
R5:
Jordek (2+3 Rogue Ability): 5
Beetle (6 +3 natl attk): 9
Nocturno: DOWN

Jordek hides!
[secret roll]

Nit holds on!
nit dex check [1d20]=16, pass! (barely)

The beetle cannot reach Nit!
The beetle moves back to the tunnel it burrowed in through to try to scrape tge squirrel off


Nocturno bleeds [-3/17]

[Squirrellord]

Sneaky sneaky Jordek moves back into the mushroom room keeping an eye and ear out for the beetle.
OOC - is the shrieking mushroom still shrieking?
Actions to be determined by the answer to the above question

[TristenC]

Jordek sneaks back into the chamber where Nocturno lies. The beetle has apparently retreated to the side tunnel where sounds of struggle continie. The shrieker mushroom seems to have ceased its outcry at some point during the earlier combat

[Nocturno]

ddd5x9x-032d080e-4ebe-4845-b500-fa4a55ec479f.jpg (62.17 KiB) Viewed 5279 times

[Squirrellord]

Quietly, Jordek approaches the fallen elf and attempts to revive him with a Cure Light Wounds. (Making shushing motions to the elf when complete)
Assuming he can get the elf on his feet, he will help him out of the cave.