Ok guys, apologies again, been a crazy busy week, and on top of it I'm on the road now.
The companions take advantage of the chaotic blend of scent, smoke, and sound they've created to dash ahead - their pursuers gain no ground! Residuals of their tricks will continue confound for some time yet.
All party members keep moving +4
Residual effects of fire, ongoing Illusory trumpets +2
The party spots a few options to seize an advantage on their path.
Time to choose!A) A precariously balanced fallen tree spans a perilous looking gorge. It does not appear that a horse could make the crossing, but once the companions are across they'll have a serious choke point at their control!
Challenge: Disadvantaged Dex check to cross vs unknown DC.
Threat: Fall into the gorge
Reward: Secure the far side of the gorge
B) A dense bog, thick with spiky thorns and reeking of stagnant water. Pushing through might slow the party some, but the pursuers will be slowed and the bog stench and brackish water may very well erase their trail!
Threat: Party movement halved for 2 rounds
Reward: Pursuit force movement halved for 2 rounds, plus skill/ability checks become disadvantaged and DC increases
C) "Leave it all on the field" - Run as fast as you can for as long as you can manage, and hope that it is enough!
Reward = Gain 1d8 extra Lead points per round for 3 rounds.
Cost = Take 3 levels of exhaustion (See rules from PHB pg 291 copy/pasted below) on the first round afterward.
D) Turn and fight! Take the chance that the hounds can be wiped out fast enough that the companions can still outrun oncoming mob of Gnollish warriors.
Threat: Usual combat threats, and 1 Lead Point lost for every 2 rounds of combat.
Each party member gets one vote, the option with the most votes is the chosen course of action!VOTE NOW!
E x h a u s t io nSome special abilities and environmental hazards, such as starvation and the long-term effects of freezing or scorching
temperatures, can lead to a special condition called exhaustion. Exhaustion is measured in six levels. An effect
can give a creature one or more levels of exhaustion, as specified in the effect’s description.
Level Effect
1 Disadvantage on ability checks
2 Speed halved
3 Disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws
4 Hit point maximum halved
5 Speed reduced to 0
6 Death
If an already exhausted creature suffers another effect that causes exhaustion, its current level of exhaustion increases
by the amount specified in the effect’s description. A creature suffers the effect of its current level of exhaustion as well as all lower levels. For example, a creature suffering level 2 exhaustion has its speed halved and has
disadvantage on ability checks. An effect that removes exhaustion reduces its level as specified in the effect’s description, with all exhaustion effects ending if a creature’s exhaustion level is reduced below 1. Finishing a long rest reduces a creature's exhaustion level by 1, provided that the creature has also ingested some food and drink.