Pt. 2: "The Journey to Biggs Ranch"

When Auren is standing on the pony trail, near the sign (and the shot-dead snake), he peers over the edge of the cliff. Down below, in a tangled thicket of cacti, there is a crumpled body. The marshal detects the slightest bit of movement, and hears an anguished plea, "H-help me, please."

What are the pathing options to get to the injured person? can Auren stay on the path or does he have to bush-whack straight down? time difference\terrain difficulty?

can you give a map coordinate? you don't have to redraw the map

There doesn't appear to be any other path down. The pony trail leads off in another direction as well as the main road.

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The helpless person is at square: H-11. (Map update coming soon). The color of the person's clothing is casual; browns and tans, the style of most common folk. Though the figure isn't too far away, 30' - 40' probably, Auren can't see much, because of rocks and vegetation in his view.

Satisfied that there is no ambush, jp ties the reins down and dismounts. "Hey 'boots'," settling on a morbidly humorius nickname for the marshal. "Ah gotd ah reup, eh? We toss itd dahwn for heem no?" He has holstered the sawed off and has the. CArbine handy.

"We could just rope em' back up here, sheriff." says Tommy with a grin

"Oer vee cann lower yeu dahwn to get heem si vu ples? Use de heorses? Ah weont drob yeu... weould beh teu harrd teu ged yeur skinn bacg for zee zuitcaise, no?" Jp chuckles at his own jokes.

Marshall Sparks flashes a toothy grin to JP and Tommy, "I didn't realize you two were a comedy act from your Barnum & Bailey Circus! JP, get your rope ready and hitch it to Tommy's horse, in case we need to pull him up or lower someone down. Tommy would make the most sense to lower down, he is the lightest in his boots. I am going to secure his horse and see if I can better assess his position and condition."

Auren will cautiously make his way down the path towards the horse and go to about L\M12 or so, where the path turns a bit, so he can look across to H11 at the guy.

Auren wanders down the path to gain a better vantage point. The horse looks up, decides you aren't a threat to him, and goes back to grazing.
Roll perception...

Something the paladin notices right away, down in the lower arroyo: hidden behind a pile of boulders (D-15), there appears to be a large hole in the rock, perhaps a cave or a mine. It is partially overgrown with plants, but the sizable opening is obvious. Not far inside the darkness, something glimmers. Shiny, like silver. In fact, it is the shiny object that first drew Auren's attention towards the cave. His experience on another world informs him the object shines like mithril.

I take it JP and Tommy are securing a rope, or something, as suggested by Auren? What exactly is the plan?

Tommy will tie a rope to his horse and start twirling it to lasso the guy down there... "sorry Frenchie, you ain't lowerin me anywhere. You see anythin' else Marshall?"

Tommy has a lasso normally attached to his saddle anyway, as befits a proper Texan.

"Ogay 'cowbowie'," jp shrugs giving the word a thoughtful pause, "bud ah deu naht seenk he bee abael teu clahm...heh heh... maybie yeu gets heem alround zee neck eh?"

"Haye boots! Watd deu yeu see?"

Marshall Sparks continues along the trail slowly and calls out to his friends above, "I see a hole or cavern in those bushes" Auren uses the tip of his sword to point to its location. "Something is catching the light inside the hole, it might be metal.... mithral maybe.... but I can't be sure."

Perception
Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +7" :

9 + 7 = 16 (now with helm on)

Detect Evil directed at the hole

Not sure what kind of check you'd like here Rob... I'll tie off the rope to my saddle pommel and then make my way down to where Auren is... with rifle and pistols of course.

"Hallo-o... wounded falleeng guy... we ged yeu out as soon as we ca-an..."

whit10 wrote:Not sure what kind of check you'd like here Rob... I'll tie off the rope to my saddle pommel and then make my way down to where Auren is... with rifle and pistols of course.

how about a "smooth operator check"?

Jp begins swearing in french as he ransacks his wagon for his block and tackle. He chains it to the wagon and moves the wagon closer to the cliff. He chocks the wheels and drops the block just a foot over the edge. Then he ropes himself through it using mechanical advantage to ease his decent.

Chris wrote:Perception
Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +7" :

9 + 7 = 16 (now with helm on)

Auren notices the horse has been branded with the symbol for Biggs Ranch.


The detect evil cone doesn't reach the hole, from where Auren is standing.

whit10 wrote:Not sure what kind of check you'd like here Rob... I'll tie off the rope to my saddle pommel and then make my way down to where Auren is... with rifle and pistols of course.

sounds good, but I would ask that you guys specify coordinates... Auren is now farther away from the guy (and standing by the horse on the trail), so if Tommy is intending to "rope" the fallen guy, then he's actually moving away from his target.

navyik wrote:Jp begins swearing in french as he ransacks his wagon for his block and tackle. He chains it to the wagon and moves the wagon closer to the cliff. He chocks the wheels and drops the block just a foot over the edge. Then he ropes himself through it using mechanical advantage to ease his decent.

This sounds sensible. JP gets prepared to repel down the cliff.

JP hears the fallen guy say in a weak voice, "I-I can't move. Been snakebit. Also think I broke my leg. Sh-sure am thirsty. Need water."

"Aye boots! He eez...eh...snake beet. Yeu gotd ah maydeeseen?"
Climb roll 19+2=2

"Oh... ah gotd wahn... heh heh..."

Eez zee snak dead?

Marshall Sparks will have to get back to the mithral-cave later. This man's health comes first, protect the people, like he told the townies.

Auren will hustle back up to JP's wagon, since he doesn't see a better way over to the guy from here. "I will pull you up JP. I have healing gifts from Paledine that can help."

For now Auren will help steady JP's decent and then help pull him up if needed. Maybe we can get Tommy's horse over here too and use his lasso + horse for some extra pull. With a rope, and not a climbing cable, if they slip and fall back a rope will snap their back\neck if it goes tight.

Assuming jp descends safely he will quickly asses the scene for dangers and then adminnister an anti-toxin, followed by a small amount of water. Jp is not normally accustomed to heroics, but it doesnt look like this guys skin would make good boots...and the marshal probably wouldnt allow looting...jp doesnt subscribe to many codes, but people have helped him before in times iof need.

I guess I'm trying to get to L-10 using the rope to make the decent easier. Then help to gently get this guy back up to the trail

good job guys! Marshall Sparks will... uh... Supervise!

....and watch for enemy fighters

Stay...on...target. stay...on...target.

lost Tommy, lost JP... they came from... behind.... (kaboom) aaarrrgh!

navyik wrote:Eez zee snak dead?

There's a dead rattler snake near the sign on the road. It looks to be shot.

navyik wrote:Assuming jp descends safely he will quickly asses the scene for dangers and then adminnister an anti-toxin, followed by a small amount of water. Jp is not normally accustomed to heroics, but it doesnt look like this guys skin would make good boots...and the marshal probably wouldnt allow looting...jp doesnt subscribe to many codes, but people have helped him before in times iof need.

Okay, hold on. Good plan, but let's not get too far ahead.

As JP is lowered down, with assistance from Auren and Tommy, he gets about 10' down the cliff side when he begins to hear the sound of rattles. There are many holes in the rock face, any of which could be a rattlesnake den.

JP roll initiative (the other two don't hear anything yet)...

since Auren and Tommy can't hear the rattles yet, Chris takes an aside wink to Josh "this is why we send the Frenchie first"

if you see this

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then you look like this

[img][Only admins are allowed to see this link][/img]

Roll of 17+2=19

Also knkwledge nature roll of 9+7=16 do i know anything that might help?

navyik wrote:Roll of 17+2=19

JP goes first. He still doesn't see the snake, but can hear the buzz of it's rattles.

navyik wrote:Also knkwledge nature roll of 9+7=16 do i know anything that might help?

Don't get bit? If you do, the venom is a nasty, paralyzing poison.

navyik wrote:Also knkwledge nature roll of 9+7=16 do i know anything that might help?

the louder the rattle - the older the snake, which is good because older snakes control their venom release better and actually only give a partial dose. As opposed to baby rattlers that give their full lethal dose in the first bite. Not to mention that baby rattler's tails don't have many rattles, which are formed each time they shed their skin, as they age, so they are harder to hear and easier to walk up on in the wild.

and they taste like elves

we had a couple baby rattlers in our office last spring, I think a nest hatched in the hills nearby and they came in over the weekend when the doors were propped open moving furniture. our admin thought it was a coiled up power cord behind her book case - she freaked when it moved, it reared up its head. She threw a tuper ware bowl over it and watched it strike the bowl, which got coated in goo.

Does it sound like just 1 snake? Getting out sawed off if i can mannage a hand free whilst dangling. By the sound can jp tell direction and distance. If not he will go very slowly until he gets a better bearing and slowly back off when he can confirm location better.

(whispered to Auren).. "you damned right this is why we send Frenchie first"

navyik wrote:Does it sound like just 1 snake? Getting out sawed off if i can mannage a hand free whilst dangling. By the sound can jp tell direction and distance. If not he will go very slowly until he gets a better bearing and slowly back off when he can confirm location better.

It sounds to JP like only one snake.

Since you are initially holding onto the rope with both hands, It's a move action for JP to use one arm and draw his shotgun.

JP is climbing so his condition is "defenseless." Climbing creatures (without a climb speed) move at 1/2 speed (15'). Since JP is one-handed, and holding a shotgun, I'd say he moves at only 1/4 speed (7.5' or 1 & 1/2 squares) on a successful Athletics check.

JP still has a standard action and swift actions left. If he continues to lower down, I need an Athletics check...

Chris wrote:

navyik wrote:Also knkwledge nature roll of 9+7=16 do i know anything that might help?

the louder the rattle - the older the snake, which is good because older snakes control their venom release better and actually only give a partial dose. As opposed to baby rattlers that give their full lethal dose in the first bite. Not to mention that baby rattler's tails don't have many rattles, which are formed each time they shed their skin, as they age, so they are harder to hear and easier to walk up on in the wild.

and they taste like elves

we had a couple baby rattlers in our office last spring, I think a nest hatched in the hills nearby and they came in over the weekend when the doors were propped open moving furniture. our admin thought it was a coiled up power cord behind her book case - she freaked when it moved, it reared up its head. She threw a tuper ware bowl over it and watched it strike the bowl, which got coated in goo.

nice story! the snake info is good to know too.

naturally, this being an RPG, the variance in venom dosages for younger/older snakes, doesn't have baring on the mechanics of the game

Roll of 1. Use heroic mein ability to re-roll. Roll of 18+2=20. "Whew...zat vaz ah cleuws van, heh heh..." (climb)

As JP slowly lowers down, a sizable Mojave rattler lashes out from it's den, a hole in the rock face directly above JP's head. The snake slithers down the rock face (move) and then winds around the mountain man's arm and torso (2nd move).

JP is up...


Tommy and Auren now suspect something is amiss. They see Frechie draw his shotgun, try to lower down one-handed, and then the snake emerge out of the cliff and wrap around him!

Tommy and Auren roll initiative...

Jp screams like a little girl. If this thing is a magical beast i get a bonus. "Somtimes zeh boots, zey fahit bahk!"

Which arm? If ive got a shot ill take it and who cares if i fall. Its only about 20 more feet down, right? If no shot, he will attempt to grab its neck or dash it against the rocks.

Not a magick snake, but he is quite mean & nasty.

JP doesn't have a clear shot. The snake is effectively in his square. You also don't have a free hand in which to punch/grab it. One hand is on the shotgun, one is holding the rope. I suppose JP could drop the shotgun as a swift action. The snake is wrapped around whichever arm JP is using to hold the rope. It is wrapped around his chest and torso too.

The snake has you grappled, so if you fall, then it will fall with you. JP would take falling damage, naturally. However, the cacti and the guy below might reduce that. Cacti do additional prick damage from their spines.

I had considered that he and the snake both would take falling damage. Was the grapple an opposed check then? I had read "move" action and wondered about that. I dont know if u r showing your rolls. (I normally dont as a dm).

navyik wrote:I had considered that he and the snake both would take falling damage. Was the grapple an opposed check then? I had read "move" action and wondered about that. I dont know if u r showing your rolls. (I normally dont as a dm).

The snake would probably take some falling damage too. I don't usually show my rolls, and I'm sorry for the confusion, but the snake isn't in an active grapple quite yet. He's coiled around you, but he can't begin constricting you until next turn. You could try to break free as a standard action, but I guess you'd have to drop your gun to do that.

why does this remind me of Han shooting the Sarlac tentacle? go for it Tommy!

Marshall Sparks initiative
Result of the throw of dice "1d20 +2" :

4 + 2 = 6




ok, so checking the rule book, yes JP is defenseless while climbing (rules specifically list climbing as an example), so the snake gets +5 bonus to attack.

Alan - check out the "Knock Out" rules on 226, JP could use his fist and bash the snake like you suggested

also note - falling damage is WOUND damage, so d6 per 10 ft, not counting reflex save. that can really hurt, but it might also kill the snake. (and paladins can heal wound damage)

Pretty sure o failed the attack roll after dropping the shotgun... letting go of rope. Intentionally falling on the side withe the most snake on it...and/or its head...

how do i add a picture? tried from smartphone and computer, but the normal methods do not seem to work, (nor does the insert image button above).