Through the Portal

[JettWilderbeast]

Alanor
Alanor, now invisible says; Perhaps it would be wise to let someone invisible through so to act as a scout... But if you wish to go first I will follow closely

[Legoshrimp]

Orian
"I am ready to go through."

[MorkaisChosen]

"No, send whoever we think is best- I wish to say I am willing if you think that is me."

Barag makes a curious movement, lowering his head and hiding his teeth- trying to show his deference.

[Psionic Dog]

As the group makes their final preparations the air fairly shimmers with anticipation as a small crowed gathers to watch an record a group of champions attempt what lesser creatures have tried and failed.

Please state whatever order the group enters in, and whether the group enters in the same round or in different rounds. If there is no set order, I'll assign one based on any general preferences expressed. Also state whether your character's hands are free or holding a weapon or item of some type.

Graaf-Niig

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With enough time you could research a spell that would point toward this opening. However, you suspect a simple map and basic navigation know-how would also work. You have been told that the far exit is relatively fixed, and your own knowledge agrees with this assessment. Further details must wait until you see the far side.

Amilia & Alanor

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Ah.
Anyway, Tharivol believes Amilia is sincere in her debasing flattery, but that doesn't soften him a bit. I'm glad to see someone knows their place in the world. I'd slowly deal out sage advise if only I knew something, but there is no way I can risk let these beasts realize how ignorant their betters are on this matter.

[Admiral Squish]

Oggy clopped his way up to the portal with some less-than-confident-looking guards on his tail and a confident smirk on his face. He quickly surveyed the situation and drew out his bow. "My vote is we send the invisible guys through all at once, then when they pop back, the rest of us go through." He commented. "If there's any trouble, head back through, and then we'll all go in at once and take it out."

[Agthorr]

Amilia

"No. If there's trouble, they may not be able to pop back; we are all in this together. Furthermore...". Amilia's eyes take in the many guards, particularly the Fire Giant. "... I believe those in charge of this mission intend for us all to go through."

"While having the invisible go through first certainly has its merits, I fear that the rest would walk right into us on the other side, obliterating any hopes of stealth. Following the invisible is generally ill-advised. I'd also recommend that primarily melee combatants go before primarily ranged combatants, for an order of:
Orian, a particularly sturdy visible melee combatant;
Barag, another visible melee combatant;
Oggy, a visible ranged combatant;
Alanor, a currently invisible melee combatant;
myself, an..." (Amilia draws her crossbow and disappears from view) "invisible ranged combatant; and finally
Graaf-Niig, a currently invisible sorcerer"

"Once on the other side, Alanor, you go right. Graaf-Niig, you go left. I will go up. That way we will avoid running into one another. The rest of you can move as you please, but try to avoid doubling-back too quickly. We'll go in quickly, one-right-after-the-other, spend a few moments assessing any immediately obvious dangers, then come quickly back through the gate in reverse order. Anyone invisible should shout out just before they go through the gate so we know the way is clear."

"If we encounter any kind of resistance on the far side, we shoot first and ask questions later. Something made short work of those previous two expeditions, and I say we find it and kick it's butt!"

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Amilia took Erik to mean that the earlier two expeditions did not even return from their just-a-few-minutes excursions. Is that correct?

[J-H]

Graaf-Niig
"I agree. Let us proceed."

Graaf-Niig holds his spear in one hand while the other twitches at his side, ready to cast a spell if needed.

[Admiral Squish]

"You raise good points, but still, if we send a melee fighter through, they're both unable to react to whatever trap is on the other end and clearly visible as a warning of others to come. Perhaps we should send Alanor in the very front, then follow your pattern?" He asked the pixie. "Perhaps both you and Alanor should go ahead, so even if they can somehow detect the invisible, you might still manage to escape and warn the rest? I'm merely interested in minimizing casualties, if there's any to be had."

[MorkaisChosen]

"Perhaps I should go first- I know traps, I can fight- and I have a disguise."

Barag shifts into full wolf form, before turning back, and says, "It was the hawk that came back- an ordinary creature. I look the most like one of those."

[JettWilderbeast]

Alanor
Alanor, a disembodied voice, decides to settle things once and for all;
If someone doesn't go, no-one will. I'll go, I'll look for anything in the immediate area, threats and traps and such, If i can I'll come back through the portal, If I can't or don't.... Then I guess follow!

Alanor steps through portal.

[MorkaisChosen]

Wishing to support his packmate, Barag shifts to hybrid form and follows Alanor through the portal.

[Psionic Dog]

With what starts and as a gentle tug and ends with irresistible force you half step and are half sucked into the portal.

Who (if anyone) follows this round, and who intend to wait for the moment?

[Legoshrimp]

Orian

Orian waits a few seconds to see if anything happens and then goes through.

[Agthorr]

Amilia

As Orian moves toward the gate, Amilia becomes visible and shouts, "So much for planning. I'm next!", and marches through the gate, close on Orian's heels. She becomes invisible again just before passing through.

[Admiral Squish]

Oggy sighed. "There goes that idea. Fine, I suppose this is faster anyway." He grumbled, before making a running start and cannonballing through the portal while shouting "Look out below!"

[Psionic Dog]

Great, thats 5 people through the portal, I'll assume Graaf-Niig immediately follows Oggy in. Order doesn't matter since you all are coming though in the same round.
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Through the Portal:
The Far Side

With what starts and as a gentle tug and ends with irresistible force you half step and are half sucked into the portal. Then, for what feels like several long minutes but is probably only seconds at most you find yourselves tumbling down a sparkling tube. In the distance the muddled light of the far world slowly grows clearer as you catch glimpses of strange beings on a myriad of different planes planes and regions that you pass close to. After a few disorienting twists and the occasion discomforting squeeze you suddenly hit the far side and there, with a quiet pop and an accompanying ripple, you tumble out into warm free air.

A crystal blue sky greats you as you on the far side of the portal, and a swirling vortex streaming thin bands of fire as it crawls its way up the sky behind you appears to pass as a sun on this alien world. In its warm sun-like light you can see a vast swampy green land stretching out into thin mists in the distance ahead of you. The picture perfect still silence is broken only by a the shrill cry of a distant hawk... and your own startled and expressive cries. All of this is evident, but it goes unnoticed for the moment as your attention is fixed on the ground, or the lack thereof. The cool elegant stone arch you had just passed out of has partially fallen over a steep crumbling bank. Everyone who fails a DC 20 reflex save takes 1d6 non-lethal damage as they plummet into the shallow, wast deep water (3-4 feet deep) located 15 ft below the portal. Anyone who makes the save may jump into the water for no damage or make their way onto the solid ground 10 ft to the right. Also, make a spot check and role for initiative.

So, I need a reflex save, damage role (negate if save made), spot check, and initiative role.

Amilia: Your wings give you a +5 bonus on the save, and success allows you to start flying.

Anyone who has a ring of feather-fall who fails the save is not subject to the falling damage, but still needs a reflex save if they prefer staying on the dry ground to the water.

Edit: Everyone with DR -5 or greater also takes no damage.

[Agthorr]

Amilia

Rolls:

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Reflex save: (1d20+12)[29]
Damage: None, Amilia wears a ring of feather falling
Spot check: (1d20+7)[10] (Oggy: this is why we needed you, too :-) )
Initiative: (1d20+6)[9]

[Legoshrimp]

Orian

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Here is my reflex save.
(1d20+1)[11]
My damage
(1d6)[2]
My spot check
(1d20+5)[7]
My initative
(1d20-1)[3]
Lets hope we get good rolls
Darn forgot to say that I had pulled out my morningstar.
Edit wow those rolls sucked.

If Orian fails his reflex save, he gets up and pulls out his morningstar. If he makes it he lands on the ground and pulls out his morningstar.

[Admiral Squish]

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Reflex: (1d20+12)[20](32)
Damage: DR 5, danke.
Spot: (1d20+22)[1](23)
Initiative: (1d20+4)[18](22)
I'll edit in some actions based on the results.

Oggy tumbled into the air, which was all he had for a moment, but quick thinking saved him from the fall. He kicked out with his hooves from the wall, and landed, gracefully on the dry earth to the right. As he landed, he readied the bow he'd drawn on the other side of the portal and knocked an arrow. Whatever was waiting, he'd be ready.

[J-H]

Graaf-Niig

"Son of a gnoll!"

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Reflex save to avoid falling - (1d20+9)[19]
Damage roll if applicable - (1d6)[3]
Spot check - (1d20+1)[15]
Initiative - (1d20+4)[19]

*edit*Having sucessfully landed on dry ground, Graaf-Niig swivels in place silently, scanning his surroundings for anything else dangerous or out of the ordinary.

[JettWilderbeast]

Alanor
Alanor feeling the lack of ground instantly turns into a replica of Amilia, ((Can I do this? Shape shift with wings?))
Also Alanor uses detect minds around him. (DC 15)
ROLLS;

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Jump; (1d20+1)[18] Maybe with +5 if I'm allowed to shape shift?
Damage; (1d6)[4]
Spot; (1d20+3)[8]
Init.; (1d20+2)[10]

Am I still invisible after this drop?

[MorkaisChosen]

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Hybrid form, so DR10, but I want to check if I land on my feet: Reflex save (1d20+12)[16]
Spot check: (1d20+3)[19]
Initiative: (1d20+5)[18]

EDIT: Barag aims for the ground, but is not quite able to land there. Immediately he stands up and looks around, his claws out and teeth bared.

[Psionic Dog]

As you tumble out of the portal everyone reacts differently, Amilia regains her balance and starts flying before she fell more than 5 ft (10ft above water, level with solid land). Oggy kicks out at manages to slide onto the eleveted land instead of the water. Alanor reacts quickly, and manages to land in the water for no damage. Graaf-Niig isn’t quite quick enough to get to land and finds himself on the step bank instead, but at least he's not wet.

Surprise Round!:
Oggy quickly scan the land around him looking for a threat: He spots a clump of spiny vines 15 ft away looks suspiciously mobile and has bits of fur and a couple of stray feathers stuck on its spines. He shoots it.
bow shot - (1d20+9)[23] damage - (1d8+3)[8] shock - (1d6)[4]

The vine makes a violent attempt to dodge the arrow, and while blindingly fast for a plant, its still a plant and even slower than most dwarves. The arrow hits, but has only a partial effect on the spindly shrub-like mass.

Meanwhile down in the water a quartet of crocodiles go unnoticed, until with gaping jaws they try to snap up all the fresh meat that the Great Food Dispenser in the Sky has once again delivered.

Croc attacks

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Everyone everyone who failed the save has a -2 circumstance AC penalty as they struggle to regain footing, and everyone is flat footed: (This lasts until a characters next turn)
attack v Alanor - (1d20+6)[13] damage - (1d8+6)[7] Grapple - (1d20+6)[15]
attack v Orain - (1d20+6)[8] damage - (1d8+6)[8] Grapple - (1d20+6)[9]
attack v Barag1 - (1d20+6)[22] damage - (1d8+6)[14] Grapple - (1d20+6)[11]
attack v Barag2 - (1d20+6)[10] damage - (1d8+6)[12] Grapple - (1d20+6)[20]

Misschance v Alanor - (1d100)[95] >30 hits
Graaf-Nigg - (1d100)[99] > 50 hits (If 1st attack on Barag hits, 2nd croc goes for GN instead)

Corc A&B initiative - (1d20+1)[3]
C&D initiative - (1d20+1)[21]
Plant initiative - (1d20-1)[18]

On crock lunges for the leg shaped holes that an invisible Alanor leaves in the water, the other three try to grab more visible targets. Only one crock succeeds, and its bear-trap jaws hit Barag hard. (Barag: you must beat a DC 11 grapple or be pulled under water)

End of surprise round.

Initiative Order:
Group 1: Oggy, Graaf-Niig, Barag
Foe 1: Crock A & B, Plant
Group 2: Alanor, Amilia, Orian
Foe 2: Croc C & D

Now Up: Oggy, Graaf-Niig, and Barag. Post in any order you wish.

Battle Map

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Solid Green (or mostly solid green) is high-ground. (9 ft above water) moving from water onto solid green requires a DC 18 climb check.
Half Green Half Blue: Steep slope: Requires only a DC 5 climb check.
Blue (or mostly solid blue) water. Yellow is soft ground, perhaps 2 inches above the surrounding water. The Solid blocks are other stone gates in differing states of damage. The grey pieces are bits of stone rubble.

Croc A (at the top of the map) is actually in the water underneath the gate,
and Amilia is flying directly above Orain right now.

[MorkaisChosen]

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Grapple check: (1d20+5)[9]

I'll double-post to get the rest of my rolls in, I need to know if I'm grappled or not.

[MorkaisChosen]

Barag is caught by the crocodile's powerful jaws. He tries to shake it off and escape, ready to fight to the best of his ability.

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Actions are Escape Artist check to escape the grapple, followed by drawing the rapier as a move action.

Escape Artist: (1d20+14)[24]

Let's see this crocodile beat that...

[JettWilderbeast]

Alanor

Grapple Check; (1d20+6)[10]

Needed to see if I was grappled....
I'm really confused (well having a moment..) If the croc misses me am I still grappling?

[Psionic Dog]

Alanor: Crocs have improved grab so I was rolling just incase they hit. They didn't hit you, so you are not being grappled.

Croc trying to hold on - (1d20+6)[25] Sorry Barag, this croc isn't letting go.

Edit: Alanor: you can post if you want, but you aren't up yet in the initiative order.

[JettWilderbeast]

Ok if Alanor isn't grappeling then he jumps onto the stone behind him (jump check) And pulls an animal from his bag of gray tricks (dice check)

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No grapple;
Jump; (1d20+1)[4]
Gray Bag Animal; (1d100)[12]

Sorry I deleted some rolls for grappling if I was that would explain post count thingy.....

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* post roll count doesn't match database

[Admiral Squish]

Oggy has two choices. To finish slaying the plant that seemed to be lumbering about, or to save his compatriots from the crocodiles. He decides to take care of the plant thing, because that seems most dangerous to him, and once it's down he can focus on the others. He lined up two shots, one right after the other, the green-fletched arrows streaking across the gap between him and the thing.

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Full attack against the plant. Messed up the rolls here, I'll post them again.

[Admiral Squish]

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Attack: (1d20+10)[9](19) (point-blank shot included)
Damage: (1d8+4)[5](9)
Shock: (1d6)[6](6)
Rapidshot:
Attack: (1d20+10)[10](20)
Damage: (1d8+4)[3](7)
Shock: (1d6)[3](3)