Through the Portal

[Legoshrimp]

Orian

"I agree with your plan mostly, however I belive that it would be best to leave one of my skeltons to guard the portal. I think that it will be much easier to take back this area if the crocadile is hidden in the water until we need it.

[Admiral Squish]

"Three? Hmm... problematic. Amillia, I suggest you land, so you can concentrate fully on your shooting. The statue being lighting-struck could indicate the lizards themselves are dealing in lightning. I had my suspicions with those markings. Orian, that's a nice touch, but I'd say leave it after we're done fighting. We don't want those things getting to us, and if they are using lightning, it shouldn't do quite so much to a skeleton." He replied, turning to who he was addressing in turn. "All that's left is Gaaf-Niig's return and we can begin. Remember, don't get too close to the water. I'm going to give it another look. Amillia, if you'd be so kind as to point out what I need to look for?" he asked as he climbed his way up one of the various half-destroyed pillars in the area for a better vantage point.

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Climb (taking ten) 10+12= 22
Spot (with help): (1d20+26)[10](36)

[Agthorr]

Amilia

"I've spent most of my life in the air; flying is no more distracting for me than standing upright is for you.". She grins wryly.

"Now, I'm not sure they're even visible from here, but they're over there and there.", she says as she points to each of the things that she saw.

OOC:

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Since we appear to have the time, just take 20 on the Spot check

Pixies have good maneuverability, which means they can Hover as a free action. See "Hover" here.

[Admiral Squish]

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Okay, change that to taking twenty. 46 to spot. Let's see them hide from THAT.

[Psionic Dog]

The water-elemental(s): The water elemental(s) is/are underwater 3 rounds out of 4 (full cover). A DC 28 spot is required to catch just a glimpse of it at this distance.

The intact portal has a faint sparkle to it as if there are fine crystals in the side of it, but otherwise it appears to be solid rock, unlike the portal you exited from which is a deep blue, nearly black, in which swirls of color ripple. For some reason no vines grow on either portal, although the broken ruins and statues are all covered in vegetation.

Orian: Undead Stats:

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Crocodile Zombie
20 ft land, 30 ft swim
6d12 + 3 = 42 HP, AC 16 (+6 natural)
Saves: +2/+2/+5
(20,10,-,-,10,1)
+8 Bite 1d8+7 -or- +8 Tail Slap 1d12+7
Half-action, DR -5/slashing


Croc Skeleton
20 ft land
3d12 = 19, AC14 (+2Dex +2Nat)
Saves +1/+3/+4
(18,14,-,-,10,1)
+5 Bite 1d8+6 -or- +6 Tail Slap 1d12+6
Immune to Cold, DR -5/bludgeoning.

[Admiral Squish]

Oggy sees little that's new him, but his eyes widen when he turns away from the ruins. He blinks a few times before hopping back down from the broken pillar. "Okay, nobody goes that way. EVER." He said, pointing down the peninsula past the portal and away from the ruins. Though those crocs we fought were big? Well, they've got nothing on the one back that way. That one's easily three times the size of the ones we fought. It's three hundred feet plus some that way, though, so if we're careful we won't catch it's attention. We will not make it out unscathed if we provoke something like that." He explained to the assembled. "Amilia, I think the third lizard's probably behind the statue. Still, I'll just shoot at the ones I can see, and if the third comes out, we'll take it down too."

[Agthorr]

Amilia

"It sounds like some of the creatures that live in the water here are quite a bit more powerful than the few crocs we dispatched. We were lucky. Did anyone think to bring a net? If we could tie it securely under the portal, that would greatly reduce the risk for future travelers. Including us."

[J-H]

Graaf-Niig
Graaf-Niig appears out of the portal, immediately slamming his feet into the ground in an attempt to stabilize himself.

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reflex save - (1d20+11)[30]bonus +2 for having done this before

Having landed, he turns to Amilia. "I got some knotted rope on the far side after I told them that we were alive--Emerikol of course was already predicting our doom. Can you please fly it up to the top of the portal and tie it off somewhere up there, so that anyone else going to the portal or coming out of it can grab onto it and slow their descent? Thanks.

Given how quickly that elf was telling someone that we'd died, I think it's not so certain that the previous parties are totally dead. Did anyone see any tracks or indication of recent intelligent life?"

After getting a run-down of the existing situation and what the other scouts have spotted:
"I know you're worried about the big croc, Oggy, but as long as I can see him, I can hit him and wear him out with magic before he even gets near us. Combined with him being unable to hit Amilia, and her sniping him, we can kill him. Whichever way we go, we need to get moving. I suggest we work on establishing a safe and sheltered base camp area, as we'll be here for several days."

Graaf-Niig finds the easiest route back up the hill and inspects the side of the portal more, trying to compare the crystals to the ones in the other intact portal.

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Arcana check - (1d20+12)[23]

"Oh, and I didn't tell them about the other portal just yet. They didn't ask and they don't need to know how quickly we spotted it."

[Admiral Squish]

"Look. You're thinking in the wrong terms. You're thinking 'when we fight it', while I'm thinking 'if we fight it'. We shouldn't even have to worry about it, as long as we keep our distance. And if we do eventually have to take it out, we can do it on our terms. But we can only fight it on our terms if we don't let it notice us just yet. See?" Oggy replied. "As for a fortified base camp, I think the ruins over that way are our best bet. There's a living bush of some sort and a few lizards between us and them, but it's a safer bet than the croc. However, I'd like you to sit back for this one, and save your magic for taking the ruins back from whatever holds them. We can handle the way there." He explained, then turned to the rest of the group. "Everyone else, if you're not ready yet, then get ready. We're going to start the attack in just a second, so get in position." He warned, then climbed up the pillar again to stay out of reach of the lizards and bush, then pulling out his bow and knocking an arrow.

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Climb check, taking ten makes 22

[Agthorr]

Amilia

"Oh, Graaf-Niig, you read my mind!" Amilia takes the rope and ties it securely such that someone coming through the portal will have something to grab on to. While working, she adds, "Why don't we focus on securing the land first, and then we can decide if we want to take out the creatures in the water? If we control the land, we can all snipe at anything in the water that gives us trouble. Even if we kill everything we can see, I doubt we can exterminate every crocodile and water elemental in this demi-plane. The larger ones might give good sport, though." She gives a blood-thirsty grin as she finishes tying the rope into place.

Drawing her bow, Amilia says, "Oggy, I'll be in position in 10 seconds. My arrows follow yours."

She disappears and flies to a position 45 feet above ground and 10 feet south of Oggy.

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Initiative: (1d20+6)[22]

If Amilia rolls higher than Oggy, she delays her action until after he acts (i.e., her initiative becomes Oggy's minus 1).

[Legoshrimp]

Orian
Orian orders his undead to go 10 feet infront of the party facing the lizards and plants. Then moves behind them.

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ZC SC
OR

That is sort of how I want it to be.

[Legoshrimp]

Orian

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Sorry about the double post.
Initiative. (1d20-1)[0] My undead act on my turn. Right?
Wow! that sucked, and glad there aren't critical fumbles on initiative/

[Admiral Squish]

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Initiative: (1d20+4)[11](15)

[Admiral Squish]

"Archers in place. Meatwall up front. Make 'em work for every inch, guys." He muttered, half to himself, and half to the others. The same advice Irlym used to give. He drew back the shot. The first ones had to count, one way or another. He sighted along the shaft for a long moment, before the first arrow flew. The second followed immediately, moments behind, before the first had even reached the target, the nearest lizard to the group.

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Assuming everyone else is waiting on me, I'll go ahead and get us started.
Attack!
(1d20+9)[7](16)
Damage: (1d8+3)[5](8)
Shock:(1d6)[5](5)
Second arrow!
(1d20+9)[5](14)
Damage: (1d8+3)[3](6)
Shock:(1d6)[3](3)

[Agthorr]

Amilia

Two more arrows fly through the air at the nearest lizard(s) still alive.

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Attack modifiers:
+2 for being invisible vs sighted creatures
-2 for Rapid Shot
They also lose any Dex bonus to AC (they're flat-footed anyway, right?)

How far away are the lizards? If it's more than 110', there's also a range penalty.

Attack: (1d20+10)[4](14)
Damage: (1d6+5)[6]
Electric Damage: (1d6)[1]

Attack: (1d20+10)[11](21)
Damage: (1d6+5)[11]
Electric Damage: (1d6)[6]

[J-H]

Graaf-Niig
Graaf-Niig stands at the back of the party, watching the surroundings with a drawn dagger ready to throw, but does not yet act.

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initiative - (1d20+4)[21]
spot - (1d20+1)[20]
listen - (1d20+1)[7]

[MorkaisChosen]

Barag stays hidden, ready to leap out and defenc the rest of his comrades if the lizards get too close.

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(1d20+5)[14] Initiative

[Psionic Dog]

End of surprise Round: (Only one shot was counted)
Amilia and Oggy both hit! (but the lizard lives)

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Initiative:
Alanor - (1d20+2)[12]
Lizards - (1d20+6)[12]

Initiative Order
Group A [Graaf Niig, Oggy, Amilia, Barag]
Lizards
Group B [Alanor, Orain]

Beginning Round 2:
Now up: Graaf-Niig, Oggy, Amilia, and Barag

[Agthorr]

Amilia

Two arrows fly from the pixie's little bow.

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I had forgotten that surprise rounds only get a single attack. Oops. :-) Anyway...

Attack: (1d20+10)[14](24)
Damage: (1d6+5)[8]
Electric: (1d6)[6]

Attack: (1d20+10)[7](17)
Damage: (1d6+5)[8]
Electric: (1d6)[2]

[Admiral Squish]

Oggy began again, sending his arrows speeding across the gap between them and into the lizard.

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Attacking for the nearest living lizard.
Attack: (1d20+9)[16](25)
Damage: (1d8+3)[2](5)
Shock: (1d6)[2](2)
Attack: (1d20+9)[2](11)
Damage: (1d8+3)[2](5)
Shock: (1d6)[1](1)

[MorkaisChosen]

Barag stays hideen, waiting for the enemies to get a little closer- there's no point wasting his chance to strike from ambush when the ranged combatants seem to have the situation under control.

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Delay actions for now... Will start if anything gets too close to the shooty people

[J-H]

Graaf-Niig
Graaf-Niig waits, ready to throw a dagger if an enemy gets within 40 feet of the group.

[Psionic Dog]

Amilia's first shot finishes off lizard one, and her second wounds the other. Oggy follows up, and one of his shots hits the wounded lizard but doesn't quite kill it. The half-dead lizard feebly flops over the side of the rock it had been basking on. Whether intentional or not, it now has partial cover.

Nothing else happens. One lizard died, the other moved five feet, behind cover, and the last is still behind the statue.

Alanor, Orain: You two are up.

[Legoshrimp]

Orian

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Orian delays his action until one of the lizards or any unforeseen danger comes within 30 ft. of the ranged combatants or 20 ft. of him, his undead or any of the melee combatants.

[JettWilderbeast]

Alanor
Alanor brandishes his sword and says;
Leave this one to me...
He then stalks towards the rock.

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Move silently; (1d20+2)[11]

[Psionic Dog]

Orian stands ready incase the beasts charge. They don't.
Alanor starts to carefully stalk toward the rock. He quietly advances 30 ft ahead of the group. 110 ft remain between him and said rock.

Nothing else happens.

End of round 1.

For those who wish to continue fighting:
Round 2.
Now up: Graaf-Niig, Amilia, Oggy, and Barag.

Oggy
From your nature lore you realize that it's unlikely that these animals are aggressive enough to charge out across such a large field to attack you. The plant is either dumb enough to be oblivious or else trusting in it's deceptive appearance.

Everyone else: Your eye's aren't keen enough to see the wounded lizard anymore. You could always aim at the space behind the rock, but that would be it.

[Agthorr]

Amilia

Having lost sight of the lizards, Amilia watches Alanor sneak quietly forward. Recalling the introductions last night, she thinks, "Wow. Everyone here is either a powerful spellcaster or sneaky. This is awesome! We're, like, an elite death squad! I do wish more of us had bows, though."

"Alanor and Barag, you two want to sneak up and slit the throats of the two remaining lizards? I think there's enough rubble for hiding as you approach. Oggy and I can pelt that over-ambitious plant with arrows while you advance. With a bit of luck, it'll be dead by the time you get there. If not, the others can charge it once you've stabbed some choice lizard organs."

Amilia fires two arrows at the plant creature.

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Attack: (1d20+8)[8](16)
Damage: (1d6+5)[7]
Electric: (1d6)[3]

Attack: (1d20+8)[12](20)
Damage: (1d6+5)[10]
Electric: (1d6)[5]

Q: does the plant-creature count as Blinded (-2 AC) if we're outside the range of its Blindsight?

[J-H]

Graaf-Niig
Continues to hold, ready to act if needed.

[Admiral Squish]

Oggy decides that taking down one and wounding the other was nearly good enough, and sends one last arrow at the wounded lizard, and the other into the bush. The silence, and lack of response was almost unnerving. "Orian, Barag, and Alanor, break formation and advance. There should only be one lizard left in any condition to fight. It might even run away if you look big and scary enough. Amilia and I will stay back and keep raining arrows on the bush, and cover your flank for any unexpected surprises." He said, in the midst of firing his second arrow.

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Lizard:
Attack: (1d20+9)[2](11)
Damage: (1d8+3)[6](9)
Shock: (1d6)[3](3)
Bush:
Attack: (1d20+9)[19](28)
Damage: (1d8+3)[5](8)
Shock: (1d6)[4](4)

[Legoshrimp]

Orian
Orian decides to move now. Orian says to his undead. "Move to the rock."

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I do not think that I can move and attack so depending on the distance and if my undead can do it with me I will take a double move to get forty feet closer to the enemies.