The Eighth Adventure

[mushgnome]

Douglas gets a little defensive. "That's not what Frederick said. He said the first Rule of Adventure Club is kill all the monsters, and the second Rule is take their stuff. I was just trying to help. But you're the boss. If you say so, Fiona and I won't attack first, unless you tell us to. Right Fiona?"

"Whatever, I guess," is Fiona's reply. She reaches in her pocket and sheepishly distributes the 7sp amongst the party: "One for you, one for you, one for you... whoopsie, I ran out!" (She gives away all the coins and keeps none for herself.)

[kipper]

Dame Simonetta will move to the opened secret door and take a peek to see if any other little blue men are inside. If it's all clear, she will lead the way through.

[rredmond]

Noh and Carc follow the dame. The druid slightly more confused than the raven.

[mushgnome]

Okay, so the First Rule of Douglas and Fiona club is, don't be impulsive murder hobos. Kiplyn shows them where to hide the body among the puffballs.

Anyone have anything else to add, to the Douglas/Fiona NPC interaction?

Dame Simonetta determines the coast is clear, but she is on high alert for a number of reasons.

Each of the secret doors has been destroyed. Not by hands or tools, but wrenched from their hinges by some great force.

She passes through the third door (reaching Area 6). From here, she can follow along the edge of the ravine to the north, or take the "corkscrew" tunnel south and deeper into the dungeon.

Unless you've changed your minds, I assume the party goes south, then turns west heading to Area 31, is that correct?

[mgtremaine]

Correct, Area 31

[kipper]

Agreed

[acodispo]

Willie's tone softens. "Alright, alright, you didn't know: each little Adventure Club can have its own rules, and in our Club we share our loot, and don't kill things that might talk unless we know they're bad. Thank you both for your enthusiasm. And thank you for sharing, Fiona. Don't worry, you'll each get your fair share soon enough!"

Willie agrees: on to Area 31. He's on high alert, though, for sure -- the trashed secret doors and all the other changes are wigging him out.

[mushgnome]

!!!AMBUSH!!!

The ambush happens on the steep rocky slope between areas 8 and 17. Willie is worried about the new party members on the steep slope, so he sets up a pair of ropes for the party to descend two at a time. The whole party has safely reached the bottom, and Willie and Kiplyn are on their way down, coiling the ropes as they go.

The cunning pair of tunnel thugs wait to strike the rear of the marching order. They attack with surprise due to their supernatural ability to 'morph' through solid rock!

Willie fends off his attacker and keeps his footing on the slope.

Kiplyn is struck hard, and the tunnel thug tries to knock him off and send him crashing to the ground. Kiplyn uses his thief skills and keep his footing (despite the pain).

The initial surprise wears off. Douglas and Fiona are closest to Willie and Kip in the marching order, standing at the bottom of the rocky slope and shining their lanterns up at the monsters (but not attacking until ordered, as instructed). Everyone else is 10 or 20 feet away, on flat ground. Kiplyn and Willie are halfway up the slope, locked in melee with the two tunnel thugs. It looks like the thugs intend to use their rocky fists to box Kiplyn and Willie into submission! Kiplyn has taken one good hit already.

What are your combat intentions, Hobbitses?

Stealth check for the 2 tunnel thugs, 1d6=5, success.

Willie specifically mentioned he was helping to guide the new party members down the rocky slope. I'll be generous and rule that Willie's intent was to use rope. I'm imagining the party is in standard two-abreast marching order, carefully descending the ropes one hobbet at a time, and that Willie and Kiplyn will be the last ones down, taking the two ropes with them. Sound good?

Tunnel Thug Attacks
vs Kiplyn 18, hit for 5hp, dropping him to 7/12hp and forcing a Climb check; he passes 1d6=4
vs Willie 4, miss

The surprise round is over!

[mgtremaine]

How far down the slope is Kiplyn after getting whacked? My instinct is to retreat to the bottom because fighting them here sounds dumb...

[mushgnome]

Good question. Kiplyn and Willie are probably only 10' from the bottom. The slope is covered in a loose 'scree' of small rocks and gravel.

I would allow Kiplyn and/or Willie to slide and tumble to the bottom as a harmless, free action. They would be conceding the 'high ground' but they wouldn't be isolated from their friends.