As Marklin neared the war wagon he saw the big reptilian head emerge from the water. If that was not entertaining enough, other heads emerged so the first one would not be lonely.

 The Warrior reacted from training, he reversed the spear and cast it at one of the heads, as he began to back pedal towards the causeway. Once the spear was gone, he reached for a javelin. “ Eoni, get back. Dragon!!”

19:04, Today: Marklin rolled 10 using 1d20 with rolls of 10.  Spear cast at the big Horny Toad.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:18, Wed 09 Aug 2017.

Gaston's heart skips a beat upon seeing the hydra emerge from the water and he suddently feels quite happy to be some distance away. He exhorts his companions to shoot a volley of bolts and arrows at the monster and Lenny and Anders comply. Lenny's aim is true but Anders and Gaston's shots either fly wide or bounce off the hydra's tough hide.

For his part, Jorr calmly draws his crossbow, levels it, and sinks a bolt into the hydra.

Both are enough to slay one of the creature's six heads. There's still five very agitated heads though!

OOC: 10 total damage.

Eoni felt that this third option to wading through the mire to now be the worst of them.  Beset by a snake headed creature with more than one tremendously toothy head.

"Avandra bless these men," she intoned urgently, "and let their arrows fly swift and true to save us all in our time of peril!"  She finished by turning and bowing her head in the direction of Gaston and the others around him.  They were their only hope now.

Her prayer complete, she took a deep breath and submerged herself beneath the murky water.  The last she heard was Marklin's cry of alarm before the waters embraced her in near silence.

OOC: Bless +1 to hit and damage to as many around Gaston in a 20'x20' area.

Taerix had been spending his time making sure he did not leave the shallowest part of the muck, since knee-high muck to the others meant about chest-high to him. When the hydra emerges, Taerix stares wide-eyed at the largest creature he's ever seen before, but recovers and and quickly lets a sling stone fly.

18:42, Today: Kane Taerix rolled 12 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 8.  Sling at hydra.

"Moradin's beard!" Valthur nearly drops his crossbow when he sees the five-headed beast emerge from the water, but he quickly regains his composure and fires at the hydra.

21:06, Today: Valthur Ironhelm rolled 17 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 15.  crossbow vs. hydra (using +1 quarrel).
21:07, Today: Valthur Ironhelm rolled 8 using 1d8+2 with rolls of 6.  Damage (+1 quarrel and +1 bless).

[Private to GM: Not to be a whiner, but shouldn't Marklin (level 3), Sarah (4), and Valthur (3) need 13s (not 14s) for AC 5?]
This message was last edited by the player at 02:29, Thu 10 Aug 2017.

Sarah hasn't fought a creature such as this often.

OK . . . ever.

Nonethless, she takes aim with her new weapon and sends an enchanted bolt into its throat.


22:30, Today: Sarah rolled 20,8 using d20+4,d6+2 with rolls of 16,6.  Crossbow (14 to hit).

PS I think I have 12 hit points.

Aldara can't muster anything clever to say, but she can choke audibly!  Then, she remembers she's with armed companions that are on her side.  Not necessarily friends, but armed companions.  This restores some of her courage.

"Uncertain, beautiful things, I command..."

She begins to weave magical energies, focusing on the central-most of the hydra's heads...

"Darkness, obscure the light..."

Casting darkness on Learny the Lernaean.

The hydra rises ever higher from its resting place beneath the swamp, its massive form casting a deep shadow over Marklin, the lone defender against the multi-headed monster.

Some distance away, the fighter's companions fire bolt and arrow at the monster, Valthur and Sarah sundering a head a piece with the magic bolts they recovered from a previous adventure.

Still, 3 heads remain and they all appear to be quite agitated now.

For her part, Aldara targets the central head with a darkness spell, casting a globe of inky black on the creature's eyes. The hydra attempts to overcome Aldara's magic, but is no match for her wizardly prowess. The hydra shrieks in rage as the visible world is sunk in darkness. Now, the monster must rely solely on its sense of smell, sound and vibration.

Lashing out at the closest thing to it, Marklin, the newly-three headed hydra dives and snaps at the fighter. Its three reptilian heads snarl and shriek, razor-sharp teeth glistening in the sun.

First head incoming! Darkness looms over both. Splash! Marklin jumps aside. Second head, the fighter rolls to his right just in time. Splash! Third head, splash, and he somersaults back to his feet.

A globe of darkness enshrouds the hydra as it rears backward and struggles to understand its foe(s).

OOC: Marklin is about 10 feet distant from the Hydra, with the wagon between he and it. Eoni is 20 feet distant. The rest of the party is anywhere from 30 to 60 feet distant.

The hydra is currently cast in a globe of darkness, centered on its central head. Any attack made against it is at -4.

Additionally, I edited the to-hit charts listed below as several of your target numbers were incorrect.

Six-Headed Hydra
AC: 5
HP: 12/48 (4 heads defeated)


PC         AC   HP    9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1  0 -1 -2 -3
Aldara     8    9/9  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20
Eoni       8  16/16  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20
Marklin    5  14/14   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Sarah      4  12/12   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Taerix     1  15/15   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Valthur    5  18/18   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20

NPCs
Gaston     5  16/16   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Lenny      5   9/9   10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20
Anders     7   9/9   10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20
Jorr       8  10/10  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20

[Private to GM:

  HD       9   8   7   6   5   4   3   2   1   0   -1  -2  -3
Up to 1    10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  20  20
1+ to 2    9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  20
2+ to 3    8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20
3+ to 4    7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19
4+ to 5    6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18
5+ to 6    5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17
6+ to 7    4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16
7+ to 9    3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15
9+ to 11   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14

]

OOC: PCs are UP!!!

This message was last edited by the GM at 01:41, Fri 11 Aug 2017.

Gaston, Anders, Lenny and Jorr fire another volley of bolts and arrows at the mantle of darkness, hoping to strike and pierce through the hydra's thick hide. One of the quartet manages to do so, though who it might have been is anyone's guess. The smart money is on Lenny. That kid is a crack shot!

OOC: Hit for 6 points of damage.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:57, Thu 10 Aug 2017.

Now that the hydra is obscured - perhaps a bit too obscured - Aldara closes some distance and hurls one of her daggers at the beast.

05:38, Today: Aldara rolled -1,4 using 1d20-3,1d4 ((2,4)).

Hurling a dagger poorly.

Sarah is learning to like her new toy weapon.





07:40, Today: Sarah rolled 14,4 using d20,d6+2 with rolls of 14,2.  Crossbow (13 to hit).

Beneath the surface and hopefully invisible, Eoni gripped the weeds on the murky bog bed and hoped that things were going well.  She prayed silently to Avandra that they would prevail as she wasn't sure how long she could hold her breath.

[Private to GM:
With 10 seconds to a melee round, it sounds like a good rule of thumb that she could hold her breath for a number of rounds equal to her Constitution while doing nothing.  Perhaps half that swimming before having to make some increasingly difficult Constitution checks.]

 Marklin cast a javelin at the creature, not sure it found the mark, due to the arcane darkness that enshrouded the beast. The Warrior began to back up and away from the beast.

07:40, Today: Marklin rolled 8 using 1d20-4 with rolls of 12.  Javelin attack roll.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:16, Fri 11 Aug 2017.

Taerix edges closer, working his way toward the overturned wagon. Maybe from up there he can bring his sword into play. It'll have to wait for now, though. He casts another stone from his sling.


10:45, Today: Kane Taerix rolled 11 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 7.  Sling at hydra.

"Somebody tell that thing to stand still!" Valthur considers drawing his axe and charging (it's really his preference), but seeing Marklin up to his waist in water, the dwarf decides it better to stay on the high ground and support with his crossbow. He grunts while loading the second of his 5 masterfully crafted quarrels. The crossbow locks and he quickly aims and fires.

23:04, Today: Valthur Ironhelm rolled 14 using 1d20-2 with rolls of 16.  crossbow vs. hydra (using +1 quarrel).
23:04, Today: Valthur Ironhelm rolled 4 8 (see note below) using 1d8-2 with rolls of 6.  Damage.

Duh, that should be 1d8 PLUS 2 for damage (+1 for the special quarrel and +1 for Eoni's bless), so an 8 instead of a 4, pretty please?

The party continues to fire arrow after bolt after arrow at the pincushion of darkness. Fortunately, the hydra takes up much of the space beneath the darkness and it's akin to striking the broad side of a barn.

The hydra rages each time it is struck, its roar becoming a bit more subdued each time. In the end it is but a single roar, its five other heads hanging lifelessly from bloody stumps. A smarter monster would flee, discretion being the better part of valor, or so they say.

Hydras' are not smart. They exist to kill and haunt dreams. But they also has some degree of self preservation and this hydra has nearly been killed. Maybe its heads are like a lizard's tail and will grow back?

In any event, the hydra is quite fond of its remaining head and is keen to keep it attached. It plunges into the water and swims away toward the channel, eager to put as much distance between itself and the adventurers.

In a moment, the darkness clears. The hydra has fled. The adventurers are victorious!

Marklin just stared down a six-headed hydra...and emerged unscathed. Now there's a tale!

OOC:

Six-Headed Hydra
AC: 5
HP: 4/48 (5 heads defeated)


PC         AC   HP    9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1  0 -1 -2 -3
Aldara     8    9/9  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20
Eoni       8  16/16  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20
Marklin    5  14/14   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Sarah      4  12/12   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Taerix     1  15/15   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Valthur    5  18/18   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20

NPCs
Gaston     5  16/16   9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20
Lenny      5   9/9   10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20
Anders     7   9/9   10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20
Jorr       8  10/10  10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 20 20

[Private to GM:

  HD       9   8   7   6   5   4   3   2   1   0   -1  -2  -3
Up to 1    10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  20  20
1+ to 2    9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  20
2+ to 3    8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20
3+ to 4    7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19
4+ to 5    6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18
5+ to 6    5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17
6+ to 7    4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15  16
7+ to 9    3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14  15
9+ to 11   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10  11  12  13  14

]

OOC: PCs are UP!!!

This message was last edited by the GM at 09:35, Fri 11 Aug 2017.

"Meloralmighty!" Jorr exclaims. "That was Old Sixer!" the hermit says in amazement. "Well, I'll be damned!?"

The weather-beaten man says he thought Old Sixer had been slain, died, or moved off elsewhere. "Hadn't been seen in nearly 8 years. Somethin' must have stirred her to action again?!"

"Goblins will do that though..." he grumbles.

The water stopped thrashing about and Eoni opened her eyes.  She still couldn't see anything as churned muck clouded her vision.  Cautiously, she rose so that she could just see above the now still waters.  She was facing the causeway and swiveled slowly in the direction of the wagon and hydra.  The wagon remained but the hydra was gone.  Miraculously, Marklin stood soaked and breathing heavily, but unscathed.

She stood and looked towards the rest of the group for a head count.  Only the hydra was absent.

"Did it just run away?" she asked incredulously.  It must not have been as dangerous as she'd first thought if it hadn't taken the armsman for a snack.

  Because of the darkness, all Marklin heard was something large splashing into the water. He prepared to use his javelin an improvised spear. He looked to Eoni. “ There was the gods rage o’ bolts and arrows sent the beasties way. Mayhap it decided good health better than a meal. But I’ll go forth to the wagon and have a look see, and make sure it be not skulking about.”

Marklin slowly made his way towards the wagon, then  around, to search for “Dragon” sign.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:01, Fri 11 Aug 2017.

As Marklin moves toward the wagon, Taerix returns to scanning the trees for goblins or any other threats.

"Old Sixer, hmm? Definitely a song to be sung there somewhere."

With a deep, delighted chuckle, Valthur offers a hand to the swamp-soaked cleric as she emerges from the water. "You picked a hell of a time for swimming, Eoni, but I'm glad you're unharmed." He looks about the rest of the miraculously unscathed party, then specifically at Marklin as he snoops around the submerged wagon. "Same goes for ol' Froggy over there."

In the immediate aftermath of the hydra's ambush, Marklin trudges out to the goblin war wagon and searches the area. The fighter finds evidence of a large number of partial hobgoblin skeletons in the mud, most still wearing now-ruined armor. The wagon's floorboard and axels have been completely trashed, no doubt whatever content it once held now submerged somewhere below the muck. However, Marklin fishes out one promising item: a hobgoblin champion wearing a remarkable suit of chain. Despite being submerged in water for an indeterminate length of time, the chain gleams brightly and looks quite promising indeed.

Save for the suit of chain mail, Marklin finds nothing of note.

 Marklin removed the suit of mail from the Hobs remains, and after retrieving his spear, wadded back to the others. “ Look what I found.”

Valthur examines the chainmail. "Glistens like it was fresh from the armory, not from the bottom of some god forsaken swamp. I'd try it on myself, but it's not exactly my size."

 "Your lot be well known for thier metal work,Valture. Do ye know why it didn't rust and be so shiny?" Asked Marklin, to the Dwarf.