Roywin similes at the old man "Thank you for the information, sir. What you're saying makes plenty of sense, but I'm afraid this time we'll go against common sense."
She points at Lan as he is walking away.
"I wouldn't leave a colleague walk into danger alone if I can help him."
She smiles at the man again and rushes to catch up with the cleric.
She keeps walking by his side as they leave the area.

With most of the group leaving, Tai does the same.

After a few hours, they arrive at the causeway.


A wide expanse of dark water has flooded the woodland in this low valley. Trees still portrude  from the calm, dark water here and there, but many large seem to be little more than open pools of algae-choked water. The trill of frog and the whine of insects fill the air. The forest road leads right down to the edge of the flooded section, up to a rickety-looking causeway made of thick-planks of wood lashed together with mossy rope. The wooden causeway for several hundred feet through the boggy patch only a foot or two above the water. A few yards away, the group can make out the wreckage of a wagon, lying on its side and half-sunk in the flooded forest about 30' from the causeway.

OOC
If wanting to run or charge, need a Balance Check DC 10 or not move. Normal movement is fine.

Make a Spot Check.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:27, Mon 05 July 2021.

Landor stopped. The overturned cart was an obvious ambush tactic. He listened to see if there were others nearby.

11:36, Today: Landor Halbrek rolled 13 using 1d20+5.  Spot.

Roywin sees Landor stop and look around and she does the same.
It is a remarkable flat area, so it's not an issue for a person her size to look around and not being blocked by the usual small hills.
She feels there is a chance for the combat to start soon, so she casts mage armour on her before that happens.

OOC
Cast mage armour, +4 AC for 6 hours.

07:16, Today: Roywin Viasaquilla rolled 20 using 1d20+5.  Spot check.

Lyrian regards the causeway with curiosity.  "I wonder how long that wagon has been here?  Seems odd for it to be there," she says quietly, looking around with Ingrid for anything untoward.

OOC: 03:36, Today: Lyrian Swift rolled 17 using 1d20+9.  Listen check for Ingrid the ferret familiar.
03:36, Today: Lyrian Swift rolled 17 using 1d20+9.  Spot check for Ingrid the ferret familiar.
03:36, Today: Lyrian Swift rolled 21 using 1d20+13.  Listen check.
03:35, Today: Lyrian Swift rolled 29 using 1d20+14.  Spot check.

Gar, bow in hand, walks quietly and looks around as he does, not focusing on anything specific.

<OOC: Gar Irontooth rolled 9 using 1d20+4.  Spot check. >

The group can make out what looks like some sort of crocodile watching them from behind the wagon. It just stares at them, not moving. Tai is silent, staring at the beast. He holds his blade slightly out and remains close to the wizard.

OOC its about 5' behind the wagon in the muck. Group is on the bottom of the picture on the 'ramp'.

Landor has his mace and shield ready as he starts walking across the bridge taking note of any weak boards that might break under the weight.

Roywin stays as close to TaiChi as she can without being awkward and points at the crocodile. "Can we avoid that? it seems it's looking for its next meal; and I don't want to be it."

She follows the group accepts the platform.

Gar, his bow ready, was the last to move, covering everyone else

"I have an idea.  I have a scroll I have learned to cast, hypnotic pattern, and hopefully I can make it work, or Rowin can.  If it does, it will make a fascinating display of color.  If we look away from it, the spell could keep the crocodile looking at the magic and not doing anything else until we're on the other side of the causeway," Lyrian suggests, looking to Roywin to see what they think.

Landor considered the idea. “That’s a good idea, but do we have a solution for when we come back over?”

"I know the story you talk about. it's very useful, but it works better with gross of people. if the crocodile resists the spell it will be useless, but we can try it. I have it memorized myself as well, if needed."
She gives Lyra warm smile."I could also try to cast an illusion of something more appealing than us and lurk him away so we can cross safely. Again it might not work, but it's another option. It just needs to be something that does not make a lot of sound, as the spell is visual, but does not produce any sound. What do you think we should do? Hypnotic pattern or silent image?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:16, Sat 10 July 2021.

"Well, if we need something that doesn't make much noise, perhaps a fish?  Or a waterbird sitting at the edge of the water, like a large goose?  And since you have hypnotic pattern readied, I will try the scroll now, and then you can try an illusion if the crocodile resists," Lyrian suggests.  If all are in accord, she will produce the scroll, study it once more to be familiar of how to say the words, and hold it out.  "I'm going to put in right in front of his nose, so no one look at it, all right?"

OOC: Casting hypnotic pattern from the scroll, assuming everyone is good with that.

Roywin looks with curiosity how Lyr casts the spell. She checks the small variances that are characteristic of every wizard with a smile.
"Let's hope it works!" she says with a smile in her face.

As the spell is cast, the 'crocodile' seems uneffected but the group realizes this is no ordinary beast as another head pops up. Then another. Another another until it rises up from the murky depths, towering over the group as it stands about thirty feet away.

Six heads. Massive elongated heads. It roars from all of them.

https://www.dhresource.com/0x0...oHAAJKwQWdPyo481.jpg

OOC
Initiative.

Gar kept his bead on the crocodile head as he edged around, when another head appeared, and another, and another.

Damnit he thought as he eyes widened.

Out of pure instinct he fired his bow at the beast.

<OOC: A six headed beast that looks like a croc? Anyone want to say 'oh shit, a hydra!'

Gar Irontooth rolled 19 using 1d20+2.  Iniative.

Gar Irontooth rolled 12 using 1d20+8.  attack - longbow. (I'm assuming this misses)>

Roywin looks at the heads as they appear from below the water. "What is this??"
The old gnome tries to identify what the creature is, so she can think about a plan. At this point she only hopes to live to see the next day. But the nerves makes her mind blank.
She casts a spell to make the creature lose its sight, so it can't attack them.

OOC
23:03, Today: Roywin Viasaquilla rolled 23 using 1d20+6.  Initiative.

23:05, Today: Roywin Viasaquilla rolled 18 using 1d20+16.  Knowledge arcana.

Cast Reality Bind, will save DC 21 or being blind and stunned.

"Trouble!" Lyrian says back to Roywin, and yanks out another scroll, this one far more destructive, letting a bolt of fire loose at the creature!

OOC: 22:28, Today: Lyrian Swift rolled 11 using 1d20+7.  Initiative.
Using a scroll of scorching ray
22:29, Today: Lyrian Swift rolled 26 using 1d20+10.  Ranged touch attack.
22:30, Today: Lyrian Swift rolled 16 using 4d6.  Scorching Ray damage.

Landor saw the beast and knew they needed to regroup and come up with a plan to deal with this beast instead of doing it on the fly. “Retreat!”The cleric turned and ran away from it as quick as possible.

OOC: Run away which I think in full plate for him is 60 feet.

02:08, Today: Landor Halbrek rolled 14 using 1d20+1.  Initiative .

Seeing the beast, Tai charges up to it. He pulls out his katana and attacks! It hits sunking into its leg. As much as the samurai hope it would be a decent foe, it knows where he is. Watching. Waiting.

Roy casts her spell, hitting one of the beasts heads. It falls limply to its side.
*Didn't save. Lost a head.

Gar fires and misses.

The spell from the rogue hits the beast, harming him.

Lan runs away (60')

The hydra howls and goes after the samurai but is within 15' able to hit the others! But it sinks all five of its attacks on Tai! One misses but the other hit their mark! The wounds that hit him are slowly healing up!
*10' reach
*Tai take 51 damage

Group is up. The hydra can hit all of you but Lan is fine.
Tai (29)
*51 damage
Roy (23)
Gar (19)
Lan (14)
Lyr (11)
---------------------------
Hydra (05)
*???/14
AC 16
5 Heads
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:14, Thu 15 July 2021.

Landor waves at everyone to retreat. “We need to regroup!”He raises his shield to defend himself if the hydra advances.

OOC: Total defense for +4 AC

Roywin moves 5 feet away from the hydra. She casts something in from of her to attack the hydra.

The wizard talks to the others quickly.
"Attack it, but do it fast. It'll heal otherwise!

As she does that a crocodile appears in front of the hydra and tries to slap the hydra with is tail.

OOC
5 foot step back to avoid AoO.

Cast Summon monster III (Dire crocodile) between Roywin and the hydra

Crocodile attack - tail slap
16:53, Today: Roywin Viasaquilla rolled 12,13 using 1d20+6,1d12+6.  Tail slap attack, damage.

Gar, still overwhelmed by the beast, saw it snap at hif friend, feeling the anger build, he fired another arrow, and dropping his bow, took out the orcish double axe. "Hey ugly..>You want to bite something, Come get a piece of me!"

<OOC: Action, Fire bow

Gar Irontooth rolled 21 using 1d20+8.  attack - longbow.
Gar Irontooth rolled 4 using 1d8+3.  damage - longbow.

Drops longbow and draws double axe>

Lyrian retreats to get away from the creature's multiple snapping jaws, and digs into her pack to extract a vial of a thick, orange, jelly-like substance.  With a little luck, in a few seconds she could capitalize on Gar's accuracy...

OOC: Move 15' back, get out vial of alchemist's fire.  Next round, intend to use hand of the mage to move it over the hydra and drop it on a damaged head.