Out-of-character adventure discussion

[TheGreenLabrador]

Actually, Tanglar has a 16 str and 16 Dex.

[Umiushi]

I seem to have a few minutes of Internet access tonight.

By the way, Umi, do you want us to post our rolls here or in the IC thread?

If you have narrative or speech between the ROLL tags, place them in Acqua Alta, otherwise place them here. If you are unsure, place them here.

Move Action: Down Left for 5 squares

Standard Action: Gonna do another move action Down and Right 4 squares to end up at the top left of the lower barge.

The contents of bright yellow squares are sufficiently large to prevent diagonal movement around them. However, Morgran can spend 5 movement points on the second Move Action to reach the desired position, anyway.

Ariellana will grab Zephyr's gear and a rope, and follow Myn and Morgran. She will run as long as nothing seems hostile, and she too will avoid running into other people. If there are already ropes where Myn and Morgran are going, all the better. Some of us have ropes in our packs should we need something longer or in better condition.

I don't think I need to update my post in the AA thread. I'm not sure how the above actions fit into the standard/move/minor format, so I'll let the DM decide. Do I get to do 2 move actions as I follow? Or does all the grabbing of gear prevent that?

The dragonborn got smacked around before and during his involuntary journey into the water. He may be injured or dazed. We don't know if he failed his heat exhaustion and seasickness checks. We don't know how heavy his armor is or if he naturally floats or sinks. Fast water is scary, but it's not the only possible reason for someone to be in danger of drowning.

I took Zephyr's actions to mean that he is carrying all of his equipment, and simply checking to make sure it is securely fastened to him. Also, I believe Ariellana is carrying rope as part of the adventurer's kit. If that is the case, she can spend two actions for movement.

Regarding the hostility of the dock workers, it is indeterminate to the group's insight. With that in mind, please specify if Ariellana is running or using the standard movement.

There are ropes where Morgran and Myn are heading, but they are mostly in use. There may be some extra on the ground, but it is hard to tell due to the intervening crowd and remaining cargo.

In the hypothetical situation where Ariellana had to grab extra gear, it would have taken at least a movement action. For multiple, loose items, possibly a full turn or longer would be required.

Good points concerning the dragonborn's condition. I will add one item that can be observed: it is not wearing any armor, only light robes.

[Myn]

I have rope on my person, I'll be able to throw it when I get there.

[Cocoa]

I took Zephyr's actions to mean that he is carrying all of his equipment, and simply checking to make sure it is securely fastened to him. Also, I believe Ariellana is carrying rope as part of the adventurer's kit. If that is the case, she can spend two actions for movement.

OK; double movement, then.

Regarding the hostility of the dock workers, it is indeterminate to the group's insight. With that in mind, please specify if Ariellana is running or using the standard movement.

She's doing whatever Myn will be doing. If he runs, then she will. If he doesn't, then she won't. He's faster than she is. If she runs, she'll be yelling, "Man overboard!" or something equivalent to show that she's trying to rescue her friend.

[Umiushi]

I'm back in town, earlier than I expected. Unless something unforeseen comes up, I don't anticipate any trouble making my Monday morning deadline. Of course, I won't be posting anything significant until after 11:00 pm tonight, out of respect for the players' extended due date.

She's doing whatever Myn will be doing. If he runs, then she will. If he doesn't, then she won't. He's faster than she is. If she runs, she'll be yelling, "Man overboard!" or something equivalent to show that she's trying to rescue her friend.

Just to clarify, is Ariellana moving after Myn? Out of the four PC initiative rolls I have recorded, Ariellana has the highest count, and Myn has the lowest. That also means Ariellana can take her move before Zephyr dives into the water, if she chooses.

The way I am planning to interpret this is that Ariellana will delay her turn to Initiative Count 6, and then follow Morgran and Myn.

However, if you would prefer to do it differently, let me know, and I'll have Ariellana be the first to move towards the dragonborn, on Initiative Count 24.

Keeping in mind what I said about weird future knowledge, it looks like Morgran and Myn will be taking their regular move actions, so I'll consider Ariellana to be doing the same. Since she won't be running, she won't be shouting anything.

Is all of this in accordance with your wishes?

[Cocoa]

Just to clarify, is Ariellana moving after Myn? Out of the four PC initiative rolls I have recorded, Ariellana has the highest count, and Myn has the lowest. That also means Ariellana can take her move before Zephyr dives into the water, if she chooses.

Oops, I forgot about the initiative thing.

Let's go ahead and have Ariellana move at a normal pace towards the pier, not shouting anything. She sees that Zephyr is going to go into the water, so she starts to head to the pier to help out from land. She will move before Myn and Morgran. I am assuming that Tanglar will follow her, too, but that's up to Tanglar.

[Umiushi]

This post complements the third Main Post in the Acqua Alta thread. Players' posts in either thread are due by 11 pm, Tuesday, April 14th. The next OOC main post will appear by 11 pm, Thursday, April 16th.

Map
For now, I'm going to try hosting images on ImageShack. Just follow the link: [img=http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/1070/jetty2.jpg]

Ariellana (Initiative Count 24)
Status: -1 healing surge

Double Move: "Walk;" proceed down the jetty (successful)

Notes: Ariellana passes within range of one opportunity attack from a dock worker. The dock worker refrains from making an opportunity attack.


Zephyr (Initiative Count 21)

Minor Action: check equipment (successful: any loose equipment is secured)
Double Move: "Run;" run around a crate, dive off the edge of the barge, and swim towards the acolyte (successful)
Move Action Segment: Jump (Athletics Check: 14 from running start; successful: Zephyr dives over two squares of water)
Move Action Segment: Swim (Athletics Check: 25; successful: Zephyr swims at half his remaining speed towards the acolyte)

Note: Running gives Zephyr +2 to speed, but grants combat advantage to all opponents and gives him a -5 penalty to attacks until the start of his next turn.

Updated Status: granting combat advantage until start of Zephyr's next turn


Trade Ministry Official (Initiative Count 17)

No Action: Delay; watches the acolyte and Zephyr


Bodyguard (Initiative Count 16)

Move Action: Walk; moves next to the official, paying attention to Ariellana (successful)


Acolyte (Initiative Count 12)

Double Move: "Run;" attempts to swim back towards the barge (fails: sinks below the waves)

Updated Status: granting combat advantage until start of its next turn; has concealment


Morgran (Initiative Count 10)
Status: -1 healing surge

Double Move: Walk; moves to the top left of the lower barge (successful)
Free Action: speak, "Here now! Stop all this! What's going on here?"


Myn (Initiative Count 7)
Status: -1 healing surge

Double Move: Walk; hurry down the dock (successful)


River Eddies (Initiative Count 3)
Hazard: Shifts anyone in the water a random direction and distance.

Acolyte: Shifts 6 squares south.
Zephyr: Shifts 7 squares east


Dock Workers (Initiative Count 2)

Move Action: Shift; 1 square away from any player character (successful*)
Move Action: Walk; continue to carry and drop carge from the jetty and second barge (successful)

*Notify me if Ariellana or Morgran has and is using any power that counters shifting. Also, despite appearances, the worker that was due north of where Ariellana ended her move shifted north and then moved to occupy the space of the worker who was next to where Morgran ended his move. That worker shifted east one square.

Galin and Tanglar (no initiative count)

No Action: Delay; taking in the situation from the barge

[yukonhorror]

Full speed swimming towards acolyte. Use perception to locate acolyte.

2x move actions: swimming

OOC: do i roll twice for swimming. I will this time, but only use first one if not so.

* Swim *

* Swim *

* Perception to keep eye on rope *

* Perception to keep eye on acolyte *

[TheGreenLabrador]

Monkey Wrenches. I thought player posts were due by Monday. Stupid me.

[Umiushi]

Full speed swimming towards acolyte. Use perception to locate acolyte.

2x move actions: swimming

OOC: do i roll twice for swimming. I will this time, but only use first one if not so.

Roll twice for swimming when you make a double move. If your character succeeds on the first check, it doesn't matter what's rolled on the second. If your character fails the first check, the character may still succeed for the second half of the turn.

Also, Perception checks are Minor Actions (errata for Player's Handbook page 186; formerly they were standard actions). Do you want to simply make one Perception check or is Zephyr spending his Action Point this round?

[yukonhorror]

I guess I thought they were free. Just one perception check to find the acolyte. No action point.

[JohnChrist]

Dock Workers (Initiative Count 2)

Move Action: Walk; continue to carry and drop carge from the jetty and second barge (successful)

Are you meaning they continue to drop cargo into the river or was I mistaken and only the bodyguard was really doing that?

[Cocoa]

Now that Ariellana is out of the way of the dock workers, I hope she can run without annoying anyone. She'll only run if it's necessary to move the extra distance or if it will help with the next part of her turn.

She is going to move to the edge of the pier and toss a rope to the dragonborn. One end of the rope will go around a piling or a cleat or equivalent, using a quickly-formed loop knot. That way, Ariellana is not in much danger of getting pulled in. And if the rope doesn't connect with the dragonborn and the current moves him further away, she can quickly get the loop off of the piling or cleat and move to a new position to try again. If there's already a decent rope in the area, she will use it. Otherwise, she'll use the rope she brought with her from the barge.

If she and the dragonborn don't connect on this turn, then Myn or one of the others can try tossing the rope. If no one connects and/or the dragonborn is no longer capable of grabbing the rope, then on the next turn, Ariellana will tie the other end of the rope around herself and dive in after the dragonborn.

She will leave Zephyr to the others for now -- perhaps to the dwarf cleric still on the barge, or to the dock workers on the other barge who have noticed that he is overboard. That may change on a future turn, of course.


I am not sure how to resolve all of the above into the formal rules of D&D. Do I use one move action or will two be necessary? I'm hoping for one. It would be best to be fairly close to the dragonborn to make success with the rope-tossing more likely. Will the move action help with the rope-tossing? Can we tie something to the free end of the rope to help it travel farther and more accurately, and to make it easier for the dragonborn to grab and hang on to the rope? Even a quick knot on the free end might help.

I am assuming that a quick looping knot around a piling or cleat is either a minor or a free action; those kinds of things really can be tied and untied quite quickly. I am assuming the rope-tossing is the standard action.

I will allow the DM to roll the necessary dice (if Umi doesn't mind). My Dex is 14, making the modifier +2. My Str is 16, making the modifier +3. My Athletics is +8. I'm not sure which ones you'll be rolling.

If any dex dice rolls aren't enough for success in rope-throwing but are high enough to be used as an Aid Another bonus, can they be converted to Aid Another to help out Myn? I can understand if that doesn't seem reasonable.


Is there anything else I should consider before I make the narrative post to our Acqua Alta game thread?

[Umiushi]

I guess I thought they were free. Just one perception check to find the acolyte. No action point.

While they cost minor actions, you are always making "automatic perception checks" using your passive perception. Also, some of the things you're keeping an eye on will count as automatic successes. In particular, you will know where any ropes land unless you fail a swim check by so much that you sink. Similarly, you can keep track of the dragonborn provided it doesn't sink much further.

Are you meaning they continue to drop cargo into the river or was I mistaken and only the bodyguard was really doing that?

Yes, the dock workers continue to drop cargo into the river. It looks like they're almost done, though.

Now that Ariellana is out of the way of the dock workers, I hope she can run without annoying anyone. She'll only run if it's necessary to move the extra distance or if it will help with the next part of her turn.

She is going to move to the edge of the pier and toss a rope to the dragonborn. One end of the rope will go around a piling or a cleat or equivalent, using a quickly-formed loop knot. That way, Ariellana is not in much danger of getting pulled in. And if the rope doesn't connect with the dragonborn and the current moves him further away, she can quickly get the loop off of the piling or cleat and move to a new position to try again. If there's already a decent rope in the area, she will use it. Otherwise, she'll use the rope she brought with her from the barge.

If she and the dragonborn don't connect on this turn, then Myn or one of the others can try tossing the rope. If no one connects and/or the dragonborn is no longer capable of grabbing the rope, then on the next turn, Ariellana will tie the other end of the rope around herself and dive in after the dragonborn.

She will leave Zephyr to the others for now -- perhaps to the dwarf cleric still on the barge, or to the dock workers on the other barge who have noticed that he is overboard. That may change on a future turn, of course.

I am not sure how to resolve all of the above into the formal rules of D&D. Do I use one move action or will two be necessary? I'm hoping for one. It would be best to be fairly close to the dragonborn to make success with the rope-tossing more likely. Will the move action help with the rope-tossing? Can we tie something to the free end of the rope to help it travel farther and more accurately, and to make it easier for the dragonborn to grab and hang on to the rope? Even a quick knot on the free end might help.

I am assuming that a quick looping knot around a piling or cleat is either a minor or a free action; those kinds of things really can be tied and untied quite quickly. I am assuming the rope-tossing is the standard action.

I will allow the DM to roll the necessary dice (if Umi doesn't mind). My Dex is 14, making the modifier +2. My Str is 16, making the modifier +3. My Athletics is +8. I'm not sure which ones you'll be rolling.

If any dex dice rolls aren't enough for success in rope-throwing but are high enough to be used as an Aid Another bonus, can they be converted to Aid Another to help out Myn? I can understand if that doesn't seem reasonable.

Is there anything else I should consider before I make the narrative post to our Acqua Alta game thread?

Ariellana can move to a distance of four squares away from the acolyte through walking, and she can stay out of the way of the workers while she does it. That will take one move action. There is a rope in the area that can be used.

Enabling actions are generally minor actions, but they are very discreet. Picking up an object, readying a carried object, securing an object, tying a rope to yourself: all of these are distinct minor actions. That leads me to rectify a mistake I made earlier: the Athletics check to assist in the rope throwing should be a minor action, not a move action, which I incorrectly stated it was.

Tossing the rope is a standard action, yes. Aid Another is also a standard action. I'm afraid you have to specify one or the other.

In general, I don't like to make adjustments to rolls for details, as they tend to add up rather quickly. However, since you're thinking it through seriously, another minor action may be spent to make the rope more accurate and easier to grab. It will lower the target DCs by one both for successfully throwing the rope to the dragonborn, and allowing the dragonborn to hang onto the rope.

When deciding your actions for this turn, consider that you have a large number of minor actions to choose from. You only need one move action, but after that, you must choose between taking one minor action and one standard action, or taking two minor actions and holding off on your standard action for a turn. If you're in a hurry, you can spend your action point to gain an additional action.

The natural courses of action as I see them would be to pick up a rope and throw it to the acolyte (one minor and one standard action); ready Ariellana's own rope and throw it to the acolyte (again, one minor and one standard action); pick up/ready a rope and secure it to a piling (two minor actions); pick up/ready a rope and improve it (two minor actions); or pick up/ready a rope and make an Athletics check in preparation for throwing it (two minor actions). Certainly with Myn nearby, what you start, he can finish if he's so inclined. If you toss the rope right away, you can still secure it next turn...provided events don't flow poorly and Ariellana gets pulled into the river.

[Cocoa]

Ariellana can move to a distance of four squares away from the acolyte through walking, and she can stay out of the way of the workers while she does it. That will take one move action. There is a rope in the area that can be used.

It's already tied to something? Nevermind, I see later in the message that it is not.

the Athletics check to assist in the rope throwing should be a minor action, not a move action, which I incorrectly stated it was.

Cool. Ariellana will definitely take advantage of that if necessary. My athletics skill is much better than my dex skill.

However, since you're thinking it through seriously, another minor action may be spent to make the rope more accurate and easier to grab. It will lower the target DCs by one both for successfully throwing the rope to the dragonborn, and allowing the dragonborn to hang onto the rope.

Thanks!

pick up/ready a rope and secure it to a piling (two minor actions)

That sounds good. Ariellana will pick up the rope at the edge if it looks to be in good shape. Otherwise, she'll use her own. She will tie one end to the piling, using a quickly-made loop-type knot that is secure yet can be undone or moved easily. The other end will get something done to it to make it more accurate and easier to grab. This could be a big fat stopper knot or a knot that encloses something or attaches to something.

Then Myn can throw the rope when he catches up to Ariellana. If Myn misses, maybe Morgran or Tanglar will catch up and get a try at tossing the rope. No one will risk falling in unless the edge of the pier is slippery. The rope can be quickly moved if the dragonborn misses and drifts away from this piling.

If you toss the rope right away, you can still secure it next turn...provided events don't flow poorly and Ariellana gets pulled into the river.

Ariellana will not toss a rope without securing one end to something first. Not only has she worked and traveled on boats before, but she once read a battered copy of "The Intrepid Sailor's Guide to Water Safety, Knotsmanship, and Associated Crafts and Skills; Being an Account of A Lifetime Spent At Sea by Haverford Thornbottom, a native lad of Roc's Bay." I think she knows a good recipe for deck varnish, too, plus the proper etiquette if the cabin boy is eaten by an intelligent sea serpent. And a method for making sea-serpent soup while at sea. (or maybe not...)

I will make my post to the AA thread soon. Ariellana will move to the spot you mentioned above (move action) and will use two minor actions to make sure that a sturdy rope is attached to a piling and has the other end readied for more accurate throwing and grabbing. The rope will be ready for someone else to use, and hopefully the dragonborn will be able to grab it and hang on.