View source for Snow Gate Round 4 ~ the Toad is Smacked Around

'''Continued From [[Snow Gate Round 3 ~ the Toad is Hurt]]'''

==Summary==

The dust devil hits again and Embla steps forward and finishes it off. The party then retreats back to some rocks by the edge of the lake so that Rob can meditate for his <i>Cure</i> spell. Once that is obtained and cast, the party searches between the lake and the grate/fence for more buried toads, finding none. Then Mikael notices a toad past the fence. The toad seems to track the party, moving along with them. Mikael uses the ring he received from the Ancient Prugg to determine that the fence is highly magical. Experimentation shows that missile weapons sent through the gate cease to exist, but that moving a weapon or body part through does not result in any such effect. After considering their options, the party decides that they must retreat across the lake to recover with the Svirfneblin.

==[https://juvenis-campaign.blogspot.com/2019/01/snow-gate-round-4-toad-is-smacked-around.html Original Page]==

[https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgciVXSCtrtbxXaHnv5E2kLpk03gT_0CwD6LwQjz-T9Pr71r46GkkVW70I3PNwt8gD51rEbrgG98as7wgYI4XjfphaTfMFuI3ERjlpn7LzkZwkiy9pL8NVEiL8cLi2yShKSsMXYltZjQaY/s1600/Round+4.jpg Ice toad]

'''The DM:''' There, nice and big.  The blowing snow continues to make the toad hard to see, but the snow devil is making a mess of it.

As Embla approaches within two hexes of it, however, she feels as if she's opened a door into a cold outdoors as a freezing blast rushes against her, clearly emanating from the toad.  It is almost a solid thing.  She takes 1 point of damage as frost sinks into her hands and face.

Apart from that, the party is free to act.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' Dust Devil to 1007:

Attack roll: 17

Damage roll: 1

I then advance to 0809.

Let's bring him home...

'''[[Embla Strand|Embla]]:''' Ow.

I advance forward one hex and attack the toad with my axe. 18 on the die to hit, 7 damage (5+1str+1magic).

'''[[Mikael]]:''' I just want to clarify I use darts, not daggers. Daggers were too expensive.

I move to 0510. I want to keep an eye on the gate, as I am expecting reinforcements any time now. I believe I have infravision, would it be useful in this cold?

I throw a nonmagic dart at the toad.

<poem>
Attack roll: 8 on the die, modded to 9 for short range and Dexterity.
Damage roll: 1
Intelligence check: 5
</poem>

'''[[Rob]]:''' I advance to 0808

'''[[Lothar Svensson|Lothar]]:''' I move up to 1109.

'''The DM:''' Sorry, I keep forgetting Mikael's dart use. It'll sink in eventually.

With the 1 damage done by Engelhart, Embla's blow strikes the creature in its wound. A black-grey blood wells up from her blow and the creature dies.

'''The DM:''' Action? Embla will take three damage from the radiated cold from the toad as he kills it, but the radiation will quickly drop off as the creature dies and no such damage will accrue afterwards.

Engelhart's snow devil will subside.

'''[[Mikael]]:''' Does anyone recall how many toads we were told to expect? I think it was 2 or 3.

We could go up and inspect the gate, or we could hunt down the rest of the toads.

I belueve if we kill the toads, we end the enchantment, so it may be more prudent to seek out the toads.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' If we are to find more watermellon eyes buried in the snow then this sounds like a task for an assassin.

Let us advance cautiously and on the lookout for such things.

'''The DM:''' Let me put this another way. Embla, now conscious of the movement around her in this windy day, is almost perfectly sure that there are no other buried toads nearby.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' Ok, I inspect the dead toad. Anything that leaps to sight?

How far is the gate by now?

'''[[Rob]]:''' May we rest half an hour here (maybe while some of us go scouting) while I prepare my 'cure light wound' spell?

The dust devil did us good during that fight, but we need to be ready for another without it.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' I don't mind waiting it out.

'''[[Lothar Svensson|Lothar]]:''' I'm okay with waiting half an hour for another Cure spell. I'm pretty sure we'll need it with the cold aura put off by these toads. Perhaps we withdraw to the bare ice? I don't want to catch another cold. Would my Sheltering ability be of any use here?

'''The DM:''' The gate is 85 feet, or 17 hexes, from the frog's body. Nothing special about the body except there's a lingering cold, no longer enough to cause damage. (I'll have an XP table up eventually).

Rob, this is the spell you haven't cast yet, yes? That you got with going up a level.

You will do better to sit between the rocks and the shore; that will get you out of the wind.

'''[[Rob]]:''' Yes Alexis, this is that spell.

'''[[Lothar Svensson|Lothar]]:''' Well, I set up a little camp between the rocks and the shore so we can catch our breath and plan our next step.

'''[[Embla Strand|Embla]]:''' I assist Lothar.

'''The DM:''' I don't believe you have a means to create a fire; you'll find, however, that there are drifts where the snow has collected behind the rocks. It is fairly deep; four to five feet deep. Because Lothar's background is in mountaineering (which offers different sheltering than, say, a blight background), he and Embla can start working to build a quinzhee: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinzhee.

'''The DM:''' You haven't all the tools to make it right (sticks), but it can be piled against the rock and then hollowed out along the base of the rocks if you wish.

'''[[Lothar Svensson|Lothar]]:''' So long as it keeps us out of the wind and doesn't collapse and suffocate us, I am good with it. Shelter built.

Now, who gets this Cure spell?

'''[[Rob]]:''' I rolled and the spell will cure 5HPs.

I have 4 HP left, so I would like to have 1, maybe 2 if we can spare it.

Embla, you did take some damage from the toad, no?

'''[[Embla Strand|Embla]]:''' Just 3 points. I'm at 17 right now. Take the heal.

'''[[Rob]]:''' What about you Mikael?

'''The DM:''' Yep, I'd like to get the healing sorted out.

'''[[Mikael]]:''' I'm okay, at 7/11

'''[[Lothar Svensson|Lothar]]:''' I'm at 17/41. Embla is 17/??, Mikael is 7/11. Rob has 4/?? Engelhart, how are you? I have 1 healing salve, but I feel like saving that for an emergency.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' I'm good at 13'ish (laptop has the correct figure).

Let's get going, shall we?

'''[[Rob]]:''' Okay, so I propose to heal myself for 4 HP and Mikael for 1, bringing us both at 8HPs.

'''[[Embla Strand|Embla]]:''' Sounds good.

'''[[Mikael]]:''' Agreed

'''The DM:''' And with that out of the way, what is your plan going forward? Do you wish to investigate the gate or the grate-wall; search the whole cave on this side of the lake; retreat; your option.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' 14 hit points confirmed.

I'm still all for retreating and coming back fully charged, but we've been over this before. *g*

I'm good with both the wall and searching "this whole side of the cave", impractical as it sounds. The gate itself is bound to spell trouble, I'd save that for last.

'''[[Lothar Svensson|Lothar]]:''' I would at least like to see how much work we have in front of us to close the gate. I feel like we could chance one more look around, and then go rest up. I know I've got some HP on me, but I'd feel a lot better with more than half.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' I know, right?

Right now we stand to get collectively stun-locked into oblivion by any moderate challenge we come across.

'''The DM:''' The wind continues to blow around you. As the shelter provides some comfort, you're all by no means warm. Without a heat source, even as much as a candle, you wouldn't want to spend the night here.

'''[[Embla Strand|Embla]]:''' Let's push on a little further. It's a bit of a trek back to safety, and I'd like to keep our momentum as long as possible.

'''[[Rob]]:''' Agreed, let's check out this side of the cave but stay clear of the gate.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' Let us then. We should fan out the group disposition to cover ground, with Embla leading by a bit, as she's got the enhanced senses.

'''[[Lothar Svensson|Lothar]]:''' Remembering back (a.k.a. re-reading the previous posts), the field between us and the gate was "covered by low hillocks of snow drifts that are piled by the swirling snow that continues to flow past you towards the lake, around your shins and thighs." I think there might be more than one of these ice toads out there, as any one of those drifts (or possibly all of them) might hide a toad. Let us use caution as we scout and head back to rest quickly.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' Things we know about these toads:

- They can burrow and disguise themselves in this kind of ground;

- They have a damaging cold aura of some sort. The damage is not overwhelming but at our hit point totals, I doubt we'd last more than a couple of rounds sustaining that kind of damage.

- They croak upon being first hit, stunning and impairing those nearby (we saw this at a distance on our previous encounter);

- They *probably* can jump and attack from 5 hexes away.

- They are *probably* spellcasters, or at least have some sort of ranged unpleasantness.

All this to say that I'm keeping my sling loaded and at the ready in one hand and carrying my maul in the other.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' If we don't stun (or at least hit) the next one we find right from the get-go we could be in trouble.

Lothar, didn't you have a bow on you?

'''[[Mikael]]:''' Does anyone recall how many ice toads there were? I recall three, but I'm not sure.

I think retreating is a poor tactical decision, but we should definitely save the grate for last. I would suggest we got toad hunting.

'''[[Lothar Svensson|Lothar]]:''' My bow is back with the bulk of our supplies on the lakeshore unfortunately. I'm right on the edge of 4 AP and I didn't want to be slowed down by it. I do plan to bring the bow back for our next foray though. There is plenty of room out here to make some ranged skill worthwhile, I agree.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' We need to make a sweep hillock to hillock, always on the lookout for these buried surprises. Embla, if you spot one, don't hesitate to plunge the axe, it'll save us a heap of trouble.

Alexis: what then can you tell us of this corner of the cave?

'''The DM:''' Sorry about the delay; I just haven't had access. Here is the low-down on this end of the cave. The sides of the lake do touch on the vertical walls of the cavern for some hundreds of feet before retreating back at the cavern's end ~ where the party is. This creates a tongue of land between the end of the lake and the large grate, which as we’ve agreed is covered by snowdrifts from the constantly blowing wind. This tongue is cut in half by the grate, so that there is about 100 feet between the lake and the grill, and a hundred feet wide beyond the grate. The gate is located about the middle of the grate.

The cavern at this point is some three hundred feet wide, from end to end of the grate and from side to side of the cavern walls. You search it methodically, I would guess, using the ranger and the assassin as guides; but there are no other toads to be found – at least, not on this side of the grate.

By chance, Mikael sees it first; perhaps because the mage has the least to do regarding the physical demands of the search. The mage is quietly waiting while the party covers the last corner of the cavern, and notices that there is a large toad, a little bigger than the last one, hunkered down in the snow BEYOND the grate. It appears to be watching you. Both the party, and the toad, are about 110 feet to the left of the grate (or the right if you prefer, it depends on which side you started on).

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' (Im presuming that, in that last sentence, you mean that we are all 110 feet to the left of the _gate_, not the gratem right?)

Ok, so... would it be feasible for us to pelt it between the bars? I have some bullets I wouldn't mind losing.

Can we even squeeze between the grate? Forgive me if that was established prior, I just can't recall.

'''The DM:''' Yes, gate, not grate. An unfortunate word pairing throughout; now that we have the grate in mind, maybe I'll just call it a "fence" now.

The space between the bars would be about 18 inches; so yes, you can easily fire between the bars and you can fit as well.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' Alexis, though you mention the distance from both parties to the gate, being established that we can squeeze/engage through the fence, then I guess the position of the toad relative to the fence and to us becomes relevant: how far away exactly is the bugger?

'''The DM:''' About 8 hexes.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' Uh, that's well within my sling's short range.

What says the party? Want to smoothen the sucker? (I could bet it's got a protective field of some sort, but there's really only one way of knowing for sure).

'''[[Embla Strand|Embla]]:''' Let's do it.

'''[[Rob]]:''' I have naught to throw but a non-magical javelin, but I agree.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' Ok, I spin and let loose:

Attack Roll: 4 (-2)

And that's all I've got for now... if the toad doesn't react and the rest of the party is willing to hold back I can take my time to reload and try to improve the mark.

'''The DM:''' As the stone passes between the bars, it vanishes. You see no trajectory towards the frog past that point.

'''[[Lothar Svensson|Lothar]]:''' Okay, I'm in favor of heading back if this thing doesn't cine out to chase us. I have zero ranged capability at the momentand we all need more HP. I have no idea what's up with the fence disappearing things, but i don't like it.

'''[[Rob]]:''' Agreed. This will also let us get our spells back. That dust devil really was a boon.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' I reload the sling.

Ok, that was a nonstarter. Any change in the thing's behaviour? Does it display any glint of intelligence or awareness?

I move some 50 feet along the fence, towards the gate, to see if it follows suit.

'''[[Embla Strand|Embla]]:''' I think we had best return across the lake and rest. It seems safe from our attacks in there, with little reason to emerge at present.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' Yes, I expect that it will lie there in wait until we make an entrance.

Thing is, he is one and we are several.

'''The DM:''' [For future reference, "loading the sling" means you're spinning it around your shoulder or head, ready to let it go. I do not care about the time it takes to put a stone in the leather pouch. Since you're moving, you're obviously not spinning the sling, so let's assume you're not]

The toad moves along with Engelhart for about ten feet, but when it shows he's the only one moving, it stops and looks back and forth between Embla and the cleric.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' [Ok, got it.]

I follow through with the full 50 feet.

If Embla and I go while the rest of you stay... maybe we can bumrush it? I've still got a casting of Light to try and dazzle the fucker.

(Of course, thise is only good if the toad is well and truly alone)

'''The DM:''' That makes Engelhart shy of the gate by about 60 feet.

[Engelhart, you might want to check out my blog post of today]

'''[[Mikael]]:''' I walk up to the gate. I want cast Detect Magic via the ring on the gate, aiming towards the toad.

'''[[Mikael]]:''' Let's not pass through the gate without examining it. It is definitely more than it seems, and could be lethal.

'''The DM:''' Casting the spell (there is no ring on the gate), only bars about 7 inches apart), you find yourself DROWNING in magic.

The spell indicates the strength; this is like looking into the sun. The gate and the grate surrounding it are an intense blazing white light of magic.

'''[[Mikael]]:''' Does it help me determine anything about the magic?

'''The DM:''' The spell description says you can determine strength, location and type. The location is the whole structure, as near as you can tell (your range does not extend through the entire grate) and you can clearly tell that it is magical in form (not clerical, druidical or illusionary). This tells you it is either placed by a wizard of some kind or potentially that the structure did not originate on Earth.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' [Alexis: !!]

I walk the remaining 60 feet, so as not to leave Mikael unduly exposed in his effort.

Any change in the frog's stance or anything else about the gate that jumps to sight?

'''The DM:''' Now that Mikael has joined you, the toad has decided to hump its way steadily along, so that it is plumped in the snow about forty feet beyond the gate and about ten feet to the left.

'''[[Mikael]]:''' My theory, based on what we have been told and seen, is that this gate leads to somewhere else, possibly the Underworld or another plane.

We were warned that passing the gate would be extremely dangerous.

I understand the allure of leaving and coming back better prepared, but if we do that, that gives our enemies time to prepare. And odds are they have more resources than us.

I want to stick one of my darts through the gate and back, testing whether passage is safe. I am careful to stick no part of my body through the gate yet.

'''The DM:''' I'm reading that you're holding onto the dart as you move it through the gate, without letting your hand reach as far. With your detect magic spell, as you reach the dart forward, you can see where it breaks a magical sheen that forms the exact threshold of the doorway ~ and that sheen does obscure the end of the dart somewhat, as your vision is affected by the spell. However, the end of the dart does not disappear as Engelhart's stone did, nor do you feel any untoward effects from the experiment.

'''[[Mikael]]:''' Yes, that is correct. So when I pull the dart back, it is still whole?

'''The DM:''' That is correct. There is no effect at all upon the dart.

'''[[Mikael]]:''' Thanks, sorry for the experimentation. I breathe deeply and stick my left arm through the gate.

'''The DM:''' Same result.

'''[[Mikael]]:''' How quickly do you all think we could take down one of these toads? I recommend darting in, killing the toad, and fleeing

'''The DM:''' I have no idea.

'''[[Mikael]]:''' Sorry, that was meant for everyone else.

'''[[Mikael]]:''' And of course, to test the safety of this idea, I would step inside fully and cone back out before any of you do so. Or maybe I am being overly paranoid? I can't say I am in the habit of stepping through magical gates, and I have especial concerns about stepping through magical gates whose origins and workings are mysterious, about which we were specifically warned about passing through...

Right, on that point, an amendment to my prior idea: if any mysterious creature should appear, like that fungi necromancer, we should NOT engage it, but fkee to outside the gate. My understanding of the warning we were given was that fighting the lemures inside wherever "there" is would prove our downfall.

'''[[Rob]]:''' About the toad, we'd have to engage it in melee this time.

Presuming it is like the one we've seen previously, we'd have to inflict at least 12HP in 1 turn to stun it. We also know the toad has AC 6, which means a less than even chance to hit it for me and Mikael.
We also know we'd take 1 damage per turn from the cold when nearby, and 3 damage per turn when in melee distance. For me and Mikael it means we are automatically stunned if we enter melee, for the others it would take 1 or 2 more turns at most, and that's presuming the toad doesn't do anything.

Additionally, from Engelhart:

- They croak upon being first hit, stunning and impairing those nearby (we saw this at a distance on our previous encounter);

- They *probably* can jump and attack from 5 hexes away.

- They are *probably* spellcasters, or at least have some sort of ranged unpleasantness.

We might be able to pull this off, but not without having to take several days of rest to heal afterward. That would give all the time needed for our ennemies to prepare, which is the main reason to want to attack the toad now, no?

I think it's better to regroup and return to our camp to heal and prepare and come as soon as possible.

'''[[Lothar Svensson|Lothar]]:''' I move towards Engelhart and Mikael in case the toad should attack.

I vote that we head back. This thing will deal a lot of incidental damage from cold and size, it's gonna be hell trying to fight it hand to hand.

'''[[Mikael]]:''' The toad we slew had 21 hitpoints, by my count, fyi.

If the party votes to rest and recuperate, of course I'll go along with that, but I feel any advantage we'd gain by resting our foes would gain much more. Especially if my intuition is correct and beyond that gate is not really of this world.

My vote is to move forward.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' I've actually come to revise my position... hear out my 2 coppers:

- If we do go all the way back, we won't gain full Hp status until at least 3 days pass.

- We know there are 3 toads and 2 lemures (Ancient Prugg dixit: "The guardians are two demons from a lower plane of existence, who maintain the lake and ensure it remains frozen. The Toad Mother has died, but she has left three of her children, lesser creatures, who enable the guardians to keep the lake frozen. The demons are lemure; immortal in spirit but not in body. Their bodies can be destroyed, driving them back to their own plane.")

- If the Lemures join up with the two toads in a single group they will probably already be well out of our league, full Hp or not. If they conjure up another 30-odd souls' host and even just *one* of the toads accompanies it, we're gonna end up dancing the debuff dance something awful, our gears clogged on those drones' meat as the frog picks us down one by one.

- Each individual lemure seems quite attainable (https://wiki.alexissmolensk.com/index.php/Lemure). Embla Strand stunned one and forced him to retreat with just the first swing from her mighty axe.

- The Ice Frogs worry me quite a bit more. These we either outnumber/keep engaged/stunned or we're dead meat. I've got a plan to rid us of this one, even though we can suspect it ought to have a bit more Hp than its predecessor.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' I've gone over and tried to sift the things that we do have on our side, its decidedly no mean thing:

- I've got some healing salves that can still avail us, so does Lothar.

- I've got Sanctuary, a situationally very powerful spell, as you're about to see.

- Lothar's Talon is a +2 against Amphibians (not sure if this stacks with the regular +1), his Thac0 and attacks got good recently, if he can get himself up to 5 AP (which here might make it worth losing even his armour) he can close the distance quickly enough that the toad could be done for.

- Embla's Axe has become throwable & magically returnable. She doesn't need to expose herself to the cold.

- Mikael and Rob, the most fragile among us, cannot be effectively healed into a workable condition but Mikael has his darts and I'll lend Rob my sling and the remaining bullets (4), that they may still contribute to bringing down the bugger (and no mistake, we *will* need every ounce of damage)

Finally and most importantly - the whole reason behind this gambit - is the staff Prugg gave to Rob Munro, the staff that summons Naiad, the Valkyrie. We know a great boon will be bestowed when we summon her, but that she will only aid the dead and the dying, as is a valkyrie's wont.

I can but guess at how big the extent of the boon, but knowing she has been bound here to wait for a millenium, it surely won't be something trivial.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' Now, the plan, as I see it, do feel free to contribute or point out any pitfalls:

- Lothar and I will indulge in some minor healing, I decidedly don't want to test the valkyrie's generosity unless absolutely necessary.

- The toad presently stands at 40 feet back, 10 to the gate's left. And we can work the sucker into better positioning still, using the bulk of our group as a lure while I go for some backdooring work.

- I'll cast Sanctuary, which will grant me 10 rounds, at 2 hexes per round, of occluded movement. That's 20 hexes or 100 feet of movement right there.

The casting of the spell comes incorporated with a powerful defense boon in the shape of a +4 save against area damage from attacks or effects, magical or otherwise. This will serve well both in crossing the gate (in case it's got shennanigans attached) and on surviving the toad's cold aura unscathed until I drop the prayer.

Using the safe movement I will attempt to go around the bastard and place myself squarely at its back. I'm not yet sure if then I should deliberately trigger its croak with a maul lovetap between the shoulderblades, a cautious hammer-throw from a 2-hex distance or simply engage it without striking. I don't think I can count on stunning it unless the Lord blows on my dice.

I don't yet know if Alexis' rules account for surprise rounds or anything of the sort, but an attack at +2 to the back & engaging the bugger immediately after seems like a controlled risk.

The rest of you guys, with Lothar running as the front rank, would barge in immediately after and attempt to both close the distance or cause enough ranged damage to turn the tide decisively in our favour. We've got enough attacks between us that we ought to be able to clinch it.

Party, Alexis (in case there's something I'm not seeing), what say you?

'''The DM:''' Rob is not proficient in sling, I think; if he isn't, he's -4 to hit with a non-proficient weapon. Plus his club counts as a magic weapon, even if it has no bonus; and with his shillelagh he gets a bonus for two hits.

Engelhart should be fine not to experience area attack spells at all unless he gets caught in some sort of crossfire.

The +2 against amphibians is +2; it is a distinction from +1, not an addition.

There will be a surprise roll, but as Engelhart is a cleric, when he lets go from the sanctuary spell he won't be all stealthy like a thief. He'll breathe loud, he'll rustle his clothes as he readies his blow, that sort of thing. By the rules, you have a 1 in 3 chance of surprising the beast using your plan. "Surprise" is a page on the wiki.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' -4, uh? As he's got it in his Druidical weapon list I was figuring -2 (At least that's the malus I've been using with the sling all this time, me not being proficient either).

Rob cannot close in on the toad without raking in ~3 points of cold damage, enough to stun him and foul up his entire fight.

We're not sure at this point that the damage is recurrent, but I presumed so. If this is not the case, that would change our odds quite a bit.

Well, 1 in 3 for a surprise is about what I expected. It is only really icing on the cake, not something that the plan hinges on.

'''The DM:''' AD&D, not being an enabling game ...

The following are non-proficiency penalties to hit, per class. Take heed.

assassin, fighter, paladin, ranger: -2
cleric, monk, thief: -3
bard, druid: -4
illusionist, mage: -5

The number of proficiencies you should have:

Embla, 3 (gain another at 5th level)
Engelhart, 2 (gain another at 5th level)
Lothar, 4 (gain another at 7th level)
Mikael, 1 (gain another at 7th level)
Rob, 2 (gain another at 6th level)


All past sins forgiven, but please let me know A) what are your proficiencies; B) what weapons you've been using without a proficiency.

If people want to adjust what their proficiencies are at this time and establish them going forward, please do. However, you're limited to the actual weapons you're carrying right now.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' Just the sling. And not much of a sin either, I'm afraid, as the only thing I've ever hit with it was... Pandred (on a misfire).

Maul and Warhammer are the proficiencies to which I've adhered, well, religiously.

Very well, noted, the sling is even more an outlier than it has been so far (though I'm just shy of becoming proficient with it, talk about a fraught training career).

'''[[Mikael]]:''' What is everyone's hp? I think Englehart's plan is the best we have; I can work for a few rounds from range. I never said it, but I assumed I picked back up my darts after the last battle. I can also "spoil a frog or frogline creature's attack" (I assume this means Stun?) from 60 feet, but I am unsure if magic would pass through the barrier, so I need to step in first.

'''The DM:''' Yes, you're in full possession of your darts.

Please remind me what spoils a frog or frogling's attack. I've forgotten.

'''[[Mikael]]:''' Croak

'''[[Lothar Svensson|Lothar]]:''' My proficiencies are Longsword, Quarterstaff, Longbow, Dagger. I am good with that loadout.

I am fine with attempting another Amphibicide now, but I won't be surprised if it all goes horribly wrong. I don't think this fence/gate combination is the same Gate that needs to be shut to keep the demons out is it? I thought it was more in the Abyssal-Rococo design style? Or am I misremembering the imparted vision?

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' We'll all need to step through that gate, magic will most likely be warded off.

I'm at 14 Hp, Lothar and Embla are both at 17, you and Rob are both at 8.

I have five healing salves (a hefty investment, looking back at the price), enough to hopefully bring myself and one other into the high-20's range of Hp. Lothar is the better suited melee fighter that doesn't possess a ranged alternative.

I'd dearly like to include Rob in the healing accounts but the pitiful d4 from the healing salves is very unlikely to allow it.

He does have a javelin, aye? Just the one, I wonder?

Still have to hear from the rest of the crowd. I'll be perfectly happy to retreat if we're not 100% on this.

'''[[Embla Strand|Embla]]:''' I just don't think the risk is worth it right now. We're pretty badly bruised already and there's a lot left to go - 2 toads and the lemures. Leaving them with one more toad won't make much of a difference, I don't think, and if we were fully restored we might be able to take the whole group down.

My proficiencies are in javelin, club, and battle axe. I'll wait to next level (5) to become proficient in my throwing axe.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' Very well, I yield the floor. Let us head back.

Just as a parting thought, what do you guys think this one toad will presently do, seeing us go? It can outjump us pretty handily in this terrain.

If we do leave, I'm not taking my eyes off it, as we might need to fight it anyway... I suggest we head back the same way as Lothar had us build the snow shelter, that we may hide inside and try to ambush it if it does follow.

'''[[Embla Strand|Embla]]:''' I doubt the creature will follow, and even if it does, it is difficult to sneak once we get on the ice.

'''[[Lothar Svensson|Lothar]]:''' If it follows us, we fight it. If not, we heal up the faster.

I back away from the fence and gate, eye on the frog.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' I too back away slowly, sling on one hand, maul in the other. Though we didn't get to discuss a formation, I pull up the rear, allowing Mikael and Rob to gain a few feet in advance (let's say 20, no need to string ourselves out).

'''[[Rob]]:''' Yes, I have a single javelin.

I agree we should keep an eye on the toad when leaving, as well as remain wary of others that might have taken position behind us.

'''[[Mikael]]:''' So what is our new destination?

I leave from the gate and keep my eyes ahead. I don't feel like getting ambushed while everyone is watching a toad.

'''[[Engelhart Askjellson|Engelhart]]:''' Back across the lake and from there to Svirftown, I guess.

But first the toad's reaction will have to be made manifest.

'''The DM:''' [This is my first access to the campaign today]

As the comment field here is getting too long, the next post has been put up.

'''Continued on [[Turning Back from the Gates]]'''