Addressing Etag directly, Tahldar says "If you wish I will take you in the portable hole and get you across with my Dimension door.  It's not without risk, but no way cross this bridge is without risk.  Unless you have a fly spell that is, which at the moment I cannot provide."

Etag nods.  He is getting weaker from the disease and can barely hold his spellbook.

OOC: Remember, regarding the 11 gnomes: three are elderly and in poor health.  Four are women, and three appear to have been weakened by torture or wounds of some sort.  Therefore, there are six who appear to need some kind of assistance.

if nothing else, Borimer will strap as many gnomes to himself as he can and walk across

If Etag thinks a slow poison would help, Kahan will cast it on him. Otherwise he will help him into the portable hole and try to convince one of the older gnomes to get in as well. After that is concluded, he will fold the hole up and give it to Tahldar. "Do be careful. The last thing we need is all of you plummeting to your deaths." Kahan states with a slight grin, getting out a length of rope and tying a harness around Borimer, to the rope, and then down the line of injured or elderly gnomes so they can use the rope as support while crossing (only doing a few at a time). He will then do the same to himself, after Tahldar is finished crossing and Borimer has started.

I assume this would be the last ditch effort since the bridge may collapse and the ancient rotting wood planks may break if too much weight is placed on them.

Whoever is crossing normally, please make sure your encumbrance/weight is up to date.  Otherwise, I will eyeball it for the rolls.

Kahan will mention that he can hold anyone's equipment in his haversack and it won't count against his weight since its a magical storage device.

About 3 minutes until the giants are likely to get to the portal.

OOC: Every couple of minutes of game time, I am rolling a random wandering monster roll to see if they arrive, either through the portal or on the river, depending on the roll.

Here's what I have:

Shae is going first across to test the bridge.

I will assume Lukas goes next.

Etag and elderly gnome in portable hole going with Tahldar.  (Don't know what position Tahldar will be in, but I assume second.  Tahldar will cast dimension door to the far side of the bridge when he is about 1/3 of the way across.)

Kahan will wait while people put equipment in his bag so they are not weighed down too much.  He will tie a rope to the gnomes connecting them to Borimer.

Meanwhile, Didit will cast a spell.

I will assume the gnomes who can start crossing the bridge while Kahan is doing this.

Then Kahan will cross, followed by Didit, Borimer, and Hatchman.  Borimer will carry whatever gnomes he can when he crosses.

If you want to change or add to any of this, please let me know.

Sounds good to me.

Yes.  Shae should be about halfway across by now.  She left immediately after telling them she would be a trailblazer.

Didit is just keeping up with the spell, she needs to concentrate on it and risks staying behind because of it.

That's why I put her behind everyone but Borimer and Hatchman.  As a paladin, Hatchman seems to think he should be last to leave the danger.  Borimer also indicated waiting, but he might change his mind with gnomes on his back.  So I will put you as between Borimer and Hatchman.

You begin crossing...

Shae goes first, and she seems to have no problems crossing.  She goes about 100 yards out before the next person crosses.  (Skill roll made.)

Lukas goes next, but he only makes it about 20 yards before a wooden board breaks beneath his feet.  He falls...catching onto the bottom rope and dangling.  (Critical miss on skill roll.)  Lukas is currently dangling and will last only about 100 seconds (10 seconds per strength point) before he loses his grip and falls to his death.

...90 seconds...

(The giants still have not gotten through the warped stone and have not yet appeared.)

Shae is 120 yards out on the bridge.  Lukas is 20 yards out.  The rest of you are still in the cave.

"Be right back..."  Borimer moves at a fast walk to Lukas's position and pulls him up before moving quickly back to the gnomes.

Untying himself from the gnomes takes a precious minute, but Borimer does so, rushing out to help Lukas. ...45 seconds, 44 seconds... Meanwhile, Lukas is beginning to lose his grip, his legs dangling precariously over a surely deadly drop.

Borimer gets on the bridge, realizing just how unstable it is as it takes on his massive weight.  ...30 seconds, 29 seconds, 28 seconds...  He begins his way, seeing Lukas about 60 feet out on the slightly downward sloping rope bridge.  From where Borimer stands, all he really sees of Lukas are fingers grasping desperately to the side of the rope.

Lukas is struggling to get his legs up, but this shakes the bridge all the more as Borimer attempts to cross, slowing down the fighter.  ...15 seconds, 14 seconds...

Borimer sees Lukas as one hand drops.  He is now hanging by just the tips of the fingers of one hand.

The strong fighter reaches down and clasps the forearm of the rogue gnome just as Lukas is losing his grip.  Borimer raises Lukas up to the platform, sets him on his way, and returns to the cave entrance to tie the gnomes back up to himself.

The giants...still have not made their way through.

OOC: Every one minute in game time, I am rolling a wandering monsters roll to see if the giants get through.  That is the primary effect of any delays.  So far, the rolls have come up in your favor.  My original concept was that you would be running out of the cave and crossing the bridge with the giants in hot pursuit, but that changed with Kahan's spell, so I am improvising. ;)  But this has also given you a lot more time than I initially anticipated.

Tahldar packs up the portable hole, takes a deep breath and begins to cross.

OOC:  Tahldar will endeavor to cross a 1/3 or the bridge with either Lukas or Borimer's help before casting dimension door.

With help, you can get a +2 per person helping you to your dexterity skill roll.  3 successful rolls per person are required to get across without incident (1 for Tahldar because he is only going 1/3 of the way).


CROSSING:

Remember that you must roll your dexterity score or lower, as modified below:

Dexterity rolls are made at a -4, -2, and -4, in that order, based on the difficulty of getting across (i.e., this helps you get a lower roll, which you want). The center of the bridge is also the most unstable, and therefore has a harder roll to make.  A 20 is always a miss.

Dexterity rolls are made at a +1 per every 2 people simultaneously crossing the bridge (rounded up) (because of the slight shaking of the ropes).

Tying ropes between people does not affect the roll except in case of failure of one person.

A missed dex check is followed by a saving throw to determine if you catch your balance.  Depending on how far you make or miss the saving throw will determine the exact effects of the fall.  A critical fail on the saving throw (i.e., a roll of 20) would result in a complete fall and instant death.


I am also averaging 10 minutes of crossing time per person.  If you rush, this can be sped up to 1/2 that time (-4 to dex checks) or 1/3 that time (-6 to dex checks).

Other factors:  If you fall and someone comes to help you, their distance will affect if/how long it will take them to help.  They will need to adjust their speed, per the above, based on if they rush to help.

Each time someone needs to help another, regardless of the number of rolls to cross, at least one additional roll must be made.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:43, Mon 05 May 2014.

In reply to Tahldar of Tyrannia (msg # 38):

Borimer is tied to the gnomes.  He will have to untie himself again to help Tahldar.  Lukas can help if he wants to come back or wait, but he might be a little nervous given his close call.

Tahldar takes the opportunity to cross while there are fewer people on the bridge.  As he moves though his lack of coordination undoes his efforts and he falls!

OOC:  Tahldar will cast dimension door to save his butt from falling.  He missed the dex check and the saving throw.  He will target a spot as far down the bridge to the opposite side as he can.  Let me know if he needs any other rolls to pull this off.

Kahan begins looking around the cave to see if he can do anything to slow the giants down. He will cast a spell as he does so.

Didit kept concentrating on her spell, unable to much to help. At this rate she would have a hard time following the others through the bridge.

Tahldar slips and falls, tipping over the side of the bridge when a gust of wind blows.  He was about a third of the way across and casts as he falls...

His dimension door opens up near the top of the stairs close to the far side.  He steps through while falling...[skill check missed]... and makes yet another unfortunate fall as he lands on the fragile planks and they break beneath his falling feet.  (5 hp damage.)  Tahldar reaches out in panic...[strength check successful]...and manages to catch himself on the rope and planks at an awkward yet acceptable angle, and he pulls himself up.  He then...[Dex check successful]...makes it successfully to the far side at just about the same time that Shae makes the final few steps to solid ground once again.

Tahldar begins to immediately spread out the portable hole to let Etag and an elderly gnome out while they still have air.

<red>...wandering monster roll...failed...

You hear a commotion behind you.  The giants have made their way through the portal.  Lukas is just past halfway across the bridge.  Everyone else is still on the close side.

Kahan begins casting...and seems to go into a meditative state of some kind.

Didit's spell has created a mist all around the cave area.

Borimer is now tied to the elderly gnomes.

All of the able bodied gnomes are going across, thrown into fear by the sound of the giants.  They will be tugging at, and perhaps untying themselves from, Borimer if he does not immediately start across the bridge.  Borimer is holding the two remaining elderly gnomes.

Hatchman is committed to being the last person to cross so as to protect the rest of the group and give them what time they may need.

Please let this work, please let this work... Didit was still concentrating on the spell hoping none of the giants were smart enough to se through the illussion.

With practiced skill, Tahldar shouts out the simple command word for the powerful spell he is about to cast.  And cast he must if he does not wish to find his frail body splattered on the ground below.  If he had the time he might reflect that saving a bit of strength to always be able to cast a feather fall would be wise, but for the moment he will reflect on such thoughts later.

Selecting a spot as far down the bridge as his ability will allow, he instantly finds himself falling onto the swaying bridge, albeit at a much farther point along than he just was.  Nearly to the bridge's end.

With a painful crash on the planks below he finds himself in danger falling again!  Ignoring the pain emanating from his side his panicked mind wills his weak limbs to grab forcefully on the bridge and haul himself up.  Carefully he shuffles on wobbly feet as he makes his way to the other side.  Falling to the steady ground just past the bridge, his heart beats wildly as his mind races with the notion he was very near death.  However knowing the inhabitants of the portable hole have little available air, he allows himself no more time to reflect and quickly opens the magic container at his side.

Giving Etag a helpful hand out he says breathlessly, "We made it, though barely."

Pointing a nervous finger back the way the came he adds "The giants come.  Can you help them?  My supply of spells is exhausted."

While she has a minute with nothing to do, Shae will cast cure light wounds on Tahldar.   Then she will look aroudn her surroundings to see what's there.

Borimer takes off down the bridge with the elderly gnomes while deciding that saying a prayer to a god now and again may not be a bad thing-
"To the hells with the gods, I think I'd rather risk dying."
Borimer sprints...