Probably only wounded. He has good potential for plot immunity as the boyfriend, and our barbarian missing suggests another rescue mission, which requires a live victim. Now each plot element needs reversing at time just to keep us on our toes, but the odds favor his wounds being survivable, right now.
But looking at the picture of the area, I see a dozen of what could be additional "stone snakes", which could make this a very serious fight [or just a lot of rocks]. So this could be where the party learns to work together [or learns they should have]
Or they just need to salvage enough of him for a Raise Dead spell. I'm sure those are available at a reasonable price back at the city. Assuming any of them get back to the city.
Or they just need to salvage enough of him for a Raise Dead spell. I'm sure those are available at a reasonable price back at the city. Assuming any of them get back to the city.
Or they just need to salvage enough of him for a Raise Dead spell. I'm sure those are available at a reasonable price back at the city. Assuming any of them get back to the city.
So how many turns of battle will it take the arguing party members to realize the fight is on?
I bet they all missed out on their rolling for initiative.
Oh that is terrifying. And that cave and sword were very effective distractions. What are their chances of not getting surrounded or, worse, separated?
@Rocktopus Yeah, you are absolutely right, I should not comment when I am exhausted. I still wondered whether it was just that one worm or not, though everything points towards that room being filled with them.
And after looking up Gricks, if this is the variant from D&D 3rd edition (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/grick.htm), this encounter could be incredibly bad for the party - that damage reduction is not something to laugh at near their (presumed) character levels. Do they have any magical weapons? If they don't, it seems that both Marigold, the elf archer and Ozzy will have a very hard time dealing damage to them. Ox might be able to hit so hard that he simply punches through the damage reduction. The alchemist might be their best bet, but this depends: If most or all of the worms attack them, then incinerate as much as possible before the worms get him - but if only one or a few worms at a time attack them, using fire without limiting the area of effect to the attacking creatures might hurt most or all of them, and thus rouse many more to battle... though possibly also kill many more of them - that variant does not have many HP.
If the worms are hungry, this does not bode well for the party. I think it is also critical whether they both recognize the creatures and their abilities (or quickly figure out they have damage reduction and which kind) as well as communicate that information to the rest of the party, for else they will have a very hard time fighting them effectively, or rather figuring out that they might need to retreat. This shows that Randulf's insistence on calling monsters right and knowing about them is incredibly important.
In more general terms, while I am uncertain about the abilities of the party and the challenge of this encounter, it seems like an encounter that is much harder (though avoidable) than what the party can handle (unless they discovered the monsters before everything and that alchemist proceeded to burn everything). It seems that Marblegate at least some of the time does not pull its punches...
Also, this is a really scary encounter, though not unfair - those rocks were very strangely shaped, and everyone knew something was up.
He definitely might, though I am not all that certain anymore. He might end up on another party, and we will see two different parties and how they go into the dungeon, with he and Colleen joining up later on in the story if they both survive. I do believe both he and Colleen will survive, however.
never considered that he might be the one to get whacked first
I suspect that he is "merely" badly injured.
But looking at the picture of the area, I see a dozen of what could be additional "stone snakes", which could make this a very serious fight [or just a lot of rocks]. So this could be where the party learns to work together [or learns they should have]
YOU WERE THE ONLY SMART ONE!
I bet they all missed out on their rolling for initiative.
If he survives, Ox is a strong nominee for MVP of the dungeon run and an extra share of the loot.
And after looking up Gricks, if this is the variant from D&D 3rd edition (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/grick.htm), this encounter could be incredibly bad for the party - that damage reduction is not something to laugh at near their (presumed) character levels. Do they have any magical weapons? If they don't, it seems that both Marigold, the elf archer and Ozzy will have a very hard time dealing damage to them. Ox might be able to hit so hard that he simply punches through the damage reduction. The alchemist might be their best bet, but this depends: If most or all of the worms attack them, then incinerate as much as possible before the worms get him - but if only one or a few worms at a time attack them, using fire without limiting the area of effect to the attacking creatures might hurt most or all of them, and thus rouse many more to battle... though possibly also kill many more of them - that variant does not have many HP.
If the worms are hungry, this does not bode well for the party. I think it is also critical whether they both recognize the creatures and their abilities (or quickly figure out they have damage reduction and which kind) as well as communicate that information to the rest of the party, for else they will have a very hard time fighting them effectively, or rather figuring out that they might need to retreat. This shows that Randulf's insistence on calling monsters right and knowing about them is incredibly important.
In more general terms, while I am uncertain about the abilities of the party and the challenge of this encounter, it seems like an encounter that is much harder (though avoidable) than what the party can handle (unless they discovered the monsters before everything and that alchemist proceeded to burn everything). It seems that Marblegate at least some of the time does not pull its punches...
Also, this is a really scary encounter, though not unfair - those rocks were very strangely shaped, and everyone knew something was up.
...THEY ARE DOOMED...!!!
...I agree...! ;-)