Board 8 > Dungeons and Dragons A.I assisted CYOA -- A tiny Pint.

(+) Yeah! (+)

Well, like I said, I'm down with D, and if Stan wants to throw in E for good measure, then sure I guess.

You nod slowly, your mind working. First things first. You reach into your pack and pull out the heavy, dark green bottle you liberated from the top shelf of the Rusty Flagon. It feels cool and solid in your hands, the red wax seal old and cracked. Gideon and Vaela watch you, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and, in Gideon's case, mild disapproval.

"Been a long night," you mutter, more to the bottle than to them. With a practiced thumb, you break the ancient wax seal. It crumbles to dust. You pull the cork, and the sound is a satisfying pop that seems to break the morning's tension. You bring the bottle to your nose and take a cautious sniff.

The smell that hits you is not one of cheap ale or sour wine. It's the scent of a pine forest after a lightning strike, of honey, of peat smoke, and something else... a sharp, clean scent like winter air. It's a smell that promises both oblivion and clarity. Without another word, you tip the bottle back and take a healthy swig.

Fire. Absolute, unadulterated fire erupts in your mouth, travels down your throat, and detonates in your stomach. It's a shocking, breathtaking burn that feels like you've swallowed a torch, but a moment later, the fire transforms into a profound, spreading warmth that seeps into your very bones, chasing out the last of the night's chill and exhaustion. Your ears buzz, and the forest seems to snap into sharper focus.

This is an incredibly potent spirit. Please make a DC 11 Constitution saving throw to see if you can handle its shocking potency.

(1d20 + 2 Constitution = 14)

Any normal man, and probably most dwarves, would be doubled over, sputtering and sick from the sheer alcoholic force of that drink. But you are a gnome, and you know your spirits. The fiery warmth settles into a pleasant, invigorating hum in your belly. You feel clear-headed, fearless, and ready for anything. You've gained **3 Temporary Hit Points**, and for the next hour, you have advantage on saving throws against being Frightened.

You cork the bottle, giving it a respectful nod before stowing it away. Vaela raises a single, intrigued eyebrow. Gideon just shakes his head and goes back to his book.

You look around, your eyes scanning the branches of the ancient trees. You spot your target a moment later: a fat, grey squirrel with a twitching nose, perched on a branch and furiously chittering at a jay that has gotten too close to its hidden stash of nuts. You clear your throat and focus, shaping your thoughts into the simple, direct concepts that the small creatures of the world understand.

You project the ideas: **Hello. Friend. No harm. Need news. Big angry feather-bear? Where sleep?**

***You also project an image of the Warden and his black leather armor, and the vague idea of other quiet men in forest-colored clothes: **Scary quiet-men? See them?***

*The squirrel stops its tirade against the jay and turns its beady black eyes on you. Its nose twitches furiously as it processes your thoughts. Then, a torrent of simple, instinctual ideas floods your mind in return:*

***Danger-smell! Big! Loud! Angry feather-bear sleeps in the rock-hole!** *It projects an image of a small cave entrance, half-hidden by a waterfall not too far to the east of the game trail. **Screeched at the sun-up! Stay away! Always hungry!***

*You ask again about the men.*

***No quiet-men,** *the squirrel sends back, its thoughts now focused on a particularly plump acorn it has just spotted. Only you. And feather-bear. My nuts. Go away now.*

The conversation is over. But it was incredibly fruitful. You now know two critical things: the Owlbear's lair is in a cave near a waterfall to the east of the trail, and, more importantly, no agents of the Shadowed Hand have been spotted in the immediate vicinity.

You relay the information to your companions. Gideon turns a shade paler at the confirmation of the Owlbear's proximity. Vaela, however, processes the intelligence with tactical calm. "Good," she says. "An obstacle we can navigate is better than a hunter we can't see."

a) Follow the Game Trail South: Stick to the plan. You know the Owlbear is to the east of the trail. As long as you stay on the path and move quietly, you can likely pass its lair without incident.
b) Hunt the Owlbear: The creature is a known threat, and you know its location. A proactive strike would be dangerous, but could yield a great reward and remove a major obstacle from the region.
c) Go Around (West): Now that you know the lair is east of the trail, the safest path is to leave the trail entirely and chart a new course far to the west, giving the waterfall a wide berth. It will be slower, but it's the most cautious option.
d) Stake out the Lair: The Owlbear is a powerful creature. Observing its lair from a safe distance could give you valuable information about its habits, patrol routes, or potential weaknesses, without committing to a fight.
e) Anything else.

Yeah normally I wouldn't care but Pint is a bit of a drunk and lovea a good drink so figured it was appropriate now that things have calmed down.

I'm good with A or C. No need to provoke the Owlbear especially since Pint likes nature more.

I feel like our DM will serve us up the Owlbear regardless of what we do. The metagaming answer is C, but realistically, A.

A

"We stick to the trail," you announce, your voice steady and clear. "The beast is east of the path. We stay west of it. We move like smoke. It won't even know we're here."

Gideon looks like he wants to argue for a path that takes you to a different forest entirely, but he swallows his fear and gives a jerky nod. Vaela is already packing the last of her gear, her movements efficient and silent. She trusts your judgment in this environment.

With a final check of the hollow, you lead your pack out of the temporary sanctuary and onto the faint game trail heading south. The forest here is dense and ancient. Massive oaks and elms form a high canopy that filters the sunlight into a dim, greenish twilight. The air is cool and still, and the only sounds are the rustle of your own passage and the distant chirping of birds.

You take the lead, naturally. Your monk-like grace and gnomish size allow you to move with an almost supernatural quiet. You put Vaela behind you, her keen eyes and ears acting as a second layer of security. Gideon, the scholar, is placed in the middlethe most protected position. He does his best to move quietly, but to your trained ears, his every step is a clumsy shuffle, every snagged branch a gunshot.

The warmth of the potent liquor in your stomach gives you a strange sense of confidence. You are in your element, a ghost leading two city-dwellers through a world they do not understand. You feel the rhythm of the forest, the slow, ancient heartbeat of the trees, the skittering life in the undergrowth. You are not a trespasser here; you are a part of it.

After an hour of steady, silent travel, you begin to hear a new sound, faint at first, but growing steadily louder: the gentle, rushing sound of falling water. The waterfall the squirrel spoke of. You are getting close to the Owlbear's lair.

You hold up a hand, bringing the column to a silent halt. You gesture for them to stay put and flatten yourself to the ground, creeping forward a few yards to where the trail curves around a large mossy boulder. You peer around it.

The game trail continues south, a clear path forward. But about sixty feet to your left, through a break in the trees, you can see it: a small, cascading waterfall tumbling down a rock face into a crystal-clear pool. Half-hidden behind the curtain of falling water is the dark, gaping maw of a cave. The Owlbear's den.

As you watch, a horrifying sound echoes from the cave, a sound that chills you to the bone despite the warmth in your belly. It is the sound of something large and heavy being splintered, like a tree trunk being snapped in two, followed by a wet, tearing noise.

Your path is clear, but the danger is real, present, and just a stone's throw away. The trail ahead is shrouded in shadow. The sound of the waterfall masks any noise you might make, which is both a blessing and a curse.

What do you do?

a) Press On, Quickly and Quietly: This is the most dangerous moment. Move the party past the den as swiftly and silently as possible. The noise from the waterfall should cover your footsteps if you are careful.
b) Wait and Watch: The creature is occupied. This might be a good opportunity to wait in hiding and see if it emerges, allowing you to pass while it is out of its den. Patience could be the key to survival.
c) Create a Distraction: Find a rock and toss it far to the east, deeper into the woods, away from your path. The sound might draw the Owlbear's attention in that direction, giving you a clearer, safer window to slip past.
d) Backtrack and Go West: This is too close for comfort. The risk is too high. Silently retreat the way you came and find a path that takes you far to the west, circumventing the area entirely.
e) Anything else.

A. Sounds like it's eating.

I agree

A

A

You creep back to the others, your movements as fluid as the shadows you hide in. You don't speak. You use a series of sharp, precise hand signals that even Gideon, the least woods-wise of the three, can understand: Danger. Close. Follow me. Absolute silence. Step where I step. He nods, his face pale, and you can see him consciously trying to control his breathing.

You turn and lead the way, your body low to the ground. You have never been more aware of your own movement. Every shift of weight, every placement of your foot is a deliberate, calculated action. You feel Vaela behind you, a perfect shadow mimicking your every move. You can practically hear Gideon's heart hammering in his chest, but to his credit, he is trying, desperately, to be quiet.

You pass the mossy boulder, and the full sound of the waterfall washes over you, a constant, rushing roar that fills your ears. The air grows misty and cool. Through the trees, the cave mouth behind the curtain of water is a pit of absolute blackness. The wet, tearing sound from within continues, a gruesome percussion to the waterfall's melody.

You are directly parallel to the den now, the most dangerous point of your passage. You hold your breath, your eyes fixed on the path ahead, on the safety of the deep woods beyond this terrible clearing.

This is a tense, critical moment. The entire party must move with stealth. I need a group Dexterity (Stealth) check from the party. Since you are leading and have established the pace, I will roll for all three of you. Vaela gets to roll normally, and thanks to your expert guidance, Gideon will not have disadvantage.

(Pint's Stealth Check: 1d20 + 5 = 25)
(Vaela's Stealth Check: 1d20 + 8 = 26)
(Gideon's Stealth Check: 1d20 + 4 = 7)

You and Vaela are phantoms. You glide over roots and stones without making a whisper, your forms lost in the deep shadows of the ancient forest. You are the wind, you are the dusk. You are almost past the point of danger.

And that's when Gideon's foot comes down squarely on a dry, brittle branch concealed beneath a thin layer of moss. The sound is not a snap. It is a CRACK that echoes through the clearing like a thunderclap, sharp and loud enough to momentarily pierce the roar of the waterfall.

A sudden, terrifying silence falls from the cave. The gruesome tearing sound stops.

From the blackness of the den, a deep, guttural HROOOOAAAARRR erupts, a sound of pure, primal rage that shakes the very leaves on the trees. It is the sound of a predator whose meal has been interrupted.

A massive, dark shape blots out the entrance of the cave. It steps through the waterfall, water cascading off its thick, feathery hide and bear-like torso. It is easily ten feet tall, a monstrous hybrid of bird and bear, its head that of a giant, unblinking owl with a wickedly curved, razor-sharp beak. Its eyes, two enormous, luminous yellow orbs, fixate directly on Gideon. It lowers its head and lets out another deafening roar of fury.

You have been spotted. The Owlbear begins to charge.

Roll for Initiative!

The clearing is roughly 60 feet across. You are on the game trail. The Owlbear is 60 feet away, charging from its den. Between you and it is the stream and pool formed by the waterfall. The ground is uneven and littered with rocks and roots.

a) Stand and Fight: This is it. A battle against a legendary monster. Form a battle line and prepare to meet its charge head-on.
b) Fighting Retreat: You can't outrun it, but you can fight a delaying action. Have one person hold its attention while the others fall back, creating space and trying to escape down the trail.
c) Scatter and Hide: A head-on fight is suicide. Yell for everyone to break formation and dive for cover in different directions. The Owlbear can't chase all of you at once. It's a risky gamble that might leave one person isolated.
d) Create a Choke Point: The trail is narrow. Fall back to a place where the trees are thickest, forcing the massive creature to squeeze through, hopefully limiting its ability to charge and bring its full strength to bear.
e) Anything else.

ShakeShakeShake posted...

To navigate the city unseen requires stealth from the entire party. I am making a group Dexterity (Stealth) check. At least half of you must succeed for the group to pass unnoticed.

Just a question for our DM here but earlier when we did a group Stealth check we only needed half the group to succeed. Is that situation specific or did the AI mess up?

I love how the rolls are 25, 26, and...seven. Poor Gideon. And now, poor us.

There's nowhere to retreat to, so D, I guess? Unless anyone has a brilliant alternative.

MysteriousStan posted...

Just a question for our DM here but earlier when we did a group Stealth check we only needed half the group to succeed. Is that situation specific or did the AI mess up?

Let's go with situation specific (I'm not sure), if only because I loathe to correct the a.i on failures. With how often I remind it to roll honestly, I don't want it to get confused and start to please me by fudging rolls.

Haha fair enough!

D seems good to me

E + D. Climb a tree and order the other two to run for where the trees are thickest.

"Back!" you yell, your voice cutting through the primal roar. "To the twin oaks! Now!"

You don't wait to see if they follow. You turn and sprint back down the game trail, your short legs pumping. Vaela is right behind you, her professional instincts overriding any fear. She understands the tactic immediately. Gideon, his face a mask of pure terror, scrambles after her, whimpering as he runs.

You remember the spot from your scoutingabout forty feet back, the trail narrows, squeezed between the thick, ancient trunks of two moss-covered oak trees. The gap between them is barely five feet wide. A perfect choke point.

Behind you, the Owlbear thunders in pursuit, its massive talons gouging deep furrows in the soft earth. It is a landslide of muscle and feathers, an avalanche of pure predatory rage.

You reach the twin oaks and immediately spin into a defensive stance. Vaela skids to a halt beside you, her hand crossbow already loaded and raised. Gideon stumbles past the two of you and collapses behind the relative safety of the thick tree trunks.

The Owlbear, seeing its prey funneled, doesn't slow. It barrels forward, intending to smash through your hastily formed line.

Let's Roll for Initiative.

(Vaela's Initiative: 1d20 + 4 = 21)
(Pint's Initiative: 1d20 + 3 = 15)
(Owlbear's Initiative: 1d20 + 1 = 12)
(Gideon's Initiative: 1d20 + 0 = 5)

Turn Order:

1. Vaela
2. Pint
3. Owlbear
4. Gideon

Vaela's Turn (Round 1):
The Owlbear is a storm of fury bearing down on you, still about 20 feet away. Vaela doesn't flinch. She stands her ground at the choke point, brings the crossbow to her shoulder, and takes a breath to steady her aim. She knows this first shot has to count.

(Hand Crossbow Attack: 24 vs AC 13)
(Damage: 1d6 + 4 Piercing = 8)

The bolt flies true, a black streak that sinks deep into the thick muscle of the Owlbear's shoulder. The creature roars in pain and fury, but the bolt, to your horror, seems to anger it more than injure it. It barely slows its charge.

Pint, it is your turn.

The Owlbear is thundering towards you, now only 20 feet away. It's going to hit your line in seconds. Vaela has planted a bolt in it, and Gideon is cowering behind the trees. You are standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Vaela in a five-foot gap, the only thing between this monster and your scholar. The warmth of the spirit in your belly steels your nerves. What do you do?

a) Ready an Attack: You can't reach it from here. Use your action to Ready a spear thrust for the moment it enters your range.
b) Patient Defense: Use a Ki point to take the Dodge action. You won't do any damage this turn, but you will be much harder to hit when the inevitable impact comes, and you can hold the line.
c) Ranged Assault: You have darts. Hurl one at the creature's face, trying to wound or distract it before it closes the distance.
d) Goad the Beast: Yell and beat your spear on a tree trunk. Try to draw its full attention to yourself. A focused enemy is a predictable enemy. It's a risk, but it might keep Vaela and Gideon safer.
e) Anything else.

E. Cast a Minor Illusion behind it (30 ft.), imitating the cry of the kruthik we saw earlier, then move back into the trees.

White_Wing posted...

E. Cast a Minor Illusion behind it (30 ft.), imitating the cry of the kruthik we saw earlier, then move back into the trees.

I like this idea.

The Owlbear is a charging mountain of muscle and death, and in that moment, a flicker of gnomish ingenuity cuts through the primal fear. You don't brace for impact. You don't ready your spear. You reach into the pouch at your belt, your fingers finding a tiny tuft of fleece as you make a series of deft, intricate gestures in the air.

You call upon your innate magic, not to create a wall or a weapon, but a memory. You reach back to the dark, damp cellar of the Rusted Hook, to the sound the Kruthik madethat unnatural, alien shriek of a predator that does not belong in this world. You pull that sound from your mind and cast it into the air like a stone.

Your Spell Save DC is 11. The Owlbear must make an Intelligence check to discern the illusion.

(Owlbear's Intelligence (Investigation) Check: 1d20 - 4 = 7)

The sound doesn't come from you. It erupts thirty feet behind the charging Owlbear. It's a cascade of sharp, chittering clicks followed by a high-pitched, scraping screechthe sound of another alpha predator suddenly entering its territory. To the Owlbear's primitive, territorial brain, this is an unthinkable challenge.

The effect is instantaneous. The monster skids to a halt, its massive talons digging trenches in the earth. Its enraged charge is forgotten, its tiny, furious brain completely consumed by the new, unseen threat at its back. It spins around, its huge owl head swiveling, its luminous yellow eyes wide with confused fury. It lets out a questioning, guttural roar, trying to locate the source of the impossible noise.

While the beast is utterly befuddled, you take your chance. You melt backward from the choke point, slipping behind the trunk of one of the twin oaks, vanishing into the deep shadows of the forest.

Owlbear's Turn (Round 1):

The Owlbear is completely fooled. It ignores you, Vaela, and the cowering Gideon entirely. The chittering screech of a rival is the only thing that matters. It stands in the middle of the trail, its head snapping back and forth, sniffing the air, trying to find the creature that dared to challenge it. It has lost all momentum and is now facing away from you, its broad, feathery back a tempting target.

Gideon's Turn (Round 1):

From behind the oak tree, Gideon watches, his eyes wide with a strange mix of terror and awe at your gambit. He sees the Owlbear's exposed back and knows he has to do something, anything. He can't fight it, but he can help you. He rummages in his satchel, his hand closing around his inkpot.

He uses his Cunning Action to Hide, making sure the Owlbear doesn't spot him. Then, with a surprisingly steady hand, he uncorks the inkpot and lobs it in a high arc. It's a desperate, improvised attack.

(Improvised Ranged Attack: 11 vs AC 13)

The throw is clumsy. The inkpot sails wide of the Owlbear, shattering against a nearby tree with a wet splat. It's a failed attempt, but it was an attempt nonetheless. The scholar is trying.

End of Round 1.

Vaela's Turn (Round 2):

Vaela stands alone at the choke point, a pillar of calm in the swirling chaos. The Owlbear is 20 feet in front of her, its back turned, completely distracted. It's a dream scenario for a rogue.

(Hand Crossbow Attack (Advantage): 26 vs AC 13)
(Damage: 1d6 + 4 Piercing = 9)
(Sneak Attack Damage: 1d6 = 6)
(Total Damage: 15 Piercing)

Vaela's bolt is perfectly placed. It sinks deep into the Owlbear's spine, right between its powerful shoulders. The monster lets out a shriek of pure agony, a horrible, bubbling sound. It stumbles, its massive frame shuddering from the devastatingly precise shot. The illusion is forgotten. It spins back around, its yellow eyes blazing with a pain and fury that is now focused entirely on Vaela, the visible source of its agony.

Pint, it is your turn.

Your gambit worked perfectly, buying a crucial round and allowing Vaela to land a devastating blow. The Owlbear is now severely wounded. It is 20 feet away from Vaela, and about 25 feet away from your hidden position behind the oak tree. It is facing Vaela, its full, terrifying attention fixed on her.

What do you do?

a) Emerge and Attack: Burst from the shadows and charge the beast. With it focused on Vaela, you can get a clean shot at its flank.
b) Maintain Stealth: Stay hidden. Throw a dart from your concealed position, trying to inflict more damage without drawing its attention.
c) Another Illusion: Your first trick worked beautifully. Create another illusionperhaps the sound of a larger predator, or maybe the visual of a tasty-looking boarto try and distract it again.
d) The Rescue: Vaela is now the sole target of a very angry Owlbear. Use your movement to get to her side, ready to intercept the creature or help her absorb the blow.
e) Anything else.

A seems like the obvious, brainless answer. The dart's not going to do enough. I don't expect a second illusion to work while it's being shot very painfully in the back. My concern is that even if Vaela's landing 23 points of damage, there's still a long way to go, so even getting in a good sneak attack is still not enough. We need to do something clever. An owlbear is just going to maul the shit out of the group.

Pint has the chain, but I doubt it would do any good. We're not doing a Monster Hunter routine and swinging up onto its back. First move to Minor Illusion the Kruthik worked great, but got any other clever ideas? Tanking a couple rounds with Patient Defense still sounds pretty dicey, and does require getting the owlbear's attention.

Anyone?

Man, everyone saw we were gonna have to take on an owlbear and they just noped out.

I guess I say go for the kidney shot. A. This sure ain't gonna be pretty, though.

A

As for other ideas, we have a hunting trap. If we have time to set that up and lead, it might be a safe way to slow it down.

Wait, what? When was that from? Sadly, it doesn't look like there's really an opening for that unless Gideon decides to do it.

It's in his equipment from the last recap.

(I'm at a loss since I expected the party to retreat with us, haha. It's an owlbear, and we can't afford to lose anyone. IMO, it makes sense for Pint to leave it be, or leave it between us and any pursuing cultists.)

That's fair. If only some intervening cultists would just conveniently show up in the other direction. How wide is this opening between the trees, anyway? It's wide enough for the owlbear to pass through, I assume. Who does have the chain, anyway? Some sort of horrible amalgamation of the trap and the chain feels like in a cartoon universe it might be enough to somehow hold the owlbear, but I can't imagine how that would happen. Still, I feel like this is going to have to somehow be Gideon's shining moment, so maybe he will brilliantly concoct something on the spot.

Cancelled due to lack of interest...

Is it lack of interest or lack of idea what to do? It's a bit of a tough spot.

If you're going to cancel the topic anyway, we might as well see what happens if we go down in a blaze of glory.

Surprised to see this too, I'd say the game had a healthy amount of following and discussion.

I'm not against continuing, but we genuinely don't seem to have the votes.

Start a new topic. Begin with a summary of the events so far. Make it clear that newcomers are welcome.

I think the issue on that front is largely attrition. I saw some of your other projects, but I either fell behind or didn't catch them at the beginning, and just wasn't interested in trying to play catch-up.

But first, we need to deal with this owlbear.

So once again, A.