Rescuing Jinks

Log Info

• Title: Rescuing Jinks (from himself)
• Emitter: Cryosanthia
• Characters: Jinks, Sjach
• Place: The forests of Alexandros
• Time: Monday, July 12, 2021, 3:54 PM
• Summary: Jinks is sneaking and scouting around in the river while the rest of the party talks to the Kobolds. He's discovered, with several of the water guards swimming towards him. Nearby, Sjach is washing his gear, his juvenile Swiftclaw at his side, and notices the watery threat. Jinks is attacked, punched in the nose as two Kobolds attempt to take him under. Sjach throws a rope, but the gnome fails to grab it. Instead, he impales the Kobold that punched him with his rapier. That one ends up being carried away by the current, semi concious as the fight continues. The two fail to grab the gnome, but the fourth, swims up and slaps his rapier out of his hand. The masterwork mithril weapon is lost to the murky depths. Sjach swims in, threatening one of the Kobolds, wanting to know why they are hunting him. The Kobold explains that Jinks is clearly a bandit. He fit the profile. He's a gnome. He's a sneaky gnome, sneaking around, and he just stabbed one of them, and Kobolds are in the area. Sjach demands they all go ashore, as Jinks pulls another weapon and stabs at the one that disarmed him. That kobold, despite being injured, attempts another disarm, which fails. The Kobolds beg their larger, scaled-kin to assist, but when he seems likely to stab them also, they relent and go to shore. Jinks doesn't, determined to search for his weapon. The one that disarmed him swims upstream to do the same, as Jinks get carried away under the bridge and even further downstream. The Kobolds assure Jinks, through Sjach's translation, that he will be fine and get his weapon back if he surrenders. Overwhelming force convinces him more than their words do, but eventually a Kobold that can tradespeak arrives and says she'll take him to her leader.
• Encounters: CR1 XP400
  • (4) CR1/4 XP100 Kobolds (total 400)
  • River Water, DC10 Athletics, 10' round current

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  Appearing, in Order  =-=-=-=-=-=-=
Jinks        3'4"     39 Lb      Gnome             Male      A gnomish fellow in fancy garb and jewelry.
Sjach        7'0"     268 Lb     Sith-Makar        Male      Lithe emerald and charcoal sith male.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  As the GM  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Cryosanthia  6'9"     291 Lb     Sith-Makar        Female    A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

The Eldwyn Road, Bridge over the Brandywine River.

Lining the road is a pair of Kobolds on each side. South of the bridge, a small party of adventurers are talking with a trio of well armed spear-carriers.

This is not their story.

This is the story of a gnome, who made the cardinal sin of breaking from the party and entering a body of water he couldn't see the bottom of. While the Brandywine river is not very fast moving, it does have a current and a depth greater than a gnome's height.

And currently a population of reptiles he believes haven't noticed him.

GAME: Sjach rolls perception: (18)+7: 25

There's something swimming in the river, and some things heading towards it.

Jinks returns from a brief dive below the surface and a cursory look around, still seeking some sign of the missing adventurers. One arm treads water while the opposite hand holds a crimson crown in place. He's considering the face of the river's walls and how he might extract himself from his current role as over-qualified buoy. He doesn't seem even the tiniest bit worried at the moment.

Meanwhile, by the side of the river, Sjach is at present washing his shirt, which really mostly just consists of dunking it into the river a few times and wringing it out. He glances up, spotting the form of a swimming figure making its way through the water, quirking his head to the side slightly as he looks towards the gnome. Swimming, or drowning? Difficult to tell. Sjach simply watches for the time being, silent, damp shirt still clutched in his hands.

And then the thrashing and splashing starts.

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5+2: (1)+5+2: 8 (EPIC FAIL) (Kobold 1 Stealth)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5+2: (2)+5+2: 9 (Kobold 2 Stealth)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5+2: (7)+5+2: 14 (Kobold 3 Stealth)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+5+2: (4)+5+2: 11 (Kobold 4 Stealth)
GAME: Sjach rolls perception: (19)+7: 26
GAME: Jinks rolls Perception: (12)+6: 18

Despite the murkiness and movement of the water, four clear wakes are visible. Something swimming underwater towards the gnome.

GAME: Sjach rolls ranged: (9)+5: 14

Upon seeing the figure in the water is being followed, the spines on Sjach's scalp stand on end, and he hisses through pointed teeth. "You are hunted." he calls out to the gnome, and then pulls the coil of rope from over his shoulder. Holding onto one end, he tosses the rest of the coil into the water, just ahead of the gnome, in the hopes that he might be able to grab ahold of it and follow it to shore.

<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "water is moving west at 10/round. Swim (Athletics) is DC10"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "1/4 move for move action swimming, 1/2 move for full round swimming"
<OOC> Jinks says, "Suppose I'll take hold of the rope and swim/pull towards the shore."
GAME: Jinks rolls Athletics: (1)+5: 6 (EPIC FAIL)

"-- infestation!" Jinks mutters after pushing the water out of his mouth. His eyes dart to the voice on the shore and narrows when he notices YET ANOTHER lizardman lurking there. The moment's hesitation costs the gnome and as he reaches out to snatch the rope the current conspires to pull him under. There's a quick 'ope!' exclamation before he disappears with a tiny splash. The world is less beautiful suddenly.

<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "K1 claws you, K2 & K3 attempt to grapple separate, K4 swims up.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20-1: (19)+-1: 18
GAME: Kobold 1 damaged Jinks for 1 points. 21 HP remaining.
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20-1: (7)+-1: 6 (Kobold 2 CMB)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20-1: (10)+-1: 9 (Kobold 3 CMB)

The gnome is indeed being hunted.

The water bulges a little as some small but swift things move underneath. As he's pulled under, he comes face to face with a reptile. A Kobold! Or perhaps a small caiman. It snarls and punches him in the nose.

Definitely a Kobold.

Two other shadowy forms appear beside him, snatching, attempting to grab and pull him under. Their tiny hands miss. There's a fourth around somewhere.

The current moves all the swimmers along.

<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Athletics DC10 to swim, doing a full round of swimming?"
<OOC> Sjach says, "I'll move to 28, 10 along the shore before jumping in."
GAME: Sjach rolls athletics: (14)+3: 17

Sjach clicks his tongue when the Gnome fails to grab the robe he cast out for him. He drops his end of it, clicks his tongue at the young siftclaw by his side who snatches the end of the rope in her teeth before it can be swept away, takes his bow off his back and sets it down on the shore, safe away from moisture. His obsidian dagger is pulled from its sheath, and then he jogs along the shore a few feet, and wading into the water until it comes up to his thighs before swimming into the current towards the assailed Gnome.

GAME: Jinks rolls athletics: (17)+5: 22
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+1+2+1+1: (14)+1+2+1+1+1: 20
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d4+1: (4)+1: 5
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "Okay it stops moving, mostly, eyes wide and is carried by the current."

His face! Jinks struggles in the current as a scaled fist knocks the air out of his mouth. He surges up, waving one arm and kicking with both legs, sucking in a quick lungful before falling back into the water. The flat, mithral needle glimmers even in the murky river and stabs out to pierce the breast of his attacker. The gnome smirks in satisfaction at the lizard's look of surprise.

<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "#1 floats away, #2 tries to help #3 grab you. 
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "#4 goes for a disarm, so you get an AOO, but after the grapples as that might cause a penalty"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "#2 Aid Another, then #3 Grapple CMB"
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20-1: (5)+-1: 4 (K2 CMB Aid Another)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20-1: (15)+-1: 14 (K3 CMB)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+1+2+1+1+1: (1)+1+2+1+1+1: 7 (EPIC FAIL) (Jinks AOO)
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20-1: (20)+-1: 19 (K4 Disarm)

Bubbles escape the pierced one, both from its nose and the hole in its chest. It stares, wide eyed, pressing a hand to the wound as blood spirals into the water and it is carried away by the current.

The two Kobolds crowding Jinks thrash their tails and try to grab him again. One, in the deeper and slightly faster side, is hampered by the current and is ineffective, unable to assist. The Kobold closer to the shore closes his tiny claw-hands around the gnome's clothing, but fails to get a decent grip.

The fourth, swimming up, bares teeth at the gnome and slaps at his rapier.

Even though the gnome was turning the point of the needle on him, the water resistance was too slow. He evades the tip, then expertly disarms Jinks. The silvery blade vanishing into the murky bottom.

The current carries all the swimmers closer to the bridge.

GAME: Sjach rolls intimidate: (6)+7: 13
GAME: Sjach rolls athletics: (13)+3: 16

Sjach catches up to them in short order, his slinky frame- lighter than many of his kin- makes short work of the water, his tail sweeping back and forth, arms flat against his body, like a crocodile slicing through the water- until he comes up behind one of the diminutive reptilians and his obsidian dagger sweeps out, to find its point beneath the nearest's chin. "This is not your hunting ground. Why do you hunt this softskin?" he hisses, tail and legs keeping him level in the water as the current carries them along. <draconic>

GAME: Jinks rolls athletics: (5)+5: 10
GAME: Jinks rolls weapon3: (5)+4: 9

Jinks' onyx-black eyes threaten to fall from his face they pull so wide as the current takes his ornate rapier on a tumbling ride downstream. His lips contort into a snarl that shows teeth as he slides a dagger from under his doublet at the small of his back. He takes another stab at the reptile thing that robbed him but the creature is a more adept swimmer and avoids the blow.

<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "#1 floats, #2 tries to grab, #3 responds to Sjach and does not attack."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "#4 does something, maybe another disarm attempt"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "#2 CMB"
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20-1: (12)+-1: 11 (K2 CMB)
GAME: Jinks rolls weapon3: (12)+4: 16 (Jinks AOO on K4)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d3+1: (1)+1: 2
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20-1: (9)+-1: 8 (K4 Disarm)

Jinks is ready for the grabby-claws this go 'round. He kicks his feet in opposite direction to twist in the water and stabs along the reaching reptillian limb.

The kobold that punched Jinks drifts further and further away, carried by the current and only limply resisting.

Beside him, in the deep water, the second attempts to clutch the gnome again.

At Sjach's question, there is a hissy explosion of responses. All draconic, distorted by the water in their mouths, it sounds like a teakettle convention to Jinks.

"He's a bandit!" "He's a gnome!" "He stabbed Rori." "Ouch! He stabbed me." "Help us scale-cousin! We protect road. Reward." <draconic>

The third pleads, swimming to stay in place as the lizardman presses an obsidian blade against his throat. The water is a little warmer.

The current carries all, and the rope has reached it's full extension.

GAME: Sjach rolls athletics: (7)+3: 10 (DC 10 success)

Sjach's unblinking eyes drift across the chattering voices. He clicks his tongue, wordlessly ordering silence from the smaller lizard kin, "Shore." he says shortly- it's not a request. He releases the one whom he had a dagger to the throat of. 'You too. Shore.' he says to Jinks, before moving his dagger away from the Kobold and pinching it between his teeth, he dives beneath the water, moving over to where the one remains prone. He surfaces again behind him and slips his arms under the Kobold's and prepares to backstroke back to shore. <draconic>

GAME: Jinks rolls Sense Motive: (5)+0: 5
GAME: Jinks rolls Perform/Sing: (1)+9: 10 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Jinks rolls weapon3: (9)+4: 13
GAME: Jinks rolls Athletics: (1)+5: 6 (EPIC FAIL)

"Unlikely," is Jinks' only response to the sith. His tone is half 'I'm onto you all' and half 'gods below I remember swimming being easier.' He makes another diving lunge at the kobold trying to rob him but the current surges to catch him awkwardly. He tucks into an unintended roll even as the waters spin him around. Disoriented, he tries to figure out which way is up and where his attackers might be.

"He still stabbing," one of the kobolds says. "Shut up, swim shore," responds the one that had the obsidian blade to his throat, adding, "We obey, scale-cousin." <draconic>

The two dive and thrash their tails, pulling themselves out on the nearest shore.

Except the most recently stabbed one, who was already swimming away from the gnome, towards his injured kin. It lurches through the water even faster when Jinks lunges and dives in his direction, vanishing into the murky waters.

The hunters have become the hunted! The wet bandit could be anywhere!

"Watch your tail," the Kobold cautions Sjach, spreading out to float as close to the surface as possible as it latches onto it's failing comrade. <draconic>

Everyone is carried closer to the darkness under the bridge.

GAME: Sjach rolls athletics: (20)+3: 23 (DC 10)

With his dagger in his mouth, Sjach can't respond to the gnome, but he swims backwards, tail thrashing back and forth to propel him through the water, at an angle so that he counters the current as he moves towards the shore, eventually reaching the shallows where he can put his feet on the ground and drag the injured Kobolt to the edge. He takes his knife from his mouth, and sheaths it. Drown, then. he answers the gnome, finally, as he goes beneath the water. <draconic>

GAME: Jinks rolls athletics: (7)+5: 12
GAME: Jinks rolls Perception: (14)+6: 20

Jinks hasn't come up for air since the current pulled him downstream. He takes a moment to turn and get oriented, finding the scant rays of light piercing the surface of the lake. With no real clue which way he should go he decides to try the hard way first; he swims against the current and back upstream in the hopes of finding his ornate weapon.

Two Kobolds stand on the shore, water running off their scales. They're hunched, looking even smaller and making quiet clicking noises at each other. Sjach is the focus of their attention, they watch as he swims ashore with their injured comrade. One of them looks at the hunter's small Swiftclaw, then back at him. "Healing, not food?" <draconic>

The rescued Kobold isn't completely unconscious, but it is in poor shape and doesn't resist being dragged around. Depending on the answer, it might start to do so.

The fourth one emits an alarm noise, and lurches. The submersible gnome was swimming its way. Disobeying Sjach, it retreats upstream away from the Jinks, unwilling to pass within stabbing range of him. "Not safe!" <draconic>

And water washes downstream.

A bunch of other kobolds poke their heads over the edge of the bridge, or look at the river from their positions beside the road. They don't move.

"What did the softskin steal?" Sjach asks the others, ignoring their question. He does, however, step away from their downed comrade, so they can attend to him if they chose. He doesn't seem like he is going to. He looks back out towards the water, seeing if he can spot the gnome, and then to the one swimming upstream. He clicks his tongue, frustrated, but leaves him to do as he will. "The softskin is from the city. The city does not allow bandits." he says, simply. <draconic>

<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "okay, roll 1d14 to represent how much of a breath you had when you were sucked under,"
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "it's x2, then subtract -2 for last round and doing something."
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d14: (11): 11
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "okay, at 20 I think, before drowning"
GAME: Jinks rolls Athletics: (13)+5: 18 (DC 10)
GAME: Jinks rolls Perception: (17)+6: 23

Jinks finally seems to find his groove, squinting against the silt in the water and the sting it brings. A few tiny bubbles escape his nostrils and are swept downstream before bursting on the surface of the river. He shakes his head, maintaining some silent, internal invocation of Coyote's luck hoping the god will laugh with (and not at) him today.

The two Kobolds watch as Sjach leaves their comrade lying on the shore. The creep up, cautiously, watching him. Heads turned up, staring, their scents mostly river water with hints of adrenaline and fear.

When they aren't attacked, the crouch down to pick up their injured accomplice. They're all naked, perhaps to swim more easily, but it limits what they can do with first aid. They start to carry the Kobold towards the road and the other kobolds who have a little more clothing on, and presumably, supplies.

The one that was threatened answers, "Nothing. He sneaking around. Bandits around." It shrugs a little, "Bandits around. City allowing bandits. Sneaking up is bandits. We capture, take city, get paid." <draconic>

The Kobold sounds certain.

The fourth Kobold continues swimming upstream, putting distance between itself and the gnome. It is also diving deep, and looking around.

Water goes under the bridge.

So does Jinks.

<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "you can swim downstream, or to either shore, but can't make progress upstream."
<OOC> Cryosanthia says, "at best you can hold position"

Sjach listens to them, and then nods his head once- a short sharp nod. "Fine." he breathes, and leaves the Kobolds to do as they will with their fallen comrade. He chirps at his swiftclaw, beckoning her over so that he can collect the end of the rope she held ashore and reel it back in. "You should come ashore before you drown." he calls back to the gnome. "Thiss one can find your sword. Thiss one can hold their breath longer than ssoftskinss." he shouts out, over the noise of the running water.

Jinks stubbornly stays submerged, searching as best he can through the waters and the loose debris, and only comes up for air when it feels like his lungs might burst from his flank. He's determined and avarice is a powerful motivator. When the gnome finally relents he surges up to greedily gasp some distance downstream. His hair has come loose and sticks wet to his face while he holds his crimson circlet in one angry fist.

Two of the kobolds carry off the third, over to the road and primitive medical attention.

The one in the river keep swimming around, diving down, strong enough in the water to swim upstream although that takes some work on its part. Several times it dives down, reappears, and checks on the gnome's position each time it resurfaces. The Kobold is reassured to see Jinks drifting further and further away.

It is successful. The river isn't so fast moving it will sweep a blade downstream, especially a long thin one with a hand guard that easily fills with mud. The Kobold surfaces with the mithril needle and comes ashore beside Sjach.

It looks up at the larger lizard, and hisses. "Maybe it steal this? It very nice. I can keep?" The Kobold rubs at a laceration across its scales, showing off to the hunter, "It has lots of weapons." <draconic>

"Found your spear!" One of the Kobolds on the bridge hisses loudly at jinks. So loudly its crest has stood up. Probably 'come back and we'll kill you.' <draconic>

Untrustworthy lizards.

Sjach looks at the Kobold's wound, and the rapier when it is pulled from the water. He stoops down and picks the blade up, turning it this way and that. "Ssha, looks fragile." he says then, and drops it into the dirt. Seeing as the gnome hasn't followed his advice thusfar, He doesn't seem intent to keep giving it, so he heads over to pick up his sodden shirt and dry bow. "The city folk are not bad all. Some kill kobolds, some care for them. Chasing them is bad. They think you are bandits, and kill you. If you live this close to the city, learn the trading tongue. Or they will not know not to hunt you." he offers. <draconic>

Jinks eventually finds the south edge of the river and hoists himself free with a tired grunt, taking a knee. He coughs mildly and spits, threading his fingers back through his hair to clear his face before sliding the crimson circlet back into place. "Awfully brave for a lizard in range of an arrow," he responds. And he does have a rather ornate bow secured in a harness on his back. Though the only thing he sends back that way for now is a rude hand gesture.

"Loci speak trade." The Kobold says, picking up the mithril blade once Sjach drops it. The Kobold tags along a little, keeping at a conversational distance. "Know" 'Hello'.

"Rekki say don't talk Bandits. Bandits don't surrender, will sneak attack when say" 'Hello'.

The Kobolds on the bridge hiss back at Jinks, "You surrender we give back. Or run away bandit! Run away." It makes waving motions at the gnome, clear 'go away' motions. <draconic>

Sjach decides to translate this for them, finally, shouting out towards Jinks, They sssay you can have your sssword back if you leave them alone. Then he slings his soffy shirt over one shoulder, the rope over his other, and then chirps at his Swiftclaw again. And starts to pad off away from the assembled shortfolk of various types. "Thiss one goes now." he tells the Kobolds, bow held in one hand, away from the dripping shirt and rope, to keep it dry, the Swiftclaw following at his heels. <draconic>

"Of course they do." Jinks responds, narrowing his eyes up at the bridge guards. The math is easy so he just issues a heavy sigh and holds his hands out to either side, open and empty. The dagger got tucked away at some point and he'll leave the bow on his back. "I don't suppose you've seen a set of lost Alexandrian adventurers murdered by these kobolds?" He wonders idly of Sjach, hollering so his voice carries easily as he trods back over to collect his weapon.

The translation services offered by the Sith'makar hunter are brief and over quickly as he leaves the Kobolds and the Gnome to sort things out amongst themselves.

Eventually, they do. Even unarmed and poorly armed Kobolds can be a threat when there's enough of them, and this is the case. They make it clear to Jinks that bad things will happen if he tries something, by shaking spears and rocks at him, and don't throw them to confirm they're 'peaceful'.

Setting him up for a worse fate, most likely.

Eventually a Kobold arrives who can say more than "Hello." In the meantime Jinks has been teaching them swear words. Useful ones for all occasions. Loci, who in addition to being equiped with a better vocabulary, has chainmail armour, and a short sword.

She explains that they have not killed four adventurers, but have taken a party to the leaders who know where they went, and if Jinks is cooperative and willing to walk deeper into a trap past a whole bunch of literal traps, she'll take him too.

And give him is rapier back. That happens too.

Their guile knows no bounds.

Combatty

Map
https://www.mipui.net/app/index.html?mid=m7yimqnakw6

 ===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 1 =====================
 ---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes--------------------------------------------
     20   Sjach            1  Flat-footed (0 rnds active)                  
 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     17   Jinks            1  
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  >> 2    Kobolds          1   <<
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 ==============================================================================
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|   Name   |   Race   |   Class   | CHP | HP  | AC/FF/T |CMD |For |Ref |Wil |
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|Jinks     |GNOME     |Bard       |  9  | 22  |18/15/14 | 15 | 3  | 6  | 3  |
|Sjach     |SITH-MAKAR|Rgr        | 23  | 23  |21/18/13 | 17 | 6  | 6  | 2  |
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