The Wandering Archipelago (D&D 5e)

[spiderwrangler]

Ah shit... there goes my shirt. I'll hold action with the dart, she may have been acting hinky, but hasn't attacked us yet, so not ready to put a dart in her back, and don't want to break stealth for nothing. I'll wait and see how things develop.

[thinkslogically]

Syli lunges towards the gnome, but the shove has knocked her off-balance and the agile gnome is able to bound easily past Syli and into the trees as she morphs into a panther.

Dont fall over check: 1D20+3 = [16]+3 = 19

Some possibly useful info depending on what you try to do: As you watch the panther bound into the forest, it's obviously slowed a bit by the tangling undergrowth (difficult terrain), and that'll slow you too unless you can get onto a path. The panther is also clearly able to move much faster than you can in a straight race unless you manage to cut it off somehow, take it down quickly or come up with something smart. You also know that the forest cover is going to make it difficult to hit her with ranged attacks, but not impossible (scrub & trees provide half cover).

[thinkslogically]

Korrik readies his darts in his palms but holds back from attacking just yet...

Mehriv or Kal is up next (whoever sees this first can go first)

[WearsHats]

I'll let the boss go first. But if I may use my line of dialog...

"It's okay. We know where she lives."

[thinkslogically]

((yup, saying short sentences / phrases is fine to do as a free action))

[Dlover]

"That's only temporary. Try for a knock-out."

Mehr, knowing Ray of Frost won't slow her down for long enough, opts to launch a trio of magic missiles at her.
Damage: 4, 4, 5 = 13 damage.

We can opt to try for disabling rather than killing, right? Mehr's not dealing enough damage for it to be important yet, but we should be doing that.

[spiderwrangler]

(("When an attacker reduces a creature to 0 hit points with a melee attack, the attacker can knock the creature out. The attacker can make this choice the instant the damage is dealt. The creature falls unconscious and is stable."))

[thinkslogically]

((Thanks spider ))

Assuming that doesn't change your action at all, Mehriv's missiles strike as true as ever, and the panther dissolves back into a frightened gnome.

[Dlover]

Yeah, since I wasn't expecting it to be enough I'd be carrying through the attack.

[WearsHats]

Kal isn't going to shoot her when she's frightened and running away. She doesn't seem to have actually hurt anyone. But she is clearly hiding something. Diplomacy seems the best course. So he gives it everything he's got.

"Please. No one needs to get hurt. Come back. We can talk it out. Running away isn't going to solve anything. Even if you could get away from all of us now, the hunters will hunt you down. But when you were hurt, we helped you, remember? Talk to us. Come peacefully, and we won't hurt you. We can talk things out."

► Show Spoiler

Persuasion (advantage): 14

1D20+2 = [4]+2 = 6
1D20+2 = [12]+2 = 14

[thinkslogically]

((I think that's probably too much to say in a single combat round. You only get 6 seconds. So you can shout something short (e.g. up to "...talk it out") but you don't have time for the whole thing in one go.

Do you want to stick with trying the persuasion? Mind you can still use your movement if you like.))

[WearsHats]

Persuasion seems the best course at this point. She's running scared, just took a hit (and lost her escape form), and hasn't done anything (that I've seen) to merit being shot. And we know where she lives. She's out of range for anything else. And if I'm going to try to persuade her, sudden movements seem like a bad idea.

Kal holds up his empty hands, and does his best to project a paladin's trustworthy nature. "Please, come back. We helped you, remember? Let's talk it out."

[thinkslogically]

The gnome wails back:
"Just want to go home!"

Gwen is up

[Arch Lich Burns]

Gwen quickly moves twoards her, not directly as to prevent from startling her. She casts hex on the gnome (int) and starts waving her arms in a performace. She says deeply and somewhat demonically, partially talking in deep speech "I did not want to do this. Fy'all glrophig ingstl un'tagan ry'yll un fatag'ag'an!" In the direction of the gnome is going (twoard her house), far away from the gnome as possible she 'summons' via minor image a twisted rock creature with several eyes and teeth grinning at her hugrily with massive stone arms that have stone tendrils across it.

► Show Spoiler

'I call upon glrophig to be summoned and obey my command!'

[thinkslogically]

The gnome looks between Kal, Gwen and Mehriv and then to the horrifying rock abomination that's suddenly appeared in her path and yelps in fright.

The half-orc looks surprised to hear Gwen speaking orcish and then such an alien, evil-sounding language. He opts to keep away from her, as he skirts around to the tent, where he kneels down to shake the occupant awake.

"She's back! Stay here and rest, I'll be back soon. I'll be careful."

Syli is up

[Nioca]

With a low growl, Syli whips around and unbelts her sling, deftly dropping a sling stone into place. She whips the sling stone around once before letting it fly low at the gnome's legs, but the underbrush gets in the way and knocks the sling stone well off-course.

Sling (+5 w/ Disadvantage): Crit-Fail

► Show Spoiler

I was actually going back and forth for a while on how to have Syli act here, since I don't want to sabotage the group's efforts here. Ultimately, it boiled down to three points:
A) The gnome doesn't actually appear to be surrendering, in spite of both diplomacy and illusions.
B) We don't actually know the gnome hasn't harmed anyone. All we have is her word on it, and we already know she's been lying to us (and if what the half-orc did is any indication, it's possible she did some damage the last time she crossed paths with these hunters).
C) Syli (IC) is seriously not liking this gnome.

Ergo, I figured I'd go ahead and take the shot.

[spiderwrangler]

I study the half-orc, trying to look past the anger and see what his deal is.

Insight on Half-Orc: 1D20+4 = [9]+4 = 13

((If possible, continue holding dart for attack action, but if Insight takes my action, so be it.))

[thinkslogically]

Syli is no longer interested in being nice, and sends a stone flying into the bushes and straight through Gwen's illusion. You're not sure if anyone except Gwen would have noticed though...

The gnome runs behind a nearby tree and vanishes completely from sight.

Korrik blinks at the vanishing gnome then turns back to the half-orc. It's hard to tell, having only just met the guy, but he gets the impression that the half-orc is fed up with trying to deal with the gnome and seems impatient to just be done with it.

((You can continue holding your action if you like, but if could could specify a trigger that'd be helpful))

Mehriv is up, then Kal

[spiderwrangler]

((If anyone gets violent or threatening with the party, they earn a dart.))

[thinkslogically]

((Ok, sounds good!))

[Dlover]

Presuming the gnome to be hiding rather than gone, Mehr sweeps a Mage Hand through the area where the gnome disappeared and away, trying to jostle her. (I'm not sure if the wording of Mage Hand means invoking it is one action and then moving it has to wait for another turn?)

[spiderwrangler]

(I'm not sure if the wording of Mage Hand means invoking it is one action and then moving it has to wait for another turn?)

Technically, yes. It isn't intended to have a whole lot of combat use, if it was intended that you were able to use it the same turn, it would have some kind of "when you cast the spell" language included.

[Dlover]

Ah right, so I can only search the spot she disappeared.

[thinkslogically]

((yeah, I'd say you can cast it and use it at a single location (5 foot square) in 1 combat turn because it's pretty limited in how it can be used it combat anyway, but could be fun Saying that, you'll need to move about 10 feet forwards (to the edge of the forest) to reach the space where the gnome disappeared.)).

Assuming you're willing to move, I'll take a perception check with disadvantage to see what you can feel blindly with the hand.

[Dlover]

Crit fail. (Also I miswrote the command for the roll, so ignore it saying it's a 3.)

I was mostly thinking it may be some sort of disguise that could be disrupted on contact, and hoping if it were Mage hand could put a stop to it. Don't know if any of that idea is accurate in the least, though.