(5.24 PBP) Vault of the Dracolich (IC) Redux

Neurotic · Saturday at 10:49 PM

Tonguez said:
(Luckily I had advantage I rolled a 1 on my first check!! Expert Stealth Check: 1D20 = [1] [/ooc]

OOC:

you have advantage on the save too

FitzTheRuke · Sunday at 5:55 PM

Team Fusion (Shade-9)

Shade-9 reached out his hand to the Necrotic Curtain. His tactile sensors registered a discomfort that was within acceptable parameters, so he continued through. As his head and chest passed through, the discomfort increased to pain, but he knew that it was a fraction of what he would have experienced if he were made of flesh and blood. Perhaps there was something living in him after all, but it was deep within and shielded by magic, wood, and metal.

And though it was painful, he was quickly through to the other side. He stepped into a shadow next to the archway and found himself in a dimly-lit oblong hexagonal chamber, its floor marred by a great gorge. The western part has a stone slab shaped like a stage, which was unoccupied, but four cylindrical platforms stood in each corner, and upon them were four men.

Each man wore a stone mask - or perhaps the stone was part of their face. The circular of the platform at their feet glowed with an arcane symbol, each a different color: Red, White, Green, and Blue. Each of them chanted, though their stone mouths did not move, as they channeled magical energy into the gorge.

Shade-9 was very close to the Blue, but the man did not seem to notice him. It was unclear if it was because he was too busy with his work, or if he could see nothing through his stone mask, for it had no holes for eyes, nor any obvious way to breathe.

OOC:

My wife rolled for the CON Save advantage and got a nat 20! Shade-9 took one-eighth of what the veil can do, which worked out to 4 Necrotic.

Leatherhead · Sunday at 9:59 PM

Copper AC:15 HP:34/31+5 HD:4/4 PP:14 CloudJ:1/2

"Well, I ain't going in there like that." Copper says as he searches for some way to disarm the barrier.

OOC:

Not sure if I can disarm this barrier or not, what should I be rolling.
Also I have got to stop posting when half-asleep, lol.

FitzTheRuke · Monday at 5:41 PM

Copper had a look around for some way to remove the shimmering veil, but he could see nothing mechanical nor any obvious arcane sigil (that might be defaced or destroyed) that would do the job. Even destroying the archway, with something like a pick-axe, seemed impossible, as the veil slowly shifted like a curtain blowing in a breeze, and even the slightest touch could potentially kill the unfortunate.

OOC:

Nothing short of Dispel Magic would disarm it, I'm afraid.

FitzTheRuke · Monday at 6:49 PM

Team Caves

One by one the crowd of mercenaries fell to Urgan, Shamal, and Merrick's attacks. Shiobhan lunged at Merrick, but he cut her down with his glaive with the advantage of his superior reach. Torhak stepped out of the shadows and shot the Beast, before disappearing once more.

Then the gathering cultists cried out and began to charge, and Imani's agents were routed back into the trophy chamber. They were a step ahead of their pursuers, but the most powerful of the Cultists, a Dragon Priest wearing a black dragon mask, lifted into the air with his robes billowing and flew over the heads of the other cultists and landed in the chamber. From under his robes, a swarm of tiny spectral skeletal black dragons surrounded him and they flew in a growing circle, biting and spitting acid at his foes.

While the cultists charged, Bardaby moved southward and yelled through an archway, "Get up here! We have intruders ta kill!"

OOC:

That's all fluff for a Misty Step and Spirit Guardians. I'm afraid that he's going to get the whole party for 12 necrotic (dc13 WIS Save for 1/2). Luckily he's the only one that does damage, as everyone else dashes. Bardaby dodges, so if you attack him, roll with disadvantage.

FitzTheRuke · Monday at 6:51 PM

GM:

TEAM CAVES
Encounter: Scrying Vault
Time: ~18:15 on 4 Tarsakh 1483DR

(General Features)
Difficult Terrain None
Cover Walls.
Hazards None
Visibility Bright (Glowing Glass)

(PCs)
Merrick AC:15/17* HP:5 or 11/53 HD:0/4 PP:12 Rg 1/3 InH:0/4 Jump 0/1 C: Jump
Shamal AC:18 HP:2/40 EXH:1 HD:1/4 PP:14 SSdc13 0/3 Bhaal 1/3 CD:0/2 DS:0/1 HI:0/1 LoH:0/20
Torhak AC:15 HP:12 or 18/40 HD:4/4 PP:16.DV180 SSdc12 3/3 DA:1/2 HM:2/3
Urgan AC:15(12) HP:12 or 18/26 THP:0/2 HD:4/4 PP11.DV60 SSdc14 2/4 0/3 ArcRec 0/1 AR:1/2 MgArm:to 22:10
(NPCs)
Scamp AC:11 HP:5/5 PP:13.DV60 Spd.50'
Ironthorn AC:13 HP:13/13 Res.P/Lning Regen:3/R HD:3/3 PP:15.DV60 MoO:2/2

(BGs)
Bardaby AC:16 HP:38/72 PP:12
Cult Priest AC:14 HP:55 PP:13*
Cult Fanatic AC:13 HP:33ea PP:12
-CF1 33/33 CF2 33/33
Mercenary Unit AC:15 HP:0/64 PP:11 Dead
Merc Guard AC:15 HP:12 PP:11
Siobhan AC:17* HP:0/57 PP:11 Dead

GM:

Begin Round Six

TaranTheWanderer · Tuesday at 3:50 AM

Merrick Thorburn Race: Human	HP: 9/53 AC: 15/17(with shield)	Buffs: Jump 5/10 rounds Inspiration: 0
Rage: 0/3	Inner Healing:0/4	HD: 1/4
STR: 16+3(+5) DEX: 14+1(+2) CON: 16+3(+5) INT: 8-1(+-1) WIS: 10+0(+0) CHA:11 +0(+0)	Athletics+5 Intimidate: 2/5 Perception: 2 Performance 2 Stealth: 4 Survival: 2	Daily: JUMP: 0/1 At will Thaumaturgy Message

Merrick is surprised when the Priest appears but not as surprised as the priest who gets hit with Merrick's glaive.

As the priest casts Merrick cries out in pain. Maybe fate has chosen this day for the warrior to die.

Merrick Fails will save (got a 6) and takes 12 necrotic damage. 9 of 53hp left

Polearm Master gives Merrick a free Attack of Opportunity against Priest
Attack of opportunity : 2D20.HIGH(1)+5 = [13, 11]+5 = 18
1D10+5 = [4]+5 = 9 damage

He's not ready to give up yet. He can still help his allies by taking out the priest. The glaive swings wildly hitting the fanatical clergyman multiple times.

He sees an opportunity to run and does so.

Reckless attack: 2D20.HIGH(1)+5 = [2, 10]+5 = 15
damage : 1D10+5+1D6+3(radiant) = [5]+5+[3]+3 = 16

Attack reckless again: 2D20.HIGH(1)+5 = [5, 10]+5 = 15
damage : 1D4+5 = [4]+5 = 9

34 damage total (between the 3 attacks). 2 concentration saving throws required

Move back 50 feet around a corner to BF12. If there's a better place to move where he can't get shot if the priest moves 30 feet, he'll do that. I just can't see the map.

TActics; I thought the plan was to run away but it looks like Torhak is staying back. He's going to get cut off.

Tonguez · Tuesday at 1:10 PM

[SELF DIAGNOSTIC MONITORING- Necrotic Response Active
[SYSTEM RESPONSE: Elevated Nociceptive sensitization [CORE INTEGRITY: STABLE]
[SUB-CORE ANOMALY DETECTED]

For a fraction of a second Shade-9's tactile sensor registered discomfort, as the necrotic field pressed in pass plating, articulated joints, and layered artifice. The Warforged Stalker logged the sensation, even flinched involuntarily as the deep core within him flared. The pain was only a fraction of what an organic might feel, Shade-9 would pass through, but it was still a sensation, and that had to be logged and recognised, he was learning to feel.

The chamber beyond the veil was not what he had expected to find. Slipping into a shadow beside the archway Shade-9 went into stealth mode, alert and actively scanning his surroundings, mapping the chambers dimensions, hexagonal angles and shadows.

[LOCAL MAPPING: Structure: Oblong Hexagonal Chamber
Primary Feature: Unstructured Central gorge - Depth Unknown
[Secondary Features: Multi-level stonework platorms. Western Platform features a raised slab {Possible Ritual Stage} and cylindrical corner platforms.

ALERT: Threat Count #4 Humanoid Entities atop secondary cylindrical platforms
[ANATOMY: Indeterminate Humanoid. Stone Face/Mask Intergration - No Visual Organs detected]
POSITION: Cardinal Corners of Western Platform]
[STATE: Active Channeling of Magical Energy into the Gorge # CONTAINMENT? EMPOWERMENT? FEEDING?]

The Warforged also searched for other exits and entranceways besides the veil, actively switching optics between low light and arcane detection modes.

"Were these four also 'unliving'? -constructs like him?' Shade-9 considered as he studied the Blue figure from the shadows, as yet unable to determine just who or what it was that he was witnessing as the arcane colours pulsed and the low chanting of the four figures filled the chamber. "were they bound to this ritual by obedience and design? "

The Gloom Stalkers targeting subroutines flickered briefly - mapping distances, angles, exit vectors, points of interruption, vulnerabilities - Disruption was an option, a targetted strike on the blue figure, but the risk was a cascading effect as the ritual was broken and the other three were alerted to hostility.

Better to observe. Maintain stealth and gather what information he could on the chamber, the gorge, the figure in blue and the arcane energy flow. But the progression of the ritual was unknowable and there were still the Team waiting on the otherside of the veil.

Should he retreat now? Could he retreat? or would second pass through the veil also
cause harm through increased nociceptive sensitization?

Shifting his weight slightly but remaining in shadows, Shade-9 looked back to the veil, searching the archway for any mechanism, glyph or sigil that might indicate a means to disarm the veil and allow the others to enter the chamber beside him.

OOC:

Assuming Detect magic is still active I will observe the energy being feed into the gorge and try and determine its purpose, investigation of the blue figure and the platforms

also going to look over the archway for a physical or magical mechanism to disarm/disspell the veil.

Did some checks that might be relevant:
Insight: 1D20+2+4 = [13]+2+4 = 19
Investigate: 1D20+1+4 = [6]+1+4 = 11

Kobold Stew · 2026-04-16T22:46:07+0100

Urgan feels the ghostly tendrils of the cult Priest reach out, and grab his spine -- the sens eof slippery tendrils enveloping something inside of him is so near, but then slips away. Urgan remembers to breathe.

"Go, Scamp," he urges, sending the Jackal ahead of him, far from the reach of the enemies.
He takes a quick but careful look into the chamber to his right, but continues to move... away from the tendrils.

Why isn't Torhak moving?

Urgan feels desperation -- he doesn't think they will make it. Run!

OOC:

Wis save 1d20+1=18 vs DC 13, pass. half damage, 6 necrotic, so he's at 18/26 HP.
Move and Dash gets Scamp 100' further away (heading North and East).

Urgan:
Bonus: Study: Urgan Studies as a bonus action, and so looks as far as BM 17 (darkvision). He thinks there is something that might be helpful there (not expecting there to be).

Move and Dash: to BJ 12 (ish) -- unless there is something to the east, in which case he can make it to BM 17 (but he doesn't want to get trapped in there with Spirit Guardians).

If he's at BJ 12 or 13, he should be out of line of sight of the enemy at the start of next turn. Scamp will be further to the NE, unless there is obvious danger. (they won't be together).

MetaVoid · 2026-04-17T15:26:08+0100

Torhak considers slashing the priest. He cannot count on killing him, but dropping the spell might mean they escape grouped mercenaries while priest flying after them means he can just hit them as they run.

On the other hand, if he dashes, he can get in front of the mercenaries AND the priest and maybe hide. But again, the area around the priest is so wide, he will be caught. Maybe he could dash and split away from the party. Risky, but well within his capabilities. It would be easier if cultists and mercs weren't all human with light all around them.

In the end, he grits his teeth against the pain and attacks the priest.

Save vs spirits: 1D20+2 = [11]+2 = 13 Phew barely
Bonus: cast Hunters mark (2nd and last free version) on the priest
Move: AY19 going BA23->AZ22 -> AY21 -> AY20 (hopefully avoiding OA from mercs, but maybe not)
Action:
Hits AC 21 for 11 (CON save DC 10 concentration check ) and
Hits AC 22 for 14 (CON save DC 10 concentration check)

Short sword; damage; dagger; damage; vex: 1d20+6 = [15]+6 = 21;1d6+4+1d6 = [1]+4+[6] = 11;1d20+6=[3]+6 = 9; 1d4+4+1d6 = [4]+4+[6] = 14; 1d20+ = [16] = 16