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

[Kobold Stew]

Urgan Magali thinks of his workshop. The craaftsman next to him, a dwarf with body odor, was always carving heads of one kind or another and leaving them on display, so that some day he would have a homunculus with an impressive beard. Urgan had his doubts about the whole project, but that's what he thought of first when he saw Shamal's decapitation, a quick, swift cut separating body from skull, death from life.

The second thought he considered was whether the fantastic visions the Houndsman had imagined were still dancing in his head after it had been severed from the rest of the corpse.

The third thought, God help him, was how good it all smelled, He was hungry, and orcish impulses run deep.

Of course he knew the spell Valendra had cast, and for a moment he considered casting it himself. But he also knew that though there were four images, there was only one mind, and that made a better target. He recfocused his attention and placed in her mind the image of an imprisoning helm, welded shut over her head. The steel of the helm allowed no light inside, not even air -- if the image caught hold, she would be trying to remove something that simply wasn't there, or else she'd not see a thing and would believe she was suffocating.

And then, Urgan ran, ran for the teleporter, intercepting her in case she was trying to escape that way (and of course serving as a block in case something unexpected should come through).

OOC: Concentration on the spell on the Houndsman we can consider broken. Action: Cast Phantasmal Force on Valendra. DC 14 INT save. If the threat of suffocation does damage, add 1d6=4 psychic damage. If successful, that takes concentration. Current slots: 3/1. Move and Bonus Dash: move 60' West, putting him in or around AP7. Orcs can dash as a bonus (1 use left), and Urgan gets 2 THP. Reaction: ready for opp attack?

 

[MetaVoid]

Team Caves - Torhak
Torhak runs through kobolds and uses the involuntary paralysis of the houndsman

Torhak starts toward the immobilized houndsman through the kobolds to finish him off when raging Merrick attacks twice. The only thing remaining is to rush forward toward the caster and maybe lower her defences somewhat.

He reconsiders as the archer pops up and instead of throwing the dagger toward the caster, he just rushes both of them, hoping there aren't five more cultists beyond the curve.

Spoiler: Actions

Move: if kobolds are diff terrain AV7 otherwise AV10
Dash: AQ 7 or AQ9 depending on the starting point - the idea is to threaten both the archer and the caster

 

[VLAD the Destroyer]

Darius walks up next to Aywin, keeping his hands clear and away from any weapons. He glances between his companion and the lizardfolk. He keeps an eye open for any sudden aggression from the group. Darius can feel the tension building and hopes that Aywin can diffuse the situation and prevent another fight.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Team Caves

Merick knocked the held houndsman down and moved to cover the corner of the tunnel, lest the mercenary with the crossbow came forward once more, but Shamal, acting strangely since they had rested, would have none of it. He severed the unconscious man's head in a grizzly gesture and he flung it at the tunnel's entrance.

Both the mercenary and the wizard there gasped audibly, and as Urgan and Torhak rushed to engage them, they fought with frantic, terrified expressions. Valendra steeled her will against Urgan's magic, before she cast a spell, hoping to slow her enemies down in case she could find a moment to flee. The mercenary dropped his crossbow next to his torch and pulled a battle axe, which he nervously swung at Torhak while in obvious distress.

In the greater part of the cavern, the glowing crystals began to dull, and the kobolds, terrified of the entire event, fled eastward, as Pikki, the kobold guide braved coming into the space to call them toward her. Scamp and Ironthorn came forward, but maintained their distance from the fray.

By this time the only light sources (other than some softly glowing crystals) were torches at both ends, sputtering on the ground and threatening to go out.

OOC: I had my wife roll Intimidation for Shamal, with Advantage, and she rolled TWO NAT 20's. Both Valendra and the currently surviving Merc are Frightened. Valendra casts SLOW which will target all 4 PCs plus Scamp. Everyone roll a dc14 WIS Save! Merc2 will miss Torhak with his Axe, unless Torhak fails the Slow Save, in which case he'll do 5 Slashing. Slow (C). Transmutation (VSM) L3 Slot: Up to 6 creatures you choose in a 40ft Cube within 120ft must make a dc14 WIS Save or be Slowed for 1 minute (C). Their Speed is 1/2, they have -2 to AC & DEX Saves & they can’t take Reactions. On their turn, they can take an Action or a Bonus Action (not both) & they can make only 1 attack with the Attack Action. If they cast a spell with an S component, there is a 25% chance it fails. They repeat the Save at the end of each of their turns.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

GM: TEAM CAVES Encounter: Dig-Site Time: ~17:35 on 4 Tarsakh 1483DR

Spoiler: Map

(General Features)
Difficult Terrain Green Crystals
Cover Walls.
Hazards Green Crystals
Visibility Bright (Yellow Circles - Torches); Dim (Crystals). Dark in-between.

Spoiler: Allies

(PCs)
Merrick AC:15/17* HP:17/53 HD:1/4 PP:12 Rg 1/3 InH:1/4
Shamal AC:18 HP:25/40 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 Exh:1
Torhak AC:15 HP:19or14/40 HD:4/4 PP:16.DV180 SSdc12 3/3 DA:1/2 HM:2/3
Urgan AC:15(12) HP:26/26 HD:4/4 PP11.DV SSdc14 3/4 1/3 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
Kobold Workers AC:12 HP:26ea. PP:11.DV120
-KW1 26/26; KW2 26/26

Spoiler: Enemies

(BGs)
Valendra AC:15 HP:60/60 PP:12 MgArm, Mirror Image, C:Slow Frightened
Mercenaries AC:15 HP:22ea PP:11
-M1 0/22 KO; M2 22/22 Frightened
Cultists Dead
Houndsman AC:15 HP:0 PP:12 DECAPITATED!
Armored Dogs Dead

GM: Begin Round Five

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Team Infiltrate

Stryke and Copper followed Terrin's dancing lights as they bobbed their way toward the south west, but they were behind the lights, keeping to the shadows cast by the lumps and waves in the black rock walls. Meanwhile, Lorent set an illusion of himself, poorly hiding along the highest point between the two ledges, in an attempt to lure the cultist toward him.

While this ambush was being laid, Terrin stood in the chamber high in the wall to the west of the lake, where a strange broken obelisk lay on the ground, with a ray sunlight beaming down through a crack in the ceiling. The rest of the chamber was lit dimly, and Terrin could not light a light, in case the cultist could see it. The markings on the obelisk were difficult to parse in the shadows near its base, but they would be much easier to read near its peak, which lay at an angle out of reach of the ground. It would be easy enough to climb up the obelisks flat side to get to its peak. From what little he could make out, the markings appeared ancient, and possibly elvish.

After waiting for a moment in the dark, as the dancing lights bobbed away, Stryke tugged Copper's arm and whispered, "Here he comes."

Copper could see nothing, hear nothing over the water rushing between the two ledges, but he made himself ready all the same. Then, a small glow could be seen as the cultist prepared a fire spell, ready to send it at Lorent's illusion.

OOC: Copper can take a shot, if you like, @Leatherhead. I don't think I can justify Sneak Attack, as you can spot his location when he casts a spell, but he's in total darkness, so your Advantage for not being seen would be cancelled by your not being able to see him, either (you just know where he is, so you can target him, if that makes sense). I guess this is a new Round One, but let's see if he survives to bother with a Round-Roller.

Spoiler: Map

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Team Lake

"Whye do yhu brringz zsa Ouhtcasst here? He duhz not belongh." demanded the Lizardfolk Chief. He appeared willing to parlay, but the circumstances of their arrival put him on edge. Even more than him, who stood mostly calmly, as if a fight would please him every bit as much as a discussion, the guards at the watery tunnel entrance appeared to be very near to attacking Guldred, an act that was their duty to preform, he having been outcast on pain of death.

 

[MetaVoid]

Torhak rushed forward only to get stuck into the mire of the mind. As he slowed down, his reflexes sluggish, it just allowed the mercenary to clip him with the blade.

His only action was to slooowwwlllyyyy step on the torch, plunging the area in darkness winking out from sight.

Spoiler: Actions

Wis save: 1D20+2 = [1]+2 = 3
Free interact?: put out the torch
Action: Stealth: 1D20+8 = [10]+8 = 18

 

[TaranTheWanderer]

Spoiler: Merrick- Team CAVES!

Merrick Thorburn Race: Human	HP: 17/53 AC: 15/17(with shield)	Buffs: Slowed (-2 AC, 1/2) Raging (+2 damage, adv: Str ) Inspiration: 1
Rage: 1/3	Inner Healing:1/4	HD: 1/4
Spoiler: Stats(saves) STR: 16+3(+5) DEX: 14+1(+2) CON: 16+3(+5) INT: 8-1(+-1) WIS: 10+0(+0) CHA:11 +0(+0)	Spoiler: Skills Athletics+5 Intimidate: 2/5 Perception: 2 Performance 2 Stealth: 4 Survival: 2	Spoiler: Spells Daily: JUMP: 1/1 At will Thaumaturgy Message

---

Merrick also felt slowed but when the cave was plunged in darkness, there was nothing he could do but trip over the corpse of the Houndsman. He had no idea where the enemy was last positioned and didn’t want to accidentally attack an ally.

“Just give up already. ” he shouted,

He decided to try to sing at the wizard and cull some of her mirror images.

He’s not sure what happens in the dark.

---

OOC: Failed my will save against slow. Move to AQ 7 edit: I can’t heal after all because I have to use my action to maintain my rage which means I have to attack or use my bonus action to do so. Despite the cheesiness of Attacking in the dark, it seems a better use of my action than spending my bonus action doing nothing. I’ll attack the wizard using reckless attack, which negates the disadvantage. Attack misses, (I critically failed) but GRAZE HITS one of the mirror images: Graze mirror image: 1D6 = [3] = 3

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Spoiler: Shamal, TEAM CAVE

AC 18 Pass Perc 14
HP 25/40 HD 3/4
SSdc13 0/3 Bhaal 1/3
Chan Div 1/2 Divine Smite 0/1 Lay 0/20 Insp 0/1
EXHAUSTION 1

Shamal feels a wave of magic wash over him, momentarily sapping what is left of his energy, before the fortitude of al-Rabb causes it to dissipate. Seeing that his companions have advanced on the unbelievers' position, Shamal's burning hatred propels him around the corner where he comes face to face with the cowardly archer who chose to hide rather than confront his enemies.

Shamal attempts to end the coward with three quick slashes, but not a single blow finds the mark. Still, Shamal is laughing while he does so and taunts the desert mouse.

THESE ARE THE SAIF AL BEDAWI, AND THEY WILL REACH FARTHER THAN ANY ARROW! THEY WILL PLAY WITH YOU SO THAT I DRINK YOU FEAR!

I AM WHO THE LORD AL-RABB HAS CHOSEN TO END YOUR LIFE, AND I .... DRINK ..... YOUR ... FEAR!

OOC: Slow: 1D20+4-2 = [15]+4-2 = 17 Move to AR8 First Swing: 1D20+5-2 = [11]+5-2 = 14 Second Swing: 1D20+5-2 = [2]+5-2 = 5 Third Swing: 1D20+5-2 = [1]+5-2 = 4 Welp, that didn't work out.