D&D 5E Witcher: Mother of Monsters

[Quickleaf]

The frigid pale light extending from Elora's hand causes the drowner's black blood to freeze in place, creeping up from the caltrop it stepped on, ice extending over it like over a pane of winter's glass. Within seconds, even as the drowner begins to take another step, it is frozen over completely, its ankle cracking and breaking as its foot is adhered to the icy ground beneath it. With a look of apprehending its end, the drowner gurgles, outstretching a hand as it collapses to the floor with a 'thud', ice bits breaking off from it amidst the leaf litter.

GM: Monster Stats AC 12 Drowner #1 (dead) Drowner #2 HP 18 Drowner #3 HP 18 10 Drowner #4 (dead) Drowner #5 HP 18 Drowner #6 HP 18

 

[Fenris]

Damage _: 1D8+3 = [5]+3 = 8

 

[Shayuri]

Talashia holds her hand out, and streams of lightning spark and leap along her arm, to gather in her palm. A continuous stream of lightning arcs from that concentrated ball of power and leaps unpredictably around the room before settling on the drowner in front of her...the one clearly waiting to grapple someone. It doesn't do a lot of damage immediately, but it's not stopping yet either...

(Witch Bolt on 6!)
Witch Bolt: 1D20+5 = [7]+5 = 12
1D12 = [1] = 1

 

[Quickleaf]

GM: As near as I can tell, I think it's your turn [MENTION=2820]Fenris[/MENTION]. You rolled damage for last turn, but haven't acted for this one.

 

[Fenris]

OOC: Sorry for the delays. back on track.

Fergus grimaces in pain as the claws rake down his arm. He swings his sword at the drowner who clawed him but the drowner on his shield arm throws him off balance and he misses, dropping his sword in the process. In anger he uses his shield to push the other drowner into the ground with his shield.

OOC:Attack
_: 1D20+5 = [1]+5 = 6

Bonus action to shove the other drowner Str Check vs Acrobatics or Athletics
_: 1D20+5 = [9]+5 = 14

 

[Quickleaf]

Streams of lightning and raw magical sparks issue from Talashia’s hand as the light strobing effect catches the drowner at the hut’s threshold so it seems to move in disjointed shambling gait forward, threading a careful path amidst the caltrops, which sparkle like gems as they reflect the witch bolt’s light. Despite the lightning crackling through its water-logged form, momentarily making its skeleton beneath putrid flesh visible, the drowner advances, lashing out wildly. Unable to determine Talashia’s true position, however, the dumbfounded monster drops into a low squat and hisses.

Fergus’ dropped silver blade sinks into a soft spot of earth, between two pieces of rubbled masonry. Back in Kaer Greeu, old witcher Saldigott would have chided him for such a mistake, but on the path monsters would be less forgiving. There was only one way forward. The drowner he bears down on with his shield makes a lunging somersault backwards across the muddy earth, readily avoiding the shield press.

Immediately, it catapults forward, teeth clamping on the edge of the witcher’s shield as its claws flail wildly, failing to gain purchase on his armor. Again, the pair of drowners move as a pack. The other one waits for the right opening, lunging in to tear through the armor at his side with its claws, leaving bruised ribs and small puncture wounds. (5 slashing damage)

Meanwhile, Kynee has interposed herself, walking a steady circle around the last remaining drowner which scrambles across the forest floor on all four, lips curling back into an animal snarl at her, even though its head is low like a cautionary beast. Suddenly, it dives low, biting at her boot, attempting to knock the witcheress prone (DC 15 Athletics or Acrobatics to resist, taking your boot if succeeds, also [MENTION=93196]Axel[/MENTION] you can make an opportunity attack, just remember if you're prone at the moment you have disadvantage). Then it scampers backwards along the eastern side of the old hut in search of easier prey.

Elora can feel the drowner’s black beady eyes peering at her through a crack in the ruined overgrown hut.

GM: So [MENTION=2820]Fenris[/MENTION] drowner #5 had tried to grapple Fergus (DC 5). I think you missed that roll, but I’ll just handwave it that you escaped (due to STR Athletics +4) to keep things moving. Initiative ➔Players, go in any order you like Drowners Monster Stats AC 12 Drowner #2 HP 18 Drowner #3 HP 18 10 Drowner #5 HP 18 Drowner #6 HP 18 17 (witch-bolted)

GM: Dice Rolls Drowner #6 reduces speed by half to carefully zigzag between caltrops. It attempts to attack Talashia…. But one of Talashia’s mirror images (6+ on d20) _: 1D20 = [15] = 15 ends up being the target! Drowner #6 vs. Talashia’s image AC 13 _: 1D20+2 = [2]+2 = 4 misses Drowner #3 DC 14 Dexterity check vs. Fergus’ shove _: 1D20+2 = [18]+2 = 20 succeeds Drowner #3 attacks (advantage Pack Tactics) vs. Fergus AC 18 _: 2D20.HIGH(1)+2 = [3, 11]+2 = 13 misses. Drowner #5 attacks (advantage Pack Tactics) vs. Fergus AC 18 _: 2D20.HIGH(1)+2 = [7, 18]+2 = 20 hits… dealing _: 1D4+2 = [3]+2 = 5 5 slashing damage Drowner #2 shove attempt vs. Kynee _: 1D20+1 = [14]+1 = 15 DC 15 Then it moves away, provoking an opportunity attack (remember if you’re prone when this happens, disadvantage to attack it.

GM: Caltrops are scattered around the floor of the ruined cottage again... Caltrops: Any creature that enters the area must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or stop moving this turn and take 1 piercing damage. Taking this damage reduces the creature’s walking speed by 10 feet until the creature regains at least 1 hit point. A creature moving through the area at half speed doesn’t need to make the save.

 

[Axel]

Kynee was thoroughly surprised at the creature diving on her foot, and knocked onto her backside on the soft leafy floor (Acrobatics: 1d20+5 10). Cursing at the creature as it grabs her boot and turns run, she slashes it across the forearm as a reflexive one handed strike (AoO: 2#1d20+4 16 Damage: 1d8+2 9).

As the monster lopes off, clutching her right boot like some bizarre trophy, the witcher grits her teeth in frustration and bolts after it - toward the rumbling and strobing lights flashing ominously from the ruined cottage. Fantastic, the whole village will be awake in a minute. At least the head man will have proof that the monsters were killed inside his town...

ooc: Stand up and double-move "due west" to stand one square "north-west" of drowner #2. Bastard's got my boot!

 

[Queenie]

"Fergus we need you!!!" Elora called out into night. The sounds of battle were coming from outside the cottage but one downer was upon them, another stalking them from right beyond the wall and who knew what other monstrosity she might have accidentally called. Her hand shaking, she cast another cold blue bolt at the creature but it went astray of its target.

OOC: Casting Ray of Frost. Doh!! Ranged Touch Attack: 1D20+7 = [1]+7 = 8

 

[Fenris]

"Be right there" Fergus calls out through gritted teeth. If Elora was calling it wasn't good, but he had down of these bastards on him, and couldn't turn just yet. Fergus drew his other sword, and swings at the drowner in front of him. Fergus connects with a powerful blow, he tried to shove the other drowner away from him at the same time, but needed to spend a little extra time wrenching his sword out from between his collar bone and rib cage.

OOC: Yeah sorry QL. I thought he attempted a grapple but failed. Attack on D #3 _: 1D20+5 = [15]+5 = 20 Damage _: 1D8+3 = [7]+3 = 10 Bonus action to shove drowner #5 with my shield, to knock him down _: 1D20+5 = [3]+5 = 8 Or not

 

[Aramalian]

Barakor Bloodbarrow hustles along the trail, shaking his head and squeezing Wulffleda's handle hard. Worry creases his face and hurries his steps. Two nights earlier, he had buried himself in a cave while trying to examine some elvish runes. "That's what happens when dwarves go messing in elvish business," he growls to himself, his other hand patting the spot on his chest harness where Aethel once hung. She had been a good handaxe - his favorite for delicate work - but she was at the bottom of several feet of rubble now.

Bad luck seemed to follow him, and his worry deepens as he considers the gravity of his people sending a fool like him on such an important mission. "I'm a practical dwarf - I like to meet problems head on. I'm just no good at thinking around corners," his grumbling continues as he keeps making his way southeast. The warhammer in his hand makes no reply, but that doesn't seem to bother Barakor.

"You probably think I should have stopped and found a hole to hide in as soon as THAT happened!" he says with a wave of Wuffleda toward the moon, radiating its invidious and unnerving bloody glow. "But we're too close to Lower Posada to stop now, and you know there's trouble when there's Witchers around!" He falls quiet and slows his pace a bit as he finds himself surrounded by grave markers. Speaking in a hush, he says, "Don't worry, dearheart - they're all asleep... for now at least..."

Out of the ruddy and sanguine gloom, the footbridge crossing the Arel river appeared. The dwarf freezes and scans the area for trouble. "Too quiet... it's just too quiet," he hisses as he pulls his shield off his back and straps it to his left arm. He creeps across the bridge, eyes wide, palms sweating -- looking for the creatures that come from the water when the bloodlight glows in the night. Then, from nearby...

"Fergus we need you!!!"

The dwarf trundles off in the direction of the voice, just as quickly as his legs will carry him, and sees a man being set upon by two drowners! Barakor sees him take a mighty swing at one drowner, but his blade catches in bone and he stumbles a bit as he tries to shove the other one away!

"Time to go to work, luv!" he growls as he approaches Fergus and his dance partners...

OOC: Attack Roll on Drowner #3: 21 Damage Roll: 15! Divine Smite Damage: 11 CRAP -- I rolled all that before realizing that Fergus dispatched #3 as Barakor was arriving. May I switch that to #5, please?