Samir curses as he feels the weave of his spell turning to tatters. Trusting in the others ahead of him, however, he keeps his focus on those coming up from behind. It was a strange feeling, the heat that seemed to rise up in his chest. Before starting off on this ill-fated trip, he had never once felt the instinctive call to battle that was part of his heritage, that fire that burned in the belly of his ancestors and pushed them to be warriors. No, he was an academic for crying out loud. He wasn't supposed to be like that. And yet, as he moved to put himself between the advancing assassins and his friends, there was an undeniable adrenaline rush. Not enjoyment, no, not that. But something.
"I cannot tell you how sick and tired I am of people trying to kill me lately..."
The words were little more than a growl as Samir steps up beside Marion, pinpoints of light winking into being like an angry halo around his head. Four motes of sizzling magical energy streak forward, swirling around each other once before splitting up and hammering into the two assassins.
Second level Magic Missile, two darts at 4 and two darts at 8. 10 points of damage to each of them.
Ashley sees red. The fog dissipates and HE appears. The one she told to disappear and never see again. The crown around her forehead glows a bit as the anger courses through her veins. Disappointed he is as far from her as she is, she moves up behind Joren not wanting to be next to assassin '3' and holds her palm out, facing upwards. Curling her fingers towards the sky like she is gripping something in her hand she starts her incantation.
A large earthen hand rises from the ground right by Two and reaches for him. STR save of 15, if it grabs him, the fist crushes with 8 bludgeoning damage and he is restrained.
As he turns south to face Two at the mouth of the alley, Joren's echo re-forms and moves south to engage the prone spy lieutenant, representing an alternate reality in which the Khirian warrior had charged the the seething man who is barking orders and asking after Vilus.
"Having heard it said," Joren drawls, accent as thick as ever. "A battlefield commander should never be losing their cool. Something bothering you?"
From his echo's position, Joren sweeps his Dunamis Blade across the proneTwo's hamstrings, cutting deep. His next two strokes are less incisive.
Bonus Action: Joren re-summons his echo and moves it just north of Two.
Action: Joren attacks the proneTwo (lethally) with his Dunamis Blade from his echo's position. Three times (using unleash incarnation).
Vilus not being recognised chooses to keep his mouth shut for the time being. He ignores the hostile in front of him and launches Gavelin at Two, (20 to hit, 2 peircing) as soon as the javelin leaves Vilus' hand it transforms into a bolt of lightning shooting directly into Two's side and the aftershock of electrical energy traces it's steps arcing all the way back to Vilus in a straight line, (Two, Joren's echo unfortunately, and hostile 3 make a dc13 Dex save, taking 18 lightning damage or half on success)
Vilus, not prepared for the backlash, sizzles slightly as he gets a bit of a shock, and shakes his hand off to one side from the jolt.
The two assassins to the back of the alley manage to get their footing and momentum back, but then one disappears from the other's peripheral as two magical darts strike him. He staggers back. The other is quicker, ducking under the two darts headed her way, but they swerve unerringly as the sail past her short-cut hair, and loop around to strike her in the back of the head. Both assassins look up, limping, bloodied, and possibly concussed.
Two begins to rise to his feet, seeing the echo advance on him from behind. He gets to his knees, and as the echo swings its sword, he begins an arcane chant. Magical energies swirl around him, beginning to coalesce into a shield. But then Malachi's magic invades his mind, and his head spasms to the side. The magic evaporates, and a split second later, the spectral sword slices cleanly through the backs of both legs. He collapses, twisting onto his back with a cry, and tries to shuffle away on his elbows, but the earth beneath him bubbles and rises. Fingers form, wrapping around his lower torso and propping him slightly upright. Ribs crack and blood leaks from between clenched teeth.
As Vilus holds his javelin aloft and primes his throw, Gav gibbers excitedly, "OOOHH yes here we go here we go here we go! Flash! Smoke! Char! Smite! Smite! SMITE!"
"Hehe, you have no idea how big of a mistake you are making, thinking you have bested me. I have begun to awaken these past few days to powers you can't imagine" Two chuckles before spitting to the side.
Gavelin leaves Vilus' finger tips, and in doing so, accelerates unnaturally, streaking through the space between Vilus and his father's cronie in a flash. "You haven't see the slightest glimpse of what I can-" Two words end unfinished with a clap of thunder. Smoke rises from his chest, and his head lolls drunkenly. He looks down in bewilderment at the smoking crater of ash and blackened ribcage where his heart used to beat. He coughs, and smoke comes out. His eyes start to lose focus and he slackens in the stoney grip. The Javelin sticking through his backbegins to cackle, "HAHAHAHAHA!"
For a moment, every head is turned in shock, besides the elfish woman seizing on the ground behind Two. Then the assassin beside him blows a silent whistle and makes a few rapid handsigns before raising his crossbow and firing at Vilus (12 to hit Miss). The cultist (3) standing before Vilus straightens up, holding a smoldering side scorched from the javelin. With sword in hand, he makes two quick slashes at Vilus, but his footing is bad, and he seems deafened. Both attacks go horrible wide, and he twists an ankle.
Then there is a tinkling of glass. A bolt shoots out through a small glass pane in the door next to Malachi. The cultist he had frightened off early had gone through the building to get to the ground floor (24 to hit, 5 Piercing Damage, 14 Poison Damage, or half on a 15 Con Save).
The two limping assassins who fell from the flaming balcony advance forward with determination in their eyes. They launch a coordinated attack on Marion, swords slicing an and out. She deflects one blow with her shield, turns another on her bracer, moves out of the way of a third but as she turns attention to one, the other sees an opening. He sword lances through a gap in her armour, piercing her thigh. (25 to hit. Sneak attack damage for 22 Slashing. 15 Poison. Save failed). Marion stumbles and drops to one knee, trying to hold herself up with her sword, but blood is fleeing her too fast. She collapses forward within seconds, fainting on the ground. (Down, 1st death save failed)
The assassin Joren has cornered tries to cut itself a path to escape. He slashes twice while circling around to the north. (20 to hit, 5 Slashing, 8 Poison or half on a 15 Con Save) (Second hit is definitely a miss).
Everyone else is up, and Samir and Mal can give a perception trying to beat 19
Joren has seen his echo cut down more often than he can remember, but perhaps never by a talking lightning bolt.
He winces ruefully at the thought, while still taking grim satisfaction in the boastful Two's apparent demise, though the spy lieutenant's talk of accessing great power makes Joren wary that the villain may now rise in some awful revenant form, summoning shadows as Andra had.
Seeing Marion fall out of the corner of his eye, Joren bellows: "Someone healing her please! And trying to prevent them from surrounding you with their sneaky pack attacks if you can be avoiding it. Stay on the outside of them, though I am thinking there are others hidden in the buildings now."
The half-dwarven warrior re-summons his echo and positions it in melee 5' east of Assassin 3, 5' southeast of Vilus, attacking the assailant twice with broad, sweeping slices across the torso from his echo's position, and hoping to set up a Sentinel reaction attack if Assassin 3 chooses to attack Vilus again. Joren himself slides 5' east, just north of his melee foe (Assassin 7), hoping to keep him occupied.
Bonus Action: Joren summons his echo 5' to the east of Assassin 3, (5' southeast of Vilus).
Action: Joren attacks Assassin 3 (next to Vilus) from his echo's position with his Dunamis Blade.
Attack 1 - Dunamis Blade to hit Assassin 3: 24 Attack 1 - Dunamis Blade damage: 15 magical slashing
Attack 2 - Dunamis Blade to hit Assassin 3 (or moving echo over to attack Assassin 7 IF the first blow slays Assassin 3): 20 (dirty) Attack 2 - Dunamis Blade damage: 11 magical slashing
Movement: Joren moves 5' east, so he is 5' north of Assassin 7 (still in melee, even though he is not attacking Assassin 7 currently).
IF the second attack fells Assassin 3, Joren instead then moves his echo 30' south into melee with Assassin 1.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Malachi stumbles slightly as he feels like he was punched in the gut.
Seeing Marion fall right next to him, he grabs the nearest assassin with both hands, his innate magic from the blue lady burning from deep within him and springing from his hands as lightning. Spent, he pushes the assassin back with a mental shove.
He bends down and grabs Marion, pulling her 10 feet back and against the wall of the alley, protecting them both from enemies firing within the building. He pauses, breathing heavily, one hand covering the crossbow bolt protruding from his side. “We could use a little help here.”
Action" shocking grasp vs Assassin #4: Attack: 21 Damage: 13.
Second roll for Advantage if enemy is wearing metal armor: 23.
Bonus Action: Telekinetic shove vs Assassin #4. DC 15 Str save or he is pushed 5 feet away from Malachi.
Seeing Two be destroyed Ashley breathes a little easier. Even with the cryptic words he spewed at the end... might mean something, might not. She sees Marion and Mal in the corner of her eye and quickly turns, sending heals their way. She twins the spell, so that each receive 6 hps.
Then turning back to look at her earthen hand, she sees Assassin 1 standing there and she attempts to crush him as well. The hand drops the remains of Two and reaches for 1, STR save of 15 or be restrained with 7 bludgeoning damage.
"Marion! no!" Samir's first instinct is to dart towards his fallen comrade, but the lethal presence of the assassin in front of him force him to hold back, knowing that he would be of no help to anyone with a foot of steel between his ribs. Instead, his eyes narrow in concentration as he reaches one hand out to the side, energy thrumming once in a bass pulse from the rune that suddenly emblazoned itself on the back of his hand. A broken roof tile, merely a piece of city detritus cast off to the side of this unremarkable alleyway, suddenly launches from where it had been sitting for who knows how long, comfortably ensconced in the corner while spiders spun webs beneath it. The half-orc's eyes flicker between the two nearby assassins, even as Malachi reaches for one with those flickering arcs of lightning. The tile snaps through the air in a direct line with the two attackers with horrific speed, its trajectory finely calculated so that if it misses the first assassin, then the other would still be in its path and one or the other would find themself the recipient of a significant smack in the face.
Casting Catapult at 2nd level so that both 4 and 8 (and actually I suppose 9 as well?) are in it's path. It's moving from right to left so 8 is the first target in line. DC 16 Dex save or take 28 points of bludgeoning damage.
As Joren's Echo fells the hostile in front of him, Vilus meets the Solider's gaze and gives a thankful nod, Telepathically communicating, "Their handsignals mean; Kill quick, Hide evidence, Time short.... They're panicked, we should get out of here fast"
With that Vilus Glances at the seizing elf woman before deciding against that risk, the poison has already spread, there is nothing he can do. He runs 30ft north east, ending up just to the eaast of hostile 8 whilst casting a spell upon hostile 7, (25 to hit, 9 necrotic damage) assisting Joren in return a spetral hand darts forward an eye opening in its palm, it goes for the Hostile's throat and an inky blackness begins working its way from the point of contact into the guy's blood (chill touch, healing prevention.)
Joren boxes in the assassin in the corner, who can only watch over Joren's shoulder as his ally is cut down with a cross slash from the echo. It then glides across the alleyway to take place beside Joren and hack away at the assassin's defenses. (3 dies on the first attack. Second attack hits 7). The man's arm is batted aside bloodily, giving Vilus' spectral hand an opening to seize his throat.
Two slumps, still gasping, to his knees as the fingers of the earthen hand bend backwards upon themselves, reversing its stony grip to ensnare the whistleblower (Save failed).
Malachi's lightning shoots forth and scars the door next to the fourth assassin, who manages to resist the force of the shove but seems wary of advancing.
Marion sucks in a breath and sits up with a wince. Rising unsteadily to her feet, she picks up her shield and sword, standing her ground and preparing to attack any who draw close (Held action attack)
As the two assassins in front of her start to coordinate their movements to circle around and flank her again, the 8th assassin goes stiff, head jerking to the side. A roofing tile is embedded firmly (and fatally) and the side of her head. She falls sideways, head bouncing against the hard ground.
Heavy footsteps and the clanking armour of the city guard start to sound from somewhere outside the alley's mouth. In a panic, Assassin 1 tries to tear free from the earthen grip, but his struggle is futile. Assassin 7 gives up clawing at his throat and swings desperately with his sword. His first strike dashes the echo to pieces, but his second glances of Joren's armour. Nevertheless, he tries to make use of the opening to escape. (Joren can make an AoO to stop him from fleeing)
Assassin 9 opens the door and beckons for assassin 4 to run through, firing his crossbow at Samir (22 to hit,9 piercing, 9 poison or 4 with DC 15 Con save). Assassin 4 grabs the body of their fallen comrade and starts to drag them toward the door.
Joren draws deep on his reserves of energy and anger, refusing to allow the assassin in front of him (7) to escape so easily. He pivots into a lunge and draws the Dunamis Blade in a backhand slice, cutting across a gap in Assassin 7's ribs, bringing his movement to a halt, lest the blade puncture his lung.
(Joren uses Inspiration for advantage on AoO). Dunamis Blade AoO to hit: 28 (Natural 20) Dunamis Blade AoO damage: 15 magical slashing Sentinel Feat - Speed Reduction: upon the AoO hit, Assassin 7's speed becomes zero for the rest of his turn.
Meanwhile, Joren turns to nod at Vilus telepathic message, and calls to all of his companions: "Guards approaching. Being sure, are we, that Two is really down? He was gloating about some power. It is seeming a little too much like Andra all over again for my tastes."
Samir cries out as the bolts sinks home into his thigh, only to violently clamp his teeth down on any further sounds of pain. He can feel the burn of poison on the bolt, some kind of potentially deadly chemical but the burn seems localized at the wound itself without spreading. These are the more clinical thoughts running through his mind even as his hand moves almost mechanically to throw one of his small metal discs to sitter and bounce onto the ground in front of the escaping assassin. It bursts at the killer's feet, spraying yellow-gray liquid all over the floor and anything else that might get in the way.
Made the con save! Casting Grease onto the ground just by 9 so that he is standing in it and anyone else who wants to go that way will have to go through it. DC 16 Dex or fall prone.
Samir's cry draws Ashley's attention, but she is relieved to see that he is still standing. Responding to Joren's call, "Are we to meet with the guard or run from them? I am not sure where we stand?"
She clenches her fist and the earthen hand that is still holding assassin 1, squeezing him harder and giving him 10 bludgeoning damage. She then trades some sorcery points for spells as she stares down at Two. "We could always take him with us. Maybe make him into a tree as well."
Slapping his palm to his forehead virus doubles back on himself, "back into the tunnel, we'll find another way." He says to Ashley as he dashes past, when he reaches the corpse of Two he pulls Gavelin free and tries to mentalt project into Two's mind. "You in there you obedient ******* dog?" Vilus hopes that he will feel the connection fail to latch on to anything.
(Full movement dash, hoping to be able to retrieve Gavelin before heading north next turn)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Malachi focuses on Assassin 4 and sends a spike of psychic energy into their mind, trying to distract them from dragging the other assassin away. He pulls the crossbow bolt from his side with a pained grunt and drops it to the ground in the alley. “Back into the tunnel, are you sure?”He calls out to Vilus “The city guard are on the way, they are on our side, right? Right?” He realizes what he said and mutters, "Shite, I never thought I would be happy to see the city guard coming."Nevertheless, he starts moving back toward the sewer entrance, encouraging Marion to move with him and giving the assassins in front of him a wide berth.
Assassin 4 DC 15 INT save or takes 8 damage and subtract 4 from next saving throw. No effects on a save.
Joren frowns as he watches Vilus standing over Two's (apparent?) corpse.
"Agreeing with Malachi. Why would we be running from the city guard? Were they not just celebrating us as heroes yesterday? Not that we were seeking to be hailed as such, but it is seeming to me that it is these guttersnipes who are fleeing from the guards and taking evidence with them."
To stand guard near Vilus, Joren re-summons his echo (which had just been dispatched by the now-fallen Assassin 7) 15' southwest of himself, then moves the echo so it is just north of the restrainedAssassin 1, stuck in Ashley's earthen hand. The Dunamis Blade comes down with lethal force.
"Boots sticking in the mud, eh," he drawls to the restrained thug. "Been there myself a time or two myself. A little dirt nap can be doing you good..."
Bonus Action: Joren re-summons his echo 15' southwest and move it south to Assassin 1.
Action: Joren attacks twice from his echo's position with his Dunamis Blade, at advantage because Assassin 1 is restrained.
Dunamis Blade Attack 1 to hit Assassin 1: 25 Dunamis Blade Attack 1 damage: 9 (magical slashing)
Dunamis Blade Attack 2 to hit Assassin 1: 26 Dunamis Blade Attack 2 damage: 13 (magical slashing)
Movement: Joren himself moves 5' northwest, but stays within 30' of his echo in the hopes of preserving it.
Assassin 4 grabs his head with one hand in pain, on the brink of keeling over, but continues dragging his fallen comrade. Assassin 9 manages to give him assistance in getting over the grease. (9 made the save, helped 4 to neutralize the disadvantage from dragging a body. With Bane and Mind Sliver still made the save)
The blade of Joren's echo chips stone with each strike, wringing cries of pain from the trapped cultist as skin and bone part, and ribs creak and groan.
"SEE, I HELD BACK THERE OBVIOUSLY SO I WOULDN'T LEVEL A WHOLE CITY BLOCK. TUNED MY POWER PERFECTLY, WHICH JUST GOES TO SHOW MY LEGENDARY FINESSE!"Vilus pulls the javelin from Two's chest, who weakly coughs up flaking, blackened blood. Listening inside the man's mind, Vilus hears:
"am I dying... I can't be... I'm special..." His eyes finally lock with Vilus' and then look through him. And Vilus feels the Watcher returning Two's stare through him. Two's eyes widen in horror and disbelief. "It's you"
"what did you do to yourself, what is my father planning!?" Vilus shouts through the mind of Two,
Vilka seems to communicate something mentally with the dying Two, looking back to the group not wanting to escape he shouts out "Fine! Stay. But there will be questions we do not have the answers to."
Refocussing on Two, Vilus pulls a dagger and presses it to Twos eye, daring him. If two moves to attack or to resist answering Vilus' mental questions then Vilus will take the man's eyes. (Readied dagger attack crit! 25 to hit, 7 piercing)
In the midst of battle, Joren is unsure of what Vilus is referring to about questions without answers, so he just continues swinging his sword.
He ambles north-northwest to a spot just south of Assassin 4 and just southeast of the Grease, bringing his Dunamis Blade around in two quick diagonal overhand slashes in an X-pattern. With a strange, vertigo-inducing mirroring, the echo still next to Assassin 1 makes the same motion for one attack.
Figuring Ashley can squeeze the remaining life out of Assassin 1, Joren then moves his echo 30' north to within 30' of himself so it does not vanish.
"Our elven friend who we rescued before is bleeding out at the alley's mouth. I am hoping at least the guards can be providing her a medic."
Movement: NW-->NW-->N-->N-->N (and also at the end of the turn, the echo moves north 30').
Action: Joren attacks Assassin 4 from his own position with his Dunamis Blade.
Attack 1 - Dunamis Blade to hit Assassin 4: 24 Attack 1 - Dunamis Blade damage: 13 (magical slashing)
Attack 2 - Dunamis Blade to hit Assassin 4: 22 Attack 2 - Dunamis Blade damage: 11 (magical slashing)
Bonus Action: Dunamis Blade allows a bonus action attack from echo's position (this one on Assassin 1) when Joren attacks from his own position.
Echo Bonus Attack - Dunamis Blade to hit Assassin 1 (advantage since target is restrained): 20 (dirty) Echo Bonus Attack - Dunamis Blade damage: 14 (magical slashing)
(At end of turn, echo moves north 30' - no AoO for Assassin 1 since echo is not a creature).
Samir curses as he feels the weave of his spell turning to tatters. Trusting in the others ahead of him, however, he keeps his focus on those coming up from behind. It was a strange feeling, the heat that seemed to rise up in his chest. Before starting off on this ill-fated trip, he had never once felt the instinctive call to battle that was part of his heritage, that fire that burned in the belly of his ancestors and pushed them to be warriors. No, he was an academic for crying out loud. He wasn't supposed to be like that. And yet, as he moved to put himself between the advancing assassins and his friends, there was an undeniable adrenaline rush. Not enjoyment, no, not that. But something.
"I cannot tell you how sick and tired I am of people trying to kill me lately..."
The words were little more than a growl as Samir steps up beside Marion, pinpoints of light winking into being like an angry halo around his head. Four motes of sizzling magical energy streak forward, swirling around each other once before splitting up and hammering into the two assassins.
Second level Magic Missile, two darts at 4 and two darts at 8. 10 points of damage to each of them.
Ashley sees red. The fog dissipates and HE appears. The one she told to disappear and never see again. The crown around her forehead glows a bit as the anger courses through her veins. Disappointed he is as far from her as she is, she moves up behind Joren not wanting to be next to assassin '3' and holds her palm out, facing upwards. Curling her fingers towards the sky like she is gripping something in her hand she starts her incantation.
A large earthen hand rises from the ground right by Two and reaches for him. STR save of 15, if it grabs him, the fist crushes with 8 bludgeoning damage and he is restrained.
As he turns south to face Two at the mouth of the alley, Joren's echo re-forms and moves south to engage the prone spy lieutenant, representing an alternate reality in which the Khirian warrior had charged the the seething man who is barking orders and asking after Vilus.
"Having heard it said," Joren drawls, accent as thick as ever. "A battlefield commander should never be losing their cool. Something bothering you?"
From his echo's position, Joren sweeps his Dunamis Blade across the prone Two's hamstrings, cutting deep. His next two strokes are less incisive.
Bonus Action: Joren re-summons his echo and moves it just north of Two.
Action: Joren attacks the prone Two (lethally) with his Dunamis Blade from his echo's position. Three times (using unleash incarnation).
Attack 1 to hit: 28 (Natural 20)
Attack 1 damage: 19 magical slashing (lethal)
Attack 2 to hit: 17
Attack 2 damage: 7 magical slashing (lethal)
Attack 3 (Unleash Incarnation) to hit: 14
Attack 3 damage: 14 magical slashing (lethal)
Movement: Joren steps 5' southeast, where his echo had once stood, in melee with, and just northwest of assassin 7.
Inge(Barbarian2): Krayveneer's After the Fall | Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1): Uhtred's Windward Isles | Xarian(Fighter1): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(Druid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Nivi(Rogue4): Raiketsu's CoS
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Toa(Barbarian6/Fighter4): MrWhisker's Dark Lord's Return | Sabetha(Monk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court
Vilus not being recognised chooses to keep his mouth shut for the time being. He ignores the hostile in front of him and launches Gavelin at Two, (20 to hit, 2 peircing) as soon as the javelin leaves Vilus' hand it transforms into a bolt of lightning shooting directly into Two's side and the aftershock of electrical energy traces it's steps arcing all the way back to Vilus in a straight line, (Two, Joren's echo unfortunately, and hostile 3 make a dc13 Dex save, taking 18 lightning damage or half on success)
Vilus, not prepared for the backlash, sizzles slightly as he gets a bit of a shock, and shakes his hand off to one side from the jolt.
The two assassins to the back of the alley manage to get their footing and momentum back, but then one disappears from the other's peripheral as two magical darts strike him. He staggers back. The other is quicker, ducking under the two darts headed her way, but they swerve unerringly as the sail past her short-cut hair, and loop around to strike her in the back of the head. Both assassins look up, limping, bloodied, and possibly concussed.
Two begins to rise to his feet, seeing the echo advance on him from behind. He gets to his knees, and as the echo swings its sword, he begins an arcane chant. Magical energies swirl around him, beginning to coalesce into a shield. But then Malachi's magic invades his mind, and his head spasms to the side. The magic evaporates, and a split second later, the spectral sword slices cleanly through the backs of both legs. He collapses, twisting onto his back with a cry, and tries to shuffle away on his elbows, but the earth beneath him bubbles and rises. Fingers form, wrapping around his lower torso and propping him slightly upright. Ribs crack and blood leaks from between clenched teeth.
As Vilus holds his javelin aloft and primes his throw, Gav gibbers excitedly, "OOOHH yes here we go here we go here we go! Flash! Smoke! Char! Smite! Smite! SMITE!"
"Hehe, you have no idea how big of a mistake you are making, thinking you have bested me. I have begun to awaken these past few days to powers you can't imagine" Two chuckles before spitting to the side.
Gavelin leaves Vilus' finger tips, and in doing so, accelerates unnaturally, streaking through the space between Vilus and his father's cronie in a flash. "You haven't see the slightest glimpse of what I can-" Two words end unfinished with a clap of thunder. Smoke rises from his chest, and his head lolls drunkenly. He looks down in bewilderment at the smoking crater of ash and blackened ribcage where his heart used to beat. He coughs, and smoke comes out. His eyes start to lose focus and he slackens in the stoney grip. The Javelin sticking through his backbegins to cackle, "HAHAHAHAHA!"
For a moment, every head is turned in shock, besides the elfish woman seizing on the ground behind Two. Then the assassin beside him blows a silent whistle and makes a few rapid handsigns before raising his crossbow and firing at Vilus (12 to hit Miss). The cultist (3) standing before Vilus straightens up, holding a smoldering side scorched from the javelin. With sword in hand, he makes two quick slashes at Vilus, but his footing is bad, and he seems deafened. Both attacks go horrible wide, and he twists an ankle.
Then there is a tinkling of glass. A bolt shoots out through a small glass pane in the door next to Malachi. The cultist he had frightened off early had gone through the building to get to the ground floor (24 to hit, 5 Piercing Damage, 14 Poison Damage, or half on a 15 Con Save).
The two limping assassins who fell from the flaming balcony advance forward with determination in their eyes. They launch a coordinated attack on Marion, swords slicing an and out. She deflects one blow with her shield, turns another on her bracer, moves out of the way of a third but as she turns attention to one, the other sees an opening. He sword lances through a gap in her armour, piercing her thigh. (25 to hit. Sneak attack damage for 22 Slashing. 15 Poison. Save failed). Marion stumbles and drops to one knee, trying to hold herself up with her sword, but blood is fleeing her too fast. She collapses forward within seconds, fainting on the ground. (Down, 1st death save failed)
The assassin Joren has cornered tries to cut itself a path to escape. He slashes twice while circling around to the north. (20 to hit, 5 Slashing, 8 Poison or half on a 15 Con Save) (Second hit is definitely a miss).
Everyone else is up, and Samir and Mal can give a perception trying to beat 19
Joren has seen his echo cut down more often than he can remember, but perhaps never by a talking lightning bolt.
He winces ruefully at the thought, while still taking grim satisfaction in the boastful Two's apparent demise, though the spy lieutenant's talk of accessing great power makes Joren wary that the villain may now rise in some awful revenant form, summoning shadows as Andra had.
Seeing Marion fall out of the corner of his eye, Joren bellows: "Someone healing her please! And trying to prevent them from surrounding you with their sneaky pack attacks if you can be avoiding it. Stay on the outside of them, though I am thinking there are others hidden in the buildings now."
The half-dwarven warrior re-summons his echo and positions it in melee 5' east of Assassin 3, 5' southeast of Vilus, attacking the assailant twice with broad, sweeping slices across the torso from his echo's position, and hoping to set up a Sentinel reaction attack if Assassin 3 chooses to attack Vilus again. Joren himself slides 5' east, just north of his melee foe (Assassin 7), hoping to keep him occupied.
Bonus Action: Joren summons his echo 5' to the east of Assassin 3, (5' southeast of Vilus).
Action: Joren attacks Assassin 3 (next to Vilus) from his echo's position with his Dunamis Blade.
Attack 1 - Dunamis Blade to hit Assassin 3: 24
Attack 1 - Dunamis Blade damage: 15 magical slashing
Attack 2 - Dunamis Blade to hit Assassin 3 (or moving echo over to attack Assassin 7 IF the first blow slays Assassin 3): 20 (dirty)
Attack 2 - Dunamis Blade damage: 11 magical slashing
Movement: Joren moves 5' east, so he is 5' north of Assassin 7 (still in melee, even though he is not attacking Assassin 7 currently).
IF the second attack fells Assassin 3, Joren instead then moves his echo 30' south into melee with Assassin 1.
Inge(Barbarian2): Krayveneer's After the Fall | Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1): Uhtred's Windward Isles | Xarian(Fighter1): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(Druid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Nivi(Rogue4): Raiketsu's CoS
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Toa(Barbarian6/Fighter4): MrWhisker's Dark Lord's Return | Sabetha(Monk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court
Malachi stumbles slightly as he feels like he was punched in the gut.
Seeing Marion fall right next to him, he grabs the nearest assassin with both hands, his innate magic from the blue lady burning from deep within him and springing from his hands as lightning. Spent, he pushes the assassin back with a mental shove.
He bends down and grabs Marion, pulling her 10 feet back and against the wall of the alley, protecting them both from enemies firing within the building. He pauses, breathing heavily, one hand covering the crossbow bolt protruding from his side. “We could use a little help here.”
Action" shocking grasp vs Assassin #4: Attack: 21 Damage: 13.
Second roll for Advantage if enemy is wearing metal armor: 23.
Bonus Action: Telekinetic shove vs Assassin #4. DC 15 Str save or he is pushed 5 feet away from Malachi.
Seeing Two be destroyed Ashley breathes a little easier. Even with the cryptic words he spewed at the end... might mean something, might not. She sees Marion and Mal in the corner of her eye and quickly turns, sending heals their way. She twins the spell, so that each receive 6 hps.
Then turning back to look at her earthen hand, she sees Assassin 1 standing there and she attempts to crush him as well. The hand drops the remains of Two and reaches for 1, STR save of 15 or be restrained with 7 bludgeoning damage.
"Marion! no!" Samir's first instinct is to dart towards his fallen comrade, but the lethal presence of the assassin in front of him force him to hold back, knowing that he would be of no help to anyone with a foot of steel between his ribs. Instead, his eyes narrow in concentration as he reaches one hand out to the side, energy thrumming once in a bass pulse from the rune that suddenly emblazoned itself on the back of his hand. A broken roof tile, merely a piece of city detritus cast off to the side of this unremarkable alleyway, suddenly launches from where it had been sitting for who knows how long, comfortably ensconced in the corner while spiders spun webs beneath it. The half-orc's eyes flicker between the two nearby assassins, even as Malachi reaches for one with those flickering arcs of lightning. The tile snaps through the air in a direct line with the two attackers with horrific speed, its trajectory finely calculated so that if it misses the first assassin, then the other would still be in its path and one or the other would find themself the recipient of a significant smack in the face.
Casting Catapult at 2nd level so that both 4 and 8 (and actually I suppose 9 as well?) are in it's path. It's moving from right to left so 8 is the first target in line. DC 16 Dex save or take 28 points of bludgeoning damage.
As Joren's Echo fells the hostile in front of him, Vilus meets the Solider's gaze and gives a thankful nod, Telepathically communicating, "Their handsignals mean; Kill quick, Hide evidence, Time short.... They're panicked, we should get out of here fast"
With that Vilus Glances at the seizing elf woman before deciding against that risk, the poison has already spread, there is nothing he can do. He runs 30ft north east, ending up just to the eaast of hostile 8 whilst casting a spell upon hostile 7, (25 to hit, 9 necrotic damage) assisting Joren in return a spetral hand darts forward an eye opening in its palm, it goes for the Hostile's throat and an inky blackness begins working its way from the point of contact into the guy's blood (chill touch, healing prevention.)
Joren boxes in the assassin in the corner, who can only watch over Joren's shoulder as his ally is cut down with a cross slash from the echo. It then glides across the alleyway to take place beside Joren and hack away at the assassin's defenses. (3 dies on the first attack. Second attack hits 7). The man's arm is batted aside bloodily, giving Vilus' spectral hand an opening to seize his throat.
Two slumps, still gasping, to his knees as the fingers of the earthen hand bend backwards upon themselves, reversing its stony grip to ensnare the whistleblower (Save failed).
Malachi's lightning shoots forth and scars the door next to the fourth assassin, who manages to resist the force of the shove but seems wary of advancing.
Marion sucks in a breath and sits up with a wince. Rising unsteadily to her feet, she picks up her shield and sword, standing her ground and preparing to attack any who draw close (Held action attack)
As the two assassins in front of her start to coordinate their movements to circle around and flank her again, the 8th assassin goes stiff, head jerking to the side. A roofing tile is embedded firmly (and fatally) and the side of her head. She falls sideways, head bouncing against the hard ground.
Heavy footsteps and the clanking armour of the city guard start to sound from somewhere outside the alley's mouth. In a panic, Assassin 1 tries to tear free from the earthen grip, but his struggle is futile. Assassin 7 gives up clawing at his throat and swings desperately with his sword. His first strike dashes the echo to pieces, but his second glances of Joren's armour. Nevertheless, he tries to make use of the opening to escape. (Joren can make an AoO to stop him from fleeing)
Assassin 9 opens the door and beckons for assassin 4 to run through, firing his crossbow at Samir (22 to hit, 9 piercing, 9 poison or 4 with DC 15 Con save). Assassin 4 grabs the body of their fallen comrade and starts to drag them toward the door.
Joren draws deep on his reserves of energy and anger, refusing to allow the assassin in front of him (7) to escape so easily. He pivots into a lunge and draws the Dunamis Blade in a backhand slice, cutting across a gap in Assassin 7's ribs, bringing his movement to a halt, lest the blade puncture his lung.
(Joren uses Inspiration for advantage on AoO). Dunamis Blade AoO to hit: 28 (Natural 20)
Dunamis Blade AoO damage: 15 magical slashing
Sentinel Feat - Speed Reduction: upon the AoO hit, Assassin 7's speed becomes zero for the rest of his turn.
Meanwhile, Joren turns to nod at Vilus telepathic message, and calls to all of his companions: "Guards approaching. Being sure, are we, that Two is really down? He was gloating about some power. It is seeming a little too much like Andra all over again for my tastes."
Inge(Barbarian2): Krayveneer's After the Fall | Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1): Uhtred's Windward Isles | Xarian(Fighter1): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(Druid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Nivi(Rogue4): Raiketsu's CoS
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Toa(Barbarian6/Fighter4): MrWhisker's Dark Lord's Return | Sabetha(Monk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court
Samir cries out as the bolts sinks home into his thigh, only to violently clamp his teeth down on any further sounds of pain. He can feel the burn of poison on the bolt, some kind of potentially deadly chemical but the burn seems localized at the wound itself without spreading. These are the more clinical thoughts running through his mind even as his hand moves almost mechanically to throw one of his small metal discs to sitter and bounce onto the ground in front of the escaping assassin. It bursts at the killer's feet, spraying yellow-gray liquid all over the floor and anything else that might get in the way.
Made the con save! Casting Grease onto the ground just by 9 so that he is standing in it and anyone else who wants to go that way will have to go through it. DC 16 Dex or fall prone.
Samir's cry draws Ashley's attention, but she is relieved to see that he is still standing. Responding to Joren's call, "Are we to meet with the guard or run from them? I am not sure where we stand?"
She clenches her fist and the earthen hand that is still holding assassin 1, squeezing him harder and giving him 10 bludgeoning damage. She then trades some sorcery points for spells as she stares down at Two. "We could always take him with us. Maybe make him into a tree as well."
Slapping his palm to his forehead virus doubles back on himself, "back into the tunnel, we'll find another way." He says to Ashley as he dashes past, when he reaches the corpse of Two he pulls Gavelin free and tries to mentalt project into Two's mind. "You in there you obedient ******* dog?" Vilus hopes that he will feel the connection fail to latch on to anything.
(Full movement dash, hoping to be able to retrieve Gavelin before heading north next turn)
Malachi focuses on Assassin 4 and sends a spike of psychic energy into their mind, trying to distract them from dragging the other assassin away. He pulls the crossbow bolt from his side with a pained grunt and drops it to the ground in the alley. “Back into the tunnel, are you sure?” He calls out to Vilus “The city guard are on the way, they are on our side, right? Right?” He realizes what he said and mutters, "Shite, I never thought I would be happy to see the city guard coming." Nevertheless, he starts moving back toward the sewer entrance, encouraging Marion to move with him and giving the assassins in front of him a wide berth.
Assassin 4 DC 15 INT save or takes 8 damage and subtract 4 from next saving throw. No effects on a save.
.
Joren frowns as he watches Vilus standing over Two's (apparent?) corpse.
"Agreeing with Malachi. Why would we be running from the city guard? Were they not just celebrating us as heroes yesterday? Not that we were seeking to be hailed as such, but it is seeming to me that it is these guttersnipes who are fleeing from the guards and taking evidence with them."
To stand guard near Vilus, Joren re-summons his echo (which had just been dispatched by the now-fallen Assassin 7) 15' southwest of himself, then moves the echo so it is just north of the restrained Assassin 1, stuck in Ashley's earthen hand. The Dunamis Blade comes down with lethal force.
"Boots sticking in the mud, eh," he drawls to the restrained thug. "Been there myself a time or two myself. A little dirt nap can be doing you good..."
Bonus Action: Joren re-summons his echo 15' southwest and move it south to Assassin 1.
Action: Joren attacks twice from his echo's position with his Dunamis Blade, at advantage because Assassin 1 is restrained.
Dunamis Blade Attack 1 to hit Assassin 1: 25
Dunamis Blade Attack 1 damage: 9 (magical slashing)
Dunamis Blade Attack 2 to hit Assassin 1: 26
Dunamis Blade Attack 2 damage: 13 (magical slashing)
Movement: Joren himself moves 5' northwest, but stays within 30' of his echo in the hopes of preserving it.
Inge(Barbarian2): Krayveneer's After the Fall | Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1): Uhtred's Windward Isles | Xarian(Fighter1): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(Druid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Nivi(Rogue4): Raiketsu's CoS
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Toa(Barbarian6/Fighter4): MrWhisker's Dark Lord's Return | Sabetha(Monk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court
Assassin 4 grabs his head with one hand in pain, on the brink of keeling over, but continues dragging his fallen comrade. Assassin 9 manages to give him assistance in getting over the grease. (9 made the save, helped 4 to neutralize the disadvantage from dragging a body. With Bane and Mind Sliver still made the save)
The blade of Joren's echo chips stone with each strike, wringing cries of pain from the trapped cultist as skin and bone part, and ribs creak and groan.
"SEE, I HELD BACK THERE OBVIOUSLY SO I WOULDN'T LEVEL A WHOLE CITY BLOCK. TUNED MY POWER PERFECTLY, WHICH JUST GOES TO SHOW MY LEGENDARY FINESSE!" Vilus pulls the javelin from Two's chest, who weakly coughs up flaking, blackened blood. Listening inside the man's mind, Vilus hears:
"am I dying... I can't be... I'm special..." His eyes finally lock with Vilus' and then look through him. And Vilus feels the Watcher returning Two's stare through him. Two's eyes widen in horror and disbelief. "It's you"
"what did you do to yourself, what is my father planning!?" Vilus shouts through the mind of Two,
Vilka seems to communicate something mentally with the dying Two, looking back to the group not wanting to escape he shouts out "Fine! Stay. But there will be questions we do not have the answers to."
Refocussing on Two, Vilus pulls a dagger and presses it to Twos eye, daring him. If two moves to attack or to resist answering Vilus' mental questions then Vilus will take the man's eyes. (Readied dagger attack crit! 25 to hit, 7 piercing)
In the midst of battle, Joren is unsure of what Vilus is referring to about questions without answers, so he just continues swinging his sword.
He ambles north-northwest to a spot just south of Assassin 4 and just southeast of the Grease, bringing his Dunamis Blade around in two quick diagonal overhand slashes in an X-pattern. With a strange, vertigo-inducing mirroring, the echo still next to Assassin 1 makes the same motion for one attack.
Figuring Ashley can squeeze the remaining life out of Assassin 1, Joren then moves his echo 30' north to within 30' of himself so it does not vanish.
"Our elven friend who we rescued before is bleeding out at the alley's mouth. I am hoping at least the guards can be providing her a medic."
Movement: NW-->NW-->N-->N-->N (and also at the end of the turn, the echo moves north 30').
Action: Joren attacks Assassin 4 from his own position with his Dunamis Blade.
Attack 1 - Dunamis Blade to hit Assassin 4: 24
Attack 1 - Dunamis Blade damage: 13 (magical slashing)
Attack 2 - Dunamis Blade to hit Assassin 4: 22
Attack 2 - Dunamis Blade damage: 11 (magical slashing)
Bonus Action: Dunamis Blade allows a bonus action attack from echo's position (this one on Assassin 1) when Joren attacks from his own position.
Echo Bonus Attack - Dunamis Blade to hit Assassin 1 (advantage since target is restrained): 20 (dirty)
Echo Bonus Attack - Dunamis Blade damage: 14 (magical slashing)
(At end of turn, echo moves north 30' - no AoO for Assassin 1 since echo is not a creature).
Inge(Barbarian2): Krayveneer's After the Fall | Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1): Uhtred's Windward Isles | Xarian(Fighter1): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(Druid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Nivi(Rogue4): Raiketsu's CoS
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Toa(Barbarian6/Fighter4): MrWhisker's Dark Lord's Return | Sabetha(Monk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court