"Absolutely", Vin replies to Sol. "Just stay close as I imagine security will be under orders to strike first ask questions later where strangers are concerned".
With that he calls Bry'Ze and mounts up ready t go.
Neferox simply snorts derisively and waits to head off.
"No but I'll keep an eye on..." Sam says in reply to Ömertyr but then realizes he's speaking common and switches to Giant instead and answers afresh. Once provided, Sam will place a foot into one of the loops of the rope and climbs up. He's not thrilled by this mode of transportation but he's not exactly in a position to be choosey.
Waiting for takeoff, Sam allows himself to scan the battlefield, which is basically everything he can see, and the spark of battle inside of him glows a bit but Sam feels no real pull to join in. He's always down for a good fight, sure, but this is not his people, his land, or his fight. He could and would take part if the fight came to him, but the "need" to join in isn't enflamed within him.
"Let's away and get Elthana back," he says. That is the priority...
As the group mounts up and begins the ascent toward the core. The bits of the city that you can see sprawling below is in panic, people running around trying to find shelter, spawn chasing civilians down streets only to be met with armed forces roving around trying to find the next undead hostile. One square has around a hundred spawn, who seem to have been driven to open space to be kettled, surrounded by troops who are hacking away at the external hostiles and moving their way through black ichor, covering their boots to their knees as they surge forward hacking down as many undead as possible, Aarakocran guards support them from above releasing a barrage of arrow into the crowd of spawn.
Three griffonriders approach the group trying to deduce if you are somehow flying hostile or not, once they see no spawn they quickly dive once more, surveying for their next target, but they are swarmed by two exsanguinating mists, full vampires, the riders respond with magic but their griffons take hefty damage and begin to descend as controlled as possible.
"We are trained for this, we must have faith in the abilities of our soldiers." Sol calls out, hos voice betraying the concern felt within, his forehead sweating, he keeps his path focussed on the core, restraining his need to dive down and help out.
As if to punctuate Sol's sentiment, a crackle of static forms somewhere below you and formulates into a lightning strike which blasts into the ground hard, likely catching some unseen hostile below you.
"It's your people dying. I'm fine letting them kill each other so long as we have Elthana returned to us when we get back," Sam shouts over the wind and adds a shrug which is likely not noticeable given their travel conditions.
Vin is not unmoved by the scenes of battle around him, and although he focussed on their safe journey towards the core, if anything obviously vampiric or spawn-like comes anywhere close he is ready to dissuade them from approaching further.
He does not reply to Sol as he calls out about his soldiers, nor to Sam's crass comment that follows. He briefly wonders how Sam and Muir are fairing together on Ömertyr's back, but his thoughts are mostly on Elthana, and what they are going to find back at the core. Specifically how many vampires and spawn that were stationed on the core that might be laying siege to Shenoh's throne room. Or that they will need to dispatch to reach the throne room at the least.
As the group get closer to the core they see cleares what the flashes there are, Lightning hulks and mist hulks in battle with vampires on the surface. every opening in the core seems to be closed, a lockdown, all but one. Several vampires have already swarmed there trying to enter but are being rebuffed currently by three griffon riders and three sets of mist and lightning hulk patrols. Every one of the repelling forces seems evenly matched and all could use help.
Seeing the danger, Sam says "Which first?" mostly to himself. As he takes a half second to think, Sam glances to Muir to see if the Loxodon has a preference. At the same moment Sam nudges Ömertyr and points in that direction. "Attack?!?" Sam asks/directs in yelled Giant. Sam then grabs his maul and dramatically thrusts it forward, aiming at the target, and a two blasts of Eldritch energy scream from the head of the maul towards the vampire!
Vin also sends a pair of force bolts towards one of the vampires as he speeds towards the fray on Bry'Ze, Neferox running alongside him with her paws streaming fire in her wake.
Vin
Action: Eldritch Blast the myrmidon to the south-west Blast 1 - To Hit: 14+9=23, Damage 8+5=13 [force] - trying for repelling blast to push it away 10ft Blast 2 - To Hit: 3+9=12
Muir unsure if Sam is asking him or not doesn't say anything but follows Sam's attack with one of his own sending a guiding bolt towards the vampire Sam attacked
To the south west, As gewyn releases his arcane laced tunt it seems to fall on deaf ears as the Vamp saves, (22). Sol mutters a word of celestial and surrounds the vampire with radiant light, the light explodes with a snap of sols fingers and burns the vampire badly. (Holy word, 18 to hit, 18 radiant dam). Francis lands not too close to the vampire and lets Sol and Gewyn off preparing itself to ram at the vampire when able.
Vin's first eldritch blast shoves the vampire reeling back and does its damage, Griff releases two arrows and remains 10ft up from the cores surface, he misses with his first shot but sinks an arrow into the Vamp's shoulder with his second, activating his lightning explosion on impact. (21 to hit, 9 piercing, 7 lightning)
To the north west, Ömertyr, not having anything to throw at the vampire he is quickly descending upon instead activates his Wind Aura, surrounding himself in a 10 ft radius from ranged attacks, this also protects sam and muir but unfortunately provides a little bit of a hazard as Sam, being buffeted by an aura, misses both of his eldritch blasts, Muir focussing on the direction and speed of the wind aura throws out a guiding bolt which curls around smacking the vamp in the side of the head.
(All damage applied, Surprise round is over and you are all placed on map. the Group is up!)
Vin remains aloft some 90ft on Bry'Ze, and carries on peppering the vampire with force bolts, whilst Neferox charges in to the fray, biting out at it whilst it is distracted by the mist hulk.
Vin keeps an eye out for dangers approaching from elsewhere and how the other skirmishes are progressing.
"Let's get this done and get inside. Best not get too caught up with these", he calls out hopefully.
Vin
Movement: None, remains at a range of 90ft aloft Action: Eldritch Blast the vampire Blast 1 - To Hit: 6+9=15, Damage 5+5=10 [force] Blast 2 - To Hit: 4+9=13, Damage 4+5=9 [force]
Neferox
Action: Multiattack against vampire (advantage for flanking) Bite 1 - To Hit: (5, 15)+7=22, Damage: 4+3+6=13 [magical piercing] - if hits target has to succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. Bite 2 -To Hit: (12, 11)+7=19, Damage: 4+1+6=11 [magical piercing] - if hits target has to succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Sam drops from Ömertyr aiming to land next to (or upon) the vampire they are targeting with a "Geronimo!" shout and his maul in his hand... Upon landing he will scramble to his feet, if need be, and move to be in proper melee with the vampire before attacking with his maul...
(Looks like Ö and Mist Hulk are flanking so Sam can't get in on it... which is fine.)
Maul Attack vs NW Vampire: 16to hit for 26magical bludgeoning damage Maul Attack vs NW Vampire: 24to hit for 26magical bludgeoning damage
Muir in no rush climbs down off of O and stands back assessing the scene. They have to get into the core but with all the enemies outside, the others decide to help. He lets the heavy hitters do the smacking with their weapons as he moves towards the core trying to get a look in if the doors are opened. He hurls some fire at the vampire that Sam ran to and smacked with his maul 21 hit 9 damage
Gewyn closes in on the vampire’s flank, flicking his dagger out as he approaches before darting in behind it and circling around to stab it from behind with his short sword.
Muir takes a detour getting a good look at the opening to the core, he sees a vast hole which appears to be near pitch darkness within. The flame that he throws does indeed hit the vampire causing it to screech out as it reevaluates its attack.
Sam, Landing nearly atop the Vampire, swings hard but his maul is diverted as the vampire dodges to the side, Reupping his efforts sam's second swing connects, and the magic within the maul breaks through the vampire's defenses.
Ömertyr swings down twice with his summoned morningstar, also missing on his first swing but getting a good crack in with the next one (17 piercing) though sam being up close sees that the vvampire takes less damage than he would have first thought.
The Mist hulk flanking the vampire with Ömertyr slams the undead creature twice, which looks odd as the slam doesnt fully connect physically, the mist hulks body being made mostly of mist envelops the vampire twice and begins to freeze it. (30 cold dam)
The northwest lightning hulk arcs lightning from its body, after it moves more towards muir to give protection, the lightning strikes at the vampire who is looking very very worse for wear. (23 lightning dam and vamp loses reaction)
The vampire retaliates by turning into the familiar exsanguinating mist that the group has seen before, it moves first through Ömertyr, then Sam, then the mist hulk before it reassumes its form and then, with glowing eyes commands the mist hulk to attack Ömertyr. The mist hulk's eyes swim with confusion as it fails to shrug off the compulsion (13), it moves to Ömertyr and slams him too (10 cold Dam) Ömertyr still bloodied from the last fight takes the hit like a champ, but it seems that he cant take too many more of those. (Sam make a dc18 con save for exsaguinating mist 33 necrotic damage on a fail, 16 on save, both Ömertyr and mist hulk saved)
South West.
Vin remaining in the air takes his shots, but with the sudden flurry of activity around, his eldritch energy merely scorches the areas of the core around the slippery vampire. Neferox however goes immediately rushing in and manages to knock the vampire on its ass with her first bite and continues to maul him with her second.
Gewyn's daring movement puts him up close and personal with the vampire as he attempts to slice into it as it lays now prone on the floor, (I rerolled your attacks to reflect the advantage and the dagger still missed but luckily you Crit with the shortsword, new damage 15) the shortsword does its due and the vampire looks near death already.
Before Griff can string an arrow, the other creature in this party dives forward encoraged or maybe just mimicking neferox, Though Francis has no mouth for which to bite, it instead rams the prone vampire (crit hit 18 bludgeoning), Francis rears up to ram the vampire again but before it can the vamp succumbs to its wounds having already been beaten somewhat by the hulks before the group arrived, the vampires resistance to Francis' mundane damage not seeming to save it as it falls limp and then vanishes from sight. Francis turns to Sol seeming to want to know if it did good, but on the contrary Sol yells out "Damnit!" he then casts Thaumaturgy on himself and his voice booms out ofr all to hear, "IF THEY LOOK WEAK WAIT FOR ME TO CAST A RADIANT SPELL ON THEM, WE CANNOT AFFORD FOR THEM TO RETURN!" he then moves north as far as he can.
Seeing that the vampire is gone Griff and the lightning hulk venture eastward to give a hand there. Griff gets half way there, where as the lightning hulk, true to its name moves like lightning, speeding directly into melee with the Vampire south east there and still seeming to have time to attack aswell!
From the south west the group hears a wail from the mist hulk there and the two lightning hulks claw at their ears along with the vampire, the vampire retaliates and seems to have dealt more damage gaining the upper hand.
Over at the north east, the griffon riders form a flanking formation, but curiously one rider keeps distance and hovers 30ft up nearer the entrance to the core, firing arrows, the rider hold theor own and seem to be on even footing with the vampire giving and taking damage.
Vin watches as Neferox and the others take down the vampire he struggled to hit with his blasts, and immediately turns his attention to the other skirmishes. Seeing all but the griffon riders receiving some reinforcements, he manoeuvres Bry'Ze towards them and let's loose with two more force bolts at the vampire they are engaged with.
"It was sunlight that did the trick last time. Don't you have any more?", he calls back to Sol in reply.
Neferox races to the east, her paws starting to flame as she takes to the sky slightly, being faster in flight than grounded.
Vin
Movement: 50 feet towards the vampire to the north-east (I make it just within 120ft range then) Action: Eldritch Blast the vampire Blast 1 - To Hit: 10+9=19, Damage 4+5=9 [force] Blast 2 - To Hit: 15+9=24, Damage 10+5=15 [force]
Neferox
Movement: 40ft east, 5ft off the ground Action: Dash another 40 ft east
Muir says nothing and allows O to help him up
"Absolutely", Vin replies to Sol. "Just stay close as I imagine security will be under orders to strike first ask questions later where strangers are concerned".
With that he calls Bry'Ze and mounts up ready t go.
Neferox simply snorts derisively and waits to head off.
"No but I'll keep an eye on..." Sam says in reply to Ömertyr but then realizes he's speaking common and switches to Giant instead and answers afresh. Once provided, Sam will place a foot into one of the loops of the rope and climbs up. He's not thrilled by this mode of transportation but he's not exactly in a position to be choosey.
Waiting for takeoff, Sam allows himself to scan the battlefield, which is basically everything he can see, and the spark of battle inside of him glows a bit but Sam feels no real pull to join in. He's always down for a good fight, sure, but this is not his people, his land, or his fight. He could and would take part if the fight came to him, but the "need" to join in isn't enflamed within him.
"Let's away and get Elthana back," he says. That is the priority...
As the group mounts up and begins the ascent toward the core. The bits of the city that you can see sprawling below is in panic, people running around trying to find shelter, spawn chasing civilians down streets only to be met with armed forces roving around trying to find the next undead hostile. One square has around a hundred spawn, who seem to have been driven to open space to be kettled, surrounded by troops who are hacking away at the external hostiles and moving their way through black ichor, covering their boots to their knees as they surge forward hacking down as many undead as possible, Aarakocran guards support them from above releasing a barrage of arrow into the crowd of spawn.
Three griffonriders approach the group trying to deduce if you are somehow flying hostile or not, once they see no spawn they quickly dive once more, surveying for their next target, but they are swarmed by two exsanguinating mists, full vampires, the riders respond with magic but their griffons take hefty damage and begin to descend as controlled as possible.
"We are trained for this, we must have faith in the abilities of our soldiers." Sol calls out, hos voice betraying the concern felt within, his forehead sweating, he keeps his path focussed on the core, restraining his need to dive down and help out.
As if to punctuate Sol's sentiment, a crackle of static forms somewhere below you and formulates into a lightning strike which blasts into the ground hard, likely catching some unseen hostile below you.
"It's your people dying. I'm fine letting them kill each other so long as we have Elthana returned to us when we get back," Sam shouts over the wind and adds a shrug which is likely not noticeable given their travel conditions.
Muir continues to ride silently
Vin is not unmoved by the scenes of battle around him, and although he focussed on their safe journey towards the core, if anything obviously vampiric or spawn-like comes anywhere close he is ready to dissuade them from approaching further.
He does not reply to Sol as he calls out about his soldiers, nor to Sam's crass comment that follows. He briefly wonders how Sam and Muir are fairing together on Ömertyr's back, but his thoughts are mostly on Elthana, and what they are going to find back at the core. Specifically how many vampires and spawn that were stationed on the core that might be laying siege to Shenoh's throne room. Or that they will need to dispatch to reach the throne room at the least.
As the group get closer to the core they see cleares what the flashes there are, Lightning hulks and mist hulks in battle with vampires on the surface. every opening in the core seems to be closed, a lockdown, all but one. Several vampires have already swarmed there trying to enter but are being rebuffed currently by three griffon riders and three sets of mist and lightning hulk patrols. Every one of the repelling forces seems evenly matched and all could use help.
(new combat map in discord, with instructions)
Seeing the danger, Sam says "Which first?" mostly to himself. As he takes a half second to think, Sam glances to Muir to see if the Loxodon has a preference. At the same moment Sam nudges Ömertyr and points in that direction. "Attack?!?" Sam asks/directs in yelled Giant. Sam then grabs his maul and dramatically thrusts it forward, aiming at the target, and a two blasts of Eldritch energy scream from the head of the maul towards the vampire!
Eldritch Blast Attack: Nat 1
Eldritch Blast Attack: 11 to hit for 2 Damage
Kids... Don't try spellcasting from the back of a mist giant... Just don't.
Vin also sends a pair of force bolts towards one of the vampires as he speeds towards the fray on Bry'Ze, Neferox running alongside him with her paws streaming fire in her wake.
Vin
Action: Eldritch Blast the myrmidon to the south-west
Blast 1 - To Hit: 14+9=23, Damage 8+5=13 [force] - trying for repelling blast to push it away 10ft
Blast 2 - To Hit: 3+9=12
Muir unsure if Sam is asking him or not doesn't say anything but follows Sam's attack with one of his own sending a guiding bolt towards the vampire Sam attacked
20 hit 10 dam advantage to next attacker
"There!" Gewyn shouts, pointing to the southwest melee and giving Sol Bardic Inspiration as he draws his sword.
"Hey necklicker!" he shouts "I'm going to shove this steel up through your ribcage so far you'll be able to taste Mori's ash!
Vicious Mockery: Wisdom save 16 or take 3 Psychic damage and have disadvantage on next attack
To the south west, As gewyn releases his arcane laced tunt it seems to fall on deaf ears as the Vamp saves, (22).
Sol mutters a word of celestial and surrounds the vampire with radiant light, the light explodes with a snap of sols fingers and burns the vampire badly. (Holy word, 18 to hit, 18 radiant dam).
Francis lands not too close to the vampire and lets Sol and Gewyn off preparing itself to ram at the vampire when able.
Vin's first eldritch blast shoves the vampire reeling back and does its damage, Griff releases two arrows and remains 10ft up from the cores surface, he misses with his first shot but sinks an arrow into the Vamp's shoulder with his second, activating his lightning explosion on impact. (21 to hit, 9 piercing, 7 lightning)
To the north west, Ömertyr, not having anything to throw at the vampire he is quickly descending upon instead activates his Wind Aura, surrounding himself in a 10 ft radius from ranged attacks, this also protects sam and muir but unfortunately provides a little bit of a hazard as Sam, being buffeted by an aura, misses both of his eldritch blasts, Muir focussing on the direction and speed of the wind aura throws out a guiding bolt which curls around smacking the vamp in the side of the head.
(All damage applied, Surprise round is over and you are all placed on map. the Group is up!)
Vin remains aloft some 90ft on Bry'Ze, and carries on peppering the vampire with force bolts, whilst Neferox charges in to the fray, biting out at it whilst it is distracted by the mist hulk.
Vin keeps an eye out for dangers approaching from elsewhere and how the other skirmishes are progressing.
"Let's get this done and get inside. Best not get too caught up with these", he calls out hopefully.
Vin
Movement: None, remains at a range of 90ft aloft
Action: Eldritch Blast the vampire
Blast 1 - To Hit: 6+9=15, Damage 5+5=10 [force]
Blast 2 - To Hit: 4+9=13, Damage 4+5=9 [force]
Neferox
Action: Multiattack against vampire (advantage for flanking)
Bite 1 - To Hit: (
5, 15)+7=22, Damage: 4+3+6=13 [magical piercing] - if hits target has to succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.Bite 2 -To Hit: (12,
11)+7=19, Damage: 4+1+6=11 [magical piercing] - if hits target has to succeed on a DC 17 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.Sam drops from Ömertyr aiming to land next to (or upon) the vampire they are targeting with a "Geronimo!" shout and his maul in his hand... Upon landing he will scramble to his feet, if need be, and move to be in proper melee with the vampire before attacking with his maul...
(Looks like Ö and Mist Hulk are flanking so Sam can't get in on it... which is fine.)
Maul Attack vs NW Vampire: 16 to hit for 26 magical bludgeoning damage
Maul Attack vs NW Vampire: 24 to hit for 26 magical bludgeoning damage
Muir in no rush climbs down off of O and stands back assessing the scene. They have to get into the core but with all the enemies outside, the others decide to help. He lets the heavy hitters do the smacking with their weapons as he moves towards the core trying to get a look in if the doors are opened. He hurls some fire at the vampire that Sam ran to and smacked with his maul 21 hit 9 damage
Gewyn closes in on the vampire’s flank, flicking his dagger out as he approaches before darting in behind it and circling around to stab it from behind with his short sword.
(Nat 1 with the dagger)
26 to hit with short sword, 9 magical piercing.
North West.
Muir takes a detour getting a good look at the opening to the core, he sees a vast hole which appears to be near pitch darkness within. The flame that he throws does indeed hit the vampire causing it to screech out as it reevaluates its attack.
Sam, Landing nearly atop the Vampire, swings hard but his maul is diverted as the vampire dodges to the side, Reupping his efforts sam's second swing connects, and the magic within the maul breaks through the vampire's defenses.
Ömertyr swings down twice with his summoned morningstar, also missing on his first swing but getting a good crack in with the next one (17 piercing) though sam being up close sees that the vvampire takes less damage than he would have first thought.
The Mist hulk flanking the vampire with Ömertyr slams the undead creature twice, which looks odd as the slam doesnt fully connect physically, the mist hulks body being made mostly of mist envelops the vampire twice and begins to freeze it. (30 cold dam)
The northwest lightning hulk arcs lightning from its body, after it moves more towards muir to give protection, the lightning strikes at the vampire who is looking very very worse for wear. (23 lightning dam and vamp loses reaction)
The vampire retaliates by turning into the familiar exsanguinating mist that the group has seen before, it moves first through Ömertyr, then Sam, then the mist hulk before it reassumes its form and then, with glowing eyes commands the mist hulk to attack Ömertyr. The mist hulk's eyes swim with confusion as it fails to shrug off the compulsion (13), it moves to Ömertyr and slams him too (10 cold Dam) Ömertyr still bloodied from the last fight takes the hit like a champ, but it seems that he cant take too many more of those.
(Sam make a dc18 con save for exsaguinating mist 33 necrotic damage on a fail, 16 on save, both Ömertyr and mist hulk saved)
South West.
Vin remaining in the air takes his shots, but with the sudden flurry of activity around, his eldritch energy merely scorches the areas of the core around the slippery vampire. Neferox however goes immediately rushing in and manages to knock the vampire on its ass with her first bite and continues to maul him with her second.
Gewyn's daring movement puts him up close and personal with the vampire as he attempts to slice into it as it lays now prone on the floor, (I rerolled your attacks to reflect the advantage and the dagger still missed but luckily you Crit with the shortsword, new damage 15) the shortsword does its due and the vampire looks near death already.
Before Griff can string an arrow, the other creature in this party dives forward encoraged or maybe just mimicking neferox, Though Francis has no mouth for which to bite, it instead rams the prone vampire (crit hit 18 bludgeoning), Francis rears up to ram the vampire again but before it can the vamp succumbs to its wounds having already been beaten somewhat by the hulks before the group arrived, the vampires resistance to Francis' mundane damage not seeming to save it as it falls limp and then vanishes from sight. Francis turns to Sol seeming to want to know if it did good, but on the contrary Sol yells out "Damnit!" he then casts Thaumaturgy on himself and his voice booms out ofr all to hear, "IF THEY LOOK WEAK WAIT FOR ME TO CAST A RADIANT SPELL ON THEM, WE CANNOT AFFORD FOR THEM TO RETURN!" he then moves north as far as he can.
Seeing that the vampire is gone Griff and the lightning hulk venture eastward to give a hand there. Griff gets half way there, where as the lightning hulk, true to its name moves like lightning, speeding directly into melee with the Vampire south east there and still seeming to have time to attack aswell!
From the south west the group hears a wail from the mist hulk there and the two lightning hulks claw at their ears along with the vampire, the vampire retaliates and seems to have dealt more damage gaining the upper hand.
Over at the north east, the griffon riders form a flanking formation, but curiously one rider keeps distance and hovers 30ft up nearer the entrance to the core, firing arrows, the rider hold theor own and seem to be on even footing with the vampire giving and taking damage.
Vin watches as Neferox and the others take down the vampire he struggled to hit with his blasts, and immediately turns his attention to the other skirmishes. Seeing all but the griffon riders receiving some reinforcements, he manoeuvres Bry'Ze towards them and let's loose with two more force bolts at the vampire they are engaged with.
"It was sunlight that did the trick last time. Don't you have any more?", he calls back to Sol in reply.
Neferox races to the east, her paws starting to flame as she takes to the sky slightly, being faster in flight than grounded.
Vin
Movement: 50 feet towards the vampire to the north-east (I make it just within 120ft range then)
Action: Eldritch Blast the vampire
Blast 1 - To Hit: 10+9=19, Damage 4+5=9 [force]
Blast 2 - To Hit: 15+9=24, Damage 10+5=15 [force]
Neferox
Movement: 40ft east, 5ft off the ground
Action: Dash another 40 ft east
Both of vins blast's hit and the griffon rider nearest the core looks over to give vin a cheer for the help.
Sol responds, "that's a powerful evocation, I can only muster it once a day, I think divine radiance should work though!?"