Gnome's OOTA Story Thread [CLOSED]

"Destroy them," Horkas says immediately. "If we leave them and try to go around, they may come around behind us in an inopportune moment and then our troubles will be double...or worse, they will find some non-combatants down here and do horrible things to them."

"The wisdom of the angels guides us once again towards the right choices" Khessa agrees with the gnome's advice. "Yes, let's eliminate these creatures. Considering we have time to deploy and organize, we shouldn't have too much difficulty".

"Horkas and I can strengthen ourselves with magic then advance first to meet them, since we are the best defended" the compromised - but still tactical - mind of the blonde arcane warrior immediately begins to think. "Lunaria could come a little behind us, to heal us in case of need, together with the infantrymen - infantrymen who at a later moment, when the enemies are in melee with the both of us, could surround the monsters, who are outnumbered. Anyone else, further back, should be able to attack from range".

“What do you think, celestials?” the tall adventurer asks for confirmation from those she believes to be eternal and supernatural "Can it work? Or do you prefer to do it differently?"

Horkas stands ready, with Skitter and the Guardian!

The firbolg straps her large shield in place, in full agreement with the decision to send the apes back from whence they came. "Aye, though if I might could suggest a stealthy approach? We may just get the jump on 'em. Hinder the fiends from a distance fore meeting 'em"--she taps her forehead--"'head on. Or set an ambush o' sorts. Bring them to us?"

Lulu then looks to Traydark. "Ye've a means of banishing creatures back to their native planes, do you no', Lord Duskryn? Could be, between the two of us, we remove a few players from the board before the game begins?" 


((She's just suggesting we try and Surprise them/have held actions to attack all at once with an ambush. Lulu could also try and shoot off a Bane first so any subsequent debuffs if we go the Surprise route (if we manage it, knock on wood!) have a better chance of failed saves.))

"I didn't propose the stealthy approach because I know it's not my strong point..." Khessa admits "You know, this metal armor... it rattles so easily... I can definitely try to sneak up, but I don't have much confidence in my success".

"Tis alright to let those whose strong point it is take point, lass. Do no' take it all on yer shoulders." Lulu smiles, then clanks against her breastplate with a gauntleted knock, "No' my strong point either. But that's what we've trust in our friends and allies for--leaning on each other's strengths."

"But if we'd rather no' faff about with ambush or surprise from afar, then ye'll hear no further argument from me. My gift of healing is yours. Always." Lunaria grasps hold of her holy symbol and nods, ready for whatever strategy they might take. 

Katryl nods as the suggestion is made to face these demonic creatures now rather than wait for them to come on them later.  "My strength is obviously to attack at range. I could certainly try to sneak into a position though where I can attack from. Just point the way - it is you others who will likely take the brunt of the fighting." She is ready to try to find a position from where she could best keep to cover and hit the creatures at the same time. 

Traydark recognizes the barlguras but maybe not much about them. They appear to simply be walking around in the area, grunting back and forth now and then, generally coming your direction but not with any particular intent.

"I like the idea of having our scouts fire from concealment and lure the demons into our waiting heavy troops to trap them. Let's quickly find a good ambush site and set it up..." Horkas looks for an area where they could have forces hidden until after the demons went by and into a waiting force, then strike from a flanking position... 

The noble drow shares the information gained from his invisible familiar and agrees to attack, using the scouting of Grax'xt to approach the Barlguras unseen, also calling upon his earth elemental servant to engage the ape-like demons from below.

Khessa, fully trusting in the angels' abilities, waits for Horkas to identify the ideal place and deploy the infantry troops, hidden. She then confidently waits for the scouts to lure the demonic enemies into the trap.

Just before the action begins, the blonde arcane warrior casts murmurs an esoteric chant as she traces sinuous mandala-like shapes in the dark atmosphere of the Underdark, with her fingers and the rod she uses to focus magical energies. The next moment, having put away the rod, her hands are already closed on the hilt of the trusty Dawnbringer.

[[ OOC: Khessa casts Protection From Evil and Good so the enemies, if in fact they are demons, will have to attack her with Disadvantage ]]

With preparations made, the trap is ready...

Combat begin:

Lulu > Katryl > Traydark > Horkas > Khessa > Barlguras (if you want the troops to do something mention it and I'll do one roll for them at the end of the round)

Khessa promptly launches herself into the assault on the two demonic gorillas, positioning herself so that Horkas can easily come from the opposite side to attack the enemy from the flanks.

'Now Anator!' the blonde arcane warrior orders telepathically - at which point her brother emerges from under the cascade of thick blonde curls and flies towards the monster's eyes, distracting him.

Taking advantage of the diversion, the tall adventurer, who had already wielded Dawnbringer with both hands, delivers a quick slash to the monster's chest, while the sunlight illuminates the battle.

[[ OOC: Khessa uses her own movement, according to the arrows I drew. Anator [action] Help [/ action] s her and she promptly attacks with Dawn. The infantrymen of the Gauntlet, after the Barlgura have already attacked (presumably Khessa or Horkas), will in turn rush to surround them and attack. Let's remember the demons will have Disadvantage attacking Khessa. ]]

Khessa's quick slash to the monster's chest: 28 Damage: 14 (radiant)

Horkas, Skitter, and the Guardian come at the demons from the other direction, clamping the pincer! Horkas swings his infused warhammer, a small rune carved into the shaft flaring as he attacks. Skitter, ever the faithful sidekick, comes beside its master and tries to rip off chunks of the barlgura! Finally, the big construct won in the chess game rumbles in, swinging both of its massive metal fists in an attempt to finish off the first demon, or injure the second.

• Infused warhammer Attack: 9 Magical Bludgeoning Damage: 12
• Skitter's Attack: 19 Force Damage: 9
• Shield Guardian's Attack 1: 19 Damage: 11 :: Attack 2: 14 Damage: 15

From below the second ape-like demon emerges a massive earth elemental, pounding the fiend with it's mighty fists.
Slam: 17 Bludgeoning: 9
Slam: 21 Bludgeoning: 15

Meanwhile the hidden noble drow places his Hex on the same Barlgura before blasting it with purple eldritch force.
Stealth: 10
Eldritch Blast: 9 Another roll if hidden: 27 Force: 5 Necrotic: 4
Eldritch Blast: 21 Another roll if hidden: 25 Force: 5 Necrotic: 1

He then withdraws further and takes full cover while the zhent mercenaries protect him.

(Generally Traydark would hide about 90 feet away from an ambush point :-) So, did we get a surprise round?)

(Extra crit damage for second attack: 4 + 4)

Quote from Oberon99 >>

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Meanwhile the hidden noble drow places his Hex on the same Barlgura before blasting it with purple eldritch force.

...

[[ OOC: If you are controlling the elemental, remember you need your concentration for that! So don't use Hex ]]

(Ah, yes, thanks, good point, disregard the Hex then :-)

While Katryl and the scouts unleash their barrage on the fiends to draw them into their ambush, Lunaria chants in Sylvan. The dulcet words are lyrical as they weave together the two aspects of her domain--both light and dark--and converge them into a roiling arcane sphere over the cleric's heart. Once their enemies are in position, her scar-framed eye flashes white and three silvery, spectral unicorns burst forth from the twilit sphere. The Spirit Guardians move with their mistress as she sprints to within 15 feet of both ape-demons. 


((Action: Casts Spirit Guardians. The barlgura's speed is halved and on their turn they must make a DC 15 WIS Save or take 12 radiant dmg (halved if successful).
Movement: Moves 30 feet to the below position, with the Spirit Guardians covering a radius of 15 feet. 
Special: Concentration))