It takes a few slow and exaggerated gestures for the goblin to understand what you want, but eventually you seem to be able to get the point across. With a shrug, he lumbers over to the bedroll (far larger than he), and lays down on his back, resting his hands on his chest.
Following Kellan's advice, Pim sets up a small perimeter of torches around the wagon and leaves a pile of extras out for when the first set burns out.
As the rest of the caravan begins to settle in for sleep, Xarian makes his rounds slowly around the campsite.
Xarian: It's difficult to make out much through the fog that's currently permeating the area. For the first hour, a few times you think you see dark forms moving at the boundary of your vision, but it turns out to be nothing but shadows. In the second hour of your watch the fog seems to grow thicker -- or perhaps its just your eyes playing tricks on you. Either way, the second hour passes without incident, and you move on to wake Kellan.
As Xariansettles in to get his rest for the night, Kellantakes over the watch, patrolling over the area around your own wagon, and a few of the closer ones. You can see other guards doing the same further up and down the line of the caravan, but they seem to be having as difficult a time seeing through the fog as you.
Kellan: The fog is thicker than you remember after your brief rest. As you walk your rounds, you find it damn near impossible to see more than 10 feet in front of you. Much Xarian, you sometimes think you see dark shapes moving in the fog. They turn out to be mere tricks of the light. Shadows cast by the flickering torches. Until one time they aren't -- but it takes you precious moments to process that, and by the time you yell out a warning, dark cloaked figures have already slipped past.
The rest of you are roughly woken as cries break out in the camp. Sounds of clashes as guards and travelers along the road fight for their lives. Around Pim's wagon, five figures in dark hooded robes advance upon you...
Hadrian bolts upright as the first cries break through the camp's silence. He spots two of the robed figures approaching him, and nudges Rox with his boot as he gets up. "Up, Rox. Up! He hisses.
Briefly his hand goes to the leather cord around his neck, grasping the onyx crystal attached to it. Then he releases it, 'No, not yet...' Taking up his sword instead, he advances on the nearest robed ambusher, thrusting low with the longsword. At the last moment he pivots, stepping to the attacker's side and arcing the blade upward to slash at their neck.
Initiative: 16 Action: Longsword (22 to hit), (9 slashing damage)
(Xarian keeps his Initiative roll - don't see any advantage to switching)
Goblins and bandits, Xari has fought before, but by Lady Fortune's grace, who are these bastards? The big man grimaces reflexively, realizing the irony of the thought, being in reality the lowliest of bastards himself. Still, something about these assailants seems different than common brigands.
Jumping to his feet, fumbling for his greatsword, and ambling to the southeast, he brings it around at his foe's torso. He thinks of trying to enhance his attack with the cantrip he has been studying, the one with the green flames, but he seems to remember that works best if there are multiple targets.
Instead he looks sardonically at the figure in front of him. "What's with the hood?"
Movement: SE-->S
Action: Xarian attacks the southernmost cultist with his greatsword: Greatsword to hit: 16 Greatsword damage: 10 (slashing) Graze weapon mastery: if the attack misses, Xarian still grazes the target for 4 slashing damage.
Even if the guards on watch missed the initial attack, your small group very quickly gets to work. Kellancuts down one of the robed figures with a single swing from his blade, radiant light piercing through the fog as it burns through his target.
The small goblin is slow to rouse from his sleep, shaking his head and opening his eyes groggily as Hadriankicks him. By the time he's on his feet, the young nobleman has already decapitated his first opponent with a quick feint.
Elsewhere, another cultist is quite nearly chopped in half as Xarian's greatsword cuts through them. Before their death, they hadn't responded to his quip, merely stared at him with a souless look in their eyes.
Before Farracan make her move, one of the robed figures bears down on with a sickle, cutting into her shoulder with the curved blade. (Sickle Attack:19to hit, 4slashing damage and 1 necrotic damage).
The robed figure steps backward, pulling the sickle from the half-elf's shoulder as they dodge her retaliatory attack.
On the other side of the wagon, another cultist darts forward to flash Hadrianacross the chest (Sickle Attack:14to hit, 2slashing and 1necrotic damage). Rox screams something in goblin and charges forward at the them. He dives at their legs, trying to chomp into their calf with his sharp teeth. But the ambusher side steps the wild goblin's attack.
As the fight continues, you can hear cries through the fog as the rest of the caravan struggles to fend off their own attackers...
The cries from the fog around them start to make Kellan's head spin before he steels himself, focusing on the area he can see for now. Farra seems to be in the most danger so he rushes over to attack the cultist near her. After the strike he moves to lay a hand on her, channeling divine energy to heal her wounds.
With the enemy engaged with Kellan and Farra just a bit too far for him to reach, Xari charges northwest through the fog at the one that had just attacked Hadrian. Belatedly he realizes that there is both underbrush and the corner of the wagon in the way, and he lowers his head to bull his way through. This time his wince is almost anticipatory as he brings his 2-handed blade down in an overhand arc through the foe's center of mass.
Briefly out of the corner of his eye, Xari ruefully notices that unlike himself, Kellan had slept in his armor. Probably a good idea, that...
Movement: W-->NW-->NW-->NW-->NW-->NW into melee with the cultist next to Hadrian and Rox. Athletics to bull his way through the underbrush and SW corner of the wagon: 18
Action: Xarian attacks the westernmost cultist with his greatsword Greatsword to hit: 17 Greatsword damage: 16 (slashing) Graze weapon mastery: on a miss, the target is still grazed for 4 slashing damage.
The cultist lets out a hiss of pain as Kellan's longsword slices open a wound across their back, though they don't fall.
While Hadrianand Rox deal with their own opponent, Xarisuddenly comes charging through the nearby brush like a rampaging ox. The massive blade he carries falls upon the cultist like an executioner's axe, sending blood spraying as it cuts through the unarmored attacker.
Hadrian tries to backstep as the cultist's sickle cuts through the air towards him, but he's too slow. He feels the curved blade slice through his armor and the flesh of his chest, wincing as the attack almost seems to drain his vitality some. He shifts his grip on the longsword, preparing to retaliate...And then the attacker is nearly split in half in front of him by Xarian's greatsword.
"Gross." The nobleman wipes stray blood and viscera from his face, then turns to Kellan and Farra. As he runs towards them he tosses his longsword to the side. It disappears, vanishing into mist after just barely leaving his fingertips. In its place he summons a spear, hurling it over the horses at the remaining cultist.
Action: Spear Thrown (17 to hit), (10 piercing damage)
Though wounded by Kellan's strike, the cultist pulls back their sickle as they prepare to attack Farra once more. A spear catches the robed figure in the chest and they fall backwards...
As your own fight ends and you look up and down the road, it seems at first that the other guards have fared just as well as you have. The fighting seems to have come to an end, though there are still frightened cries from some of the travelers, and you can just catch sight of cloaked figures disappearing through the fog back into the tree line.
From up the road, you hear something that makes your heart drop. Mary's panicked voice calling out: "Andy!? Where are you?! Andy!"
Kellan’s breath catches in his throat at Mary’s panicked cries, the name cutting through the fog like a blade. His heart pounds, but there’s no time for hesitation. His gaze snaps to the tree line, to the shifting shadows disappearing into the mist. They took him.
His grip tightens around his sword, his body moving before his mind can catch up. Without a word, he bolts forward, his boots pounding against the dirt as he races after the retreating figures. The world narrows to a single, desperate instinct—to run, to chase, to stop them before it’s too late. The fog swallows him as he plunges into the woods, his pulse hammering in his ears, his thoughts a chaotic blur of fear and fury.
Continuing his northward momentum, Xari takes off at a dead run towards the sound of Mary's voice calling for Andy.
His heart sinking, he peers through the fog, angling towards any hooded figures who may be retreating from her area of the caravan, ready to give chase.
Without a moment's hesitation Hadrian takes off after the others, yelling up the road. "We'll find him Mary!" He doesn't stop to check if she heard him or not, knowing that time was crucial here. Though he generally tries to follow Kellan into the woods, he'll go in a slightly different direction, trying to head for a different escaping cultist to increase their chances of finding Andy.
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Kellan makes a bit of a face when he realizes Rox will be sleeping next to him, rolling over onto his side and making sure to keep his sword close.
It takes a few slow and exaggerated gestures for the goblin to understand what you want, but eventually you seem to be able to get the point across. With a shrug, he lumbers over to the bedroll (far larger than he), and lays down on his back, resting his hands on his chest.
Following Kellan's advice, Pim sets up a small perimeter of torches around the wagon and leaves a pile of extras out for when the first set burns out.
As the rest of the caravan begins to settle in for sleep, Xarian makes his rounds slowly around the campsite.
Xarian: It's difficult to make out much through the fog that's currently permeating the area. For the first hour, a few times you think you see dark forms moving at the boundary of your vision, but it turns out to be nothing but shadows. In the second hour of your watch the fog seems to grow thicker -- or perhaps its just your eyes playing tricks on you. Either way, the second hour passes without incident, and you move on to wake Kellan.
OoC: Need a perception check from Kellan. Again with disadvantage due to the lightly obscured area.
Kellan perception w disadvantage: 10
As Xarian settles in to get his rest for the night, Kellan takes over the watch, patrolling over the area around your own wagon, and a few of the closer ones. You can see other guards doing the same further up and down the line of the caravan, but they seem to be having as difficult a time seeing through the fog as you.
Kellan: The fog is thicker than you remember after your brief rest. As you walk your rounds, you find it damn near impossible to see more than 10 feet in front of you. Much Xarian, you sometimes think you see dark shapes moving in the fog. They turn out to be mere tricks of the light. Shadows cast by the flickering torches. Until one time they aren't -- but it takes you precious moments to process that, and by the time you yell out a warning, dark cloaked figures have already slipped past.
The rest of you are roughly woken as cries break out in the camp. Sounds of clashes as guards and travelers along the road fight for their lives. Around Pim's wagon, five figures in dark hooded robes advance upon you...
Roll your initiative!
Xarian's Initiative: 17
Alert Feat: he can swap initiative with a willing ally after all initiative is rolled (not sure it matters much in this combat, but let's see).
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
Kellan Init: 19
With a look of determination Kellan moves towards the figure nearest to him and levels a swing of his longsword at it.
Action: Longsword to hit 18, damage 5 and sap
Bonus Action: Divine Smite for 10 radiant damage
Initiative: 7
As chaos erupts in the camp, several crucial moments pass before Farra opens her eyes from her meditative trance.
Hadrian bolts upright as the first cries break through the camp's silence. He spots two of the robed figures approaching him, and nudges Rox with his boot as he gets up. "Up, Rox. Up! He hisses.
Briefly his hand goes to the leather cord around his neck, grasping the onyx crystal attached to it. Then he releases it, 'No, not yet...' Taking up his sword instead, he advances on the nearest robed ambusher, thrusting low with the longsword. At the last moment he pivots, stepping to the attacker's side and arcing the blade upward to slash at their neck.
Initiative: 16
Action: Longsword (22 to hit), (9 slashing damage)
(Xarian keeps his Initiative roll - don't see any advantage to switching)
Goblins and bandits, Xari has fought before, but by Lady Fortune's grace, who are these bastards? The big man grimaces reflexively, realizing the irony of the thought, being in reality the lowliest of bastards himself. Still, something about these assailants seems different than common brigands.
Jumping to his feet, fumbling for his greatsword, and ambling to the southeast, he brings it around at his foe's torso. He thinks of trying to enhance his attack with the cantrip he has been studying, the one with the green flames, but he seems to remember that works best if there are multiple targets.
Instead he looks sardonically at the figure in front of him. "What's with the hood?"
Movement: SE-->S
Action: Xarian attacks the southernmost cultist with his greatsword:
Greatsword to hit: 16
Greatsword damage: 10 (slashing)
Graze weapon mastery: if the attack misses, Xarian still grazes the target for 4 slashing damage.
Bonus Action: None
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
Even if the guards on watch missed the initial attack, your small group very quickly gets to work. Kellan cuts down one of the robed figures with a single swing from his blade, radiant light piercing through the fog as it burns through his target.
The small goblin is slow to rouse from his sleep, shaking his head and opening his eyes groggily as Hadrian kicks him. By the time he's on his feet, the young nobleman has already decapitated his first opponent with a quick feint.
Elsewhere, another cultist is quite nearly chopped in half as Xarian's greatsword cuts through them. Before their death, they hadn't responded to his quip, merely stared at him with a souless look in their eyes.
Before Farra can make her move, one of the robed figures bears down on with a sickle, cutting into her shoulder with the curved blade. (Sickle Attack: 19 to hit, 4 slashing damage and 1 necrotic damage).
Farra, your turn is up.
A cry escapes Farra's lips as the sickle bites into her shoulder, and she slashes wildly in response with her uninjured arm.
Attack w/Shortsword: 8 to hit. 10 slashing.
The robed figure steps backward, pulling the sickle from the half-elf's shoulder as they dodge her retaliatory attack.
On the other side of the wagon, another cultist darts forward to flash Hadrian across the chest (Sickle Attack: 14 to hit, 2 slashing and 1 necrotic damage). Rox screams something in goblin and charges forward at the them. He dives at their legs, trying to chomp into their calf with his sharp teeth. But the ambusher side steps the wild goblin's attack.
As the fight continues, you can hear cries through the fog as the rest of the caravan struggles to fend off their own attackers...
Kellan, Hadrian, and Xarian arise once more!
The cries from the fog around them start to make Kellan's head spin before he steels himself, focusing on the area he can see for now. Farra seems to be in the most danger so he rushes over to attack the cultist near her. After the strike he moves to lay a hand on her, channeling divine energy to heal her wounds.
Action: longsword to hit 15, damage 4
Bonus Action: Lay on Hands for 5 hp to Farra
With the enemy engaged with Kellan and Farra just a bit too far for him to reach, Xari charges northwest through the fog at the one that had just attacked Hadrian. Belatedly he realizes that there is both underbrush and the corner of the wagon in the way, and he lowers his head to bull his way through. This time his wince is almost anticipatory as he brings his 2-handed blade down in an overhand arc through the foe's center of mass.
Briefly out of the corner of his eye, Xari ruefully notices that unlike himself, Kellan had slept in his armor. Probably a good idea, that...
Movement: W-->NW-->NW-->NW-->NW-->NW into melee with the cultist next to Hadrian and Rox.
Athletics to bull his way through the underbrush and SW corner of the wagon: 18
Action: Xarian attacks the westernmost cultist with his greatsword
Greatsword to hit: 17
Greatsword damage: 16 (slashing)
Graze weapon mastery: on a miss, the target is still grazed for 4 slashing damage.
Bonus Action: None
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
The cultist lets out a hiss of pain as Kellan's longsword slices open a wound across their back, though they don't fall.
While Hadrian and Rox deal with their own opponent, Xari suddenly comes charging through the nearby brush like a rampaging ox. The massive blade he carries falls upon the cultist like an executioner's axe, sending blood spraying as it cuts through the unarmored attacker.
Initiative: Hadrian
Hadrian tries to backstep as the cultist's sickle cuts through the air towards him, but he's too slow. He feels the curved blade slice through his armor and the flesh of his chest, wincing as the attack almost seems to drain his vitality some. He shifts his grip on the longsword, preparing to retaliate...And then the attacker is nearly split in half in front of him by Xarian's greatsword.
"Gross." The nobleman wipes stray blood and viscera from his face, then turns to Kellan and Farra. As he runs towards them he tosses his longsword to the side. It disappears, vanishing into mist after just barely leaving his fingertips. In its place he summons a spear, hurling it over the horses at the remaining cultist.
Action: Spear Thrown (17 to hit), (10 piercing damage)
Though wounded by Kellan's strike, the cultist pulls back their sickle as they prepare to attack Farra once more. A spear catches the robed figure in the chest and they fall backwards...
As your own fight ends and you look up and down the road, it seems at first that the other guards have fared just as well as you have. The fighting seems to have come to an end, though there are still frightened cries from some of the travelers, and you can just catch sight of cloaked figures disappearing through the fog back into the tree line.
From up the road, you hear something that makes your heart drop. Mary's panicked voice calling out: "Andy!? Where are you?! Andy!"
Kellan’s breath catches in his throat at Mary’s panicked cries, the name cutting through the fog like a blade. His heart pounds, but there’s no time for hesitation. His gaze snaps to the tree line, to the shifting shadows disappearing into the mist. They took him.
His grip tightens around his sword, his body moving before his mind can catch up. Without a word, he bolts forward, his boots pounding against the dirt as he races after the retreating figures. The world narrows to a single, desperate instinct—to run, to chase, to stop them before it’s too late. The fog swallows him as he plunges into the woods, his pulse hammering in his ears, his thoughts a chaotic blur of fear and fury.
Continuing his northward momentum, Xari takes off at a dead run towards the sound of Mary's voice calling for Andy.
His heart sinking, he peers through the fog, angling towards any hooded figures who may be retreating from her area of the caravan, ready to give chase.
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
Without a moment's hesitation Hadrian takes off after the others, yelling up the road. "We'll find him Mary!" He doesn't stop to check if she heard him or not, knowing that time was crucial here. Though he generally tries to follow Kellan into the woods, he'll go in a slightly different direction, trying to head for a different escaping cultist to increase their chances of finding Andy.