((New post, containing spoilers regarding front yard))
Corryn, after briefly calming his familiar, still blinking away confusing images from dreams much stranger than the nightmares he had grown used to over the years, stumbles out of his bed, casting Dancing Lights to light his room and grabbing one of his daggers from its hidden spot on the underside of his night desk.
He quickly scans the room for any immediate threat; not finding any, he moves towards the window and looks outside. Spotting the three robed figures, he quickly extinguishes four of his five Dancing Lights, only using a single light near his armoire to make him see better. He silently moves over to his armoire, opening compartments and grabbing his traveller's clothes. Slipping into them, he pushes his daggers into holders on his belt before attaching his component pouch and small bags, containing caltrops, ball bearings, and some essential tools to it. He then takes his hand crossbow and bolts, stored on their own neat little rack inside of the armoire, readies the crossbow. After a quick glance at the door, making sure it still appears locked with his bell-trap armed, he extinguishes the last of his Dancing Lights and moves back to the window.
Corryn then silently opens it far enough for his owl to slip out, but motions it to wait until after he has had a chance to fire off a first shot.
((Old post, for reference))
Corryn, after briefly calming his familiar, still blinking away confusing images from dreams much stranger than the nightmares he had grown used to over the years, stumbles out of his bed, casting Dancing Lights to light his room and grabbing one of his daggers from its hidden spot on the underside of his night desk.
He quickly scans the room for any immediate threat; not finding any, he moves to the window and looks outside, having three of his five dancing lights briefly move to the outside of the window to illuminate the backyard. He then grabs the little bell on a string under the window, muffling it while opening the window wide enough for his owl to slip outside "Go, try to spy who is attacking us, where they are coming from and whether the roofs are clear.
After closing the window and locking it again, Corryn quickly moves to his armoire, opening compartments and grabbing his traveller's clotes. Slipping into them, he pushes his daggers into holders on his belt before attaching his component pouch and small bags, containing caltrops, ball bearings, and some essential tools to it. He glances at his hand crossbow and bolts; stored on their own neat little rack inside of the armoire, and decides to take them as well. Moving silently towards his door and again listening for noises in his immediate surroundings. He quickly grabs and muffles the bell fixed to the door, then begins opening it. With his other hand, he unsheats one of his daggers, ready to strike a potential foe near the door. Once sure no one is immediately next to the door, Corryn throws it open and begins to move towards the stairs, having his Dancing Lights surround him and illuminating his path.
Winded, Fodd rights himself as fast as his bulk and armour allow. "Mr Fireforge! Outside!" he gasps before he hurls himself at the armoured figure engaged with Joviar, swinging his sword as throws himself into the fight. (20 to hit, 7 slashing (+5 if Fodd was able to charge 10ft before connecting, not sure how far away he was))
Using his Cunning Action to direct his Mage HandLegerdemain, Corryn has it grab one of the oil flasks from his desk, levitate it out the window and towards the sconce atop the lighted pole. He will then attempt to have the Mage Hand smash it there.
Using his normal action, he will aim and fire his hand crossbow at the closest chanter.
Dexterity/Sleigth of Hand-Check (vs Wisdom of casters, whether Mage Hand remains undetected): 26
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"I'm on it Fodd"
Ragnor moves towards the door until he can see what's going on outside. Once he spots the three casters outside Ragnor casts moonbeam on the centre of the casters, followed by Wild Shaping into a Brown Bear. I then use the rest of my movement to get as close as I can.
Each of them take 14 radiant damage or half on a CON13 saving throw
Corryn, you can hear the sound of combat from nearby, seeming to come from both across the hall and somewhere below you. Fodd's voice, muffled by the stairs reaches you once more, as does as a powerful roar unlikely to have come from any Member of your party. Moving over to the window, you peer outside to see three menacing looking chanters gathered around a piece of parchment on a strange wooden stand atop which glows a single candle.
Releasing your owl familiar through the crack in the window, you settle yourself into a snipers position and begin lining up on the casters outside while laying a single, open flask of oil in the very crack you're aiming through.
In your mind, brief report from your owl's keen sight flicker across your consciousness telepathically. It reports slamming shutters and extinguished lights from the human nests in every direction, but no new rushing threats, at least for now and on this side of the building.
((Arcana Check Result of 4: Instinctively you attempt to glean what the casters below might be doing but you can't even begin to make head nor tail of it. It's certainly magic of some kind, but then there are probably concussed street-cats half a block away who could have surmised the same thing. Beyond that, given the distance and mismatch between your own style of magic and that being used below, you can tell nothing.))
Outdoors / Ground Floor (Visible to Corryn, Fodd, Ragnor):
Standing in their circle, one of their number bleeding from a javelin wound, the three robed figures continue reciting, not always smoothly from the parchment in front of them, occasionally throwing worried glances at the front door of the tavern. Whatever they're doing causes sparks of fire to erupt around them, flickering briefly in the in the night air before dissipating. The sparks grow in number with every word, swirling around the casters in a growing whirlwind of tiny points of flame.
Ragnor, ducking past where Fodd, Joviar and the heavily armored warrior are engaged in a battle of bruising blows and clashing shields, you run out into the night air, already invoking your connection with the natural world. Throwing your head back, you howl the cry of a forest wolf, infusing the sound with the solitary prayer to the moon of a mother far from her pack and cubs. Nature answers.
A beam of moonlight flashes down, illuminating the chanting casters and searing them with hard beams of blistering moonlight. Two manage to hunch down within their robes in time to avoid the worst of the burning light, but one is not so lucky and his skin visibly wilts and blackens, a scream interrupting his recitation.
Before the howl has finished echoing you are charging forward once more, falling on all fours as your body swells to mighty proportions. Brown fur erupts from your skin and your stride elongates, growing ponderous. Within heartbeats, what was a grumpy charging dwarf is now a lumbering brown bear, tearing toward the casting figures with maw ready to rip and tear.
Even as you charge however, your keen mind works, unaffected by the transformation. The magic before you is clearly evocation, flame from the appearance of it and the cadence of the words. The language used is strange however, as if a powerful invocation were dumbed down and elongated to allow its use by multiple lesser practitioners in an ungainly combat ritual. Whatever it is they're evoking, they are close to done. You estimate there can't be more than 10 seconds left before they have finally gathered and shaped enough power to unleash whatever it is they are calling forth.
Ella, unarmoured and without your shield, you have nothing but dodging to call upon when the burly woman raises her mace and swings at you powerfully ((your armor class is 12 until you can grab your shield)). You manage to roll sideways and her first blow crashes into your pillow, raising an explosion of cheap fathers as the force of the strike simply bursts it apart ((7 to hit against AC 12)). Unfortunately, your roll leaves you nowhere to go and her second strike is unnerving, crashing into the side your head with force you barely mitigate. Your head rings and agony fills your senses as your brain rattles within your skull, consciousness threatening to flee ((critical hit, 10bludgeoning damage. Sorry :( )).
Seeing the feather cloaked figure, clearly some kind of leader, standing immobile, the second heavily muscled entrant charges into the room through the window but freezes in indecision. He positioned himself, mace upraised between the still paralyzed leader and both Mika and Horrence, attempting to keep eyes on both at the same time and menacing each with the short-hafted axe he draws from behind his belt.
That figure meanwhile, eyes closed in deep concentration begins to twitch, then slowly move. One finger, then another vibrates slightly and then lifts, and slowly, inch by inch, movement returns to him as he throws off his paralysis ((16+4=20 against DC 13)).
Mika, pressed desperately against the wall and appearing terrified out of her wits extends a hand toward the guard menacing her. From somewhere in her pocket she pulls a small, fire blackened twig and waves it repeatedly in his direction.
"Stay back! I'm warning you! Not one step closer!"
The guard only smirks, twirling his axe in a lazy arc and licking his lips, as if calculating whether he can sink it into the young woman before Horrence can stop him or assault his leader, whose movement is only gradually returning.
Mika points the twig directly at him and screams in a language that seems to drip hidden meanings and dark promise. Her hair explodes outward, standing on end and her entire body spasms as purest chain lightning runs up her body, coruscating around her for a heartbeat before leaping along the twig to slam into the fight before her. He attempts to dodge out of the way, but his momentary distraction as he once again glances at Horrence delays him the critical amount and he reels in agony as electricity sears him, attempting to burn him alive. A chain of crackling, flickering lightning hangs in the air, connecting the screaming warrior to the screaming girl, the harsh smell of ozone and burning flesh assaulting your nostrils.
Ella, you are on the bed reeling from the latest blow and with a thug menacing you with a mace. Horrence, you are watching this scene from the door. What do you each do?
Ground Floor (Fodd's perspective):
Regaining your feet and breathing hard, you (Fodd) lumber forward and engage the armored thug, shield to shield. His heavier barricade is an impenetrable wall for a moment, but you've been trained for exactly this kind of combat and drive your short-sword around it and into the man's side, your strength driving it through chainmail and into flesh.
In response, the now profusely bleeding man swings his warpick in desperate arcs. You see his clumsy downswing coming a mile off and angle your shoulder slightly, stepping on so that his elbow comes down on it, harmlessly deflecting the pick. The backswing however catches Joviar in the chest, the dragonkin's attempt to parry with the haft of his maul proving futile against the the long point of your opponent's weapon.
The blow opens up a ragged puncture wound on the old man's chest and sends him reeling back a step. He roars, raising his maul and swinging it in a mighty arc which nearly pulverizes the warrior, smashing him off his feet as it caves his entire breastbone in, shattering every vital organ. Joviar sways and falls to one knee, Elin and Griga emerging from where they were hiding to catch the man as he fell.
"We'll not let him bleed out, don't you worry."
Griga assures you.
Note: Letting upstairs catch up a bit, but next round of actions will be Corryn (already prepped) then some bad guys, then Ragnor. Then some more baddies and then Fodd's next turn.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Seeing Ella take a blow from the women, and realising they are outnumbered, Horrence will take from one of his many pockets a rectangular cube, about the size of a large matchbox, use his screwdriver to turn two small dials in it. He will then throw it onto the floor between himself and Ella (and Mika if she can fit) and use his action to create an [Tooltip Not Found] defender. The top of the cube will then open up and cast a shimmering light over himself and Ella (and again, Mike is he is within 10ft of it). This gives anyone within 10ft of it 5 plus your intelligence modifier temporary hit points.
He will then use his bonus action to reach into his pocket again, grab one of the screws he enchanted earlier and throw it at the woman standing over Ella. 21 to hit, 4 bludgeoning damage.
As he throws it he will shout "Quickly now- get away from her."
Confused by Horrence's shout, Ella will scrabble backwards, snatching up her shield and pressing back against the wall. In almost a mirror image of Mika, but shrouded in rippling rather than crackling light, she'll cast Shield of Faith on herself and brace herself against another attack, taking the dodge action.
The three chanting figures have only a moment's warning before Ragnor bursts out of the door and howls, basking them in searing moonlight. Though two of them emerge with only slight burns, they are distracted for a critical second and when they look back it is with horror at the huge form of a charging brown bear rampaging toward them.
Ella, your head still ringing you roll sideways across the bed, snatching up the shield and raising it to ward off the next series of blows even as you invoke a rippling light shield to further defend yourself.
Horrence, stepping into the room you activate your defensive contraption, waves of hardened air forming around Ella and Mika. You reach into a pocket and cast your enchanted screw directly at the woman menacing Ella. It accelerates to blurring speed, becoming a projectile in truth, but your target twists lithely out the way. The screw thuds into the wall, imbedding itself deep in the mortar between two bricks and leaving a blackened, smoking hole.
Ragnor, you let out what you hoped would be a terrifying roar, but ends up more of a gargled high pitch scream as your throat is still morphing from human to ursine. The robed figures before you look shaken but do not panic and flee. One reaches for the parchment, only to spin sideways as a crossbow bolt from Corryn hiding in a darkened upper floor window slams into his shoulder ((sneak attack damage calculation: 7)).
A second cultist grabs the parchment instead and all three, now bearing wounds of various severity split up and scatter, creating about 10 feet of space between them as they arrange themselves in a rough triangle. The one furthest from you, still holding the parchment continues chanting, the fiery sparks gradually following him to once again envelop him as he struggles to maintain the ritual. He's clearly struggling, both from wounds and lack of experience and as the words tumble out of him with broken cadence and flawed pronunciation the sparks grow more chaotic, zipping faster and more randomly instead of in the graceful swirls from before.
Those on opposite sides, casting concerned glances on his direction raise their hands and intone far lesser magics in an effort to ward you off. Ice suddenly forms around you, attempting to rob your skin of all warmth even through the thick fur of your wildshaped hide. At the same time, your mind is assailed by the unexplainable urge to laugh hysterically, the sight before you becoming, without warning, so unbearably hilarious that you must fight to stop immediately collapsing to the ground in gales of laughter.
Mandatory Rolls: Constitution Saving Throw Wisdom Saving Throw Optional Rolls: Arcana Check to identify the spells.
Ella and Mika's Room (Ella and Horrence):
The woman harassing you, Ella, with her mace snarls at your defenses spring up one after another. You snatch up your shield of steel and evoke another of pure faith, even as Horrence's device layers protection over you. Despite your defensive posture she steps in, attempting to bludgeon you into submission through it all. She raises her mace and pounds directly downward in vicious hammer-blows. As the mace descends, the layers of manifested faith around you seem to coalesce around the weapon, slowing its descent just enough to let you get your shield into place beneath it and rob it of momentum ((2 attacks with disadvantage 24/12 & 20/11 against your buffed AC of 15)). The woman snarls in frustration, seemingly determined to batter you into the dust however long it takes.
The second thug, reeling from the searing chain of lightning still boring into his side from Mika's outstretched fingertips stumbles forward and raises his axe to menace the terrified girl. His first blow strikes her on the thigh and would have virtually severed the limb has Horrence's arcane protection not cushioned more than half the blow. Shocked at the inefficacy of his strike, he fumbles the second and Mika barely dodges out of the way, the axe passing within inches of her face.
Desperately, she pushes her hand forward, the arc of lightning connecting her to her attacker flaring once more as it bores into him with relentless electrical force. He screams in agony, ozone crackling around him as he fights to stay on his feet in the face of this onslaught.
His struggles and the flailing waves of his axe largely screen Mika from the now fully recovered figure in the feather cloak. A flicker of annoyance crosses over the man's impassive features as he attempts to dodge past his companion to assault Mika directly, but ultimately gives up. Instead, he turns and lightning fast throws himself at Horrence in a series of punishing bare-armed blows. You're not sure how but you manage to dodge the first blow, ducking as the vicious left hook sails over your head only to catch a perfectly executed knee directly to the chin as the man flawlessly adjusts to your knee position (13 and 22 against AC 14, you take 8bludgeoning damage).
Next turns will be:
Outside: Ragnor (resolve saves first) and Fodd (may want to see what Ragnor does) Upstairs: Ella, Horrence and Corryn (all hold up a second, letting downstairs catch up)
Ragnor charges towards the one holding the scroll and attacks, first with his claws: 23 (7 damage). He follows that up with his claws 7 (12 damage).
Note: If first hit kills the scroll guy then try to use the claws on second target. I positioned myself on the side of the scroll guy closest to the other enemy to try and get between them.
Ragnor, the spells hit you mid-stride. The cold hits first and your heavily furred, muscular ursine form struggles through it even as some part of your detached, clinical mind registers the assault as the Frostbite evocation. Thankfully, the slight freezing power the hedge wizard before you can muster is no match for your wildshaped constitution and you readily throw off the chill.
Unfortunately, you're so focused on maintaining your physical defenses that you neglect the mental. The magical attack lands and you find yourself suddenly [status]prone[/status] and [status]incapacitated[/status], howling with cackles as Tasha's Hideous Laughter holds you in its grip.
Roll another wisdom saving throw to try and break out of it at the end of each of your turns (including now).
Fodd, from up above you hear the sound of combat while via the front door, you see Ragnor charge out, blast the casters with a beam of moonlight and then fall helplessly prone, trapped in some sort of laughter inducing, paralytic enchantment. Joviar slumps nearby, exerted beyond much use with Griga and Elin looking frantic standing over him. What do you do?
Upstairs - Corryn's Room
Corryn, from your vantage point you see the three wounded casters retreat. One continues casting from the scroll, while two more unleash spells on the onrushing Ragnor. He seems to throw off an ice-enchantment successfully before some other, dark mental force grips him and knocks him prone, collapsed in a fit of twisted, ugly laughter. What do you do?
Upstairs - Ella's Room
Ella, you have succcesfully warded off the thugs attacks but she's still coming on. Behind her, Mika looks to be barely hanging on even as she rakes the thug menacing her with the arc of lighting flowing from her fingers. In the doorway, a now wounded Horrence is taking a battering from the lightning fast unarmed blows of the raids apparent leader. What do you do?
Horrence, your head rings and your nose feels like it may have been broken. Your vision is filled with the flashing, swirling form of a feathered cloak and the blurring fists that come flying out of it at your face. What do you do?
Ella’s gaze takes in the Professor’s diminutive form, this sad, sweet old man bleeding and stunned by a torrent of blows. It switches to Mika, the girl not much younger than herself, overwhelmed by power and fear and by unwarranted threats in the night, a girl she’d promised to protect. And she stands up on the bed, gaining height on her brutish attacker, glowing with unearthly light and clutching it and her shield to her body.
”Enough!” Healing energy bursts forth from her, to Horrence, to Mika, imbuing them all with extra hit points through channel divinity (2 for herself, 5 for Horrence, 8 for Mika). But it doesn’t stop pouring from her from her with the healing. Instead it pools into her empty right hand, stretching and solidifying to form the shape of a moonbow-headed axe as she casts Spiritual Weapon. “You won’t have her. And you won’t take him with you.”And she brings her axe down on her attacker. 10 to attack, 6 damage if it hits.
Fodd is unable to leave the old man bleeding without at least providing some comfort, he kneels, laying his hands on Joviar (healing 10hp). With tears pricking his eyes he stands: "Look after Mr Joviar" - then turns a runs through the front door towards where Ragnor lies (all the way to him if he has enough movement, and an Arcana check if I'm allowed, to see if I can determine what is afflicting him: (14)
Outside (Fodd and Ragnor, plus Corryn's overwatch):
Fodd, you lay your hands briefly on Joviar and close his minor wound. Your youthful figure is somewhat transferred through the healing, and some color returns to Joviar's cheek as the unquenchable spark of your enthusiasm seeps into him. Seeing this, you release him into Elin and Griga's care and run past the body of the slain armored thug and out into the night. Just ahead, you see the bizarre sight of Ragnor in bear form, prostrate upon the ground and laughing hysterically, the sound strange and grating coming from an ursine throat not built for such levity.
Though not a magician by any means, you do recognize this enchantment in its broadest terms. A laughing curse, that incapacitates its victim until they can throw it off. You seem to recall that pain helps the victim break the curse.
As you stand over the bear, a whisper of displaced air causes you to whirl around. A quarrel from somewhere above seems to materialize, directly in the forehead of the chanting caster and the sparks that surround him. ((Corryn, your sneak attack was also doubled for a total of 22+4 damage, so he is very, super, incredibly, double dead)). The sparks go wild, swirling in an ever-rising pillar before falling upon the now dead caster, feasting on his flesh in a brief but raging inferno.
Fodd earnestly kneels by Ragnor, ignoring the hideous death happening around him. "I'm sorry Mr Fireforge!" he says before grabbing a fistful of the bears' head-fur and slapping his other meaty hand onto the bear's laughing snout, as if he was swatting a badly behaved dog with a newspaper. "Boop" he whispers, reverently, as he provides his healing touch. (18 to hit, unarmed, for 4 damage)
((New post, containing spoilers regarding front yard))
Corryn, after briefly calming his familiar, still blinking away confusing images from dreams much stranger than the nightmares he had grown used to over the years, stumbles out of his bed, casting Dancing Lights to light his room and grabbing one of his daggers from its hidden spot on the underside of his night desk.
He quickly scans the room for any immediate threat; not finding any, he moves towards the window and looks outside. Spotting the three robed figures, he quickly extinguishes four of his five Dancing Lights, only using a single light near his armoire to make him see better. He silently moves over to his armoire, opening compartments and grabbing his traveller's clothes. Slipping into them, he pushes his daggers into holders on his belt before attaching his component pouch and small bags, containing caltrops, ball bearings, and some essential tools to it. He then takes his hand crossbow and bolts, stored on their own neat little rack inside of the armoire, readies the crossbow. After a quick glance at the door, making sure it still appears locked with his bell-trap armed, he extinguishes the last of his Dancing Lights and moves back to the window.
Corryn then silently opens it far enough for his owl to slip out, but motions it to wait until after he has had a chance to fire off a first shot.
((Old post, for reference))
Corryn, after briefly calming his familiar, still blinking away confusing images from dreams much stranger than the nightmares he had grown used to over the years, stumbles out of his bed, casting Dancing Lights to light his room and grabbing one of his daggers from its hidden spot on the underside of his night desk.
He quickly scans the room for any immediate threat; not finding any, he moves to the window and looks outside, having three of his five dancing lights briefly move to the outside of the window to illuminate the backyard. He then grabs the little bell on a string under the window, muffling it while opening the window wide enough for his owl to slip outside "Go, try to spy who is attacking us, where they are coming from and whether the roofs are clear.
After closing the window and locking it again, Corryn quickly moves to his armoire, opening compartments and grabbing his traveller's clotes. Slipping into them, he pushes his daggers into holders on his belt before attaching his component pouch and small bags, containing caltrops, ball bearings, and some essential tools to it. He glances at his hand crossbow and bolts; stored on their own neat little rack inside of the armoire, and decides to take them as well. Moving silently towards his door and again listening for noises in his immediate surroundings. He quickly grabs and muffles the bell fixed to the door, then begins opening it. With his other hand, he unsheats one of his daggers, ready to strike a potential foe near the door. Once sure no one is immediately next to the door, Corryn throws it open and begins to move towards the stairs, having his Dancing Lights surround him and illuminating his path.
Winded, Fodd rights himself as fast as his bulk and armour allow. "Mr Fireforge! Outside!" he gasps before he hurls himself at the armoured figure engaged with Joviar, swinging his sword as throws himself into the fight. (20 to hit, 7 slashing (+5 if Fodd was able to charge 10ft before connecting, not sure how far away he was))
Using his Cunning Action to direct his Mage Hand Legerdemain, Corryn has it grab one of the oil flasks from his desk, levitate it out the window and towards the sconce atop the lighted pole. He will then attempt to have the Mage Hand smash it there.
Using his normal action, he will aim and fire his hand crossbow at the closest chanter.
Dexterity/Sleigth of Hand-Check (vs Wisdom of casters, whether Mage Hand remains undetected): 26
Attack (Hand Crossbow): 19 Damage: 8
"I'm on it Fodd"
Ragnor moves towards the door until he can see what's going on outside. Once he spots the three casters outside Ragnor casts moonbeam on the centre of the casters, followed by Wild Shaping into a Brown Bear. I then use the rest of my movement to get as close as I can.
Each of them take 14 radiant damage or half on a CON13 saving throw
Corryn's Room:
Corryn, you can hear the sound of combat from nearby, seeming to come from both across the hall and somewhere below you. Fodd's voice, muffled by the stairs reaches you once more, as does as a powerful roar unlikely to have come from any Member of your party. Moving over to the window, you peer outside to see three menacing looking chanters gathered around a piece of parchment on a strange wooden stand atop which glows a single candle.
Releasing your owl familiar through the crack in the window, you settle yourself into a snipers position and begin lining up on the casters outside while laying a single, open flask of oil in the very crack you're aiming through.
In your mind, brief report from your owl's keen sight flicker across your consciousness telepathically. It reports slamming shutters and extinguished lights from the human nests in every direction, but no new rushing threats, at least for now and on this side of the building.
((Arcana Check Result of 4: Instinctively you attempt to glean what the casters below might be doing but you can't even begin to make head nor tail of it. It's certainly magic of some kind, but then there are probably concussed street-cats half a block away who could have surmised the same thing. Beyond that, given the distance and mismatch between your own style of magic and that being used below, you can tell nothing.))
Outdoors / Ground Floor (Visible to Corryn, Fodd, Ragnor):
Standing in their circle, one of their number bleeding from a javelin wound, the three robed figures continue reciting, not always smoothly from the parchment in front of them, occasionally throwing worried glances at the front door of the tavern. Whatever they're doing causes sparks of fire to erupt around them, flickering briefly in the in the night air before dissipating. The sparks grow in number with every word, swirling around the casters in a growing whirlwind of tiny points of flame.
Ragnor, ducking past where Fodd, Joviar and the heavily armored warrior are engaged in a battle of bruising blows and clashing shields, you run out into the night air, already invoking your connection with the natural world. Throwing your head back, you howl the cry of a forest wolf, infusing the sound with the solitary prayer to the moon of a mother far from her pack and cubs. Nature answers.
A beam of moonlight flashes down, illuminating the chanting casters and searing them with hard beams of blistering moonlight. Two manage to hunch down within their robes in time to avoid the worst of the burning light, but one is not so lucky and his skin visibly wilts and blackens, a scream interrupting his recitation.
Before the howl has finished echoing you are charging forward once more, falling on all fours as your body swells to mighty proportions. Brown fur erupts from your skin and your stride elongates, growing ponderous. Within heartbeats, what was a grumpy charging dwarf is now a lumbering brown bear, tearing toward the casting figures with maw ready to rip and tear.
Even as you charge however, your keen mind works, unaffected by the transformation. The magic before you is clearly evocation, flame from the appearance of it and the cadence of the words. The language used is strange however, as if a powerful invocation were dumbed down and elongated to allow its use by multiple lesser practitioners in an ungainly combat ritual. Whatever it is they're evoking, they are close to done. You estimate there can't be more than 10 seconds left before they have finally gathered and shaped enough power to unleash whatever it is they are calling forth.
Ella's Room (Ella, Horrence and Mika):
Ella, unarmoured and without your shield, you have nothing but dodging to call upon when the burly woman raises her mace and swings at you powerfully ((your armor class is 12 until you can grab your shield)). You manage to roll sideways and her first blow crashes into your pillow, raising an explosion of cheap fathers as the force of the strike simply bursts it apart ((7 to hit against AC 12)). Unfortunately, your roll leaves you nowhere to go and her second strike is unnerving, crashing into the side your head with force you barely mitigate. Your head rings and agony fills your senses as your brain rattles within your skull, consciousness threatening to flee ((critical hit, 10 bludgeoning damage. Sorry :( )).
Seeing the feather cloaked figure, clearly some kind of leader, standing immobile, the second heavily muscled entrant charges into the room through the window but freezes in indecision. He positioned himself, mace upraised between the still paralyzed leader and both Mika and Horrence, attempting to keep eyes on both at the same time and menacing each with the short-hafted axe he draws from behind his belt.
That figure meanwhile, eyes closed in deep concentration begins to twitch, then slowly move. One finger, then another vibrates slightly and then lifts, and slowly, inch by inch, movement returns to him as he throws off his paralysis ((16+4=20 against DC 13)).
Mika, pressed desperately against the wall and appearing terrified out of her wits extends a hand toward the guard menacing her. From somewhere in her pocket she pulls a small, fire blackened twig and waves it repeatedly in his direction.
"Stay back! I'm warning you! Not one step closer!"
The guard only smirks, twirling his axe in a lazy arc and licking his lips, as if calculating whether he can sink it into the young woman before Horrence can stop him or assault his leader, whose movement is only gradually returning.
Mika points the twig directly at him and screams in a language that seems to drip hidden meanings and dark promise. Her hair explodes outward, standing on end and her entire body spasms as purest chain lightning runs up her body, coruscating around her for a heartbeat before leaping along the twig to slam into the fight before her. He attempts to dodge out of the way, but his momentary distraction as he once again glances at Horrence delays him the critical amount and he reels in agony as electricity sears him, attempting to burn him alive. A chain of crackling, flickering lightning hangs in the air, connecting the screaming warrior to the screaming girl, the harsh smell of ozone and burning flesh assaulting your nostrils.
Ella, you are on the bed reeling from the latest blow and with a thug menacing you with a mace. Horrence, you are watching this scene from the door. What do you each do?
Ground Floor (Fodd's perspective):
Regaining your feet and breathing hard, you (Fodd) lumber forward and engage the armored thug, shield to shield. His heavier barricade is an impenetrable wall for a moment, but you've been trained for exactly this kind of combat and drive your short-sword around it and into the man's side, your strength driving it through chainmail and into flesh.
In response, the now profusely bleeding man swings his warpick in desperate arcs. You see his clumsy downswing coming a mile off and angle your shoulder slightly, stepping on so that his elbow comes down on it, harmlessly deflecting the pick. The backswing however catches Joviar in the chest, the dragonkin's attempt to parry with the haft of his maul proving futile against the the long point of your opponent's weapon.
The blow opens up a ragged puncture wound on the old man's chest and sends him reeling back a step. He roars, raising his maul and swinging it in a mighty arc which nearly pulverizes the warrior, smashing him off his feet as it caves his entire breastbone in, shattering every vital organ. Joviar sways and falls to one knee, Elin and Griga emerging from where they were hiding to catch the man as he fell.
"We'll not let him bleed out, don't you worry."
Griga assures you.
Note: Letting upstairs catch up a bit, but next round of actions will be Corryn (already prepped) then some bad guys, then Ragnor. Then some more baddies and then Fodd's next turn.
Seeing Ella take a blow from the women, and realising they are outnumbered, Horrence will take from one of his many pockets a rectangular cube, about the size of a large matchbox, use his screwdriver to turn two small dials in it. He will then throw it onto the floor between himself and Ella (and Mika if she can fit) and use his action to create an [Tooltip Not Found] defender. The top of the cube will then open up and cast a shimmering light over himself and Ella (and again, Mike is he is within 10ft of it). This gives anyone within 10ft of it 5 plus your intelligence modifier temporary hit points.
He will then use his bonus action to reach into his pocket again, grab one of the screws he enchanted earlier and throw it at the woman standing over Ella. 21 to hit, 4 bludgeoning damage.
As he throws it he will shout "Quickly now- get away from her."
Confused by Horrence's shout, Ella will scrabble backwards, snatching up her shield and pressing back against the wall. In almost a mirror image of Mika, but shrouded in rippling rather than crackling light, she'll cast Shield of Faith on herself and brace herself against another attack, taking the dodge action.
Outside (Ragnor, Fodd and Corryn):
The three chanting figures have only a moment's warning before Ragnor bursts out of the door and howls, basking them in searing moonlight. Though two of them emerge with only slight burns, they are distracted for a critical second and when they look back it is with horror at the huge form of a charging brown bear rampaging toward them.
Could you roll a intimidation check please?
Ella's Room (Ella, Horrence and Mika):
Ella, your head still ringing you roll sideways across the bed, snatching up the shield and raising it to ward off the next series of blows even as you invoke a rippling light shield to further defend yourself.
Horrence, stepping into the room you activate your defensive contraption, waves of hardened air forming around Ella and Mika. You reach into a pocket and cast your enchanted screw directly at the woman menacing Ella. It accelerates to blurring speed, becoming a projectile in truth, but your target twists lithely out the way. The screw thuds into the wall, imbedding itself deep in the mortar between two bricks and leaving a blackened, smoking hole.
5
((Since this would now burn Ragnor, I'll just fire my crossbow).
Outside (Ragnor, Fodd and Corryn):
Ragnor, you let out what you hoped would be a terrifying roar, but ends up more of a gargled high pitch scream as your throat is still morphing from human to ursine. The robed figures before you look shaken but do not panic and flee. One reaches for the parchment, only to spin sideways as a crossbow bolt from Corryn hiding in a darkened upper floor window slams into his shoulder ((sneak attack damage calculation: 7)).
A second cultist grabs the parchment instead and all three, now bearing wounds of various severity split up and scatter, creating about 10 feet of space between them as they arrange themselves in a rough triangle. The one furthest from you, still holding the parchment continues chanting, the fiery sparks gradually following him to once again envelop him as he struggles to maintain the ritual. He's clearly struggling, both from wounds and lack of experience and as the words tumble out of him with broken cadence and flawed pronunciation the sparks grow more chaotic, zipping faster and more randomly instead of in the graceful swirls from before.
Those on opposite sides, casting concerned glances on his direction raise their hands and intone far lesser magics in an effort to ward you off. Ice suddenly forms around you, attempting to rob your skin of all warmth even through the thick fur of your wildshaped hide. At the same time, your mind is assailed by the unexplainable urge to laugh hysterically, the sight before you becoming, without warning, so unbearably hilarious that you must fight to stop immediately collapsing to the ground in gales of laughter.
Mandatory Rolls:
Constitution Saving Throw
Wisdom Saving Throw
Optional Rolls:
Arcana Check to identify the spells.
Ella and Mika's Room (Ella and Horrence):
The woman harassing you, Ella, with her mace snarls at your defenses spring up one after another. You snatch up your shield of steel and evoke another of pure faith, even as Horrence's device layers protection over you. Despite your defensive posture she steps in, attempting to bludgeon you into submission through it all. She raises her mace and pounds directly downward in vicious hammer-blows. As the mace descends, the layers of manifested faith around you seem to coalesce around the weapon, slowing its descent just enough to let you get your shield into place beneath it and rob it of momentum ((2 attacks with disadvantage 24/12 & 20/11 against your buffed AC of 15)). The woman snarls in frustration, seemingly determined to batter you into the dust however long it takes.
The second thug, reeling from the searing chain of lightning still boring into his side from Mika's outstretched fingertips stumbles forward and raises his axe to menace the terrified girl. His first blow strikes her on the thigh and would have virtually severed the limb has Horrence's arcane protection not cushioned more than half the blow. Shocked at the inefficacy of his strike, he fumbles the second and Mika barely dodges out of the way, the axe passing within inches of her face.
Desperately, she pushes her hand forward, the arc of lightning connecting her to her attacker flaring once more as it bores into him with relentless electrical force. He screams in agony, ozone crackling around him as he fights to stay on his feet in the face of this onslaught.
His struggles and the flailing waves of his axe largely screen Mika from the now fully recovered figure in the feather cloak. A flicker of annoyance crosses over the man's impassive features as he attempts to dodge past his companion to assault Mika directly, but ultimately gives up. Instead, he turns and lightning fast throws himself at Horrence in a series of punishing bare-armed blows. You're not sure how but you manage to dodge the first blow, ducking as the vicious left hook sails over your head only to catch a perfectly executed knee directly to the chin as the man flawlessly adjusts to your knee position (13 and 22 against AC 14, you take 8 bludgeoning damage).
Next turns will be:
Outside: Ragnor (resolve saves first) and Fodd (may want to see what Ragnor does)
Upstairs: Ella, Horrence and Corryn (all hold up a second, letting downstairs catch up)
Con: 15
Wis: 4
Arcana: 19
-----
Ragnor charges towards the one holding the scroll and attacks, first with his claws: 23 (7 damage). He follows that up with his claws 7 (12 damage).
Note: If first hit kills the scroll guy then try to use the claws on second target. I positioned myself on the side of the scroll guy closest to the other enemy to try and get between them.
Outside (Ragnor and Fodd):
Ragnor, the spells hit you mid-stride. The cold hits first and your heavily furred, muscular ursine form struggles through it even as some part of your detached, clinical mind registers the assault as the Frostbite evocation. Thankfully, the slight freezing power the hedge wizard before you can muster is no match for your wildshaped constitution and you readily throw off the chill.
Unfortunately, you're so focused on maintaining your physical defenses that you neglect the mental. The magical attack lands and you find yourself suddenly [status]prone[/status] and [status]incapacitated[/status], howling with cackles as Tasha's Hideous Laughter holds you in its grip.
Roll another wisdom saving throw to try and break out of it at the end of each of your turns (including now).
Fodd, from up above you hear the sound of combat while via the front door, you see Ragnor charge out, blast the casters with a beam of moonlight and then fall helplessly prone, trapped in some sort of laughter inducing, paralytic enchantment. Joviar slumps nearby, exerted beyond much use with Griga and Elin looking frantic standing over him. What do you do?
Upstairs - Corryn's Room
Corryn, from your vantage point you see the three wounded casters retreat. One continues casting from the scroll, while two more unleash spells on the onrushing Ragnor. He seems to throw off an ice-enchantment successfully before some other, dark mental force grips him and knocks him prone, collapsed in a fit of twisted, ugly laughter. What do you do?
Upstairs - Ella's Room
Ella, you have succcesfully warded off the thugs attacks but she's still coming on. Behind her, Mika looks to be barely hanging on even as she rakes the thug menacing her with the arc of lighting flowing from her fingers. In the doorway, a now wounded Horrence is taking a battering from the lightning fast unarmed blows of the raids apparent leader. What do you do?
Horrence, your head rings and your nose feels like it may have been broken. Your vision is filled with the flashing, swirling form of a feathered cloak and the blurring fists that come flying out of it at your face. What do you do?
Ella’s gaze takes in the Professor’s diminutive form, this sad, sweet old man bleeding and stunned by a torrent of blows. It switches to Mika, the girl not much younger than herself, overwhelmed by power and fear and by unwarranted threats in the night, a girl she’d promised to protect. And she stands up on the bed, gaining height on her brutish attacker, glowing with unearthly light and clutching it and her shield to her body.
”Enough!” Healing energy bursts forth from her, to Horrence, to Mika, imbuing them all with extra hit points through channel divinity (2 for herself, 5 for Horrence, 8 for Mika). But it doesn’t stop pouring from her from her with the healing. Instead it pools into her empty right hand, stretching and solidifying to form the shape of a moonbow-headed axe as she casts Spiritual Weapon. “You won’t have her. And you won’t take him with you.” And she brings her axe down on her attacker. 10 to attack, 6 damage if it hits.
Fodd is unable to leave the old man bleeding without at least providing some comfort, he kneels, laying his hands on Joviar (healing 10hp). With tears pricking his eyes he stands: "Look after Mr Joviar" - then turns a runs through the front door towards where Ragnor lies (all the way to him if he has enough movement, and an Arcana check if I'm allowed, to see if I can determine what is afflicting him: (14)
Corryn takes aim and fires at the caster still casting from the scroll.
Attack: 23 Damage: 6
If this is still sneak attack (+2d6): 5
((Just keeping track of bolts: -2))
Outside (Fodd and Ragnor, plus Corryn's overwatch):
Fodd, you lay your hands briefly on Joviar and close his minor wound. Your youthful figure is somewhat transferred through the healing, and some color returns to Joviar's cheek as the unquenchable spark of your enthusiasm seeps into him. Seeing this, you release him into Elin and Griga's care and run past the body of the slain armored thug and out into the night. Just ahead, you see the bizarre sight of Ragnor in bear form, prostrate upon the ground and laughing hysterically, the sound strange and grating coming from an ursine throat not built for such levity.
Though not a magician by any means, you do recognize this enchantment in its broadest terms. A laughing curse, that incapacitates its victim until they can throw it off. You seem to recall that pain helps the victim break the curse.
As you stand over the bear, a whisper of displaced air causes you to whirl around. A quarrel from somewhere above seems to materialize, directly in the forehead of the chanting caster and the sparks that surround him. ((Corryn, your sneak attack was also doubled for a total of 22+4 damage, so he is very, super, incredibly, double dead)). The sparks go wild, swirling in an ever-rising pillar before falling upon the now dead caster, feasting on his flesh in a brief but raging inferno.
Fodd earnestly kneels by Ragnor, ignoring the hideous death happening around him. "I'm sorry Mr Fireforge!" he says before grabbing a fistful of the bears' head-fur and slapping his other meaty hand onto the bear's laughing snout, as if he was swatting a badly behaved dog with a newspaper. "Boop" he whispers, reverently, as he provides his healing touch. (18 to hit, unarmed, for 4 damage)