Tyreus notices Marlyth lift the lid in his grandmother's grave. "Maybe not adventurers after all? Just more common grave robbers?" Well as you can see, there's little enough of value in there."
Marlyth peers inside the EMPTY sarcophagus.
"My grandmother never made her way back to these moors as she'd planned. What she ever saw in the man she laid to rest here, I'll never know." Tyreus concludes. "Nevertheless, you've demonstrated skill enough to serve me in some capacity.
Angus had been in room 10, and seeing Marlyth and Calneon reacting in fear, had unsheathed his sword and cautiously followed into chamber 11. When he realizes who Tyreus actually is, he takes a defensive stance, remembering that it was he who unleashed the shadow beast that almost took Angus' life on the island plane.
"Wizard!"he calls, "You have much evil to answer for. Will you surrender peaceably?"
Tyreus' creepy smile stretches broadly across his face. "You have just entered my grsndparents' tomb and tell me I have much to answer for? What must I answer for? Please, tell me what you have come here to hold me to account for? You know nothing of my deeds. Your primitive world will be the perfect foundation for my new world. A new day will dawn on these forgotten realms, and that day belongs to me."
"Your deeds include the murder of the usagt Seero, along with the attempted murder of the wizard Malivar and the unlawful imprisonment of Morwena. In addition you have summoned and unleashed savage creatures upon the various planes, including the Shadow Horror and the fire elemental on the Moors. You are plotting the conquest of the free peoples of Faerun. For these acts, and for others, you must answer."
Marlyth fails to conceal a faint hint of blush on both of her cheeks after receiving the compliment from Tyreus, and with renewed vigor she will attempt to lift the lid of the sarcophagus that belongs to Waltarn, most likely she's trying to impress Tyreus by the exhibition of her newly discovered skill that features the use of minimal amount of force and efficiency to remove ancient sarcophagi covers.
"What happened to your Grandmother? Is she still alive?"
Within his tomb lay the remains of a human, buried in the traditional garments of a man of Secomber. The hues of the fabric have faded to Grey and brown, but the pattern suggests a theme of leaves and trees.
"He was a weak man, and a simpleton. He and his family didn’t want him brought back to life after he was slain." Tyreus explains of his grandfather. "Cowards," he spits, “What a lackof vision.”
At the accusations of Angus, Tyreus smirks, "Those who serve me have earned the honor of dying in the name of the world I will create. The noblest fate they could dare aspire to. Now! You shall see the dawn of a new world. I have found at last the keystones of creation my grandmother left here. With them, I will create for myself a place worthy of the followers I deserve."
Snyone in room 10 or 11, Make a perception check and roll initiative. DC20 to spot the pair of 'tenebrous' assassins hiding in the shadow, creeping up on you as you're distracted by Tyreus' speech (Intended as a distraction, conferring disadvantage on the perception check). Failure means you're surprised in the first round.
(These are a variant. That's why I didn't tooltip 'assasins'. This is a callback to older editions tenebrous creatures, predominantly the worm that becomes a venomous moth. Found deep in underground warrens beneath Ravnica. They have pebbly, gray, hairless skin, no mouths, and no capacity for speech. They do not require food or drink but do breathe and sleep. If slain, they dissolve into smoke, leaving behind )
<just to be sure, is Marlyrh a humanoid or a jaculi at the moment? I thought it was the former, but I wanted to verify without reading every post from the last week.>
Re: surprise. In 5e uts a condition, not a round. J Craw explained in detail (emphasis mine):
"To be surprised, you must be caught off guard, usually because you failed to notice foes being stealthy or you were startled by an enemy with a special ability, such as the gelatinous cube’s Transparent trait, that makes it exceptionally surprising. You can be surprised even if your companions aren’t, and you aren’t surprised if even one of your foes fails to catch you unawares."
"If anyone is surprised, no actions are taken yet. First, initiative is rolled as normal. Then, the first round of combat starts, and the unsurprised combatants act in initiative order. A surprised creature can’t move or take an action or a reaction until its first turn ends (remember that being unable to take an action also means you can’t take a bonus action). In effect, a surprised creature skips its first turn in a fight. Once that turn ends, the creature is no longer surprised."
"In short, activity in a combat is always ordered by initiative, whether or not someone is surprised, and after the first round of combat has passed, surprise is no longer a factor. You can still try to hide from your foes and gain the benefits conferred by being hidden, but you don’t deprive your foes of their turns when you do so."
Based in thus explanation, the assassins who are aware of the encroachment of the party are not surprised, but everyone having failed the very high bar to spot these creatures, the party in its entirety is surprised. (Unless someone else hasn't rolled yet. I think we got everyone in the room)
Re: surprise. In 5e uts a condition, not a round. J Craw explained in detail (emphasis mine):
"To be surprised, you must be caught off guard, usually because you failed to notice foes being stealthy or you were startled by an enemy with a special ability, such as the gelatinous cube’s Transparent trait, that makes it exceptionally surprising. You can be surprised even if your companions aren’t, and you aren’t surprised if even one of your foes fails to catch you unawares."
(So, what I think you're saying is that the assassins are not surprised by Tabaqui because they detect some of his party members, even though he remains hidden. However, wouldn't this also mean that our party is not surprised, because while we do not detect the assassins, we can clearly see Tyreus (who is one of our foes) right in front of us? While we might not have been expecting to be attacked from the shadows, we were still prepared for an attack from Tyreus. Or alternatively, everyone is surprised, our party by the assassins, Tyreus and the assassins by Tabaqui.)
(Yeah, I mean while Angus did not notice the tenebrous assassins, he was clearly preparing for combat with Tyreus, so not just caught flat-footed and unaware.)
Re: surprise. In 5e uts a condition, not a round. J Craw explained in detail (emphasis mine):
"To be surprised, you must be caught off guard, usually because you failed to notice foes being stealthy or you were startled by an enemy with a special ability, such as the gelatinous cube’s Transparent trait, that makes it exceptionally surprising. You can be surprised even if your companions aren’t, and you aren’t surprised if even one of your foes fails to catch you unawares."
(So, what I think you're saying is that the assassins are not surprised by Tabaqui because they detect some of his party members, even though he remains hidden. However, wouldn't this also mean that our party is not surprised, because while we do not detect the assassins, we can clearly see Tyreus (who is one of our foes) right in front of us? While we might not have been expecting to be attacked from the shadows, we were still prepared for an attack from Tyreus. Or alternatively, everyone is surprised, our party by the assassins, Tyreus and the assassins by Tabaqui.)
< I anticipated this response. I could consider them as 2 waves of enemies. That's not why though. You'll see. Realistically, it works out though here because Tabaqui doesn't see them and they don't see him, so neither attacks the other. That makes sense in this instance. I'm not sure the system always works, but it does here.>
The assassin creeps up behind Angus, poincing like a loaded spring and slashing with his blade. From the shadows, another tenebrous assassin takes aim at Marlyth with his crossbow, sending a bolt flying through the damp air.
Sorry. I messed that up. There's supposed to be another 6 piercing vs. Angus and 1 piercing vs Marlyth.
Then there's the 3 will o' wisps. The one was here the whole time and the other 2 came back quite some time ago, passing easily and invisibly through walls to arrive here. They all attack Marlyth, reappearing as they do so.
If anyone falls to 0hp the WoWs all use a bonus action to consume life, whereupon the target must make a DC10 Con save (So, 3 total) or it dies; the successful WoW regaining 17 hp.
Tyreus notices Marlyth lift the lid in his grandmother's grave. "Maybe not adventurers after all? Just more common grave robbers?" Well as you can see, there's little enough of value in there."
Marlyth peers inside the EMPTY sarcophagus.
"My grandmother never made her way back to these moors as she'd planned. What she ever saw in the man she laid to rest here, I'll never know." Tyreus concludes. "Nevertheless, you've demonstrated skill enough to serve me in some capacity.
Angus had been in room 10, and seeing Marlyth and Calneon reacting in fear, had unsheathed his sword and cautiously followed into chamber 11. When he realizes who Tyreus actually is, he takes a defensive stance, remembering that it was he who unleashed the shadow beast that almost took Angus' life on the island plane.
"Wizard!" he calls, "You have much evil to answer for. Will you surrender peaceably?"
Tyreus' creepy smile stretches broadly across his face. "You have just entered my grsndparents' tomb and tell me I have much to answer for? What must I answer for? Please, tell me what you have come here to hold me to account for? You know nothing of my deeds. Your primitive world will be the perfect foundation for my new world. A new day will dawn on these forgotten realms, and that day belongs to me."
"Your deeds include the murder of the usagt Seero, along with the attempted murder of the wizard Malivar and the unlawful imprisonment of Morwena. In addition you have summoned and unleashed savage creatures upon the various planes, including the Shadow Horror and the fire elemental on the Moors. You are plotting the conquest of the free peoples of Faerun. For these acts, and for others, you must answer."
Marlyth fails to conceal a faint hint of blush on both of her cheeks after receiving the compliment from Tyreus, and with renewed vigor she will attempt to lift the lid of the sarcophagus that belongs to Waltarn, most likely she's trying to impress Tyreus by the exhibition of her newly discovered skill that features the use of minimal amount of force and efficiency to remove ancient sarcophagi covers.
"What happened to your Grandmother? Is she still alive?"
Dexterity: Sleight of Hand 17
InkedBee (Undead_Analyst)
Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts - Jenviel Tsumara: Fallen Aasimar- Monk|Crimson Sands of Time - Navarra Iltazyara: Human- Druid/Warlock| Bleak Prospect - Ermasnietsz: Reborn- Clockwork Soul Sorcerer
Calner joins the others in the burial chamber.
Within his tomb lay the remains of a human, buried in the traditional garments of a man of Secomber. The hues of the fabric have faded to Grey and brown, but the pattern suggests a theme of leaves and trees.
"He was a weak man, and a simpleton. He and his family didn’t want him brought back to life after he was slain." Tyreus explains of his grandfather. "Cowards," he spits, “What a lackof vision.”
At the accusations of Angus, Tyreus smirks, "Those who serve me have earned the honor of dying in the name of the world I will create. The noblest fate they could dare aspire to. Now! You shall see the dawn of a new world. I have found at last the keystones of creation my grandmother left here. With them, I will create for myself a place worthy of the followers I deserve."
Snyone in room 10 or 11, Make a perception check and roll initiative. DC20 to spot the pair of 'tenebrous' assassins hiding in the shadow, creeping up on you as you're distracted by Tyreus' speech (Intended as a distraction, conferring disadvantage on the perception check). Failure means you're surprised in the first round.
(These are a variant. That's why I didn't tooltip 'assasins'. This is a callback to older editions tenebrous creatures, predominantly the worm that becomes a venomous moth. Found deep in underground warrens beneath Ravnica. They have pebbly, gray, hairless skin, no mouths, and no capacity for speech. They do not require food or drink but do breathe and sleep. If slain, they dissolve into smoke, leaving behind )
<just to be sure, is Marlyrh a humanoid or a jaculi at the moment? I thought it was the former, but I wanted to verify without reading every post from the last week.>
(Marlyth is in humanoid form, did she get a long/short rest? @Wile_E_Coyote)
Marlyth: Perception 17
Initiative 13
InkedBee (Undead_Analyst)
Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts - Jenviel Tsumara: Fallen Aasimar- Monk|Crimson Sands of Time - Navarra Iltazyara: Human- Druid/Warlock| Bleak Prospect - Ermasnietsz: Reborn- Clockwork Soul Sorcerer
Angus
Perception (are we rolling at disadvantage?) 19
Initiative 7
(Just a reminder that Tabaqui stealthed in, so he may still be hidden to both the assassins and Tyreus, and therefore may get his own surprise round)
Perception 8 (DA)
Initiative 7
The group voted on a long rest. So unless she spent more than 2 hours moving vigorously about the tomb, she got her long rest.
Re: surprise. In 5e uts a condition, not a round. J Craw explained in detail (emphasis mine):
"To be surprised, you must be caught off guard, usually because you failed to notice foes being stealthy or you were startled by an enemy with a special ability, such as the gelatinous cube’s Transparent trait, that makes it exceptionally surprising. You can be surprised even if your companions aren’t, and you aren’t surprised if even one of your foes fails to catch you unawares."
"If anyone is surprised, no actions are taken yet. First, initiative is rolled as normal. Then, the first round of combat starts, and the unsurprised combatants act in initiative order. A surprised creature can’t move or take an action or a reaction until its first turn ends (remember that being unable to take an action also means you can’t take a bonus action). In effect, a surprised creature skips its first turn in a fight. Once that turn ends, the creature is no longer surprised."
"In short, activity in a combat is always ordered by initiative, whether or not someone is surprised, and after the first round of combat has passed, surprise is no longer a factor. You can still try to hide from your foes and gain the benefits conferred by being hidden, but you don’t deprive your foes of their turns when you do so."
Based in thus explanation, the assassins who are aware of the encroachment of the party are not surprised, but everyone having failed the very high bar to spot these creatures, the party in its entirety is surprised. (Unless someone else hasn't rolled yet. I think we got everyone in the room)
(So, what I think you're saying is that the assassins are not surprised by Tabaqui because they detect some of his party members, even though he remains hidden. However, wouldn't this also mean that our party is not surprised, because while we do not detect the assassins, we can clearly see Tyreus (who is one of our foes) right in front of us? While we might not have been expecting to be attacked from the shadows, we were still prepared for an attack from Tyreus. Or alternatively, everyone is surprised, our party by the assassins, Tyreus and the assassins by Tabaqui.)
(Yeah, I mean while Angus did not notice the tenebrous assassins, he was clearly preparing for combat with Tyreus, so not just caught flat-footed and unaware.)
< I anticipated this response. I could consider them as 2 waves of enemies. That's not why though. You'll see. Realistically, it works out though here because Tabaqui doesn't see them and they don't see him, so neither attacks the other. That makes sense in this instance. I'm not sure the system always works, but it does here.>
The assassin creeps up behind Angus, poincing like a loaded spring and slashing with his blade. From the shadows, another tenebrous assassin takes aim at Marlyth with his crossbow, sending a bolt flying through the damp air.
TA1xM 24
Damage 11 and Sneak attack 33 and
DC 15 Con save or 33 poison
TA2xA 20
Damage 9 and Sneak attack 30 and
DC 15 Con save or 13 poison
Tabaqui circles behind Tyreus and stabs him in the back with his rapier.
Rapier attack (advantage due to surprise and Assassinate ability, extra advantage die due to Elven Accuracy): 26 24 29
Any hit is automatically a critical hit (Assassinate ability): 14 rapier (piercing) and 44 sneak attack (piercing).
Sorry. I messed that up. There's supposed to be another 6 piercing vs. Angus and 1 piercing vs Marlyth.
Then there's the 3 will o' wisps. The one was here the whole time and the other 2 came back quite some time ago, passing easily and invisibly through walls to arrive here. They all attack Marlyth, reappearing as they do so.
W1 21 for 12
W2 21 for 6
W3 19 for 3
Lightning damage
If anyone falls to 0hp the WoWs all use a bonus action to consume life, whereupon the target must make a DC10 Con save (So, 3 total) or it dies; the successful WoW regaining 17 hp.
Oh, yeah. Initiative. All monsters: 20
Tabaqui's blade passes entirely through the ephemeral Tyreus as he roars with laughter, echoing through the tomb as he vanishes in a puff of smoke.
Tabaqui 19
Monsters 15
Angus 7
Calner 7
Marlyth 6
The monsters are up, but I think I'll wait for saving throws from Marlyth and Angus.
Owlbear.rodeo
https://www.owlbear.rodeo/game/P9puJJ_v7
Forgot to add WoWs, they're between Marlyrh and Angus. The yellow circle is the brass teleportation circle where the project image was manifest.