"Then again, these things may be more trouble than they're worth," Raqisat says as he looks inside of one of the tents and fruitlessly tries to scoop or sweep out the buildup of sand inside.  He can't help but wonder if they'd ever be able to fully empty the things of the grit... "Anyway, we'll know where to find if we need them.  If nobody else has stumbled upon them in this long I suppose they'll be safe here for a while."

After concluding his search of the tents Aubrey sighs. He had hoped to find some clue to why the Red Band had had a presence here in Amnifortis, quite a large team too judging by the many tents. The lack of clues suggested the place had been looted, maybe by the Burning Knight's or the Wererat clan, or possibly the Red Band team had departed in a hurry and simply left their tents behind. The young noble then sends his weird ethereal familiar to explore the upper parts of the Praetorioum Magisterium.

Furvus
Perception: 14
Investigation: 20

Aubrey:

"We have dozens of small, aberrations upstairs moving toward the rear staircase. Let's form up in battle positions where we can bottle them up and take them out. If we can take one alive for Leelan to take a closer look at then all the better." Aubrey calls out to the team, motioning for them to gather.


(Aubrey would want a quick report from Furvus on the speed of these aberrations and a place where they can be bottled up and struck by AoE magic. Also, can we have a map? :-)

     Raqisat grabs up his weapons and runs into position, gently moving Leelan aside so Raqisat can place himself between the Gnome and whatever this oncoming danger may be.  "Tentacles?" He calls out as he moves, surprised.  "Isn't that usually a water thing?"  He tried to recall any land based tentacle things but wasn't having much success.  But then again, this was a place of abominations so maybe he shouldn't be surprised.

     Radiant Whip in one hand, scimitar in the other, Raqisat gets to the front and then holds, waiting for everyone else to be ready before he push forward at all...

Leelan is up on the steps.  Everyone else is near the tents or entrance.  You don't have much time (2 rounds worth of time to get in position or prepare).

((Well Raq is getting as close to the steps as he can then... Same plan as posted above, even if he can't get it all done.))

Grugga moves to the staircase opposite of Raqisat and prepares to throw a faerie fire at the stairs once he sees 6 or more creatures coming down the stairs. He'll throw his faerie fire device at the back end of the pack to hopefully hit more creatures out of sight further up the staircase.

With the threat of danger revealed by Aubrey’s familiar, the party begins to take position to receive the unknown enemy. With Raqisat coming in to support Leelan, the gnome decides to step a few feet further away from the staircase, after giving the swordsman a little extra magical protection. His nocks an arrow, ready to shoot if the hostilities begin.

(Casting protection from evil and good on Raqisat)

Cosette prepares her weapons. She slinks back to put distance between her and the incoming enemies, and into cover by one of the pillars. Depending on how the initial engagement unfolds, she’d decide whether to expend her magic reserves or not. A grouping of enemies could call for a shatter, where a bottlenecking of enemies calls for picking them off.

Aubrey too finds cover behind one of the pillars, ready to open a dark gate for the tentacled aberrations.

The party hurries to get in position.  The scratching and shuffling noises Leelan had heard near the stairs, grow louder.  Mixed in are mewling, plaintive squeals, a bit like a hungry alley cat... yet also wholly alien and unlike any natural creature at the same time.  

As the sounds intensify, Aubrey gets an update from Furvus, somewhere up above.

 Then they emerge, two from the stairs near Raq and three from the stairs near Grugga.  Behind them, you can hear the sound of more approaching down from the upper levels.  These aberrations look almost like distorted goblins.  They appear as small, hunched creatures - about the size of Leelan -  with spindly, emaciated bodies.   Their skin is pale and mottled in shades of grey and green.  Their elongated, rubbery limbs end in sharp, claw-like digits, splayed out like 5-pointed stars.  They evoke the look of starfish, or a frightening mockery of octopus tentacles.  The creatures' large, bulbous eyes gleam with a predatory intelligence, and their mouths are filled with rows of needle-like teeth. They move with an eerie grace and swiftness, their sinewy limbs holding the small body aloft, like a spider.

Seeing you out in the open, the creatures howl, a sound echoed from those above and behind them.  Their already swift movement lurches into a speedy attack.

Round 1:

1. The party (dice order is Leelan/Cosette/Raqisat/Grugga/Aubrey but you all go before the monsters)
2. Chokers

[Leelan cast protection on Raq and is maintaining concentration.  Players can go ahead and cast the spells they mentioned in their pre-fight prep, or take other actions as they see fit.  You're not supposed to be able to ready an action before combat, though I think we have been playing fast and loose with that rule.  In this case, Grugga wouldn't cast the spell since he doesn't see 6 or more creatures.]

     "Here we go... Heads up everyone!" Raqisat calls out and charges up the stairs towards the creatures.  Pulling his weapons out, he strides up the center of the stairs with the goal of trying to be a one man logjam... At least on this side.  As he climbs he feels the weapons figuratively come alive in his hands, singing almost... wanting to strike out and maim and kill those who defy them.  (Rage...)  If he can get into melee range (not sure if each hex is 5 feet or not?) then he strikes out with his whip at the closes Choker...

Radiant Whip attack:  15 to hit for 5 damage

Having done it's duty, Furvus ascends to keep an eye on any reinforcements that might arrive.

Aubrey focuses his attention on the left set of stairs, calling upon the powers of his talisman, making a quick mystic pattern in the air with his fingers while touching his talisman with the other hand, uttering mystic mindwracking words. It takes a brief moment, and then, up the stairs a dark gateway to an unspeakable dimension suddenly opens up, a cold void with otherworldly tentacles reaching out for the aberrations, calling them home.

(Casting HuNgEr oF hAdAr, 20-foot-radius, centered so that it just encompasses the bottom of the stairs but also some of the area the abrerrations are emerging from.)

The young noble then prudently steps out of sight behind the massive pillar, concentration on keeping the dark portal open.

Cosette's eyes trace their approaching enemies, focused on familiarizing herself with the way they moved and calculating her options. It takes a moment, but she eventually realizes that perhaps she should take a position up front to help share the burden with Grugga. He had sustained a lot of damage last fight, and despite the rest that healed some of it, she still found herself holding concern for him. "We got yer back Grugga." Cos calls out cocking her crossbow. Looking down the sights she'd target the left this round, prioritizing the most damaged foe should there be one by the time she fires, or the closest to Grugga.

Attack: 22 Damage: 11
BA: Bardic Inspiration on Grugga (1d8)

Leelan attempts to get an angle on the chokers in melee with Raqisat. He marks one as his prey and fires two arrows at it.

Bonus action: Slayer’s Prey on one of the chokers near Raqisat

Action: 

Attack 1: 21 Damage: 5

Attack 2: 24 Damage: 8

Slayer’s Prey bonus damage on the first attack that hits:4

Not seeing the onslaught he was expecting, Grugga stows his crystal for now and draws his sword one-handed.

As his allies work their magic, he sees his role in this fight as the barricade for the left staircase. He stands guard just out of reach of the Hunger of Hadar and prepares himself to avoid a hundred tiny tentacle attacks.

Action: Dodge

He nods and smiles at Cosette in appreciation for the support. "Thanks, Cos. I always feel better with you at our backs."

((preparing to cast shield if I get attacked a lot)).

While he awaits the inevitable little monster charge, he can't help but glance into the tear in reality caused by Aubrey's amulet. The Vrocks called him a "breachweaver:... 'what kind of magic is this?' he wonders.

A portal of unfathomable cold and darkness appears, obscuring the west stairway from sight.  From within, you can hear echoing howls of pain and confusion from the aberrations lost inside.  

Raqisat snaps his whip, but the nearest aberration ducks out of the way.

It isn't so lucky when Cosette and Leelan release their bolts and arrows. When they are finishes, one of the two on Raqisat's stairwell is dead, and the remaining monster looks badly hurt.  

This remaining aberration locks its bulbous eyes onto Raqisat.  It lashes out with both of its tentacles arms, which end in wide paws covered in spiked suckers.

• Tentacle Attack 1:  7
• Tentacle Attack 2:  6

It hisses in frustration as the magical protection maintained by Leelan prevents it from getting a grip on the Barbarian/Rogue/Fighter/...Bard maybe?

But it isn't done.

• Aberrant Quickness (Recharges after a Short or Long Rest). The choker can take an extra action on its turn.

It lashes out again, making two more attacks with its tentacles.

• Tentacle Attack 1:  9
• Tentacle Attack 2:  19  Piercing Damage:  6    If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained, and the choker can’t use this tentacle on another target. The choker has two tentacles. If this attack is a critical hit, the target also can’t breathe or speak until the grapple ends.

Grasping Raqisat, it backpedals up the wall 10', dragging Raqisat behind it.  From over his shoulder, Raqisat can hear what sounds like... a lot... more creatures coming down the main stairwell.

[Creature is now up on the wall.  Raqisat is still on the stairs, pulled close to the edge.  Creature has 10' reach so there is a gap between them.]

Aubrey:

Round 2

1. The party 
2. Chokers