The bard’s actions unfold as planned. When he reappears from the fey wild, Benita blinks up at him.
“I thought I was a goner. But I kept hearing the sound of your violin playing, like a dream, and it… it’s hard to describe… it kept me close. Thank you.”
Granophye, meanwhile, has, while invoking an arcane phrase, thrown his sliver rod to land with a thunk in the ground beside Xurl. Thin, steadying supports spider out from it all around, and then a beam of force shoots upward, slowing one of the huge falling branches. The other branch deflects off of the first and crashes down across the neck of one of the hyenas, killing it as its rider is thrown off to one side. But the first branch slows, giving Xurl a few extra moments. He blinks to consciousness, springs muscularly to his feet, and with a brawny shoulder, deflects the heavy branch to land beside him rather than on him. The other orcs cheer as their leader rises, a fearsome yell. Xurl shouts questions at the Hands, who bark back answers, pointing overhead, to the acrid steam, to Benita, Snow, and Granophyre, then to Varielky and Auger in absentia
The rank mist rolls over the edge of the cleft, as, from a roc rider straight above, a beam of force smashes down, cracking into one of the hyenas, which yelps in pain, before the roc continues on out of view.
At intervals, arrows zip upwards from orc archers as they take pot shots from behind cover.
Despite the tree roots, Auger dashes through the darkness. He finds no limit to the spell’s area of effect, and worse, while running, trips over an unseen tree root and faceplants, slamming to the ground, sliding on gravel and suffering 4HP slashing damage. His face feels raw. His diadem falls off and rolls. Scrabbling around (and using his bonus action), he can find the diadem and replace it on his head. His hands come away feeling sticky with blood after touching his face.
The warlock’s arcane intuition supplies an answer to the riddle. The darkness spell must be centered on him, on Auger.
(OOC: I rolled to see how great a threat the terrain would pose and rolled a nat 20.)
Varielky, meanwhile, hears Auger moving away and sees the darkness diminish around her, revealing the gynosphinx close at hand. Its sandstone cat’s eyes flare with yellow electricity before the guardian explodes into black smoke (OOC: Legendary action - teleport) which then streams after Auger into the darkness which surrounds the warlock.
Auger then feels the unseen presence of the gynosphinx solidifying immediately behind him.
Round 2.
It is Varielky’s turn. The edge of the darkness is now 50’ from her and she hears but cannot see Auger and the gynosphinx within the inky blackness.
Snow meets Benita's gaze and his cheeks flush a little unbidden as his hand scratches the back of his head.
"You're..um..welcome", he says and then snaps himself out of whatever was happening to him.
"A lot has happened since you succumbed to the poison. First though, are you ok? Is the baby ok?", he asks, searching her face for signs of aging.
"There was a creature that could bend time who was guarding this place, and Auger and Varielky went to fight it so we could save you", he says quickly. "I am younger it seems, and Auger was older before he disappeared".
"And there is still the matter of Xurl. He wants to take you, I assume you don't want that? And the Imperials are here, not for us though I don't think, for Xurl and his men maybe. Or the entrance to the Core perhaps", his speech is a lot faster and more urgent than usual. His usually considered way of speaking now gone.
"We should hide", he says finally, looking around for a safe spot.
Varielky immediately begins chasing after the smoke. Into the darkness? Not favourable, but she cannot just wait until the guardian comes out. Especially, noting that she cannot spot Auger while running. Therefore, he must either be inside the sphere of darkness, or behind it. But Varielky didn't think the latter was very likely.
But then again, now that she doesn't know where the guardian is, exactly, Varielky can't even attack it, else she might actually just swing at nothing but the air - or darkness. She could only think of one option, but... would it make the situation better, or worse?
"Auger!" Varielky calls, "Brace yourself!" How would it feel for him, in his aged body? ["Oh Thor,"] she prays, ["may your Thunder deafen those who wish us harm, yet be but a merciful awakening bell for those whom I am here to protect!"] Now, as Varielky stands deep within the cloud of darkness, Thunder releases part of its stored kinetic energy as a loud wave of compressed air.
Status: Rage (2/10), remains active since Varielky took damage since the end of her last turn.
Action: Dash, to get deep into the cloud of darkness, as far as she can.
BA: Through Thunder, Varielky casts Shatter. Anyone within 10' of Varielky (which I really hope includes the Gynosphinx) must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution save or take 10 Thunder damage. Also, I don't know if only half of the body being made of sandstone counts, but a creature made of inorganic material makes this save at a disadvantage, as per the spell description. Hopefully that will help?
Lastly, if this somehow manages to break the Gynosphinx's concentration (if it even needs to maintain it) and as a result the Darkness fades, and the guardian is within reach, Varielky will use her Action Surge to take an additional action to attack. If the Darkness remains, or if the Gynosphinx is out of reach, she will not her action surge. In case it does happen, I'll roll in advance:
Attack #1: 18+11=29, 8+11=19 damage.
Attack #2: 17+11=28, 3+11=14, and Varielky will use a Superiority Die for Menacing Attack manoeuvre, adding 1 to the damage for a total of 15, and the Gynosphinx will need to make a DC17 Wisdom save or be Frightened of Varielky until the end of her next turn.
Benita shakes her head to clear it, and Granophyre now also looks directly at Snow for the first time since the gynosphinx revealed itself.
“I… I think I’m okay,” Benita answer Snow, placing her palm on flat belly, her face suddenly drawn in worry. Then she looks back at the bard, and shouts, “What the flock?? You’re… younger??”
“Snow!,” says Granophyre, “Do not worry, this can be reversed! But for now, we must keep our heads. Do you… do you notice anything about those trees at the back of the pool?” Granophyre has been looking at them with an eyebrow cocked since arriving in the cleft.
Snow, roll History at advantage due to Granophyre’s help, to understand that the trees are in fact the black pillars you’ve been looking for.
Shulong Xurl approaches, his face wrathful as he scans the lip of the cleft, but it softens when he draws close to Benita.
“Neeta. You carry my child, my heir. I searched for you across mountains and valleys. I will not keep you against your will at Brod Khagkul. But I am bound by honor: train my child in the ways of war. And now, I owe life debt to the one who commanded the Hands of Ellosh. The Dreyen woman. If she still lives. I am ally to your friend. Father to the one you carry. Do not flee…,” he finishes, weakly, as force bolts shoot down from the sky and arrows whip upwards in reply.
Varielky, too, runs into the darkness, and discovers the ground is thick with tree roots just as Auger did (I rolled a DEX save for her: 3). She tumbles but her armor and enraged state protect her: She suffers 4HP bludgeoning damage (*½=2) when she falls, crashing into a partly burned-out tree stump.
This proves to be a blessing in disguise however. Thunder’s Shatter is released, the gynosphinx misses its save (at -2 due to being partially of stone) and takes full damage. The blessing is that Varielky falls short of the point where her Shatter effect would have reached Auger, who takes no damage. However, the darkness remains.
Varielky can hear the gynosphinx’s claws scratching the earth immediately in front of her, so if she wishes, can action surge and strike at it's location. However, the rolls will be at disadvantage. If you decide to attack, kindly roll your 2nd d20 for disadvantage for each of the two attacks, keeping your damage rolls if they hit AC17. Or, you can decline to attack since the specific circumstance you set to trigger your Action Surge did not occur.
Snow looks to Granophyre and Benita with a cheeky grin, "Some people would give a lot to be younger".
"But I don't think Auger will be happy to have lost years. The tress at the back of the pool, hold on", he says and examines them from a distance.
After a moment his eyes widen, and his voice drops to a barely heard whisper. "You have found what we are looking for, you wily Sindarrin", he says clapping him on the back. "What now though? We can't rush to it, what about Auger and Varielky? And the Imperials?"
When Xurl approaches, he looks up at the Orc. "The Dreyen woman isn't the only one who secured your lives", he snaps a little, but doesn't speak further on the matter. He maintains the Enhance Ability even now.
"What is this conflict with the imperials all about? Can you lead them away?".
History: (10, 20) +5 = 25 - (Assuming a nat 20 beats the DC :-) ) Special: Concentration - Enhance Ability - Benita and Chief - not sure (nothing in the description says it drops if he plane shifts - apologies I keep forgetting to add my concentration spells when I am short on time or on mobile)
As Varielky regains her footing, the gynosphinx’s claws slash out of the darkness at her in retribution (legendary action), but almost by instinct, she raises her shield, deflecting the blow.
The shield-maiden feels Dreygaard connect with something solid, but realizes almost instantly that it has struck a tree stump, not her foe, and the blade is stuck!
(OOC: Next turn, you must sacrifice 30’ of movement to wiggle around and loosen the blade, plus use interact with object to pull it loose if you can make a DC 10 STR check.)
The gynosphinx now acts. It turns away from Varielky and attacks Auger, pouncing with slashing claws.
(13 to hit for 15HP Slashing; 23 to hit for 14HP Slashing)
Auger, here is an updated battle map. You can’t see this, but these are the positions where you think you, the gynosphinx, and Varielky are. It is your turn.
Running, backing away, Auger had to find his way out of the darkness. He continues moving until he stumbles and finds himself laying on the ground, bloodied. There on the ground he realizes the sphinx must have cast Darkness on Auger himself, or an object he carries, or even his coat. Fearful that he has left Varielky alone he attempts to scrabble to his feet. Then he hears Varielky calling out to brace, and he finds himself laying on the ground again, barely able to keep himself from being stunned by the insanely loud sound that emanates from her. Good idea, he thinks, not everything needs to be aimed.
When the sphinx attacks, even though he lay on the ground, unable to see it, Auger's coat perceives the attack in its fashion and is able to keep the first strike from hitting, rolling him hither and yon as Auger lets it take its action. The second blow strikes more truly and Auger is again stunned, though this time he is bleeding from a great slash at his legs. Perfect, he thinks in his angered state. It is upon me.
"I thought a sphinx would be wiser than to come close to me!"Auger himself can barely do more than rise and stand in place, and try to clear his throat after yelling again, but his otherself in the Sea of Stars, as always, operated with anticipation and released its energies. It was a strange flow, rather than from the Sea of Stars, the energies came entirely from an area near Auger, where the Sphinx threatened and attacked, draining energy from that area. And then those energies flow back into Auger, revitalizing him, even slowing or staunching the flow of blood.
Unable to tell if the sphinx was directly affected or not, Auger blindly releases a bolt of energy from the Yemma's Diadem, in what he thinks is the correct direction, wondering how its radiant light might affect the thing in this blasted Darkness.
Details
Previous round: Auger is missed by the Sphinx's first slash and hit by the second one (Shield would not matter).
Move: Stand in place.
Action: Cast Wither and Bloom at 3rd level. CON save: 19 or take 10 points of necrotic damage or 1/2 on success. Auger includes himself in the AoE (centered at J5) and chooses to exclude Varielky from the effect. Auger will expend two hit dice and regain 5 + 3 +5 = 13hp. Spell phrasing does not make it clear if Auger can add his (+5) modifier to each hit die. Ruling please :). Note: The otherself casting is supposed to be for quickening spells, but it seemed to flow pretty well this way, so no sorcery points spent.
Bonus Action: Yemma's Guiding Bolt (used the Eldritch Blast button for the roll). (15,4) +11 = 15. A miss I think. 3 points of radiant damage if that somehow hits and then the Guiding Bolt lighting affects would come into play, possibly canceling disadvantage on someone's next swing.
(OOC: I thought you had already dropped the spell once they both rose. My mistake.)
“You,” Xurl says to Snow. “You help too.” His eyes narrow as he processes this additional debt.
“Empire is attacking you. They care little for orcs. They only attack us because we protect you. Hands say a magic creature saw you, a servant of a roc rider.”
As if to corroborate his point, a 10-pound stone drops from the sky to the ground, away from which an orc leaps to avoid being smashed under it. The stone glows with magic, emits a foghorn sound, then in a deep, penetrating voice trumpets an announcement.
“Granophyre Strewn and his company are under a sentence of death. Any who protect him will share the same fate.”
You hear from the direction of the snake meadow huge drumbeats or footsteps, and the sound of horses galloping.
“Yes!!!,” Granophyre whispers to Snow in response to his discovery. “Perhaps it is a means of escape!?” The scholar removes the sparrow-sized gold-alloy bird figurine from his pocket and throws it upward. Its quicksilver wings grow, and it flits toward the treetops.
“It will tell us what there is to see up there!,” the sage says. Then, he rushes away toward the pillars.
Benita and Xurl begin a heated discussion.
“Come on!,” she says to him after a few moments, rushing after Granophyre. Xurl springs after her in turn, shouting orders to the Hands, who immediately relay the orders down the line.
(OOC: @Zzozz, good question. But the spell description to my eye reads that you roll your hit die (or dice), then add your modifier. Therefore add it only once. The gynosphinx rolls a 13 CON save, a fail, and takes full necrotic damage from the spell.)
Auger’s guiding bolt shoots past the gynosphinx, missing, and Varielky feels its radiant energy whoosh past her ear then smash into the cleft wall far behind her. Auger feels the necrotic draining of the guardian’s animating force due to his Wither and Bloom spell, and then you both hear its contralto voice in your head.
“You are worthy adversaries. Takal Demesh watches you with interest.”
Then it roars, and Auger feels its claw slash at him again, 25 to hit for 9HP slashing damage.
Snow looks to Xurl and merely says, "My magic has bolstered your immune system and is making you feel healthier than you in fact are. You will feel it when it stops, which might have to be soon if they are truly after us".
"And that confirms it", he adds as the stone makes it's announcement.
Listening to Granophyre's plan for escape, he gives Xurl a quick salute and follows after the sindarrin.
"I have two questions. How do we uncover the entrance? And how do we help Auger and Varielky? If I had the time to ritual cast, I could see ambient magic, but I am afraid that is not a luxury we have. It will have to be more mundane means, unless you have anything beyond your bird?".
With that he starts to investigate the area, looking for anything that might help them with either avenue.
“Study of the ways of the ancient Cindarrine peoples has been my life’s work. Yet there are many secrets which have been rendered unknowable by the passage of time. Questions left unasked, for to even ask them would require cultural context which is beyond our ability to assemble. At least, it has been up until now. So curious! My people have lived underground since the Fall. Yet before the cataclysm, our dwellings were above ground. Why then does this entrance seem to lead to a subterranean realm? And what protections are in place which might still function ages later to defend against the intrusion of unwanted guests? I have no answer.”
You arrive to the pillars at the far end of the pool as the sounds of conflict crescendo around you. Granophyre continues.
“The columns are covered in vines and overgrowth. Perhaps to understand their working it will help to reveal them.”
Snow’s investigation of 20 points him quickly to this fact: there are lines engraved in the pillars forming rectangles, like doors. He somehow makes them out even under the vegetation.
“I trust that Varielky and Auger can and will take care of themselves. I must believe in them, for there is nothing to be done. Where has the guardian taken them? I do not know. But my heart tells me they will return soon enough.”
Snow reads more concern on the scholar’s face than he is letting on.
Benita and Xurl continue arguing, Benita, at intervals, loosing arrows at unseen enemies. The sound of approaching fighters grows, at the top of the cleft where the path from the snake-filled meadow reaches the escarpment.
Varielky spends a moment to pull Dreygaard out, frustrated of the situation. She felt like when she first started training with a sword. How difficult it was, how tiring it was. It took her so long to show any real progress.
But now, that is no longer the case. While she can't help being unable to see, and thus she can't really aim well, at least she can put enough strength into the attack that it won't be deflected, and it doesn't tire her as much.
Finally, she manages to land a hit on the Gynosphinx, and she follows that with another quick slash that hits again. Now, she can start turning the tide of this battle. Varielky raises her shield, and supporting with her own weight, pushes to topple the guardian down.
Then, she follows with two cross-strikes, aimed at the ground - assuming the guardian fell - or she will hit its legs if it remains standing. "And now, accept defeat, or face your glorious end and ascend to serve Takal Demesh in the afterlife!"
Status: Rage 3/10.
Strength check to pull Dreygaard: (16, 6 - advantage (Rage))+5=21.
BA: Shield-Shove. Athletics: (13, 19 - possible advantage?)+9=22/28.
Action Surge: Attack.
Attack #3: (5, 8 - dis/normal/advantage?)+11=16/16/19. If not rolled with advantage, Varielky will use Precision Attack manoeuvre to add 3 to the attack, for a total of 19. Damage: 4+11=15.
Attack #4: (15, 13 - dis/normal/advantage?)+11=24/26/26. Damage: 6+11=17. Adding 8 for a total of 25 for Menacing Attack manoeuvre, and the Gynosphinx must succeed a DC 17 Wisdom save or be frightened of Varielky until the end of her next turn.
(While the darkness imposes disadvantage, if it breaks, the disadvantage goes away. For the Shield-Shove, Varielky makes Athletics checks with advantage thanks to Rage, so the advantage can cancel out the disadvantage, even if the darkness persists. Then, after she tried to shove, if successful, attacks against a prone creature are made with advantage. If the darkness persists, the disadvantage is cancelled out and Varielky rolls normal. This situation means there are many possible options, so instead of checking for status after every attack/shove, I just entered all options.)
Only smell and sound give direction to the shield-maiden’s fury as Dreygaard’s subtle red glow, enveloped by darkness, snaps and shrieks, cutting deeply into the winged lioness’ ribs and shoulder. Varielky’s shield arcs in a tremendous roundhouse, slamming into the creature, but with a few flaps of its eagle wings it balances itself, rising a few feet away. Still, Varielky may be hopeful at this moment that her foe might succumb to fear and admit defeat. The darkness flutters, revealing the mighty guardian as if in strobe lighting. Will it flee?
No. Only a moment later, the darkness regains its vigor and the creature drops upon Varielky with renewed fury, battering her, casting her to the ground and savaging her with repeated blows. Yet Varielky throws the creature off of her and regains her footing once again, shield at the ready and Dreygaard poised.
(OOC: All four of Varielky’s blows hit for an incredible 72HP damage. But the shove fails as does the attempt to menace. The gynosphinx, she learns, is immune to the Frightened condition, and also made all four concentration checks.)
(The guardian, using its legendary action and its turn, strikes Varielky three times, hitting all three times, for 9HP, 15HP, and— critting — 22HP, for 46HP total slashing damage, of which she takes 22HP.)
Sweating, still angry and hurting from the guardian's most recent attack, Auger racks his brain, trying to think on what he can do. In some trick of his abilities the capacity to see was fundamental to bringing his energies forth in most instances. He could drain its energies again, that might do it, he thinks. Then he hears the strange back and forth that must be sword and then claws. For a moment the darkness seems to fade and Auger thinks he can target in the right direction. Unsure how Varielky is doing he releases the strange flow again, this time drawing energies from the area where the creature is, and redirects them into Varielky, who had some form of choosing to do now, Auger realizes. These strange abilities...
As Auger is briefly distracted by his thought, his otherself has a different idea, deciding to take the risk of firing his energies into the space where he thought the Sphinx was. Auger cannot see the two purplish lines that are emitted from his hand. But he feels that the aqua line that often corkscrewed around those lines was not present. His otherself did not twist the energies this time. Perhaps he did not know if pushing the thing would have any desirable effect.
Details
Move: None.
Action: Cast Wither and Bloom at 3rd level. CON save: 19 or take 10 points of necrotic damage or 1/2 on success. Auger includes Varielky in the AoE (centered at K5) and chooses to exclude himself from the effect. If she chooses to,
@Firecat, Varielky can expend up to 2 hit dice to heal and then add Auger's modifier of +5 to the roll. I do not believe CON modifiers come into play.
Bonus Action: Auger spends one sorcery point to quicken Eldritch Blast and fire at the sphinx without the pushing effect. He believes the sphinx is still in the same position as reflected on the map. Giving all dice in the rolls, in case Wither and Bloom broke concentration on Darkness. Still though, Auger is probably firing at close range and so disadvantage may come into play anyway.
"Well there are certainly patterns engraved on the pillars, they look like doors. Perhaps there is a clue there", Snow says as he looks around the pillars. "I think you are right about Auger and Varielky, although I worry at what other powers that creature has in it's armoury".
He summons his invisible spectral hand and starts to move aside the vine growth, trying to be careful so as to replace it when he is done. No use leaving their handiwork for the imperials to see.
"How much time do we you think we have Benita?", he calls across to her, noticing that she is obviously aware of some targets as she is firing arrows at something.
As he waits for an answer, he moves up to Granophyre. "Come on, if anyone can solve this it is you. It's stored in that brain of yours somewhere. What about the device you have, can that help?". As he speaks he infuses him with inspiration.
Action: Cast Mage Hand Bonus Action: Bardic Inspiration for Granophyre - 1d8 Special: Concentration - Enhance Ability - Benita and Chief - not sure
SNOW
The bard’s actions unfold as planned. When he reappears from the fey wild, Benita blinks up at him.
“I thought I was a goner. But I kept hearing the sound of your violin playing, like a dream, and it… it’s hard to describe… it kept me close. Thank you.”
Granophye, meanwhile, has, while invoking an arcane phrase, thrown his sliver rod to land with a thunk in the ground beside Xurl. Thin, steadying supports spider out from it all around, and then a beam of force shoots upward, slowing one of the huge falling branches. The other branch deflects off of the first and crashes down across the neck of one of the hyenas, killing it as its rider is thrown off to one side. But the first branch slows, giving Xurl a few extra moments. He blinks to consciousness, springs muscularly to his feet, and with a brawny shoulder, deflects the heavy branch to land beside him rather than on him. The other orcs cheer as their leader rises, a fearsome yell. Xurl shouts questions at the Hands, who bark back answers, pointing overhead, to the acrid steam, to Benita, Snow, and Granophyre, then to Varielky and Auger in absentia
The rank mist rolls over the edge of the cleft, as, from a roc rider straight above, a beam of force smashes down, cracking into one of the hyenas, which yelps in pain, before the roc continues on out of view.
At intervals, arrows zip upwards from orc archers as they take pot shots from behind cover.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
AUGER & VARIELKY
Despite the tree roots, Auger dashes through the darkness. He finds no limit to the spell’s area of effect, and worse, while running, trips over an unseen tree root and faceplants, slamming to the ground, sliding on gravel and suffering 4HP slashing damage. His face feels raw. His diadem falls off and rolls. Scrabbling around (and using his bonus action), he can find the diadem and replace it on his head. His hands come away feeling sticky with blood after touching his face.
The warlock’s arcane intuition supplies an answer to the riddle. The darkness spell must be centered on him, on Auger.
(OOC: I rolled to see how great a threat the terrain would pose and rolled a nat 20.)
Varielky, meanwhile, hears Auger moving away and sees the darkness diminish around her, revealing the gynosphinx close at hand. Its sandstone cat’s eyes flare with yellow electricity before the guardian explodes into black smoke (OOC: Legendary action - teleport) which then streams after Auger into the darkness which surrounds the warlock.
Auger then feels the unseen presence of the gynosphinx solidifying immediately behind him.
Round 2.
It is Varielky’s turn. The edge of the darkness is now 50’ from her and she hears but cannot see Auger and the gynosphinx within the inky blackness.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Snow meets Benita's gaze and his cheeks flush a little unbidden as his hand scratches the back of his head.
"You're..um..welcome", he says and then snaps himself out of whatever was happening to him.
"A lot has happened since you succumbed to the poison. First though, are you ok? Is the baby ok?", he asks, searching her face for signs of aging.
"There was a creature that could bend time who was guarding this place, and Auger and Varielky went to fight it so we could save you", he says quickly. "I am younger it seems, and Auger was older before he disappeared".
"And there is still the matter of Xurl. He wants to take you, I assume you don't want that? And the Imperials are here, not for us though I don't think, for Xurl and his men maybe. Or the entrance to the Core perhaps", his speech is a lot faster and more urgent than usual. His usually considered way of speaking now gone.
"We should hide", he says finally, looking around for a safe spot.
Varielky immediately begins chasing after the smoke. Into the darkness? Not favourable, but she cannot just wait until the guardian comes out. Especially, noting that she cannot spot Auger while running. Therefore, he must either be inside the sphere of darkness, or behind it. But Varielky didn't think the latter was very likely.
But then again, now that she doesn't know where the guardian is, exactly, Varielky can't even attack it, else she might actually just swing at nothing but the air - or darkness. She could only think of one option, but... would it make the situation better, or worse?
"Auger!" Varielky calls, "Brace yourself!" How would it feel for him, in his aged body? ["Oh Thor,"] she prays, ["may your Thunder deafen those who wish us harm, yet be but a merciful awakening bell for those whom I am here to protect!"] Now, as Varielky stands deep within the cloud of darkness, Thunder releases part of its stored kinetic energy as a loud wave of compressed air.
Status: Rage (2/10), remains active since Varielky took damage since the end of her last turn.
Action: Dash, to get deep into the cloud of darkness, as far as she can.
BA: Through Thunder, Varielky casts Shatter. Anyone within 10' of Varielky (which I really hope includes the Gynosphinx) must succeed on a DC 18 Constitution save or take 10 Thunder damage. Also, I don't know if only half of the body being made of sandstone counts, but a creature made of inorganic material makes this save at a disadvantage, as per the spell description. Hopefully that will help?
Lastly, if this somehow manages to break the Gynosphinx's concentration (if it even needs to maintain it) and as a result the Darkness fades, and the guardian is within reach, Varielky will use her Action Surge to take an additional action to attack. If the Darkness remains, or if the Gynosphinx is out of reach, she will not her action surge. In case it does happen, I'll roll in advance:
Attack #1: 18+11=29, 8+11=19 damage.
Attack #2: 17+11=28, 3+11=14, and Varielky will use a Superiority Die for Menacing Attack manoeuvre, adding 1 to the damage for a total of 15, and the Gynosphinx will need to make a DC17 Wisdom save or be Frightened of Varielky until the end of her next turn.
Varielky
SNOW
Benita shakes her head to clear it, and Granophyre now also looks directly at Snow for the first time since the gynosphinx revealed itself.
“I… I think I’m okay,” Benita answer Snow, placing her palm on flat belly, her face suddenly drawn in worry. Then she looks back at the bard, and shouts, “What the flock?? You’re… younger??”
“Snow!,” says Granophyre, “Do not worry, this can be reversed! But for now, we must keep our heads. Do you… do you notice anything about those trees at the back of the pool?” Granophyre has been looking at them with an eyebrow cocked since arriving in the cleft.
Snow, roll History at advantage due to Granophyre’s help, to understand that the trees are in fact the black pillars you’ve been looking for.
Shulong Xurl approaches, his face wrathful as he scans the lip of the cleft, but it softens when he draws close to Benita.
“Neeta. You carry my child, my heir. I searched for you across mountains and valleys. I will not keep you against your will at Brod Khagkul. But I am bound by honor: train my child in the ways of war. And now, I owe life debt to the one who commanded the Hands of Ellosh. The Dreyen woman. If she still lives. I am ally to your friend. Father to the one you carry. Do not flee…,” he finishes, weakly, as force bolts shoot down from the sky and arrows whip upwards in reply.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
VARIELKY
Varielky, too, runs into the darkness, and discovers the ground is thick with tree roots just as Auger did (I rolled a DEX save for her: 3). She tumbles but her armor and enraged state protect her: She suffers 4HP bludgeoning damage (*½=2) when she falls, crashing into a partly burned-out tree stump.
This proves to be a blessing in disguise however. Thunder’s Shatter is released, the gynosphinx misses its save (at -2 due to being partially of stone) and takes full damage. The blessing is that Varielky falls short of the point where her Shatter effect would have reached Auger, who takes no damage. However, the darkness remains.
Varielky can hear the gynosphinx’s claws scratching the earth immediately in front of her, so if she wishes, can action surge and strike at it's location. However, the rolls will be at disadvantage. If you decide to attack, kindly roll your 2nd d20 for disadvantage for each of the two attacks, keeping your damage rolls if they hit AC17. Or, you can decline to attack since the specific circumstance you set to trigger your Action Surge did not occur.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Snow looks to Granophyre and Benita with a cheeky grin, "Some people would give a lot to be younger".
"But I don't think Auger will be happy to have lost years. The tress at the back of the pool, hold on", he says and examines them from a distance.
After a moment his eyes widen, and his voice drops to a barely heard whisper. "You have found what we are looking for, you wily Sindarrin", he says clapping him on the back. "What now though? We can't rush to it, what about Auger and Varielky? And the Imperials?"
When Xurl approaches, he looks up at the Orc. "The Dreyen woman isn't the only one who secured your lives", he snaps a little, but doesn't speak further on the matter. He maintains the Enhance Ability even now.
"What is this conflict with the imperials all about? Can you lead them away?".
History: (
10, 20) +5 = 25 - (Assuming a nat 20 beats the DC :-) )Special: Concentration - Enhance Ability - Benita and Chief - not sure (nothing in the description says it drops if he plane shifts - apologies I keep forgetting to add my concentration spells when I am short on time or on mobile)
VARIELKY & AUGER
As Varielky regains her footing, the gynosphinx’s claws slash out of the darkness at her in retribution (legendary action), but almost by instinct, she raises her shield, deflecting the blow.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Varielky once again attempts to riposte, but once again, the darkness proves too great a hinderance.
Attack: 1! Critical miss.
Varielky
The shield-maiden feels Dreygaard connect with something solid, but realizes almost instantly that it has struck a tree stump, not her foe, and the blade is stuck!
(OOC: Next turn, you must sacrifice 30’ of movement to wiggle around and loosen the blade, plus use interact with object to pull it loose if you can make a DC 10 STR check.)
The gynosphinx now acts. It turns away from Varielky and attacks Auger, pouncing with slashing claws.
(13 to hit for 15HP Slashing; 23 to hit for 14HP Slashing)
Auger, here is an updated battle map. You can’t see this, but these are the positions where you think you, the gynosphinx, and Varielky are. It is your turn.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Running, backing away, Auger had to find his way out of the darkness. He continues moving until he stumbles and finds himself laying on the ground, bloodied. There on the ground he realizes the sphinx must have cast Darkness on Auger himself, or an object he carries, or even his coat. Fearful that he has left Varielky alone he attempts to scrabble to his feet. Then he hears Varielky calling out to brace, and he finds himself laying on the ground again, barely able to keep himself from being stunned by the insanely loud sound that emanates from her. Good idea, he thinks, not everything needs to be aimed.
When the sphinx attacks, even though he lay on the ground, unable to see it, Auger's coat perceives the attack in its fashion and is able to keep the first strike from hitting, rolling him hither and yon as Auger lets it take its action. The second blow strikes more truly and Auger is again stunned, though this time he is bleeding from a great slash at his legs. Perfect, he thinks in his angered state. It is upon me.
"I thought a sphinx would be wiser than to come close to me!" Auger himself can barely do more than rise and stand in place, and try to clear his throat after yelling again, but his otherself in the Sea of Stars, as always, operated with anticipation and released its energies. It was a strange flow, rather than from the Sea of Stars, the energies came entirely from an area near Auger, where the Sphinx threatened and attacked, draining energy from that area. And then those energies flow back into Auger, revitalizing him, even slowing or staunching the flow of blood.
Unable to tell if the sphinx was directly affected or not, Auger blindly releases a bolt of energy from the Yemma's Diadem, in what he thinks is the correct direction, wondering how its radiant light might affect the thing in this blasted Darkness.
Details
Note: The otherself casting is supposed to be for quickening spells, but it seemed to flow pretty well this way, so no sorcery points spent.
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
SNOW
(OOC: I thought you had already dropped the spell once they both rose. My mistake.)
“You,” Xurl says to Snow. “You help too.” His eyes narrow as he processes this additional debt.
“Empire is attacking you. They care little for orcs. They only attack us because we protect you. Hands say a magic creature saw you, a servant of a roc rider.”
As if to corroborate his point, a 10-pound stone drops from the sky to the ground, away from which an orc leaps to avoid being smashed under it. The stone glows with magic, emits a foghorn sound, then in a deep, penetrating voice trumpets an announcement.
“Granophyre Strewn and his company are under a sentence of death. Any who protect him will share the same fate.”
You hear from the direction of the snake meadow huge drumbeats or footsteps, and the sound of horses galloping.
“Yes!!!,” Granophyre whispers to Snow in response to his discovery. “Perhaps it is a means of escape!?” The scholar removes the sparrow-sized gold-alloy bird figurine from his pocket and throws it upward. Its quicksilver wings grow, and it flits toward the treetops.
“It will tell us what there is to see up there!,” the sage says. Then, he rushes away toward the pillars.
Benita and Xurl begin a heated discussion.
“Come on!,” she says to him after a few moments, rushing after Granophyre. Xurl springs after her in turn, shouting orders to the Hands, who immediately relay the orders down the line.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
AUGER & VARIELKY
(OOC: @Zzozz, good question. But the spell description to my eye reads that you roll your hit die (or dice), then add your modifier. Therefore add it only once. The gynosphinx rolls a 13 CON save, a fail, and takes full necrotic damage from the spell.)
Auger’s guiding bolt shoots past the gynosphinx, missing, and Varielky feels its radiant energy whoosh past her ear then smash into the cleft wall far behind her. Auger feels the necrotic draining of the guardian’s animating force due to his Wither and Bloom spell, and then you both hear its contralto voice in your head.
“You are worthy adversaries. Takal Demesh watches you with interest.”
Then it roars, and Auger feels its claw slash at him again, 25 to hit for 9HP slashing damage.
It is Varielky’s turn to start Round 3.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Snow looks to Xurl and merely says, "My magic has bolstered your immune system and is making you feel healthier than you in fact are. You will feel it when it stops, which might have to be soon if they are truly after us".
"And that confirms it", he adds as the stone makes it's announcement.
Listening to Granophyre's plan for escape, he gives Xurl a quick salute and follows after the sindarrin.
"I have two questions. How do we uncover the entrance? And how do we help Auger and Varielky? If I had the time to ritual cast, I could see ambient magic, but I am afraid that is not a luxury we have. It will have to be more mundane means, unless you have anything beyond your bird?".
With that he starts to investigate the area, looking for anything that might help them with either avenue.
Investigation: 11+9=20
SNOW
Granophyre answers.
“Study of the ways of the ancient Cindarrine peoples has been my life’s work. Yet there are many secrets which have been rendered unknowable by the passage of time. Questions left unasked, for to even ask them would require cultural context which is beyond our ability to assemble. At least, it has been up until now. So curious! My people have lived underground since the Fall. Yet before the cataclysm, our dwellings were above ground. Why then does this entrance seem to lead to a subterranean realm? And what protections are in place which might still function ages later to defend against the intrusion of unwanted guests? I have no answer.”
You arrive to the pillars at the far end of the pool as the sounds of conflict crescendo around you. Granophyre continues.
“The columns are covered in vines and overgrowth. Perhaps to understand their working it will help to reveal them.”
Snow’s investigation of 20 points him quickly to this fact: there are lines engraved in the pillars forming rectangles, like doors. He somehow makes them out even under the vegetation.
“I trust that Varielky and Auger can and will take care of themselves. I must believe in them, for there is nothing to be done. Where has the guardian taken them? I do not know. But my heart tells me they will return soon enough.”
Snow reads more concern on the scholar’s face than he is letting on.
Benita and Xurl continue arguing, Benita, at intervals, loosing arrows at unseen enemies. The sound of approaching fighters grows, at the top of the cleft where the path from the snake-filled meadow reaches the escarpment.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Varielky spends a moment to pull Dreygaard out, frustrated of the situation. She felt like when she first started training with a sword. How difficult it was, how tiring it was. It took her so long to show any real progress.
But now, that is no longer the case. While she can't help being unable to see, and thus she can't really aim well, at least she can put enough strength into the attack that it won't be deflected, and it doesn't tire her as much.
Finally, she manages to land a hit on the Gynosphinx, and she follows that with another quick slash that hits again. Now, she can start turning the tide of this battle. Varielky raises her shield, and supporting with her own weight, pushes to topple the guardian down.
Then, she follows with two cross-strikes, aimed at the ground - assuming the guardian fell - or she will hit its legs if it remains standing. "And now, accept defeat, or face your glorious end and ascend to serve Takal Demesh in the afterlife!"
Status: Rage 3/10.
Strength check to pull Dreygaard: (16, 6 - advantage (Rage))+5=21.
Action: Attack.
Attack #1: (8, 4 - disadvantage)+11+5(expending Snow's Bardic Imspiration)=20. Damage: 6+11=17.
Attack #2: (17, 8 - disadvantage?)+11=19+. Damage: 4+11=15.
BA: Shield-Shove. Athletics: (13, 19 - possible advantage?)+9=22/28.
Action Surge: Attack.
Attack #3: (5, 8 - dis/normal/advantage?)+11=16/16/19. If not rolled with advantage, Varielky will use Precision Attack manoeuvre to add 3 to the attack, for a total of 19. Damage: 4+11=15.
Attack #4: (15, 13 - dis/normal/advantage?)+11=24/26/26. Damage: 6+11=17. Adding 8 for a total of 25 for Menacing Attack manoeuvre, and the Gynosphinx must succeed a DC 17 Wisdom save or be frightened of Varielky until the end of her next turn.
(While the darkness imposes disadvantage, if it breaks, the disadvantage goes away. For the Shield-Shove, Varielky makes Athletics checks with advantage thanks to Rage, so the advantage can cancel out the disadvantage, even if the darkness persists. Then, after she tried to shove, if successful, attacks against a prone creature are made with advantage. If the darkness persists, the disadvantage is cancelled out and Varielky rolls normal. This situation means there are many possible options, so instead of checking for status after every attack/shove, I just entered all options.)
Varielky
VARIELKY
Only smell and sound give direction to the shield-maiden’s fury as Dreygaard’s subtle red glow, enveloped by darkness, snaps and shrieks, cutting deeply into the winged lioness’ ribs and shoulder. Varielky’s shield arcs in a tremendous roundhouse, slamming into the creature, but with a few flaps of its eagle wings it balances itself, rising a few feet away. Still, Varielky may be hopeful at this moment that her foe might succumb to fear and admit defeat. The darkness flutters, revealing the mighty guardian as if in strobe lighting. Will it flee?
No. Only a moment later, the darkness regains its vigor and the creature drops upon Varielky with renewed fury, battering her, casting her to the ground and savaging her with repeated blows. Yet Varielky throws the creature off of her and regains her footing once again, shield at the ready and Dreygaard poised.
(OOC: All four of Varielky’s blows hit for an incredible 72HP damage. But the shove fails as does the attempt to menace. The gynosphinx, she learns, is immune to the Frightened condition, and also made all four concentration checks.)
(The guardian, using its legendary action and its turn, strikes Varielky three times, hitting all three times, for 9HP, 15HP, and— critting — 22HP, for 46HP total slashing damage, of which she takes 22HP.)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Sweating, still angry and hurting from the guardian's most recent attack, Auger racks his brain, trying to think on what he can do. In some trick of his abilities the capacity to see was fundamental to bringing his energies forth in most instances. He could drain its energies again, that might do it, he thinks. Then he hears the strange back and forth that must be sword and then claws. For a moment the darkness seems to fade and Auger thinks he can target in the right direction. Unsure how Varielky is doing he releases the strange flow again, this time drawing energies from the area where the creature is, and redirects them into Varielky, who had some form of choosing to do now, Auger realizes. These strange abilities...
As Auger is briefly distracted by his thought, his otherself has a different idea, deciding to take the risk of firing his energies into the space where he thought the Sphinx was. Auger cannot see the two purplish lines that are emitted from his hand. But he feels that the aqua line that often corkscrewed around those lines was not present. His otherself did not twist the energies this time. Perhaps he did not know if pushing the thing would have any desirable effect.
Details
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
"Well there are certainly patterns engraved on the pillars, they look like doors. Perhaps there is a clue there", Snow says as he looks around the pillars. "I think you are right about Auger and Varielky, although I worry at what other powers that creature has in it's armoury".
He summons his invisible spectral hand and starts to move aside the vine growth, trying to be careful so as to replace it when he is done. No use leaving their handiwork for the imperials to see.
"How much time do we you think we have Benita?", he calls across to her, noticing that she is obviously aware of some targets as she is firing arrows at something.
As he waits for an answer, he moves up to Granophyre. "Come on, if anyone can solve this it is you. It's stored in that brain of yours somewhere. What about the device you have, can that help?". As he speaks he infuses him with inspiration.
Action: Cast Mage Hand
Bonus Action: Bardic Inspiration for Granophyre - 1d8
Special: Concentration - Enhance Ability - Benita and Chief - not sure
Varielky expends one d12 hit die and one d10 hit die, rolling 4 and 8, respectively. With the +5 bonus, this brings her exactly back to max HP.
Holding on Varielky's turn in case the guardian has any legendary actions to perform, or in case it fails its concentration saving throws.
Varielky