Auger approaches the keep’s entry. The portcullis is up, and when he gently pushes against the tall reinforced doors, he discovers that they are unbarred. The warlock cracks the door open just enough to peek his head subtly within, an act whose subtlety is entirely lost in what next occurs.
At that exact moment, a goblin leaps through the door well under the southerner’s line of sight just as Auger peeks through. The creature does not see Auger or anyone else, for his concentration is entirely given, fearfully, to looking over his shoulder as he springs outside.
While Snow, Varielky, and Granophyre freeze in place readying attacks, let’s say, and while Auger moves out of view of the doorway, it swings opens further and two more goblins rush onto the threshold, one holding a bow with an arrow notched, which he releases immediately. The missile slips through the air past Auger to snap into the fleeing goblin’ back. The runaway flips to the ground, dead in an instant.
The archer shouts what can only be a curse in their language at the deceased. And then its eyes widen as it sees you four watching it. Well, three: it is oblivious to Auger’s presence. You may all act before the two goblins. Auger stands at the wall 10’ away from the pair, while Snow, Varielky, and Granophyre are thirty feet away from the door, we’ll say.
At the sight of the first Goblin's death Auger moves away and sets himself to take out the other two. He draws energies and sends twisting blasts into the pair, attempting to push them further away from where he stands to the side and behind them.
First blast rolls a 17 for 12 points of force damage.
Second blast rolls a 27 for 8 points of force damage.
Auger then moves away from the open door, in case the noise of his blasts was going to bring any more Goblins into the courtyard.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Auger’s blasts smash into the two goblins at the door, catapulting them away from him and back toward the doorframe where they rebound and spin through the air to fall dead at the edge of the threshold. Behind them, two more goblins who had been blocked inside just behind the first two, are now visible inside the doors, one of which is half-open. Varielky and Snow (not Auger) may now act.
Snow watches as the goblin runs out and is killed by his own kind, then sees Auger obliterate the two chasing him. All his disgust bubbles up as he sees the two other goblins through the half open door as he moves forward to within 30ft of them.
He reaches out with his mind and attempts to knock one of the goblins out the doorway, and unleashes a verbal tirade on it.
“You fetid pile of putrid filth, how dare a maggot such as yourself befoul this place”, he calls before moving back a short distance.
Movement: 5ft towards goblins Bonus Action: Telekinetic Shove, DC16 Str save or moved 5ft out the door. Action: Vicious Mockery, DC18 Wis save or take 4 [psychic] damage and have disadvantage on next attack. Movement: Backs up 10ft
Varielky runs forward to the entrance, drawing her sword as she does. When she reaches the Goblins at the threshold, with one powerful swipe, Varielky beheads both Goblins. If she can see any other Goblins down below, Varielky shouts to them, hoping they understand Jenghen: "Fight honourably, and at least the last moments of your life will be worth more than the filth you spread all over!"
Move: To the threshold, I assume within sword's reach of the two Goblins at the entrance. Action: Attack(s), one against each of the two Goblins. Attack 1: 18+10=28 to hit, 7+9=16 damage. Attack 2: 4+10=14 to hit, 1+9=10 damage. Assuming the AC and HP of the Goblin in the burnt cabin, they should be dead. If one of them survives somehow, Varielky tries to push them down the stairs with a Shield Shove as a Bonus Action. Athletics: 11+8=19.
The goblin at the door grips its head in agony and screams as Snow’s enchanted verbiage pierces its mind, while the bard’s telekinesis, like a kick in the rump, pushes the creature out onto the keep’s threshold where a long thin wire lashes out from Granophyre’s cuff, whips around the goblin’s neck and pulls suddenly back, flashing with electricity. The creature’s form sails up and away from the keep then flops down on the ground, dead and smoking.
As three more goblins jump into the doorway, weapons drawn, the shield-maiden launches into them, hacking through their necks and collarbones with a bloody crunch, and leaving their decapitated bodies to teeter listlessly and then drop while their heads skitter down the long entry hallway spraying black oily blood. A fourth goblin reaches for its blade as Varielky’s round shield slams into it, knocking it into the door, which now opens fully, and the creature crashes onto the floor, prone and dazed. Varielky looks up to see a half-dozen more goblins not ten feet away as her nostrils fill with their offensive stench, but they screech and bolt away down the hallway and turn out of sight through an ornate doorway leading into a torchlit great hall where shouts of anger and alarm begin to echo through the rank air.
Here is a map. The stones on the ground are 5’ wide, you can make out a grid and distances using that measure. The white arrow shows which way the goblins Varielky saw went through a doorway into what sounds like an echoey great hall full of goblins. I have placed Snow, Granophyre and Auger outside the keep’s door.
The white 6 is the prone goblin which Varielky shield-bashed. You have the initiative.
Auger looks to Py and repeats his statement from before. Rest invisibly on the smithy there, and stay in touch as long as you can with updates on what is happening in the courtyard.
With a look to Snow and Granophyre, Auger then steps forward over the dead goblins and through the door to join Varielky. Seeing the one Goblin on the floor he is unsure if it still lives and though their presence is already known, he decides to go with the quieter attack and assaults its mind with visions of the cosmos (for 4 points of damage if it fails on its DC18 INT saving throw). Auger then steps forward (if he has movement remaining) to be able to see down the hall.
Varielky stabs down on the prone Goblin, sharply ending its life. Then, she begins to walk towards the hall. "Come out and fight! The gods do not see well to those who cower in fear!"
Move: To reach #6, if needed. Then, towards the white arrow. Action: Attack against #6. Attack: (8; 12 - advantage)+10=22. Damage: 4+9=13.
Goblin 6 perishes with a grunt, its brain shattered by Auger’s spell, then its body run through by Varielky’s longsword.
Snow hears a handful of goblins yelling commands in their blunt language: “Archers in back! Hurry up you ****s!!,” and “Draw!! Hide in place! Wait for arrows then attack!!”
Seeing Snow head to check the other passage Auger thinks carefully on his words, wondering if he can create any distractions or make the Goblins loose arrows too soon. Quietly, Auger says, "An illusion may help here."
Auger creates a projection of a well-armored human soldier ahead of Varielky. Optimally the illusion is in view of the Hall but offset so if it is the target of arrows they will not hit Varielky.
Details
Movement: To just north of the middle torch - or as far as he can get without exposing himself to view from the Hall.
Action: Cast Minor Illusion, placed approximately at the tip of the white arrow - or as stated so that Varielky will not be the accidental target of any arrows targeting the illusion.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Varielky halts, waiting to see what happens with Auger's spell. About a hundred hidden archers... that was not the type of fight she hoped to fight. She crouhes, allowing her shield to cover more of her body.
Taking the dodge action, and staying put for the moment, waiting to see if the others' actions yield any results.
Snow finds the northeast corner of the entry hallway is a closed area, flies buzzing furiously, which the goblins have been using as a toilet.
Auger’s illusion blinks into view inside the entry doors to the great hall. A moment passes, then an arrow thunks through the image into the door behind it, followed immediately by 10 more arrows. A goblin voice yells “Stop!!! It’s not real, you stupid ****s!!! Hold your fire,” which I assume Snow translates for the group. One final arrow launches a beat later, and you hear a goblin scream in pain in the great hall.
Eleven, no twelve arrows, and those would be the ones without any discipline, Auger thinks. This could be hard to manage. Or to live through for that matter. Nonetheless they were not without options. Quietly Auger states to the others, "Hold here. I can go in invisibly and scout things out. Once in a good position I will attack them and then it will be the time to come in. If you hear the music stop, then that means I need you all to do something distracting so I can act."
Auger releases his illusion of the armored warrior and then immediately brings another one into place, this time of a sound. Searching through his memory Auger can only think of Snow playing and he recreates the sound of his violin repeating/vamping a bite of catchy melody from something Snow performed not long ago, Auger cannot think of the name of it. Reaching through the Sea of Stars he steps forward 5 feet and places the sound as far into the room as he can, where it begins repeating over and over again.
Details
Move: Forward 5' to try and get the sound further in the room.
Action: Minor Illusion, placed as close to the middle of the (mosaic?) picture in the floor.
Intentions
Unless the others stop him, in the next round, Auger will make himself invisible and then walk into the room, where he will try to find a place to get to that is out of view. Hopefully the sounds of the violin will help cover Auger's occasionally clumsy steps.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Snow also counts the arrows that fly through the illusory armour. That was very useful, he nods his approval. He listens to Auger’s instructions and hears the illusory copy of his music play. It wasn’t bad but no substitute for the real thing, he thinks with a wry smile.
”Ok. If I can get sight of the room I have magic that can block their arrows”, he adds looking around the room they are in for a piece of mirror or something very reflective, but not big enough to give them away as well.
He summons his invisible hand in case he finds something suitable.
Action: Mage Hand Investigation: 6+7=13 (if he can do this too, otherwise passive is 17 anyway)
Varielky waits. At least twelve arrows? She can't really block everything with her shield, and that would only be for walking in. After that, she'd still have to dispatch all of them, which are at least twelve. Goblins, but still so many.
So many. A large group. An idea comes to Varielky's mind. "Hold on, I have an idea." Varielky whispers, trying to stop the others. "It might not work, but I believe it is worth a try. When I spoke in Asni, in front of all those people, I had a peculiar feeling. As if... as if my words were enhanced, in some way. I believe it has something to do with Dreygaard - my sword. I could be mistaken. Just my imagination, perhaps, but I believe the gods might make my words more compelling when discussing certain things with certain groups. I want to try it out. No harm in trying, right? Do you think they understand Jenghen?"
Snow carries on looking for the mirror whilst he listens to Varielky, but joins in with the conversation.
"It is worth a try. Some of them may well speak Jenghen or possibly Shian, after all they were taking orders from the Abziri and Jlasi. I am able to make it so they can understand you either way, but that would deplete my powers even more, and if it does come down to a fight I might need what resources I have. I would be willing if you were sure?", he replies.
Auger, under the aural cover of his second illusion enters the great hall. This is what he sees. The goblins from 7-26 have bows, the rest, swords drawn. Where will Auger position himself?
Auger says, "Py saw Goblin sign here in the Keep, but he could not enter to verify. I think they are close to us here."
(OOC: Wondering if Auger saw anything up by the Keep door when he peeked in.)
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Auger approaches the keep’s entry. The portcullis is up, and when he gently pushes against the tall reinforced doors, he discovers that they are unbarred. The warlock cracks the door open just enough to peek his head subtly within, an act whose subtlety is entirely lost in what next occurs.
At that exact moment, a goblin leaps through the door well under the southerner’s line of sight just as Auger peeks through. The creature does not see Auger or anyone else, for his concentration is entirely given, fearfully, to looking over his shoulder as he springs outside.
While Snow, Varielky, and Granophyre freeze in place readying attacks, let’s say, and while Auger moves out of view of the doorway, it swings opens further and two more goblins rush onto the threshold, one holding a bow with an arrow notched, which he releases immediately. The missile slips through the air past Auger to snap into the fleeing goblin’ back. The runaway flips to the ground, dead in an instant.
The archer shouts what can only be a curse in their language at the deceased. And then its eyes widen as it sees you four watching it. Well, three: it is oblivious to Auger’s presence. You may all act before the two goblins. Auger stands at the wall 10’ away from the pair, while Snow, Varielky, and Granophyre are thirty feet away from the door, we’ll say.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
At the sight of the first Goblin's death Auger moves away and sets himself to take out the other two. He draws energies and sends twisting blasts into the pair, attempting to push them further away from where he stands to the side and behind them.
First blast rolls a 17 for 12 points of force damage.
Second blast rolls a 27 for 8 points of force damage.
Auger then moves away from the open door, in case the noise of his blasts was going to bring any more Goblins into the courtyard.
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Auger’s blasts smash into the two goblins at the door, catapulting them away from him and back toward the doorframe where they rebound and spin through the air to fall dead at the edge of the threshold. Behind them, two more goblins who had been blocked inside just behind the first two, are now visible inside the doors, one of which is half-open. Varielky and Snow (not Auger) may now act.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Snow watches as the goblin runs out and is killed by his own kind, then sees Auger obliterate the two chasing him. All his disgust bubbles up as he sees the two other goblins through the half open door as he moves forward to within 30ft of them.
He reaches out with his mind and attempts to knock one of the goblins out the doorway, and unleashes a verbal tirade on it.
“You fetid pile of putrid filth, how dare a maggot such as yourself befoul this place”, he calls before moving back a short distance.
Movement: 5ft towards goblins
Bonus Action: Telekinetic Shove, DC16 Str save or moved 5ft out the door.
Action: Vicious Mockery, DC18 Wis save or take 4 [psychic] damage and have disadvantage on next attack.
Movement: Backs up 10ft
Varielky runs forward to the entrance, drawing her sword as she does. When she reaches the Goblins at the threshold, with one powerful swipe, Varielky beheads both Goblins. If she can see any other Goblins down below, Varielky shouts to them, hoping they understand Jenghen: "Fight honourably, and at least the last moments of your life will be worth more than the filth you spread all over!"
Varielky
The goblin at the door grips its head in agony and screams as Snow’s enchanted verbiage pierces its mind, while the bard’s telekinesis, like a kick in the rump, pushes the creature out onto the keep’s threshold where a long thin wire lashes out from Granophyre’s cuff, whips around the goblin’s neck and pulls suddenly back, flashing with electricity. The creature’s form sails up and away from the keep then flops down on the ground, dead and smoking.
As three more goblins jump into the doorway, weapons drawn, the shield-maiden launches into them, hacking through their necks and collarbones with a bloody crunch, and leaving their decapitated bodies to teeter listlessly and then drop while their heads skitter down the long entry hallway spraying black oily blood. A fourth goblin reaches for its blade as Varielky’s round shield slams into it, knocking it into the door, which now opens fully, and the creature crashes onto the floor, prone and dazed. Varielky looks up to see a half-dozen more goblins not ten feet away as her nostrils fill with their offensive stench, but they screech and bolt away down the hallway and turn out of sight through an ornate doorway leading into a torchlit great hall where shouts of anger and alarm begin to echo through the rank air.
Here is a map. The stones on the ground are 5’ wide, you can make out a grid and distances using that measure. The white arrow shows which way the goblins Varielky saw went through a doorway into what sounds like an echoey great hall full of goblins. I have placed Snow, Granophyre and Auger outside the keep’s door.
The white 6 is the prone goblin which Varielky shield-bashed. You have the initiative.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Auger looks to Py and repeats his statement from before. Rest invisibly on the smithy there, and stay in touch as long as you can with updates on what is happening in the courtyard.
With a look to Snow and Granophyre, Auger then steps forward over the dead goblins and through the door to join Varielky. Seeing the one Goblin on the floor he is unsure if it still lives and though their presence is already known, he decides to go with the quieter attack and assaults its mind with visions of the cosmos (for 4 points of damage if it fails on its DC18 INT saving throw). Auger then steps forward (if he has movement remaining) to be able to see down the hall.
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Snow shrugs to Auger as he looks over and starts to make his way over the dead goblins as well.
As he walks he quietly speaks some arcane words and the magic from the violin infuses him, allowing his mind to interpret any language.
When he gets inside, he listens for any conversation.
Action: Comprehend Languages
Perception: 6+7=13 (17 passive)
Movement: 30ft into the keep, stood close to Auger and Varielky (until she moves).
Varielky stabs down on the prone Goblin, sharply ending its life. Then, she begins to walk towards the hall. "Come out and fight! The gods do not see well to those who cower in fear!"
Varielky
Goblin 6 perishes with a grunt, its brain shattered by Auger’s spell, then its body run through by Varielky’s longsword.
Snow hears a handful of goblins yelling commands in their blunt language: “Archers in back! Hurry up you ****s!!,” and “Draw!! Hide in place! Wait for arrows then attack!!”
A sudden and eerie silence then pervades.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Snow reacts quickly to what he heard, whispering loudly to the others, "Careful, they have hidden archers set and ready".
He wasn't sure whether this would stop Varielky though.
He looks about for another route, possibly he could sneak around and get eyes on the goblins.
Movement: Heads 30ft North East to see if that is a route.
Perception: 9+7 = 16
Stealth: 9+5 = 14
Seeing Snow head to check the other passage Auger thinks carefully on his words, wondering if he can create any distractions or make the Goblins loose arrows too soon. Quietly, Auger says, "An illusion may help here."
Auger creates a projection of a well-armored human soldier ahead of Varielky. Optimally the illusion is in view of the Hall but offset so if it is the target of arrows they will not hit Varielky.
Details
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Varielky halts, waiting to see what happens with Auger's spell. About a hundred hidden archers... that was not the type of fight she hoped to fight. She crouhes, allowing her shield to cover more of her body.
Taking the dodge action, and staying put for the moment, waiting to see if the others' actions yield any results.
Varielky
Snow finds the northeast corner of the entry hallway is a closed area, flies buzzing furiously, which the goblins have been using as a toilet.
Auger’s illusion blinks into view inside the entry doors to the great hall. A moment passes, then an arrow thunks through the image into the door behind it, followed immediately by 10 more arrows. A goblin voice yells “Stop!!! It’s not real, you stupid ****s!!! Hold your fire,” which I assume Snow translates for the group. One final arrow launches a beat later, and you hear a goblin scream in pain in the great hall.
You are now situated like so. No enemies are in view.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Eleven, no twelve arrows, and those would be the ones without any discipline, Auger thinks. This could be hard to manage. Or to live through for that matter. Nonetheless they were not without options. Quietly Auger states to the others, "Hold here. I can go in invisibly and scout things out. Once in a good position I will attack them and then it will be the time to come in. If you hear the music stop, then that means I need you all to do something distracting so I can act."
Auger releases his illusion of the armored warrior and then immediately brings another one into place, this time of a sound. Searching through his memory Auger can only think of Snow playing and he recreates the sound of his violin repeating/vamping a bite of catchy melody from something Snow performed not long ago, Auger cannot think of the name of it. Reaching through the Sea of Stars he steps forward 5 feet and places the sound as far into the room as he can, where it begins repeating over and over again.
Details
Intentions
Unless the others stop him, in the next round, Auger will make himself invisible and then walk into the room, where he will try to find a place to get to that is out of view. Hopefully the sounds of the violin will help cover Auger's occasionally clumsy steps.
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Snow also counts the arrows that fly through the illusory armour. That was very useful, he nods his approval. He listens to Auger’s instructions and hears the illusory copy of his music play. It wasn’t bad but no substitute for the real thing, he thinks with a wry smile.
”Ok. If I can get sight of the room I have magic that can block their arrows”, he adds looking around the room they are in for a piece of mirror or something very reflective, but not big enough to give them away as well.
He summons his invisible hand in case he finds something suitable.
Action: Mage Hand
Investigation: 6+7=13 (if he can do this too, otherwise passive is 17 anyway)
Varielky waits. At least twelve arrows? She can't really block everything with her shield, and that would only be for walking in. After that, she'd still have to dispatch all of them, which are at least twelve. Goblins, but still so many.
So many. A large group. An idea comes to Varielky's mind. "Hold on, I have an idea." Varielky whispers, trying to stop the others. "It might not work, but I believe it is worth a try. When I spoke in Asni, in front of all those people, I had a peculiar feeling. As if... as if my words were enhanced, in some way. I believe it has something to do with Dreygaard - my sword. I could be mistaken. Just my imagination, perhaps, but I believe the gods might make my words more compelling when discussing certain things with certain groups. I want to try it out. No harm in trying, right? Do you think they understand Jenghen?"
Varielky
Snow carries on looking for the mirror whilst he listens to Varielky, but joins in with the conversation.
"It is worth a try. Some of them may well speak Jenghen or possibly Shian, after all they were taking orders from the Abziri and Jlasi. I am able to make it so they can understand you either way, but that would deplete my powers even more, and if it does come down to a fight I might need what resources I have. I would be willing if you were sure?", he replies.
Auger, under the aural cover of his second illusion enters the great hall. This is what he sees. The goblins from 7-26 have bows, the rest, swords drawn. Where will Auger position himself?
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer