Snow finds nothing in the entry hallway like a mirror. “Only the oldest goblins speak any other languages,” Granophyre counsels. He offers to make Snow invisible, “If you wish.”
The bit of music was not quite right. Dum de dum de dududu--. The end sound was cut off too soon and the music repeated too quickly, jumping the beat. Distracting. It creates a sense of unsettling urgency all to itself, even before Auger steps into the room. Dum de dum de dududu--Dum de dum de dududu--Dum de dum de dududu--.
As Auger steps forward he once again finds himself wondering at his occasional moments of bravery. Certainly he would stand and speak if needed at a town meeting or represent at a Carpenter's Guild meeting. Dum de dum de dududu--Those had been sometimes small challenges. All the faces staring in one direction. At him. Dum de dum de dududu--But as Auger steps forward and looks around he does not find he can draw from this well of experience in order to support him. This was... all? ...most? Perhaps all the Goblins. Dum de dum de dududu--Dum de dum de dududu--Gathered together in one place. All eyes on the door, 20ish with bows raised and ready. Just the smell of them was... . Dum de dum de dududu--Auger shakes that off. There was a plan. They were going to end the Goblin threat. And here they all are. This is an opportunity. Varielky just said something about speaking to them. Auger was not sure how that would go with this size of a group. Also his own spells, effective as they could be, would not take them all out.
But still... let the team discover there were scores of Goblins here as they run in? To their deaths? Or...? Dum de dum de dududu--Dum de dum de dududu--. Auger takes another good look around the room and returns to his teammates (At H19) to whisper what they face. And the music plays on.
(OOC:
A few room description asks. How high are the ceilings? Are there anything above, like a chandelier to bring down on a mass of them? At about X7 and F7 there appear to be doors, can we confirm that? In the room itself does there appear to be anything that can burn and make the room extra smokey? Is there anything lying about that can be used to bar the door?
Also, just to ask, if Py is positioned outside, can Auger pass his senses to it and then possibly Misty Step to outside - like to I22?
In my imagination this has taken like 30 seconds - the music will only last a minute...)
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
"Umm... well, that complicates things," Varielky admits. "My plan was to convince them to fight us head-on, without hiding and shooting arrows. Even if I tried, I don't think I could make them surrender. But, if they can't understand me, making me understandable is too great a toll and there are so many of them, would it make the effort pointless?" She's a bit disappointed. She wanted to test whether what she felt back then truly was as she thought, or whether it was just imagination. Even if she wasn't wrong, would it truly be enough to make all the Goblins give up their clear advantage? She hoped so, but trying and failing would put them at a greater disadvantage. She didn't want to die again, definitely not to a storm of arrows.
Varielky sighs. That was her best and only plan. "What's our plan, then? Other than continuing down those stairs and hoping to find another entrance - if one of the doors you mentioned happens to be behind them - I'm out of ideas. No sane commander walks into an ambush with so few soldiers against so many."
Auger: Yes, those are doors and there are very large candelabras at L9 and R9 but no hanging chandelier. The ceiling is perhaps 20’. There is something or other that can burn smokily. There are chairs and a table but nothing specifically to bar the door. It would take time and guesswork for Auger to instruct Py where to go to enable a Misty Step outside the castle from the great hall.
While Auger returns to the entry hall and whispers to the others, you all are suddenly aware of a change in the air, the smell is getting worse. And then a rain of arrows assaults you and the goblin horde is rushing through the doorway and upon you. You have lost the advantage, and they will go first, which I will detail in the next post. Auger is invisible but in the path of the assailants. Varielky is dodging. What is Snow doing?
Goblin archers leap to the west end of the great hall and release their arrows, which hiss through the grand doorway and 18 of them clatter or break against the south wall of the entry hallway. But Varielky -- though she was the target of most of the arrows, and managed to duck out of the way of many close calls -- Varielky and Granophyre are both hit by one arrow each, and each takes 6HP damage.
Goblins 27 & 28 are the first through the doors, and they attack Granophyre, their swords striking him but deflecting off of his dwarven chainmail, while Goblins 29 & 30 both bump into and then attack Auger (at disadvantage), and both miss their bewildering, invisible foe.
Suddenly beset by a torrent of Goblins and swords and arrows, Auger realizes surprise was lost. Nonetheless a sense of anger suffuses him. These hideous creatures were going to pay for their actions. Reaching into the Sea of Stars Auger in turn reaches out to where the music still plays and at the right moment causes the music to finally resolve in a thunderous clatter while yelling, "Begone vile beasts!"
Snow sees the goblins all appear in view in the room, lots with bows and puts his violin to his chin. He once again plays the fast up beat music. As he does so he reaches into the void within the violin and activates it’s own power.
As he does so, a strong wind appears out of nowhere in front of them, running along the corridor and into the room. A lot of the goblins caught within it are hurt.
He backs up and gets ready for what may come. "Neither their nor our arrows cannot pass through the wind, stay this side", he warns the others.
Action: Wind Wall, Damage: 11, DC 18 Str save for half damage (damage is first turn only, missiles like arrows are blocked). target (E19,F19,G19,G18,H18-13)
Movement: Moves to L18
Reaction:
If anything attacks him. Cutting Words: 1+2=3 “Filthy maggot, you are worse than the dirt I scrape off my boot”
(Thank you very much, and I'm sorry for the delay.)
Varielky runs past Auger and Snow. Before she even takes a step, however, many Goblins fall to the magical attacks of the two. Undeterred, Varielky continues into the hall, ignoring Snow's warning. She's been waiting too much, too many times.
With one very wide swing - very ineffective against a single target, but great at keeping enemies at bay - Varielky ends the lives of two Goblins. Putting a little bit more strength into the attack, she continues the motion to complete a 180⁰ attack, which decapitates two more Goblins. Her powerful atyack stops only a short distance from the pillar, as Varielky knows better than to smash a blade into stone.
Then, realising there far fewer enemies ready for melee combat than there are those ready with bows in their hands, Varielky dives down, covering herself with her shield. It's harder to defend against anyone with a blade in hand this way, but it's also harder for archers to hit her, Varielky knows from experience. It's a dangerous move, and Varielky knows she'll get cut for doing it. ["May the gods protect me from what I cannot protect myself."] Varielky prays in Dreyen, hoping Dreygaard's powers will aid her through the coming onslaught.
Move: To I-15.
Action: Attack.
First Attack against #41: 25 to hit. Damage: 14. Cleaving through #41 into #62, killing both.
Second Attack, against #61: 22 to hit. Damage: 15. Cleaving through to #60, killing both.
Move: Fall prone. Varielky doesn't have any movement left, but falling prone doesn't take any movement. All attackers within 5' of Varielky have advantage on attacks against her, but all who are more than 5' from her have disadvantage on the attacks (as per the condition).
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Round 1 Results
Granophyre steps west 10’ while flipping open a tiny latch on a ring on his left hand, touches a fingertip to it, and punches out a dram of powdered iron while uttering an arcane phrase, then puckers and blows it toward the near stairway. The powder shoots forward, and it arrives at F19, a thin thread of magical force attaching it to the ring. The scholar jerks his hand back sharply and the powder ignites into a ball of flame. As if directing a kite, the old dwarf gestures with his arm, and the sphere, on its magical cord, rams into a goblin, which screams in agony and is charred and destroyed. The others (#33 & 36) nearby shield their faces growling fiercely, then disengage (which they can do as a bonus action) and move to attack Snow, both blows deflected by the bard’s magical Dreyen bracers.
The archers in the great hall have notched a second course of arrows and in a flurry of twanging gut strings, they fly at Varielky and Auger, but every one of them is either deflected up to the ceiling by Snow’s magical wind, or else ricochet off of Varielky’s round shield as she drops behind it.
Now the goblin swords come in a flurry however. Twenty goblins in a seething horde, dash, slash (at advantage), and disengage against Varielky. Twelve of them hit, and their combined assault brings the shield maiden to 0 HP. Varielky is down— after (I presume) using her reaction to kill one of the goblins that missed her. The rest of them rush past her to attack Auger and Granophyre, one of them connecting heavily against the sage’s left leg for 8 HP damage.
I will roll the attacks against Auger here in case reactions are applied:
Goblin 68: attack 17 damage 6 slashing
Goblin70: attack 18 damage 4 slashing
Goblin71: attack 10 damage 3 slashing
Varielky: take inspiration for bravery; and, a new, unexpected effect from Dreygaard brings you to 2HP at the beginning of your turn.
In a rush of Goblins, their swords descending upon him, Auger reacts to the attacks against him, releasing seething fires into one of the Goblins who hits him.
Still attempting to keep his attention into the next room, where he knows Varielky went in but cannot see her, Auger looks to the archers in the distance, and unleashes a thunderous strike upon them. Sensing this fight would be continuing for a while, Auger redirects some energies from the Sea of Stars into himself, empowering himself to continue acting.
"Snow, can you take care of these Goblins here in the corridor? I cannot see Varielky and we need to be able to get in there to help her!"
Details
2 attacks hit Auger for a total of 6 hp damage.
Round 1 Reaction: Cast Hellish Rebuke on #68 for 4 points of damage. Half that if it beats a DC18 DEX saving throw.
Round 2...
Action: Cast Shatter centered on the 10/11 E/F vertex, or the bottom left corner of the square that #13 is standing in. (I think that can target 12 of them in the effect). 17 points of damage so even those who succeed on the DC18 CON saving throw should be killed.
Bonus Action: Redirect spell points to recharge a Level 1 spell slot.
Varielky lies on the floor, not capable of doing much against the Goblins' attacks. She cannot move her shield to protect herself while the arrows slam against it, so she has to try bearing through it, hoping the armour would at least protect her for a few more moments as she waits for the archers to all shoot their arrows, hoping to use the moment when they draw their next arrow for a counter-attack. However, as the Goblins manage to hack at her, Varielky realises her strategy wouldn't work for long. She tries rolling in place, dodging an attack that probably would have hit her had she stayed put. Varielky flings her sword upwards, but from this awkward position her attack isn't as swift as always, and the Goblins manage to dodge out of the way. Then, something hits Varielky at the back of her head and she loses consciousness.
Varielky reopens her eyes. The fight is not over yet. Somehow, she regained consciousness. More peculiar, she somehow knew it had something to do with Dreygaard. Varielky would not waste the given chance. There's a brief moment of silence, and no arrow strike Varielky's shield. For one reason or another, the archers paused their attack. Maybe the others told them to stop firing at them, or maybe they're grabbing more arrows now. Either way, now's her chance.
Varielky rises on her feet, roaring as she does. She can feel her blood flowing in her veins - or out of them, perhaps - but knows that if all the Goblins attack her once more, she might not be able to hold her ground. Not against so many. Varielky tries to attack at once but loses her balance for a moment. After losing that much blood, getting up so quickly makes Varielky dizzy, and her sword soars above the Goblins' heads. After regaining her composure, Varielky strikes again, attacking the Goblin behind her first, to make sure they don't attack her as she advances later. This time, her sword strikes true, cutting through the Goblin. Varielky continues the motion, cutting into the wounded-looking Goblin near her. Varielky continues her own onslaught, trying to claim as many of the enemies' lives as she could before she's fired upon again, even if it means straining her body even further. This time, striking from left to right, Varielky cuts into two more Goblins, and all those who stood by her when she stood up are now dead on the floor. Varielky does not stop yet, however, taking a step forward to hack at the next Goblins that stand in front of her. The effort was a bit too much on Varielky's body, and a wrong movement makes Varielky flinch in pain, and her blade misses the Goblins in front of her.
Movement: Spending half her movement to stand up. BA: Second Wind, healing 4+6=10 HP. Action: Attack. Attack #1: Nat 1, automatically misses. Attack #2: 19+10=29. Damage: 1+9, spending a Superiority Die for Menacing Attack manoeuvre to add 2 damage, for a total of 12. Attack should be able to cleave through #49 and into #83. Action Surge: Taking the Attack action again. Attack #3: 18+10=28. Damage: 6+9=15. Should be enough to cleave through #79, #85, and #83 if it still stands (by the map, he looks hurt, though I'm not sure what from. The damage he takes from attacks #2 and #3 combined should total to 6, I believe. If he was truly hurt before, I suppose he should be dead? Otherwise, he should simply be almost dead.) Movement: 5' to I-14. Attack #4: 2+10=12. Attack misses.
Snow has no idea where Varielky is, nor how she is doing, but he now has his own problems. Two goblins were in his face, and he isn’t sure whether dropping the wind wall would be bad for the others.
He hears Auger asking him to clear the corridor, but in truth fighting is not really his strong suit. He contemplates drawing his rapier and going toe to toe with the goblins, but instead decides the only way he will get into the other room any time soon is to use different magic.
He first allows the music he is playing to inspire Auger, then he releases his concentration on the wall of wind and draws once again from the power in the violin. This time he calls forth the radiant pillar of light to consume the four goblins in front of him.
Bonus Action: Bardic Inspiration on Auger (d8) Action: Moonbeam, DC18 Con save or take 7+2= 9[radiant] damageotherwise take 4 damage. Placed in the middle of J18 and J19 (to get all 4 goblins) Reaction:
Cutting Words: 1+2=3 “You slime ridden, odorous mound of putrid filth. Your stench brings tears to my eyes”.
Auger’s Thunderous Strike pulverizes nine goblins, turning their skeletons into dust; their bodies fall, nerves sundered, brains smashing like melons inside their powdered craniums as they strike the ground. The goblin nearest him fails its save against his hellish rebuke and takes 4HP damage.
Varielky comes to her feet and takes down five foes near her.
Snow’s Moonbeam disintegrates four goblins in white lunar light.
Granophyre lets go of his ball of fire, and throws a bracelet to Varielky, while uttering the word <Protect!> in ancient Dwarvish. The bracelet clamps magically around the shield-maiden’s wrist just above her longsword, and grants her +2AC (Shield of Faith). He then unreels a length of flexible wire, which he uses to lasso one of the goblins, then tugs, sending a jolt of electricity through it. Smoke issues from its mouth and it falls to the ground, dead.
The goblin archers move east, out of view of Auger, and spread out as they go.
Six goblins mob Granophyre, crunching against his mail for 22HP damage.
Goblins 70 72, 58 and 66 strike Auger then disengage, but the warlock’s magical robe deflects every blow.
Varielky is overwhelmed once again by the twelve goblins, falls, and this time, Dreygaard can do nothing to help her.
Snow’s Moonbeam effectively shields him from attack.
This time Auger hears Varielky cry out as she is struck over and over again. Somehow he evades blow after blow, his robe moving him out of the way of wildly swinging swords. Reaching into the Sea of Stars he attempts to again find the force to bring another thunderous strike but finds himself unable to do it, the raging headache returning and not allowing him to collect such powers again. Enraged at the fierceness of the goblin onslaught and unable to move, Auger can only think to push the Goblins away and into each other. At close range he attempts to draw forth his twisting energies and release them into the Goblins ahead of him. The first attack appears to go awry but something in Snow's music causes Auger to adjust the positioning of his rod and redirects the energies directly into the chest of the Goblin ahead of him, killing it while pushing its lifeless body 10' back and into 2 other goblins behind it. With the second beam Auger attempts to do the same thing with the Goblin immediately to his left, also killing it and sending it back into another pair of Goblins.
Overcome by the rage he feels, Auger yells out, "We have destroyed half of you! How long do you think you can hold against us?"
Details
Action: Casts Eldritch Blast with 10' of pushing action.
Beam 1: Attack w/disadvantage, targeting #77 and pushing it back into #87 and #74. Roll = 12 + 8 from bardic inspiration for a 20 which hits for 13 points of damage.
Beam 2: Attack w/disadvantage, targeting #70 intending to push it into #58 and #66. Roll = 21 which hits for 7 points of damage.
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 watches the goblins wreathed in the ghostly flames fall, and beyond that he sees Strewn and Auger swarmed by more and more goblins. Auger seems to be ok, angry even judging by his shout, but Strewn takes a fair few hits. He still has no idea about Varielky, but he needs to stop them swarming through the door so they can regroup.
Still playing his music he channels a small portion of energy into the radiant pillar of light causing it to move into the doorway. He then moves closer to the others and calls over the music, “What is happening in there? Where is Varielky?”. As he does so, he will attempt to drag another goblin into the radiant pillar of light by focussing his will on it and mentally yanking it towards him.
Action: Move Moonbeam, DC18 Con save at start of their turn or take 10+10= 20[radiant] damage otherwise take 10 damage. Placed in the doorway covering #48, #74, #76, #87. Any who enter on their turn also need to do a save or take similar damage. This is enough to kill any of them regardless of the save. Move: 10ft to J19 Bonus Action: Telekinetic Shove on #54 into the Moonbeam, DC16 Str save or moved 5ft. This may not be possible because that space is taken, but worth a shot. Reaction:
If anyone attacks Snow he will use Cutting Words. Cutting Words: 5+2=7 “You slime ridden, odorous mound of putrid filth. Your stench brings tears to my eyes”
Auger’s twin beams pile into the goblins facing him, punching wide holes through their torsos and sending them flying like bowling pins into those near behind them, which fall prone, covered in blood, breaking Goblin 87’s collarbone with the impact. The horde shows no sign of having comprehended the southerner’s shouted warning.
Snow’s Moonbeam cools as it passes over his allies, then intensifies again at the doorway, disintegrating four more goblins, and a fifth is pulled into the beam by telekinesis, screeching in surprise as it goes.
“Varielky is in trouble!,” yells Granophyre, as he sends 8HP healing to Varielky, and uses his metal wire to fry another goblin in front of him.
The archers now run west, loose arrows through Snow’s Moonbeam at Granophyre and Auger, then some move back out of line-of-sight. Two arrows hit Granophyre, and one crits, for a total of 28HP damage. The old dwarf is impaled in the shoulder by that final arrow.
Two arrows fly at Auger, and one hits for 5HP damage.
Goblins 51 & 52 pick up Varielky and drag her between them to the east of the hall. She awakens in their grasp (but not grappled), Dreygaard lying on the ground where she fell.
Goblin 72 lunges and jabs at Auger with its long thin blade, but can’t connect.
Goblin 66 attacks Granophyre, feinting low then slashing his forearm for 5HP, and the old sage reels, battered and bleeding, though he still stands.
Goblin 58 darts around Granophyre and Auger (free bonus action disengage) to attack Snow hand-to-hand, and his thin blade crits, slashing across the bard’s abdomen for 12HP damage.
Auger turns and faces the one swinging a sword at him and again decides to pound it with his twisting energies as best as he can. The small creature is able to avoid Auger at close range and the attack proves ineffective.
"Move back Granophyre! We cannot protect you from their arrows."
Details
Action: Casts Eldritch Blast targeting 72 and missing with both beams (rolling a total of 13 in each instance).
Planned Reaction: Auger will react with Shield in this round if taking his AC to 22 will make any difference.
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
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Snow finds nothing in the entry hallway like a mirror. “Only the oldest goblins speak any other languages,” Granophyre counsels. He offers to make Snow invisible, “If you wish.”
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
The bit of music was not quite right. Dum de dum de dududu--. The end sound was cut off too soon and the music repeated too quickly, jumping the beat. Distracting. It creates a sense of unsettling urgency all to itself, even before Auger steps into the room. Dum de dum de dududu--Dum de dum de dududu--Dum de dum de dududu--.
As Auger steps forward he once again finds himself wondering at his occasional moments of bravery. Certainly he would stand and speak if needed at a town meeting or represent at a Carpenter's Guild meeting. Dum de dum de dududu--Those had been sometimes small challenges. All the faces staring in one direction. At him. Dum de dum de dududu--But as Auger steps forward and looks around he does not find he can draw from this well of experience in order to support him. This was... all? ...most? Perhaps all the Goblins. Dum de dum de dududu--Dum de dum de dududu--Gathered together in one place. All eyes on the door, 20ish with bows raised and ready. Just the smell of them was... . Dum de dum de dududu--Auger shakes that off. There was a plan. They were going to end the Goblin threat. And here they all are. This is an opportunity. Varielky just said something about speaking to them. Auger was not sure how that would go with this size of a group. Also his own spells, effective as they could be, would not take them all out.
But still... let the team discover there were scores of Goblins here as they run in? To their deaths? Or...? Dum de dum de dududu--Dum de dum de dududu--. Auger takes another good look around the room and returns to his teammates (At H19) to whisper what they face. And the music plays on.
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
"Umm... well, that complicates things," Varielky admits. "My plan was to convince them to fight us head-on, without hiding and shooting arrows. Even if I tried, I don't think I could make them surrender. But, if they can't understand me, making me understandable is too great a toll and there are so many of them, would it make the effort pointless?" She's a bit disappointed. She wanted to test whether what she felt back then truly was as she thought, or whether it was just imagination. Even if she wasn't wrong, would it truly be enough to make all the Goblins give up their clear advantage? She hoped so, but trying and failing would put them at a greater disadvantage. She didn't want to die again, definitely not to a storm of arrows.
Varielky sighs. That was her best and only plan. "What's our plan, then? Other than continuing down those stairs and hoping to find another entrance - if one of the doors you mentioned happens to be behind them - I'm out of ideas. No sane commander walks into an ambush with so few soldiers against so many."
Varielky
Auger: Yes, those are doors and there are very large candelabras at L9 and R9 but no hanging chandelier. The ceiling is perhaps 20’. There is something or other that can burn smokily. There are chairs and a table but nothing specifically to bar the door. It would take time and guesswork for Auger to instruct Py where to go to enable a Misty Step outside the castle from the great hall.
While Auger returns to the entry hall and whispers to the others, you all are suddenly aware of a change in the air, the smell is getting worse. And then a rain of arrows assaults you and the goblin horde is rushing through the doorway and upon you. You have lost the advantage, and they will go first, which I will detail in the next post. Auger is invisible but in the path of the assailants. Varielky is dodging. What is Snow doing?
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Snow was about to answer Strewn, but got caught up listening to Auger and Varielky.
He realises it is all too late and backs up trying to avoid the initial onslaught of arrows whilst he takes stock and figures how to respond.
(OOC: I assume I cannot take any actions as they go first, but would basically be looking to back out of line of sight of arrows if possible)
Goblin archers leap to the west end of the great hall and release their arrows, which hiss through the grand doorway and 18 of them clatter or break against the south wall of the entry hallway. But Varielky -- though she was the target of most of the arrows, and managed to duck out of the way of many close calls -- Varielky and Granophyre are both hit by one arrow each, and each takes 6HP damage.
Goblins 27 & 28 are the first through the doors, and they attack Granophyre, their swords striking him but deflecting off of his dwarven chainmail, while Goblins 29 & 30 both bump into and then attack Auger (at disadvantage), and both miss their bewildering, invisible foe.
You are now situated like so. Please post R1 actions. Goblins are AC15 with 7 HP each. Cleaving rules apply.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Suddenly beset by a torrent of Goblins and swords and arrows, Auger realizes surprise was lost. Nonetheless a sense of anger suffuses him. These hideous creatures were going to pay for their actions. Reaching into the Sea of Stars Auger in turn reaches out to where the music still plays and at the right moment causes the music to finally resolve in a thunderous clatter while yelling, "Begone vile beasts!"
Dum de dum de dududu DUUUUUMM
Details
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Snow sees the goblins all appear in view in the room, lots with bows and puts his violin to his chin. He once again plays the fast up beat music. As he does so he reaches into the void within the violin and activates it’s own power.
As he does so, a strong wind appears out of nowhere in front of them, running along the corridor and into the room. A lot of the goblins caught within it are hurt.
He backs up and gets ready for what may come. "Neither their nor our arrows cannot pass through the wind, stay this side", he warns the others.
Action: Wind Wall, Damage: 11, DC 18 Str save for half damage (damage is first turn only, missiles like arrows are blocked). target (E19,F19,G19,G18,H18-13)
Movement: Moves to L18
Reaction:
If anything attacks him.
Cutting Words: 1+2=3
“Filthy maggot, you are worse than the dirt I scrape off my boot”
Varielky: You are now situated like so. I have included some things in the Great Hall which are out of view but which you might move yourself into.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
(Thank you very much, and I'm sorry for the delay.)
Varielky runs past Auger and Snow. Before she even takes a step, however, many Goblins fall to the magical attacks of the two. Undeterred, Varielky continues into the hall, ignoring Snow's warning. She's been waiting too much, too many times.
With one very wide swing - very ineffective against a single target, but great at keeping enemies at bay - Varielky ends the lives of two Goblins. Putting a little bit more strength into the attack, she continues the motion to complete a 180⁰ attack, which decapitates two more Goblins. Her powerful atyack stops only a short distance from the pillar, as Varielky knows better than to smash a blade into stone.
Then, realising there far fewer enemies ready for melee combat than there are those ready with bows in their hands, Varielky dives down, covering herself with her shield. It's harder to defend against anyone with a blade in hand this way, but it's also harder for archers to hit her, Varielky knows from experience. It's a dangerous move, and Varielky knows she'll get cut for doing it. ["May the gods protect me from what I cannot protect myself."] Varielky prays in Dreyen, hoping Dreygaard's powers will aid her through the coming onslaught.
Varielky
Round 1 Results
Granophyre steps west 10’ while flipping open a tiny latch on a ring on his left hand, touches a fingertip to it, and punches out a dram of powdered iron while uttering an arcane phrase, then puckers and blows it toward the near stairway. The powder shoots forward, and it arrives at F19, a thin thread of magical force attaching it to the ring. The scholar jerks his hand back sharply and the powder ignites into a ball of flame. As if directing a kite, the old dwarf gestures with his arm, and the sphere, on its magical cord, rams into a goblin, which screams in agony and is charred and destroyed. The others (#33 & 36) nearby shield their faces growling fiercely, then disengage (which they can do as a bonus action) and move to attack Snow, both blows deflected by the bard’s magical Dreyen bracers.
The archers in the great hall have notched a second course of arrows and in a flurry of twanging gut strings, they fly at Varielky and Auger, but every one of them is either deflected up to the ceiling by Snow’s magical wind, or else ricochet off of Varielky’s round shield as she drops behind it.
Now the goblin swords come in a flurry however. Twenty goblins in a seething horde, dash, slash (at advantage), and disengage against Varielky. Twelve of them hit, and their combined assault brings the shield maiden to 0 HP. Varielky is down— after (I presume) using her reaction to kill one of the goblins that missed her. The rest of them rush past her to attack Auger and Granophyre, one of them connecting heavily against the sage’s left leg for 8 HP damage.
I will roll the attacks against Auger here in case reactions are applied:
Goblin 68: attack 17 damage 6 slashing
Goblin70: attack 18 damage 4 slashing
Goblin71: attack 10 damage 3 slashing
Varielky: take inspiration for bravery; and, a new, unexpected effect from Dreygaard brings you to 2HP at the beginning of your turn.
You are now situated like so.
Please state Round 2 actions.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
In a rush of Goblins, their swords descending upon him, Auger reacts to the attacks against him, releasing seething fires into one of the Goblins who hits him.
Still attempting to keep his attention into the next room, where he knows Varielky went in but cannot see her, Auger looks to the archers in the distance, and unleashes a thunderous strike upon them. Sensing this fight would be continuing for a while, Auger redirects some energies from the Sea of Stars into himself, empowering himself to continue acting.
"Snow, can you take care of these Goblins here in the corridor? I cannot see Varielky and we need to be able to get in there to help her!"
Details
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Varielky lies on the floor, not capable of doing much against the Goblins' attacks. She cannot move her shield to protect herself while the arrows slam against it, so she has to try bearing through it, hoping the armour would at least protect her for a few more moments as she waits for the archers to all shoot their arrows, hoping to use the moment when they draw their next arrow for a counter-attack. However, as the Goblins manage to hack at her, Varielky realises her strategy wouldn't work for long. She tries rolling in place, dodging an attack that probably would have hit her had she stayed put. Varielky flings her sword upwards, but from this awkward position her attack isn't as swift as always, and the Goblins manage to dodge out of the way. Then, something hits Varielky at the back of her head and she loses consciousness.
Varielky reopens her eyes. The fight is not over yet. Somehow, she regained consciousness. More peculiar, she somehow knew it had something to do with Dreygaard. Varielky would not waste the given chance. There's a brief moment of silence, and no arrow strike Varielky's shield. For one reason or another, the archers paused their attack. Maybe the others told them to stop firing at them, or maybe they're grabbing more arrows now. Either way, now's her chance.
Varielky rises on her feet, roaring as she does. She can feel her blood flowing in her veins - or out of them, perhaps - but knows that if all the Goblins attack her once more, she might not be able to hold her ground. Not against so many.
Varielky tries to attack at once but loses her balance for a moment. After losing that much blood, getting up so quickly makes Varielky dizzy, and her sword soars above the Goblins' heads. After regaining her composure, Varielky strikes again, attacking the Goblin behind her first, to make sure they don't attack her as she advances later. This time, her sword strikes true, cutting through the Goblin. Varielky continues the motion, cutting into the wounded-looking Goblin near her.
Varielky continues her own onslaught, trying to claim as many of the enemies' lives as she could before she's fired upon again, even if it means straining her body even further. This time, striking from left to right, Varielky cuts into two more Goblins, and all those who stood by her when she stood up are now dead on the floor.
Varielky does not stop yet, however, taking a step forward to hack at the next Goblins that stand in front of her. The effort was a bit too much on Varielky's body, and a wrong movement makes Varielky flinch in pain, and her blade misses the Goblins in front of her.
Varielky
Snow has no idea where Varielky is, nor how she is doing, but he now has his own problems. Two goblins were in his face, and he isn’t sure whether dropping the wind wall would be bad for the others.
He hears Auger asking him to clear the corridor, but in truth fighting is not really his strong suit. He contemplates drawing his rapier and going toe to toe with the goblins, but instead decides the only way he will get into the other room any time soon is to use different magic.
He first allows the music he is playing to inspire Auger, then he releases his concentration on the wall of wind and draws once again from the power in the violin. This time he calls forth the radiant pillar of light to consume the four goblins in front of him.
Bonus Action: Bardic Inspiration on Auger (d8)
Action: Moonbeam, DC18 Con save or take 7+2= 9[radiant] damage otherwise take 4 damage. Placed in the middle of J18 and J19 (to get all 4 goblins)
Reaction:
Cutting Words: 1+2=3
“You slime ridden, odorous mound of putrid filth. Your stench brings tears to my eyes”.
Round 2 Results.
Auger’s Thunderous Strike pulverizes nine goblins, turning their skeletons into dust; their bodies fall, nerves sundered, brains smashing like melons inside their powdered craniums as they strike the ground. The goblin nearest him fails its save against his hellish rebuke and takes 4HP damage.
Varielky comes to her feet and takes down five foes near her.
Snow’s Moonbeam disintegrates four goblins in white lunar light.
Granophyre lets go of his ball of fire, and throws a bracelet to Varielky, while uttering the word <Protect!> in ancient Dwarvish. The bracelet clamps magically around the shield-maiden’s wrist just above her longsword, and grants her +2AC (Shield of Faith). He then unreels a length of flexible wire, which he uses to lasso one of the goblins, then tugs, sending a jolt of electricity through it. Smoke issues from its mouth and it falls to the ground, dead.
The goblin archers move east, out of view of Auger, and spread out as they go.
Six goblins mob Granophyre, crunching against his mail for 22HP damage.
Goblins 70 72, 58 and 66 strike Auger then disengage, but the warlock’s magical robe deflects every blow.
Varielky is overwhelmed once again by the twelve goblins, falls, and this time, Dreygaard can do nothing to help her.
Snow’s Moonbeam effectively shields him from attack.
You are now situated like so. Please post actions for Round 3. Varielky, please make a death save.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
This time Auger hears Varielky cry out as she is struck over and over again. Somehow he evades blow after blow, his robe moving him out of the way of wildly swinging swords. Reaching into the Sea of Stars he attempts to again find the force to bring another thunderous strike but finds himself unable to do it, the raging headache returning and not allowing him to collect such powers again. Enraged at the fierceness of the goblin onslaught and unable to move, Auger can only think to push the Goblins away and into each other. At close range he attempts to draw forth his twisting energies and release them into the Goblins ahead of him. The first attack appears to go awry but something in Snow's music causes Auger to adjust the positioning of his rod and redirects the energies directly into the chest of the Goblin ahead of him, killing it while pushing its lifeless body 10' back and into 2 other goblins behind it. With the second beam Auger attempts to do the same thing with the Goblin immediately to his left, also killing it and sending it back into another pair of Goblins.
Overcome by the rage he feels, Auger yells out, "We have destroyed half of you! How long do you think you can hold against us?"
Details
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory
Varielky's death save: 19.
Varielky
Snow watches the goblins wreathed in the ghostly flames fall, and beyond that he sees Strewn and Auger swarmed by more and more goblins. Auger seems to be ok, angry even judging by his shout, but Strewn takes a fair few hits. He still has no idea about Varielky, but he needs to stop them swarming through the door so they can regroup.
Still playing his music he channels a small portion of energy into the radiant pillar of light causing it to move into the doorway. He then moves closer to the others and calls over the music, “What is happening in there? Where is Varielky?”. As he does so, he will attempt to drag another goblin into the radiant pillar of light by focussing his will on it and mentally yanking it towards him.
Action: Move Moonbeam, DC18 Con save at start of their turn or take 10+10= 20[radiant] damage otherwise take 10 damage. Placed in the doorway covering #48, #74, #76, #87. Any who enter on their turn also need to do a save or take similar damage. This is enough to kill any of them regardless of the save.
Move: 10ft to J19
Bonus Action: Telekinetic Shove on #54 into the Moonbeam, DC16 Str save or moved 5ft. This may not be possible because that space is taken, but worth a shot.
Reaction:
If anyone attacks Snow he will use Cutting Words.
Cutting Words: 5+2=7
“You slime ridden, odorous mound of putrid filth. Your stench brings tears to my eyes”
Auger’s twin beams pile into the goblins facing him, punching wide holes through their torsos and sending them flying like bowling pins into those near behind them, which fall prone, covered in blood, breaking Goblin 87’s collarbone with the impact. The horde shows no sign of having comprehended the southerner’s shouted warning.
Snow’s Moonbeam cools as it passes over his allies, then intensifies again at the doorway, disintegrating four more goblins, and a fifth is pulled into the beam by telekinesis, screeching in surprise as it goes.
“Varielky is in trouble!,” yells Granophyre, as he sends 8HP healing to Varielky, and uses his metal wire to fry another goblin in front of him.
The archers now run west, loose arrows through Snow’s Moonbeam at Granophyre and Auger, then some move back out of line-of-sight. Two arrows hit Granophyre, and one crits, for a total of 28HP damage. The old dwarf is impaled in the shoulder by that final arrow.
Two arrows fly at Auger, and one hits for 5HP damage.
Goblins 51 & 52 pick up Varielky and drag her between them to the east of the hall. She awakens in their grasp (but not grappled), Dreygaard lying on the ground where she fell.
Goblin 72 lunges and jabs at Auger with its long thin blade, but can’t connect.
Goblin 66 attacks Granophyre, feinting low then slashing his forearm for 5HP, and the old sage reels, battered and bleeding, though he still stands.
Goblin 58 darts around Granophyre and Auger (free bonus action disengage) to attack Snow hand-to-hand, and his thin blade crits, slashing across the bard’s abdomen for 12HP damage.
You are now situated like so. Please post Round 4 actions.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Auger turns and faces the one swinging a sword at him and again decides to pound it with his twisting energies as best as he can. The small creature is able to avoid Auger at close range and the attack proves ineffective.
"Move back Granophyre! We cannot protect you from their arrows."
Details
DM of RotFM | AUGER the Warlock (Archfey & the Chain) / Shadow Sorcerer in Age of Resurgence | Rahui & Javier in Sea of Memory