Granophyre touches Varielky’s shoulder urgently, whispers, “There! One of the nagas just passed!” He points to T18. Varielky sees nothing. Auger notices this, looks to where Granophyre is pointing, and also sees nothing, despite his darkvision. Snow is aware of none of this. 

Sneaking was never good, she knew it. Usually, she'd immediately act, but she didn't want to ruin the others' plan. Instead, she whispers back: "I see nothing. Should I call for the gods' light? It will allow us to see better, but will give away our presence and position." She lays her hand on her sword, prepare to draw it and pray for light. Meanwhile, her other hand clenches the grip of her shield. She came with it strapped on her hand already, this time. An ambush here, to her, seems like an obvious sign, perhaps even punishment, from the gods. Sneaking is a bad idea.

Snow floats for a moment regarding the captives, for the first time able to get a proper look at their situation. He looks the closest one over to see if he can determine what they are doing here. Was Varielky correct, were they just being kept here for food later, or was there another reason? He pays particular attention to any wounds on the body.

He moves his free hand slowly to his belt, then slowly draws his dagger and gently pokes the substance restraining the captive with the invisible blade, trying to determine if it was hard or soft, and whether he could free them easily. Were they just being weighed down but moveable, or were they attached to something.

If he feels the need, he will carefully take a breath through the reed to refill his lungs.

Investigation: (5+7) = 12

Auger continues crouching and after seeing Granophyre's motions and nothing himself, he passes his senses in to Py to see if it notices anything.

(OOC: I am going to treat Py as floating on the water directly above where Snow went into the water as that makes the most sense to me for where it would have been if Snow went under.)

Granophyre saw a Naga near you on the shore. Keep watching for it.

Py perception check: 1 +3 for 4. (OOC: Oh well)

Snow learns that only the one dressed in imperial livery seems to have been seriously injured, and he looks quite pale. The others seem to be uninjured, though it is hard to tell underwater, and neither do they appear to be particularly hale. All three remain unconscious. 

The substance binding them in place is sticky and rubbery. Cutting doesn’t really help. Rather, it will take strength to pull them away from the goo.

Py is momentarily entangled in thick algae directly above Snow, from which it is carefully and quietly extricating itself, and does not see or hear anything. Neither does Auger. 

Granophyre nods to Varielky, whispers urgently. “It was never in the cards for us to surprise them. If we are to have the advantage, now is the moment!” He readies the enlarge/reduce spell he’d mentioned, which will be triggered if Varielky attacks.

Auger is not aware of this interaction as he cannot hear it from Py’s location. 

Varielky nods silently, not sure if Granophyre sees or not, but that's not of much importance. She's about to draw her blade when she remembers the bolts of lightning that blasted Auger and the ship's captain. It would not be good if both Granophyre and her are caught in it together. She takes a few steps away, until she thinks she's about 10' from Granophyre. She'd still need to see him, shall anything happen, so she can't really get too far away. 

Then, Varielky draws her sword. As she does, she calls: "Come before me, intelligent reptiles! Let us finish what we started!" She then adds in Dreyen: ["May Odin's might guide my sword in the dark, and Odur my enemies will mark!"] As she does all that, her eyes kindle, and light shines forward. She quickly looks around, searching for any snake in her or Granophyre's proximity. 

Perception: 14+3=17 (where there's bright light. In the parts of dim light, disadvantage's second roll rolled a 5, so 8 total).

Realising the dagger was not going to be much use, Snow carefully sheathes it. He has another look around for signs of the creatures and then if the coast is clear readies himself to try and free the imperial.

Before he does so, he extends the effects of his concealment magic to the captive. Then, very carefully, he takes hold of the captive and tries to pull him free. He will be as gentle as possible, trying not to wake them up or dislodge the reed they are breathing through.

Perception: 20+7=27

Athletics (if the coast is clear): 18+1=19

As Auger, through Py's eyes and ears, hears Varielky and sees her twin lights form he lets his sense return to himself.

Well, here we go. Fly up and see if you can get a better look at things, ok?

Details

• Py at M19 flies up to 40'
• Auger still concentrates on invisibility for Snow while crouching at V6.

Snow sees nothing out of the ordinary in a cursory glance, but he has the distinct feeling — in fact, he knows in his gut — that he’s being watched. Yet, he doesn’t know where the watcher is exactly. (This is the result of his very high perception roll.) Snow looks under the rock shelf and on the riverbed for what? a cave or the giant snake’s body sunk in the mud?… when Varielky’s twin light beams flash overhead. He looks up and they’re gone, he doesn’t see them. Snow works to pull the imperial away from the riverbed, and loosens him. The imperial is now unstuck. That’s when he sees the continuing flashing lights above and knows something’s going on. 

Varielky leaps forward, growing as she goes, and is 10’ tall and enjoys the benefits of enlarge/reduce (enlarge) when she sees the Naga: the mother-of-pearl-scaled one which threw lightning before. It hears her, and diverts from its stealthy path to the riverbank to engage her, its scales once again forming a subtly-colored arcane circle over its head.

“Ah!, here is magic of interesssst! But you are a mere grub, where is the mind that cast this sssspell?”

Varielky can strike first, and then Granophyre can act.

You are now situated like so.

Varielky (only), please state round 1 actions. The Naga is AC 15 and has over 50HP.

Auger and Snow have already posted actions for this round (POSTS 307 & 308).

"If something happens, call and I'll immediately run back," Varielky asks of Granophyre before she runs towards the naga. Using the word grub to describe her is unexpectedly offensive for Varielky. Had this creature no appreciation for anything but magic? "And if a grub beheads you, what does it make of you?" Her vexation nearly audible through her tone. When she gets to the naga, Varielky swings downwards on the naga's head, aiming for the mother-of-pearl on its head. Then, she swings sideways, with a wide arc, meant to decapitate the serpentine creature. Then, she smashes her shield on the side of its head, hoping to knock the reptile down on the ground.

Attack 1: 16. Damage: 11.
Attack 2: 18. Damage: 10, +2 from an expended SD for Menacing Attack manoeuvre. The naga must succeed a DC 16 Wisdom save or be Frightened of Varielky until the end of her next turn.
BA Shield Shove to knock the naga prone. Athletics: 15.

Varielky’s blows are glancing ones, catching mostly air as the creature weaves back and forward, but she smashes it with her shield and it falls flat, yet it keeps its eyes on her and is not frightened. 

Granophyre’s basso resonates with arcane power as he commands the snake to “Halt!,” but the wizard-reptile’s eyes blare with magic radiance and a shockwave blasts out from it, disrupting the sage’s spell, leaves fluttering in its wake. The Naga then disappears from view.

No enemies are visible. All please state round 2 actions.

You are now situated like so.

Barely able to see what is going on in the distance, Auger is not quite sure what to do. "Stay spread out," he whispers towards Granophyre. "Perhaps use magic to draw them out. As you said, it is all they care about."

Listening to his own instruction, Auger clambers back up the trail to the plateau above him and then moves forward upon the plateau a bit closer to Varielky and there he stops and gives a good look around. 

Details

• Py: Still invisibly flying and looking around. Py perception (no darkvision, so it concentrates in the lit and dimly lit zones that Varielky lights up). 16 +3 for 19.
• Move: Back and up to X4, which depending on the quality of the ground, may use up all his movement. If he has any movement left he heads towards X7.
• Action: Perception check 17.
• Status: Still concentrating on invisibility for Snow

(Extra damage: 2 :/ rolled two ones.)

Varielky moves back, closer to Granophyre, though not too close. She raises her shield a little higher, warycof any attacks. She didn't like the snakes' tactic to run away every time they get hit. She wonders what happened to the captain, and where are the other two snakes. Varielky tries to search for the snakes, or listen to their sounds, at least.

Move: To U-12.

Perception: 12+3=15 (if made with disadvantage, that sticks, since second roll was a 20+3=23).

Snow looks from the imperial to the lights flashing above the water, and quickly makes the decision to investigate what is happening above. He swims north about 20' and then carefully surfaces, looking about for signs of the disturbance and the creatures.

Stealth: (5+5)+10 = 20
Perception: (9+7) = 16
Movement: Moves to M13 and pops his head out the water.

(OOC: in campaign rolled the wrong skill with advantage, but above is correct)

Wings appear from the body of the little golden bird on Granophyre’s head, growing outward like flowing quicksilver, and it flits upward not too far from Py, though it does not see the invisible fey alyasub.

Snow’s invisible head parts the waters at the riverbank, as he notices that with nothing holding him in place, the imperial he freed – still unconscious – is beginning to drift and roll. The reed through which he breathes tips down toward the water. If it is submerged, he will begin to drown.Then, suddenly, it rights itself.

Snow, Auger, Varielky, Py, and Granophyre peer into the darkness, and time seems to stand still until, perhaps a dozen heartbeats later (we will still call this round 2), Py sends to Auger, ‘I see them. I think they emerged from a cave or crevice directly east of me and up the hill. Look out!’ 

You all see the nagas as they cross between the trees at the southern limit of Varielky’s light beams, where they stop, turn to face the shield-maiden and Granophyre, arcane circles shining above both their heads, and attack. 

“This one’s teeth are too sharp,” says the one Varielky slashed a moment ago.

I think this kind of music would be the appropriate soundtrack.

From the slowly rotating disc above S1 emanates a series of bright blue orbs which dart in unpredictable paths toward the Varielky, then loop all around and below her, striking like a series of brutal punches to her face, kidney, neck, ear, knee, clavicle, temple, and hip. The magic missiles all hit for a total of 32 HP force damage.

The second naga says a magic word, a piercing sound builds as the air fills with static electricity, and then a bolt of lightning shoots out from the subtly-colored ring above it, striking Granophyre’s armored forearm, and wrapping his upper body in corruscating energy. Grunting in pain, the sage manages to keep his concentration and Varielky remains huge-sized.

You are now situated like so.

Please post Round 3 actions.

Varielky raises her shield to block the orbs but doesn't expect them to change their paths this way and simply go around her shield. This is a beating of a kind she's not used to, and the pain is unfamiliar too. Nonetheless, Varielky does not back down. They knew that if fighting will be involved, they will have to deal with strange kinds of magic. Varielky strengthens her resolve, then runs towards the nagas. Better be done with this as quickly as possible.

When Varielky gets to the nagas, she turns to the one whom she attacked earlier. She'd rather deal with the blue-orbs first, but by the time she reaches the first, she can see the two are about to launch their next assault already and chooses to at least try taking out the closest one.

Varielky strikes twice, in an X like shape. Both strikes manage to pierce the naga's scales and draw blood. "My teeth aren't so sharp, but the gods wish them to pierce deep, so they do! Now, they wish you end your role in this life, so I will bite in their service!" 

BA: Second Wind, healing 8 points.
Move: To T-17.
Attack 1: 16. Damage: 17 (including all dice this time). The damage also includes the damage of an expended SD for a Menacing Attack manoeuvre.
Attack 2: 28. Damage: 13. 

Snow watches the reed right itself and takes a moment to wonder whether the imperial has woken or something else caused it, before he sees the creatures target Varielky and Strewn with their magic.

He moves to a kneeling position, and reaches behind him for his violin. He wasn’t sure if it was water logged but he hoped the magic would still work. Not having time to retrieve the bow as well, he plucked at a string and focussed all his will on building the pool of energy within the violin.

Suddenly he appears on the river bank, as both the shadowy field and the invisibility drop, and at the same time a column of iridescent light falls from the sky catching both of the creatures.

He then lashes out with his mind at the creature closest to him, pushing it away and hopefully distracting it, before moving up the river bank and slipping into the water once again.

Action: Cast Moonbeam at 3rd level 5ft radius centred on T19: (10+8+10) = 28 (DC18 Con save for half damage)
Bonus Action: Telekinetic Shove on S1 pushing back 5ft to T20 (DC16 Str to resist) - it should be in the Moonbeam either way.
Movement: North 15’ to M10, dropping underwater.

(OOC:The moonbeam is centred in the middle of T19, so would include the creatures but not Varielky)

Seeing the Nagas rise up and attack, Auger looks around at the muddy path and decides he must get closer to help effectively. Auger reaches into the Sea of Stars and moves himself through to a closer point and then steps forward while releasing a pair of blasts, hitting the Naga facing off against Varielky with both beams in its torso area.

Details:

• Py: Takes no action
• Bonus Action: Misty step to Y10
• Move: Tries to move as far south as he can on the map. Depending on ground quality's effect on movement, to Y16
• Action: Eldritch Blast (no push) targeting S2 with both beams or S1 if S2 is not up.
  • Beam 1: 15 for 10 points of damage
  • Beam 2: 20 for 15 points of damage

Round 3 Results

Varielky’s attacks splash dark blood left and right, and Snow’s moonbeam channels brilliant white radiance down atop the naga. The creature hisses in pain. “I’ll ssssee you in the mountain!,” it says to the other wizard-snake, which responds, “The mountain…AGAIN??,” as the first one, outlined in white, is destroyed, disappearing in an arcane vortex and diminishing to nothing.

Auger’s first eldritch beam smashes through a tree limb but misses the remaining naga, but his second beam pounds into it, and the arcane creature explodes into a second magical vortex which soon diminishes to nothing, as it yells, "Not THISSSSSsssssss...!"

You have defeated the nagas! But one enemy remains!

Snow feels it before he sees it: the giant snake called Chiss’ jaw clamping on his thigh from below, then releasing. It had been hiding in a crevice behind a mat of algae itself hidden by the bodies, and has now attacked underwater, unperceived, noticed urgently by Snow, but not by the others (I repeat, not by the others).

Snow takes 9HP piercing damage, and must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of his next turn, and fall underwater. Also on a failed save, he will begin to hallucinate and will not remember to hold his breath… (if Snow fails his save and wants to signal his condition to the others, he must succeed in a DC15 CON save. Otherwise he seems to mumble and go back to what he was doing.)

You are now situated like so.

Please post Round 4 actions.

Snow feels the bite on his thigh and the poison it contained swimming through his veins. He struggles to focus and remain in control of his faculties, and manages to overcome the paralysing effects. Unfortunately due to the effort he wasn't able to maintain his focus on the Moonbeam, and it blinks out of existence.

He concentrates what will he has remaining and attempts to push Chiss away with his mind, and swims up breaking the surface of the water, scrambling onto the river bank and backing away from the river. "The snake they called Chiss is back", he shouts at the others, drawing his rapier.

Con Save Against Stun: (14+2) = 16 Success
Concentration Check: (2+2) = 4 Failure
Bonus Action: Telekinetic Shove: DC16 Str Save or pushed 5' away
Action: If shove doesn't work, disengage. If shove works hold action for attack with rapier if Chiss gets within range: To Hit: (13+5)= 18, Damage: (3+2) = 5
Movement: 15' East to I10