Round 3 Results

Snow can’t see the guards who are closing the doors: they are behind the doors. He aims at one of the three defending the door on this side. His bolt strikes guard 5, impaling his neck under his ear.  Though not fatal, blood spurts as Snow’s telekinesis follows through, smashing the guard into the left door and slowing the progress of its shutting.

The other two guards lower their shoulders as Varielky rushes them, but the pair expect sword blows, not a steamroller. The first fighter, #6, plunges to the ground, but #5, already shoved against the wall, and #7, keep their footing.

Angry shouts of surprise blurt from the guards on the other side of the gate as Auger reappears behind them and then backs away to allow himself elbow room. Py dashes and makes it just under the portcullis, and two guards shout, “The cultist!,” for they know the source of the buzzing noise which passes them. The guard operating the wheel lowering the portcullis sees Auger, growls, but continues what he’s doing. Two guards peel away from the doors to attack the warlock, while two remain, backs against the doors, pushing them shut against unexpected resistance.

Guard 8 grabs a halberd leaning against the gate and attacks Auger with a rolled 1, fumbling and trapping the top in the portcullis chain. The other draws a longsword and slashes too high with 7.

As for the three fighters in front. The one with the neck wound glares at Snow, the source of his injury, and rushes him with his long curved blade, slashing with an 11, his blow whistling through the air.

The other two pick themselves up to attack Varielky, cornering her between the closing doors. One strikes with a Morningstar, a 20 for 8 HP. One of the spiked balls wraps around her sword arm, the guard pivots away, pulling sharply, and the ball pulls away slicing flesh. The last guard, with a curved blade, rolls a 7, missing the shield maiden. Despite her wound, Varielky keeps the doors ajar. 

Please post round 4 actions. 

Readied for the attention from the guards, Auger takes quick actions to protect himself. First he reaches into the Sea of Stars and allows a blinding flash of light into the eyes of the guards that approached him. Taking advantage of their distracted state Auger moves back and then again reaches into the Sea of Stars where he finds he is already present, readying a twisting blast into each of the guards. He tries to push them back and into the others who are still at the gate. Then he moves further away so that he is not so easily attacked.

1. Action: Casts Color Spray for 35 points of blindness at the two who attacked Auger. If they also have 15 hit points then they are both blinded until the end of Auger's next turn. These are Guards #8 and his friend (9?).
2. Move: Back 5'. This would possibly create opportunity attacks, but with disadvantage due to blindness. 
3. Bonus Action: Exhausts 2 sorcery points to cast Eldritch Blast as a bonus action, pushing 10' on a hit. Is attacking the blinded guards and so is rolling with advantage.
   • Beam 1 at #8. 18 for 6 points of damage
   • Beam 2 at #9. 17 for 10 points of damage
4. Move: Uses remaining movement to back away from the guardsmen.

Snow ducks under the guards curved blade and reaches out with his mind again, pushing the guard away as his empty hand reaches behind his back for his violin. He grasps the neck of the violin, leaving it in place, but channeling his magic through it.

"Get your foul breath away from me you putrid mess", he says to the guard, lacing his words with venomous magic.

If the guard was pushed away, he will then move closer to Varielky trying to find a safe route through the door.

Bonus Action: Telekinetic Shove the guard next to him, DC16 Str save or moved 5ft away.
Action: Vicious Mockery the guard, DC 18 Wis Save or take 3 damage and have disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn.
Movement: Closer to Varielky, he will move only if no opportunity attacks would be made.

Reaction:

Varielky expected Snow would make haste to get past the gate, but he was taking his time, and she couldn't wait there forever, holding both doors while in pain from that new wound, while the two guards right in front of her keep attacking. However, she can't really deal with them while holding the gate, and if they're locked out, they'll have to count on Auger, who was facing a number of guards himself. "I'm going over to the other side! I'll open the gate as soon as I can! Hang in there!" She calls to Snow.

Varielky then stops resisting the closing doors, slipping between them before they fully close. She draws her sword and allows the red blade to guide her, killing one of the two guards that remained by the doors with two diagonal strikes, gashing a deep bloody X into his torso.

BA: Using the Rally manoeuvre to grant Snow 3+3=6 temporary hit points

Move: If needed, to get to the other side of the gate. If she can remain in place while the gates close behind her, even better.

Action: Attacking one of the guards closing the gate twice.

Attack #1: 13 to hit, 3+9=12 damage.

Attack #2: 20!+10=30 to hit, 1+5+9=15 damage.

Round 4 Results

Auger: Guards 8 and 10 take 6HP and 10HP respectively, and they both throw up their arms to block the warlock’s flash of light, but too late, they see nothing now but whiteness.  Driven backwards, they cannot keep their balance or footing and crash into unsuspecting guards 9 and 11, who are both smashed for 2HP. None can opportunity attack Auger, who gains more distance. ‘There are no other guards near,’ sends Py, ‘or on the walls overhead.’

Varielky is engaged in melee with two guards, but, slipping through the door and pushing it closed behind her, she evades their attacks although one deflects off the back of her breastplate. 

Meanwhile, she powers into two guards on the other side of the door, both wavering after Auger’s incisive magical attacks. One of the blinded guards has turned to flee Auger, loses balance and trips toward the door at the moment Varielky pushes through. The sightless guard falls upon Varielky’s blade. The shield-maiden’s second slash severs the next guard’s arm at the shoulder, he screams in agony and drops away, mortally wounded. Only two are left this side of the doors, plus the one lowering the portcullis. One is blinded, wounded, and prone, and crawls away from the sound of combat. The last, courageous but backpedaling, slashes at Varielky but misses with a 9. The one at the portcullis turns the wheel with all his might, the halberd head cracks off its pole, the chain breaks, and the portcullis begins to rush down, and the halberd head, spinning, arcs through the air until it plunges downward, impaling the blind crawling man’s hand to the sandy ground. 

Snow’s telekinesis shoves away his assailant, who clutches his head in pain from the bard’s piercing vitriol. Whipping around with his curved blade, Snow’s insult sends him into a mad rage and (attack roll =-4) the guard follows the bard, slashing repeatedly behind him until Snow ducks a final blow which passes over him and strikes one of the guards at the doors who has run up to attack the wordsmith. The other guards seem completely overwhelmed, rolling 5 and 7 to hit, one now with a bad bruise where his colleague’s curved blade smashed his armored shoulder.

Snow is surrounded by three guards, Auger and Varielky face one standing guard, one at the portcullis, and a third pinned to the ground by a halberd head whose sight is returning. 

Please post actions for round 5.

Trying to avoid Varielky, Auger shifts his position so that he can only attack the guard controlling the portcullis. Auger releases a pair of twisting blasts into the man, hoping the distraction would be enough to allow Snow to step through the gate. Then he follows that by sending a Bolt from the Yemma's Diadem into the one guard still standing on this side of the gate.

1. Move: Shift position to avoid Varielky (possibly just RP).
2. Action: Casts Eldritch Blast with 10' of pushing, both beams targeting the guard controlling the portcullis.
   • Beam 1: 29 for 6 points of force damage.
   • Beam 2: 27 for 13 points of force damage.
3. Bonus Action: Casts the Yemma's Guiding Bolt, targeting the one still standing.
   • (using Eldritch Blast roller) 15 for 6 points of radiant damage. If that is a hit then the standing guard can be attacked with advantage.

Snow ducks and weaves as the three guards assault him, knowing that his fortune will soon run out. He looks across and sees Varielky now on the other side of the gate. He spins around and bolts for it, looking to duck under the closing portcullis.

As he rolls underneath and comes back to his feet, he reaches out with his mind trying to speed up the closing of the portcullis as he takes a step away, trapping the three guards helplessly on the other side.

Action: Disengage
Movement: Through the portcullis, rolling and hopefuly standing again if enough left
Acrobatics: 13+3=16
Bonus Action: Telekinetic Shove on the portcullis to close it. If not allowed he will do it on the nearest guard - DC16 Str save or moved 5ft away.
Reaction:

"You are brave. May your bravery serve the gods well." Varielky honours the guard who tried to attack her, sending him to the afterlife with these words and a piercing thrust to the chest. She then whiffs her sword in the air but abruptly breaks, spraying the blood away from the blade. Varielky then sheathes the sword. She has no reason to finish off the impaled soldier. He'll cause them no trouble, most likely. 

"Are you hurt?" Varielky asks both Auger and Snow, but mostly Snow. "Sorry I had to leave you with three of them, but it was either that or let the doors close, and then we'd be stuck." She sighs. "Enough with the schemes. We always end up with my plan anyway, only under more pressure. Now let's move on."

(OOC: Edit: Forgot to add actions...)

Action: Attacking the last standing guard. (7,6 - advantage)+10=17 to hit, 4+9=13 damge.

Round 5 Results

The last second of the portcullis guard’s life unfolds as if in slow motion. He absorbs the reality of the broken portcullis chain, recoiling from the portcullis wheel, some part of him wondering if he’ll have to pay for its repair. He looks up to see the carnage at the doors, Varielky making a final advance, and then turns to see Auger raising his hands, which glow with magical force. “NOOOOooooooo!!!,” he barely has time to shout, in slow motion, raising his arms to shield himself, pointlessly, before he is vaporized where he stands by the warlock’s twin blasts.

The guard whom Varielky finishes looks her in the eyes, and sighs, “Ellosh…. Take… you…” with his dying breath. The guard pinned to the ground moans as his sight returns, but he wisely remains prone, clawing helplessly at the halberd head.

Snow makes it under the portcullis as a morningstar and scimitar grab at and slice the air behind him. The guards advance, then leap for cover as, under the bard’s telekinetic control, the portcullis slams into the dusty ground, and we’ll say the doors grind shut as well. The guards now outside the gate may growl momentarily, but, considering what they saw, in secret may be glad indeed to have avoided death. At least for now.

The combat is over.

Here is the city map. You have just entered Salakta district. A few townspeople may be noticed in their homes peeking out through shutters or closed curtains.

Auger eyes the guard on the ground and the others behind the gate and wonders how the return will go. So much killing.

Looking to Varielky he nods, "Yes, it does seem we end up fighting most of the time. Onward. No hurting here." Auger also looks at Snow to ensure he came through the melee in decent shape. Then he turns and looks ahead to the Temple.

Py, get ahead and see what else-- or who else, lies between us and the Temple.

The Guild Hall and the Abziri archives lie between, Auger remembered. There was no reason to stop at either place that he could think of.

Snow smiles at Varielky. “Not a scratch”, he says with a wink.

”And the concealment magic still holds. We should move quickly lest the remaining guards have means of warning others”, he says as he starts to move along towards the temple of Idiwala.

He keeps to the shadows as much as possible, keeping an eye out for trouble.

Perception: 12+7=19

Py flits off and in five minutes returns. ‘There is fighting around the temple entrance. Otherwise the streets are clear.’

Then on to the Temple we shall go, Auger sends to Py.

Looking to the others he relays the information, continuing, "I think we can move quickly, at least to the Temple. We did end up fighting here, but anything we can avoid will help us get in and out and complete our true mission."

"If we have allied ourselves with the Red Cypress, we should aid her in battle, but... let's first get there and see what our options are." As trouble usually finds them sooner or later, Varielky doesn't have to push for it too much. Not this early, at least.

You make your way quietly through the restlessly sleeping city, the intermittent sounds of combat and the strange bending light from the Poppy Citadel drawing ever closer. You arrive to the vicinity of the Temple of Idiwala, and with the help of Py’s reconnaissance, assemble a mental image of the situation between you and the temple steps. The temple itself is rectangular, with detailed etchings of ancient letters and script completely covering its columns and walls. Some float just in front of the wall, many seem to sizzle or shake as if overwhelmed. The huge front doors of perfect white marble and gold lie dashed upon the marble steps, huge chunks of the doors remaining as obstacles to entry, behind which, at the moment, townsfolk – rebels – led by Red Cypress druids, hide and take aim at opposing forces. Those are many. The courtyard, with its central pond and statues of a storyteller and a learner, whose clear waters now swirl crimson with recently spilled blood, is littered with corpses, and the sandy cobblestones are similarly stained. Garrison archers line the facing rooftop, enjoining alleys, and hide behind corners and overturned carts. Two giant lizards carry heavily armored fighters with long lances, and grizzled Imperial veterans toe the line, keeping their men focused and ready.

Two flaming bonfires, broken carts and benches lit by the garrison fighters to allow the temple occupants no shadows to hide in at the entryway, crackle and pop. It seems the roc-riders have not returned from carrying the jenghen babies away to Jen Ghessa, for there are none of the red-brown avians hanging over the temple.

You are at the edge of an adjoining courtyard, where siege equipment is in the process of being assembled in haste, and based on the shouts you hear, the plan is to take the temple at all costs at first light. Py also hears and relays that only a small fraction of the city’s fighters guard the courtyard at this time; that come morning, hundreds more will arrive fresh and ready to put down this rebellion immediately.

You are now situated like so. The time is, perhaps, 10 Bells at night. Snow’s concealment spell is on its last legs.

As Auger relays the positions of the Imperial forces he does not like the picture that forms in his head. Auger half expects Varielky to charge in and start killing the Imperials, as has been her way, but still there is this thought that occurs to him.

Whispering he says, "There are enough that we can be overwhelmed if we draw all their attention at once. And the ones on the roof are concerning to me, being able to rain arrows unhindered. I think some pushes might do for them." Auger looks up and above at the rooftops. "I can get up there with my powers, or if either of you would rather be the one I can cast the spell upon you. My coat will help me down if the magic is dispelled. Snow, I think you have a similar ability to fall without damaging yourself. What do you say?"

Py, fly up a few floors and stay around the corner of this building (OOC: on the wall at N19). Let me know if those archers there turn around and notice us, however we choose to proceed.

While waiting for the others to react to his idea, Auger tries to get a look at the siege equipment ahead. Such are not things he has ever built himself and certainly not used, but some well-placed damage would surely hinder the mechanisms... perhaps permanently.

Snow listens to the description of the siege that is underway at the temple and the prospect of a lot more guards turning up in the morning.

As Auger asks him about his ability to fall safely, he shakes his head. "That is not one of my specialities. I can get up there and get down if it is a planned descent, but not so much if it is an unplanned descent", he says with a half smile.

"I can also be quite discrete when it comes to pushing them off the roof if I can get close enough", he adds then looks sheepishly at Varielky, knowing she will consider that dishonourable.

"So do we want to get involved in this, or just get inside and do our own thing. It seems a little beyond us and I don't know what our goal would be if we get involved. Would it be to get the Red Cypress out? Do they want that?".

"I doubt they'll just let us in safely. Those inside might mistake us for foes, and those outside will certainly not think of us as allies. Besides, we should assist the Red Cypress if we're already here. That is what it means to ally ourselves with them, as we did." Varielky doesn't do anything yet, but it is clear it will take a solid case to change her mind. "What they do once the foes are done with, I don't mind. But I don't think the Red Cypress would protect this temple out of mere spite. She must have an ulterior motive, and I doubt that would be detrimental to us, if not the opposite."

Varielky takes another peek at the area right in front of them, then at the rooftops above them. "Above all, remember we're not alone. The rebels are pinned inside the temple, but if we create a good opening, they might come out and fight alongside us. So... being discrete might actually work against us, unless you can take them all out without any of them noticing. We want to draw their arrows, but also dodge them."

Auger listens to the reactions of his companions and hears the sense of what Varielky has to say, nodding. "Perhaps it is time to draw some attention then, and aid our allies as best as we can." Thinking on Snow's words he adds, "We cannot know what the druids plans are without talking with them and so who is to say how they will react. Lets start by proving we are effective allies. I know nothing of siege engines and how they work but I am sure I can damage them, and those who work on them, but it will be loud. Perhaps allow me the first blow before you are in and amongst them?"

Snow nods his acceptance, "Ok, let's help our new allies".

"If you want to truly to make a scene and help them out, I have a way of helping you do that, but you would need to trust me and my magic", he whispers to Varielky with a big smile.

"Although it may draw more forces down upon us", he adds with a shrug.

Whilst she decides he takes out his violin and makes himself ready.