Ashley hears the tunneling going on above her, if anyone is looking in her direction (such as Silas I think?) she looks towards her companions and points up, mouthing more. She then readies produce flame with trigger being the creature breaking through and it obviously being a rat or something malevolent. If it isn't obviously out to get them, she will not attack it.
With Ashley still keeping her eyes fixed on the noise above her, fire crackling in her hands in anticipation, Silas reloads his crossbow, and his Firbolg façade crackles in kind with some unearthly power.
As he readies an attack for the same point, his body has other ideas preparing differently, ready actionEldritch Blast on the first thing to emerge from the ceiling near Ashley.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Malachi spares a glance toward Ashley then focuses his attention back on the rats at the far end of the room. Focusing his mind, he sends a blast of psychic energy in the brain of the lead rat fighting Marion and Joren.
Int 14 save or 4 psychic damage and the rat subtracts 3 from its next saving throw.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
A trickle of blood begins to leak from the first rat's nose as Malachi stabs at its mind. In a fury, it lashes out at Joren with it's crooked teeth.
Rat 1 Attack: 15 - 3 Damage: 12
The rat behind it, having dodged Samir's flame contraption, picks itself up and lunges at the first thing it sees: Joren's echo.
Rat 2 Attack: 11 - 4 Damage: 11
The two rats in the rear clear themselves from the rubble, and after a brief hesitation attempt to hurl themselves through the flame to the other side.
They each end up getting badly scorched, but they are undeterred. They rush forward as Rat 2 tears through Joren's echo, and the three of them make a bee line for the people hiding behind the overturned table. Their scramble to regain their footing in the greasy rubble costs them time, though, and they only make it to the end of the passage, just before Rat 1.
Rat 3 Dex Save: 9 - 3
Rat 4 Dex Save: 7
From beyond the rubble, two clicks can be heard. Samir, with the clearest line of sight down the passage can dimly see that on the other side of the flame, two crossbows are pointing through the opening, taking aim at him.
Crossbow 1: Attack: 15 Damage: 7
Crossbow 2: Attack: 24 Damage: 11
So the second one just manages to hit Samir, despite the +2 AC from half cover.
A bit of dust begins to fall from the patch of dirt in the ceiling above Ashley. Holding a flame in her hand, she braces herself for another large rat to come through... But only a small hole opens up, and a regular-sized rat pokes its snout through. This not being what Ashley was expecting, she is caught off guard and hesitates to throw her fire at it.
A moment too long. The rat drops down directly onto her face, and a stream of other small rats pours out behind it. Silas, reacting on instinct lashes out with his magic and smites 3 of them from the air before they have a chance to land, but the others land on their mark, swarming over Ashley, biting and clawing wherever they can find exposed flesh. More rats continue to pour out of the hole as Ashley stumbles backwards out of the way, and they land on the ground as a large swarm that immediately rushes at Silas as if of one mind. The swarm starts leaping at him, trying to swarm him the same way the others have done to Ashley.
Ashley and Silas both need to make Dex saves to avoid getting swarmed, DC 13
If they fail, they are swarmed and will take damage each turn until they are no longer swarmed.
Ashley will take 11 points of piercing damage if she fails.
Vilus will take 6 points of piercing damage.
(I'll expand on how the swarm mechanics work in the OOC thread)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Watching as the large rats begin to gather behind the first one to emerge, and as a pair of crossbow bolts fly from out of the passage towards Samir at the back of the room, Marion rapidly assesses the situation. Quickly making up her mind about her course of action, she circles around the rat before her, repositioning herself so that she stands facing the passageway directly. Her intent is clear, as she raises her shield and tries her best to make herself the largest target, while impending the entry of the others.
However, as she drops her longsword to the ground and raises her now free left hand up before her, another motivation for making such a manoeuvre becomes clear. "Q’invagamdzle titebi!"she intones as a blast of ice sprays forth from her outstretched hand, filling the passageway with glacial shards and engulfing the rats as they bunch up near it's exit.
DC 13 Con save or take 14 cold damage, half on a success.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
As the other three large rats spill toward the entrance of the room to reach near Rat 1, Malachi calls to Joren “I don’t think they are interested in talking anyway” He tries to even the odds for the two fighters.
He whispers a few words in a harsh, guttural language, filling the minds of two of the lead rats in the entrance way with pain and anguish, hoping to drive them back further into the tunnel.
Spends 1 sorcery point to twin cast Dissonant Whispers targeting the rats in the entranceway. 10 damage and they move away as far their speed allows. Half damage and no movement away on a DC 14 Wis Save. Intent is to allow Joren and Marion AoO if possible and drive them back into the grease.
Bombarded by piercing cold and intrusive magics, the rats begin to show panic at being so cornered. Rat 2 is overwhelmed and turns to run back whence it came, leaping back through the flames (Rat 2 Dex Save for the fire: 7 - 4 And for the grease: 21 - 2 ). Too stiff from the cold to maneuver around the flame effectively, it catches the full blast of the flame and its fur ignites. In a panic, it manages to navigate the greasy slope of rubble and start trying to claw back through the opening, but its movements slow as the flames eat it up. It dies soon after, its charred and twitching corpse blocking the opening the crossbows were being fired through.
The lead rat, however, shakes off the frost and steels itself against the mental assault. Its targets are close at hand, and it is determined to obey its keeper.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Samir ducks back with a hiss, his hand instinctively reaching up to the shallow cut where the bolt's head clipped the side of his neck. He blinks, looking at the blood on his hand for a moment, before refocusing and looking back down the hall. Silvery runes trace themselves across the surface of his glove as he lifts it towards the pile of rubble, replicating themselves on a chunk of fallen stone an instant later. The stone quivers, before hurtling violently back through the opening into the face of the crossbow wielding enemy with deadly force.
Casting Catapult to chuck a hunk of rock towards the crossbow guy that shot Samir. DC 14 Dex save or take 9 bludgeoning damage.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Phantom feet still feel like they are crawling all over Ashley as she moves away from the swarm of rats. Even though she evaded them, she can't shake the feeling of them and it drives her a bit crazy. Positioning herself by Silas and trying to get both swarms of rats in her cone of attack, she spreads her hands and brings her thumbs together "By my will, this spark expands, I call forth these burning hands" casting burning hands she sprays forth flames that bring 11 fire damage.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
As he side steps the falling rat swarm, he watches Ashley as she impressively gouts flames from her hands, burning up a few rats.
Seeing no need for the crossbow at such short range, Silas casts the thing aside and let's it's strap swing the weapon easily behind him. He slides a dagger out of each sleeve and once Ashley's attack has abated slightly Silas strikes out at the same swarm,
Attack one 22, damage 6
Attack two (if allowed under bonus action of two weapon fighting) 14, damage 5.
Human hands manage to pull the burning rat corpse out of the opening just as a chunk of stone rubble sails through the hole at the preoccupied crossbow-wielder. Samir hears a wet crack of stone striking skull, followed by a loud "Aauurgggh! Damn it! Run, Lancet! There's too many of them. Let the others know the tunnel is compromised. We'll hold them off as long as we can!"
Meanwhile, Ashley regains her composure and wields her flame with deadly force, killing four more rats and singeing a couple others (I imagine she wanted to hit both swarms, bringing them to 6 and 10 rats)
Vilus lashes out with his daggers, but the everywhere his blades swing, the swarm parts, earning him nothing but a few sparks of metal on stone.
Joren'sPerception check to try to see the crossbowmen through the opening in the cave-in so that he can send his echo there and attack from his echo's position: 22
((Edited to add: so much for that plan - will do something different)).
Ashley hears the tunneling going on above her, if anyone is looking in her direction (such as Silas I think?) she looks towards her companions and points up, mouthing more. She then readies produce flame with trigger being the creature breaking through and it obviously being a rat or something malevolent. If it isn't obviously out to get them, she will not attack it.
She continues to stand her ground.
Bonfire Rat 2 Save: 7 - 2
Instinctively, the rat shies away from the metal disc. Despite the grease, it manages to roll out of the way before a gout of flame comes out.
With Ashley still keeping her eyes fixed on the noise above her, fire crackling in her hands in anticipation, Silas reloads his crossbow, and his Firbolg façade crackles in kind with some unearthly power.
As he readies an attack for the same point, his body has other ideas preparing differently, ready action Eldritch Blast on the first thing to emerge from the ceiling near Ashley.
( 16 to hit, dealing 7 damage, when conditions met. )
Malachi spares a glance toward Ashley then focuses his attention back on the rats at the far end of the room. Focusing his mind, he sends a blast of psychic energy in the brain of the lead rat fighting Marion and Joren.
Int 14 save or 4 psychic damage and the rat subtracts 3 from its next saving throw.
(Forgot to put Ashley's attack when triggered)
Attack: 6 Damage: 1
Rat 1 Int Save: 6 - 1
(Failed. 2 damage taken, and 2 subtracted from it's next save)
A trickle of blood begins to leak from the first rat's nose as Malachi stabs at its mind. In a fury, it lashes out at Joren with it's crooked teeth.
Rat 1 Attack: 15 - 3 Damage: 12
The rat behind it, having dodged Samir's flame contraption, picks itself up and lunges at the first thing it sees: Joren's echo.
Rat 2 Attack: 11 - 4 Damage: 11
The two rats in the rear clear themselves from the rubble, and after a brief hesitation attempt to hurl themselves through the flame to the other side.
They each end up getting badly scorched, but they are undeterred. They rush forward as Rat 2 tears through Joren's echo, and the three of them make a bee line for the people hiding behind the overturned table. Their scramble to regain their footing in the greasy rubble costs them time, though, and they only make it to the end of the passage, just before Rat 1.
Rat 3 Dex Save: 9 - 3
Rat 4 Dex Save: 7
From beyond the rubble, two clicks can be heard. Samir, with the clearest line of sight down the passage can dimly see that on the other side of the flame, two crossbows are pointing through the opening, taking aim at him.
Crossbow 1: Attack: 15 Damage: 7
Crossbow 2: Attack: 24 Damage: 11
So the second one just manages to hit Samir, despite the +2 AC from half cover.
A bit of dust begins to fall from the patch of dirt in the ceiling above Ashley. Holding a flame in her hand, she braces herself for another large rat to come through... But only a small hole opens up, and a regular-sized rat pokes its snout through. This not being what Ashley was expecting, she is caught off guard and hesitates to throw her fire at it.
A moment too long. The rat drops down directly onto her face, and a stream of other small rats pours out behind it. Silas, reacting on instinct lashes out with his magic and smites 3 of them from the air before they have a chance to land, but the others land on their mark, swarming over Ashley, biting and clawing wherever they can find exposed flesh. More rats continue to pour out of the hole as Ashley stumbles backwards out of the way, and they land on the ground as a large swarm that immediately rushes at Silas as if of one mind. The swarm starts leaping at him, trying to swarm him the same way the others have done to Ashley.
Ashley and Silas both need to make Dex saves to avoid getting swarmed, DC 13
If they fail, they are swarmed and will take damage each turn until they are no longer swarmed.
Ashley will take 11 points of piercing damage if she fails.
Vilus will take 6 points of piercing damage.
(I'll expand on how the swarm mechanics work in the OOC thread)
"Eeeww!! So many rats!"
Ashleys DEX save 16
Watching as the large rats begin to gather behind the first one to emerge, and as a pair of crossbow bolts fly from out of the passage towards Samir at the back of the room, Marion rapidly assesses the situation. Quickly making up her mind about her course of action, she circles around the rat before her, repositioning herself so that she stands facing the passageway directly. Her intent is clear, as she raises her shield and tries her best to make herself the largest target, while impending the entry of the others.
However, as she drops her longsword to the ground and raises her now free left hand up before her, another motivation for making such a manoeuvre becomes clear. "Q’invagamdzle titebi!" she intones as a blast of ice sprays forth from her outstretched hand, filling the passageway with glacial shards and engulfing the rats as they bunch up near it's exit.
DC 13 Con save or take 14 cold damage, half on a success.
As the other three large rats spill toward the entrance of the room to reach near Rat 1, Malachi calls to Joren “I don’t think they are interested in talking anyway” He tries to even the odds for the two fighters.
He whispers a few words in a harsh, guttural language, filling the minds of two of the lead rats in the entrance way with pain and anguish, hoping to drive them back further into the tunnel.
Spends 1 sorcery point to twin cast Dissonant Whispers targeting the rats in the entranceway. 10 damage and they move away as far their speed allows. Half damage and no movement away on a DC 14 Wis Save. Intent is to allow Joren and Marion AoO if possible and drive them back into the grease.
Rat 1 Con Save: 4 - 2 - 2
Rat 2 Con Save: 3 - 2
Rat 3 Con Save: 15 - 2
Rat 4 Con Save: 8
Rat 1 Wis Save: 9 - 4
Rat 2 Wis Save: 10 - 1
Bombarded by piercing cold and intrusive magics, the rats begin to show panic at being so cornered. Rat 2 is overwhelmed and turns to run back whence it came, leaping back through the flames (Rat 2 Dex Save for the fire: 7 - 4 And for the grease: 21 - 2 ). Too stiff from the cold to maneuver around the flame effectively, it catches the full blast of the flame and its fur ignites. In a panic, it manages to navigate the greasy slope of rubble and start trying to claw back through the opening, but its movements slow as the flames eat it up. It dies soon after, its charred and twitching corpse blocking the opening the crossbows were being fired through.
The lead rat, however, shakes off the frost and steels itself against the mental assault. Its targets are close at hand, and it is determined to obey its keeper.
Samir ducks back with a hiss, his hand instinctively reaching up to the shallow cut where the bolt's head clipped the side of his neck. He blinks, looking at the blood on his hand for a moment, before refocusing and looking back down the hall. Silvery runes trace themselves across the surface of his glove as he lifts it towards the pile of rubble, replicating themselves on a chunk of fallen stone an instant later. The stone quivers, before hurtling violently back through the opening into the face of the crossbow wielding enemy with deadly force.
Casting Catapult to chuck a hunk of rock towards the crossbow guy that shot Samir. DC 14 Dex save or take 9 bludgeoning damage.
Phantom feet still feel like they are crawling all over Ashley as she moves away from the swarm of rats. Even though she evaded them, she can't shake the feeling of them and it drives her a bit crazy. Positioning herself by Silas and trying to get both swarms of rats in her cone of attack, she spreads her hands and brings her thumbs together "By my will, this spark expands, I call forth these burning hands" casting burning hands she sprays forth flames that bring 11 fire damage.
15 foot cone, DEX save of 13
Silas Dex save, 7
As he side steps the falling rat swarm, he watches Ashley as she impressively gouts flames from her hands, burning up a few rats.
Seeing no need for the crossbow at such short range, Silas casts the thing aside and let's it's strap swing the weapon easily behind him. He slides a dagger out of each sleeve and once Ashley's attack has abated slightly Silas strikes out at the same swarm,
Attack one 22, damage 6
Attack two (if allowed under bonus action of two weapon fighting) 14, damage 5.
Catapult Dex Save: 6
Burning Hands Dex Save 1: 16
Burning Hands Dex Save 2: 15
Human hands manage to pull the burning rat corpse out of the opening just as a chunk of stone rubble sails through the hole at the preoccupied crossbow-wielder. Samir hears a wet crack of stone striking skull, followed by a loud "Aauurgggh! Damn it! Run, Lancet! There's too many of them. Let the others know the tunnel is compromised. We'll hold them off as long as we can!"
Meanwhile, Ashley regains her composure and wields her flame with deadly force, killing four more rats and singeing a couple others (I imagine she wanted to hit both swarms, bringing them to 6 and 10 rats)
Vilus lashes out with his daggers, but the everywhere his blades swing, the swarm parts, earning him nothing but a few sparks of metal on stone.
Joren's Perception check to try to see the crossbowmen through the opening in the cave-in so that he can send his echo there and attack from his echo's position: 22
((Edited to add: so much for that plan - will do something different)).
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Barn(Paladin1): Damian_May's Ereworn Under the Shadow | Lyra(Warlock2/Bard4): VitusW's Silverwood Forest
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(Druid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(Sorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(Monk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(Cleric3/Sorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk