Barty's "Lost Mine of Phandelver"

Tochi is, frankly, lost as to what to do. Carrying a lantern, he is a liability to both Thulgrim and Finna, if they are to do anything even remotely stealthy. So, he is still remaining in place, but is quite nervous and may soon elect to join either one of them, along with Roland.

For Thulgrim:

Nemean sees Finna running back toward him in the storeroom. Growls and screams fill the chamber behind her.

 OOC: Red = Nemean and Finna, Yellow = Thulgrim and Tochi

(OOC: Ooo, strongbox. That'll have to wait though. As much as Thulgrim likes gold, he likes fighting more!)

Thulgrim runs as fast as his legs can carry him back toward where he left Nemean.

(OOC: The first round that Thulgrim sees an enemy he will use his bonus action to Rage, including Frenzy. Also, while moving can he draw one handaxe, or does he have to stow his greataxe first?)

OOC: Actually, Nemean did not see Finna - she was still invisible when she entered the tunnel.* Can I assume that Tochi left some light for Nemean? * Also, I added letters and numbers, if you do not mind, for personal convenience. (hope you can see the image)* 

Finna appeared suddenly, though flickering light of the lamp (if there was no lamp - Finna simply bumped into Nemean) made it less dramatic, when she stopped by Nemean, turned around and throw a spell behind.

Mold Earth To cover A8 square and make it difficult terrain (can be cast twice if the square is 10ft).

"Seven ghouls, right behind me. Be ready". She will have time to say "sorry" later. Or not.

OOC: Sorry again, I've had to rush to find time to post the last couple weeks and I'm off my game. Finna is indeed invisible. Will advance once Tochi and Nemean react to the situation.

Tochi joins Thulgrim, slightly sheepish as he has barged in with the lantern, but follows the Dwarf anyway.

OOC: Sorry, have to ask again - does anyone see the picture in my post?

(OOC: Yes, I see it)

(OOC: Great! Thank you! Never know when it works)

Nemean is stalking through the hallway when he sees Finna and hears her warn of the Ghouls. Seeing her cast her spell, he takes out his caltrops and spreads them down in the hallway in front of them where he can hear the horde approaching, and equips his longbow.

“Thulgrim! Tochi! The undead are upon us!”

(OOC: Apologies for my absence!)

Lantern light floods the hallway as Thulgrim and Tochi charge toward the storeroom. The ground begins to shift, Finna concentrating as the stone ripples and bends, creating a wave-like area at the end of the hallway. Nemean has only just thrown his caltrops into the hallway when the first ghoul appears, followed closely by another half dozen, rushing madly down the hall.

Initiative:

Ghoul DEX Save: 6

On one side of the hallway, the ghouls slow only for a moment, dashing through Finna's molded earth to get right in the faces of the party. On the other side, the tunnel becomes crowded as the lead ghoul is stopped in its tracks by Nemean's caltrops.

Round 1 Order:
Ghouls
Players <=====

Placement:
Two ghouls are engaged in melee combat, one each with Finna and Nemean.
The other five ghouls are filling the crowded tunnel, between 10-30 feet away from Finna and Nemean.
Thulgrim and Tochi are 10 feet behind Finna and Nemean.
The tunnel is wide enough for only two melee combatants to fight side by side (currently Finna and Nemean).

Tracking:
One ghoul (20 feet away) is lightly wounded.

OOC: Combat has finally arrived! Blue has played in another of my PbP campaigns, but for Zorg, I use grouped initiative in PbP to keep things moving, so once it is the players' turn, it's first come first serve. I resolve each round fully once all players have taken their actions.

Thulgrim will move up to stand directly behind Finna. He will use Attack action to throw a handaxe at the ghoul in front of Finna. Attack: 15 Damage: 6 He will then use bonus action to use two-weapon fighting and throw a second handaxe at the same ghoul with his offhand. Attack: 13 Damage: 1

Actions: cast Ice Knife on the ghouls behind those attacking (B8, I take it?)targeting someone in the middle of the group.

Attack: 8 Damage: 2  those, that failed DEX 15 save get 5 damage

then Finna moves back, allowing Thulgrim  to take her place in melee in the next round.

With the Ghouls already upon him, Nemean will drop his longbow and arms his scimitars. 

(Action surge to arm both scimitars in the same turn)

He lunges at his foe with both blades, making two quick cuts, one high and one low.

Scimitar Attack 1: 20 Damage: 10

Scimitar Attack 2: 14 Damage: 6

Tochi will run towards the nearest ghoul and aim his new staff, as well as his claws at the creature:

OOC: As undead are immune to poison, I won't bother rolling the poison damage bonus the staff has.

Staff attack - 19, Staff Damage - 7

Claw attack  - 14, Claw attack Damage - 8

Quote from Smullzilla >>

(Action surge to arm both scimitars in the same turn)

 

 Oh, forgot. Then perhaps Thulgrim will just throw one axe.

OOC: Yes, I just realized I never answered the question before, but Thulgrim can hold his greataxe in one hand, just can't attack with it in one hand.

The ghouls would be around B8, but let's not get hung up on the grid. I use the map for reference for exploration, and prefer to keep combat as theater of the mind so we don't get bogged down with specifics.

DM Screen:

Ghoul DEX Save: 15
Ghoul DEX Save: 12
Ghoul DEX Save: 18
Ghoul DEX Save: 5

Claws vs. Finna (Opportunity Attack): 11
Claws vs. Nemean: 22
Claws vs. Tochi: 12 Damage: 6
Tochi CON Save: 11

Nemean cuts into a ghoul's face and neck with two clean swipes of his scimitars, dancing back from another's grasp as it steps over the first ghoul's unmoving body.

Finna extends her arms, firing a jagged shard of ice into the middle of the clogged corridor. The resulting explosion tears a ghoul's arm off, and the shard itself punctures another's chest, but the undead creatures are relentless. The druid's retreat is made possible by Thulgrim's handaxe, which staggers a ghoul as it lands in its chest, preventing it from raking its claws into her. Tochi fills in, slamming the axe further into the ghoul, and follows it up by punching his talons into the creature's face, tearing into rotted brain and ending its presence on Toril. Another is ready to fill the gap, however, and the monk is too late to deflect the strike, feeling a tear across his leg. However, that is far from the worst pain, as a vicious poison begins to burn through his body, freezing every muscle in place.

Round 2 Order:
Ghouls
Players <=====

Placement:
Five ghouls remain.
Two ghouls are engaged in melee combat, one each with Tochi and Nemean.
Thulgrim and Finna are 10 feet behind Tochi and Nemean.
The tunnel is only wide enough for two combatants to fight side by side (currently Tochi and Nemean).

Tracking:
Tochi is paralyzed and lightly wounded.

The ghoul fighting Tochi was badly wounded by Finna.
Two ghouls further away are lightly wounded.

Thulgrim has thrown 1 handaxe.

Agrh! Finna retreated to let Thulgrim to finally get his battle and get some room for herself to maneuver, not to get Tochi poisoned! Truly, no plan survives contact with the enemy!

She turned around and shoot the ghoul attacking Tochi: Attack: 12 Damage: 7 throwing Healing Word (1st lvl) at Tochi afterwords 7  It would not remove his conditions but could help to endure it.

Thulgrim won't fulfill his oath until he spills living blood, but a battle is a battle. He is more than a little frustrated at the lack of room for axe-swingin', so he reaches behind and grabs a javelin, growling Get out o' me mine, ye filthy maggots! .. then heaves it toward the ghoul in front of Tochi, yelling Fer Nimble!

Attack: 21 Damage: 9

"Well, this sucks..." Thinks Tochi and calms himself by imagining the horrible ways this creature could have died in its previous life. He feels slightly ashamed of such thoughts, but continues regardless.