Barty's "Lost Mine of Phandelver"

DM Screen:

OOC: Nemean can close the distance with his feline agility (and draw a scimitar), but will not be able to make a melee attack this turn. He had run 60 feet away, and the zombies moved further away last round.

Zombie CON Save: 23
Zombie CON Save: 23
Zombie CON Save: 17
Zombie CON Save: 21

Thulgrim DEX Save (Advantage-Danger Sense): 9
Roland DEX Save: 25
Damage (Halved on success): 33

Slam vs. Thulgrim: 22 Damage: 5
Slam vs. Roland: 8

Thulgrim and Roland lead a contrasting charge into the room, hacking into the pair of zombies as they give chase. Thulgrim tears a chunk of a zombie's back out, coating his hands in gore and almost losing his axe because of it with his next slippery swing. Roland stabs into the base of a zombie's skull, but the persistent creature clings to its dessicated life - until the flameskull reappears above the bellows.

The skull opens its mouth, unleashing a high-pitched scream, and a thin wisp of flame emerges, coming too fast toward the pair. Roland spots the incoming destruction and dives, rolling away, but focused in battle, Thulgrim takes the full force of an erupting fireball that stretches down the tunnel, nearly reaching Nemean as the tabaxi rushes to support. Finna's fired bolt is lost in the flames.

When the flame subsides, the nearest two zombies lay as burning husks beneath Roland and Thulgrim, whose beard still dances with flame in some areas. Another pair of zombies turns and stumbles toward the intruders, too slow for Roland but pressing Thulgrim from the other side.

Round 6 Order:
Players <=====
Enemies

Placement:
Two zombies are engaged in melee combat, one each with Roland and Thulgrim.
Nemean is 10 feet behind Roland and Thulgrim.
Finna is 30 feet behind Roland and Thulgrim.
The flameskull is 10 feet in the air, 40 feet away from Roland and Thulgrim,  50 feet away from Nemean, and 70 feet away from Finna.
Two other zombies are 20 feet away from Roland and Thulgrim, 30 feet away from Nemean, and 50 feet away from Finna.
The last remaining zombie is 30 feet away from Roland and Thulgrim, 40 feet away from Nemean, and 60 feet away from Finna.

Tracking:
Thulgrim is badly wounded.
Roland is wounded.
Nemean is lightly wounded.

The zombie fighting Thulgrim is badly wounded.
The flameskull is wounded.

Finna has used 1 bolt.

(OOC: Damn, that was a big hit. Had to debate my options for a while, but I think this is the best alternative... )

Move: 30' back toward Finna (and risk opportunity attack)
Action: Drink Potion of Healing for 7 HP
Bonus Action: Rage with Frenzy End Rage (before the Action but after the Move, so I can keep my damage resistance for any opportunity attack)

Thulgrim is a little shell-shocked and more than a little singed. His face is black and his beard is smoking. He looks around wildly, a little unsure of what direction he is facing, and jogs aimlessly back in the direction of the tunnel they entered from, right past Nemean apparently without noticing him. As he slowly comes to his senses, he reaches for the magic vial at his belt, uncorks it and swigs it down. Then, wiping the excess from his blackened beard, he turns and sees the zombies, and the battle-fever grips him once more. Thulgrim's eyes dilate, and he begins to breathe rapidly through his nose. His trembling biceps and popping veins are like vines on a tree trunk. He grips his mighty axe with one hand, grabs his fur tunic with the other and rips it off, then lets out a ferocious ear-splitting roar that echoes off the stone walls... HAELAAAAAAA!

EDIT: (OOC: Actually I just realised I can't Rage afresh until I drop my current Rage, which requires a bonus action. In fact since I didn't attack this round my Rage will end anyway, but I don't have anything else to use a bonus action for, so I'll just use the bonus action to "un-Rage". The the psycho-Thulgrim description can apply to next round)

She knew holing last bits of magic was a good idea. Thulgrim was incredibly strong, but still made of flesh unlike abomination that wounded him: Cure Wounds 7 on Thulgrim. It was almost nothing, but in battle every bit of help counts.

Nemean takes out the scimitars with his off hand and now armed with both blades dives into the melee, focusing his attacks on the zombie engaged with Thulgrim.

Scimitar Attack 1: 19 Damage: 10

Scimitar Attack 2: 7 Damage: 5

Roland redoubles his effort with his blades. "What on earth is that thing?" he calls to the others as he stabs at the zombie.

Attack: 9 Damage: 5

Bonus Attack: 10 Damage: 4

Sneak Attack: 5

DM Screen:

Zombie CON Save: 16

Slam vs. Thulgrim (Opportunity): 22 Damage: 2
Slam vs. Nemean: 11
Slam vs. Nemean: 15
Slam vs. Roland: 14
Slam vs. Roland: 9

Nemean rushes past the retreating Thulgrim to join Roland in the melee. The dexterous pair become a whirlwind fighting side by side, Roland with direct, quick stabs and Nemean circling with wide sweeping slices. Two more zombies approach them, but the mindless creatures can't hope to match the duo's pace, held at bay by their dangerous blades. But the flameskull cackles again, and a sphere of roiling fire cuts them off, appearing behind them in midair to trap them, growing and releasing a dangerous heat.

Finna heals Thulgrim. The singed dwarf feels slightly recovered, and prepares for battle.

Round 7 Order:
Players <=====
Enemies

Placement:
Four zombies are engaged in melee combat, two each with Roland and Nemean.
Roland and Nemean are between the zombies and a flaming sphere.
Finna and Thulgrim are 30 feet behind Roland and Thulgrim.
The flameskull is 10 feet in the air, 40 feet away from Roland and Thulgrim and 70 feet away from Finna and Thulgrim.
The last remaining zombie is 10 feet away from Roland and Thulgrim and 40 feet away from Finna and Thulgrim.

Tracking:
Thulgrim is wounded.
Roland is wounded.
Nemean is lightly wounded.

One zombie fighting Nemean is grievously wounded.
The flameskull is wounded.
One zombie fighting Roland is lightly wounded.

Finna has used 1 bolt.

Now in a psychotic rage, Thulgrim runs past the ball of flame back beside Roland and Nemean, and swings wildly at the zombies with his axe. His crazed eyes seem focused on a point in the distance, and spittle flies from his mouth as he continues to yell incoherently in Dwarvish.

Bonus Action: Rage with Frenzy
Action: Greataxe v Zombie (any will do): Attack: 26 Damage: 19

OOC: On second thoughts, make it that one with 19 hit points   :)

OOC: What happened to Tochi? A 60' flying speed would be pretty handy here...

Finna is still trying to keep skull occupied: crossbow Attack: 18 Damage: 10

Nemean strikes out furiously at the zombies as the press their attack against him and Roland. His hair stands on end as the flaming sphere appears behind them, and he cries out as he goes to cut down the wounded zombie in front of him. 

Scimitar Attack 1: 26 Damage: 10

Scimitar Attack 2: 21 Damage: 6

OOC: If a zombie successfully lands a strike on Nemean, he will use a superiority die parry the attack. I thought it might be easier to state that ahead of time rather than posting to invoke the reaction and then have you edit the post. 

"For Waterdeep!" Roland cries, slightly pompously. Seeing his comrades expertly engaging the zombies, he wheels around and rushes toward the flaming skull. The distance is a bit further than he'd like and he stows his rapier, draws a dagger, and hurls it at mad creature, hoping that it'll be distracted momentarily so he can close the gap.

Attack: 20 Damage: 6

DM Screen:

OOC: Someone peeking behind the DM Screen? I know it's tempting, but those rolls are supposed to be secret. ;)

Roland can only draw or stow one weapon as a free object interaction, so I'll assume for the sake of speed his is dropping his rapier in order to draw and throw the dagger this turn (must be picked back up using an interaction in a future turn).

Flameskull CON Save: 20
Slam vs. Roland (Opportunity): 18 Damage: 4
Slam vs. Nemean: 5
Slam vs. Thulgrim: 10 Damage: 7 (actually 2, forgot to half the roll)
Slam vs. Thulgrim: 5
Slam vs. Roland: 22 (whoops, one too many)

Nemean DEX Save: 26 Damage: 5
Thulgrim DEX Save: 13 Damage: 9

Nemean steps back, waiting for the predictable zombie to stumble forward toward him; when it does, he lunges, cutting into its head and severing its life's connection to its brain. Pushing it down to speed its fall, the tabaxi twists around to cut into the next zombie's back as it focuses on Roland as the rogue speeds away, launching a dagger across the room that misses its tiny target. Before the zombie can take another step toward Roland, however, it practically explodes, showering Nemean with gore. Thulgrim has taken up the fight once more, and rips his axe out of the creature's mangled skull, having cleaved into it further than its collarbone. The heat from the flaming sphere continues to make it difficult for the pair, and the three remaining zombies have them surrounded.

Finna has more luck with the flameskull, slamming a bolt home into one of the creature's eye sockets. It is still not the most effective attack, but a crack appears where the bolt has struck. The menacing skull screams, opening its jaws to fire three glowing darts, one each striking Roland (3 force damage), Nemean (5 force damage) and Thulgrim (3 force damage). Roland, struck in the head, appears dazed and bleeding. With another horrid high-pitched cackle, the flameskull floats backward and descends into the channel, out of sight.

Round 8 Order:
Players <=====
Enemies

Placement:
Three zombies and the flameskull remain.
Two zombies are engaged in melee combat with Thulgrim.
One zombie is engaged in melee combat with Nemean.
Thulgrim and Nemean are between the zombies and a flaming sphere.
Roland is 30 feet away from Thulgrim and Nemean.
Finna is 30 feet behind Nemean and Thulgrim and 60 feet behind Roland.
The flameskull is out of sight in the channel below, at least 10 feet away from Roland, 40 feet away from Nemean and Thulgrim and 70 feet away from Finna and Thulgrim.

Tracking:
Roland is badly wounded.
Thulgrim is wounded.
Nemean is lightly wounded.

The flameskull is badly wounded.

Finna has used 2 bolts.
Roland has thrown 1 dagger.

Thulgrim rips his axe out of the fallen zombie's head and immediately starts wildly swinging it again, seemingly without first looking for another target, or noticing whether or not it hits. 

Use Reckless Attack this turn for adv on STR melee attacks
Action: Greataxe v nearest zombie: Attack: 24 Damage: 10
Bonus (from Frenzy): Greataxe v nearest zombie: Attack: 20 Damage: 15

Zombies have advantage against Thulgrim until next turn

Nemean shakes his head and his mane, spraying bits of blood and gore around the battlefield. He looks into the hallow eyes of the zombie before him and suddenly feints a swing at the creatures head before twisting away and striking down at its knees.

 Scimitar Attack 1: 7 Damage: 10

Scimitar Attack 2: 21 Damage: 8

Trip Attack: 3

Finna fought the urge to jump after the skull - there will be time to do so - but instead shot the visible enemy - zombies, attacking  already wounded Thulgrim: Attack: 5 Damage: 10  

(the one that looks the most dangerous for Thulgrim)

Roland draws his other short sword and gives chase to the flaming skull.

DM Screen:

Zombie CON Save: 6
Zombie STR Save: 7

Slam vs. Nemean: 9
Slam vs. Thulgrim (Advantage-Reckless Attack): 22 Damage: 3

Fire Ray vs. Roland: 7
Fire Ray vs. Roland: 15

Nemean DEX Save: 10 Damage: 3
Thulgrim DEX Save (Advantage-Danger Sense): 14 Damage: 3.5

First an arm flies into the air, before Thulgrim slams his axe into a zombie's chest. The creature struggles against the stuck blade, but finally slumps dead when Finna fires her crossbow into its eye. Next to him, Nemean's scimitar slips out of his hand as he feints, but his second blade tears through a zombie's hamstring and it topples to the ground, flailing. Its arms can't find the nimble fighter, but the remaining zombie scrapes against Thulgrim's back as the dwarf rages on. The pair still manage to evade the bulk of the flaming sphere next to them, but Thulgrim is showing signs of slowing through his fury.

Roland, still reeling from the last magical attack, reaches the channel, where the flameskull waits below. As the rogue peers over to see it, he twists backward, almost falling over but narrowly dodging two fiery beams of light that burn from the skull's eyes into the ceiling of the cavern. The skull floats up and above Roland, once again in view of the rest of the party.

Round 9 Order:
Players <=====
Enemies

Placement:
Two zombies and the flameskull remain.
One zombie is engaged in melee combat with Thulgrim.
One zombie is engaged in melee combat with Nemean.
The flameskull is engaged in melee combat with Roland.
Thulgrim and Nemean are between the zombies and a flaming sphere.
Roland is 45 feet away from Thulgrim and Nemean.
Finna is 30 feet behind Nemean and Thulgrim and 75 feet behind Roland.

Tracking:
Roland is badly wounded.
Thulgrim is badly wounded.
Nemean is lightly wounded.

The flameskull is badly wounded.
The zombie in combat with Nemean is wounded.

Finna has used 3 bolts.
Roland has thrown 1 dagger.

Two zombies were no match to Nemean and Thulgrim, while wounded Roland was chasing a much more dangerous prey. Finna takes a deep breath and changes into Black Bear, hoping others could see it and would not attack. Then she runs to the part of the channel where Roland is supposed to be and climbs down search and fight dangerous enemy together (very much hoping Roland would be able to understand it's her and not a wild animal).  

Thulgrim continues to swing his axe wildly in a reckless frenzy of battle.

Reckless Attack again

Action: Greataxe v Zombie: Attack: 22 Damage: 15
Bonus Action: Greataxe v Zombie: Attack: 21 Damage: 7

Roland, realizing he doesn't have much left in the tank, lunges at the creature with his short swords.

Attack: 22 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll.

Bonus Attack: 21 Damage: 2

Sneak Attack (if Finna is close enough): 9

OOC: I wish to use Lucky to re-roll my bonus attack.

Roll: 21