This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Burr followed Zefla down, his face etched with concern and confusion, " I am glad to see you safe, Saskia."
He looked the child over to determine she was indeed hale and well despite her ordeal.
" But I am of a mind with Soren, though I would not see you break YOUR word to the witch and risk her curse. Take Saskia and Ireena and Tourmaline away from here, perhaps to the Vineyard if the town is no longer safe for them. The three of you are formidable women, Saskia will be safe with you."
He lay a hand on Sorens shoulder, " We must do this, I do not trust this thing not to kill more children in our absence."
Zefla sighs, she figured this would be the reception. She leads them all back to the ground floor so they can talk together and she doesn't have to repeat herself.
"Look, I know this wasn't the plan, but plans change. Soren, you aren't at top form right now and we are in the den of three, THREE witches. I did get the nightmares stopped, I confirmed that there are three children who are safe for the time being. Obviously Saskia is. I got the whereabouts of a magic weapon, that if we are going to fight Strahd and his undead, I need. And I don't know about you, but Morgantha using Saskia pretty much as a shield? Well, I couldn't risk it. I'm not exactly a fan of children, but I don't need her death on my conscience."
"Our goal is to get out of here, right? To leave these mists and return home? That is through Strahd, not these women. And I figured, if they can help... But I get it, if you don't want help from fiends, I truly do get it. Just wanted the option I guess. But we can come back, no one is stopping us to come back and rid this world of these creatures. When we're stronger and more capable. I worry at the moment... it's not going to go well."
"But even so, I will not leave you. You're my friends, my pack" she smiles at Soren at this, "So we'll send Saskia off.. though I think we need Ireen and Tourmaline if we're going to do this now."
Burr looked perturbed, " Wait......how certain are you these other children will be safe if we depart now........because breaking a promise to a witch is no trifling thing...even in our world. And we are most certainly not in our world."
" But........", he looked disgusted with himself, " I swore to keep Saskia safe......I......did not......for these others......and she won't be safe without a strong escort."
" Bah, every part of the place reeks of evil......and we must choose which is the lesser.......these witches must die for their crimes of encouraging cannibalism, infanticide and other loathsome acts......but......I would rather kill them without risking Saskia and Zeflas soul."
A hint of a wan smile crosses Soren's face as the irony strikes him about his own failure to understand his friends.
I have always thought that I do not understand city folk, and now I know I probably never will. For the rest of my life, however long or short that may be...
The druid glances up, his face still pale and drawn from the curse, as the other four wolves begin to ascend the stairs to join Acacia and Bracken. He touches the shoulders of his nearby companions, including Ireena's. His voice remains quiet. Melancholy.
"Truly we are all free creatures. I do not compel you to join me. Even my lupine companions accompany me only by choice. I know the pack is my ideal, not yours Zefla, so you should not be bound by it. Just as I do not understand what I think must be the way that city folk make their choices, though it has been my honor to know you all as friends. Perhaps if we all survive somehow, you can explain it better to me."
"I do not understand why we harp on there being THREE hags, or on my being cursed since we agreed not-Father should remove the curse from Burr and Zefla. We knew all this when, undeterred, we approached the windmill. Nothing has changed, yet now these things give us pause?"
"I do not understand why you accept these she-demons' words as proven truths. Fiends lie, or tell truth with intent to deceive and manipulate. They keep their word so long as it suits them, but not one moment longer. I think Morgantha will resume invading dreams the moment she wishes to or sees benefit from it. She may curse Zefla, or steal Saskia back and kidnap other children, not just the two upstairs, to grind their bones into pastry whenever she wants. Who knows how she would use whatever she tasked us to gather, but you can be sure it will lead to suffering. Do you truly believe these hags will help us mortals escape Barovia? If they found means to depart this land, they would do so themselves, leaving more woe in their wake."
"And Burr, I do not understand these oaths you speak of. I have heard stories of ones called paladins who swear to such, but I myself have sworn no oaths. Not even to Silvanus. No oath is needed to choose the right thing. It is entirely your choice whether it is more important for you to defend the honor of your sworn oaths, which always seem to be to protect specific females I have noticed, some of whom are capable of protecting themselves, or to help cubs who you have not sworn to protect. Not just the two upstairs, but all the other cubs the hags will take if we depart and leave them be."
"These things and more, I do not understand, yet I blame only myself, as a fish out of water can only blame themselves, not the air they cannot breathe."
With a nod and a final tired smile, tongue lolling out like a wolf's, Soren Thornpaw prepares to do battle.
Giles: A quick examination of Zefladoesn't tell you much about the state of her mind, but you can immediately tell that her wounds are not real. They look ghastly from a distance, but on closer look you can identify the familiar ruse of illusion magic.
Burrand Soren: You're unsure what condition she may have been in before, but Saskia seems quite alert and aware now. She is frightened but keeps herself quiet. She looks back and forth between the familiar faces.
Ireenapicks up Saskia and carries her on her hip, stepping outside of the windmill to stand beside Tourmalineon the outer step. Meanwhile the party gathers on the ground floor, plotting. Tourmalinepokes her head in, listening. She still looks uneasy, watching the corners of the room. "After all we talked about, you tried to make a deal with them?" she asks, incredulously of Zefla.
"I don't know," says Victor from his place beside the oven. "If they offered to help us find a way through the mists or battle the Dark Lord, it sounds better than fighting them instead."
On the steps, Ireenaholds Saskia gently, whispering to her. Then she leans in as well. "We need to kill them all," she says with a coldness that is in sharp contrast to her treatment of the frightened child.
"Ah.. yes... well..."Victor responds with a shrug.
[It sounds like Burrand Sorenhave decided it will be blood. What of Gilesand Zefla? If you go back upstairs, what is the marching order? What instructions will you give the NPCs? And where are all of the wolves now? Last update, 2 on top floor, 4 on second floor, 2 on ground floor... same?]
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PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Zefla gives Viktor a wan smile in appreciation of his words, and then glares at Tourmaline. "So I was just supposed to put Saskia at risk as I attacked the hag? I didn't see you come up and attack her, I would have supported you." Feeling completely defeated, she turns to Giles to get the berating from him next.
(She's on the ground floor, but if the group all moves up, she will too. If there is room with the wolves.)
Giles smiles at Zefla, not berating but merely saying, “I’m sure you acted as you see fit. And look see, one of them came away without being harmed. The others are more at risk. I don’t think that we are as prepared as we were when we came in here, but I’m ready to back up Soren and Burr, no matter what happens. I don’t know that I trust the hags to keep their end of the bargain, and they will always twist their words to their own pleasure, advantage, and our misfortune. So, in the end, I think we can’t leave here with this undone. I hope you will support us in that, no matter what has been said. You can only believe half or a third of it, likely.” Giles looks down at the broom he’s holding, imagining that it has some importance. He looks up to Burr and Soren as they walk up and says, “Right. I’m ready. I’m here to back you, whatever your play. You begin, and I will follow.” He steadies his shield and finds a defensive position, ready to run up the stairs if needed / able, ready to attack the witches if they come within sight.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Burr tightens his grip around the shaft of the Bloodspear feeling Kavans rage take him over as blood fills his mouth anew and charges up the stairs and straight at the witch whose location he had seen earlier....
[OK. That's a lot better than the initiative rolled for Burrby the DM...]
Their course decided, the party files back up the stairs, first to the second floor, and then joining a cascade of wolves up towards the third floor. Just as Burr reaches the top of the staircase, leading the charge, there are surprised gasps from below.
On the second floor, behind the bonemill, the hag Offalia emerges from the border ethereal where she had been lurking all this time.
And back on the first floor, her sister Bella also materializes, near the center of the room.
And on the stairs between the first and second floors, the broom in Giles' hand shakes off its idleness and rumbles to life, revealing itself at last as a broom of animated attack. For the moment it is grappled by Giles.
Upstairs, Morgantha’s eyes gleam with cruel amusement as she leers at Burr. She clutches her chest in mock heartbreak, letting out a low, rasping chuckle. “Oh, little morsel,” she coos, her voice thick with wicked delight. “You could have walked out of here alive. But now?”
“... Now, you will all belong to me. Your flesh, your bones, your screams—I’ll grind them all to dust. And when I’m through, I’ll bake what’s left into the sweetest of pies.”
Initiative:
Bella 22
Burr 5 21
Wolves 20
Giles 19
Ireena, Tourmaline, Victor 19
Animated Broom 11
Soren 9
Offalia 9
Zefla 8
Morgantha 7
On the ground floor, Bella, one of Morgantha’s twisted sisters, steps beside the foul-smelling barrel, her gnarled fingers running along its surface as she murmurs something in a guttural, inhuman tongue. With two sharp raps on the side of the barrel, she steps back just as a dark, viscous liquid begins to slosh and rise within. The putrid stench of rot and acid fills the air as a Black Pudding spills over the edges, oozing onto the warped wooden floorboards. Its undulating mass spreads outward, a shapeless, hungry horror that cuts off the bottom of the stairway, a living trap of dissolving death for anyone who tries to descend.
Above, on the third floor, Burris a man on a mission and he acts without hesitation. With a swift step across the cramped attic, he thrusts forward with the Blood Spear, driving the weapon into Morgantha’s wiry frame. The impact isn’t devastating, but the magic-laced weapon burns against her unnatural flesh, sending a shudder of pain through her withered body. For the first time, the old hag’s smirk vanishes, replaced by a glare of genuine hatred.
The wolvesand then Gilesare up...
Third Floor Map
Second Floor Map[Nettles is flying around here somewhere...]
First Floor Map
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PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Taken aback by the appearance of the new enemies, the wolves nonetheless let out a primal howl as they attack in groups instinctively, maneuvering in pairs. Lunging in to bite at their enemies and drag them to the ground prone if they can.
Four wolves move to attack Morgantha, attempting also to block the the hag's physical access to the children in the cages: Acacia (closest to Morgantha) circles 10' N - NW (ending just N of Morgantha), then makes a bite attack. Bracken (next closest) darts 15' N (ending just NE of Morgantha) and makes a bite attack. Cedar (next) moves NE - N (ending just E of Morgantha) and makes a bite attack. Dale (next) rushes up the stairs past Soren (ending just SE of Morgantha) and makes a bite attack. (All attacks at Advantage thanks to Pack Tactics with Burr at least being there for Acacia's attack).
Acacia - bite attack to hit Morgantha: 18, damage: 4 (piercing) Bracken - bite attack to hit Morgantha: 24 (Natural 20), damage: 14 (piercing) Cedar - bite attack to hit Morgantha: 19, damage: 8 (piercing) Dale - bite attack to hit Morgantha: 10, damage: 6 (piercing)
For every wolf bite that hits, Morgantha must make a separate DC11 STR Save or be knocked prone.
Two wolves (Elm and Fir) skirt along the southern edge of the second floor to lunge at Offalia from the S and SW, Elm readying his attack until joined by Fir for Pack Tactics. Leaving room for Zefla to squeeze in around the other side of the millstone to the NW of Offalia: Elm lopes to a point just S of Offalia and readies his bite attack for when Fir joins him. Fir trots to a point just SW of Offalia and makes her bite attack. (All attacks at Advantage thanks to Pack Tactics).
Elm - bite attack to hit Offalia: 22, damage: 8 (piercing) Fir - bite attack to hit Offalia: 7, damage: 6 (piercing)
For every wolf bite that hits, Offalia must make a separate DC11 STR Save or be knocked prone.
The final two wolves on the ground floor (Gorse and Hawthorn) target Bella and lunge at her from the S and SE, Gorse readying his attack until joined by Hawthorn for Pack Tactics. Hoping to draw any attacks from the awful Black Pudding abomination as well: Gorse skirts 5' NW around Bella (to just W of Bella) and readies his bite attack on Bella for when Hawthorn joins him. Hawthorn moves 5' NW to just S of Bella (and SW of the Black Pudding) and makes her bite attack on Bella. (All attacks at Advantage thanks to Pack Tactics).
Gorse - bite attack to hit Bella: 21, damage: 7 (piercing) Hawthorn - bite attack to hit Bella: 23, damage: 7 (piercing)
For every wolf bite that hits, Bella must make a separate DC11 STR Save or be knocked prone.
Wolves' Status: Acacia (Wolf 1): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP (All wolves have AC13, 40' speed and Pack Tactics) Bracken (Wolf 2): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP Cedar (Wolf 3): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP Dale (Wolf 4): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP Elm (Wolf 5): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP Fir (Wolf 6): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP Gorse (Wolf 7): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP Hawthorn (Wolf 8): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP
Giles feels the bolting movement in his right arm but he has gripped hard on the broom, suspecting some magic from the hag was involved. He looks over the rail down the stairs and sees the large black pudding on the floor below, cutting off escape to the ground floor. Since the broom is grappled, he pulls it over to the edge of the rail and shoves it down into the black pudding, hoping that will sate and occupy the both of them briefly. Giles feels that the black pudding won’t recognize friend from foe and attempt to eat the thing, like anything else. Similarly, he uses his floating mage hand to pull Offalia toward her black pudding, hoping it will make a meal out of the hag, given a chance. If he has any movement left, Giles backs his way further up the stairs, ascending.
Action : Shove the broom of animated attack down into the black pudding. (Athletics check with advantage since grappled? : Nat 20, for a total of 21)
Bonus action : Pull Offalia 5 feet toward the black pudding with his ethereal mage hand, DC 15 strength check to resist the pull.
Movement : up the stairs after this has been accomplished.
Bella Wolf Saves: 14, 15 [Bella is not knocked down.]
Save against shove: 22 [Giles said he targeted Offalia, who is on the 2nd floor. Since he referred to it as 'her' pudding, I assume he meant Bella, which is the hag that released the pudding on the ground floor. In either case, the hag resists the shove.]
The windmill quakes with snarling fury as Soren’ssummoned wolves lunge into action, their gleaming fangs flashing in the dim light. Four of the spectral beasts encircle Morgantha, snapping and tearing as they dart in unison, their relentless pack tactics keeping the ancient hag on the defensive. With a chorus of growls and a final, well-timed pounce, the wolves send Morgantha sprawling onto the rickety floorboards, her wiry frame crashing down in a tangle of black robes.
On the floor below, two more wolves leap at Offalia, their powerful jaws clamping onto her twisted limbs as she shrieks in fury. Her attempts to fend them off are in vain—she topples backward, the weight of the wolves pressing her hard against the rotting floorboards.
And on the ground level, Bella barely has time to react before two more spectral wolves flank her from either side, their coordinated attack forcing her to stagger. Though she manages to stay on her feet, her movements are restricted by the constant snapping and darting of their fangs. In moving into position, however, Gorse stepped away from the Black Pudding, provoking an opportunity attack.
Despite the flurry of wolf attacks, there is something eerily resilient about the hags. The wolves' teeth sink into their flesh, but the wounds barely seem to take hold—where another creature would bleed, these twisted crones merely snarl and shake off most of the damage.
Meanwhile, on the stairs, Gilesgrips the wooden broom he had absentmindedly picked up earlier, but it now writhes in his grasp, moving of its own accord. The Animated Broom bucks and thrashes like a wild beast, trying to slip free. Thinking quickly, he shoves the broom downward, attempting to plunge it straight into the inky abyss. But just as the bristles nearly touch the surface, the broom resists—it hovers, trembling in place, just inches above the roiling, acidic sludge. [Broom has the hover ability, preventing it from being knocked prone.]
Outside the front door, Ireenacovers Saskia's eyes from the battle and steps further away from the windmill.
Victor recoils in horror from the sight of the hag and the black pudding.
Tourmaline, meanwhile, curses loudly. Her movement limited by her proximity to the pudding, she raises a hand and a puff of noxious gas sprays outward toward Bella.
CON save: 9
Unthreatened by a cantrip, the hag's overconfidence is rewarded with 14poison damage.
"Victor!" shouts Tourmaline. "Ignore the pudding. Bring down the witch!" Victor's eyes dart between the roiling mass of the Black Pudding and the hag who had summoned it. His fingers twitch as he weighs his options, but in the end, his choice is clear. Summoning arcane power, he raises his hands and begins to weave a spell, the air around him crackling with energy.
Just as the final words of the incantation leave his lips, Bella’s head turns towards him. Her milky-white eyes glint with cruel amusement as she throws up a gnarled, clawed hand in a lazy, almost dismissive gesture. The energy Victor had summoned, so potent just a heartbeat before, vanishes in an instant. His spell fizzles like a dying ember, leaving behind only a faint whisper of magic dissipating into nothing.
Victor’s breath catches in his throat. His brow furrows in confusion, looking first at his hands and then at the hag. And then, as realization dawns, his face twists into a mask of fear. “She countered me!” he gasps, his voice edged with disbelief.
Bella grins, her jagged teeth glistening in the dim light. She lets out a throaty, mocking chuckle, the sound thick with malice. “Poor little boy,” she croons, her voice a sickly-sweet mockery of sympathy. “Did you think you knew realmagic?” She glares at him over the snapping maws of the wolves, ignoring them as one might pesky toddlers. “You’re not in your father's library anymore, boy. Here, weare the masters of the arcane.” Her laughter deepens, a sound like dry leaves scraping against bone.
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
The Black Pudding's devastating reaction attack smashes into Gorse's torso dealing terrible damage to the wolf, the acid corroding flesh until a few ribs are exposed. The seventh wolf would surely be dead (or returned to the fey plane from which Soren summoned him) if not for the spiritual vitality that Bramble, the spirit totem bear, had bestowed upon him before vanishing. (10 Temp HP and 10 regular hp removed from Gorse, 1/11hp left).
The wolves on all three floor bay loudly communicating what they see to each other and to Soren (Speech of the Woods).
On the second floor of the windmill, Nettle flies at the fallen Offalia and flaps her wings in the hag's face, providing help so that the next attack against Offalia has advantage even if the hag stands up from prone on her turn. The owl then spirals around to perch on Soren's shoulder (Flyby).
Soren first glances up the stairs at the third floor where Burr and four wolves try to wall Morgantha off from the caged cubs while battling the hag. The druid decides that attacking Morgantha himself while cursed is not worth it and attempts instead to maintain concentration on his Conjure Animals spell, taking evasive maneuvers (dodge). He edges 5' north from his original position on the second floor, just 5' SW of Zefla, whispering:
"Zefla, I can see that the wolves' mundane attacks do less damage to the hags than Burr's magical spear. What do you think about trying your silvered blade on that one to check whether it has full effect?" Soren points at the currently proneOffalia, against whom Nettle had taken the help action just now.
Owl and Wolves' Status: Nettle (Owl Familiar): 1/1 HP + 10 Temp HP (AC11, 60' Fly Speed, Flyby) Acacia (Wolf 1): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP (All wolves have AC13, 40' speed and Pack Tactics) Bracken (Wolf 2): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP Cedar (Wolf 3): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP Dale (Wolf 4): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP Elm (Wolf 5): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP Fir (Wolf 6): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP Gorse (Wolf 7): 1/11 HP Hawthorn (Wolf 8): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP
Offalia snarls as she rises, looking over and past the wolves that harry her and the little owl that pesters her. She glares around the mill shaft at Soren, doing is best to dodge, and her cracked lips curl into a smirk.
"Compared to us, druid, your forest magic is but a flickering candle... and I shall snuff it out with a breath!" Raising a clawed hand, she utters a sharp incantation, and three glowing darts of violet force materialize in the air before her. They hang for only a moment before launching forward with unerring precision, streaking toward the druid.
Magic Missiles: 3, 3, 5
One after another, the missiles slam into Soren'schest, then back, then shoulder. Each hit is small, no more than a hard punch, but each impact threatens to splinter his focus, to shatter the fragile thread of magic keeping his pack of wolves bound to this plane.
Offalia watches with barely contained glee, waiting to see if the wolves flicker and vanish, hoping to see fear in Soren'seyes if his magic falters.
[That will be 3 Concentration checks from Soren, please. And Zeflais up.]
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PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Zefla winces as each missile hits her druid friend. She's honestly glad these sisters of Morgantha popped where they did, making them easier to attack then if they were on the roof as the old crone had illuded to. Of course.. another lie.
Shaking her head to focus on the fight, she moves forward towards the opening the wolves so kindly left her and draws her silvered shortsword. Hoping that this weapon would have more affect on these hags than they did on the undead, she uses Nettle's help to attack.
Attack: 23, Damage: 8+ 14sneak attack
She then disengages and heads back to where she was plus a square to the left, letting the wolves stay between her and the witch.
While Offalia was fending off wolves and casting spells at Soren, Zeflacreeps in to test the effectiveness of her silvered blade. She stabs the hag in the side with a sneak attack, doing a fair amount of damage. The silvered weapon seems to do the trick, wounding the evil creature as well as would be expected.
Lying on the floor upstairs, surrounded by wolves, Morgantha lets out a dry, rasping cackle. Foul blood seeps from the wound left by the Blood Spear, and she looks almost too weak to stand. Still, her milky eyes glint with amusement as they fix on Burr.
"Oh, you’re a big strong boy, aren't you?" she sneers, licking her cracked lips. "But you’ve no idea what you’ve blundered into."
Her gaze flicks toward the open closet where the two caged children tremble in silence, watching the carnage with terrified eyes. Her wicked smile stretches across her wrinkled face.
"Ah… but you do like saving children, don’t you?" she muses. "Then perhaps you should move quickly. The enchantments placed on those cages… once I will it so, they’ll begin to squeeze the air from their little lungs." She clicks her tongue in amusement. "Such a shame. You might be strong enough to break the locks… or maybe you’re not. Would you like to test your strength, big boy? But be quick—they haven’t got long."
And then—before he can react—she winks out of existence. Gone. No flash of magic, no puff of smoke, just vanished. The wolves snarl in confusion, snapping at empty air.
Round 2
Bella
Burr
Wolves
Giles
Ireena, Tourmaline, Victor
Black Pudding
Animated Broom
Soren
Offalia
Zefla
Morgantha
Down on the ground floor, Bella hisses at the summoned wolves around her, their fangs finding little purchase against her thick, leathery skin. She flicks her fingers in irritation, blood oozing from a few shallow bites. Her yellowed eyes flick toward Victor. "Pathetic." She spits a bit of bile out onto the floor, which sizzles as it is soaked up by the Black Pudding. "You're no wizard. Why, you're less a threat to us than even these filthy mutts."
With a sharp gesture, she raises a clawed hand, and three glowing darts of arcane force flare to life in the air before her. She barely even looks at them before sending them streaking through the air.
Magic Missile: 4, 4, 2
The first slams into Gorse, already wounded from earlier attacks. It lets out a sharp yelp before crumpling into mist, vanishing as its magical essence is disrupted. The other two missiles strike Hawthorne in quick succession, making it stumble back with a whimper, before finding its footing again and bracing for its next attack.
[Burris back up, then the wolves.]
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PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
The howling and whining of the wolves on the third floor echo throughout the windmill, letting Soren know that Morgantha has vanished. Again.
At a brief glance and growl from the pack Alpha, Acacia, the third and fourth wolves, Cedar and Dale, bound down the stairs to the second floor to join the battle the hag there (Offalia) and the broom, while Acacia and her mate Bracken follow to provide Burr some space and ready attacks. Elm and Fir continue their onslaught on Offalia as well, while on the bottom floor, Hawthorn lets out a mournful howl at the loss of her mate and lunges at Bella.
(Hoping that Zefla can still move through Dale's space as difficult terrain on her turn to attack Offalia if needed).
Dale moves SW - NW (15' to descend) E - E (25'), then bites at Offalia from just W of her. Cedar follows S - SW - NW (20' to descend) NE - E (35' total), then bites at the animated broom. from just SW of it. Bracken follows S - S - SW - NW (25' to descend) NE - N (40' total, just E of Zefla and W of Giles), then readies an attack on any enemy entering range. Acacia follows SE - S - SW - NW (30' to descend) - E (35' total, just SE of Soren), then readies an attack on any enemy entering range. Elm stays put and attacks Offalia from just S of her. Fir stays put and attacks Offalia from just SW of her. Gorse has been slain by the black pudding and Bella, and vanishes. Hawthorn stays put and attacks Bella from just S of her. (All attacks at advantage due to Pack Tactics other than possibly Hawthorn's - not sure if Giles is adjacent to Bella, all damage piercing)
Dale bite attack to hit Offalia: 21, damage: 7 Cedar bite attack to hit animated broom: 20 (dirty), damage: 7 Bracken readied bite attack on any enemy entering range, to hit: 9, damage: 8 Acacia readied bite attack on any enemy entering range, to hit: 23, damage: 10 Elm bite attack to hit Offalia: 21, damage: 6 Fir bite attack to hit Offalia: 16, damage: 9 Hawthorn bite attack to hit Bella: 23 (or 19 if no advantage from Pack Tactics), damage: 7
For every wolf bite that hits, the target must make a separate DC11 STR Save or be knocked prone unless they are immune to the condition.
Owl and Wolves' Status: Nettle (Owl Familiar): 1/1 HP + 10 Temp HP (AC11, 60' Fly Speed, Flyby) Acacia (Wolf 1): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP (All wolves have AC13, 40' speed and Pack Tactics) Bracken (Wolf 2): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP Cedar (Wolf 3): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP Dale (Wolf 4): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP Elm (Wolf 5): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP Fir (Wolf 6): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP Gorse (Wolf 7): 1/11 HP --> 0 dead and gone Hawthorn (Wolf 8): 11/11 HP + 4 Temp HP
Burr followed Zefla down, his face etched with concern and confusion, " I am glad to see you safe, Saskia."
He looked the child over to determine she was indeed hale and well despite her ordeal.
" But I am of a mind with Soren, though I would not see you break YOUR word to the witch and risk her curse. Take Saskia and Ireena and Tourmaline away from here, perhaps to the Vineyard if the town is no longer safe for them. The three of you are formidable women, Saskia will be safe with you."
He lay a hand on Sorens shoulder, " We must do this, I do not trust this thing not to kill more children in our absence."
Medicine- 14
Zefla sighs, she figured this would be the reception. She leads them all back to the ground floor so they can talk together and she doesn't have to repeat herself.
"Look, I know this wasn't the plan, but plans change. Soren, you aren't at top form right now and we are in the den of three, THREE witches. I did get the nightmares stopped, I confirmed that there are three children who are safe for the time being. Obviously Saskia is. I got the whereabouts of a magic weapon, that if we are going to fight Strahd and his undead, I need. And I don't know about you, but Morgantha using Saskia pretty much as a shield? Well, I couldn't risk it. I'm not exactly a fan of children, but I don't need her death on my conscience."
"Our goal is to get out of here, right? To leave these mists and return home? That is through Strahd, not these women. And I figured, if they can help... But I get it, if you don't want help from fiends, I truly do get it. Just wanted the option I guess. But we can come back, no one is stopping us to come back and rid this world of these creatures. When we're stronger and more capable. I worry at the moment... it's not going to go well."
"But even so, I will not leave you. You're my friends, my pack" she smiles at Soren at this, "So we'll send Saskia off.. though I think we need Ireen and Tourmaline if we're going to do this now."
Burr looked perturbed, " Wait......how certain are you these other children will be safe if we depart now........because breaking a promise to a witch is no trifling thing...even in our world. And we are most certainly not in our world."
" But........", he looked disgusted with himself, " I swore to keep Saskia safe......I......did not......for these others......and she won't be safe without a strong escort."
" Bah, every part of the place reeks of evil......and we must choose which is the lesser.......these witches must die for their crimes of encouraging cannibalism, infanticide and other loathsome acts......but......I would rather kill them without risking Saskia and Zeflas soul."
He turned towards Soren, stricken....
A hint of a wan smile crosses Soren's face as the irony strikes him about his own failure to understand his friends.
I have always thought that I do not understand city folk, and now I know I probably never will. For the rest of my life, however long or short that may be...
The druid glances up, his face still pale and drawn from the curse, as the other four wolves begin to ascend the stairs to join Acacia and Bracken. He touches the shoulders of his nearby companions, including Ireena's. His voice remains quiet. Melancholy.
"Truly we are all free creatures. I do not compel you to join me. Even my lupine companions accompany me only by choice. I know the pack is my ideal, not yours Zefla, so you should not be bound by it. Just as I do not understand what I think must be the way that city folk make their choices, though it has been my honor to know you all as friends. Perhaps if we all survive somehow, you can explain it better to me."
"I do not understand why we harp on there being THREE hags, or on my being cursed since we agreed not-Father should remove the curse from Burr and Zefla. We knew all this when, undeterred, we approached the windmill. Nothing has changed, yet now these things give us pause?"
"I do not understand why you accept these she-demons' words as proven truths. Fiends lie, or tell truth with intent to deceive and manipulate. They keep their word so long as it suits them, but not one moment longer. I think Morgantha will resume invading dreams the moment she wishes to or sees benefit from it. She may curse Zefla, or steal Saskia back and kidnap other children, not just the two upstairs, to grind their bones into pastry whenever she wants. Who knows how she would use whatever she tasked us to gather, but you can be sure it will lead to suffering. Do you truly believe these hags will help us mortals escape Barovia? If they found means to depart this land, they would do so themselves, leaving more woe in their wake."
"And Burr, I do not understand these oaths you speak of. I have heard stories of ones called paladins who swear to such, but I myself have sworn no oaths. Not even to Silvanus. No oath is needed to choose the right thing. It is entirely your choice whether it is more important for you to defend the honor of your sworn oaths, which always seem to be to protect specific females I have noticed, some of whom are capable of protecting themselves, or to help cubs who you have not sworn to protect. Not just the two upstairs, but all the other cubs the hags will take if we depart and leave them be."
"These things and more, I do not understand, yet I blame only myself, as a fish out of water can only blame themselves, not the air they cannot breathe."
With a nod and a final tired smile, tongue lolling out like a wolf's, Soren Thornpaw prepares to do battle.
Inge(Barbarian2): Krayveneer's After the Fall|Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1): Uhtred's Windward Isles|Xarian(Fighter1): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil|Soren(Druid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft|Nivi(Rogue4): Raiketsu's CoS|Ophelia(Sorcerer3): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request|Toa(Barbarian6/Fighter4): MrWhisker's Dark Lord's Return|Sabetha(Monk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court
Burr nodded, chastened, " My reasons are my own. But your tongue is sharper than your fangs and you've drawn blood for good purpose."
He squared his shoulders and turned back towards the top of the stairs, " Death.", he grinned through bloody teeth.
Giles: A quick examination of Zefla doesn't tell you much about the state of her mind, but you can immediately tell that her wounds are not real. They look ghastly from a distance, but on closer look you can identify the familiar ruse of illusion magic.
Burr and Soren: You're unsure what condition she may have been in before, but Saskia seems quite alert and aware now. She is frightened but keeps herself quiet. She looks back and forth between the familiar faces.
Ireena picks up Saskia and carries her on her hip, stepping outside of the windmill to stand beside Tourmaline on the outer step. Meanwhile the party gathers on the ground floor, plotting. Tourmaline pokes her head in, listening. She still looks uneasy, watching the corners of the room. "After all we talked about, you tried to make a deal with them?" she asks, incredulously of Zefla.
"I don't know," says Victor from his place beside the oven. "If they offered to help us find a way through the mists or battle the Dark Lord, it sounds better than fighting them instead."
On the steps, Ireena holds Saskia gently, whispering to her. Then she leans in as well. "We need to kill them all," she says with a coldness that is in sharp contrast to her treatment of the frightened child.
"Ah.. yes... well..." Victor responds with a shrug.
[It sounds like Burr and Soren have decided it will be blood. What of Giles and Zefla? If you go back upstairs, what is the marching order? What instructions will you give the NPCs? And where are all of the wolves now? Last update, 2 on top floor, 4 on second floor, 2 on ground floor... same?]
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Zefla gives Viktor a wan smile in appreciation of his words, and then glares at Tourmaline. "So I was just supposed to put Saskia at risk as I attacked the hag? I didn't see you come up and attack her, I would have supported you." Feeling completely defeated, she turns to Giles to get the berating from him next.
(She's on the ground floor, but if the group all moves up, she will too. If there is room with the wolves.)
Giles smiles at Zefla, not berating but merely saying, “I’m sure you acted as you see fit. And look see, one of them came away without being harmed. The others are more at risk. I don’t think that we are as prepared as we were when we came in here, but I’m ready to back up Soren and Burr, no matter what happens. I don’t know that I trust the hags to keep their end of the bargain, and they will always twist their words to their own pleasure, advantage, and our misfortune. So, in the end, I think we can’t leave here with this undone. I hope you will support us in that, no matter what has been said. You can only believe half or a third of it, likely.” Giles looks down at the broom he’s holding, imagining that it has some importance. He looks up to Burr and Soren as they walk up and says, “Right. I’m ready. I’m here to back you, whatever your play. You begin, and I will follow.” He steadies his shield and finds a defensive position, ready to run up the stairs if needed / able, ready to attack the witches if they come within sight.
Burr tightens his grip around the shaft of the Bloodspear feeling Kavans rage take him over as blood fills his mouth anew and charges up the stairs and straight at the witch whose location he had seen earlier....
Initiative- 7
BA- Rage.
Attack- Reckless- Attack: 21 Damage: 10 + 3 Radiant.
[OK. That's a lot better than the initiative rolled for Burr by the DM...]
Their course decided, the party files back up the stairs, first to the second floor, and then joining a cascade of wolves up towards the third floor. Just as Burr reaches the top of the staircase, leading the charge, there are surprised gasps from below.
On the second floor, behind the bonemill, the hag Offalia emerges from the border ethereal where she had been lurking all this time.
And back on the first floor, her sister Bella also materializes, near the center of the room.
And on the stairs between the first and second floors, the broom in Giles' hand shakes off its idleness and rumbles to life, revealing itself at last as a broom of animated attack. For the moment it is grappled by Giles.
Upstairs, Morgantha’s eyes gleam with cruel amusement as she leers at Burr. She clutches her chest in mock heartbreak, letting out a low, rasping chuckle. “Oh, little morsel,” she coos, her voice thick with wicked delight. “You could have walked out of here alive. But now?”
“... Now, you will all belong to me. Your flesh, your bones, your screams—I’ll grind them all to dust. And when I’m through, I’ll bake what’s left into the sweetest of pies.”
Initiative:
521On the ground floor, Bella, one of Morgantha’s twisted sisters, steps beside the foul-smelling barrel, her gnarled fingers running along its surface as she murmurs something in a guttural, inhuman tongue. With two sharp raps on the side of the barrel, she steps back just as a dark, viscous liquid begins to slosh and rise within. The putrid stench of rot and acid fills the air as a Black Pudding spills over the edges, oozing onto the warped wooden floorboards. Its undulating mass spreads outward, a shapeless, hungry horror that cuts off the bottom of the stairway, a living trap of dissolving death for anyone who tries to descend.
Above, on the third floor, Burr is a man on a mission and he acts without hesitation. With a swift step across the cramped attic, he thrusts forward with the Blood Spear, driving the weapon into Morgantha’s wiry frame. The impact isn’t devastating, but the magic-laced weapon burns against her unnatural flesh, sending a shudder of pain through her withered body. For the first time, the old hag’s smirk vanishes, replaced by a glare of genuine hatred.
The wolves and then Giles are up...
Third Floor Map
Second Floor Map [Nettles is flying around here somewhere...]
First Floor Map
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Taken aback by the appearance of the new enemies, the wolves nonetheless let out a primal howl as they attack in groups instinctively, maneuvering in pairs. Lunging in to bite at their enemies and drag them to the ground prone if they can.
Four wolves move to attack Morgantha, attempting also to block the the hag's physical access to the children in the cages:
Acacia (closest to Morgantha) circles 10' N - NW (ending just N of Morgantha), then makes a bite attack.
Bracken (next closest) darts 15' N (ending just NE of Morgantha) and makes a bite attack.
Cedar (next) moves NE - N (ending just E of Morgantha) and makes a bite attack.
Dale (next) rushes up the stairs past Soren (ending just SE of Morgantha) and makes a bite attack.
(All attacks at Advantage thanks to Pack Tactics with Burr at least being there for Acacia's attack).
Acacia - bite attack to hit Morgantha: 18, damage: 4 (piercing)
Bracken - bite attack to hit Morgantha: 24 (Natural 20), damage: 14 (piercing)
Cedar - bite attack to hit Morgantha: 19, damage: 8 (piercing)
Dale - bite attack to hit Morgantha: 10, damage: 6 (piercing)
For every wolf bite that hits, Morgantha must make a separate DC11 STR Save or be knocked prone.
Two wolves (Elm and Fir) skirt along the southern edge of the second floor to lunge at Offalia from the S and SW, Elm readying his attack until joined by Fir for Pack Tactics. Leaving room for Zefla to squeeze in around the other side of the millstone to the NW of Offalia:
Elm lopes to a point just S of Offalia and readies his bite attack for when Fir joins him.
Fir trots to a point just SW of Offalia and makes her bite attack.
(All attacks at Advantage thanks to Pack Tactics).
Elm - bite attack to hit Offalia: 22, damage: 8 (piercing)
Fir - bite attack to hit Offalia: 7, damage: 6 (piercing)
For every wolf bite that hits, Offalia must make a separate DC11 STR Save or be knocked prone.
The final two wolves on the ground floor (Gorse and Hawthorn) target Bella and lunge at her from the S and SE, Gorse readying his attack until joined by Hawthorn for Pack Tactics. Hoping to draw any attacks from the awful Black Pudding abomination as well:
Gorse skirts 5' NW around Bella (to just W of Bella) and readies his bite attack on Bella for when Hawthorn joins him.
Hawthorn moves 5' NW to just S of Bella (and SW of the Black Pudding) and makes her bite attack on Bella.
(All attacks at Advantage thanks to Pack Tactics).
Gorse - bite attack to hit Bella: 21, damage: 7 (piercing)
Hawthorn - bite attack to hit Bella: 23, damage: 7 (piercing)
For every wolf bite that hits, Bella must make a separate DC11 STR Save or be knocked prone.
Wolves' Status:
Acacia (Wolf 1): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP (All wolves have AC13, 40' speed and Pack Tactics)
Bracken (Wolf 2): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP
Cedar (Wolf 3): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP
Dale (Wolf 4): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP
Elm (Wolf 5): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP
Fir (Wolf 6): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP
Gorse (Wolf 7): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP
Hawthorn (Wolf 8): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP
Inge(Barbarian2): Krayveneer's After the Fall|Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1): Uhtred's Windward Isles|Xarian(Fighter1): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil|Soren(Druid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft|Nivi(Rogue4): Raiketsu's CoS|Ophelia(Sorcerer3): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request|Toa(Barbarian6/Fighter4): MrWhisker's Dark Lord's Return|Sabetha(Monk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court
Giles feels the bolting movement in his right arm but he has gripped hard on the broom, suspecting some magic from the hag was involved. He looks over the rail down the stairs and sees the large black pudding on the floor below, cutting off escape to the ground floor. Since the broom is grappled, he pulls it over to the edge of the rail and shoves it down into the black pudding, hoping that will sate and occupy the both of them briefly. Giles feels that the black pudding won’t recognize friend from foe and attempt to eat the thing, like anything else. Similarly, he uses his floating mage hand to pull Offalia toward her black pudding, hoping it will make a meal out of the hag, given a chance. If he has any movement left, Giles backs his way further up the stairs, ascending.
Action : Shove the broom of animated attack down into the black pudding. (Athletics check with advantage since grappled? : Nat 20, for a total of 21)
Bonus action : Pull Offalia 5 feet toward the black pudding with his ethereal mage hand, DC 15 strength check to resist the pull.
Movement : up the stairs after this has been accomplished.
The windmill quakes with snarling fury as Soren’s summoned wolves lunge into action, their gleaming fangs flashing in the dim light. Four of the spectral beasts encircle Morgantha, snapping and tearing as they dart in unison, their relentless pack tactics keeping the ancient hag on the defensive. With a chorus of growls and a final, well-timed pounce, the wolves send Morgantha sprawling onto the rickety floorboards, her wiry frame crashing down in a tangle of black robes.
On the floor below, two more wolves leap at Offalia, their powerful jaws clamping onto her twisted limbs as she shrieks in fury. Her attempts to fend them off are in vain—she topples backward, the weight of the wolves pressing her hard against the rotting floorboards.
And on the ground level, Bella barely has time to react before two more spectral wolves flank her from either side, their coordinated attack forcing her to stagger. Though she manages to stay on her feet, her movements are restricted by the constant snapping and darting of their fangs. In moving into position, however, Gorse stepped away from the Black Pudding, provoking an opportunity attack.
Despite the flurry of wolf attacks, there is something eerily resilient about the hags. The wolves' teeth sink into their flesh, but the wounds barely seem to take hold—where another creature would bleed, these twisted crones merely snarl and shake off most of the damage.
Meanwhile, on the stairs, Giles grips the wooden broom he had absentmindedly picked up earlier, but it now writhes in his grasp, moving of its own accord. The Animated Broom bucks and thrashes like a wild beast, trying to slip free. Thinking quickly, he shoves the broom downward, attempting to plunge it straight into the inky abyss. But just as the bristles nearly touch the surface, the broom resists—it hovers, trembling in place, just inches above the roiling, acidic sludge. [Broom has the hover ability, preventing it from being knocked prone.]
Outside the front door, Ireena covers Saskia's eyes from the battle and steps further away from the windmill.
Victor recoils in horror from the sight of the hag and the black pudding.
Tourmaline, meanwhile, curses loudly. Her movement limited by her proximity to the pudding, she raises a hand and a puff of noxious gas sprays outward toward Bella.
CON save: 9
Unthreatened by a cantrip, the hag's overconfidence is rewarded with 14 poison damage.
"Victor!" shouts Tourmaline. "Ignore the pudding. Bring down the witch!" Victor's eyes dart between the roiling mass of the Black Pudding and the hag who had summoned it. His fingers twitch as he weighs his options, but in the end, his choice is clear. Summoning arcane power, he raises his hands and begins to weave a spell, the air around him crackling with energy.
Just as the final words of the incantation leave his lips, Bella’s head turns towards him. Her milky-white eyes glint with cruel amusement as she throws up a gnarled, clawed hand in a lazy, almost dismissive gesture. The energy Victor had summoned, so potent just a heartbeat before, vanishes in an instant. His spell fizzles like a dying ember, leaving behind only a faint whisper of magic dissipating into nothing.
Victor’s breath catches in his throat. His brow furrows in confusion, looking first at his hands and then at the hag. And then, as realization dawns, his face twists into a mask of fear. “She countered me!” he gasps, his voice edged with disbelief.
Bella grins, her jagged teeth glistening in the dim light. She lets out a throaty, mocking chuckle, the sound thick with malice. “Poor little boy,” she croons, her voice a sickly-sweet mockery of sympathy. “Did you think you knew real magic?” She glares at him over the snapping maws of the wolves, ignoring them as one might pesky toddlers. “You’re not in your father's library anymore, boy. Here, we are the masters of the arcane.” Her laughter deepens, a sound like dry leaves scraping against bone.
Meanwhile, the Animated Broom carefully floats up and away from the pudding and follows Father Giles back up the stairs to the second floor.
Soren is up!
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
The Black Pudding's devastating reaction attack smashes into Gorse's torso dealing terrible damage to the wolf, the acid corroding flesh until a few ribs are exposed. The seventh wolf would surely be dead (or returned to the fey plane from which Soren summoned him) if not for the spiritual vitality that Bramble, the spirit totem bear, had bestowed upon him before vanishing. (10 Temp HP and 10 regular hp removed from Gorse, 1/11hp left).
The wolves on all three floor bay loudly communicating what they see to each other and to Soren (Speech of the Woods).
On the second floor of the windmill, Nettle flies at the fallen Offalia and flaps her wings in the hag's face, providing help so that the next attack against Offalia has advantage even if the hag stands up from prone on her turn. The owl then spirals around to perch on Soren's shoulder (Flyby).
Soren first glances up the stairs at the third floor where Burr and four wolves try to wall Morgantha off from the caged cubs while battling the hag. The druid decides that attacking Morgantha himself while cursed is not worth it and attempts instead to maintain concentration on his Conjure Animals spell, taking evasive maneuvers (dodge). He edges 5' north from his original position on the second floor, just 5' SW of Zefla, whispering:
"Zefla, I can see that the wolves' mundane attacks do less damage to the hags than Burr's magical spear. What do you think about trying your silvered blade on that one to check whether it has full effect?" Soren points at the currently prone Offalia, against whom Nettle had taken the help action just now.
Owl and Wolves' Status:
Nettle (Owl Familiar): 1/1 HP + 10 Temp HP (AC11, 60' Fly Speed, Flyby)
Acacia (Wolf 1): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP (All wolves have AC13, 40' speed and Pack Tactics)
Bracken (Wolf 2): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP
Cedar (Wolf 3): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP
Dale (Wolf 4): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP
Elm (Wolf 5): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP
Fir (Wolf 6): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP
Gorse (Wolf 7): 1/11 HP
Hawthorn (Wolf 8): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP
Inge(Barbarian2): Krayveneer's After the Fall|Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1): Uhtred's Windward Isles|Xarian(Fighter1): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil|Soren(Druid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft|Nivi(Rogue4): Raiketsu's CoS|Ophelia(Sorcerer3): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request|Toa(Barbarian6/Fighter4): MrWhisker's Dark Lord's Return|Sabetha(Monk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court
Offalia snarls as she rises, looking over and past the wolves that harry her and the little owl that pesters her. She glares around the mill shaft at Soren, doing is best to dodge, and her cracked lips curl into a smirk.
"Compared to us, druid, your forest magic is but a flickering candle... and I shall snuff it out with a breath!" Raising a clawed hand, she utters a sharp incantation, and three glowing darts of violet force materialize in the air before her. They hang for only a moment before launching forward with unerring precision, streaking toward the druid.
One after another, the missiles slam into Soren's chest, then back, then shoulder. Each hit is small, no more than a hard punch, but each impact threatens to splinter his focus, to shatter the fragile thread of magic keeping his pack of wolves bound to this plane.
Offalia watches with barely contained glee, waiting to see if the wolves flicker and vanish, hoping to see fear in Soren's eyes if his magic falters.
[That will be 3 Concentration checks from Soren, please. And Zefla is up.]
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Digging deep, Soren attempts to hold on to his primal magic (using Inspiration on first roll):
CON Saves to maintain concentration on Conjure Animals: 22, 13, 17
Inge(Barbarian2): Krayveneer's After the Fall|Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1): Uhtred's Windward Isles|Xarian(Fighter1): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil|Soren(Druid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft|Nivi(Rogue4): Raiketsu's CoS|Ophelia(Sorcerer3): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request|Toa(Barbarian6/Fighter4): MrWhisker's Dark Lord's Return|Sabetha(Monk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court
Zefla winces as each missile hits her druid friend. She's honestly glad these sisters of Morgantha popped where they did, making them easier to attack then if they were on the roof as the old crone had illuded to. Of course.. another lie.
Shaking her head to focus on the fight, she moves forward towards the opening the wolves so kindly left her and draws her silvered shortsword. Hoping that this weapon would have more affect on these hags than they did on the undead, she uses Nettle's help to attack.
Attack: 23, Damage: 8 + 14 sneak attack
She then disengages and heads back to where she was plus a square to the left, letting the wolves stay between her and the witch.
While Offalia was fending off wolves and casting spells at Soren, Zefla creeps in to test the effectiveness of her silvered blade. She stabs the hag in the side with a sneak attack, doing a fair amount of damage. The silvered weapon seems to do the trick, wounding the evil creature as well as would be expected.
Lying on the floor upstairs, surrounded by wolves, Morgantha lets out a dry, rasping cackle. Foul blood seeps from the wound left by the Blood Spear, and she looks almost too weak to stand. Still, her milky eyes glint with amusement as they fix on Burr.
"Oh, you’re a big strong boy, aren't you?" she sneers, licking her cracked lips. "But you’ve no idea what you’ve blundered into."
Her gaze flicks toward the open closet where the two caged children tremble in silence, watching the carnage with terrified eyes. Her wicked smile stretches across her wrinkled face.
"Ah… but you do like saving children, don’t you?" she muses. "Then perhaps you should move quickly. The enchantments placed on those cages… once I will it so, they’ll begin to squeeze the air from their little lungs." She clicks her tongue in amusement. "Such a shame. You might be strong enough to break the locks… or maybe you’re not. Would you like to test your strength, big boy? But be quick—they haven’t got long."
And then—before he can react—she winks out of existence. Gone. No flash of magic, no puff of smoke, just vanished. The wolves snarl in confusion, snapping at empty air.
Round 2
Down on the ground floor, Bella hisses at the summoned wolves around her, their fangs finding little purchase against her thick, leathery skin. She flicks her fingers in irritation, blood oozing from a few shallow bites. Her yellowed eyes flick toward Victor. "Pathetic." She spits a bit of bile out onto the floor, which sizzles as it is soaked up by the Black Pudding. "You're no wizard. Why, you're less a threat to us than even these filthy mutts."
With a sharp gesture, she raises a clawed hand, and three glowing darts of arcane force flare to life in the air before her. She barely even looks at them before sending them streaking through the air.
The first slams into Gorse, already wounded from earlier attacks. It lets out a sharp yelp before crumpling into mist, vanishing as its magical essence is disrupted. The other two missiles strike Hawthorne in quick succession, making it stumble back with a whimper, before finding its footing again and bracing for its next attack.
[Burr is back up, then the wolves.]
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Burr glowers, but his senses tell him that the witch is no longer here, for the wolves senses would not be fooled by her turning invisible....
" Cannibal Coward.", he mutters.
He moves over to the cages and attempts to wrench them open.
Action Surge to get to both cages. ( Rage fades as no damage and nothing to attack- so no advantage on rolls.)
Cage 1- Athletics to open- 19
Cage 2- Athletics to open- 14
The howling and whining of the wolves on the third floor echo throughout the windmill, letting Soren know that Morgantha has vanished. Again.
At a brief glance and growl from the pack Alpha, Acacia, the third and fourth wolves, Cedar and Dale, bound down the stairs to the second floor to join the battle the hag there (Offalia) and the broom, while Acacia and her mate Bracken follow to provide Burr some space and ready attacks. Elm and Fir continue their onslaught on Offalia as well, while on the bottom floor, Hawthorn lets out a mournful howl at the loss of her mate and lunges at Bella.
(Hoping that Zefla can still move through Dale's space as difficult terrain on her turn to attack Offalia if needed).
Dale moves SW - NW (15' to descend) E - E (25'), then bites at Offalia from just W of her.
Cedar follows S - SW - NW (20' to descend) NE - E (35' total), then bites at the animated broom. from just SW of it.
Bracken follows S - S - SW - NW (25' to descend) NE - N (40' total, just E of Zefla and W of Giles), then readies an attack on any enemy entering range.
Acacia follows SE - S - SW - NW (30' to descend) - E (35' total, just SE of Soren), then readies an attack on any enemy entering range.
Elm stays put and attacks Offalia from just S of her.
Fir stays put and attacks Offalia from just SW of her.
Gorse has been slain by the black pudding and Bella, and vanishes.
Hawthorn stays put and attacks Bella from just S of her.
(All attacks at advantage due to Pack Tactics other than possibly Hawthorn's - not sure if Giles is adjacent to Bella, all damage piercing)
Dale bite attack to hit Offalia: 21, damage: 7
Cedar bite attack to hit animated broom: 20 (dirty), damage: 7
Bracken readied bite attack on any enemy entering range, to hit: 9, damage: 8
Acacia readied bite attack on any enemy entering range, to hit: 23, damage: 10
Elm bite attack to hit Offalia: 21, damage: 6
Fir bite attack to hit Offalia: 16, damage: 9
Hawthorn bite attack to hit Bella: 23 (or 19 if no advantage from Pack Tactics), damage: 7
For every wolf bite that hits, the target must make a separate DC11 STR Save or be knocked prone unless they are immune to the condition.
Owl and Wolves' Status:
Nettle (Owl Familiar): 1/1 HP + 10 Temp HP (AC11, 60' Fly Speed, Flyby)
Acacia (Wolf 1): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP (All wolves have AC13, 40' speed and Pack Tactics)
Bracken (Wolf 2): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP
Cedar (Wolf 3): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP
Dale (Wolf 4): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP
Elm (Wolf 5): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP
Fir (Wolf 6): 11/11 HP + 10 Temp HP
Gorse (Wolf 7): 1/11 HP --> 0 dead and gone
Hawthorn (Wolf 8): 11/11 HP + 4 Temp HP
Inge(Barbarian2): Krayveneer's After the Fall|Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1): Uhtred's Windward Isles|Xarian(Fighter1): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil|Soren(Druid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft|Nivi(Rogue4): Raiketsu's CoS|Ophelia(Sorcerer3): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(Fighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request|Toa(Barbarian6/Fighter4): MrWhisker's Dark Lord's Return|Sabetha(Monk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court