As I mentioned in the messages, once Zefla sees inside, she moves into the cathedral towards the prisoners as quickly and quietly as she can. Glad for the distraction outside and now inside with the moonbeam.
Giles looks at Zefla and points toward the guard watching the prisoners, nodding to her. Then, quietly, Giles says to Tobias, "Come with me, help me take out this cultist..." He pulls out his dagger and sneaks up on the robed man, stabbing it into his back! He uses his telekinetic mage hand to pull the 2nd man (the guard) into the cultist, causing them to bump heads, pulling him off balance. "Strike, Tobias!" Giles says.
Dagger attack with adv, due to stealth : (Nat 20!) 26 to hit, for 8 points of piercing damage.
(Bonus action) TelekineticMage Hand to pull guard west 5 feet, into the cultist : DC 15 strength save to resist.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Burr'sspear once again pierces Gregor, who staggers as he lurches back inside the church.
Gilessneaks out from cover, stabbing the Wachter cultist in the back. The man wheels, shocked...
STR: 10
... before the guard behind him is shoved into him, knocking them both off balance. The cultist hisses, "... the assassins!" Tobias then rises from cover. He charges the guard and clobbers him twice with the flat of his blade. The man falls unconscious.
Sorenthen walks out of the stairwell and calls down the power of the moon, a beam of white light encircling the wounded Gregor and two of his guards.
Zefla takes advantage of the distractions to slip deeper into the church, ducking low behind the pews and tables [Zefla had already moved and dashed once this round to get up the stairs from the basement so she wasn't able to get very far yet.].
Burris up! Then, if Gregor survives whatever Burr/the moon circle do to him, Gregor will flee the moonlight. So after Burrthe rest of the party is back up again!
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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 guard outside takes his opportunity to attack Burr, but misses.
Inside, Burris once again surrounded by guards, but his attack on Gregor strikes true. The enemy commander sputters, choking on blood as he tries to give final commands. Insteadm he sizzles and gasps under the light of the baleful moon, collapsing to the ground.
[No save necessary... after Burr'sattack he only has 2 hp left.]
Giles, Soren, Zefla, Tobias and his guards are back up, then the remaining rogue guards.]
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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
Giles says "Surpriiiisssseee!" and he uses his telekinetic mage hand to shove the cultist to the east, over the body of the guard on the ground. Then swings his dagger at the cultist again, if he falls down he will straddle his body and stab him. "Tobias, help me kill this evil, Strahd loving idiot." He looks over his shoulder, curious about how Burr is doing, seeing if he can get line of sight on him.
Bonus action : Shove the cultist over the guard's body, hopefully tripping him, using his telekinetic mage hand : DC 15strength check to resist.
Action : Dagger attack to the cultist, at advantage if prone : 22 to hit (first roll was 16, plus 6), for 5 points of piercing damage.
Movement : Straddling the cultist if he's down on the ground.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
"There is no more need for bloodshed," Soren's voice echoes through the Cathedral. "No more need for all of you to cover yourselves with shame."
"No more need to follow the rabid dog who was your now fallen leader. Who fled from a duel with my friend. Who had you robbing and bullying the very townsfolk you are sworn to protect. Who would ally with, not just a follower of Strahd, but a worshipper of Fiends such as this." The druid gestures disgustedly at the Cultist. "One who would sacrifice helpless captives. No more need for you to die for such blasphemy under the Morninglord's roof!"
"I drop Silvanus' searing moonglow in good faith. If you have self-worth left in your hearts, stay your weapons. Let us depart in peace with all captives after we slay the Cultist. Join us, better yet. For if you fight, I swear to you that our wrath will be red in tooth and claw, and your rent flesh will litter this place of worship. Yet you may still choose the greater good, redemption and fellowship this evenfall. Stand for the pack. Stand for Vallaki with Tobias!"
Soren looks to Tobias Grunfeld, hoping the leader can rally men who could either be enemies or new allies to his cause (while also slaying the Cultist).
Movement: None Action: Soren drops concentration on Moonbeam and casts Guidance on himself. Bonus Action: None
Nettle flies in the face of the Cultist once more, taking the help action and granting advantage for Tobias' attack before landing on Soren's shoulder.
The cultist resists Giles' shove but not his dagger, and soon Tobias turns his blade on him as well. His first strike lands, nearly severing the cultist's arm, but his second strike seems to falter, as though he can't quite bring the killing blow. The cultist staggers.
Then Tobias raises his bloody sword and turns to Gregor's men. “My name is Tobias Grunfeld. Some of you may know me. But I know what it is like to be you.”He looks each of the rogue guards in the eye, not as an enemy, but as a fellow soldier. “I know what it’s like to serve under a monster. To follow orders you didn’t believe in because it was safer than speaking out. I served under Izek. I watched too many good men keep their heads down. I did too.”
Then he dramatically sheathes his sword.
“That ends tonight. We are not beasts. We are not raiders. We are the line between this town and the nightmare that waits beyond these walls. Gregor thought he could take this church to prove he ruled Vallaki. But this church belongs to the people. And the people need protectors, not brigands... not killers.”
“I won't promise riches. I won’t promise comfort. But I will promise this: if you stand with me, we will hold this town. We will make it safe for the butcher, the baker, the widow and the child. We will be the shield that Vallaki has long needed.”
He looks at them all again, firmly. “Join me. Or at least don’t stand in my way. Either path is better than where Gregor would have led you.”
He lets the silence settle, as the guards eye him warily. They still have the party outnumbered, but the loss of Gregor and the magic wielded by Soren has them terrified. Some look to be moved by Tobias' words.
Outside, the sounds of battle continue.
Then, there comes a guttural, rasping cough from the bloodied cultist slumped near the wall beside Giles. All eyes turn as he grins through cracked teeth, the corners of his mouth smeared with red foam and spit. He chokes out a hoarse, mocking phrase... something about “the good Lady's regards”... but the words gurlge into nonsense as he shoves something into his mouth. It's paper, a note or small scroll.
He chews, his lips twitching in cruel delight. Then, quick as a viper, he lifts a trembling hand to his throat. The glint of silver on his finger becomes a blade—an ornate ring curved into a hidden edge—and with a single motion, he slashes his own throat.
Blood sprays, but it’s not red. It pours black and thick as tar. An odor of foul rot fills the cathedral. The body convulses once the falls over onto the church flagstones with a wet slap. Dark symbols and spirals wiggle and crawl like bugs upon the floor. They pulse with malicious purpose, tendrils reaching into the seams of stone, the cracks in the wood, the very bones of the building.
The candles, all of them, flare with violet, unnatural light. For a moment, the room is cast in harsh silhouette.
Then the candles relax into more natural light and the symbols disappear. The guards look around, perplexed and disturbed by this bizarre suicide.
And then, from outside the church, there comes a desperate scream.
Burris up!
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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
Burrrushes out the front door. It seems to him that there might be one or two more dead guards out here with crossbow bolts in them than he remembers leaving behind earlier.
But more importantly, and more urgently, he sees what is happening in the church graveyard. Everywhere he looks, the earth is churning and heaving, and figures are dragging themselves up and out of the dirt.
Skeletons are rising from the church's cemetery!
That should be enough on its own, but from several of the stone mausoleums, he sees less corporeal shapes rising above the epitaphs...
Several ghostly specters have arising to join in the carnage.
The guards outside, previously locked in mortal combat with one another, have made unspoken common cause against the undead, and are furiously reloading their crossbows and turning them against the rising horde.
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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 candlestick maker... the song comes to Zefla unbidden as she stalks towards the prisoners. She finds Tobias has more gusto than she had originally thought and that gives her a little hope. But just as she reaches the prisoners, the scream from outside breaks through the night.
Chills run down her spine and her hair stands on end. What. Was. That. She looks around and she catches Burr running out the door and she curses under her breath.
Dropping any pretense of being quiet, she turns back and shouts towards Soren and Giles, "Get everyone inside!! Fortify this church.. we're staying here tonight!" Facing the guard that was by the prisoners, "C'mon, help me untie these guys. We're going to need every weapon against those creatures outside, whatever they are." and she pulls out another dagger to start cutting the binds.
Burrclambers over the low iron fence to the west of the church door and attacks the nearest specter. The Bloodspear's power easily counters the incorporeal nature of this dead thing. With a stab and a radiant flash, the specter recoils, experiencing whatever such a thing experiences in place of pain. It isn't destroyed, but Burrcan see that his attack has nearly finished it off.
Initiative:
Giles, Soren, Zefla, Tobias and his guards
The late Gregor's guards
Undead
Burr
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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
Giles stands, blood dripping from the tip of his dagger, he hears the urgency to Burr's voice and the horrible screams from outside. Adding to Zefla's voice, he shouts out "Tobias! Get all of your men in, get EVERYONE in, we are all allied in this, this idiot cultist summonned dark forces for our doom! Everyone who has a pulse, get into the church and then barricade the doors! We will create a bottleneck at the front door, take them out there! Everyone, to arms now! This is no time for division, we all need each other to stay alive!!!" He runs 30 feet toward the front door, toward Burr and tries to look out of the front door. Dear Lady, why is it that I always reach to you in dire need? I wish that our communication was constant, ever-present. I need you now, dear Lady. The dark one has released unholy forces on us, I need your help to destroy them, to escape by the skin of my teeth yet again! But your will be done, my Lady. To live is Tymora, to die is gain. One day I will be with you, my Lady. Is it today?
Movement : Giles runs to the front door, to see Burr and who he's fighting.
Action : Casts sacred flame on the undead being he's fighting : DC 15 Dex save, or take 11 points of radiant damage.
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A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Soren snarls as the villainous cultist summons foul corruption through the sacrifice of their own miserable life. He hears Giles and Zefla's warnings and sees Burr still charge outside. Turning back quickly to Tobias and to the western stairwell, he first addresses the ally leader:
"I think it's time to order all the guards inside, Tobias. Yours and Gregor's former crew as well."
Then more loudly down the stairwell to the civilian captives from the crypts, "to any prisoners down there! Come inside the den of the Morninglord and Saint Andral, NOT outside, nor near the crypts. Unholy abominations come. We have felled Gregor, but a foul cultist ally of his has, as we slew him, summoned the risen dead from where they lay in their graves and cairns. We all make common cause against the undead now!"
Soren has a moment to regret dropping his Moonbeam which he could have used to block the door. But then Burr and many of the guards from both factions still remain outside. He draws a breath, and SHOUTS: "The wolves and spirit bear I summon now aid us against the dead. Do not attack them!"
As the druid trots towards the entrance a feral animalistic amalgam of growl and howl emanates from his throat, ragged and raw, as he turns his face upwards towards the Cathedral ceiling, eyes closed. Eight familiar-looking wolves materialize once more, sixty feet past him out towards the main Cathedral entrance, while halfway between himself and the wolves, hovering in the air, Bramble the skeletal spirit totem Bear.
Movement: Soren moves 30' SE and E towards the entrance as far as he can get. Action: Soren casts and concentrates on Conjure Animals, summoning the eight Barovian wolves 55-60' away towards and out the main entrance. Bonus Action: Soren summons Bramble, his spirit totem Bear 30' further towards the entrance, halfway to the wolves, so the 30' radius aura includes Soren, Nettle, the wolves and as many other allies (as we now see them) as possible, including Giles, Burr (if possible), and guards of either faction. The aura grants 10 Temp HP now to all inside, and ongoing grants advantage on STR checks and saves.
Faced with undead, Acacia and her pack sense instinctively what to do, snarlig and loping out into the cemetery in pairs to attack the nearest four skeletons. (IF Giles' cantrip did not slay the specter that Burr attacked, then two wolves go for it instead, and the other six target three skeletons).
(All attacks rolled with advantage from Pack Tactics and using Soren'sMedicine check which like the wolves' attack, also has a +4) Acacia on nearest Skeleton 1, to hit: 21, damage: 8 piercing (DC 11 STR Save on hit or be knocked prone). Bracken on nearest Skeleton 1, to hit: 14, damage: 5 piercing (DC 11 STR Save on hit or be knocked prone).
Cedar on nearest Skeleton 2, to hit: 14, damage: 6 piercing (DC 11 STR Save on hit or be knocked prone). Dale on nearest Skeleton 2, to hit: 13, damage: 8 piercing (DC 11 STR Save on hit or be knocked prone).
Elm on nearest Skeleton 3, to hit: 22, damage: 4 piercing (DC 11 STR Save on hit or be knocked prone). Fir on nearest Skeleton 3, to hit: 16, damage: 9 piercing (DC 11 STR Save on hit or be knocked prone).
Gorse on nearest Skeleton 4 (or damaged Specter if surviving), to hit: 24 (Nat. 20), damage: 9 piercing (DC 11 STR Save on hit or be knocked prone). Hawthorn on nearest Skeleton 4 (or damaged Specter if surviving), to hit: 8, damage: 9 piercing (DC 11 STR Save on hit or be knocked prone).
Nettle flies another sortie, out from Soren's shoulder to take the help against the nearest surviving undead before retreating upward and back out of reach.
All summoned wolves have 13 AC, 11 starting HP, 40' move speed and Pack Tactics: Acacia: 11/11 + 10 Temp HP Bracken: 11/11 + 10 Temp HP Cedar: 11/11 + 10 Temp HP Dale: 11/11 + 10 Temp HP Elm: 11/11 + 10 Temp HP Fir: 11/11 + 10 Temp HP Gorse: 11/11 + 10 Temp HP Hawthorn: 11/11 + 10 Temp HP
Seeing that her group is heeding her words, she turns to the guard near her, "Please, untie the rest of these people, we are all against the undead." If he listens to her, she'll dash towards the back door of the cathedral, remembering there was a lookout back there. She'll use both her BA and action to get to the door. If she can get there, she'll poke her head out and becon the soldier inside, referring to the gutteral scream they heard earlier and that Gregor is dead.
If the guard by the prisoners doesn't listen, she'll untie the rest of the prisoners on her turn instead (or as many as she can in an action)
[Giles cannot get to the front door this round, but he can get to a window to see outside...]
The specter Burr is fighting wails and dissipates as holy fire rains down on it from the grey, evening sky.
Bramble, that loveable, skeletal bear-horror, appears in the air inside the cathedral. Beneath it, Soren'spack reappears and races outside, jaws snapping and slavering for undead bones.
Soren:
Your feel something unexpected as soon as the pack of wolves arrives. These are the same wolf-spirits you called to your aid before... but they are slightly distressed. Intuitively, you gather that after they joined you for battle against the hags earlier, they did not return to the wild realm of the fey. Instead, they have spent these last hours wandering through seemingly endless mists, unable to find their way home. In a way, they are relieved to once again be called to battle, but they are confused as to why they seem to be trapped here.
The wolves pounce on four of the skeleton's outside, destroying three of them and badly damaging another.
The guard with the prisoners looked confused by Zefla's request, and looks around for an exit. Finding none, he reluctantly begins to untie the prisoners. "Now... you heard that little girl," he whispers to them. "No hard feelings, alright? Sounds like we've got a fight on our hands...".
At the rear door of the church, Zefla calls out to the lone guard out back. He looks terrified by the sounds he has been hearing, and takes little convincing to sprint toward the open back door.
Tobias locks eyes with the party. His jaw tightens, then he nods. He steps up onto a pew for height, thrusting his sword into the air. His voice booms, “All of you—inside, now!Fall back to the church! Barricade the doors! Leave no one behind!”
His words are heard outside the walls. His guards spring into action . The three remaining men loose final bolts at the skeletons but fail to slow them. Then they run, weapons clutched, for the west door.
Tobias doesn’t wait. He leaps down from the pew, and bolts toward the front of the church. “Push that pew up against the door!”he barks at the nearest of Gregor's guards. “Cover the windows! MOVE!”
After a moment's hesitation, the guards inside begin to move. There is still some fear and confusion, however, as some start grabbing a pew while others move to put their shoulders against the front door. One panics and flees toward the west door, loosening his swordbelt and dropping it behind him.
Outside, most of Gregor's remaining guards grab their gear and flee into the gathering dusk, shouting alarm through the streets. Two are confined within the iron gates of the church cemetery and choose to fight rather than flee and risk attack. One has the benefit of Soren'swolves shielding him somewhat from the dead. Both fire their bolts at skeletons, with minimal effect.
The horde of dead begin to lurch forward. It is chaotic outside and even Burr, who is out there in the midst of it, struggles to keep track of the movement and violence. One skeleton shambles toward him and attacks, but its clumsy blows fails to take advantage of Burr'sreckless style.
There is the sound of shattering glass and splintering windowframes. Colored glass skitters across the floor as four skeletons breach through windows, with more gathered behind them outside. Worst of all, a ghostly form passes right through the stone walls of the church. It opens its mouth and points toward Tobias and some of the guards, but the only sound is a rasping hiss. Near the west door, there is a terrible scream of pain, and you can hear some of Tobias' men shouting at each other to bar the door.
Damage to wolves:
Acacia: 3
Cedar: 4
Dale: 5
Elm: 6
Burris up, then the rest of the party...
[Imgur seems to be having issues at the moment... I'll try to get the map up ASAP.]
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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
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Burr harried all the remaining men outside to get behind him and inside the church, swearing curses at any that tarried as he slowly retreated back stabbing out with the Blood spear at all who came near....
Intimidation- 22
Reckless Attack: 20 Damage: 14 + Radiant 3
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As I mentioned in the messages, once Zefla sees inside, she moves into the cathedral towards the prisoners as quickly and quietly as she can. Glad for the distraction outside and now inside with the moonbeam.
Giles stealth : 31
Giles looks at Zefla and points toward the guard watching the prisoners, nodding to her. Then, quietly, Giles says to Tobias, "Come with me, help me take out this cultist..." He pulls out his dagger and sneaks up on the robed man, stabbing it into his back! He uses his telekinetic mage hand to pull the 2nd man (the guard) into the cultist, causing them to bump heads, pulling him off balance. "Strike, Tobias!" Giles says.
Dagger attack with adv, due to stealth : (Nat 20!) 26 to hit, for 8 points of piercing damage.
(Bonus action) Telekinetic Mage Hand to pull guard west 5 feet, into the cultist : DC 15 strength save to resist.
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Burr's spear once again pierces Gregor, who staggers as he lurches back inside the church.
Giles sneaks out from cover, stabbing the Wachter cultist in the back. The man wheels, shocked...
STR: 10
... before the guard behind him is shoved into him, knocking them both off balance. The cultist hisses, "... the assassins!" Tobias then rises from cover. He charges the guard and clobbers him twice with the flat of his blade. The man falls unconscious.
Soren then walks out of the stairwell and calls down the power of the moon, a beam of white light encircling the wounded Gregor and two of his guards.
Zefla takes advantage of the distractions to slip deeper into the church, ducking low behind the pews and tables [Zefla had already moved and dashed once this round to get up the stairs from the basement so she wasn't able to get very far yet.].
Burr is up! Then, if Gregor survives whatever Burr/the moon circle do to him, Gregor will flee the moonlight. So after Burr the rest of the party is back up again!
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 drove on, recognising Sorens moonlight and pulled up short before entering....but the Bloodspear did not pause driving again for Gregors throat.
Reckless Attack: 23 Damage: 13
The guard outside takes his opportunity to attack Burr, but misses.
Inside, Burr is once again surrounded by guards, but his attack on Gregor strikes true. The enemy commander sputters, choking on blood as he tries to give final commands. Insteadm he sizzles and gasps under the light of the baleful moon, collapsing to the ground.
[No save necessary... after Burr's attack he only has 2 hp left.]
Giles, Soren, Zefla, Tobias and his guards are back up, then the remaining rogue guards.]
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
Giles says "Surpriiiisssseee!" and he uses his telekinetic mage hand to shove the cultist to the east, over the body of the guard on the ground. Then swings his dagger at the cultist again, if he falls down he will straddle his body and stab him. "Tobias, help me kill this evil, Strahd loving idiot." He looks over his shoulder, curious about how Burr is doing, seeing if he can get line of sight on him.
Bonus action : Shove the cultist over the guard's body, hopefully tripping him, using his telekinetic mage hand : DC 15 strength check to resist.
Action : Dagger attack to the cultist, at advantage if prone : 22 to hit (first roll was 16, plus 6), for 5 points of piercing damage.
Movement : Straddling the cultist if he's down on the ground.
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
"There is no more need for bloodshed," Soren's voice echoes through the Cathedral. "No more need for all of you to cover yourselves with shame."
"No more need to follow the rabid dog who was your now fallen leader. Who fled from a duel with my friend. Who had you robbing and bullying the very townsfolk you are sworn to protect. Who would ally with, not just a follower of Strahd, but a worshipper of Fiends such as this." The druid gestures disgustedly at the Cultist. "One who would sacrifice helpless captives. No more need for you to die for such blasphemy under the Morninglord's roof!"
"I drop Silvanus' searing moonglow in good faith. If you have self-worth left in your hearts, stay your weapons. Let us depart in peace with all captives after we slay the Cultist. Join us, better yet. For if you fight, I swear to you that our wrath will be red in tooth and claw, and your rent flesh will litter this place of worship. Yet you may still choose the greater good, redemption and fellowship this evenfall. Stand for the pack. Stand for Vallaki with Tobias!"
Soren looks to Tobias Grunfeld, hoping the leader can rally men who could either be enemies or new allies to his cause (while also slaying the Cultist).
Movement: None
Action: Soren drops concentration on Moonbeam and casts Guidance on himself.
Bonus Action: None
Nettle flies in the face of the Cultist once more, taking the help action and granting advantage for Tobias' attack before landing on Soren's shoulder.
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Zefla continues to dash and dash again as she tries to get to the prisoners, painfully aware of how long this is taking.
Stealth w/adv: 30
STR: 18
The cultist resists Giles' shove but not his dagger, and soon Tobias turns his blade on him as well. His first strike lands, nearly severing the cultist's arm, but his second strike seems to falter, as though he can't quite bring the killing blow. The cultist staggers.
Then Tobias raises his bloody sword and turns to Gregor's men. “My name is Tobias Grunfeld. Some of you may know me. But I know what it is like to be you.” He looks each of the rogue guards in the eye, not as an enemy, but as a fellow soldier. “I know what it’s like to serve under a monster. To follow orders you didn’t believe in because it was safer than speaking out. I served under Izek. I watched too many good men keep their heads down. I did too.”
Then he dramatically sheathes his sword.
“That ends tonight. We are not beasts. We are not raiders. We are the line between this town and the nightmare that waits beyond these walls. Gregor thought he could take this church to prove he ruled Vallaki. But this church belongs to the people. And the people need protectors, not brigands... not killers.”
“I won't promise riches. I won’t promise comfort. But I will promise this: if you stand with me, we will hold this town. We will make it safe for the butcher, the baker, the widow and the child. We will be the shield that Vallaki has long needed.”
He looks at them all again, firmly. “Join me. Or at least don’t stand in my way. Either path is better than where Gregor would have led you.”
He lets the silence settle, as the guards eye him warily. They still have the party outnumbered, but the loss of Gregor and the magic wielded by Soren has them terrified. Some look to be moved by Tobias' words.
Outside, the sounds of battle continue.
Then, there comes a guttural, rasping cough from the bloodied cultist slumped near the wall beside Giles. All eyes turn as he grins through cracked teeth, the corners of his mouth smeared with red foam and spit. He chokes out a hoarse, mocking phrase... something about “the good Lady's regards”... but the words gurlge into nonsense as he shoves something into his mouth. It's paper, a note or small scroll.
He chews, his lips twitching in cruel delight. Then, quick as a viper, he lifts a trembling hand to his throat. The glint of silver on his finger becomes a blade—an ornate ring curved into a hidden edge—and with a single motion, he slashes his own throat.
Blood sprays, but it’s not red. It pours black and thick as tar. An odor of foul rot fills the cathedral. The body convulses once the falls over onto the church flagstones with a wet slap. Dark symbols and spirals wiggle and crawl like bugs upon the floor. They pulse with malicious purpose, tendrils reaching into the seams of stone, the cracks in the wood, the very bones of the building.
The candles, all of them, flare with violet, unnatural light. For a moment, the room is cast in harsh silhouette.
Then the candles relax into more natural light and the symbols disappear. The guards look around, perplexed and disturbed by this bizarre suicide.
And then, from outside the church, there comes a desperate scream.
Burr 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
Burr spins about and charges back outside through the doors ignoring the guards....
Perception- 6
Burr rushes out the front door. It seems to him that there might be one or two more dead guards out here with crossbow bolts in them than he remembers leaving behind earlier.
But more importantly, and more urgently, he sees what is happening in the church graveyard. Everywhere he looks, the earth is churning and heaving, and figures are dragging themselves up and out of the dirt.
Skeletons are rising from the church's cemetery!
That should be enough on its own, but from several of the stone mausoleums, he sees less corporeal shapes rising above the epitaphs...
Several ghostly specters have arising to join in the carnage.
The guards outside, previously locked in mortal combat with one another, have made unspoken common cause against the undead, and are furiously reloading their crossbows and turning them against the rising horde.
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 candlestick maker... the song comes to Zefla unbidden as she stalks towards the prisoners. She finds Tobias has more gusto than she had originally thought and that gives her a little hope. But just as she reaches the prisoners, the scream from outside breaks through the night.
Chills run down her spine and her hair stands on end. What. Was. That. She looks around and she catches Burr running out the door and she curses under her breath.
Dropping any pretense of being quiet, she turns back and shouts towards Soren and Giles, "Get everyone inside!! Fortify this church.. we're staying here tonight!" Facing the guard that was by the prisoners, "C'mon, help me untie these guys. We're going to need every weapon against those creatures outside, whatever they are." and she pulls out another dagger to start cutting the binds.
Burr calls over his shoulder to those within the church, " The dead have risen! Giles are you free?"
Burr nodded to the guards that were trying to kill him moments ago and charged towards one of the spectral forms.
Attack: 15 Damage: 13 + 6 Radiant.
BA- Rage.
Burr clambers over the low iron fence to the west of the church door and attacks the nearest specter. The Bloodspear's power easily counters the incorporeal nature of this dead thing. With a stab and a radiant flash, the specter recoils, experiencing whatever such a thing experiences in place of pain. It isn't destroyed, but Burr can see that his attack has nearly finished it off.
Initiative:
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
Giles stands, blood dripping from the tip of his dagger, he hears the urgency to Burr's voice and the horrible screams from outside. Adding to Zefla's voice, he shouts out "Tobias! Get all of your men in, get EVERYONE in, we are all allied in this, this idiot cultist summonned dark forces for our doom! Everyone who has a pulse, get into the church and then barricade the doors! We will create a bottleneck at the front door, take them out there! Everyone, to arms now! This is no time for division, we all need each other to stay alive!!!" He runs 30 feet toward the front door, toward Burr and tries to look out of the front door. Dear Lady, why is it that I always reach to you in dire need? I wish that our communication was constant, ever-present. I need you now, dear Lady. The dark one has released unholy forces on us, I need your help to destroy them, to escape by the skin of my teeth yet again! But your will be done, my Lady. To live is Tymora, to die is gain. One day I will be with you, my Lady. Is it today?
Movement : Giles runs to the front door, to see Burr and who he's fighting.
Action : Casts sacred flame on the undead being he's fighting : DC 15 Dex save, or take 11 points of radiant damage.
A wizard is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to.
Soren snarls as the villainous cultist summons foul corruption through the sacrifice of their own miserable life. He hears Giles and Zefla's warnings and sees Burr still charge outside. Turning back quickly to Tobias and to the western stairwell, he first addresses the ally leader:
"I think it's time to order all the guards inside, Tobias. Yours and Gregor's former crew as well."
Then more loudly down the stairwell to the civilian captives from the crypts, "to any prisoners down there! Come inside the den of the Morninglord and Saint Andral, NOT outside, nor near the crypts. Unholy abominations come. We have felled Gregor, but a foul cultist ally of his has, as we slew him, summoned the risen dead from where they lay in their graves and cairns. We all make common cause against the undead now!"
Soren has a moment to regret dropping his Moonbeam which he could have used to block the door. But then Burr and many of the guards from both factions still remain outside. He draws a breath, and SHOUTS: "The wolves and spirit bear I summon now aid us against the dead. Do not attack them!"
As the druid trots towards the entrance a feral animalistic amalgam of growl and howl emanates from his throat, ragged and raw, as he turns his face upwards towards the Cathedral ceiling, eyes closed. Eight familiar-looking wolves materialize once more, sixty feet past him out towards the main Cathedral entrance, while halfway between himself and the wolves, hovering in the air, Bramble the skeletal spirit totem Bear.
Movement: Soren moves 30' SE and E towards the entrance as far as he can get.
Action: Soren casts and concentrates on Conjure Animals, summoning the eight Barovian wolves 55-60' away towards and out the main entrance.
Bonus Action: Soren summons Bramble, his spirit totem Bear 30' further towards the entrance, halfway to the wolves, so the 30' radius aura includes Soren, Nettle, the wolves and as many other allies (as we now see them) as possible, including Giles, Burr (if possible), and guards of either faction. The aura grants 10 Temp HP now to all inside, and ongoing grants advantage on STR checks and saves.
Faced with undead, Acacia and her pack sense instinctively what to do, snarlig and loping out into the cemetery in pairs to attack the nearest four skeletons. (IF Giles' cantrip did not slay the specter that Burr attacked, then two wolves go for it instead, and the other six target three skeletons).
(All attacks rolled with advantage from Pack Tactics and using Soren's Medicine check which like the wolves' attack, also has a +4)
Acacia on nearest Skeleton 1, to hit: 21, damage: 8 piercing (DC 11 STR Save on hit or be knocked prone).
Bracken on nearest Skeleton 1, to hit: 14, damage: 5 piercing (DC 11 STR Save on hit or be knocked prone).
Cedar on nearest Skeleton 2, to hit: 14, damage: 6 piercing (DC 11 STR Save on hit or be knocked prone).
Dale on nearest Skeleton 2, to hit: 13, damage: 8 piercing (DC 11 STR Save on hit or be knocked prone).
Elm on nearest Skeleton 3, to hit: 22, damage: 4 piercing (DC 11 STR Save on hit or be knocked prone).
Fir on nearest Skeleton 3, to hit: 16, damage: 9 piercing (DC 11 STR Save on hit or be knocked prone).
Gorse on nearest Skeleton 4 (or damaged Specter if surviving), to hit: 24 (Nat. 20), damage: 9 piercing (DC 11 STR Save on hit or be knocked prone).
Hawthorn on nearest Skeleton 4 (or damaged Specter if surviving), to hit: 8, damage: 9 piercing (DC 11 STR Save on hit or be knocked prone).
Nettle flies another sortie, out from Soren's shoulder to take the help against the nearest surviving undead before retreating upward and back out of reach.
All summoned wolves have 13 AC, 11 starting HP, 40' move speed and Pack Tactics:
Acacia: 11/11 + 10 Temp HP
Bracken: 11/11 + 10 Temp HP
Cedar: 11/11 + 10 Temp HP
Dale: 11/11 + 10 Temp HP
Elm: 11/11 + 10 Temp HP
Fir: 11/11 + 10 Temp HP
Gorse: 11/11 + 10 Temp HP
Hawthorn: 11/11 + 10 Temp HP
Nettle: 1/1 + 10 Temp HP
Tanis(Ranger1): Shiverquill's Tempest City | Xarian(Fighter2): NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(TwilightCleric4): Vos' Beyond the Veil | Soren(ShepherdDruid5): Bartjeebus' Ravenloft | Ophelia(WildMagicSorcerer4): Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(EchoKnightFighter6): NotDrizzt's Simple Request | Sabetha(MercyMonk3): Bedlymn's Murder Court | Seri(NatureCleric3/DivineSoulSorcerer1): Bartjeebus' Greyhawk
Seeing that her group is heeding her words, she turns to the guard near her, "Please, untie the rest of these people, we are all against the undead." If he listens to her, she'll dash towards the back door of the cathedral, remembering there was a lookout back there. She'll use both her BA and action to get to the door. If she can get there, she'll poke her head out and becon the soldier inside, referring to the gutteral scream they heard earlier and that Gregor is dead.
If the guard by the prisoners doesn't listen, she'll untie the rest of the prisoners on her turn instead (or as many as she can in an action)
[Giles cannot get to the front door this round, but he can get to a window to see outside...]
The specter Burr is fighting wails and dissipates as holy fire rains down on it from the grey, evening sky.
Bramble, that loveable, skeletal bear-horror, appears in the air inside the cathedral. Beneath it, Soren's pack reappears and races outside, jaws snapping and slavering for undead bones.
Soren:
Your feel something unexpected as soon as the pack of wolves arrives. These are the same wolf-spirits you called to your aid before... but they are slightly distressed. Intuitively, you gather that after they joined you for battle against the hags earlier, they did not return to the wild realm of the fey. Instead, they have spent these last hours wandering through seemingly endless mists, unable to find their way home. In a way, they are relieved to once again be called to battle, but they are confused as to why they seem to be trapped here.
The wolves pounce on four of the skeleton's outside, destroying three of them and badly damaging another.
The guard with the prisoners looked confused by Zefla's request, and looks around for an exit. Finding none, he reluctantly begins to untie the prisoners. "Now... you heard that little girl," he whispers to them. "No hard feelings, alright? Sounds like we've got a fight on our hands...".
At the rear door of the church, Zefla calls out to the lone guard out back. He looks terrified by the sounds he has been hearing, and takes little convincing to sprint toward the open back door.
Tobias locks eyes with the party. His jaw tightens, then he nods. He steps up onto a pew for height, thrusting his sword into the air. His voice booms, “All of you— inside, now! Fall back to the church! Barricade the doors! Leave no one behind!”
His words are heard outside the walls. His guards spring into action . The three remaining men loose final bolts at the skeletons but fail to slow them. Then they run, weapons clutched, for the west door.
Tobias doesn’t wait. He leaps down from the pew, and bolts toward the front of the church. “Push that pew up against the door!” he barks at the nearest of Gregor's guards. “Cover the windows! MOVE!”
After a moment's hesitation, the guards inside begin to move. There is still some fear and confusion, however, as some start grabbing a pew while others move to put their shoulders against the front door. One panics and flees toward the west door, loosening his swordbelt and dropping it behind him.
Outside, most of Gregor's remaining guards grab their gear and flee into the gathering dusk, shouting alarm through the streets. Two are confined within the iron gates of the church cemetery and choose to fight rather than flee and risk attack. One has the benefit of Soren's wolves shielding him somewhat from the dead. Both fire their bolts at skeletons, with minimal effect.
The horde of dead begin to lurch forward. It is chaotic outside and even Burr, who is out there in the midst of it, struggles to keep track of the movement and violence. One skeleton shambles toward him and attacks, but its clumsy blows fails to take advantage of Burr's reckless style.
There is the sound of shattering glass and splintering windowframes. Colored glass skitters across the floor as four skeletons breach through windows, with more gathered behind them outside. Worst of all, a ghostly form passes right through the stone walls of the church. It opens its mouth and points toward Tobias and some of the guards, but the only sound is a rasping hiss. Near the west door, there is a terrible scream of pain, and you can hear some of Tobias' men shouting at each other to bar the door.
Damage to wolves:
Burr is up, then the rest of the party...
[Imgur seems to be having issues at the moment... I'll try to get the map up ASAP.]
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 harried all the remaining men outside to get behind him and inside the church, swearing curses at any that tarried as he slowly retreated back stabbing out with the Blood spear at all who came near....
Intimidation- 22
Reckless Attack: 20 Damage: 14 + Radiant 3