PARTY OF FOUR:

Spira's initiative 18

As soon as she sees the giant crawfish bursting from the pond to menace Aidwyn, Spira does two things at once.  She unslings her crossbow and draws a bolt out as if she meant to fire; meanwhile she is whispering to her little snake, "I see a big hungry beast by the pond, Aedion.  It's not right by us, it's near stepmom Aidwyn, so Mom will help by shooting at it.  Stay where you are unless I tell you to go get your sister, but if that happens then fly to her as fast as you can.  She's flying over the water, near the middle.  And if you do have to fly to her, then come right back to me with her before your wings get tired."

Once she's sure Aedion understands what she told him, she raises her crossbow bolt to point at the moon.  Then, breathing a prayer to Angharradh, she swirls the tip about.  Strands of moonlight seem to coalesce in the air around it, quickly spinning themselves into a bright silvery blob and then, as Spira snaps the bolt forward, a streak of bright silver light that lances towards the looming monstrosity and ...

===========================

Guiding bolt attack: 5; damage if hits - 17 radiant, and grants advantage to next attack made against the creature before the end of Spira's next turn)

...the creature suddenly stands out in brightly lit detail as the energy of the bolt flows and spreads to cover its entire unnatural form with sparkling silvery moonlight.  The light seems to pain it; and Aidwyn, the nearest, thinks for a moment she sees curls of thick greasy smoke rising up through cracks in the thing's armored carapace.

Party of Four - Lathender Temple:

[[ OOC: Way to go Spira! I'll wait a bit for Aidwyn to roll initiative and, if rolling high enough, to act... If she can't, I'll roll in her place ]]

 "Nobody hurts my stepmom!" Aedion replies in Spira's mind, sounding quite determined "Stop that bad beast mon! I'm doing what you say!"

(Aidwyn’s Initiwtive: 5 . She seems distracted ;) )

Party of Four - Lathender Temple:

Round 1:

Seeing the monster annoyed (and slightly damaged) by Spira's sacred light, Solitude imagines that the Shield Maiden will immediately attack... but the young heroine has a moment's hesitation and the tiefling, then, exasperated, shouts at her: "Aidwyn! Don't just stand there and watch! Put that sword of yours to work!"

Meanwhile, she has loaded the crossbow and fires a bolt at the monster, hoping to win time...

Party of Four - Lathender Temple:

Round 1:

Solitude's Light Crossbow Attack: 24 Damage: 16 (piercing)

Party of Four - Lathender Temple:

Round 1:

Solitude aims at the monster's mouth, but hits a solid piece of carapace on the side of it and the dart bounces away, annoying the monster but not hurting it.

The monster's eyes fixate on Solitude for a moment, but immediately return to Aidwyn... or rather... Solitude and Aidwyn are close enough to notice that the monster seems to be looking intently at "Amazon's Guardian", the young heroine's magical shield. ..

...Then the monster's two pincers snap towards Aidwyn!

Left Pincer Attack: 16 Damage: 13 (bludgeoning)

Right Pincer Attack: 16 Damage: 10 (bludgeoning)

Party of Four - Lathender Temple:

Round 1:

Aidwyn easily deflects the left pincer with her shield, and almost completely deflects the right pincer with her sword... almost. The pincer, while diverting its trajectory, strikes her left thigh. The blow is partially cushioned by the solid armor, but now her leg is firmly held in the predator's grip!

[[ OOC: Aidwyn is Grappled

Now Aidwyn and Zentromya are up! Any order.

Combat Stats (those interested can peek):

Party of Four - Lathender Temple:

Round 1:

Zentromya gets angry at the scene and you hear her telepathic voice, with which she probably wanted to address the monster, but which due to the excitement can also be heard broadcast in your minds: "Leave - my - friend - alone!"

While the telepathic scream was in progress, the miniature gold-furred winged she-elephant became... much less miniature! Having increased enormously in size, she is now a golden-furred mammoth with feathered wings! And with the frightening speed of propulsion of the immense wings, causing a wind that temporarily ruffles Spira's hair (and Aidwyn's to boot at arrival), the celestial launches itself against the astonished predator!

Now Aidwyn is up! (Remember that she is Grappled (she can use an Action to try to free herself with an Athletics check) but also under the effect of Solitude's Heroism so she will gain 3 Temporary Hit Points at the start of each of her turns).

Combat Stats (those interested can peek):

Aidwyn reacts thanks to Solitude’s words and is able to deviate one of the pincers but she is grabbed by the other. Gritting her teeth she hits the arm of the pincer with her sword. The first attack bounces in the quitinose skin of the beast but, out of desesperación, she screams and hits again, trying not only to cause enough pain for the creature to release her but to scare it off. 

( First attack 11 to hit. Action surge second one is 17 to hit and 12 damage. Plus 8 for goading attack on a hit. Must do a WIS ST dc 14 or being freightened of Aidwyn) 

Party of Four - Lathender Temple:

Round 1:

Crustacean Horror's WIS ST: 11

Party of Four - Lathender Temple:

Round 1:

[[ OOC: It was Menacing Attack, if it scares it, then, not Goading Attack - but OK ]]

Aidwyn's second, desperate attack succeeds where the first had failed: the predator, already shaken by the unexpected appearance of the colossus it now has behind, is frightened by the ferocious reaction of the girl locked in its claw and, even if the effective damage is limited to a very shallow cut, the monster seems about to leave its prey and flee!

Round 2:

Solitude, who has reloaded the crossbow in the meantime, tries to strengthen the monster's decision by shooting another bolt at it.

Party of Four - Lathender Temple:

Round 2:

Solitude Crossbow Attack: 5 Damage: 6 (piercing)

Party of Four - Lathender Temple:

Round 2:

This time the monster is so confused by the various threats around it that the bolt hits it directly and manages to penetrate the carapace. The size of the beast is such that even this sting certainly does not put it in danger... but the predator's determination now seems seriously shaken.

Now Spira is up for Round 2!

Combat Stats (those interested can peek):

Party of Four - Lathender Temple:

Round 2:

[[ OOC: Taking Spira's Turn ]]

Once again the tiefling cleric calls upon Angharradh for help, just to prevent the monstrous attacker from deciding to return too soon, and once again the moonlight itself seems to form a bolt in her crossbow, which she promptly fires. A streak of bright silver light completely similar to the previous one lances towards the crustacean horror...

Party of Four - Lathender Temple:

Round 2:

Guiding bolt Attack: 11 Damage: 17 (radiant)

Party of Four - Lathender Temple:

Round 2:

...crustacean horror that, letting go of Aidwyn and sprinting towards the pond to save himself, is no longer where Spira had aimed! This time the divine ray of light is missing, illuminating only the fleeing enemy.

"And DON'T come back!" telepathically trumpets Mammoth-Zentromya, trying to land a parting Gore blow on the monster's back.

[[ OOC: Aidwyn, if she wants, can also do an Attack of Opportunity against the crustacean - but in the meantime I'll continue with the narrative because it's absolutely unlikely that these hits will finish it ]]

Party of Four - Lathender Temple:

Round 2:

Mammoth-Zentromya's Gore Attack: 23 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll. (piercing)