Curious Critters- A Tal'dorei Tale.

Quote from Culuril >>

Lokilia is just watching, but ready to spring to action. When Normont says something about thoughts in his mind she nearly leaps into an attack, fearing something has gone the gnome. But she manages to restrain herself and realizes he seems to be speaking to Werhann. All the talk about 'pets' and especially Werhann referencing himself has her concerned. But for now she waits to see how it plays out.

 

Quote from FireCat5 >>

"My thoughts?" Werhann replies in slight confusion. "To what exactly are you referring?" This was hardly the right time for jokes.

Or maybe this is the part where this group betrays him back to the squid's hands? 'No, but rather, could it be another of the squid's influences?' Werhann thinks, again unaware that the thought protrudes from his mind into Normont's. 

"In any case, this isn't the time for jokes. Regardless of who they were before, these creatures could be dangerous. I'm sorry, Phindis, if it's really you. But if you think you, these two, can't control themselves, I'll have to treat you accordingly. Do you think you could remain... Humane, provided normal food?" He turns back to Progo, thinking the goodberries he received were his creation. "Do you hold any more of those filling berries, Progo?"

Phindis head shoots up looking back and forth between Normont and Werhann.......could he detect the thoughts?......

His voice burbled again, but it was only a bitter chuckle.....

" Berries.......no......perhaps one only.....give one....we will make it last....."

" Perhaps....this Progo?"

" NO! Anna!"

One of the twisted creatures before him suddenly span and rose into the air, tentacles flailing towards those at the door....

Initiative-   Roll initiative and if you beat the enemies Initiative- take your action.

Ceremorph- 18

Squidlings- 15

Maggie is currently barring the way into the room but you can fire over her.

Normont narrows his eyes as he looks at Werhann, realising that the dwarf doesn't know he is projecting his thoughts into his mind after the second occurrence. Perhaps he has been changed more than I thought. And he mentioned another influence. How many influences are there?

This is perhaps why he is a little distracted when Phindis replies, both gestures and verbal. And of course when Anna starts to move.

Initiative: 5+2=7

(Dev Initiative: 6)

(Lokilia Initiative: 6) 

Progo init 17

Momentarily turned away, Werhann made a rookie's mistake not facing the obviously dangerous enemy, and is too slow to react in time.

Initiative: 3+2=5.

As Werhann looks back to Progo, he will see the halforc has backed most the way back out of the room, bow raised with arrow notched. Blasted dwarf said Progo's name to these mind connected , what ever they are called. Now the whole hive will know of Progo, and doubtfully they would be customers! For sure this dwarf calling himself Werhann is a double, or is it triple agent of some kind as only Progo sees through his disguise!! "Um.. ah.. Progo knows not of this Progo you speak of.. blast it! Oh enough of this already!" He can't go for the dwarf until he has more proof, well played so-called Werhann...

Progo fires at the squiggly faced one closed to the party that Progo can see. To hit: 21 for 5 piercing (plus 5 from sneak if applicable)

Quinn Initiative- 9

Progos arrow thuds into the floating twisted creature and what was once Phindis cries out, " No! Anna!"

The small mind flayer like form points at Progo but its head is cocked as if concentrating elsewhere.

" Quinn? Yes, Quinn? Kill Progo.", he burbles.

Dominate Monster- DC 15 Wis Save- Nat 1. and 14.  on sheet. Quinn is Dominated.

The two twisted creatures float forward at head height until they are hovering above Maggie.

There is a high pitched humming sound and they both blast waves of psychic energy at everyone outside the door.  ( They are too close for the cone to hit Dev, Quinn and Lokilia)

DC 7 Int Save or take 3 Psychic Damage and be Stunned for your next turn.

( Everybody except Progo may act.)

Normont, Amber and Maggie are all caught in the psychic waves but manage to shake off the discomfort and resist the consequence.

Normont

Intelligence Save 1 (advantage due to Gnome Cunning): (3,14)+5=19
Intelligence Save 2 (advantage due to Gnome Cunning): (8,19)+5=24

Maggie

Intelligence Save 1: 13-3=10
Intelligence Save 2: 19-3=16

Amber

Intelligence Save 1: 18+0=18
Intelligence Save 2: 11+0=11

"Phindis, I'm sorry it has come to this", Normont calls out to the gnome-like creature.

He has heard it's burbling about Quinn killing Progo, and can't risk that it hasn't manipulated Quinn, and so he aims his rifle between Maggie's legs. There is the familiar clunk-click sound as the ammunition is automatically generated and loaded.

He then fires at Phindis!

"Maggie, take down those young'uns", he then says, with obvious distaste in his tone. Maggie rears on her hind legs and snaps out at the closest one.

Amber remains perched on Normont's shoulder, ready to evade any attacks that come her way until Normont calls upon her.

He then shouts back to Quinn, "Don't do it, Quinn! Resist!".

Normont

Action: Attack Phindis with rifle
Rifle attack - To Hit: 20+6=26 [crit!], Damage: 7+5+4=16 [magical piercing] (Does this cause a concentration save?)
Bonus Action: Order Maggie to attack

Maggie

Action: Attack closest squidling with Force-Empowered Rend
Force-Empowered Rend attack - To Hit: 4+5=9, Damage: 7+2=9 [force] (Let's hope these things are squishy squidlings :-) )

Amber

Action: Dodge

:P

As a multi-sided agent, perhaps it should be no surprise that Werhann is unaffected by the psychic blasts, despite standing close enough to get hit by both. But if he ever planned on betraying this group, now does not seem the time. Or maybe, he just doesn't know that Progo was onto him? After all, he can't read others' minds... probably.

Werhann raises one arm to shield himself from the psychic scream, and while that is all he manages to do on such short notice, it seems to be enough. Werhann then raises his glaive, if the squidlings are within range (10 feet), or the pistol if not, and attacks one of them. 

If the squidling is close enough to be attacked with the glaive, Werhann will slash horizontally, taking care not to hit the mechanical canine or Normont that are between him and the target. As the weapon cuts through the air, it starts to vibrate, although at such a high frequency and such low amplitude that the vibration is barely visible, yet strongly felt through the weapon's shaft. When (if) the weapon strikes the squidling, those vibrations are transmitted through the blade to the creature, momentarily frozen but nonetheless volatile and dangerous.

If the squidling is too far to be reached with the glaive, Werhann instead draws his pistol, takes careful aim, and shoots at the squidling instead. None of what would have happened with the glaive happens to the bullet, but other than the gods, nobody knows anything could have been different.

Intelligence saves: 17+1=18 and 19+1=20.

Action: Cast Booming Blade or attack, depending on the distance between Werhann and the squidling, as described above. 
If glaive: 15+6=21 to hit, 5+4=9 magical slashing damage, and if the target willingly moves at least 5 feet before the start of Werhann's next turn, it'll take an additional 6 thunder damage, for a total of 15.
If pistol: 15+4=19 to hit, 5+2=7 piercing damage (same rolls, different bonuses).

OOC: By the way, do we use Exandria's rules for firearms (Reload and Misfire)?

Although Lokilia had been waiting for something to happen, she's a bit slow in reacting. Perhaps it was the fact that Normont seemed to know this gnome-thing. And did she hear right that these had been his children?  It's with a little reluctance that she uses her magic to enchant the three stones in her hand. With a burst of air, she sends one of the stones at the squidling that Werhann had attacked. 
(Spell Attack: 22, Damage: 7 bludgeoning) 

If room allows, she will back up a bit, hoping to stay in range of the fight (60 ft) but also not wishing to be too close to these things. 

Progo int save: 2

Dev feels the edge of the psychic blast and gasps in fear.

“Quinn, did you feel that? Quinn? QUINN!?!?”

The big genasi’s eyes, perhaps, seem to blacken with hostility as he faces Progo and Dev is terrified. He’s never seen the unflinchingly brave paladin like this before. “QUINN!!,” again comes the teen tiefling’s eerie shout, now blasting like a trumpet to penetrate the insanity which seems to suddenly grip his friend. 

(Thaumaturgy - louder voice; Bardic Inspiration for Quinn’s next saving throw 1d6)

Normonts round blasts into the small figure that was once a gnomish rapscallion ripping away a chunk of his flesh, he floats back.

Maggie leaps and rips one of the dangling lower limbs off of the leftmost squidling causing it to scream in an unsettlingly gnomish fashion....

Dev calls out to Quinn and Quinns eyes clear, seemingly coming back to himself in the moment...

Lokilias stone strikes the other squidling causing it to squeal and then Werhanns blade strikes through lopping off one of its large tentacles it wails like a stricken child......

Quinn shakes his head and hums in resonance with the earth causing a light film of stone dust to form over Lokilia ( Shield of Faith- +2 AC)

Unable to close he casts a light spear at the rightmost squidling.

Attack: 13 Damage: 9

Quinns spear pins ' Anna' to the wall and she whimpers once then falls limp.

The Phindis thing screams with primal rage and grief and any trace of the gnome it was disappears in an instant as it screams its hate at them all.

Progo attempts to act but finds himself befuddled....

'Phindis' scream builds into an enormous burst of psychic energy which rushes out as a wave to strike everyone in the group....

The other squidling is caught in the same blast and crumbles to the ground lifeless its mind destroyed.

( Each creature in the area must succeed on a DC 15 Intelligence saving throw or take 15 psychic damage and be stunned for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. )

( Everyone may act. If they are able.)

Progo int save: 4, poor Progo!

End of turn int save: 16, yay Progo!

"Clearly that one had a favorite kid."

Normont, Amber and Maggie are once again caught in the psychic wave, albeit a much more powerful one this time. Although it feels like his head will explode, Normont manages to resist, as does Amber, but Maggie's circuits fry a little and she freezes as smoke comes out the holes of her ears and nostrils.

Normont

Intelligence Save (advantage due to Gnome Cunning): (10,4)+5=15

Maggie

Intelligence Save: 14-3=11

Amber

Intelligence Save: 16+0=16