[[ OOC: OK, I guess Lord Akkron's idea was: since the dragon blocks the only door and, by blowing inside, can zap all enemies... while the enemies, on the contrary, cannot harm the dragon... it should happen that, sooner or later, all enemies are electrocuted to death... So maybe we can summarize what happens, until either there is some unforeseen twist or the enemies are dead. ]]
Khessa has remained with her ears cocked, in case her mentor, Master Akkron, is disturbed before he can complete his work of extermination... but the only sounds she can hear are the crackling of lightning breathed by the dragon and the cries of frustration and pain from the trapped enemies, unable to do anything but suffer one bolt after another.
Then, silence.
The blonde arcane warrior approaches the lich: "I see there were no complications, Master Akkron. Soon even the lackeys of the Nefarious Duo will begin to fear you as much as those of Lolth" and she places a loving hand on his shoulder. "An unholy ritual has been prevented, which would have strengthened a cause that certainly does not deserve any strength. Your magic is impressive and effective as ever, my Master. Only thing greater than your mighty magic, is your good heart".
The tall adventuress inspects the ritual room - now better defined as the execution room - in search of any useful loot. After which, she suggests: "The hope of finding survivors has unfortunately been dashed. Let's go back up and continue exploring from the first floor, where we arrived?"
After a minute of pandemonium, the party approaches the room where the devils were. Vrox's nose twitches at the strong smell of ozone from all of the lightning as he surveys the carnage. He can help with exploring the room in case there are hidden doors or other secret compartments here. Investigation25
The tall adventuress inspects the ritual room - now better defined as the execution room - in search of any useful loot. After which, she suggests: "The hope of finding survivors has unfortunately been dashed. Let's go back up and continue exploring from the first floor, where we arrived?"
Vrox suggests, "It seems like we may have reached the lowest level of the castle dungeon here. I suppose we could start exploring from the bottom up at this point. After all, the soulless guard whom we were unable to save told us that the Duke had been spending a lot of time in the catacombs below the castle ever since he was corrupted."
Tyek is glum when he sees that the wizard left no devils for him to fight, but he supposes that there are probably more demons still lurking in the castle's dungeons. While the others search the room and/or purge it of the desecration, Tyek stands guard at the doorway that leads back to the stairs, keeping watch for other enemies who may come to check on the noise from the fight between the illusory dragon and the devils.
"Good point" Khessa admits. "Bottom up is fine by me".
Vrox's words awaken in the blonde arcane warrior questions about the Duke's fate... Was he transformed into a Vampire, as Robert was supposed to become? Or did the Nefarious Duo reserve an even worse fate for him? She shakes her head anyway... A nobleman, he would have a duty to protect the common folk that depend on him. Not that she has known many noblemen who took that responsibility seriously, but this Duke... By allowing himself and his castle to become the tool of the Nefarious Duo, he has betrayed not only the trust of his people, but of the entire world. Whatever his fate, she doubts she will shed tears for him.
Clarac watches the shadowy dragon fry the demons. "Thank you." She nods her head to Lord Akkron. "Those demons might have hurt one of us if we had fought them directly."
Clarac agrees with Vrox's plan. "Lead the way, Mr. Honeysweet."
As you enter the ritual room, you can still feel the residual electrical energy that was spent. The devils are strewn about the room, and in the process, moved the bodies and the blood designs that were on the floor. The room appears to have been a storeroom at some time, casks and crates line the wall.
Since the execution chamber does not appear to contain anything the party has any particular need for and the preference was to continue exploring the catacombs, Khessa leads the party to the junction that preceded the room and, after careful consideration, proposes...
"The execution room had a recess in the north wall..." the blonde arcane warrior explains "This suggests that there may be another room, perhaps important".
The tall adventuress prepares to open: "The room will probably be empty, because any enemies would probably have heard the noise of the dragon slaughtering their companions" and, if no one objects, she opens.
"The execution room had a recess in the north wall..." the blonde arcane warrior explains "This suggests that there may be another room, perhaps important".
Yes, Vrox is fine with that. He'll let Khessa, Tyek, and Clarac go first, and he'll line up in the hall just to the west of the cross tunnel that opens to the north and south. He'll hide at the corner of the hall in case some devil attacks as soon as Khessa opens the door, but he'll draw his bow and be ready to back them up if there is a fight.
Action: Ready an attack with his Dragon's Wrath Longbow Trigger: attack any demons/devils he sees when Khessa opens the door, or anything that attacks Khessa and the others when they open the door or go in the room Bonus Action: Hide - Stealth30 (using Vanish feature)
The tall adventuress prepares to open: "The room will probably be empty, because any enemies would probably have heard the noise of the dragon slaughtering their companions" and, if no one objects, she opens.
Tyekanik says hopefully, "Or maybe they're waiting to pounce." In anticipation of a real fight, he enters a rage before Khessa opens the door, gripping his Annam's Greataxe in his massive hands. The space constrains his size to Large, but he still fills the tunnel behind Khessa.
Backtracking, you find steps going down to a solid, banded door, that is cracked open. When you push it open, it reveals a hall wall with cells on either side, a dungeon.
Khessa doubts that there will still be any survivors in the cells, but she prefers to check; so she enters and begins to check cell by cell to see if there are any that still have (alive) prisoners inside...
You find your assumptions are true. The cells are empty, the doors are open, and it appears whoever was in the cells, were drug out but there are no blood trails. They were alive when they were taken.
There are no other doors from the dungeon, it seems... so Khessa leads to the other previous door the southern one, and opens it: "I wonder if there will be something more interesting here..."
[[ OOC: OK, I guess Lord Akkron's idea was: since the dragon blocks the only door and, by blowing inside, can zap all enemies... while the enemies, on the contrary, cannot harm the dragon... it should happen that, sooner or later, all enemies are electrocuted to death... So maybe we can summarize what happens, until either there is some unforeseen twist or the enemies are dead. ]]
Aya waits to see if her teammates need any assistance in taking down these foes.
D&D since 1984
Nine more rounds of lightning damage, coming right up!Round 2: 30
Round 3: 27
Round 4: 18
Round 5: 23
Round 6: 18
Round 7: 22
Round 8: 23
Round 9: 26
Round 10: 19
(DC 24 INT save each round for half-damage)
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To move things along, all of the devils and the hobgoblin are dead.
Khessa has remained with her ears cocked, in case her mentor, Master Akkron, is disturbed before he can complete his work of extermination... but the only sounds she can hear are the crackling of lightning breathed by the dragon and the cries of frustration and pain from the trapped enemies, unable to do anything but suffer one bolt after another.
Then, silence.
The blonde arcane warrior approaches the lich: "I see there were no complications, Master Akkron. Soon even the lackeys of the Nefarious Duo will begin to fear you as much as those of Lolth" and she places a loving hand on his shoulder. "An unholy ritual has been prevented, which would have strengthened a cause that certainly does not deserve any strength. Your magic is impressive and effective as ever, my Master. Only thing greater than your mighty magic, is your good heart".
The tall adventuress inspects the ritual room - now better defined as the execution room - in search of any useful loot. After which, she suggests: "The hope of finding survivors has unfortunately been dashed. Let's go back up and continue exploring from the first floor, where we arrived?"
Aya looks on in amazement at the immense power of her party.
D&D since 1984
Vrox suggests, "It seems like we may have reached the lowest level of the castle dungeon here. I suppose we could start exploring from the bottom up at this point. After all, the soulless guard whom we were unable to save told us that the Duke had been spending a lot of time in the catacombs below the castle ever since he was corrupted."
Tyek is glum when he sees that the wizard left no devils for him to fight, but he supposes that there are probably more demons still lurking in the castle's dungeons. While the others search the room and/or purge it of the desecration, Tyek stands guard at the doorway that leads back to the stairs, keeping watch for other enemies who may come to check on the noise from the fight between the illusory dragon and the devils.
Perception 10
"Good point" Khessa admits. "Bottom up is fine by me".
Vrox's words awaken in the blonde arcane warrior questions about the Duke's fate... Was he transformed into a Vampire, as Robert was supposed to become? Or did the Nefarious Duo reserve an even worse fate for him? She shakes her head anyway... A nobleman, he would have a duty to protect the common folk that depend on him. Not that she has known many noblemen who took that responsibility seriously, but this Duke... By allowing himself and his castle to become the tool of the Nefarious Duo, he has betrayed not only the trust of his people, but of the entire world. Whatever his fate, she doubts she will shed tears for him.
Clarac watches the shadowy dragon fry the demons. "Thank you." She nods her head to Lord Akkron. "Those demons might have hurt one of us if we had fought them directly."
Clarac agrees with Vrox's plan. "Lead the way, Mr. Honeysweet."
As you enter the ritual room, you can still feel the residual electrical energy that was spent. The devils are strewn about the room, and in the process, moved the bodies and the blood designs that were on the floor. The room appears to have been a storeroom at some time, casks and crates line the wall.
Since the execution chamber does not appear to contain anything the party has any particular need for and the preference was to continue exploring the catacombs, Khessa leads the party to the junction that preceded the room and, after careful consideration, proposes...
1 = North
2 = South
1
...to take the north door.
"The execution room had a recess in the north wall..." the blonde arcane warrior explains "This suggests that there may be another room, perhaps important".
The tall adventuress prepares to open: "The room will probably be empty, because any enemies would probably have heard the noise of the dragon slaughtering their companions" and, if no one objects, she opens.
Assuming that Vrox didn't find anything of note in the room where the illusory dragon zapped all of the devils...
Yes, Vrox is fine with that. He'll let Khessa, Tyek, and Clarac go first, and he'll line up in the hall just to the west of the cross tunnel that opens to the north and south. He'll hide at the corner of the hall in case some devil attacks as soon as Khessa opens the door, but he'll draw his bow and be ready to back them up if there is a fight.
Action: Ready an attack with his Dragon's Wrath Longbow
Trigger: attack any demons/devils he sees when Khessa opens the door, or anything that attacks Khessa and the others when they open the door or go in the room
Bonus Action: Hide - Stealth 30 (using Vanish feature)
Tyekanik says hopefully, "Or maybe they're waiting to pounce." In anticipation of a real fight, he enters a rage before Khessa opens the door, gripping his Annam's Greataxe in his massive hands. The space constrains his size to Large, but he still fills the tunnel behind Khessa.
Backtracking, you find steps going down to a solid, banded door, that is cracked open. When you push it open, it reveals a hall wall with cells on either side, a dungeon.
Khessa doubts that there will still be any survivors in the cells, but she prefers to check; so she enters and begins to check cell by cell to see if there are any that still have (alive) prisoners inside...
You find your assumptions are true. The cells are empty, the doors are open, and it appears whoever was in the cells, were drug out but there are no blood trails. They were alive when they were taken.
There are no other doors from the dungeon, it seems... so Khessa leads to the other previous door the southern one, and opens it: "I wonder if there will be something more interesting here..."