Culuril's Strixhaven Adventure

"Well, this is how far I scouted earlier but I can only assume this stair leads to the attic. I have no idea what we might find there but hopefully both the doll and the book right?" The purple-skinned tiefling says quietly, allowing Guardok to take point in case there would be any more hostilities.

"Yes, hopefully. I really don't want to spend any more time here than absolutely necessary," Mae nodded and crept closer to the hidden staircase.

"Ok, we go up", Guardok says and moves onto the stairs, attempting to sneak up. He remains vigilant to any more defences.

Stealth: 13+4=17

(Maeleve stealth: 16 rolled in log)

Malvyn too quietly follows up the stairs.
(Stealth: 20 )

You arrive in a room roughly 30 ft by 20 ft. The cramped attic holds oddities considered too strange to display on the manor’s main floor.  You see an adult-sized riding toy resembling a roc on a spring, a fine dress with wings made of bones, and a display shelf holding dozens of dolls are among the curiosities here.

Just behind where the dress is displayed you see a few books on a shelf.  

"Think it's over there?" Mae asked quietly as she looks for a way to get to the books on the shelf.

As Mae looks, there's clearly room to squeeze behind the dress to get to the shelf. 

Mae takes a moment, then makes a face at the dress. "Can't say I like the look of that dress much, not with the bones attached anyway, but I think I can squeeze past it to get to the books. Keep watch while I fetch the book?" She took a few steps toward the dress, ready to push past it to the shelf.

As soon as Mae heads towards the dress, and the other two have yet to move far from the stair, the wings of bone on the dress start to move. It's hard to tell at first, but quickly the motion resembles the flapping of wings.  As this happens, the fine lacey dress rises into the air. 

Rolling Initiative! 
Malvyn: 13
Dress: 12
Guardok: 10
Mae: 10

(Malvyn is up first!) 

(OOC - We don't really need a battle map for this but thought I would share the layout. Basically, the space is small, but everything is along the walls. The blue arrow points to the dress.)

"Lookout!" The purple-skinned tiefling calls out as the fine lacey dress comes to life, placing one hand on his tome before swiftly placing his hex on it before and then unleashing a purplish beam of eldritch crackling force from his other clawed hand towards the dress.

(Eldritch Blast: 18 Force: 9 Necrotic: 4 )

(Oops, forgot the extra 3 force damage, for a total of 19! :-)

Malvyn's beam powerfully strikes the dress, causing it to pause a moment. It looks a bit tattered but remains intact.  

Shaking its wings, it then rapidly flings out tiny, sharp pieces of bone.  Two fly at Mae while one each fly towards Malvyn and Guardok. 

(Attacks on Mae: 8, 11)

(Attack only Malvyn: 10)

(Attack on Guardok: 14; Damage: 4 piercing)

The one shot hits Guardok while the others fly past!

(Guardok and Mae are up)

Guardok watches as the dress animates, not realising until the last moment that it is hostile. Just as the shard of bone is about to hit him, he hears Mal's warning and manages to raise a magical barrier which deflects it.

He then glides towards it, drawing his rapier and striking out at the animated dress, before his skin hardens, protecting himself from harm.

Reaction: Shield
Movement: Close with the dress
Action: Attack it with his rapier
Rapier - To Hit: 14+5=19, Damage: 6+3=9 [piercing]
Bonus Action: Cast Blade Ward - using his Earth Genasi trait 

Guardok managed to avoid the blow from the bone dress. Moving forward, he successfully stabs at the dress, clearly making contact. It does seem to wound the creature.  You're almost certain.  But it is still actively fluttering its wings and floating in place. 

(Mae is up.)

Mae shrieks as the dress comes to life and flings pieces of bone at her! Perhaps it was just her being startled that made her jerk out of the way to avoid the small missiles but her heart beats rapidly as she continues for the book, holding her small hand drum, giving it a quick couple of taps and launching a streak of fire toward the dress as she goes!

Action: Firebolt: 24 to hit, 6 fire damage (rolled in log)

No bonus action

The bolt of fire from Mae strikes the lace of the dress, seeming to singe it slightly. But it slowly starts to sink towards the floor, dissolving into dust. In just a few moments, there is no evidence of whatever that was. 

(Combat Over!) 

Guardok stays alert, not convinced there are no other dangerous items in the attic.

"Ok, let's be quick, but careful", he says as he starts to head over to look at the collection of dolls, looking for the one that was described as being what they are looking for.

Mae breathed a sigh of relief and started toward the books again, feeling a bit shaken. "I knew this was a bad idea," she muttered to herself. "Yes, the sooner we're done the better," she said out loud to the others.

Amongst the dolls on a display shelf almost opposite where the dress was located, Guardok spots a doll with bright pink hair. She is wearing a fine white dress.  

Mae is starting to look at the books on the shelf when she notices a stand set just to three side and in front of the shelves. It is holding a very larger leather-bound book. Surely that must be the one that you were sent to retrieve.