Everasil - Game thread

[Sound of Cork Popping] reaches up and places a black-feathered hand on the barbarian's shoulder.  His beak opens and the voice of a wizened old man emerges.  

"... an awareness that should never leave the minds of those who would explore the ruins and places left behind by the peoples and civilizations that came before us.  Not all of these places are welcoming to seekers of history and knowledge.  The builders of these places sometimes secured their secrets with wards or traps, to see that their dead remained undisturbed, or perhaps to preserve their treasures from the unworthy.  Always be mindful in such places, lest a curious explorer be rendered wounded or worse for his troubles.  A keen eye, a cautious step, and an ever-vigilant mind shall be your greatest companions...".

After doing her best to try and copy some of the symbols into her Grandpa's spellbook, Ember ducks under [Sound of Cork Popping's] arm as she passes between the taller pair and makes her way over to inspect the podium.

"What are you hiding?" she asks it, then makes finger-glasses around her amber eye as she enhances her vision.


((If it's okay, she'll cast Detect Magic and also try to determine what the podium could be for? 
Arcana: 14 (or a 17 if Aggie is allowed to assist, but I felt like prroobably not for this haha)))

Ozyre doesn't pay the slightest bit of attention to the pillar once he follows Ember's gaze and figures out that there is (or at least was) writing on the walls. "Oooooooooooh... yes, please and thank you!" He jots down a fair bit of the scarred script onto a few scattered pages he has in his backpack. He tries to vaguely piece together and form some hypotheses about the text, and he's especially curious about whether it could serve a purpose beyond being read, perhaps resembling the language that covers his gear and his body in arcana-harnessing syntax. He lags a bit behind the group, trusting that Thurodim's torch will provide enough light.

Ozyre is mesmerized by the scriptures on the walls. While his companions are advancing into the room forward, he takes a moment to copy the symbols as best he can.

Ozyre:

Meanwhile, the giant and the little mage disregard their avian partner's warning. As they approach the larger room, you start hearing the sound of dragging feet. Pushing on, they would notice in the distance, in the area that Thurodim's torch can't clearly illuminate, more of the same shadowy creatures from the basement. You can hear their moan of anguish as they simply stand and stare blankly in the darkness. As they haven't moved yet, you don't believe they've noticed you approach.

You're also barely able to see something lying on the ground in the middle of the room, near the central podium. It's difficult to make out the details without going closer.

[Since I didn't explain properly that you were approaching a dangerous location, I'm giving you the opportunity to change your action. Unless you want to keep your action because it's what your character would do, which is also fine.]

Noticing the shadowy creatures further into the cave, Thurodim stops and holds out his arm to sign for the others to do the same, motioning for disturbing sight ahead. "Another battle might be inevitable but we should at least choose the site for it." He says in a deep but quiet voice, looking back to see if fighting in the tunnel would be to their advantage.

[Sound of Cork Popping] nods exuberantly at the wise barbarian's words.  He reaches up and pats the big man on the shoulder and opens his beak.  The voice that emerges is the slow, patient sound of an ancient man, both serene and authoritative.

"...At first, then, exhibit the coyness of a maiden, until the enemy gives you an opening; afterwards emulate the rapidity of a running hare, and it will be too late for the enemy to oppose you... Hold out baits to entice the enemy.  Feign disorder, and crush him...."

[Thurodim has gained a d6 of Bardic Inspiration!]

History: 9 (20,5 + 4)

The language seems to be at the tip of Ozyre's tongue, but the script is just too damaged for the last bit of it to click. The frustrated runesmith decides to stay secure in the knowledge that he can ruminate on his scrawlings at a later time, and he continues on with his companions.

Ozyre whispers to the group and begins to strategize, seizing the opportunity to have the fight on the group's own terms. "So these guys are super slow, right? Probably avatars of sloth or something? Well, if we back up a bunch then maybe we can beat them up before they even reach us. I guess that would be the 'coyness of a maiden' stage of the plan. All I have for throwing is my axes, and I can only throw them so far..." The small warrior retrieves both of his handaxes from their holsters at his side. "But if other people have better throwing weapons or blasting spells, then we should be able to at least weaken them before we get into the slugfest. I suppose that'll be the 'rapidity of a running hare' part. Oh, and maybe Ember could use her magic smoke hand thingy to keep the torch at a distance so we can always see them!" Ozyre scratches at the vague hints of scruff on his chin. "I feel like this is a good plan in the making..."

The massive blonde bearded warrior listens and nods to the words of the birdman and the wee giant, feeling the former's words inspire confidence even though he doesn't quite see where the coyness of the maiden and the running hare came into their plans. "I will hold them off a step back into the tunnel while you stay back and destroy them as they file into the tunnel to face me." He says plainly, motioning for the others to back up so that he can take position 10 feet down the tunnel, hopefully facing few shadows at a time. "Okay, fire at will." He grunts as the team has reached it's formation.

As the others are planning, Ember has already handed her magic smoke hand thingy the jar of now-opened flour, which slowly flies up 10 feet (if the ceiling allows) and seems ready to pour a powdery waterfall of white on whatever passes beneath it. 

She turns to face the others, Aggie sat atop her head and warily watching the fiends. “So we can see them in the light,” the wizard whispers with a sharkish grin. It appears there are pieces of wax from the previous night’s candle stuffed into her ears as well. The others might realize she’s come quite prepared for another run in with these creatures.

Backing up where Thurodim suggested, she holds a hand out towards the fiendies and the air in front of her palm begins to spark. “Scary moose?” she asks, making sure everyone is ready.

((My hope was that, if their invisible forms are covered in flour, we’ll still be able to see them and won’t suffer disadvantage on attack rolls when they’re in full light! But I can certainly have her take the torch instead and keep it at a distance! And then was hoping the wax would act like ear plugs and block some of their screech out!)

Unable to hear anyone anyways, Ember crouches down and shoots a mote of fire between Big Man’s legs at one of the shadowy fiends. 

“Come and get it, you lousy peabrains!”

((Surprise Round (?)
Action: Casts Fire Bolt on Fiend 2 - to hit: 18 (adv from Aggie) | dmg: 3 fire
Initiative: 20))

Ozyre stands strong, holding his maul and one hand and his axe (the one without the runes) in the other. He whispers to his fellow warrior as they stand at the chokepoint between the field of monsters and the squishier party members. "Alright, buddy. Three... two... one..." The runic tattoos on the gnome's body start to light up starting from his chest, like a stone being dropped in a puddle. He grows in size, starting from Wee Ozyre, rocketing past Human-Sized Ozyre, reaching above Quite Large but Not Quite as Large as He Could Be Ozyre, and finally coming to rest at the behemoth that is Big Ozyre.

"...GO!" He immediately chucks the axe towards an unsuspecting fiend, then slides his maul into his newly empty hand, readying for the coming onslaught.

Bonus Action: Giant's Might, becoming Large to take up all space east of Thurodim
Action: Attack fiend 1 by throwing a handaxe: 23 (18 + 5) to hit, 9 (4 + 3 + 2) slashing damage
Initiative: 5 (4 + 1)

Standing shoulder to shoulder with the wee giant now turned giant, Thurodim roars a mighty battle cry and throws a javelin towards the closest shadowy fiend.

Move next to Ozyre 5 feet down the corridor
Bonus action: Rage
Javelin: 23 Piercing: 5

(Saving bardic inspiration for now :-)

Initiative: 18

Lacking any ranged weapons, [Sound of Cork Popping] moves up close behind Thurodim, to be within quick move-and-strike distance of any shadows that close on him.  His beak opens, and a noise escapes, like the quiet, mocking whispers of school children...

Initiative:  7

Cork casts dissonant whispers, targeting the nearest shade.  Target must make a DC 12 WIS save or take 12 psychic damage and must immediately use its reaction, if available, to move as far as its speed allows away from you.  On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage and doesn’t have to move away. 

Using the element of surprise, the party uses it’s various weapons and abilities to initiate combat with the unsuspecting creatures.

Ember’s spell hits the intended target and the creature lets out a pained wail. It and its kin turn to face the party. 

Ozyre targets another creature by throwing a hand axe, which cuts deep into the form of the shadowy creature. Its arm is severed by the attack and dissipates in a puff of black smoke. Though hurt, the creature doesn’t seem to mind the loss of a limb.

Thurodim’s javelin is shot wide and goes clattering against the stone tiles.

Targeting the now crippled creature, Cork sends a wave of psychic energy against it. In an unnatural jitter of its head, it seems to resist the spell’s adverse effect, while still taking some damage.

Initiative order:

Ember

Creature group 1 (1,2,3,8) 

Thurodim

Creature group 2 (4,5,6,7)

[Sound of Cork Popping]

Ozyre

(Ember’s turn is up)

Ember cackles at the two Big Butts she now has on eye level and sways left and right as she attempts to find an opening between them to cast through, dodging the backthrows of axes and javelins. Her muddy foot skids through the loose dirt and debris from the tunnel and she cocks her head down at it. Then smiles. 

"Eight against four doesn't seem very fair, right?" she asks as she bends down to grab a handful of dust. Leaning between the two big rears, she blows the dust from her hand into the larger chamber, where it whirls around like a twister, picking up small bits of rubble before it takes it's elemental shape. "There, now it's five against eight!" she claps, which creates a little dust cloud that immediately makes her sneeze.


((Round 1
Action: Casts Dust Devil and positions the elemental force two squares north and one square diagonally left from Thurodim's current position on the map in OOC chat.
Any creature that ends it's turn within 5 ft must make a DC 13 STR save. On a failed save, the creature takes 5 bludgeoning damage and is pushed 10 feet away. On a successful save, the creature takes half as much damage and isn’t pushed.
Aggie: the tiny familiar will scurry up giant Ozyre like an oversized gnome-tree and tuck into his armor. He'll poke his little head out and chitters at any enemy that comes within 5ft, providing the Help action.))

The shadowy creatures begin their slow advance towards the party. Each step looks more agonizing than the last. Three of them approach the bright area lit by the torch, they begin to fade away until they become inperceptible. The fourth one stands in the dim light of the torch.

This fourth one opens its "mouth" wide, in a way that would normally dislocate one’s jaw. The same ear piercing choir of screechs as yesterday erupt from their mouth.

(Roll wisdom saving throw with disadvantage)

(It’s also Thurodim’s turn afterward)

Thurodim Wis save with disadvantage: 2

Ember’s eyes widen as a creature opens its jaw and she presses her hands over her ears as a hopeful second barrier along with her makeshift earplugs.

((WIS save (a straight roll decided in OOC chat): 14))

Big Ozyre grimaces through the screams. "Can we get some flour power over here?"

Wisdom Save: 15 (16 - 1)