Serge quietly shares his thoughts on Bullywugs. "Disgusting, cowardly creatures. They are dangerous in numbers and in the swamps, where they can strike from ambush in the water. Here, in these stone halls? I like our chances. They can jump great distances but I don't see how that helps them in close quarter combat."
"I don't think fighting them will be the problem... it will be them scattering and raising alarm."
Upstairs... Serge casually takes up position at the top of the stairs, ready to prevent escape or reinforcement from below.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
There is a door on the far side of the room. Pharblex is standing near this door.
Dagger - Zeds
Star - Ixsas
Swords - Serge
Wizard Hat - Krackle
Each square is 20ft.
Pharblex says something in his language and the other bullywugs form a defensive bulwark around Pharblex "Step no further human. No one can approach me except my kind. Even if you share out views. I have no interest in speaking further with you"
(OOC: Even with a good persuasion check Pharblex is too cautious to let anyone near him that is not his kin)
Ixsas nods in thanks to Serge for the information and makes sure to pass the word on to Krackle as they climb the stairs in case the sorcerer didn't hear. It sounds like Sleepwould be effective against the bullywugs, but Ixsas isn't sure how much it will help against so many bullywugs. "Maybe just something to keep in mind in case one of the guards tries to go sound the alarm."
Concentration: Guidance on Serge, but just for 1 minute when he cast it, just before the party entered area G.
"Pharblaxx?" Zeds asks. "Yeah, you are definitely Pharblaxx"....Zeds continues and approaches the large and in charge Bullywug in a slow, friendly manner.
((I don't want to continue on and on too long for I have a feeling crap may hit the fan before too long? But the goal for Zeds is to talk and drone on long enough to 1) get up close to Pharblaxx himself and 2) allow his teammates time to get ready to do whatever they are going to do before said crap hits said fan... Persuasion once more? 19))
As Zeds starts to walk away from the stairs and toward Pharblex, Ixsas moves to the north wall, as though deferring to Zeds and Serge. (Really, he's just trying to make way for Serge to move up so that they can block off the stairs and protect Krackle. It'll also help reduce the number of bullywugs who will be able to attack him at once if there is a fight.) A frustrated "tsk" sound escapes from behind Ixsas's headscarf. He reminds himself that he really needs to talk to Zeds about not moving amidst the enemy in cases where he or Krackle may need to drop a fireball on them.
Pharblex says something in his language and the other bullywugs form a defensive bulwark around Pharblex "Step no further human. No one can approach me except my kind. Even if you share out views. I have no interest in speaking further with you"
(OOC: Even with a good persuasion check Pharblex is too cautious to let anyone near him that is not his kin)
(OOC: @Weathervision - Is that map before or after the bullywugs form a defensive bulwark around Pharblex?)
But then Ixsas is pleased to see that the bullywug guards who were scattered across the room start to close ranks around Pharblex. It's nice when someone else gathers the fuel for you: it makes it easier to start the fire! The party could probably take out all of the bullywugs pretty quickly here, but Pharblex might be able to escape before they could stop him. Ixsas doesn't want to trigger a fight too soon, before everyone is ready. It sounds like Zeds is stalling, but maybe he wants to play this situation more diplomatically? Ixsas speaks loudly to Zeds, hoping that Pharblex hears him: "Perhaps you should tell him that Dralmorrer is almost ready. The bullywugs will finally be able to kick out those slow-witted lizardfolk, and maybe Pharblex will get his reward."
(OOC: Ixsas's thinking here is in the spoiler so that the players have the same info as their characters if they don't peek.)
It seems like the bullywugs and lizardfolk dislike each other. Ixsas is just guessing that the bullywugs would like to kick the lizardfolk out of the castle even if that would leave them no one to bully. Maybe Dralmorrer has also been playing the bullywugs and lizardfolk off of one another just like the party is trying to do.
Ixsas is still not sure why the cult shipped all of the stolen loot out into the middle of the swamp: it doesn't make sense to him. Is the cult just gathering resources at the castle in preparation for the next phase of their plan? Or are they delivering the treasure out there to someone or something? A swamp dragon, perhaps?
Snapjaw mentioned that Dralmorrer said that the bullywugs were needed "for now." It sounds like the current situation at the castle is temporary, and maybe the lizardfolk and bullywugs all know that there's some change coming up. He guesses that they're all just waiting and hope to take advantage of whatever that change is. If he implies that it's happening soon, maybe it'll help the party to get the bullywugs and lizardfolk fighting with each other. In any case, perhaps it'll make Pharblex drop his guard a little.
The image is after the bulwark is set as there is a line of bullywugs near Pharblex. The rest are scattered as they have heard of spells before after all.
It seems like the bullywugs and lizardfolk dislike each other. Ixsas is just guessing that the bullywugs would like to kick the lizardfolk out of the castle even if that would leave them no one to bully. Maybe Dralmorrer has also been playing the bullywugs and lizardfolk off of one another just like the party is trying to do.
Ixsas is still not sure why the cult shipped all of the stolen loot out into the middle of the swamp: it doesn't make sense to him. Is the cult just gathering resources at the castle in preparation for the next phase of their plan? Or are they delivering the treasure out there to someone or something? A swamp dragon, perhaps?
Snapjaw mentioned that Dralmorrer said that the bullywugs were needed "for now." It sounds like the current situation at the castle is temporary, and maybe the lizardfolk and bullywugs all know that there's some change coming up. He guesses that they're all just waiting and hope to take advantage of whatever that change is. If he implies that it's happening soon, maybe it'll help the party to get the bullywugs and lizardfolk fighting with each other. In any case, perhaps it'll make Pharblex drop his guard a little.
My guess is that not all the loot is being gathered here? I'm guessing maybe the caravan with the loot passes by here but this is more a drop off for scrap metal and such? Sounds like the lizardfolk are making crude, crappy swords and such to arm the cannon fodder... So maybe that's the whole point of this place but it's not an endgame location for masses of gold?
Zeds doesn't push forward to press the issue or anything. He is delaying a bit, but only to give the others time to prepare whatever magics or tactics they may have. Zeds himself is already imagining skewering Pharblaxx with an arrow from his shortbow and then pushing through the crowds to try to finish him off before he can escape through the door...
"It sounds like the great Pharblaxx is being modest and refusing the reward Dralmorrer sent us with," Zeds responds to Ixsas. "I guess his devotion is all the reward he needs... So be it..."
Serge kicks the ground with his boot like a petulant child. "You mean, the bullywugs get their reward before me? That's not fair!" He crosses his arms, shakes his head, and turns away in dismay.
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM -(Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown *Red Dead Annihilation: ToA *Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Krackle looks around, counting the bullywugs and listening to the conversation. He messages Zeds and asks "Should i show the dragon egg as the reward? would that help us?" He suggests quietly while holding his backpack with the egg inside close to his chest.
Zeds hears Krackle and gives just the slightest tilt of his head to indicate he has done so, but chooses not to answer directly.
"Are hands the only way to carry things of value?" Zeds asks incredulously. "Why this bag here upon my belt carries gems of great value," he continues, dipping his hand into the pouch and lifting out a couple briefly before being dropped back in. "Obviously we carry upon us many pouches and purses and many possible rewards... But if we are refused then so be it!"
"Gentlemen," Zeds says glancing at those in his group. "It seems we are intruding here. Let us away and split the goods amongst ourselves..."
Pharblex says "Either produce these gems or see yourselves out" He has a hand on his staff as he scrutinizes the party. He is indeed wary and will not let anyone not of his kind come closer.
"They are right here, gems for the mighty Pharblex," Zeds says, once again reaching into his bag of gems and pulling out a handful. "But if we cannot present them to you then we shall just tell Dralmorrer that we did and keep them for ourselves..."
Zeds then turns to the party and upon replacing the gems into the pouch he then moves his hand subtly to his shortbow and cocks an eyebrow to the others to ask if they are ready?
Zeds then turns to the party and upon replacing the gems into the pouch he then moves his hand subtly to his shortbow and cocks an eyebrow to the others to ask if they are ready?
Ixsas nods to Zeds as he raises a finger in front of his headscrarf where his mouth is in a "hushing" gesture. He turns to Krackle and whispers, "Wait for me, then you bring the fire?"
Then Ixsas will move to stand behind Zeds, hopefully screened from Pharblex's direct view, and immediately begin to cast Silence. Pharblex seems to be some sort of shaman or sorcerer, especially since he defeated the lizardfolk's shaman. Ixsas hopes to prevent Pharblex from casting any spells and also keep this whole fight as silent as possible to delay any involvement from the bullywugs on the first floor. If Krackle decides to fireball the room instead of attempting to immobilize Pharblex, the area of silence will hopefully make the fireball largely silent.
Movement: Ixsas should now be at the north wall, in between the position where Krackle and Zeds were on the map above. Action: Cast spell (LVL 2 slot) Silence, 20-foot sphere centered on a point about 3-ft left and 3-ft up from the bottom-right corer of the Pharblex's 20-ft square. For the duration, no sound can be created within or pass through the area of effect. Any creature or object entirely inside the sphere is immune to thunder damage, and creatures are deafened while entirely inside it. Casting a spell that includes a verbal component is impossible there. Free Action: Signaling to Zeds and whispering to Krackle. Reaction: The first time it looks like one of the bullywugs (within 30-ft of him) is going to hit Ixsas, he'll use Warding Flare to impose disadvantage on the attack.
Ixsas is trying to ensure that he covers Pharblex, the NW corner of the room, and the entire doorway behind Pharblex even if that means that his spell doesn't cover all of the bullywugs in the room.
I can post a map with the AoE picture later, if needed, but the AoE should basically cover all of the bullywugs other than the 3 farthest to the SE. It looks like the edge of the AoE will cut right through the bullywug that's closest to Zeds on the map, so that one will be out of the AoE if he moves forward at all.
Spell origin elevation
I should also mention that Ixsas is trying not to silence the bullywugs on the first floor because he doesn't want them to realize that there's anything weird happening right away.
That is, he'll target the spell at a point in the air, maybe centered on a point on the ceiling of the room depending on how high the 2nd floor is off the ground. That should still keep the circular AoE close to 20-ft radius at head height while reducing the chance that any bullywugs on the 1st floor are immediately affected.
(OOC: Ugh! Unlucky initiative roll. No one else in the party got to act while Ixsas was casting his spell? Ixsas was hoping that Krackle would ready his spell to trigger as soon as Ixsas finished casting Silence.)
(OOC: No one else gets to act as no one readied a spell or declared readying an action so combat kick off)
Pharblex smacks a nearby bullywug and points at the party then he exists through the door near him closing it behind him. The rest of the bulluwugs move in weapons armed for combat.
Zeds curses silently when he sees Pharby turn tail and run and then he grunts at the pain of the first bite clamping down upon him but the pain is a terrific motivator and from there on in he is able to dance, duck and dodge around the rest of the attacks. ".. ... . ......!" he calls out to the others before realizing that his cursing was silent for a reason - No sounds are being made!
Switching his hand from his shortbow to his shortsword, Zeds draws that and his other one since it seems like it'll be melee to start things off! Both swords then flash out and attempt to take down the (orange/ Hunter's Mark) Bullywug directly south of him so as to hopefully do the most harm...
Action: Shortsword vs Orange Bullywug: 12to hit for 11 piercing damage Bonus Action: Shortsword vs Orange Bullywug: 25 to hit for 8piercing damage Sneak Attack: 7extra damage to the first of those attacks that hit, if either...
Movement: If Orange Bully still stands - None. Zeds has no place to go. IF Orange Bully falls then will move south and then rotate around Blue Bully (concentration) to try to be on the opposite side of them from where Orange is currently. I believe this results in one opportunity attack from Purple but it'll allow the others to move in and join the fight plus put Zeds that much closer to the door...
Earlier...
History: 24 (before adding the +1d4)
Serge quietly shares his thoughts on Bullywugs. "Disgusting, cowardly creatures. They are dangerous in numbers and in the swamps, where they can strike from ambush in the water. Here, in these stone halls? I like our chances. They can jump great distances but I don't see how that helps them in close quarter combat."
"I don't think fighting them will be the problem... it will be them scattering and raising alarm."
Upstairs... Serge casually takes up position at the top of the stairs, ready to prevent escape or reinforcement from below.
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
There is a door on the far side of the room. Pharblex is standing near this door.
Dagger - Zeds
Star - Ixsas
Swords - Serge
Wizard Hat - Krackle
Each square is 20ft.
Pharblex says something in his language and the other bullywugs form a defensive bulwark around Pharblex "Step no further human. No one can approach me except my kind. Even if you share out views. I have no interest in speaking further with you"
(OOC: Even with a good persuasion check Pharblex is too cautious to let anyone near him that is not his kin)
Ixsas nods in thanks to Serge for the information and makes sure to pass the word on to Krackle as they climb the stairs in case the sorcerer didn't hear. It sounds like Sleep would be effective against the bullywugs, but Ixsas isn't sure how much it will help against so many bullywugs. "Maybe just something to keep in mind in case one of the guards tries to go sound the alarm."
Concentration: Guidance on Serge, but just for 1 minute when he cast it, just before the party entered area G.
As Zeds starts to walk away from the stairs and toward Pharblex, Ixsas moves to the north wall, as though deferring to Zeds and Serge. (Really, he's just trying to make way for Serge to move up so that they can block off the stairs and protect Krackle. It'll also help reduce the number of bullywugs who will be able to attack him at once if there is a fight.) A frustrated "tsk" sound escapes from behind Ixsas's headscarf. He reminds himself that he really needs to talk to Zeds about not moving amidst the enemy in cases where he or Krackle may need to drop a fireball on them.
(OOC: @Weathervision - Is that map before or after the bullywugs form a defensive bulwark around Pharblex?)
But then Ixsas is pleased to see that the bullywug guards who were scattered across the room start to close ranks around Pharblex. It's nice when someone else gathers the fuel for you: it makes it easier to start the fire! The party could probably take out all of the bullywugs pretty quickly here, but Pharblex might be able to escape before they could stop him. Ixsas doesn't want to trigger a fight too soon, before everyone is ready. It sounds like Zeds is stalling, but maybe he wants to play this situation more diplomatically? Ixsas speaks loudly to Zeds, hoping that Pharblex hears him: "Perhaps you should tell him that Dralmorrer is almost ready. The bullywugs will finally be able to kick out those slow-witted lizardfolk, and maybe Pharblex will get his reward."
(OOC: Ixsas's thinking here is in the spoiler so that the players have the same info as their characters if they don't peek.)
It seems like the bullywugs and lizardfolk dislike each other. Ixsas is just guessing that the bullywugs would like to kick the lizardfolk out of the castle even if that would leave them no one to bully. Maybe Dralmorrer has also been playing the bullywugs and lizardfolk off of one another just like the party is trying to do.
Ixsas is still not sure why the cult shipped all of the stolen loot out into the middle of the swamp: it doesn't make sense to him. Is the cult just gathering resources at the castle in preparation for the next phase of their plan? Or are they delivering the treasure out there to someone or something? A swamp dragon, perhaps?
Snapjaw mentioned that Dralmorrer said that the bullywugs were needed "for now." It sounds like the current situation at the castle is temporary, and maybe the lizardfolk and bullywugs all know that there's some change coming up. He guesses that they're all just waiting and hope to take advantage of whatever that change is. If he implies that it's happening soon, maybe it'll help the party to get the bullywugs and lizardfolk fighting with each other. In any case, perhaps it'll make Pharblex drop his guard a little.
The image is after the bulwark is set as there is a line of bullywugs near Pharblex. The rest are scattered as they have heard of spells before after all.
My guess is that not all the loot is being gathered here? I'm guessing maybe the caravan with the loot passes by here but this is more a drop off for scrap metal and such? Sounds like the lizardfolk are making crude, crappy swords and such to arm the cannon fodder... So maybe that's the whole point of this place but it's not an endgame location for masses of gold?
Zeds doesn't push forward to press the issue or anything. He is delaying a bit, but only to give the others time to prepare whatever magics or tactics they may have. Zeds himself is already imagining skewering Pharblaxx with an arrow from his shortbow and then pushing through the crowds to try to finish him off before he can escape through the door...
"It sounds like the great Pharblaxx is being modest and refusing the reward Dralmorrer sent us with," Zeds responds to Ixsas. "I guess his devotion is all the reward he needs... So be it..."
Serge kicks the ground with his boot like a petulant child. "You mean, the bullywugs get their reward before me? That's not fair!" He crosses his arms, shakes his head, and turns away in dismay.
[Trying to provide help to any further trickery.]
PC - Ethel - Human - Lvl 4 Necromancer - Undying Dragons * Serge Marshblade - Human - Lvl 5 Eldritch Knight - Hoard of the Dragon Queen
DM - (Homebrew) Heroes of Bardstown * Red Dead Annihilation: ToA * Where the Cold Winds Blow : DoIP * Covetous, Dragonish Thoughts: HotDQ * Red Wine, Black Rose: CoS * Greyhawk: Tides of War
Pharblex lets out a snide laugh. "What rewards could it be as I see your hands are empty." his eyes narrows in suspicion
Krackle looks around, counting the bullywugs and listening to the conversation. He messages Zeds and asks "Should i show the dragon egg as the reward? would that help us?" He suggests quietly while holding his backpack with the egg inside close to his chest.
Zeds hears Krackle and gives just the slightest tilt of his head to indicate he has done so, but chooses not to answer directly.
"Are hands the only way to carry things of value?" Zeds asks incredulously. "Why this bag here upon my belt carries gems of great value," he continues, dipping his hand into the pouch and lifting out a couple briefly before being dropped back in. "Obviously we carry upon us many pouches and purses and many possible rewards... But if we are refused then so be it!"
"Gentlemen," Zeds says glancing at those in his group. "It seems we are intruding here. Let us away and split the goods amongst ourselves..."
Pharblex says "Either produce these gems or see yourselves out" He has a hand on his staff as he scrutinizes the party. He is indeed wary and will not let anyone not of his kind come closer.
"They are right here, gems for the mighty Pharblex," Zeds says, once again reaching into his bag of gems and pulling out a handful. "But if we cannot present them to you then we shall just tell Dralmorrer that we did and keep them for ourselves..."
Zeds then turns to the party and upon replacing the gems into the pouch he then moves his hand subtly to his shortbow and cocks an eyebrow to the others to ask if they are ready?
Ixsas nods to Zeds as he raises a finger in front of his headscrarf where his mouth is in a "hushing" gesture. He turns to Krackle and whispers, "Wait for me, then you bring the fire?"
Then Ixsas will move to stand behind Zeds, hopefully screened from Pharblex's direct view, and immediately begin to cast Silence. Pharblex seems to be some sort of shaman or sorcerer, especially since he defeated the lizardfolk's shaman. Ixsas hopes to prevent Pharblex from casting any spells and also keep this whole fight as silent as possible to delay any involvement from the bullywugs on the first floor. If Krackle decides to fireball the room instead of attempting to immobilize Pharblex, the area of silence will hopefully make the fireball largely silent.
Movement: Ixsas should now be at the north wall, in between the position where Krackle and Zeds were on the map above.
Action: Cast spell (LVL 2 slot) Silence, 20-foot sphere centered on a point about 3-ft left and 3-ft up from the bottom-right corer of the Pharblex's 20-ft square.
For the duration, no sound can be created within or pass through the area of effect.
Any creature or object entirely inside the sphere is immune to thunder damage, and creatures are deafened while entirely inside it.
Casting a spell that includes a verbal component is impossible there.
Free Action: Signaling to Zeds and whispering to Krackle.
Reaction: The first time it looks like one of the bullywugs (within 30-ft of him) is going to hit Ixsas, he'll use Warding Flare to impose disadvantage on the attack.
Concentration: Silence round 1 of 100
((OOC:
))
The silence spell goes off and Pharblex immediately knows something is wrong.
Combat Side Initiative
Party 19
Bullywugs. 9
(OOC: Ugh! Unlucky initiative roll. No one else in the party got to act while Ixsas was casting his spell? Ixsas was hoping that Krackle would ready his spell to trigger as soon as Ixsas finished casting Silence.)
(OOC: No one else gets to act as no one readied a spell or declared readying an action so combat kick off)
Pharblex smacks a nearby bullywug and points at the party then he exists through the door near him closing it behind him. The rest of the bulluwugs move in weapons armed for combat.
To make it easier to tell them apart I pit status rings around all of them.
3 bullywugs move in and attacks Zeds
the rest of the bullywugs move in but keep their distance as they cannot reach the party clustered by the top of the stairs.
Bullywug 1 attacks zeds with 2x
Bite
Attack: 20 Damage: 4
Spear 2 handed
Attack: 11 Damage: 7
Bullywug 2
Bite
Attack: 9 Damage: 3
Spear 2 handed
Attack: 14 Damage: 7
Bullywug 3
Bite
Attack: 9 Damage: 4
Spear 2 handed
Attack: 5 Damage: 4
Round 1
The party is up. Post when able.
Zeds curses silently when he sees Pharby turn tail and run and then he grunts at the pain of the first bite clamping down upon him but the pain is a terrific motivator and from there on in he is able to dance, duck and dodge around the rest of the attacks. ".. ... . ......!" he calls out to the others before realizing that his cursing was silent for a reason - No sounds are being made!
Switching his hand from his shortbow to his shortsword, Zeds draws that and his other one since it seems like it'll be melee to start things off! Both swords then flash out and attempt to take down the (orange/ Hunter's Mark) Bullywug directly south of him so as to hopefully do the most harm...
Action: Shortsword vs Orange Bullywug: 12 to hit for 11 piercing damage
Bonus Action: Shortsword vs Orange Bullywug: 25 to hit for 8 piercing damage
Sneak Attack: 7 extra damage to the first of those attacks that hit, if either...
Movement: If Orange Bully still stands - None. Zeds has no place to go. IF Orange Bully falls then will move south and then rotate around Blue Bully (concentration) to try to be on the opposite side of them from where Orange is currently. I believe this results in one opportunity attack from Purple but it'll allow the others to move in and join the fight plus put Zeds that much closer to the door...
Orange Bullywug is dead.
Purple opportunity attack
Attack: 9 Damage: 9