Chronicles of the Accursed (Group 2)

To Grace a Lich, I Must be a Witch 

Split earth from pure evil
Trumpet death across planes.
Some might call my tactics insane.
Hope in ill hands, but in need so dire.
Inspiration may let us emerge from the mire.
Unravel their magic that beguiles draconic.
Show us what makes the lich so iconic!

Tamphalic the web was pretty useful, and as he can't see any enemy yet he casts it again at the entrance of the cave behind the hungers of hadar. Either it takes another dispel magic, or it will restrain some enemies hopefully.

The bat readies a dragon's breath at an enemy getting close, or at Tamphalic if he gets damaged.

As you all gear up for the fight of your lives, some of you hear a whisper...

Your lives are forfeit, mortals, a gravelly voice almost purrs. Flee while you still can...

An intense wave of raw terror overcomes Jodie, Nickeline, and Hewelathan as pulses of dark energy emanate from the Ruinstone.

Everyone mentioned, please make a DC 17 Wis saving throw against Fear. 

Hewelathan - DC 17 WIS Save: 18 (in game log)

Waiting for Zolgu and Firion to arrive, Hewelathan is surprised to hear a voice behind him.  He glances back, looking through the (to him) translucent giant mushroom forest.  He sees Ruby, Nickeline, and Jodie, but even though he cannot see any foes, he suddenly feels an intense fear.  Fortunately, with all of his shape-shifting, Hewelathan is in-tune with his own body, and he's wise enough to recognize that this emotion comes from without.  Something is trying to impose this fear on him: it is not his own.  He steels his will and lets the fear wash over him and pass.  He turns again to focus on the cave entrance, looking through the (translucent) giant mushroom that conceals him.

Jodie nearly giggles at the voice’s threat. Whether it bravery or a fool’s innocence, she is unwavering in her song. 

Wis save: 23

Ruby pauses, still awaiting the arrival of the enemy.  She glances over to her friend, the illustrious bard who rescued her from Zolgu's tyranny and gave her a fighting chance at revenge.  Four images of Ruby approach Jodie and touch the bard's longbow, "Jodie shoot Zolgu first.  Your bow is strong like Cyrunnath's tongue". (Bonus action)

Ruby looks for a place to hide stealth 10

(OOC: @Mister_Whisker - before I post Korba's action in round 1, are you OK with the current positions of Firion, Zolgu, the cultists, and the kobolds?  The Devil's Sight Eldritch Invocation says

You can see normally in Dim Light and Darkness—both magical and nonmagical—within 120 feet of yourself.

AFAICT, that means that Koba can see through the Hunger of Hadar AoE, giving him Advantage on attacks against the opponents, assuming that they cannot also see through it.)

Quote from Ben_Evolent >>

(OOC: @Mister_Whisker - before I post Korba's action in round 1, are you OK with the current positions of Firion, Zolgu, the cultists, and the kobolds?  The Devil's Sight Eldritch Invocation says

You can see normally in Dim Light and Darkness—both magical and nonmagical—within 120 feet of yourself.

AFAICT, that means that Koba can see through the Hunger of Hadar AoE, giving him Advantage on attacks against the opponents, assuming that they cannot also see through it.)

Yes, positioning for them is fine

Round 1: Korba

With his Devil's Sight, Korba can see across the rift to the Far Realm that the Astral Lich opened at the entrance.  He sees the kobolds and cultists approaching and shakes his head slightly.  Were they crazy to take on this fight?  Even with another lich's help, it seems unlikely that the entire group will make it off of this dead god's body alive.  He casts a spell to make him more resilient and then, relying on the dark sphere to conceal him, he moves back toward the center of the cave to get a better view of the approaching cultists.  And that's when he sees Zolgu, the white-scaled "great wyrm" of the kobolds.  He raises one hand, and two streams of sand whip out toward Zolgu.  Korba the moves back into the illusory terrain to conceal himself from the kobold.

Movement: 30-ft of movement just to get a better angle on Zolgu.  Ending the turn where he started, concealed inside an element of the Hallucinatory Terrain
Action: Cast a spell Eldritch Blast, 2 beams directed at Zolgu.
  Advantage because he's an unseen attacker and using Elven Accuracy.
  Beam 1: 15, Damage: 9 (force)
  Beam 2: 22, Damage: 13 (force)
Bonus Action: Cast spell (LVL 3 slot) Armor of Agathys
  Korba gains 15 temporary HP for the 1-hour duration as he/she is covered in a magical, protective spectral frost.
  If a creature hits Korba with a melee attack while he still has the THP, the creature takes damage: 15 (cold).

Quote from Ben_Evolent >>

Round 1: Korba

Bonus Action: Cast spell (LVL 3 slot) Armor of Agathys

(OOC: That should have referenced Armor of Agathys.  The spell is now a Bonus Action to cast.)

I'll go ahead and roll Nickeline's Wis save for her.

24

Quote from Mister_Whisker >>

I'll go ahead and roll Nickeline's Wis save for her.

23

The Remnant of Sserah, while unnerving was unable to dig its claws deep into the minds of any of the party.

Zolgu, meanwhile, lets out a curse as he is hit with two Eldritch Blast beams. But now... the bad guys are up.

Temphalic: 24

Remnant of Sserah: 22

    Damage -

Ruby: 19

Korba: 18

Firion: 17

    Damage -

Zolgu: 16

    Damage - 21

Hew-Bear: 15

Nickeline: 15

Hildegard: 15

Jodie: 15

Sserah Cultists (x5): 12

    Cultist 1 - 77 damage (Dead)

    Cultist 2 - 38 damage (Charmed via Suggestion)

    Cultist 3

    Cultist 4

    Cultist 5

Kobold Dragonshields (x4): 12

    Kobold 1

    Kobold 2

    Kobold 3

    Kobold 4

Astral Lich: 11

Gorash: 8

Selarial: 6

Smiler: 6

Firion starts his turn with an order for Zolgu.

"Zolgu, take your worms and find another way into the cavern!" the Archmage orders.

Then Firion takes his turn.

Movement:
The archmage moves 30' to the side in order to avoid becoming a massive cluster that can easily be targeted by what he believes to be Lord Akkron

Action:
Firion throws a Dispel Magic at the inky blackness. The darkness recedes... triggering the readied actions.

Zolgu also takes a Legendary Action right after Firion, using Cunning to move half his speed to get a bit farther away from the epicenter of a likely giant pile of fireballs. I'll wait for all the readied actions to resolve before taking Zolgu's turn.

Also, two DC 10 Con saves for Zolgu's concentration on a spell...

11
11

Quote from Mister_Whisker >>

I'll wait for all the readied actions to resolve before taking Zolgu's turn.

(OOC: FYI - None of my readied actions can trigger.  Since only Firion and Zolgu beat the party's initiative, I guess it would have made more sense to do something else, but in-character, hiding and preparing a spell made sense.  

• Korba - already took his turn this round
• Hewelathan - readied Starry Wisp, but the trigger was someone entering the chamber.  Even shifting the target to the cultists whom he can now see does not help him since they're beyond the range of that spell.
• Hildegard and Perdita - just took Dodge, waiting to see the enemies
• Smiler - readied Tasha's Hideous Laughter, but the range is just 30-ft, so no enemies will be in range until they're right outside the cave's entrance.

It looks like Nickeline and Ruby are in the same situation: the enemies are currently out-of-range of Sacred Flame and arcane blast.

I think that just leaves 3 readied actions to resolve:

• Gorash - Freezing Ray
• Astral Lich - Cosmic Grip, but it looks like the AoE will miss a couple of the cultists unless he waits a little longer for them to try to approach the cave
• Jodie - Fire Storm

)

Quote from Ben_Evolent >>

I think that just leaves 3 readied actions to resolve:

• Gorash - Freezing Ray
• Astral Lich - Cosmic Grip, but it looks like the AoE will miss a couple of the cultists unless he waits a little longer for them to try to approach the cave
• Jodie - Fire Storm

Yes, the Astral Lich is waiting for the spellcasters to move.  Only one is within the 60' range.  It'll unleash the Grip after they've moved or any are in range by the end of their turn.

So, does Jodie unleash the Firestorm as we see on the map?

Quote from Mister_Whisker >>

So, does Jodie unleash the Firestorm as we see on the map?

 Yes

Dex saves vs. Jodie's DC 18 Fire Storm

Cultist 3 Dex save: 22
Cultist 4 Dex save: 15
Cultist 5 Dex save: 12

Elder Kobold Dragonshield 1: 22
Elder Kobold Dragonshield 2: 15