Tamphalic thinks about what he could offer, but for the life of him he could never give Talice his dragon's mask or focus, and other than that he doesn't think anything he's got would be worth it for the Priestess.

Hmm what kind of knowledge would she be interested in, do I have anything to offer in that regards

"I offer you one thing, and one thing only," Hildegard says. "I offer you atonement. Atonement for the many crimes that have barred you from the afterlife, and cursed you forever to live in undeath, a fate that even Lloth cannot save you from. The path of repentence and atonement can be a very long one... but you have eternity to walk it... and this path alone may offer you another fate than the one you are doomed to stay on forever until your very undead body rots away." She touches the relic of Tali Windrunner that she wears around her neck. "Great deeds are rewarded with great boons, and if you assist us in the cause of the Seven Heroes to lay Sserah to rest, they will help you to walk a new path."

Talice can't help but laugh as Hildegarde speaks up.

Atonement for faithful service to Lolth? the undead abomination says. And the Seven shall guide me to redemption? One of whom is among the ranks of the undead himself and another of whom is a raving madman trapped inside of his own instrument?

She stands slowly, a wicked smile on her cracked lips.

Let me tell you something... a message for Lord Akkron if any of you escape this tomb alive... let him know that his darling little girl is forever damned to suffer in Lolth's web, as is only fitting for an impure half-breed.

As she stands, six of the drow mummies emerge from the adjacent tunnels to join their mistress (map coming shortly). She hasn't attacked yet... but it seems rather likely that she will soon, assuming the party doesn't decide to strike first.

Hildegard nods. She did not expect the Betrayer to be interested in her offer... but at the mention of Akkron's child, she spares just a momentary glance at the rest of the party, a question in her eyes, one that she knows none of them have the answer to, but it is an answer she wishes she had. Talice cannot be redeemed. But could her child be saved?

Nickeline is pretty sure that Talice and her mummies are going to attack imminently. She turns to Ruby, who she assumes is most likely to flee and thus survive, whispering, "If you escape without us, go back to the place we first met and tell the man waiting there what happened. He will keep you safe from her"—Nickeline nods her head towards Talice—"and from the dragon, whom you will have failed." Nickeline assumes Ruby can figure out the portal to the Shaded Isle, and would rather not mention it explicitly in Talice's presence.

As soon as any of the mummies makes a move Tamphalic will use his spider staff to cast web on a 20ft cube around the three mummies on that side, if possible he'll want Talice in the cube aswell.

The just in case, but Im sure its necessary initiative roll: 24

"Let me play a dirge of doom as a farewell, whether it be for us or you brethren..."

Jodie begins quietly on the Firestorm Lute the song for which it is named...

Initiative: 12 

I could would be willing to treat the firestorm and shooting the web as Readied actions that triggered as soon as it became obvious that there was a fight coming.

In fact, I think it's reasonable to say that probably everyone could have readied an action for signs of overt hostility. Just remember that means spending your reaction for the round (looking at you, anyone who might want to cast shield to avoid a Rotting Fist to the face).

Bad guys' initiative:
Talice - 11
Drow Mummies (x6) - 20

Sidekicks' Initiative:
Ruby - 14
Urgad the Orog - 13
Orc Brutes (x2) - 2

Jodie starts her dirge

Love is a burning thing
And it makes a fiery ring
Bound by wild desire
I fell into a ring of fire
I fell into a burning ring of fire
I went down, down, down
And the flames went higher
And it burns, burns, burns
The ring of fire
The ring of fire

Smiler 😈: 19

Fire storm: DC 15 Dex or 41 fire

Talice - 14

Drow Mummy 1 - 5
Drow Mummy 2 - 16
Drow Mummy 3 - 14
Drow Mummy 4 - 15
Drow Mummy 5 - 21
Drow Mummy 6 - 15

Quote from Mister_Whisker >>

Talice - 14

Drow Mummy 1 - 5
Drow Mummy 2 - 16
Drow Mummy 3 - 14
Drow Mummy 4 - 15
Drow Mummy 5 - 21
Drow Mummy 6 - 15

Talice burns a legendary resistance against the fire storm, taking 41 damage (half for passed save, double for fire vulnerability). Drow Mummy 1 and 3 are instantly incinerated, the rest remain standing.

Once it is clear fighting is inevitable, Nickeline speaks an incantation and calls forth a pulsing, violet light in the area around Talice's spider throne.

OOC:

Nickeline initiative: 14
Round 0 reaction: Cast Faerie Fire on Talice, plus the mummies on the right if Nickeline can fit them in the spell's 20 ft. cube area --> DC 14 dexterity saving throw or be outlined in purple light

Round 0: Hewelathan

As the conversation devolved into threats, Hewelathan began to feel nervous.  Then Talice called out 6 more mummies, and Jodie began to play her harp.  "We're really going to fight Talice!", Hewelathan thought, feeling his stomach do a somersault.  He quickly readies a spell that he hopes will help them deal with the mummies while they find out what Talice can throw at them.

Action: Ready a spell (LVL 2 slot) Flaming Sphere 5-foot-diameter sphere of fire appears, positioned in the unoccupied space just south of Talice.
  Any creature that ends its turn within 5 ft. of the sphere must make a DC 15 DEX saving throw or take 11 (fire) damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
  Note that the sphere affects a 15' x 15' area, which the mummies will presumably try to avoid.

Initiative: 14

Round 0: Korba

As soon as the 6 mummies appear, Korba doesn't wait.  He draws his sword (taking 3 damage) and casts Armor of Agathys on himself.

Initiative: 30

Hildegard Initiative: 12

(For this fight, I'd like to have Perdita act as independent so that she can engage in battle herself--she does fire damage. Her initiative roll was 8, if you want her to have her own initiative!)

Initiative Order:

Korba
Temphalic
--
Drow Mummy 1 - dead
Drow Mummy 2 - 41 damage
Drow Mummy 3 - dead
Drow Mummy 4 - 41 damage
Drow Mummy 5 - 41 damage
Drow Mummy 6 - 41 damage
--
Hewelathan
Nickeline
--
Ruby
Urgad
--
Jodie
Hildegarde
--
Talice - 41 damage
--
Perdita
--
Orc Brute 1
Orc Brute 2

Does Temphalic use the Web spell as part of his first turn, or as a readied action? Temphalic is near the top of the initiative order anyway, so it shouldn't make a huge difference either way except that he'll still have his reaction available for the round.

Tamphalic will first use a bonus action to try and move Talice 5ft towards mummies 4-6,dc14 strength save. After which he casts the spell normally on mummies 4-6 possibly with Talice aswell.

Web: 20ft cube, dc15 dex save or be restrained after that dc15 strength check to get out of the webs. 

Strength save: 9