Avery moves up to support Khessa, sword held at the ready

[[Coriana is at max HP, full up on her two slots.]]

Coriana will follow behind the wall of steel, looking for secondary threats to pin down.

Theldrin stays back near where Xanrym hides behind the mast, crossbow ready but expecting he'll want to cast a spell.

Quote from Ben_Evolent >>

Unless someone else wants to do it, Xanrym plans to hide behind the mast pole in the hallway. 

(OOC: It sounds like no one else wants to hide behind the mast, so I'll assume that Xanrym is doing that before Khessa opens the door:
Xanrym - Stealth: 25 (advantage from Cloak of Elvenkind) to hide behind the mast in the hallway.

Note that if Xanrym successfully [actions]Hide;hides[/actions], he has the invisible condition, and he should have advantage on initiative if there's anything in the room.  If opponents attempt to find him before he reveals himself on his turn, the cloak also gives them disadvantage on their Perception checks.)

Khessa opens the door into the room to the south. The floor of this chamber is covered with runes written in blood. A circle has been carved into the floor's wooden planks and spiderwebs cover the walls and ceiling. Two humanoid-sized bundles attached to the ceiling writhe as hundreds of tiny spiders swarm over them. At the far end of the room is a damaged wooden door held shut with iron spikes. Near the door is a half-orc with a mohawk who's skin looks like it has been infused with magical dark spiderwebs. In front of the half-orc are two giant spiders, one on the ground, and one hanging from the roof. The half-orc addresses you, "Who are you who have invaded this sacred place!? Have you been sent along with the kraken to test my resolve?" He seems interested in your answer, but holds a black looking staff in his hands and seemingly knows how to use it.

Xanrym remains hidden and silent.  (Someone else will have to take the lead if they want to talk to the half-orc at all.) 

Xanrym was hiding behind the mast with just part of his head peering around the mast so that he could see to the door (maintaining 3/4 cover).  He assumes that they've found Krell -- who else could survive the spiders and demons they've fought?! -- and he's surprised that the half-orc wants to talk.  Maybe he knows that he cannot survive against anyone who fought their way this far.  Xanrym suspects that there's some trick or trap, so he remains hidden.  While someone else talks, he simply examines the scene, looking for any sign of hidden foes, trap doors, or webs, like the one that caught Avery earlier.

Perception - 13, seems like the most appropriate skill based on the 2024 rules for Search.

(@drumdigby - I forgot to ask, how far is the half-orc from the door Khessa just opened?  How about to the spiders?  The half-orc is "at the far end of the room" by the "door held shut with iron spikes."  I guess a crossbow or a spell could probably reach the half-orc, but Avery and Khessa may have a problem reaching him in one turn, especially if the giant spiders are in between the door and the half-orc.)

Theldrin is used to Xanrym doing the talking, and is surprised as well that Krell seems to want to talk rather than immediately attack.  Then there's the mention of a kraken which also gives him pause, as he stands for a moment waiting to see what happens next.

Khessa is puzzled by what she hears, but sees an opportunity here - and tries to exploit it!

The blonde arcane warrior stands tall and haughtily and addresses the half-orc: "The only 'tests' you are facing are due to your stupidity, Krell! Invade? How could we 'invade' this place... when it belongs to the queen we serve?" She temporarily removes from her backpack her spider-web-like spellbook... a spellbook that once belonged to a drow... showing it openly "It is Lolth who sends me, you idiot male! And you have so poorly trained the forces entrusted to you, that they did not recognize me and my escort and attacked us! You will have to answer for the damage you have caused to our queen's forces! Enough of this! Come to me! Now!"

The tall adventuress puts away the spellbook again, having already provided 'proof' of her loyalty - hoping that her confident attitude (and the fact that Lolth preaches the superiority of females over males Khessa shows she knows both Lolth's and Krell's names) will do the rest. If Krell actually approaches, the party could much more easily overwhelm him...

Khessa's Deception, if needed: 13

If the factors I've listed, at the DM's discretion, give her Advantage, that's another straight roll - let's consider the higher of the two (otherwise obviously we consider only the first one, the one above): 21

Tactical Mind, if needed: 8 for a total of 18

(If still fails, Second Wind is not expended)

Avery is going to mumble to himself about "bloody spiders," and try to whisper to Khessa-"Draw them out here, better to fight on the open deck then in close quarters. Fight on our terms"

(Such a good ploy with the spellbook and knowledge of Drow culture. But I would have given it a DC of 20. Although I reckon it's gotta be good enough to make the Half-Orc stop for a second, Disadvantage on Initiative for sure. You're all still in very confined spaces on the ship, as long as you have line of sight you can attack the Half-Orc.)

Krell starts for a moment at Khessa's words. Then shakes off his initial shock at seeing the spellbook, "Curse you for your deception, human! The matron would never have you come aboard and kill her precious creatures. Die here and now!" He starts to cast a spell as his spiders hiss and attack. Initiative:

Group 1: Xanrym, Theldrin, Avery, and Coriana

Group 2: Krell and his Spiders

Group 3: Khessa and Syllen

Group 1 is up. Krell stands at the far end of the room, while his two spiders stand guard in front of him.

Xanrym: Round 1

Xanrym holds his breath for a moment, hoping that Khessa can trick Krell and draw him out of the room.  But then Krell appears to be about to cast a spell, and Xanrym decides to give up his hiding spot and cast Silence, as planned.  (He doesn't want to risk the Company being subject to a lightning bolt while lined up in a hallway again!)  Before he casts his spell, Xanrym calls out to Krell, "The Demon Queen of Spiders has abandoned you!  We will send you and your spiders to the cold depths of Nyr Dyv!"  Then he casts his spell, and moves up and into the room on the east so that he can keep out of harm's way and maintain concentration on his spell.  (The last time he tried to Silence a spellcaster, a will-o'-wisp immediately appeared and zapped him with lightning, breaking his concentration.)  As he gets into the room on the east side of the hallway, Xanrym gets his crossbow ready to help fight anything that makes it into the hallway.

Movement: After he takes his action, Xanrym moves south, slipping nimbly past Coriana and Avery in the narrow hallway, and ending in room 9 on the east of the hallway (just north of the door).  He's trying to stay completely out of sight of Krell and the spiders, hoping to maintain concentration on his spell for as long as possible.  
Bonus Action: Use Unsettling Words against Krell.
  Krell must subtract 1 from the next saving throw he makes before the start of Xanrym's next turn.  (That's for one of the other casters to leverage a save-or-suck spell.)
Action: Cast spell (LVL 2 slot) Silence, centered on the door behind Krell.
  The spell creates a 20-ft radius sphere of silence.  That should cover Krell's entire room except for part of the two squares in the NE and NW corners.
Free Action: Equip his crossbow.

Concentration: Silence round 1

Quote from Ben_Evolent >>

Xanrym: Round 1

Bonus Action: Use Unsettling Words against Krell.
  Krell must subtract 1 from the next saving throw he makes before the start of Xanrym's next turn.  (That's for one of the other casters to leverage a save-or-suck spell.)

(OOC: Hm, not a great debuff this time, so hopefully Theldrin or one of the other spellcasters chooses to target one of Krell's weaker saving throws.  Remember, it only applies to the first saving throw that Krell needs to make this round.)

Avery will enter the room, break immediately to his left and take a position in the corner and attack the spider (on the map, it will be the top right corner)-Attack 15, damage 12

Coriana follows Avery to the east side of the room, moving her hex to the spider and slashing away at it. Her attempts to connect fail, however.

(Nat 1)

(OOC: @Aaggie, @Charwoman_Gene - Don't forget that Syllen restored everyone's connection to nature with his usual blessing, so Avery and Coriana should be back at 8 THP at the start of this fight.)

(OOC: Theldrin doesn't know we have a crappy debuff here, so is going to follow his plan assuming he can move up to where Avery was and see Krell)

Theldrin moves up to where he can get a view of Krell and casts Blindness/Deafness in attempt to blind the half-orc.

CON 14 Save

If he can't see Krell from there he'll send a Magic Missile blast at the nearest spider instead.

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