The wand activates, giving Sirius the ability to detect magic. Something inside the chest emits a faint black aura, oozing through the cracks like nebulous ink, indicating the presence of necromancy. The location where Marlede has stowed the eye lights up in a similar fashion, but the coloration is pale blue; divination.
Aubreen takes a closer look at the chest. Is it locked? can he use his dagger to pry the lid open. He tries to break the seal on the wooden barnacle encrusted box and push the lid backwards. He holds his breath, anticipating any manner of evil to burst forth.
The chest was locked in some manner, but it looks like it's rusted beyond providing functional use. Hefty application of Aubreens dagger and a few solid whacks with the pommel makes short work of the barnacles and the metal plate holding it shut.
As you open it, you are greeted by the the glitter of coins. The chest is full of gold pieces, roughly minted in different coats of arms. There must be at least a few hundred of them from a quick glance. Sirius still detects the aura, seeping up from in-between the coins, seemingly from the bottom of the chest.
Sirius peeks over Aubreen's shoulder "Good heavens that's a lot of gold. I feel an aura of magic, dark magic." He gets right into it and starts to search for the root of the aura, following the sense, digging through hundreds of coins. "I haven't seen this much gold since I left home."
Marlede will put a hand on Sirius' shoulder and says:
"Just in case... take some protection from evil."
She casts Protection from Evil and Good on him. Not really sure if it'll help in any way. But it's better than doing nothing as he digs through a chest with necromancy energy. Then she steps back like 5 ft holding her shortswords.
Sirius sifts through the gold. As his hands explore near the bottom of the chest, he brushes up against something decidecly not metal. Some sort of bump. Rough material. It could be leather.
Suddenly it closes around Sirius hand. Or at least it attempts to, but the protective spell on him prevents it from getting a good grip.
Coins burst upward as six wiggling objects violently emerge from the chest. Clawed hands, nimbly moving on all fingers, throwing themselves at you! Part of the gold is scattered across the ice, tumbling about.
The hands:
The group expected something to happen, so nobody's surprised.
Initiative: 1. Marlede < YOUR TURN 2. Six withered crawling hands 3. Aubreen, Sirius and Perrin
You're all still on the ice, around position 4, including all the claws.
[ OOC: If casting the spell wasn't my action, then I will take it now. ]
"Ugh! Disgusting!"
Marlede is taken aback by the creepy crawling hands, but she's seen worse inside the cave (especially since she cleaned all the guts off of the cauldron). She will try to stab the nearest ones with her shortswords and stays in melee range:
First to hit is an 11, dealing 9 damage.
Second to hit with her off hand is a 7, dealing 4 damage.
Why do I even use these worthless things?!
[ OOC: I don't have two-weapon fighting style so I just rolled a 1d6 for the off-hand damage. ]
[DM: yes that's fine, I assumed more than 6 seconds had passed since Marlede had cast the spell and Sirius finding the hands]
The claws skitter nimbly out of the way of Marledes swipes, then indidsciminately throw themselves at the group.
Two claws jump and try to scratch at the unarmored parts of Aubreens legs: Attack: 18, damage: 3 Attack: 21, damage: 3
Two more concentrate on Sirius trying to get in-between his armor, but act like he's a hot stove, having difficulties coordinating: Attack (with disadvantage): 4, damage: 3 Attack (with disadvantage): 4, damage: 5
One throws itself at Perrin, trying to rip out feathers: Attack: 10, damage: 4
One tries to jump high, aiming for Marledes eyes: Attack: 8, damage: 2
Initiative: 1. Marlede < YOUR TURN 2. Six withered crawling hands 3. Aubreen, Sirius and Perrin < YOUR TURN
Since Marlede will be the first in round two, you can also act.
Aubreen stumbles back as the claws rake at his legs. His mail hauberk, a fine piece of equipment only descends to mid thigh. "Liera's tears, what mad abomination dreamed up these things". He drops his dagger, pulling the longsword to sweep and stab before him. Vaudevillian antics aside, the long sword thrusts forward again and again, chipping into the ice, chasing the dastardly hands back and forth. Just stand still and quit scuttling ya damnable things, arggh they are frustrating.
Aubreen will stab at the claws, first one then moving on to others if and when they die.
Long sword attack, stab against a crawling claw: Attack: 10 Damage: 10
BA Long sword attack, stab against a crawling claw: Attack: 24 Damage: 6
Action surge Long sword attack, stab against a crawling claw: Attack: 14 Damage: 9
Perrin sidesteps the claw that went after him, and he flicks a burst of flame at it in retaliation. Sighing internally, he thinks about how wonderful it would be if the things they met didn't always want to murder them.
Sirius makes short work of the two claws, spearing one and whacking another with such force that it lands broken on the ice, twitching one last time. Aubreen follows up on this, slicing another two in twain, sending severed fingers in all directions. A third one escapes his slash.
Perrin lights another hand up, it perishes in apparent agony, winding on the ice like a spider. (this was a ranged attack and should have been with disadvantage since the claws are in and around you, but a reroll was equally good)
Only one hand remains, focused on Marlede, singling her out as the best target, but it misjudges the distance. Attack: 7, damage: 3 slashing
Initiative: 1. Marlede < YOUR TURN 2. One last crawling claw 3. Aubreen, Sirius and Perrin < YOUR TURN
[Sirius had some terrible luck with the harpers but this is next level]
Sirius collects himself and starts gathering the coins back into the chest. ”I hate those things. What’s dead should remain as such. Perrin, please burn those terrible things so they don’t ever come back.”
Sirius concentrates on the chest, looking for yet another source of magic and turns his attention to the eye once more. ”Please be careful with that eye Marlede. I sense divination magic on it. We should probably get that looked at by a wizard before you accidentally curse yourself with the hag’s magic.”
The chest no longer exhibits any source of necromancy. Most of the coins are still inside, others lie strewn about on the ice after the hands had jumped out. All in all, you count 600 gp.
[ I don't know what god/s she pissed off, but f**k them, too. XD ]
"I do not want anyone to speak of this. Ever." she says after Sirius defeats the hand.
Marlede looks dead serious, but you can tell she's dying from the embarrassment.
As for the eye, she acknowledges Sirius's suggestion and will hold onto it until someone in Easthaven analyzes it. She'll make a decision afterwards.
"Now, let's just gather the gold in the chest. These hands made a mess."
As we gather the coins and count them, Marlede would suggest just taking whatever amount of gold we need and then doing what Perrin suggested, which was donating it. She personally would like to donate the gold to any medical facilities like the ones in Bryn Shander. Those run by followers of Ilmater. But she'll go along with just handing it over to the townspeaker and having them distribute the wealth as necessary.
[ I personally want to buy some items and maybe a mount like the one Sirius bought (the Axe Beak, was it?). I think it'll make traveling more convenient, right? ]
Sirius pauses for a moment to think about where he should donate his portion of the wealth. "An additional 50 gold await us in Easthaven. You're free to do with it as you please but I will personally donate mine to the families of the fishers. By my estimation, that should give them half a year to get back on their feet." He collects his share of the coins into his pouch. "That eye should be clear enough proof that we got rid of the hag, perhaps we should burn it's body too."
After all the business concludes at the lake, Sirius is ready to leave for Easthaven.
[I think the benefits of the Axe beak have been pretty marginal thus far (I mostly got it because it sounded cool and cute), but if the rest of the party got them as well, I think we could move faster. Iirc Axe beak move faster in snow and don't tire as easily (DM please correct me if I remember wrong).]
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The wand activates, giving Sirius the ability to detect magic. Something inside the chest emits a faint black aura, oozing through the cracks like nebulous ink, indicating the presence of necromancy. The location where Marlede has stowed the eye lights up in a similar fashion, but the coloration is pale blue; divination.
Aubreen takes a closer look at the chest. Is it locked? can he use his dagger to pry the lid open. He tries to break the seal on the wooden barnacle encrusted box and push the lid backwards. He holds his breath, anticipating any manner of evil to burst forth.
The chest was locked in some manner, but it looks like it's rusted beyond providing functional use. Hefty application of Aubreens dagger and a few solid whacks with the pommel makes short work of the barnacles and the metal plate holding it shut.
As you open it, you are greeted by the the glitter of coins. The chest is full of gold pieces, roughly minted in different coats of arms. There must be at least a few hundred of them from a quick glance. Sirius still detects the aura, seeping up from in-between the coins, seemingly from the bottom of the chest.
Sirius peeks over Aubreen's shoulder "Good heavens that's a lot of gold. I feel an aura of magic, dark magic." He gets right into it and starts to search for the root of the aura, following the sense, digging through hundreds of coins. "I haven't seen this much gold since I left home."
Marlede will put a hand on Sirius' shoulder and says:
"Just in case... take some protection from evil."
She casts Protection from Evil and Good on him. Not really sure if it'll help in any way. But it's better than doing nothing as he digs through a chest with necromancy energy. Then she steps back like 5 ft holding her shortswords.
Currently DMing:
Sirius sifts through the gold. As his hands explore near the bottom of the chest, he brushes up against something decidecly not metal. Some sort of bump. Rough material. It could be leather.
Suddenly it closes around Sirius hand. Or at least it attempts to, but the protective spell on him prevents it from getting a good grip.
Coins burst upward as six wiggling objects violently emerge from the chest. Clawed hands, nimbly moving on all fingers, throwing themselves at you! Part of the gold is scattered across the ice, tumbling about.
The hands:
The group expected something to happen, so nobody's surprised.
Initiative:
1. Marlede < YOUR TURN
2. Six withered crawling hands
3. Aubreen, Sirius and Perrin
You're all still on the ice, around position 4, including all the claws.
[ OOC: If casting the spell wasn't my action, then I will take it now. ]
"Ugh! Disgusting!"
Marlede is taken aback by the creepy crawling hands, but she's seen worse inside the cave (especially since she cleaned all the guts off of the cauldron). She will try to stab the nearest ones with her shortswords and stays in melee range:
Why do I even use these worthless things?!
[ OOC: I don't have two-weapon fighting style so I just rolled a 1d6 for the off-hand damage. ]
Currently DMing:
[DM: yes that's fine, I assumed more than 6 seconds had passed since Marlede had cast the spell and Sirius finding the hands]
The claws skitter nimbly out of the way of Marledes swipes, then indidsciminately throw themselves at the group.
Two claws jump and try to scratch at the unarmored parts of Aubreens legs:
Attack: 18, damage: 3
Attack: 21, damage: 3
Two more concentrate on Sirius trying to get in-between his armor, but act like he's a hot stove, having difficulties coordinating:
Attack (with disadvantage): 4, damage: 3
Attack (with disadvantage): 4, damage: 5
One throws itself at Perrin, trying to rip out feathers:
Attack: 10, damage: 4
One tries to jump high, aiming for Marledes eyes:
Attack: 8, damage: 2
Initiative:
1. Marlede < YOUR TURN
2. Six withered crawling hands
3. Aubreen, Sirius and Perrin < YOUR TURN
Since Marlede will be the first in round two, you can also act.
Sirius instinctively jumps back upon contact, quickly drawing his spear. Clearly in shock, he begins furiously hacking at the hands.
To hit: 17, damage: 10 piercing
To hit: 19, damage: 7 bludgeoning
[ OOC: I take it the 11 didn't hit, so these next ones are just embarrassing. ]
Marlede flails the swortswords in a panic as the hand tries to take one of her eyes.
Do these things know I took the hag's eye?!
She then looks at Aubreen with an expression that almost screams "HOW CAN YOU FIGHT WITH THESE THINGS?!"
[ OOC: Okay, Marlede is canonically bad at swordfighting now. That or Hands are her worst enemies yet. XD ]
Currently DMing:
Aubreen stumbles back as the claws rake at his legs. His mail hauberk, a fine piece of equipment only descends to mid thigh. "Liera's tears, what mad abomination dreamed up these things". He drops his dagger, pulling the longsword to sweep and stab before him. Vaudevillian antics aside, the long sword thrusts forward again and again, chipping into the ice, chasing the dastardly hands back and forth. Just stand still and quit scuttling ya damnable things, arggh they are frustrating.
Aubreen will stab at the claws, first one then moving on to others if and when they die.
Long sword attack, stab against a crawling claw: Attack: 10 Damage: 10
BA Long sword attack, stab against a crawling claw: Attack: 24 Damage: 6
Action surge Long sword attack, stab against a crawling claw: Attack: 14 Damage: 9
Perrin sidesteps the claw that went after him, and he flicks a burst of flame at it in retaliation. Sighing internally, he thinks about how wonderful it would be if the things they met didn't always want to murder them.
Produce Flame Attack: 18 Damage: 4 fire damage
DM- Azalin's Doom
DM- Surviving the Unsurvivable
Sirius makes short work of the two claws, spearing one and whacking another with such force that it lands broken on the ice, twitching one last time. Aubreen follows up on this, slicing another two in twain, sending severed fingers in all directions. A third one escapes his slash.
Perrin lights another hand up, it perishes in apparent agony, winding on the ice like a spider. (this was a ranged attack and should have been with disadvantage since the claws are in and around you, but a reroll was equally good)
Only one hand remains, focused on Marlede, singling her out as the best target, but it misjudges the distance.
Attack: 7, damage: 3 slashing
Initiative:
1. Marlede < YOUR TURN
2. One last crawling claw
3. Aubreen, Sirius and Perrin < YOUR TURN
[ OOC: SURELY I can't miss that hand again, right? ]
You're not taking my eyes, you little bastard!
Currently DMing:
"Die you disgusting hands!"
To hit: 21, damage: 10
To hit: 12, damage: 7
Even after the hands stop moving, Sirius keeps wailing on them.
[I'm amazed at Marledes rolls]
Marlede chips off one finger, yet the hand remains crawling. Siris eventually spears it and it stops moving.
Out of Initiative!
[Sirius had some terrible luck with the harpers but this is next level]
Sirius collects himself and starts gathering the coins back into the chest. ”I hate those things. What’s dead should remain as such. Perrin, please burn those terrible things so they don’t ever come back.”
Sirius concentrates on the chest, looking for yet another source of magic and turns his attention to the eye once more. ”Please be careful with that eye Marlede. I sense divination magic on it. We should probably get that looked at by a wizard before you accidentally curse yourself with the hag’s magic.”
The chest no longer exhibits any source of necromancy. Most of the coins are still inside, others lie strewn about on the ice after the hands had jumped out. All in all, you count 600 gp.
[ I don't know what god/s she pissed off, but f**k them, too. XD ]
"I do not want anyone to speak of this. Ever." she says after Sirius defeats the hand.
Marlede looks dead serious, but you can tell she's dying from the embarrassment.
As for the eye, she acknowledges Sirius's suggestion and will hold onto it until someone in Easthaven analyzes it. She'll make a decision afterwards.
"Now, let's just gather the gold in the chest. These hands made a mess."
As we gather the coins and count them, Marlede would suggest just taking whatever amount of gold we need and then doing what Perrin suggested, which was donating it. She personally would like to donate the gold to any medical facilities like the ones in Bryn Shander. Those run by followers of Ilmater. But she'll go along with just handing it over to the townspeaker and having them distribute the wealth as necessary.
[ I personally want to buy some items and maybe a mount like the one Sirius bought (the Axe Beak, was it?). I think it'll make traveling more convenient, right? ]
Currently DMing:
Sirius pauses for a moment to think about where he should donate his portion of the wealth. "An additional 50 gold await us in Easthaven. You're free to do with it as you please but I will personally donate mine to the families of the fishers. By my estimation, that should give them half a year to get back on their feet." He collects his share of the coins into his pouch. "That eye should be clear enough proof that we got rid of the hag, perhaps we should burn it's body too."
After all the business concludes at the lake, Sirius is ready to leave for Easthaven.
[I think the benefits of the Axe beak have been pretty marginal thus far (I mostly got it because it sounded cool and cute), but if the rest of the party got them as well, I think we could move faster. Iirc Axe beak move faster in snow and don't tire as easily (DM please correct me if I remember wrong).]