The half-elf draws on memories of her noble Eladrin mother and brother Exemplar as he was taught skills to heal and harm.
She turns Matreus onto one side, laying out one of his arms to stabilise him and a knee bent to stop him from rolling further. With an ear to his nose and fingers to his neck she looks for signs of life. She hesitates. Thinking. What next? Oh, yes.
She draws a hand back and slaps him across the face.
When Erudisia rolls Matreus onto his side, he suddenly inhales, a terrible grinding sound. His eyes rock to hers. He whispers, “To open from inside… explore… letters… word…,” but a convulsion interrupts his stilted croaking. Then he stills, motionless. The noble woman’s hand rises and then comes down hard to keep him from drifting away. No effect. Erudisia’s successful Medicine check tells her that he is alive but in need of a devoted healer’s care (i.e., a 3rd level spell, at least).
(My notes say, whoever tries to help Matreus gets inspiration, so once again, inspiration for Erudisia!)
Meredith ran up to try and boot the imp in the head.
Attack: 21 Damage: 1
Meredith’s kick connects, snapping the creature’s head sideways for a moment. But you all know, due to your various arcane studies, that imps are resistant to many kinds of damage, including punches and kicks. A thin line of blood trickles from its bloodied lip. It smiles cruelly at Meredith.
Bell gives a little squeal of delight when the imp became visible again. "Finally," she thought as Bell took a deep breathe and sent a subtle attack the imp's way.
Rogi’s dagger slices the air, but with a quick flapping of its leather wings, the imp flits out of reach, then immediately back again, evading the attack.
Bell’s cantrip slips toward the vile creature mind to mind, but the wizard-in-training is astonished at the speed with which the little demon’s arcane defenses react, as if a shield of adamant blocks the arrow of her psychic attack (INT save: nat. 20).
Round 3
The garden gnome’s outstretched finger continues to wag as its tea-kettle alarm pierces the air.
The imp, positioned between Rogi and the door, turns around, grasping the heavy crossbeam and struggling with all of its strength to dislodge it, red leathern wings flapping furiously. In vain! The beam doesn’t budge. The little demon turns back to face Rogi, hissing “Let me ouut!!!!!,” in the common tongue, its sharp tail straining and poised to strike.
Meredith and Rogi — faced with this unexpected foe, your glance races around the room seeking better weapons with which to engage it. Like compasses finding magnetic north, your eyes fall upon a trophy wall in the parlor, where you see a rapier, a short sword, and a short bow and full quiver propped on display pegs, readily accessible. All of the weapons are inlaid with jade, are silver-edged or -tipped, and bear the arms of Waterdeep.
Erudisiapoints one hand towards the imp. Her eyes narrow, her finger wags in imitation of its nemesis, the automated gnome defense system. The air feels heavy, pressing against ear drums as if a storm has descended suddenly, its eye turned towards all beneath it. Auran rolls off her tongue as easily as song.
"Ƶล𐒅𐒅ล٢ કɨล ક⛛ลԈⱦ٢ลลꗪ𝝒"
[Wrathful Eldritch Blast: Attack Roll 23. Damage Roll 10 force, +2 thunder. (12 total) ]
When Meredith, who was in hand-to-hand combat with the imp, steps away toward the trophy wall, the imp’s venomous tail whips around at her (attack of opportunity), but fails to connect.
Meredith’s silver-tipped missile rebounds off of Rogi’s shield as he jockeys for position,* and thunks into the door behind the imp, missing its target.
The imp, hearing Erudisia’s Auran spellcasting, snarls – a sound like a vicious, sharp-toothed gerbil, and its strident little voice shouts “NOOOOOO!!!,” as Rogi steps out of the way in the nick of time* and the noble woman’s crushing bolt of force smashes the evil creature backwards and into the heavy mansion door. There it hangs, pinned by the thunderous flow until the spell completes and the red, lifeless form flops to the floor in a small heap. But it only remains there briefly. A burst of hellfire erupts from the floor, engulfing the creature. Seconds later, the fire diminishes to nothing and with it, the body. No trace of the imp remains.
(*House rule for both Meredith and Erudisia: firing into a melee will be at disadvantage. No need to reroll this time.)
The garden gnome’s teakettle alarm diminishes to silence and its cap settles on its head. Its hands move to its hips, as it says in a little tenor voice, “Well, all right,” before it de-animates.
Combat is over. (FYI, we are using milestone leveling.)
Rogi, you now have a moment to take in the parlor, its walls lined floor to ceiling with books. To repeat what the others have already noted, hallways branch off to either side. Additionally, on the right hand side, a finely made staircase with artfully carved banisters arcs up to a second floor. Framing the barred entry door on either side are tall windows with sumptuous dressings. A bouquet of fresh cut flowers in a fine vase sits on a side table beside a chaise upon which several books have toppled.
There are three doors opening off of each hallway.
Matreus lies unconscious or dead on the floor just in front of the chaise.
Bell moves over to the unconscious Matreus. {game log} Medicine: Nat20 +1= 21
Bell will take her time and go through all she had learned from her mother over the years. Pulse, sweats, stem any bleeding and more. Seeing the puncture wound, she remembers what little she was told about treating snake bites. As best she can, she will make Matreus as comfortable as possible as she ministers to him.
All the while she is muttering to herself, "... totally inprepared for this. And I never packed any healing potions or healing kits. How did I ever survive the trip to Candlekeep? Instead of reading books far outside my abilities, I really need to see if they have the very basic of basic books on the best spells to prepare and maybe even a healing spell or two..." She continues in this vein as she works on Matreus for the next few minutes.
Bell’s evaluation of Matreus’ condition with Meredith’s help tells her what Erudisa already knows: Matreus is alive, but only barely. He is in need of a devoted healer’s care (i.e., a 3rd level spell, at least). However, Bell’s natural 20 tells us more: Bell has personal experience with an imp's poison.
Bell:
It was at the Tower, when Bell and her study buddy, Siri Sunglade, were quietly reading in a glade. A curious noise drew them away, and they were waylaid by an imp. Siri sent him running but not before she was stung. Bell was barely able to carry her unconscious friend back to campus. At the Tower’s infirmary, Bell’s mentor, Myx Zptlk, told her the hard truth:
“An imp’s poison is enough to kill most people within a few heartbeats. Fortunately, Siri is strong, having survived this long, but without a more experienced healer than the Tower student health plan covers, she will remain in a coma until the next sunset after being poisoned. Then... she will perish.”
Fortunately, Siri’s parents came through, obtaining a loan from the Drow Central Bank by offering their smithy as collateral to pay for the necessary spell in the nick of time.
(i.e., Matreus will remain in a coma until he perishes at the next sunset after being poisoned, unless a 3rd-Level healing spell can be cast to save him before then.)
At this moment, a cuckoo clock in one corner clicks and whirs, quietly chiming the hour: 10:00pm. (22:00)
While Bell checks over Matreus, Erudisacalls on Rogi for help with the door. She picks up the three books on the floor and places them on the side-table next to vase absent-mindedly. Then, hopefully with Rogi's help, she tries to lift the cross bar from the door.
"Mister Gnome," she says to the little statue that now stands still, "the imp is defeated, we would like to leave now."
While Bell checks over Matreus, Erudisacalls on Rogi for help with the door. She picks up the three books on the floor and places them on the side-table next to vase absent-mindedly. Then, hopefully with Rogi's help, she tries to lift the cross bar from the door.
Despite Rogi and Erudisia's best efforts, the beam doesn't budge an inch. It seems to be magically held in place.
"Mister Gnome," she says to the little statue that now stands still, "the imp is defeated, we would like to leave now."
One painted eyebrow on the garden gnome statue quirks. Its upper body re-animates, allowing it to crane its neck to face the entryway, and then to giggle, holding its tummy. "Heheheh. I forgot!," its rough little voice answers. It snaps its fingers and the crossbeam floats upwards, light as a feather, to its original position, a slot in the ceiling. "Well all right!" it then repeats, before de-animating once again.
However, even without the beam holding the doors shut, they remain utterly immobile.
Bell turns to her companions with a grim look on her face, "Master Matreus was stung by the imp. This happened to a friend of mine back home. Unless we get a healer to help, Matreus will stay in a coma until the next sunset -- then he will die. We have to get help and a healer here immediately. Can't one of you just do the spell again to open the doors like we did in the study room?"
“Scepter,” says Erudisia in the face of the immobile doors, without much hope. She recalls Matreus’ perhaps final words, and shares them now.
“I think we must explore and find the manor’s original owner’s letters or journals. Perhaps her correspondences will contain the command word that will gain our freedom. I fear this is a task that more suits my sister than I, but only we four are here.” She glances at the clock, and the spectre of doom that now perverts the meaning of dawn into something wicked and feared.
“So we must find our way out of here before morning, or Matreus dies. If you will forgive me taking the liberty of command, I do not think we should split up, rather I would have us all go upstairs. Any of Fistandia’s most important personal affects must be upstairs. And perhaps we can place poor Matreus in a more comfortable bed, rather than leave him on the floor.”
(Thank you for the inspiration).
The half-elf draws on memories of her noble Eladrin mother and brother Exemplar as he was taught skills to heal and harm.
She turns Matreus onto one side, laying out one of his arms to stabilise him and a knee bent to stop him from rolling further. With an ear to his nose and fingers to his neck she looks for signs of life. She hesitates. Thinking. What next? Oh, yes.
She draws a hand back and slaps him across the face.
(Medicine: 14)
When Erudisia rolls Matreus onto his side, he suddenly inhales, a terrible grinding sound. His eyes rock to hers. He whispers, “To open from inside… explore… letters… word…,” but a convulsion interrupts his stilted croaking. Then he stills, motionless. The noble woman’s hand rises and then comes down hard to keep him from drifting away. No effect. Erudisia’s successful Medicine check tells her that he is alive but in need of a devoted healer’s care (i.e., a 3rd level spell, at least).
(My notes say, whoever tries to help Matreus gets inspiration, so once again, inspiration for Erudisia!)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
(Rogi can heal, would that help?)
(No. Needs 3rd level spell, at least, although only Erudisia knows this at the moment.)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
(We’re still in combat so I think she’d share that after, and only really think about Matreus’s words after too, ergo the below).
Erudisia stands up, keeping herself in front of Matreus to shield the fading scholar from the imp.
She prepares to cast her most recently learnt spell for the next shot she can get at the creature.
“Matreus is deathly unwell. We need to get him through that door, and the portal open once more. I fear it will not open while the evil thing lives.”
(Bell and Rogi, you’re up.)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Meredith’s kick connects, snapping the creature’s head sideways for a moment. But you all know, due to your various arcane studies, that imps are resistant to many kinds of damage, including punches and kicks. A thin line of blood trickles from its bloodied lip. It smiles cruelly at Meredith.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Rogi faces the creature and draws his dagger, keeping his shield between them. "Stand back!" He advises the others before slashing at it.
Attack: 5 Damage: 5
Bell gives a little squeal of delight when the imp became visible again. "Finally," she thought as Bell took a deep breathe and sent a subtle attack the imp's way.
Mind Sliver
{combat log} Psychic Damage: 3
Round 2 (conclusion)
Rogi’s dagger slices the air, but with a quick flapping of its leather wings, the imp flits out of reach, then immediately back again, evading the attack.
Bell’s cantrip slips toward the vile creature mind to mind, but the wizard-in-training is astonished at the speed with which the little demon’s arcane defenses react, as if a shield of adamant blocks the arrow of her psychic attack (INT save: nat. 20).
Round 3
The garden gnome’s outstretched finger continues to wag as its tea-kettle alarm pierces the air.
The imp, positioned between Rogi and the door, turns around, grasping the heavy crossbeam and struggling with all of its strength to dislodge it, red leathern wings flapping furiously. In vain! The beam doesn’t budge. The little demon turns back to face Rogi, hissing “Let me ouut!!!!!,” in the common tongue, its sharp tail straining and poised to strike.
Meredith and Rogi — faced with this unexpected foe, your glance races around the room seeking better weapons with which to engage it. Like compasses finding magnetic north, your eyes fall upon a trophy wall in the parlor, where you see a rapier, a short sword, and a short bow and full quiver propped on display pegs, readily accessible. All of the weapons are inlaid with jade, are silver-edged or -tipped, and bear the arms of Waterdeep.
Erudisia and Meredith, please post for round 3.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Meredith runs across and grabs the shortbow, knocking an arrow and firing at the Imp.
Attack: 8 Damage: 4
Erudisia points one hand towards the imp. Her eyes narrow, her finger wags in imitation of its nemesis, the automated gnome defense system. The air feels heavy, pressing against ear drums as if a storm has descended suddenly, its eye turned towards all beneath it. Auran rolls off her tongue as easily as song.
"Ƶล𐒅𐒅ล٢ કɨล ક⛛ลԈⱦ٢ลลꗪ𝝒"
[Wrathful Eldritch Blast: Attack Roll 23. Damage Roll 10 force, +2 thunder. (12 total) ]
When Meredith, who was in hand-to-hand combat with the imp, steps away toward the trophy wall, the imp’s venomous tail whips around at her (attack of opportunity), but fails to connect.
Meredith’s silver-tipped missile rebounds off of Rogi’s shield as he jockeys for position,* and thunks into the door behind the imp, missing its target.
The imp, hearing Erudisia’s Auran spellcasting, snarls – a sound like a vicious, sharp-toothed gerbil, and its strident little voice shouts “NOOOOOO!!!,” as Rogi steps out of the way in the nick of time* and the noble woman’s crushing bolt of force smashes the evil creature backwards and into the heavy mansion door. There it hangs, pinned by the thunderous flow until the spell completes and the red, lifeless form flops to the floor in a small heap. But it only remains there briefly. A burst of hellfire erupts from the floor, engulfing the creature. Seconds later, the fire diminishes to nothing and with it, the body. No trace of the imp remains.
(*House rule for both Meredith and Erudisia: firing into a melee will be at disadvantage. No need to reroll this time.)
The garden gnome’s teakettle alarm diminishes to silence and its cap settles on its head. Its hands move to its hips, as it says in a little tenor voice, “Well, all right,” before it de-animates.
Combat is over. (FYI, we are using milestone leveling.)
Rogi, you now have a moment to take in the parlor, its walls lined floor to ceiling with books. To repeat what the others have already noted, hallways branch off to either side. Additionally, on the right hand side, a finely made staircase with artfully carved banisters arcs up to a second floor. Framing the barred entry door on either side are tall windows with sumptuous dressings. A bouquet of fresh cut flowers in a fine vase sits on a side table beside a chaise upon which several books have toppled.
There are three doors opening off of each hallway.
Matreus lies unconscious or dead on the floor just in front of the chaise.
The space you are in looks something like this:
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Bell moves over to the unconscious Matreus. {game log} Medicine: Nat20 +1= 21
Bell will take her time and go through all she had learned from her mother over the years. Pulse, sweats, stem any bleeding and more. Seeing the puncture wound, she remembers what little she was told about treating snake bites. As best she can, she will make Matreus as comfortable as possible as she ministers to him.
All the while she is muttering to herself, "... totally inprepared for this. And I never packed any healing potions or healing kits. How did I ever survive the trip to Candlekeep? Instead of reading books far outside my abilities, I really need to see if they have the very basic of basic books on the best spells to prepare and maybe even a healing spell or two..." She continues in this vein as she works on Matreus for the next few minutes.
Matilda studiously avoids looking at Rogi, who she had almost killed, and moves to assist ( Help) with Matreus.
Bell’s evaluation of Matreus’ condition with Meredith’s help tells her what Erudisa already knows: Matreus is alive, but only barely. He is in need of a devoted healer’s care (i.e., a 3rd level spell, at least). However, Bell’s natural 20 tells us more: Bell has personal experience with an imp's poison.
Bell:
It was at the Tower, when Bell and her study buddy, Siri Sunglade, were quietly reading in a glade. A curious noise drew them away, and they were waylaid by an imp. Siri sent him running but not before she was stung. Bell was barely able to carry her unconscious friend back to campus. At the Tower’s infirmary, Bell’s mentor, Myx Zptlk, told her the hard truth:
“An imp’s poison is enough to kill most people within a few heartbeats. Fortunately, Siri is strong, having survived this long, but without a more experienced healer than the Tower student health plan covers, she will remain in a coma until the next sunset after being poisoned. Then... she will perish.”
Fortunately, Siri’s parents came through, obtaining a loan from the Drow Central Bank by offering their smithy as collateral to pay for the necessary spell in the nick of time.
(i.e., Matreus will remain in a coma until he perishes at the next sunset after being poisoned, unless a 3rd-Level healing spell can be cast to save him before then.)
At this moment, a cuckoo clock in one corner clicks and whirs, quietly chiming the hour: 10:00pm. (22:00)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
While Bell checks over Matreus, Erudisa calls on Rogi for help with the door. She picks up the three books on the floor and places them on the side-table next to vase absent-mindedly. Then, hopefully with Rogi's help, she tries to lift the cross bar from the door.
"Mister Gnome," she says to the little statue that now stands still, "the imp is defeated, we would like to leave now."
Despite Rogi and Erudisia's best efforts, the beam doesn't budge an inch. It seems to be magically held in place.
One painted eyebrow on the garden gnome statue quirks. Its upper body re-animates, allowing it to crane its neck to face the entryway, and then to giggle, holding its tummy. "Heheheh. I forgot!," its rough little voice answers. It snaps its fingers and the crossbeam floats upwards, light as a feather, to its original position, a slot in the ceiling. "Well all right!" it then repeats, before de-animating once again.
However, even without the beam holding the doors shut, they remain utterly immobile.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Bell turns to her companions with a grim look on her face, "Master Matreus was stung by the imp. This happened to a friend of mine back home. Unless we get a healer to help, Matreus will stay in a coma until the next sunset -- then he will die. We have to get help and a healer here immediately. Can't one of you just do the spell again to open the doors like we did in the study room?"
“Scepter,” says Erudisia in the face of the immobile doors, without much hope. She recalls Matreus’ perhaps final words, and shares them now.
“I think we must explore and find the manor’s original owner’s letters or journals. Perhaps her correspondences will contain the command word that will gain our freedom. I fear this is a task that more suits my sister than I, but only we four are here.” She glances at the clock, and the spectre of doom that now perverts the meaning of dawn into something wicked and feared.
“So we must find our way out of here before morning, or Matreus dies. If you will forgive me taking the liberty of command, I do not think we should split up, rather I would have us all go upstairs. Any of Fistandia’s most important personal affects must be upstairs. And perhaps we can place poor Matreus in a more comfortable bed, rather than leave him on the floor.”