This is the combat map; if Elias' Initiative beats Deathlock Wight's one (11), our hero can go on and take his Turn. Geados also will act, before the enemy; but I'll give Elias a chance to act first, if he can.
Elias’s heart tightens the instant the creature snaps its head toward him—those slashed-open eyes and mouth igniting with unnatural light as it shrieks its plea to a forgotten patron.
“You! A sacrifice!”
The Deathlock Wight surges forward, claws extended and glistening with necrotic intent, a chorus of mad devotion spilling from its gaping maw.
“Geados—back, now!” Elias commands, his voice sharp as a whip crack, all calm abandoned in an instant.
Elias doesn’t wait. He draws in a breath and reaches into the depths of his magic—not fire, not force, but sleep. A softer answer. A safer one.
His hand arcs outward, fingers weaving invisible patterns in the air, his voice rising in a sharp whisper: “Close your eyes, forgotten one... may your rage be still.”
The magic swirls from his fingertips in a ripple of dulled, golden light, catching the edges of the ruined chamber and spiraling toward the wight. Not to destroy—but to silence. To soothe. To stop.
Even now, Elias doesn't want to kill it—not yet. There’s a story to this thing—a pact gone wrong, a name—Lombulluth—that tastes of salt and madness. The others will need to know. They’ll need to face it together.
As the spell takes form, Elias keeps his voice low and steady.
“Sleep now… and let this vengeance wait.”
And as he waits for the boat to glide away, he watches to see— will the Deathlock stumble, stagger, collapse? Or will this escape be far narrower than he dared hope?
((17 for initiative. I upcast Sleep as a level 2 spell which gave me 7d8...and rolled horribly. 20 HP))
"In your dreams, weakling!" is the undead's reply, as it, unaffected, points a claw at the bard, as if preparing to... do something unpleasant from range.
But suddenly a thick darkness comes between the two fighting sides and, while obscene curses come from the other side, Geados, unperturbed, steers his vessel back.
End of fight.
"Your triumph with the words before was something I will remember," the Merrenoloth remarks, turning to Elias. "But it seems a single weapon is not suited to all types of battles."
Once they reach the shrine, the fiendish helmsman lets his passenger off: "Wait here, I'll go ferry your companions here. Then I'll ferry you one at a time to the battlefield, if you like. You'll make it."
And so, one by one, the party members gather at Eldath's makeshift shrine... free to discuss how to tackle the final leg of the journey out... or to do whatever else the resourceful heroes wish to attempt.
As the choking darkness envelops the corridor, cutting off the deathlock’s line of sight, Elias lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, his heart pounding like war drums beneath his ribs.
The cries from beyond—mad, desperate, and drenched in forgotten gods—echo faintly in his ears, but they are growing distant now. Fading behind the soft lap of water and the sound of Geados’s steady oar.
When the Merrenoloth speaks, his voice, though flat as ever, seems to carry the weight of a lesson.
"Your triumph with the words before was something I will remember. But it seems a single weapon is not suited to all types of battles."
Elias turns his head, not angrily, but thoughtfully. “Aye. Words failed that one.” He rubs his thumb against his fingers, as if wiping away the residue of magic. “Or perhaps… it was too far gone to hear them.”
He says no more until the shrine comes back into view. The light-painted symbol of Eldath, still serene above its offerings, seems like a relic from another world. A quiet world. A sane one.
As the boat touches down and Geados gestures silently, Elias steps once again into the shallows, this time more tired than tense.
"Wait here. I'll go ferry your companions..."
Elias nods and places a hand briefly on the worn wood of the boat in quiet thanks.
“And you were right, by the way,” he adds quietly as the ferryman turns. “Not every war is won with words.”
Then he moves to the edge of the shrine, not kneeling this time, but standing with quiet reverence. Waiting. Listening to the trickle of water, to the peace this place still seemed to offer… and to the boat, returning again and again with his friends.
When the last of them arrives and the quiet murmur of armored feet and whispered conversation fills the small chamber, Elias finally speaks.
“We’ve found the way forward.” “But it won’t be words that carry us through this next threshold. The creature beyond… a Deathlock Wight. Still bound to a forgotten patron it calls Lombulluth. It wanted me as a sacrifice.” His voice is even, but firm. “It’s beyond reasoning. I tried.”
He lets that settle a moment. Then:
“It’s time we faced this together. I’ll follow your lead, or I’ll go in first… but we go as one.”
His gaze settles on each of them in turn—Woodroow, Ardana, Tarysaa, Koran, and Mival. Their strengths, their resolve—he trusts them now more than ever.
Mival, determined, says: "We won't let anyone stop us now. You decide who will be the first to be ferried across by Geados. I will go with them, swimming, so that already from the start there will be at least two of us against this... Deathlock Wight!"
We dare not spread ourselves so thin - Geados can you ferry us all closer to the room with the wight, before we make the final trip to face it? There might be more clues to its aims in the rooms in between.
We dare not spread ourselves so thin - Geados can you ferry us all closer to the room with the wight, before we make the final trip to face it? There might be more clues to its aims in the rooms in between.
Geados has transported you all as close as he can... that is, to the makeshift shrine to Eldath.
You can plan your offensive from there. You are about 15' from the edge of the shallow water where the Deathlock Wight is located.
Elias speaks first. His voice is low, measured, but edged with tension.
“The room ahead is empty — but not unoccupied. There’s a creature… humanoid in shape, but not in soul. It was muttering to itself when I saw it. No face to speak of, only light where there should be eyes and a mouth. Clawed, with a gaunt frame like shadow given form. When I spoke, it turned… and raved about offering me as a sacrifice to something it called the Lord of the Underwave Paradise. It attacked immediately.”
He lets that settle for a breath.
“It didn’t fall to my magic. But I got out before it could cast its own. It was ready to fight. Probably still is.”
“Geados can only bring one of us at a time. Mival can swim, so he’ll always be there. But whoever rides over first will be alone with that thing — just the two of them until the next ferry trip. We need to decide who that should be.”
“I’m not an expert in fighting undead. But I know enough to be wary. It shrugged off my Sleep spell without blinking, and it moved fast once it saw me.”
“Anyone here have experience with wights? Or any idea how best to fight them? I’ll take all the insight I can get — especially before we start sending people across one by one into the teeth of that thing.”
"Undead are the purview of clerics. I am no cleric; just a simple mage. A mage that did not dabble in the necrotic arts." Tarysaafrowned as she explained.
"As noted before, it seems I was not properly prepared for underground or underwater encounters nor facing off against the undead. I have one; perhaps two spells that may be of use though they dictate I must be close... too close in my opinion versus a wight.
AWitch Boltmight do some damage - especially if I can maintain it over several moments. However, it leaves me open to direct attacks since I am at close range to cast it."
She looks very unhappy at her lack of efficiency in this situation.
"I do not ask anyone to use their body as shield for me. I just wanted you to understand just how slim our chances might be in this situation when it comes to 'magical' solutions."
I have two spells that may help - one that provides Sanctuary, the other a limited Protection against Undead or Fiends. I could cast one of these spells on the first person, and then I could be the second or third person across to provide aid in support.
[[ OOC: OK, Koran is still not intervening... Since we're at risk of stalemate, I'll decide his actions myself, temporarily. Of course, if the player returns, control of his character returns to him. ]]
Koran volunteers: "With magical protection and Mival's assistance, I'll keep the undead busy while Geados transports you all."
And the Doppelganger, proud of being able to immediately reveal himself as an indispensable element, agrees: "Leave it to us! That thing won't even touch you - and when you're behind us you can hit it!"
Elias listens carefully, nodding at each of their responses before replying quietly.
“That’s good. That’s a plan.”
He turns first to Ardana. “Sanctuary on Koran might keep the wight’s attention off him long enough for him and Mival to pin it down. Then, once you’re across, you can bolster him directly.”
To Tarysaa, he offers a gentler tone. “You’ve done more than your share. Your spellcraft has already saved lives today. We’re not asking for miracles — just options. If you think Witch Bolt can land and hold, I’ll be right behind you. I’ll keep the thing off you.”
He glances toward Koran and Mival. “You two have the first pass. If you can draw its attention and hold the space, the rest of us will join you as fast as we can. We use the boat to send one person every turn — probably Ardana next, then me, then Tarysaa last unless someone objects?”
He places a hand briefly on Koran’s shoulder.
“Remember who you are — not just your strength, but your discipline. You don’t fight alone. And you won’t fall alone.”
A flicker of arcane light coils subtly at his fingertips and transfers into Koran with the words — the magic quiet but potent.
((Bardic Inspiration granted: You may add 1d6 to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw within the next 10 minutes.))
Then Elias steps back and gives a faint, confident nod.
“Go show it what a real threat looks like.”
He looks at each of them. “We don’t rush. We don’t panic. If it turns out we need to fall back, we do. But if it can be put down, we do that too.”
He rests a hand lightly on the hilt of his dagger. “Any last thoughts before Koran and Mival go?”
It seems no one has 'last thoughts', so... Koran (protected by Ardana's Sanctuary) and Mival go!
As Geados' boat emerges from the corner, Deathlock Wight, this time much more alert than before, notices immediately: "The other sacrifice has escaped! But you two will do more than well! Lombulluth will drink your souls... and welcome me back to the Underwater Paradise!"
Time to roll for initiative... (even those still at the shrine)
[[ OOC: While the other characters roll their Initiative, I have Deathlock Witght take its Turn - even if other characters at the shrine beat his Initiative, for now, they can't do anything against him ]]
...and despite Ardana's sacred protection, her unholy will to sacrifice the unfortunate elf prevails - the monk sees a crackling ray of darkness shoot towards him - immediately followed by a second one!
The accuracy of the beams is terrifying - not even the agile elf can avoid them! Koran staggers for a moment; it is clear that he has felt the brute necrotic attack.
Sticking to the plan, the elf stoically advances, focusing only on defense. Mival does the same, challenging the undead: "Take it out on me!"
Geados hurries back to the shrine and is ready to ferry the next volunteer.
Elias, Ardana and Tarysaa are up! Any order.[[ OOC: The first one who wishes can climb aboard Geados' boat and he, who has prepared the ferrying action, will transport the character to the battle area. The character can then continue to move and even act. ]]
Tarysaa steps lightly into the boat and urges Geado forward; knowing her companions are already sorely tasked by this undead horror.
As soon as she can step onto dry land, she will release a beam of crackling, blue energy which lances out toward the shade, forming a sustained arc of lightning between the young mage and the Deathlock Wight. Witch Bolt (2nd lvl)
To Hit: 9 Dmg: 7 lightning
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This is the combat map; if Elias' Initiative beats Deathlock Wight's one (11), our hero can go on and take his Turn.
Geados also will act, before the enemy; but I'll give Elias a chance to act first, if he can.
Elias’s heart tightens the instant the creature snaps its head toward him—those slashed-open eyes and mouth igniting with unnatural light as it shrieks its plea to a forgotten patron.
“You! A sacrifice!”
The Deathlock Wight surges forward, claws extended and glistening with necrotic intent, a chorus of mad devotion spilling from its gaping maw.
“Geados—back, now!” Elias commands, his voice sharp as a whip crack, all calm abandoned in an instant.
Elias doesn’t wait. He draws in a breath and reaches into the depths of his magic—not fire, not force, but sleep. A softer answer. A safer one.
His hand arcs outward, fingers weaving invisible patterns in the air, his voice rising in a sharp whisper:
“Close your eyes, forgotten one... may your rage be still.”
The magic swirls from his fingertips in a ripple of dulled, golden light, catching the edges of the ruined chamber and spiraling toward the wight. Not to destroy—but to silence. To soothe. To stop.
Even now, Elias doesn't want to kill it—not yet.
There’s a story to this thing—a pact gone wrong, a name—Lombulluth—that tastes of salt and madness.
The others will need to know. They’ll need to face it together.
As the spell takes form, Elias keeps his voice low and steady.
“Sleep now… and let this vengeance wait.”
And as he waits for the boat to glide away, he watches to see—
will the Deathlock stumble, stagger, collapse?
Or will this escape be far narrower than he dared hope?
((17 for initiative. I upcast Sleep as a level 2 spell which gave me 7d8...and rolled horribly. 20 HP))
Round 1
"In your dreams, weakling!" is the undead's reply, as it, unaffected, points a claw at the bard, as if preparing to... do something unpleasant from range.
But suddenly a thick darkness comes between the two fighting sides and, while obscene curses come from the other side, Geados, unperturbed, steers his vessel back.
End of fight.
"Your triumph with the words before was something I will remember," the Merrenoloth remarks, turning to Elias. "But it seems a single weapon is not suited to all types of battles."
Once they reach the shrine, the fiendish helmsman lets his passenger off: "Wait here, I'll go ferry your companions here. Then I'll ferry you one at a time to the battlefield, if you like. You'll make it."
And so, one by one, the party members gather at Eldath's makeshift shrine... free to discuss how to tackle the final leg of the journey out... or to do whatever else the resourceful heroes wish to attempt.
As the choking darkness envelops the corridor, cutting off the deathlock’s line of sight, Elias lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, his heart pounding like war drums beneath his ribs.
The cries from beyond—mad, desperate, and drenched in forgotten gods—echo faintly in his ears, but they are growing distant now. Fading behind the soft lap of water and the sound of Geados’s steady oar.
When the Merrenoloth speaks, his voice, though flat as ever, seems to carry the weight of a lesson.
Elias turns his head, not angrily, but thoughtfully.
“Aye. Words failed that one.” He rubs his thumb against his fingers, as if wiping away the residue of magic. “Or perhaps… it was too far gone to hear them.”
He says no more until the shrine comes back into view. The light-painted symbol of Eldath, still serene above its offerings, seems like a relic from another world. A quiet world. A sane one.
As the boat touches down and Geados gestures silently, Elias steps once again into the shallows, this time more tired than tense.
Elias nods and places a hand briefly on the worn wood of the boat in quiet thanks.
“And you were right, by the way,” he adds quietly as the ferryman turns.
“Not every war is won with words.”
Then he moves to the edge of the shrine, not kneeling this time, but standing with quiet reverence. Waiting. Listening to the trickle of water, to the peace this place still seemed to offer… and to the boat, returning again and again with his friends.
When the last of them arrives and the quiet murmur of armored feet and whispered conversation fills the small chamber, Elias finally speaks.
“We’ve found the way forward.”
“But it won’t be words that carry us through this next threshold. The creature beyond… a Deathlock Wight. Still bound to a forgotten patron it calls Lombulluth. It wanted me as a sacrifice.” His voice is even, but firm. “It’s beyond reasoning. I tried.”
He lets that settle a moment. Then:
“It’s time we faced this together. I’ll follow your lead, or I’ll go in first… but we go as one.”
His gaze settles on each of them in turn—Woodroow, Ardana, Tarysaa, Koran, and Mival.
Their strengths, their resolve—he trusts them now more than ever.
“Let’s end this.”
Mival, determined, says: "We won't let anyone stop us now. You decide who will be the first to be ferried across by Geados. I will go with them, swimming, so that already from the start there will be at least two of us against this... Deathlock Wight!"
We dare not spread ourselves so thin - Geados can you ferry us all closer to the room with the wight, before we make the final trip to face it? There might be more clues to its aims in the rooms in between.
Geados has transported you all as close as he can... that is, to the makeshift shrine to Eldath.
You can plan your offensive from there. You are about 15' from the edge of the shallow water where the Deathlock Wight is located.
Elias speaks first. His voice is low, measured, but edged with tension.
“The room ahead is empty — but not unoccupied. There’s a creature… humanoid in shape, but not in soul. It was muttering to itself when I saw it. No face to speak of, only light where there should be eyes and a mouth. Clawed, with a gaunt frame like shadow given form. When I spoke, it turned… and raved about offering me as a sacrifice to something it called the Lord of the Underwave Paradise. It attacked immediately.”
He lets that settle for a breath.
“It didn’t fall to my magic. But I got out before it could cast its own. It was ready to fight. Probably still is.”
“Geados can only bring one of us at a time. Mival can swim, so he’ll always be there. But whoever rides over first will be alone with that thing — just the two of them until the next ferry trip. We need to decide who that should be.”
“I’m not an expert in fighting undead. But I know enough to be wary. It shrugged off my Sleep spell without blinking, and it moved fast once it saw me.”
“Anyone here have experience with wights? Or any idea how best to fight them? I’ll take all the insight I can get — especially before we start sending people across one by one into the teeth of that thing.”
"Undead are the purview of clerics. I am no cleric; just a simple mage. A mage that did not dabble in the necrotic arts." Tarysaa frowned as she explained.
"As noted before, it seems I was not properly prepared for underground or underwater encounters nor facing off against the undead. I have one; perhaps two spells that may be of use though they dictate I must be close... too close in my opinion versus a wight.
A Witch Bolt might do some damage - especially if I can maintain it over several moments. However, it leaves me open to direct attacks since I am at close range to cast it."
She looks very unhappy at her lack of efficiency in this situation.
"I do not ask anyone to use their body as shield for me. I just wanted you to understand just how slim our chances might be in this situation when it comes to 'magical' solutions."
I have two spells that may help - one that provides Sanctuary, the other a limited Protection against Undead or Fiends. I could cast one of these spells on the first person, and then I could be the second or third person across to provide aid in support.
[[ OOC: OK, Koran is still not intervening... Since we're at risk of stalemate, I'll decide his actions myself, temporarily. Of course, if the player returns, control of his character returns to him. ]]
Koran volunteers: "With magical protection and Mival's assistance, I'll keep the undead busy while Geados transports you all."
And the Doppelganger, proud of being able to immediately reveal himself as an indispensable element, agrees: "Leave it to us! That thing won't even touch you - and when you're behind us you can hit it!"
Elias listens carefully, nodding at each of their responses before replying quietly.
“That’s good. That’s a plan.”
He turns first to Ardana.
“Sanctuary on Koran might keep the wight’s attention off him long enough for him and Mival to pin it down. Then, once you’re across, you can bolster him directly.”
To Tarysaa, he offers a gentler tone.
“You’ve done more than your share. Your spellcraft has already saved lives today. We’re not asking for miracles — just options. If you think Witch Bolt can land and hold, I’ll be right behind you. I’ll keep the thing off you.”
He glances toward Koran and Mival.
“You two have the first pass. If you can draw its attention and hold the space, the rest of us will join you as fast as we can. We use the boat to send one person every turn — probably Ardana next, then me, then Tarysaa last unless someone objects?”
He places a hand briefly on Koran’s shoulder.
“Remember who you are — not just your strength, but your discipline. You don’t fight alone. And you won’t fall alone.”
A flicker of arcane light coils subtly at his fingertips and transfers into Koran with the words — the magic quiet but potent.
((Bardic Inspiration granted: You may add 1d6 to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw within the next 10 minutes.))
Then Elias steps back and gives a faint, confident nod.
“Go show it what a real threat looks like.”
He looks at each of them.
“We don’t rush. We don’t panic. If it turns out we need to fall back, we do. But if it can be put down, we do that too.”
He rests a hand lightly on the hilt of his dagger.
“Any last thoughts before Koran and Mival go?”
It seems no one has 'last thoughts', so... Koran (protected by Ardana's Sanctuary) and Mival go!
As Geados' boat emerges from the corner, Deathlock Wight, this time much more alert than before, notices immediately: "The other sacrifice has escaped! But you two will do more than well! Lombulluth will drink your souls... and welcome me back to the Underwater Paradise!"
Time to roll for initiative... (even those still at the shrine)
Initiatives:
Deathlock Wight: 6
Geados: 4
Mival: 22
Koran: 23
[[ OOC: While the other characters roll their Initiative, I have Deathlock Witght take its Turn - even if other characters at the shrine beat his Initiative, for now, they can't do anything against him ]]
Round 1
The undead points an arm at Koran and...
Deathlock Wight's Wisdom saving throw: 17
Round 1
...and despite Ardana's sacred protection, her unholy will to sacrifice the unfortunate elf prevails - the monk sees a crackling ray of darkness shoot towards him - immediately followed by a second one!
1st Ray Attack: 10 Damage: 7 (necrotic)
2nd Ray Attack: 17 Damage: 5 (necrotic)
Round 1
The accuracy of the beams is terrifying - not even the agile elf can avoid them! Koran staggers for a moment; it is clear that he has felt the brute necrotic attack.
Sticking to the plan, the elf stoically advances, focusing only on defense. Mival does the same, challenging the undead: "Take it out on me!"
Geados hurries back to the shrine and is ready to ferry the next volunteer.
Elias, Ardana and Tarysaa are up! Any order. [[ OOC: The first one who wishes can climb aboard Geados' boat and he, who has prepared the ferrying action, will transport the character to the battle area. The character can then continue to move and even act. ]]
Combat Stats (those interested can peek):
Initiative Name Status
18 Deathlock Wight Undamaged
10 Mival Undamaged
10 Koran 19 Damage
7 Geados Undamaged
? Ardana 14 Damage
? Elias Undamaged
? Tarysaa Undamaged
Tarysaa Init: Dirty 20
Tarysaa steps lightly into the boat and urges Geado forward; knowing her companions are already sorely tasked by this undead horror.
As soon as she can step onto dry land, she will release a beam of crackling, blue energy which lances out toward the shade, forming a sustained arc of lightning between the young mage and the Deathlock Wight. Witch Bolt (2nd lvl)
To Hit: 9 Dmg: 7 lightning