The anger in the guradian's voice and the rising maelstrom disconcerts (or excites?) Ophelia and she stumbles into the room haphazardly, towards one of the airy motes. Her sing song voice begins to rise to a shout, the traces of panic (or exultation?) entering her tone.
"Half sunk the shattered guardian lies, whose frown, And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command, Tell that its master well those passions read Which yet survive beneath the eon-changed land, The fate that fooled them, and the heart that fed..."
The shimmering violet in the chromatic cinch binding her waist becomes erratic, flickering wildly, suffusing Ophelia in a pulsating glow (Innate Sorcery). Distantly she is aware of her companions calling out to the guardian, and Zephirah warning of his immunity to magic. As she draws her dagger, it too flashes with a warbling purple aura as she slashes wildly at the mote nearest her and Satina, the sorcerous energy seeming to guide the blade.
Movement: Northwest to the edge of the pool as shown in Roll20.
Bonus Action: Innate Sorcery - advantage on all spell attacks and Spell DC goes from 13 to 14.
Action: Ophelia casts True Strike and attacks the nearest mote (orange) with her dagger, not trusting ranged attacks. (Advantage from Innate Sorcery). True Strike with dagger to hit: 21 True Strike with dagger damage: 5 (radiant)
Satinasteps forward as well, moving beside Opheliaas she slides her shield into place. Taking her flail, she strikes out at the mote of air before her (orange), even as Opheliadoes. (Flail Attack: 24, Damage: 10 bludgeoning; on hit Sap - target has Disadvantage on its next attack roll before the start of my next turn)
The texture of Zahara’s skin darkens, the hue deepening to a weathered brown as thin, flexible layers of bark form, laced with veins that glow faintly with the pale light of the glyphs beneath her feet. But she does not hide. She steps forward, toward the Binder, and implores him.
The Binder’s reaction is inscrutable behind the mask, but his voice booms like thunder. “Her mouth drips honey, but the words are sour. Yes, I see the shadow behind her smile. She speaks sand, and not stone! Great Nethys, I see it falls to me! I will protect the Seal and destroy your enemies!”
Ophelia draws her dagger, it too flashes with a warbling purple aura as she slashes wildly at the mote nearest her and Satina, the sorcerous energy seeming to guide the blade. Her empowered dagger cuts into the coalesced air before her, and she can feel the resistance of the metal as it cuts the very air! (Hit!)
Satina steps forward as well, moving beside Ophelia as she slides her shield into place. Taking her flail, she strikes out at the mote of air before her (orange), even as Ophelia does. Likewise, hair flail hammers into corporeal air, leaving the elemental much diminished, although still in place. (Hit, still up! Disadvantage on its next attack roll before Satina's turn.)
The tiny blue sphinx desperately tries to cover the groups flank by engaging the eastermost mote of air (red). The young dark-haired woman meanwhile moves in cover of the armoured warrior.
Action: Pact of Chain attack Thoth rend on red mote: 25 (crit!) Slashing:8 Radiant:11
Thoth’s otherwise composed demeanor fractures as he savagely claws at the (red) air mote! It explodes in a burst of electricity! Thoth, make a DC 10 Dexterity Saving Throw (Failure: 5 Lightning damage; Success: 2 Lightning Damage).
The air above the glowing, white glyphs begins to churn violently, and vortices of wind form raging cyclones that spin with breakneck speed! Now the ground-glyphs beneath Zephirah, Ophelia, Nephthys, and Zahara flare with white light.
The Binder turns his mask toward Ophelia. He shouts a word of power and lifts a withered hand, palm outstretched. A thunderous boom echoes throughout the shrine as an explosion of air rocks the ground beneath the sorceress!
This functions as a ranged Thunderwave spell centered on Ophelia and affecting her, Satina, Nephthys, and Zephirah. Make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. Failure: 9 Thunder damage; Success: 4 Thunder damage. On failure, Satina is pushed 10ft due east (landing in the whirlwind), Ophelia is pushed 10ft west, while Nephthys and Zephirah are pushed against the south wall and don’t move.
Please make your checks to resolve these effects:
Thoth: DC 10 Dex saving throw against death burst
Ophelia, Satina, Nephthys, and Zephira: DC 15 Con saving throw against Thunderwave
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Thoth recoils away quickly, and is only mildly electrocuted. Ophelia and Nephthys are able to brace themselves for the Thunderwave and manage to cover their ears, avoiding the worst. Zephirah is slower, and is slammed against the wall, her ears ringing.
Satina fares the worst. Knocked off of her feet, she staggers backward and is pulled into the roaring whirlwind! Satina, make a DC 13 Strength saving throw (Success: 6 Thunder damage; Failure: 12 Thunder damage and you are thrown 15ft northwest into the water, landing Prone).
Meanwhile, the air motes zoom through the air to attack! The blue mote flits southeast to position Zahara in between itself and the whirlwind, then it releases a strong Gust of wind at the druid that threatens to knock her back into the maelstrom! Zahara, make a DC 10 Strength saving throw (Success: no effect: Failure: you are pushed 5ft northwest into the whirlwind; see the required Strength saving throw with Satina, above.).
The remaining three motes of air engage in flyby tactics, flitting in to strike with electrified charges, before zipping away back to safety. The surging winds seem to do nothing to slow them down. (They disengage as a bonus action and do not provoke opportunity attacks. Orange is the damaged one.)
Orange @ Ophelia: Attack: 8 Damage: 3
Purple @ Zephirah: Attack: 6 Damage: 4
Green @ Nephthys: Attack: 16 Damage: 6
Please make a check to resolve these effects:
Satina: DC 13 Str saving throw v. whirlwind, flying northwest on a failure
Zahara: DC 10 Str saving throw v. Gust; if you are pushed into the whirlwind, DC 13 Str saving throw v. whirlwind, flying northwest on a failure
Initiative (bold may act):
PCs
The Binder
Other Enemies
Conditions: the fierce winds cause all ranged attacks to be made with disadvantage. The water in the pool is difficult terrain.
The shriek of wind tears through the chamber like a desert storm loosed from its bottle. Zahara’s robes whip around her, her feet skidding slightly across the stone, but she plants the butt of her staff with a sharp thud, grounding herself. Her muscles strain, but her posture holds.
The blue mote darts and spins before her.
She steps forward, and lifts her staff high, both hands gripping its sun-bleached length.
Then, without warning, she brings the staff down toward the heart of the flickering mote. The air splits where the staff falls, trailing a faint shimmer of heat and dust.
Zahara's strike finishes in stillness, her staff resting once more beside her. Across the chaos of the chamber, she sees Satina, her breath ragged in the churning air.
She speaks, not in the language of spells or scholars, but in an ancient desert dialect, melodic and low. The words drift like windborne prayer, curling across the distance toward Satina.
A faint shimmer of golden warmth stirs around Satina’s wounds, a desert breeze brushing over her skin, smelling faintly of sun-warmed sage and distant rain. Healing, quiet and sure, settles into her like the return of breath after thirst.
Action Quarterstaff 20 to Hit; 7Bludgeoning Damage Bonus Action Healing word for Satina: 9
Rising and rising like the buffeting winds, Ophelia's quavering voice begins to approach a shriek, her face contorted in either fear or rapture.
"...And whether it comes to pass under the earth or above on white sands, or out to sea or in the very air, all shall come to revelation, and to revel, in knowledge long lost, and the hand of the sinner shall rejoice, for there is no sin in shadow or in light that the seeds of the dead cannot forgive..."
She lurches unsteadily towards the left side of the chamber, her sorcery-suffused dagger gripped tightly, slashing backhand at a mote as she passes.
After being tossed about, Satinafinds herself face down in the water. Thankfully, she feels the healing warmth around her, recovering a bit. She stands and finds herself right next to another of these air beings (green). Setting herself again, she swings her flail at it. (Flail Attack: 15, Damage: 5 bludgeoning; Sap on hit)
Zephirah barely has time to register the Binder’s thunderous invocation before the blast of force hurls her backward. Her spine slams into the cold stone wall (failed save), pain lancing through her shoulders as dust and fragments of mortar rain down around her. The world rings in her ears—viol strings humming in sympathy with her rattled senses. Dizzy, she pushes off from the wall just in time to see Satina struggling amid the churning water, the whole shrine echoing with chaotic cries and shrieking winds.
Sucking in a sharp breath, Zephirah presses forward, using the southwestern pillar as cover from the Binder above. She fumbles for her viol and drags the bow across its strings, coaxing a low, hollow chord that reverberates with necromantic intent. Wisps of ephemeral darkness swirl from the notes, dancing through the air before coalescing into a ghostly hand that races toward the whirling mote near Satina. The chord lingers, haunting and dissonant, as her spell reaches out to sap vitality from even this living gust of air.
Moves behind the SW column. Action: Chill Touch @green Mote, hit 13 for 7 necrotic damage.
Zahara brings the staff down toward the heart of the flickering (blue) mote. The air splits where the staff falls, trailing a faint shimmer of heat and dust. (Hit!) Zahara's strike finishes in stillness, her staff resting once more beside her. She conjures a warm desert breeze that mends Satina’s wounds.
Ophelia lurches unsteadily towards the left side of the chamber, her sorcery-suffused dagger gripped tightly, slashing backhand at the (orange) mote as she passes. It is destroyed in an electrical blast! Ophelia, make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw against Death Burst (Failure: 5 Lightning damage; Success: 2 Lightning damage).
Satina’s flail smashes into the (green) mote with a strange sensation, like breaking through a barrier of tension and humming energy. The mote spasms mid-air, its light flaring wildly for a heartbeat before flickering erratically. (Hit! Disadvantage on its next attack).
Thoth continues to furiously scratch away at the (blue) elemental mote, powerful divine radiant energies lighting up the chamber. The mote explodes! (Thoth and Zahara have made their saves. 2 Lightning damage to each). Nephthys moves towards the entry stairs.
Zephirah presses forward, using the southwestern pillar as cover from the Binder above. She conjures a ghostly hand that races toward the whirling (green) mote near Satina. The chord lingers, haunting and dissonant, as her spell reaches out to sap vitality from even this living gust of air. The mote flickers, nearly extinguished, but remains in flight. (Hit!)
The air above the glowing, white glyphs begins to churn violently, and vortices of wind form raging cyclones that spin with breakneck speed! Now the ground-glyphs beneath Zephirah, Satina, and Nephthys flare with white light.
The Binder lifts his hand and blows. A torrent of wind bursts forth from his palm, a focused, roaring gale that surges in a straight line across the chamber. (This is Gust of Wind. Nephthys, make a DC 15 Strength saving throw (Failure: you’re pushed 15ft south; Success; no effect).
The air motes spark aggressively and fly in to harass Ophelia and Zephirah before zipping away!
Conditions: the fierce winds cause all ranged attacks to be made with disadvantage. The water in the pool is difficult terrain. Anyone who ends their turn in the Gust of Wind must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be pushed 15ft south. You can walk through it as difficult terrain.
The tiny blue sphinx surges forward and flies to engage the next wind mote, but his aggressiveness has taken it's toll and this time the wind mote easily avoids his ferocious attack. The young dark-haired woman meanwhile moves in cover up the stairs, ready to move closer and use her divine magic when needed.
Action: Pact of Chain attack Thoth rend on green mote: 8(miss)
Zephirah recoils as the whirling air sears close, sending sparks along her skin that sting like static. One of her mirror images flickers and distorts in the tumult before reasserting itself, swirling around her in defiant confusion. Her heart thuds in her chest—she’s felt brush after brush with harm, and the entire shrine roars like a beast cornered and fighting back. Still, she steadies her breath, reminding herself that illusions and cunning have carried her through worse.
She presses forward, boots sloshing in the shallow water, each step a concerted effort against the roiling currents and howling gusts. Drawing her bow across the viol’s strings in a macabre, descending chord, she sends another spectral hand clawing through the air. The necrotic melody resonates in the gloom, reaching out to the fluttering mote. Even before the chord fades, Zephirah slips farther from the flare of the glyphs—out of the incoming storm’s eye.
Move: She steps 5ft to the west, behind the column. Action: cast Chill Touch @purple mote, hit 9 for 1 damage
"...Larded all with sweet flowers; Which bewept to the grave did not go With true-love showers..."
Seeming hardly aware of the electric charge from the air mote's death throes, Ophelia shuffles past another mote, the one adjacent to Zephirah, the elven woman's wild violet sorcery seeming to guide her dagger as it scores against the flitting elemental creature. She continues to circle north.
Satinaworks her way northwest, getting clear of the glowing symbols. Now facing another of the air motes (purple) she again swings her flail at it. (Flail Attack: 7, Damage: 10 bludgeoning, Sap on hit)
The wind lashes around Zahara, tugging at the edges of her robes, but she skirts around swirling whirlwind with practiced ease, feet gliding over stone as though following a pattern only she can see.
As she nears the blue mote, she halts— just long enough.
Her staff shifts in her hand, the weathered wood creaking softly as she raises it, holding it level before her. With her free hand, she draws a slow circle in the air, fingers tracing the arc of the sun on the horizon. At her whispered invocation—guttural, old, and heavy with meaning—the air before her begins to shimmer with heat.
From the tip of her staff, a bead of searing light ignites—small, at first, then stretching into a lance of fire. The firebolt streaks towards the blue mote, a wake of scorched wind in its path.
She does not wait to see the impact.
Already, Zahara is moving again, slipping around the outer edge of the pool, her silhouette half-mirrored in the water. The Binder hovers at the center, she keeps to his flank, veering wide to the eastern edge of the chamber.
As the mote's electric potential arcs toward the retreating Ophelia, she throws up her hand wildly in a warding gesture of shimmering violet energy.
(Ophelia casts Shield as a reaction. Her AC becomes 20 until the start of her next turn and the mote's attack of opportunity misses).
"Where lies the strangling fruit that came from the hand of the sinner, I shall bring forth the seeds of the dead to share with the..."
The energy of the shield sparks erratically with the mote's lightning attack, turning green in color before dissipating and leaving...
Ophelia's ravings cut off abruptly as where the elven sorcerer has once walked sits a common potted houseplant, teetering at the edge of the pool. In a surreal parody of humanoid movement, the pot appears to shudder, clattering along in the same (northwesterly) direction Ophelia had been heading.
Wild Magic Surge: 40 (re-rolled using Heroic Inspiration) --> 72
You turn into a potted plant until the start of your next turn. While you’re a plant, you have the Incapacitated condition and have Vulnerability to all damage. If you drop to 0 Hit Points, your pot breaks, and your form reverts.
(^^^ See spoiler above for Wild Magic Surge effect. ^^^)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Thoth surges forward and flies to engage the next wind mote, but his aggressiveness has taken it's toll and this time the wind mote easily avoids his ferocious attack. Nephthys meanwhile moves in cover up the stairs, ready to move closer and use her divine magic when needed.
Zephirah presses forward, boots sloshing in the shallow water, each step a concerted effort against the roiling currents and howling gusts. Drawing her bow across the viol’s strings in a macabre, descending chord, she sends another spectral hand clawing through the air. The necrotic melody resonates in the gloom, reaching out to the (purple) mote, which flutters away from the spell.
Ophelia, seeming hardly aware of the electric charge from the air mote's death throes, shuffles past another (purple) mote, the elven woman's wild violet sorcery seeming to guide her dagger as it scores against the flitting elemental creature. As the air mote strikes out at her retreating form, Ophelia conjures an arcane shield, only to inexplicably transform into a potted plant! The pot teeters on, still protected by a shimmering shield.
Satina’s flail strikes the (purple) mote squarely, causing it to explode! (Giving you the benefit of your prior crit damage).Satina and Zephirah, make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw against Death Burst (Failure: 5 Lightning damage; Success: 2 Lightning damage).
Zahara brandishes her staff and gestures. From the tip of her staff, a bead of searing light ignites—small, at first, then stretching into a lance of fire. The firebolt streaks towards the (blue) mote, a wake of scorched wind in its path. When the fire bolt strikes the mote, it steams violently and bursts into nothingness! Thoth, make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw against Death Burst (Failure: 5 Lightning damage; Success: 2 Lightning damage).
“Ash follows wind.” Zahara’s words are carried throughout the chamber.
The white pillar’s glow diminishes. The winds suddenly drop. The air grows still, then hot. The northeast pillar flares to life with a fiery-red glow. The Binder becomes a burning silhouette, crackling with flame. The ground-glyphs beneath Zahara and Opehlia glow, and begin to grow very warm. Two serpents of flame uncoil in the air beneath the Binder, the air around them shimmering with intense heat.
-The Binder’s flaming form glows a deep crimson. The temperature in the chamber spikes instantly. He raises his hand, fingers splayed wide like a sunburst, and arcane lines trace across his forearm, glowing brighter. With a shout, three lances of fire erupt outward from his hand, spiraling through the air like spears forged of molten glass. They race toward Zahara, Satina, and the empotted Sophelia. (He casts Scorching Ray.)
Scorching Ray @ Satina: Attack: 23 Damage: 11 Fire Scorching Ray @ Ophelia (with disadvantage from Lucky): Attack: 14 Damage: 6(Please expend one Luck Point) Scorching Ray @ Zahara: Attack: 12 Damage: 10
The fiery serpents swim through the hot air, seeking out their prey!
Blue @ Zephirah: Attack: 16 Damage: 7 Piercing plus 4 Fire Red @ Zahara: Attack: 11 Damage: 6 Piercing plus 1 Fire
The intense heat of the elemental serpents burns their flesh! (Zephirah and Zahara each take 3 Fire damage from fire aura (no save).)
Please make a check to resolve these effects:
Thoth, Satina, and Zephirah: DC 10 Dex save v. death burst
Initiative (bold may act):
PCs The Binder Other Enemies
Conditions: Elemental Empowerment: Fire spells ignore Resistance. The water in the pool is difficult terrain.
Zephirah reels back as scorching fangs tear through her defenses, heat crawling over her skin until her vision swims. She looses a raw, panicked scream, the shrill note immediately echoing along her viol’s strings in a wild surge of sound. From that agonizing chord, she wrests a fierce melody—a discordant refrain that hisses like living flame. As the notes spiral into the chamber, they latch onto the Binder and his serpents in a dark, wavering aura, seeding doubt and hesitation in their movements. The tune resonates with desperate power, and shadows seem to flicker across the three foes: she’s laid Bane upon their hearts.
Still trembling, Zephirah closes her eyes and shifts the viol to a gentler, more uplifting strain—each bow stroke a harsh gasp for relief. Prismatic lines of song swirl around Zahara, Thoth, and whichever companion stands most in need of vigor. Through this Mantle of Inspiration, they feel a sudden rush of fortitude, ephemeral light weaving around their limbs as it buoys them away from danger. Freed by her magic, they dash clear of the fiery serpents’ reach or into it while Zephirah herself staggers back, flinching from the promise of another searing bite but choosing risk over certain devastation if she remains. Even so, she refuses to let her trembling bow falter—her music might be all that stands between them and oblivion.
Action: Cast Bane on both serpents and the Binder (though I imagine he's immune) Bonus: Mantle of Inspiration (12 temporary hit points and free reaction movement without OA, see below in spoiler) on Thoth, Zahara and the first friend to claim it Move: backwards out of the pool, though tries to remain in cover behind the columns from the Binder.
Mantle of Inspiration
You can weave fey magic into a song or dance to fill others with vigor. As a Bonus Action, you can expend a use of Bardic Inspiration, rolling a Bardic Inspiration die. When you do so, choose a number of other creatures within 60 feet of yourself, up to a number equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one creature). Each of those creatures gains a number of Temporary Hit Points equal to two times the number rolled on the Bardic Inspiration die, and then each can use its Reaction to move up to its Speed without provoking Opportunity Attacks.
The anger in the guradian's voice and the rising maelstrom disconcerts (or excites?) Ophelia and she stumbles into the room haphazardly, towards one of the airy motes. Her sing song voice begins to rise to a shout, the traces of panic (or exultation?) entering her tone.
"Half sunk the shattered guardian lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its master well those passions read
Which yet survive beneath the eon-changed land,
The fate that fooled them, and the heart that fed..."
The shimmering violet in the chromatic cinch binding her waist becomes erratic, flickering wildly, suffusing Ophelia in a pulsating glow (Innate Sorcery). Distantly she is aware of her companions calling out to the guardian, and Zephirah warning of his immunity to magic. As she draws her dagger, it too flashes with a warbling purple aura as she slashes wildly at the mote nearest her and Satina, the sorcerous energy seeming to guide the blade.
Movement: Northwest to the edge of the pool as shown in Roll20.
Bonus Action: Innate Sorcery - advantage on all spell attacks and Spell DC goes from 13 to 14.
Action: Ophelia casts True Strike and attacks the nearest mote (orange) with her dagger, not trusting ranged attacks. (Advantage from Innate Sorcery).
True Strike with dagger to hit: 21
True Strike with dagger damage: 5 (radiant)
Tanis(Ranger1):Shiverquill's Tempest City| Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1):Uhtred's Windward Isles| Xarian(Fighter2):NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric4):Vos' Beyond the Veil| Soren(Druid5):Bartjeebus' Ravenloft| Nivi(Rogue4):Raiketsu's CoS| Ophelia(Sorcerer4):Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(Fighter6):NotDrizzt's Simple Request| Toa(Barbarian6/Fighter4):MrWhisker's Dark Lord's Return| Sabetha(Monk3):Bedlymn's Murder Court
Satina steps forward as well, moving beside Ophelia as she slides her shield into place. Taking her flail, she strikes out at the mote of air before her (orange), even as Ophelia does.
(Flail Attack: 24, Damage: 10 bludgeoning; on hit Sap - target has Disadvantage on its next attack roll before the start of my next turn)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Satina Cindermark, Fighter || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
The texture of Zahara’s skin darkens, the hue deepening to a weathered brown as thin, flexible layers of bark form, laced with veins that glow faintly with the pale light of the glyphs beneath her feet. But she does not hide. She steps forward, toward the Binder, and implores him.
The Binder’s reaction is inscrutable behind the mask, but his voice booms like thunder. “Her mouth drips honey, but the words are sour. Yes, I see the shadow behind her smile. She speaks sand, and not stone! Great Nethys, I see it falls to me! I will protect the Seal and destroy your enemies!”
Ophelia draws her dagger, it too flashes with a warbling purple aura as she slashes wildly at the mote nearest her and Satina, the sorcerous energy seeming to guide the blade. Her empowered dagger cuts into the coalesced air before her, and she can feel the resistance of the metal as it cuts the very air! (Hit!)
Satina steps forward as well, moving beside Ophelia as she slides her shield into place. Taking her flail, she strikes out at the mote of air before her (orange), even as Ophelia does. Likewise, hair flail hammers into corporeal air, leaving the elemental much diminished, although still in place. (Hit, still up! Disadvantage on its next attack roll before Satina's turn.)
Initiative (bold may act):
The tiny blue sphinx desperately tries to cover the groups flank by engaging the eastermost mote of air (red).
The young dark-haired woman meanwhile moves in cover of the armoured warrior.
Action: Pact of Chain attack
Thoth rend on red mote: 25 (crit!) Slashing:8 Radiant:11
Thoth’s otherwise composed demeanor fractures as he savagely claws at the (red) air mote! It explodes in a burst of electricity! Thoth, make a DC 10 Dexterity Saving Throw (Failure: 5 Lightning damage; Success: 2 Lightning Damage).
The air above the glowing, white glyphs begins to churn violently, and vortices of wind form raging cyclones that spin with breakneck speed! Now the ground-glyphs beneath Zephirah, Ophelia, Nephthys, and Zahara flare with white light.
The Binder turns his mask toward Ophelia. He shouts a word of power and lifts a withered hand, palm outstretched. A thunderous boom echoes throughout the shrine as an explosion of air rocks the ground beneath the sorceress!
This functions as a ranged Thunderwave spell centered on Ophelia and affecting her, Satina, Nephthys, and Zephirah. Make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw. Failure: 9 Thunder damage; Success: 4 Thunder damage. On failure, Satina is pushed 10ft due east (landing in the whirlwind), Ophelia is pushed 10ft west, while Nephthys and Zephirah are pushed against the south wall and don’t move.
Please make your checks to resolve these effects:
Thoth recoils away quickly, and is only mildly electrocuted. Ophelia and Nephthys are able to brace themselves for the Thunderwave and manage to cover their ears, avoiding the worst. Zephirah is slower, and is slammed against the wall, her ears ringing.
Satina fares the worst. Knocked off of her feet, she staggers backward and is pulled into the roaring whirlwind! Satina, make a DC 13 Strength saving throw (Success: 6 Thunder damage; Failure: 12 Thunder damage and you are thrown 15ft northwest into the water, landing Prone).
Meanwhile, the air motes zoom through the air to attack! The blue mote flits southeast to position Zahara in between itself and the whirlwind, then it releases a strong Gust of wind at the druid that threatens to knock her back into the maelstrom! Zahara, make a DC 10 Strength saving throw (Success: no effect: Failure: you are pushed 5ft northwest into the whirlwind; see the required Strength saving throw with Satina, above.).
The remaining three motes of air engage in flyby tactics, flitting in to strike with electrified charges, before zipping away back to safety. The surging winds seem to do nothing to slow them down. (They disengage as a bonus action and do not provoke opportunity attacks. Orange is the damaged one.)
Orange @ Ophelia: Attack: 8 Damage: 3
Purple @ Zephirah: Attack: 6 Damage: 4
Green @ Nephthys: Attack: 16 Damage: 6
Please make a check to resolve these effects:
Initiative (bold may act):
Conditions: the fierce winds cause all ranged attacks to be made with disadvantage. The water in the pool is difficult terrain.
The shriek of wind tears through the chamber like a desert storm loosed from its bottle. Zahara’s robes whip around her, her feet skidding slightly across the stone, but she plants the butt of her staff with a sharp thud, grounding herself. Her muscles strain, but her posture holds.
The blue mote darts and spins before her.
She steps forward, and lifts her staff high, both hands gripping its sun-bleached length.
Then, without warning, she brings the staff down toward the heart of the flickering mote. The air splits where the staff falls, trailing a faint shimmer of heat and dust.
Zahara's strike finishes in stillness, her staff resting once more beside her. Across the chaos of the chamber, she sees Satina, her breath ragged in the churning air.
She speaks, not in the language of spells or scholars, but in an ancient desert dialect, melodic and low. The words drift like windborne prayer, curling across the distance toward Satina.
A faint shimmer of golden warmth stirs around Satina’s wounds, a desert breeze brushing over her skin, smelling faintly of sun-warmed sage and distant rain. Healing, quiet and sure, settles into her like the return of breath after thirst.
Action Quarterstaff 20 to Hit; 7 Bludgeoning Damage
Bonus Action Healing word for Satina: 9
Rising and rising like the buffeting winds, Ophelia's quavering voice begins to approach a shriek, her face contorted in either fear or rapture.
"...And whether it comes to pass under the earth or above on white sands, or out to sea or in the very air, all shall come to revelation, and to revel, in knowledge long lost, and the hand of the sinner shall rejoice, for there is no sin in shadow or in light that the seeds of the dead cannot forgive..."
She lurches unsteadily towards the left side of the chamber, her sorcery-suffused dagger gripped tightly, slashing backhand at a mote as she passes.
Movement: NW - NW - (attack orange mote) - NW - NW
Action: Ophelia casts True Strike, attacking with her dagger with advantage from Innate Sorcery.
True Strike with dagger to hit: 14
True Strike with dagger damage: 7 (radiant)
Bonus Action: None
If the orange mote survives the attack, it may make an attack of opportunity on Ophelia. (She also has reactions such as shield and may use them).
Tanis(Ranger1):Shiverquill's Tempest City| Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1):Uhtred's Windward Isles| Xarian(Fighter2):NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric4):Vos' Beyond the Veil| Soren(Druid5):Bartjeebus' Ravenloft| Nivi(Rogue4):Raiketsu's CoS| Ophelia(Sorcerer4):Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(Fighter6):NotDrizzt's Simple Request| Toa(Barbarian6/Fighter4):MrWhisker's Dark Lord's Return| Sabetha(Monk3):Bedlymn's Murder Court
After being tossed about, Satina finds herself face down in the water. Thankfully, she feels the healing warmth around her, recovering a bit. She stands and finds herself right next to another of these air beings (green). Setting herself again, she swings her flail at it.
(Flail Attack: 15, Damage: 5 bludgeoning; Sap on hit)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Satina Cindermark, Fighter || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
The tiny blue sphinx continues to furiously scratch away at the elemental motes, powerful divine radiant energies lighting up the chamber.
The young dark-haired woman meanwhile gasps for air after being struck by the thunderous boom and moves back towards the stairs.
Action: Pact of Chain attack
Thoth rend on blue mote: 25 (crit again!) Slashing:9 Radiant:20
Zephirah barely has time to register the Binder’s thunderous invocation before the blast of force hurls her backward. Her spine slams into the cold stone wall (failed save), pain lancing through her shoulders as dust and fragments of mortar rain down around her. The world rings in her ears—viol strings humming in sympathy with her rattled senses. Dizzy, she pushes off from the wall just in time to see Satina struggling amid the churning water, the whole shrine echoing with chaotic cries and shrieking winds.
Sucking in a sharp breath, Zephirah presses forward, using the southwestern pillar as cover from the Binder above. She fumbles for her viol and drags the bow across its strings, coaxing a low, hollow chord that reverberates with necromantic intent. Wisps of ephemeral darkness swirl from the notes, dancing through the air before coalescing into a ghostly hand that races toward the whirling mote near Satina. The chord lingers, haunting and dissonant, as her spell reaches out to sap vitality from even this living gust of air.
Moves behind the SW column.
Action: Chill Touch @green Mote, hit 13 for 7 necrotic damage.
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || b'Reh - Stig Cleric - Humblewood || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Tribute || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Zephirah - Demonic Bard - Sands || Merry - Gifted Surgeon - Short || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus || Lan - Dwarf Dragon - Wuxian ||
Zahara brings the staff down toward the heart of the flickering (blue) mote. The air splits where the staff falls, trailing a faint shimmer of heat and dust. (Hit!) Zahara's strike finishes in stillness, her staff resting once more beside her. She conjures a warm desert breeze that mends Satina’s wounds.
Ophelia lurches unsteadily towards the left side of the chamber, her sorcery-suffused dagger gripped tightly, slashing backhand at the (orange) mote as she passes. It is destroyed in an electrical blast! Ophelia, make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw against Death Burst (Failure: 5 Lightning damage; Success: 2 Lightning damage).
Satina’s flail smashes into the (green) mote with a strange sensation, like breaking through a barrier of tension and humming energy. The mote spasms mid-air, its light flaring wildly for a heartbeat before flickering erratically. (Hit! Disadvantage on its next attack).
Thoth continues to furiously scratch away at the (blue) elemental mote, powerful divine radiant energies lighting up the chamber. The mote explodes! (Thoth and Zahara have made their saves. 2 Lightning damage to each). Nephthys moves towards the entry stairs.
Zephirah presses forward, using the southwestern pillar as cover from the Binder above. She conjures a ghostly hand that races toward the whirling (green) mote near Satina. The chord lingers, haunting and dissonant, as her spell reaches out to sap vitality from even this living gust of air. The mote flickers, nearly extinguished, but remains in flight. (Hit!)
The air above the glowing, white glyphs begins to churn violently, and vortices of wind form raging cyclones that spin with breakneck speed! Now the ground-glyphs beneath Zephirah, Satina, and Nephthys flare with white light.
The Binder lifts his hand and blows. A torrent of wind bursts forth from his palm, a focused, roaring gale that surges in a straight line across the chamber. (This is Gust of Wind. Nephthys, make a DC 15 Strength saving throw (Failure: you’re pushed 15ft south; Success; no effect).
The air motes spark aggressively and fly in to harass Ophelia and Zephirah before zipping away!
Purple @ Ophelia: Attack: 8 Damage: 4 Lightning
Green (disadvantage) @ Zephira: Attack: 11 Damage: 5 Lightning
Please make a check to resolve these effects:
Initiative (bold may act):
Conditions: the fierce winds cause all ranged attacks to be made with disadvantage. The water in the pool is difficult terrain. Anyone who ends their turn in the Gust of Wind must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be pushed 15ft south. You can walk through it as difficult terrain.
The tiny blue sphinx surges forward and flies to engage the next wind mote, but his aggressiveness has taken it's toll and this time the wind mote easily avoids his ferocious attack.
The young dark-haired woman meanwhile moves in cover up the stairs, ready to move closer and use her divine magic when needed.
Action: Pact of Chain attack
Thoth rend on green mote: 8 (miss)
Zephirah recoils as the whirling air sears close, sending sparks along her skin that sting like static. One of her mirror images flickers and distorts in the tumult before reasserting itself, swirling around her in defiant confusion. Her heart thuds in her chest—she’s felt brush after brush with harm, and the entire shrine roars like a beast cornered and fighting back. Still, she steadies her breath, reminding herself that illusions and cunning have carried her through worse.
She presses forward, boots sloshing in the shallow water, each step a concerted effort against the roiling currents and howling gusts. Drawing her bow across the viol’s strings in a macabre, descending chord, she sends another spectral hand clawing through the air. The necrotic melody resonates in the gloom, reaching out to the fluttering mote. Even before the chord fades, Zephirah slips farther from the flare of the glyphs—out of the incoming storm’s eye.
Move: She steps 5ft to the west, behind the column.
Action: cast Chill Touch @purple mote, hit 9 for 1 damage
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || b'Reh - Stig Cleric - Humblewood || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Tribute || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Zephirah - Demonic Bard - Sands || Merry - Gifted Surgeon - Short || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus || Lan - Dwarf Dragon - Wuxian ||
"...Larded all with sweet flowers;
Which bewept to the grave did not go
With true-love showers..."
Seeming hardly aware of the electric charge from the air mote's death throes, Ophelia shuffles past another mote, the one adjacent to Zephirah, the elven woman's wild violet sorcery seeming to guide her dagger as it scores against the flitting elemental creature. She continues to circle north.
Movement: E - E - (attack) - NW - NW - N - N
Action: Ophelia casts True Strike using her dagger on the purple mote, attacking at advantage due to Innate Sorcery.
True Strike with dagger to hit: 16
True Strike with dagger damage: 6 (radiant)
Bonus Action: None
If the purple mote survives, it may make an opportunity attack against Ophelia as she haphazardly moves away. (She has reactions and may use them).
Tanis(Ranger1):Shiverquill's Tempest City| Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1):Uhtred's Windward Isles| Xarian(Fighter2):NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric4):Vos' Beyond the Veil| Soren(Druid5):Bartjeebus' Ravenloft| Nivi(Rogue4):Raiketsu's CoS| Ophelia(Sorcerer4):Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(Fighter6):NotDrizzt's Simple Request| Toa(Barbarian6/Fighter4):MrWhisker's Dark Lord's Return| Sabetha(Monk3):Bedlymn's Murder Court
Satina works her way northwest, getting clear of the glowing symbols. Now facing another of the air motes (purple) she again swings her flail at it.
(Flail Attack: 7, Damage: 10 bludgeoning, Sap on hit)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Satina Cindermark, Fighter || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
The wind lashes around Zahara, tugging at the edges of her robes, but she skirts around swirling whirlwind with practiced ease, feet gliding over stone as though following a pattern only she can see.
As she nears the blue mote, she halts— just long enough.
Her staff shifts in her hand, the weathered wood creaking softly as she raises it, holding it level before her. With her free hand, she draws a slow circle in the air, fingers tracing the arc of the sun on the horizon. At her whispered invocation—guttural, old, and heavy with meaning—the air before her begins to shimmer with heat.
“Ash follows wind,” she murmurs, eyes narrowing, “as memory follows flame.”
From the tip of her staff, a bead of searing light ignites—small, at first, then stretching into a lance of fire. The firebolt streaks towards the blue mote, a wake of scorched wind in its path.
She does not wait to see the impact.
Already, Zahara is moving again, slipping around the outer edge of the pool, her silhouette half-mirrored in the water. The Binder hovers at the center, she keeps to his flank, veering wide to the eastern edge of the chamber.
Cast firebolt 17 to hit; 8 fire damage
As the mote's electric potential arcs toward the retreating Ophelia, she throws up her hand wildly in a warding gesture of shimmering violet energy.
(Ophelia casts Shield as a reaction. Her AC becomes 20 until the start of her next turn and the mote's attack of opportunity misses).
"Where lies the strangling fruit that came from the hand of the sinner, I shall bring forth the seeds of the dead to share with the..."
The energy of the shield sparks erratically with the mote's lightning attack, turning green in color before dissipating and leaving...
Ophelia's ravings cut off abruptly as where the elven sorcerer has once walked sits a common potted houseplant, teetering at the edge of the pool. In a surreal parody of humanoid movement, the pot appears to shudder, clattering along in the same (northwesterly) direction Ophelia had been heading.
Wild Magic Surge:
40(re-rolled using Heroic Inspiration) --> 72You turn into a potted plant until the start of your next turn. While you’re a plant, you have the Incapacitated condition and have Vulnerability to all damage. If you drop to 0 Hit Points, your pot breaks, and your form reverts.
(^^^ See spoiler above for Wild Magic Surge effect. ^^^)
Tanis(Ranger1):Shiverquill's Tempest City| Seri(Cleric1/Sorcerer1):Uhtred's Windward Isles| Xarian(Fighter2):NioNSwiper's Tyranny of Dragons
Dyson/Eleo(Cleric4):Vos' Beyond the Veil| Soren(Druid5):Bartjeebus' Ravenloft| Nivi(Rogue4):Raiketsu's CoS| Ophelia(Sorcerer4):Ashen_Age's Risen from the Sands
Joren(Fighter6):NotDrizzt's Simple Request| Toa(Barbarian6/Fighter4):MrWhisker's Dark Lord's Return| Sabetha(Monk3):Bedlymn's Murder Court
Thoth surges forward and flies to engage the next wind mote, but his aggressiveness has taken it's toll and this time the wind mote easily avoids his ferocious attack. Nephthys meanwhile moves in cover up the stairs, ready to move closer and use her divine magic when needed.
Zephirah presses forward, boots sloshing in the shallow water, each step a concerted effort against the roiling currents and howling gusts. Drawing her bow across the viol’s strings in a macabre, descending chord, she sends another spectral hand clawing through the air. The necrotic melody resonates in the gloom, reaching out to the (purple) mote, which flutters away from the spell.
Ophelia, seeming hardly aware of the electric charge from the air mote's death throes, shuffles past another (purple) mote, the elven woman's wild violet sorcery seeming to guide her dagger as it scores against the flitting elemental creature. As the air mote strikes out at her retreating form, Ophelia conjures an arcane shield, only to inexplicably transform into a potted plant! The pot teeters on, still protected by a shimmering shield.
Satina’s flail strikes the (purple) mote squarely, causing it to explode! (Giving you the benefit of your prior crit damage). Satina and Zephirah, make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw against Death Burst (Failure: 5 Lightning damage; Success: 2 Lightning damage).
Zahara brandishes her staff and gestures. From the tip of her staff, a bead of searing light ignites—small, at first, then stretching into a lance of fire. The firebolt streaks towards the (blue) mote, a wake of scorched wind in its path. When the fire bolt strikes the mote, it steams violently and bursts into nothingness! Thoth, make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw against Death Burst (Failure: 5 Lightning damage; Success: 2 Lightning damage).
“Ash follows wind.” Zahara’s words are carried throughout the chamber.
The white pillar’s glow diminishes. The winds suddenly drop. The air grows still, then hot. The northeast pillar flares to life with a fiery-red glow. The Binder becomes a burning silhouette, crackling with flame. The ground-glyphs beneath Zahara and Opehlia glow, and begin to grow very warm. Two serpents of flame uncoil in the air beneath the Binder, the air around them shimmering with intense heat.
-The Binder’s flaming form glows a deep crimson. The temperature in the chamber spikes instantly. He raises his hand, fingers splayed wide like a sunburst, and arcane lines trace across his forearm, glowing brighter. With a shout, three lances of fire erupt outward from his hand, spiraling through the air like spears forged of molten glass. They race toward Zahara, Satina, and the empotted Sophelia. (He casts Scorching Ray.)
Scorching Ray @ Satina: Attack: 23 Damage: 11 Fire
Scorching Ray @ Ophelia (with disadvantage from Lucky): Attack: 14 Damage: 6 (Please expend one Luck Point)
Scorching Ray @ Zahara: Attack: 12 Damage: 10
The fiery serpents swim through the hot air, seeking out their prey!
Blue @ Zephirah: Attack: 16 Damage: 7 Piercing plus 4 Fire
Red @ Zahara: Attack: 11 Damage: 6 Piercing plus 1 Fire
The intense heat of the elemental serpents burns their flesh! (Zephirah and Zahara each take 3 Fire damage from fire aura (no save).)
Please make a check to resolve these effects:
Initiative (bold may act):
PCs
The Binder
Other Enemies
Conditions: Elemental Empowerment: Fire spells ignore Resistance. The water in the pool is difficult terrain.
Zephirah reels back as scorching fangs tear through her defenses, heat crawling over her skin until her vision swims. She looses a raw, panicked scream, the shrill note immediately echoing along her viol’s strings in a wild surge of sound. From that agonizing chord, she wrests a fierce melody—a discordant refrain that hisses like living flame. As the notes spiral into the chamber, they latch onto the Binder and his serpents in a dark, wavering aura, seeding doubt and hesitation in their movements. The tune resonates with desperate power, and shadows seem to flicker across the three foes: she’s laid Bane upon their hearts.
Still trembling, Zephirah closes her eyes and shifts the viol to a gentler, more uplifting strain—each bow stroke a harsh gasp for relief. Prismatic lines of song swirl around Zahara, Thoth, and whichever companion stands most in need of vigor. Through this Mantle of Inspiration, they feel a sudden rush of fortitude, ephemeral light weaving around their limbs as it buoys them away from danger. Freed by her magic, they dash clear of the fiery serpents’ reach or into it while Zephirah herself staggers back, flinching from the promise of another searing bite but choosing risk over certain devastation if she remains. Even so, she refuses to let her trembling bow falter—her music might be all that stands between them and oblivion.
Action: Cast Bane on both serpents and the Binder (though I imagine he's immune)
Bonus: Mantle of Inspiration (12 temporary hit points and free reaction movement without OA, see below in spoiler) on Thoth, Zahara and the first friend to claim it
Move: backwards out of the pool, though tries to remain in cover behind the columns from the Binder.
Mantle of Inspiration
You can weave fey magic into a song or dance to fill others with vigor. As a Bonus Action, you can expend a use of Bardic Inspiration, rolling a Bardic Inspiration die. When you do so, choose a number of other creatures within 60 feet of yourself, up to a number equal to your Charisma modifier (minimum of one creature). Each of those creatures gains a number of Temporary Hit Points equal to two times the number rolled on the Bardic Inspiration die, and then each can use its Reaction to move up to its Speed without provoking Opportunity Attacks.
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || b'Reh - Stig Cleric - Humblewood || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Tribute || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Zephirah - Demonic Bard - Sands || Merry - Gifted Surgeon - Short || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus || Lan - Dwarf Dragon - Wuxian ||