Abishai's Dragons of Icespire Peak

"We've all got your back," Gareth agrees, following the others down the stairway. He brings up the rear of the party, keeping a keen eye out for any threats that might emerge from the beach or the sea.

Perception - 18

Alisande,

Back in Phandalin,

At the Tower of Storms,

You begin making your way across the causeway, slowly, deliberate with each step. The wind continues to get stronger as you make your way across, threatening to push you off the pathway. Rough-hewn steps climb a 7-foot-high tunnel that passes all the way through a 30-foot-tall natural pillar of rock. A damp, 8-foot-high cave encrusted with lichen is connected to this tunnel. You push forward towards the Lighthouse, through the small cave. Just as Gareth passes through to the other side, he alerts you to dangers both in the water around you and perched on the rock faces above you, helping you avoid a nasty surprise. At the same time, Zephyros' trident alerts the veteran of the approaching danger.

In the water, you see several dark shadows swimming about. On the rock faces 20' above, you see three harpy getting ready to attack.

Combat has started! Round one initiative:

• 22 Gareth
• 17 Alisande
• 17 Dark Water Shadows
• 14 Meira
• 13 Rasziel
• 13 Harpies
• 9 Zephyros

Map:

"Harpies above!" the ranger calls out. "There's something in the water too."

Gareth unslings his bow and takes careful aim at one of the harpies perched above. After a moment, he releases an arrow, quickly followed by a second, hoping to pierce the harpy through an eye.

Action: Longbow - 14 to hit for 10 piercing damage and 5 HM damage and second attack w/ Longbow - 15 to hit for 12 piercing damage and 6 HM damage

BA: Hunter's Mark

Gareth,

Your arrows strike in quick succession, one hitting the Harpy in the stomach and the next shot hits clean through the eye socket. The Harpy flails about in pain and is looking pretty rough, barely able to maintain its perch and bleeding out.

The shadows in the water seem to be getting closer to the group. One emerges from the storm churning waters to the North and throws a harpoon at Gareth! (Attack 23 Damage 10). The harpoon point pierces Gareth in the leg. Almost immediately, the monster begins pulling on a rope attached to the harpoon. [[OOC: Gareth, please give me a contested strength contest. Merrow Strength roll 14. Failure means you're pulled 20' closer to the Merrow. 

Gareth curses as the harpoon pierces his leg. He feels the creature start tugging on the rope, trying to pull him into the sea. He grits his teeth and stands firm against the attempt. 

Contested Strength: 20

Rasziel calls upon his infernal powers, hellish purplish flames forming between his hands, then hurled towards the harpies, the flames exploding and engulfing them all.

Cast Fireball: 28 dex save 16 for half

He then flies into cover from the creatures below.

Encouraged by the infernal flames, the invisible Azazel flies towards them, then veering towards the closest harpy, gleefully stabbing it with it's poisonous tail stinger.

Sting: 19 Piercing: 6 + Poison: 12 Con save 16 for half

Seated atop her broom, yet floating level with the rest of the Phandalin party, Alisande's brow furrows with worry when she realises they are being ambushed. And in a natural funnel formed by the causeway, with most of our company without even the slightest chance to flee... they must lie in wait in this place for unwitting travellers.

With no time to delay, she brandishes her wand and a mote of light begins to bloom upon its tip. Taking her lead from Rasziel, the glow kindles into a spark, then a flame, roiling towards the flying hags and their filthy claws until it explodes in a massive conflagration in the windswept skies. 

ACTION: Fireball. 21 fire damage, DC 16 (DEX save) for half damage.
BONUS ACTION: None.
MOVEMENT: Retreating 30ft back into the small cave. 

Gareth,

The harpoon pulls free from your leg as you stand firm against the merrow. 

 Alisande,

Your fireball explodes amongst the Harpies. The one that took two arrows immediately burns up in the blast and plumets to the water below with a splash. The Harpy closest to the group sees the spell coming and avoids the worst of the blast [[ Dex save 16 ]] but the Harpy further away is caught off guard [[ Dex save 2 ]] taking massive fire damage! They both screech in anger as they prepare to attack.

Meira is up!

Meira quickly grabs her shortbow as the fighting begins. Her eyes glance momentarily to the water, wondering if the shadows there meant any more of those merrow or not. No matter the case though, the harpies were clearly a threat. She decides to hold her ground, firing at the one farther away that had been hit by Alisande's fireball. 
(Bonus Action - Steady Aim; Shortbow Attack: 22, Damage: 6 piercing + 13 sneak attack) 

Meira's arrow flies true and causes the farther Harpy to crumple just as it's about to take flight. At the same time Rasziel casts his fireball. The explosion causes both harpies to incinerate. Azazel is about to fly in to finish off the last Harpy but is pleased to see his master has turned it to ash. 

With the Harpies dead, Zephyros is up and then the top of round two!

Zephryos turns to raw fury as he turns around to see the merrow attacking his ally. "Monster, you die now!" He yells as the trident streaks down at it, leaving the veteran's fingers.

Attack: 24 Damage: 11

Instantly the trident is resummoned to his hand and he throws it a second time at the creature.

Attack: 20 Damage: 13

((@Abishai, any disadvantage on attacking the merrow in the water? Not sure how submerged they are?))

Despite the pain, Gareth is glad the merrow pulled the harpoon out of his leg. It saves him the trouble from having to do it himself. Now that the harpies have all been thoroughly incinerated in a very impressive display by his friends, the ranger turns his bow toward the water, shooting at the nearest monster, switching his full attention to it instead.

Attack x2: Longbow - 14 to hit for 13 piercing damage + 1 HM damage & Longbow - 21 to hit for 8 piercing damage and 2 HM damage

BA: Transfer Hunter's Mark to Merrow

As the merrow pulls the harpoon free from Gareth and reels it in, Zephyros unleashes his trident twice. Both times the weapon magically returns to the fighter's hands. The first blow impales the monster in the right shoulder, while the second attack hits the monster in the chest. It screams out in pain. A second later, two arrows from Gareth hit the monster in the head. You see it fall backwards dead as it sinks below the waves.

[[OOC: @Gareth no disadvantage on the one above the water line. However, any attacks on shadows below the water would have disadvantage.]]

With one merrow dead, three more crest above the water line, each with a harpoon in hand. The first, a merrow to the north, throws its weapon at Zephyros, [[Attack 14]] but the weapon misses its mark. Two merrow to the south throw their harpoons at the same time. One attack on Gareth, [[Attack 19, Damage 9 and make a contested strength test DC 7 or be pulled 20' closer to merrow B.]]. The second harpoon flies at Meira, [[Attack 19, Damage 10 and make a contested strength test DC 21 or be pulled 20' closer to merrow C.]]

Map:

Zephyros bats away the feeble attempt by the merrow to his north to harpoon the veteran and interposes himself between Meira and the merrow to the south using his shield to protect the rogue.

[[OOC: @Zephyros Well played! New attack roll is 14.]]

The harpoon is about to impale Meira, but Zephyros reaches around the rogue with his shield a split second before the attack lands and bounces harmlessly off the veteran's shield instead.

Meira gasps as the trident nearly strikes her had it not been for Zephyros and his shield. She decides to hold her ground, figuring she's likely safer with her companions at her side for the moment. Again she takes steady aim and fires at the merrow that had thrown its harpoon at her. 
(Bonus Action - Steady Aim; Shortbow Attack: 22, Damage: 8 piercing + 8 sneak attack) 

Rasziel peeks out of cover to target one of the vicious enemies below with two purplish beams of eldritch crackling force, then hovering back into cover.

Eldritch Blast: 20 Force: 7
Eldritch Blast: 14 Force: 7

Meanwhile there is a quiet snicker from the invisible Azazel who is ready to dive and finish off the last enemy at the opportune moment.

Gareth lets out even more colorful language as he is impaled by a harpoon for the second time, in the same leg even. The creatures try to reel him in once more, but now he's angry. The ranger doesn't move an inch but merely glares back at the merrow, readying himself to plant some more arrows through their skulls. He draws his bow and releases two more arrows at the sea monsters, focusing his attention on one of them in particular (Merrow B). With that done, he ducks back into the cave temporarily so the merrows can't try to harpoon him again. 

Contested Strength - Nat 20

Action: Longbow Attack 1 - 15  to hit for 12 piercing damage + 2 HM damage / Longbow Attack 2 - 27 to hit for 13 piercing damage + 6 HM damage

BA: Re-apply HM to another merrow

Movement: Duck back into the cave