Erik Soong's Call of the Netherdeep

Morgan is thoroughly confused, and he can feel his reserves running dangerously low.
But when you hit the bottom… you can still dig.

(Bonus Action: converts 2 Sorcery Points into a 1st-level spell slot.)

He fixes his eyes on the fiend, grimacing.
"Let’s give a shake to that ugly head of yours…"

Morgan casts Mind Sliver on Desu. *(INT Save DC 17 - 9 psychic damage on a failure.)*

Then, unwilling to risk losing concentration on Bless, he retreats farther down the corridor and slips through the first open doorway he can find.

(if permitted under the rules of a free interaction:) As he moves, he lets a healing potion quietly slip from his fingers onto the ground near the west wall, hidden from Desu’s sight.

"Hey, Verin… told you we needed this more than you."
A brief pause.

"Perhaps I was wrong."

DM: Frekor, that is a hit, though it is not enough to destroy the object.

The dagger embeds itself into the chest of the upside down corpse. Desu reels as if struck and almost loses her footing between the tethered pain and the slight swing felt within the room. 

DM: Morgan, Desu barely makes her Save. Happy to let you set down your Healing Potion too.

Morgan can feel Desu throw up mental walls, rebuffing his efforts. Though her eyes are directed toward the center of the room. With the last half a second before Morgan ducks behind the door, he sees that Desu's body language indicates that she plans to make her way toward where her eyes are looking.

Quote from Erik_Soong >>

DM: Frekor, that is a hit, though it is not enough to destroy the object.

The dagger embeds itself into the chest of the upside down corpse. Desu reels as if struck and almost loses her footing between the tethered pain and the slight swing felt within the room.

(OOC: Thank you for the answer Erik. I'll post the entire round now, don't pay attention to my previous post for Frekor, I'll copy that part of his round here so you only need to track 1 post for Frekor's round.)

Frekor seeing Desu struggle more and more to fight each time one of the sacrifices is destroyed, decides to give it a try since he is the closest to the last body.

"Alright. Let's give this a shot" says before droping his scimitar and pulling a dagger fron his lower back. He aims at the corpse and throws the dagger, Hoping it does something against Desu. (Action: First attack: To hit: 9, 2+7. Damage: 6, 2+4.)

Seeing that wasn't enough, Frekor takes from his pouch a second dagger and throws it at the body. (Second attack: To hit: 23, 16+7.  Damage: 7, 3+4.)

The to daggers hit the same spot, making a bigger wound. (Colossus Slayer: 2.)

He then grabbed his scimitar and looked at Desu to see her reaction. (Free action: grabbing the scimitar again.)

"How do you like that?" said with a provoking smile.

(OOC: I'll wait just a little more before putting Hunter's Mark on Desu or the corpse, I only have 1 free use for the day before needing spell slots.)

The two daggers bury themselves into the corpse merged with stone. As the second dagger lands, it is enough to sever some connection between the body and the wall. There is a sound like a heavy stone dropping onto another, then the entire room suddenly drops a foot, causing most everyone to lose their footing and drop to their knees. A sense of unmooring can be felt and the hairs on everyone's neck stands on end. As a rat would know a ship is sinking, so too do you know this room is about to fall off into... something. A grinding can be heard as the single supernatural anchor point remaining, the doorway, struggles to hold the weight of the entire room up and a close inspection would reveal that the room is beginning to slip inch by inch relative to the doorway, toward to a moment where its hold will fail.

Desu is mid-flight to try to intercept the dagger when this happens and rapidly changes course, dropping hard in front of Randa and just out of melee to Frekor (F7)

"You'll never leave this place!" Desu shrieks as she darts her barbed tail at Frekor.

DM: Tail Attack on Frekor: 21 to Attack, 16 Piercing Damage. If you are struck you will be launched 15ft NE to land on C11, on the corner of Thelyss.

Desu then rakes her claws through the air and in that same moment, three fissures are carved open into the floor. Pressurized, superheated acidic air bursts up through the rips in the ground at Nivi, Randa, and Sky. Ylis is out of reach but can feel the heat and hear the release of the pressurized, noxious air.

DM: Nivi, Randa, and Sky. Dexterity Saving Throw please, DC 16 or take 7 Fire Damage and 7 Acid Damage.

IF Frekor takes the hit, Thelyss will stop his flight and attempt to take Frekor's rope from his pouch. If allowed, he will hold one end and leave the other end out for Frekor to grab. "Hold it and whatever you do, don't let go." He will say through labored breath.

If Frekor somehow avoids the hit, Thelyss will think of something else based on what the others will do.

DM: Morgan is in the next cell up, just off the screenshot, which was the closest unlocked door (I went searching in ancient post history to check!). Heroes, go! The first of two rounds before the end!

Randa Dex Save- 13

Randa was scorched and burned, but not down yet.

She turned and Dashed toward the corridor, grasping Ylis by the wrist when she reached the tunnel...

( Assuming she survives the AoO....)

Nivi's DEX Save:  12 (sigh, despite a +8, rolled a 4 on the d20) + 1 from Bless (...) = 13 (failure --> 14 damage taken)

Taken aback by the abyssal emanations from the floor when she had been expecting a direct attack, Nivi hisses in frustration as her customary agility fails her, and she takes the brunt of the flames and corrosive acid.

(Won't roll DC10 CON Save to maintain concentration on Blade Ward as its duration ran out anyway.)

(Will wait until it is clear what happens with Randa and possibly Frekor's turns before posting Nivi's turn.)

Quote from Erik_Soong >>

Desu is mid-flight to try to intercept the dagger when this happens and rapidly changes course, dropping hard in front of Randa and just out of melee to Frekor (F7)

"You'll never leave this place!" Desu shrieks as she darts her barbed tail at Frekor.

DM: Tail Attack on Frekor: 21 to Attack, 16 Piercing Damage. If you are struck you will be launched 15ft NE to land on C11, on the corner of Thelyss.

IF Frekor takes the hit, Thelyss will stop his flight and attempt to take Frekor's rope from his pouch. If allowed, he will hold one end and leave the other end out for Frekor to grab. "Hold it and whatever you do, don't let go." He will say through labored breath.

 (OOC: Frekor does get hit, he has an AC of 17.)

Frekor realizes that it's better to leave the room as a soon as possible, yet he can't let Desu leave with them. So he let's Thelyss take his rope but doesn't hold it.

"Not yet. She can't follow us!" responds before running towards Desu.  (Movement: 15 feet southwest. Landing at F8.)

He then attacks her with his shortsword.  (first attack: To hit: 9, 2+7. Failure.)

After missing his first attack, the ranger uses his scimitar on Desu.  (Using Nick: To hit: 19, 12+7. Damage: 6, 2+4.)

Vines sprout from her wound, trying to keep her immobilized.  Bonus action: Ensnearing Strike. 10 Piercing Damage if she tries to move.)

He then stabs Desu for good measure. (Second attack: To hit: 20, 13+7.  Damage: 9, 5+4.)

The Vines and his attacks made more damage for his precision. (Colossus Slayer: 7.)

"Everyone leave this place now! We can't stay here anymore!" says to the rest of his team.

Ylis allows herself to be grabbed and pulled, "Urf!" she grunts as she makes a broad horizontal throwing motion with her hand. A shower of glowing motes fly at Randa, Frekor, and Nivi.

Casting Aid on each of them, their hp maximum increases by 10 and they are healed for 10 hp.

(If I’m counting the movement correctly…)

Morgan reaches the doorway without fully entering the room. From there, he takes another shot at Desu’s mind, casting Mind Sliver once more (INT Save DC 17 - 9 psychic damage on a failure) and immediately steps back into cover.

The barbed tail streaks through the air at Randa. It rakes against her shoulder with a narrow miss, carving a deep groove in the leather armor protecting her. 

DM: A miss with a nat 2.

It may well have been Morgan that turned Desu’s tail from its target, as blood bursts from her nose, eyes, and ears from the mental assault. A minor inconvenience for Desu, but maybe enough to have saved Randa’s life.

DM: Save failed. 

Seared and reeling from the flames and acid bursting out of the floor, Nivi's pale green eyes meet Desu's, still strangely melancholy and reflective.  Her off hand gestures as she draws her Rapier (Thieves' Cant - Clasp Hand Talk).

Nivi dances forward to strike at Desu, distracted and restrained as the descended one is from Frekor's attacks, Morgan's psychic assault and Randa's escape.  The elven rogue then slips away, loping for the doorway, though she casts a concerned glance back at Frekor as she departs.

"Listen to your own words, Tracker.  Need you out of here too."

Free Action:  Nivi draws her rapier.
Bonus Action and Movement:  Cunning Action dash 50' - 10' S, 5' SW - (attack) - 15' N, 10' W, 10' N, finishing just outside the doorway.
Action:  Nivi attacks Desu with Booming Blade and her Rapier, at advantage as Desu is restrained (Ensnaring Strike), 3d20s for Elven Accuracy.
Booming Blade with Rapier to hit:  24 + 3 from Bless = 27
Booming Blade with Rapier damage:  9 (base) + 12 (sneak attack) --> 21 piercing + 4 thunder from Booming Blade = 25 total
Booming Blade Secondary Damage:  if Desu moves voluntarily before Nivi's next turn, Desu takes additional thunder damage: 16 (max)
Rapier Vex Weapon Mastery:  Nivi's next attack against Desu before the end of Nivi's next turn has advantage.

Nivi is no longer concentrating on Blade Ward.  She has Uncanny Dodge available as a Reaction.
She is clearly standing just outside the doomed chamber ready to make a last ditch rescue attempt (or throw her rope) should anyone need it.

Dex Save: Natural 20.  Total of 21.

(OOC: In addition, I'll use my Reaction to try and reduce Frekor's damage from the nasty hit from Desu.  I cannot stop any of the other effects.  I believe I was adjacent to him when this action occurred, but the maps are confusing me, I must admit.  If I wasn't in a position to reduce his damage, please ignore this.)

Interception on Frekor: damage reduced by 5.

DM: It's alright. I can hardly judge anyone for not keeping track of people on the map. :P

You were not adjacent to Frekor based on your previous turn, where you moved away. You ended your last on C6 and Frekor ended his last on E9. 

Sky very much wants to take a shot at Desu, but he can tell he's flagging and has exhausted much of his ability, save a minor amount of healing.

He'll take the Dodge action and then book it out of this place, reaching the hallway outside of this room and exiting the room completely in one movement action, so before he starts to move, he casts Shield of Faith on Frekor, granting him a small advantage against further attacks.  Sky will try to stand closer to the entrance of the hallway so that he can take any hit coming instead of more injured folk.

Quote from Erik_Soong >>

DM: It's alright. I can hardly judge anyone for not keeping track of people on the map. :P

You were not adjacent to Frekor based on your previous turn, where you moved away. You ended your last on C6 and Frekor ended his last on E9. 

 (OOC: so does that mean that the reduction of damage didn't happen? Also, did Ensnaring Strike worked or you'll post it in Desu's turn?)

DM: The reduction does not happen, and the ES does work. I am writing up the RP for it now. 

OOC: The system AI i quite annoying.

As Randa flees and Desu attacks, Morgan barely turns the spear-like tail attack. Frekor is thrown against the far wall. A ranger is not so easily broken however and he is on his feet in a moment. Thelyss’ pleadings are ignored as he rushes back at Desu. Desu’s reading of Nivi’s words allows Frekor the distraction he needs to land a good cut on the arm. Frekor then uses his primal magics to attempt to bind her.

Grasping vines burst from the cut and tangle her up. Her wings crumple and her tail lashes only once before it is pinned against her body. She hisses desperately against the constricting, thorny vines as they dig and scrape against her flesh.

DM: Nat 5 Strength Saving Throw. A failure.

Blood runs out through the vines as Desu pants and her eyes appear panicked. Desu is claustrophobic.

DM: That 60% roll. The mind is a powerful thing.In many ways, much more powerful than the body. In her claustrophobic panic, Desu has forgotten that she is much more than human now and can teleport.

She heaves hard against the bindings and bellows in an animalistic rage as they close in on her. Nivi, further preventing Desu the focus she needs to remember she is no mere human any longer, thrusts her rapier into Desu’s throat, turning the bellow into a sharp gurgle. The magical bubble of explosive Thunderous force encases her, further exacerbating her panic.

DM: Desu is now Bloodied.

Desu struggles against the bindings and manages to wrestle her tail free. She blasts it at Frekor’s chest.

DM: With Disadvantage due to being Restrained, she strikes at Frekor for 25 19 to Attack. 12 Piercing Damage and Frekor is thrown 15 ft to F11.

She then pulls an arm out and claws at the air. Another three fissures open in the earth and blast at Frekor.

DM: Dexterity Saving Throw please, DC 16 or take 7 Fire Damage and 10 Acid Damage.

She thrashes about in a thoughtless, manic bid for escape. The thorny vines wind themselves more tightly around her, further Restraining her. She begins to whimper.

DM: Heroes go.